Abantu Abaphansi Bahumusha IBhayibheli
NGO-1835, uHenry Nott, iNgisi elingumeselandi, noJohn Davies, umWelsh owayefundela ukuba ngumthengisi wokudla, baphothula umsebenzi omkhulu. Ekugcineni, ngemva kokushikashikeka iminyaka engaphezu kuka-30, baqeda ukuhumushela lonke iBhayibheli olimini lwesiTahiti. Iziphi izinselele abhekana nazo la madoda amabili angabantu abaphansi, futhi waba yini umphumela womshikashika wawo wesihle?
“I-Great Awakening”
Engxenyeni yesibili yekhulu le-18, amalungu enhlangano yamaProthestani eyayibizwa ngokuthi i-Great Awakening, noma nje i-Awakening, ayeshumayela ezigcawini zamadolobhana amancane naseduze kwezimayini nezimboni eBrithani. Injongo yawo kwakuwukufinyelela isigaba sabantu abasebenzayo. Abashumayeli be-Awakening babekhuthaza ngentshiseko ukusakazwa kweBhayibheli.
Umsunguli wale nhlangano, uWilliam Carey owayesonta eBaptist, waba nesandla ekusungulweni kwe-London Missionary Society (LMS), eyamiswa ngo-1795. I-LMS yayiqeqesha abantu abazimisele ukufunda izilimi zabomdabu futhi babe izithunywa zevangeli endaweni yaseNingizimu Pacific. Umgomo walezi zithunywa zevangeli wawuwukushumayela iVangeli ngezilimi zabomdabu.
Isiqhingi saseTahiti, esasisanda kutholwa, saba insimu yokuqala ye-LMS. Kumalungu e-Awakening, lezi ziqhingi ‘zaziyizindawo ezimnyama’ zobuqaba, amasimu alungele ukuvunwa.
Abantu Abaphansi Babhekana Ngokuphumelelayo Nenselele
Ukuze kubuthwe lesi sivuno, izithunywa zevangeli ezingu-30 ezakhethwa ngokubhuduzela zingaqeqeshiwe nakahle zagibela i-Duff, umkhumbi owawuthengwe yi-LMS. Umbiko uthi kwakukhona “abefundisi abane abagcotshiwe [abangaqeqeshiwe ngokomthetho], ababazi abayisithupha, abakhandi bezicathulo ababili, omeselandi ababili, abeluki ababili, abathungi ababili, umnini-sitolo, umakhi wezihlalo zamahhashi, isisebenzi sasendlini, umnakekeli wengadi, udokotela, umkhandi wensimbi, umakhi wobhavu bokhuni, umenzi kakotini, umenzi wezigqoko, umenzi wendwangu, umakhi wamakhabethe, amakhosikazi amahlanu nezingane ezintathu.”
Ukuphela kwamathuluzi ezazinawo lezi zithunywa zevangeli ayezozisiza zijwayelane nezilimi zokuqala zeBhayibheli kwakuyisichazamazwi sesiGreki nesiNgisi kanye neBhayibheli elinesichazamazwi sesiHebheru. Ngalezo zinyanga ezingu-7 zisolwandle, lezi zithunywa zevangeli zabamba ngekhanda amagama esiTahiti ayebhalwe abanye ababevakashele eTahiti ngaphambili, ikakhulukazi abavukeli basemkhunjini i-Bounty. Ekugcineni, i-Duff yafika eTahiti, kwathi ngo-March 7, 1797, zehla izithunywa zevangeli. Nokho, kwathi kuphela unyaka owodwa eziningi zase zidikibele zahamba. Kwasala izithunywa zevangeli ezingu-7 kuphela.
Omunye walezo zithunywa zevangeli ezingu-7, uHenry Nott, owayekade engumeselandi, wayeneminyaka engu-23 kuphela ubudala. Uma kubhekwa izincwadi zokuqala azibhala, wayengafundanga okutheni. Noma kunjalo, zisuka amadaka kwabonakala ukuthi wayenesiphiwo sokufunda isiTahiti. Wayechazwa ngokuthi uqotho, uhlala eneme futhi unomoya omuhle.
