IMarquesas NeTuamotus Zimenyelwa ‘Ukuphila Phakade EPharadesi’
NGEMVA kokuhamba ngendiza amakhilomitha ayi-1 450 siya ngasenyakatho-mpumalanga sisuka eTahiti, mina nomkami safika eNuku Hiva, isiqhingi esikhulu eziQhingini zaseMarquesas. Ebalazweni, leziqhingi zibonakala zingamachashaza nje eNingizimu Pacific. Kodwa sakhangwa ubuhle bazo obumagebhugebhu.
Iziqhingi eziningi kwezaseMarquesas zigcwele iziqongo zezintaba ezifinyelela emafwini futhi ezinamawa awummango alenga njengezindonga ezihlangene. Izihosha ezijulile, ezivundile, ezembozwe izitshalo zikakhukhunathi nezinye izitshalo, zinwebekela olwandle njengamatheku amancane afudumele. Nokho, amaza anamandla nemisinga ezungeze iziqhingi, nokungabibikho konqenqema lwamagobolondo ezilwane zasolwandle, kwenza kube nzima ukukhiphela isikebhe ogwini. Iziqhingana ezihlakazekile zaseTuamotus azibonakali emkhathini, okwasisiza ukuba siqonde isizathu sokuthi abaqondisi bemikhumbi bokuqala bazibize ngokuthi iziQhingi Eziphansi noma Idlanzana Leziqhingi Eziyingozi.
Sasizodlulisela kulabantu baseziqhingini isimemo esifana nesesihloko sencwadi enemibala yokutadisha iBhayibheli ethi Ungaphila Phakade EPharadesi Emhlabeni. ENuku Hiva, sagibela iAraroa, umkhumbi othwala izimpahla, sathatha uhambo lwezinsuku ezingama-21 olungamakhilomitha ayizi-4 000 sinqamula eziqhingini iMarquesas neTuamotus. Sasinikela isigijimi sethu njengoba umkhumbi wawuma ezikhumulweni ezihlukahlukene ukuze wehlise futhi uthathe impahla.
Indlela Evamile Yokuphila Kwabantu Basesiqhingini
Nokho, ungase uzibuze ukuthi babenjani abantu esasibathola. Abantu abaningi baseMarquesas bahlala emadolobhaneni azungeze amatheku noma angasemfuleni. Amadolobhana ayashiyana ngobukhulu kusukela kwanemikhaya emibili noma emithathu kuya kwanezakhamuzi ezingaba amakhulu ambalwa. Kunemikhaya eminingi emikhulu, enabantwana abayi-8 kuya kwabayi-10, eminye cishe inabayi-18 noma abangama-20. Ukuphila kwabo kuvamile kodwa kunzima. Badla okuphuma olwandle, ngezinye izikhathi okwenezelwa ngezingulube nezinkukhu ezifuywe ekhaya. Futhi bangena maphakathi nesiqhingi ukuze bayozingela izimbuzi zasendle ezihlala ezintabeni noma ukuze bayoqoqa amahhashi asendle, abawafuyayo futhi bawasebenzisele ukudonsa imithwalo. Imithi eminingi kakhukhunathi ibanikeza icopra (inyama kakhukhunathi eyomisiwe okukhishwa kuyo uwoyela wokwenza insipho neminye imikhiqizo). lcopra iyisivuno saseziqhingini esiyinhloko esingenisa imali, kodwa kunemali ethile etholakala ezintweni ezibaziwe, kutapa (indwangu ehlotshisiwe eyenziwe ngamagxolo emithi), nakupiere (ubhanana owomisiwe).
Esikhathini esidlule abantu baseMarquesas babengamazimu futhi benza imihlatshelo ngabantu konkulunkulu babo otiki. Namuhla, abantu abaningi bangamaKatolika. Bahlobisa izindlu zabo ngemifanekiso nezithombe eziqoshwe ngamatshe zikaMariya nezikaJesu. Ngokuthakazelisayo, isango lendlu yombhishobhi wamaKatolika eNuku Hiva linohele lwezithombe eziqoshwe ngamatshe zikatiki. ETuamotus, ukuphila okungokwenkolo kubuswa amaMormons, amaKatolika, neSonto Eliguqulwe Ngokusha Labangcwele Banamuhla, ababizwa kuleyondawo ngokuthi amaSanitos.
Abantu baseziqhingini bakhuluma isiMarquesa, kodwa futhi bayasizwa isiFulentshi nesiTahiti. Indlela yabo yokuphila ifana neyabo bonke abantu baseziqhingini zasePolynesia—baphila usuku ngalunye ngendlela enensayo yaseziqhingini. Ngenxa yokungafiki njalo nokungavami kwemikhumbi, abantu baye bafunda ikhono lokulinda ngesineke. Ugesi wafakwa ngoJanuary 1979, futhi manje ngokufika kwamathelevishini, abantu baseziqhingini sebexhunyaniswe kangcono nezinto ezenzeka emhlabeni wonke.
ENuku Hiva
INuku Hiva, enezakhamuzi eziyi-1 800, iyisikhungo sokuphatha seziQhingi zaseMarquesas. Indlu kahulumeni, itheku eliyinhloko, nekhaya lombhishobhi kuseThekwini iTaiohae, indawo esaqala kuyo. Zazingekho izinsimbi zokungqongqoza. Sasimane simemeze sithi “hou-hou.” Uma othile ephendula, sasithi “Kaoha!” (“Sawubona!”) ngobuso obumamathekayo bese sichaza isizathu sokuhambela kwethu. Abantu abaningi basesiqhingini bamukela incwadi ngentshiseko futhi bathi: “Siyabonga kakhulu ngokuza kwenu. Asikaze sibe nakho okuthile okufana nalokhu kokusisiza ukuba siqonde iZwi likaNkulunkulu.” BaneBhayibheli lamaKatolika ngesiTahiti namaVangeli amathathu ngesiMarquesas.
Abathile abamukela isipho sethu ngobuqotho bacela ukuba sivakashele abanye. Ngokwesibonelo, enye insizwa yanxusa umkami ukuba ayilandele, ithi, “Laphaya ngemuva! Laphaya ngemuva!” Ukuba ayizange iwukhombe, umkami wayengeke awubone umuzi womqophi wamatshe, owayazisa kakhulu lencwadi efundisayo.
EHakaui, kwakunemikhaya emibili kuphela, eyayihlukaniswe isizalo somfula esiwumngcingo. Lapho sifika, umkhaya wokuqala wabonakala umatasa kakhulu. Ngakho, ngosizo lwamatilosi anomusa, sawela ngesikebhe saya komunye umkhaya. Njengoba sasisondela, sabona abesifazane ababili behleli phakathi kwezingulube ezazizulazula zizungeza indlu—isimo esiphansi ngempela. Nokho, lapho sibabonisa incwadi, ngokujabula basinikeza okuncane ababenakho ukuze bayithole. Samane nje sakhumbula ngomfelokazi ompofu okukhulunywe ngaye kuLuka 21:2-4 owanikela ngakho konke ayenakho ethempelini.
Ngokulandelayo sama eTaipivai, ogwini oluseningizimu-mpumalanga yeNuku Hiva, eyenziwa yaziwa ngenxa yencwadi kaHerman Melville ethi Typee. Yayiyisihosha esijulile nesihle, esigcwele izitshalo zikakhukhunathi. Ngehora lesithupha ekuseni, salibangisa ngenhla komfula ngesikebhe sethu, amanzi anjengesibuko ebonisa izithunzi zemithi kakhukhunathi nemisebe yokuqala yosuku. Sakwazi ukubona izindlu ezimbalwa phakathi kwemithi.
“Sizohlala lapha isikhathi esingakanani?” Ngatshelwa ukuthi iloli elalithwala amasaka ecopra lalilimele. Ngakho, uma sasingashesha, sasiyoba nesikhathi sokuhlanganisa insimu sigibele amahhashi kuze kube sekugcineni kwesihosha, lapho kwakunempophoma enhle eyayigobhozela phakathi kwamafern. Cishe imikhaya eyishumi nambili yasabela kahle “emkhankasweni” wethu omkhulu.
Ukuya Kwezinye Iziqhingi
Cishe iUa Huka ingamakhilomitha angama-40 ukusuka empumalanga Nuku Hiva. Lesiqhingi sincane kunezinye, asivundile kangako futhi sinezintaba eziningi. Saphinda futhi saqala uhambo lwethu ngesikebhe ngehora lesithupha ekuseni. Sasuka ogwini olunamatshe sakhuphuka umgwaqo onamagquma, futhi ngemva kwehora sihamba ngezinyawo, safika eHane, idolobhana eliyinhloko. Ngokuvamile isonto lakulendawo lalibusa yonke indawo. Ithonya lalo liye lakhula muva nje ngenxa yenqubo yokukhuluma ngezilimi nokuphilisa eyayikhanga kubantu. Kodwa enye insizwa eyayihlala lapho yabonisa ukukhathazeka ngokuguquka okubucayi kwezenzakalo zomhlaba futhi yamukela ngentshiseko “isimemo” sethu, sesigijimi sokuphila emhlabeni eyipharadesi.