Ngo-1801, uNott waqokwa ukuba afundise izithunywa zevangeli ezingu-9 ezazisanda kufika ulimi lwesiTahiti. Phakathi kwazo kwakukhona uJohn Davies, umWelsh owayeneminyaka engu-28 ubudala, owabonakala engumfundi onekhono, ozikhandlayo, onomoya omnene futhi onobubele. Kungakabiphi, la madoda amabili anquma ukuhumushela iBhayibheli olimini lwesiTahiti.
Umsebenzi Onzima
Nokho, kwaba umsebenzi onzima ukuhumushela olimini lwesiTahiti ngoba isiTahiti sasingakabi ulimi olubhalwayo. Izithunywa zevangeli kwakudingeka zisifunde ngokusilalela nje kuphela. Zazingenasichazamazwi nancwadi yohlelo lolimi. Imisindo yalolu limi eyenziwa ngokukhipha umoya ihambe inqanyulwa ngokuvala amaxhaka, onkamisa balo abaningi abalandelanayo (bangalandelana baze babe bahlanu egameni elilodwa), nokuqabukela kwalo lusebenzise ongwaqa kwakuzithena amandla kakhulu izithunywa zevangeli. “Amagama amaningi akhiwa onkamisa kuphela, ngamunye unomsindo wawo,” zisho zikhala. Zavuma ukuthi azikwazi “ukuyizwa ngokucacile imisindo yamagama, ngokunembe ngendlela okufanele ngayo.” Zazize zizwe ngisho nemisindo engekho!
Okwakwenza izinto zibe nzima nakakhulu ukuthi kwakuvama ukuba amanye amagama angasetshenziswa noma agwenywe olimini lwesiTahiti ngakho kudingeke ukuba kusetshenziswe amanye esikhundleni sawo. Amagama anomqondo ofanayo nawo ayengenye inkinga. Ayengaphezu kuka-70 amagama asho “umthandazo” olimini lwesiTahiti. Enye inselele kwakuyindlela yokuhlelwa kwamagama ngesiTahiti, ehluke ngokuphelele kweyesiNgisi. Naphezu kobunzima, kancane kancane, izithunywa zevangeli zakha uhlu lwamagama uDavies ayezogcina elukhiphe eminyakeni engu-50 kamuva seluyisichazamazwi esinamagama angu-10 000.
Kwabe sekulandela inselele yokusibhala phansi isiTahiti. Izithunywa zevangeli zazama ukusibhala zisebenzisa indlela emisiwe yokubhala isiNgisi. Nokho, ukusebenzisa kwesiNgisi izinhlamvu zesiLatini kwakungavumelani nemisindo yesiTahiti. Ngakho kwalandela izingxoxo ezingapheli mayelana nendlela yokuphinyiswa kwamagama nokubhalwa kwawo. Njengoba izithunywa zevangeli zazingabantu bokuqala eSouth Seas ukubhala ulimi obelungabhalwa, ngokuvamile zaziqamba izindlela ezintsha zokubhalwa kwamagama. Zazingazi ukuthi kamuva umsebenzi wazo wawuzoba isibonelo sokubhalwa kwezilimi eziningi zaseNingizimu Pacific.
Amathuluzi Ambalwa Kodwa Amasu Maningi
Laba bahumushi babenezincwadi ezimbalwa kuphela. I-LMS yabayala ukuba basebenzise i-Textus Receptus kanye ne-King James Version njengezincwadi eziyisisekelo. UNott wacela i-LMS ukuba ithumele izichazamazwi ezengeziwe zesiHebheru nezesiGreki kanye namaBhayibheli azo zombili lezi zilimi. Akwaziwa noma wagcina ezitholile yini lezo zincwadi. UDavies yena, wathola izincwadi ezithile zemfundo ephakeme kubangane abangamaWelsh. Imibhalo egciniwe ibonisa ukuthi okungenani wayenesichazamazwi sesiGreki, iBhayibheli lesiHebheru, iThestamente Elisha ngesiGreki kanye ne-Septuagint.
Phakathi naso sonke lesi sikhathi, ukushumayela kwezithunywa zevangeli kwakulokhu kungenazithelo. Nakuba kwase kuphele iminyaka engu-12 izithunywa zevangeli ziseTahiti, akukho noyedwa umuntu wendawo owayebhapathiziwe. Ekugcineni, ukubelesela kwezimpi zombango kwaziphoqelela zonke izithunywa zevangeli ukuba zibalekele e-Australia, ngaphandle kukaNott onesibindi. Kwaphela isikhathi esithile kunguye yedwa isithunywa sevangeli esisele eWindward Islands eyingxenye yeSociety Islands, kodwa kwadingeka ukuba alandele iNkosi uPomare II lapho le nkosi ibalekela esiqhingini esiseduze saseMoorea.