Ngokulandelayo sama esiqhingini iUa Pou. Ngokushesha sakhangwa iziqongo ezingamamitha ayi-1 200 zamatshe amnyama, akhuphukela emafwini njengemibhoshongo. Eqinisweni ayengamatshe ancibilikile akhishwe izintabamlilo. Kwakudingeka sihambele amadolobhana ayisihlanu kulesiqhingi. “Isimemo” sethu semukelwa ngabantu abaningi ngenjabulo. Sasivame ukuzwa amazwi athi, “Mea kanahau!” (“Yinhle!”) Lencwadi yahlaba umxhwele abantu abaningi bakulelodolobhana kangangokuba baphikelela nokugxisha ngokubonga ojosaka bethu ngamagobolondo asolwandle nezithelo—olamula, omango, amawolintshi, namagrapefruit. EHaakuti, idolobhana elakhiwe phezulu eceleni kwegquma, sathola owesifazane nendodakazi yakhe abashiseka kakhulu ngalokho ababekuzwile kangangokuba behlela esikebheni ukuze batshele wonke umuntu lapho ukuba alalele isigijimi sethu futhi athathe incwadi enhle.
Lapho sifika edolobhaneni eliyinhloko, iHakahau, sakhathazwa ukuthi sasiyozifinyelela kanjani izakhamuzi ezingaphezu kwenkulungwane ngesikhashana esincane kangaka. Basizakala ngokuthi enye insizwa eyayijatshuliswe isigijimi yanikela ngemoto yayo: “Nginganiyisa noma kuphi lapho nifuna ukuya khona.” Eminyakeni embalwa edlule, umpristi wakulendawo waqoqa zonke izincwadi ezaziye zashiywa oFakazi BakaJehova. Lokhu kwesabisa abantu. Kodwa isigijimi sethu sabonakala singesikhanga kakhulu kangangokuba imikhaya eyi-12 yasusa umqondo wokwesaba umuntu futhi yamukela incwadi esasiyilethile.
IHiva Oa, isiqhingi esilandelayo ohambweni lwethu, siyisiqhingi ezivundile futhi esenile ngaphezu kwazo zonke iziqhingi eMarquesas. Senziwa saziwa ngenxa yemidwebo enemibala, eveza ukubonakala kwemvelo kaPaul Gauguin. Wachitha iminyaka yakhe yokugcina eAtuona, lapho samisa khona. Umbuzo ovamile owawubuzwa izivakashi wawuthi: “Senike nambona utiki?” Isithombe esiqoshiwe ngetshe sikatiki esingamamitha ayi-2,4 ubude esisekugcineni kwetheku singesikhulu kunazo zonke eziQhingini ezibuswa yiFrance. Saphendula ngomusa: “Sinamehlo kodwa asiboni, nomlomo kodwa asikhulumi. Njengoba silapha okwesikhashana, sifuna ukukhuluma nabantu abaphilayo futhi sibabonise okuthile okuthakazelisayo.” Enye inkosikazi yasithanda kakhulu isipho sethu kangangokuba yakhuthaza umngane wayo ukuba athathe incwadi. Yaze yaboleka umngane wayo imali yokuyithenga. Enye inkosikazi yathi: “Sengiqala ukuqonda ukuthi ukufunda iBhayibheli kubaluleke kakhulu kunokuya esontweni uyothandaza njalo kusihlwa.”
Lapho sekuhwalele sasisesikhumulweni saseHanaiapa sikhuluma nabantu abathile ngaphansi kwezibani. Ingxoxo yafika endabeni yesihogo. “Ake sithi unomntwana owonakele kakhulu. Ingabe wawungabasa umlilo bese umlahlela kuwo?” sibuza. “Cha!” bephendula. “Khona-ke, ingabe uNkulunkulu ubengahlupha abantwana bakhe emlilweni phakade?” Abesifazane abane nendoda eyodwa basithakazelela kakhulu “isimemo” sothando sikaNkulunkulu sokuphila emhlabeni lapho ‘omubi eyobe engasekho’ ngenxa yokuthi uyobe ebhujiswe phakade, hhayi ukuhlushwa phakade.—IHubo 37:10.
Kwakuyibangana elifushane nje ukusuka eHiva Oa uya esiqhingini esincane saseTahuata. Ngokuntela itilosi elithile lasitshela ukuthi eminyakeni engaba yikhulu edlule abelungu abathile badliwa abantu bomdabu balapha. Nokho, sabanikeza izingxoxo ezithakazelisayo kuphela. Indoda eyayingumholi wenqubo yokukhuluma ngezilimi nokuphilisa kulelidolobhana yayikungabaza ukuthatha incwadi kodwa yaphikelela ngokuthi samukele ingilazi yamanzi kuyo. Isebenzisa kabi amazwi kaJesu akuJohane 4:14, yathi, “Ngamanzi engininikeza wona anisayikoma naphakade, kodwa ayakuba ngumthombo wamanzi aphuphumayo.” Siyibonga, saphendula: “Lawa ngamanzi nje, futhi siwamukela ngokubonga. Kodwa ingabe uyawenqaba amanzi okuphila nokudla okungokomoya esikumemela ukuba ukudle?” Ishukunyiswe yilamazwi, yathatha izincwadi ezimbalwa. Kamuva, ogwini, abantu abathile baqala ukusihleka usulu: “Ingabe ukhona ngisho noyedwa umuntu oke wamukela isipho senu?” Nokho umphathi wezisebenzi zomphakathi kuleyondawo wacela ukubona incwadi, futhi wanquma ukuyithatha bonke bembhekile. Yeka indlela bonke abamangala ngayo lapho bezwa ukuthi nabanye baye basemukela isipho sethu!
Indawo esagcina ukuma kuyo eMarquesas kwakusesiqhingini esiseningizimu, iFatu Hiva. Sasiphakathi kweziqhingi zokuqala ezatholwa uAlvaro de Mendafia de Neyra waseSpain, ngo-1595, owetha iziqhingi igama elalidumisa unkosikazi wesekela lasePeru—uLas Marquesa de Mendoza. IFatu Hiva iyisiqhingi esihle kakhulu. Edolobhaneni eliyinhloko, iOmoa, sahlangana nomkhaya owabonisa isithakazelo esikhulu. Ngemva kokuqhubekela esihosheni, umama waphuma eyoqoqa abangane bakhe, okwathi lapho sibuya bonke babesilindele ngobuso obumamathekayo. Babefuna izincwadi ukuze bafunde okuthile ngeZwi likaNkulunkulu emihlanganweni yabo yantambama yesifundo seBhayibheli.
Ngesikhathi esafika ngaso ogwini, omunye wojosaka bethu wawungasenalutho, futhi omunye wawugcwele amawolintshi nolamula.
Ukuya ETuamotus
Ngemva kokuhamba ngomkhumbi usuku nobusuku obubili siya eningizimu-ntshonalanga, safika esiqhinganeni iPukapuka eTuamotus. Kwakwenziwe amalungiselelo akhethekile okuba iAraroa ime eziqhingini ezimbili usuku ngalunye. Lokhu kwasinikeza ithuba lokufinyelela iziqhingana ezithile okungelula ukuzifinyelela.
Phakathi kwabantu abayinkulungwane besizwe samaPomotus kuleziqhingi, imikhaya engama-30 yasemukela ngenjabulo “isimemo” sethu. Emzini ompofu ophakathi kwemithi kakhukhunathi, owesifazane othile wathengisa ngokushesha amanzi kakhukhunathi ukuze athole izincwadi ezimbalwa ngaphambi kokuba sihambe. Asisoze sawukhohlwa lomkhaya, owaphikelela futhi nokusinikeza izinhlanzi ezomisiwe ezazilengiswe ophahleni lwendlu yawo.
Izinkumbulo Ezinhle
Kunabanye abantu abaningi abanomusa esiyobakhumbula njalo, futhi sithemba ukuthi uJehova uyobanakekela. Yeka indlela esijabula ngayo ngokuthatha kwethu loluhambo lokuya eMarquesas naseTuamotus, siyozibonela ngawethu ithonya elinamandla ‘lesimemo’ esithi: “Ungaphila Phakade EPharadesi Emhlabeni”!—Inikelwe.
[Amabalazwe ekhasini 25]
(Ukuze ubone ukuthi indaba ihlelwe kanjani, bheka encwadini)
Marquesas Islands
Nuku Hiva
Taiohae
Ua Huka
Ua Pu
Hiva Oa
Atuona
Tahuata
Fatu Hiva
Omoa