Nokho, ukuhamba kukaNott akuzange kuwumise umsebenzi wokuhumusha, futhi ngemva kweminyaka emibili ese-Australia, uDavies wabuyela wayosebenza noNott. Phakathi nalesi sikhathi, uNott wayefunde isiGreki nesiHebheru waze wazazi kahle lezi zilimi. Ngenxa yalokho, waqala ukuhumushela ezinye izingxenye zemiBhalo YesiHebheru olimini lwesiTahiti. Wakhetha izindima zeBhayibheli ezilandisa ngezinto abantu bomdabu ababengaziqonda kalula.
UNott, esebenzelana eduze noDavies, wabe eseqala ukuhumusha iVangeli likaLuka, elaphela ngo-September 1814. Walihumusha ngendlela ezwakala ingokwemvelo ngesiTahiti, uDavies yena eliqhathanisa nemibhalo yokuqala. Ngo-1817, iNkosi uPomare II yacela ukulinyathelisa yona ngokwayo ikhasi lokuqala leVangeli likaLuka. Yalinyathelisa emshinini omncane wokunyathelisa ohanjiswa ngesandla owawufike nezithunywa zevangeli eMoorea. Iyobe ayiphelile indaba yokuhunyushwa kweBhayibheli lesiTahiti kungakakhulunywa ngomTahiti othembekile okuthiwa uTuahine, owahlala nezithunywa zevangeli yonke leyo minyaka ezisiza ukuba ziqonde izici ezicashile zolimi.
Ukuhumusha Kuyaphela
Ngo-1819, ngemva kweminyaka eyisithupha yokusebenza kanzima, kwaphela ukuhunyushwa kwamaVangeli, izEnzo Zabaphostoli namaHubo. Umshini wokunyathelisa, owafika nezithunywa zevangeli ezazisanda kufika, wakwenza kwaba lula ukunyathelisa nokusakaza lezi zincwadi zeBhayibheli.
Kwalandela inkathi yomsebenzi omkhulu wokuhumusha, ukulungisa nokubukeza. Ngo-1825, ngemva kokuhlala eTahiti iminyaka engu-28, uNott wagula, i-LMS yamvumela ukuba aphindele eNgilandi. Okujabulisayo ukuthi ngaleso sikhathi ukuhunyushwa kwemiBhalo YesiGreki kwase kusemaphethelweni. Waqhubeka nokuhumusha lonke iBhayibheli ngesikhathi esemkhunjini eya eNgilandi nalapho esefikile. UNott wabuyela eTahiti ngo-1827. Eminyakeni engu-8 kamuva, ngo-December 1835, wawuqeda umsebenzi wokuhumusha. Ngemva kokushikashikeka iminyaka engaphezu kuka-30, lase lihunyushwe lonke iBhayibheli.
Ngo-1836, uNott waphindela eNgilandi ukuze alinyathelise lonke iBhayibheli lesiTahiti eLondon. Ngo-June 8, 1838, uNott, echichima injabulo, wethula uhlelo lokuqala olunyathelisiwe lweBhayibheli lesiTahiti eNdlovukazini uVictoria. Kuyaqondakala ukuthi lona kwakungumzuzu ovusa amadlingozi kule ndoda eyayingumeselandi eyahamba ngomkhumbi i-Duff eminyakeni engu-40 ngaphambili yangena shí esikweni lesiTahiti ukuze iqede lo msebenzi omkhulu, othatha sonke isikhathi sokuphila komuntu.
Ezinyangeni ezimbili kamuva, uNott walibangisa eNingizimu Pacific namakesi angu-27 athwele amakhophi okuqala angu-3 000 eBhayibheli eliphelele lesiTahiti. Ngemva kokuma eSydney, waphinde wagula, kodwa wenqaba ukuhlukana nala makesi ayigugu. Ngemva kokululama, wafika eTahiti ngo-1840, lapho abantu baya bephangelana emthwalweni wakhe, befuna amaBhayibheli esiTahiti. UNott wafela eTahiti ngo-May 1844, eneminyaka engu-70 ubudala.
Umphumela Omkhulu
Nokho, umsebenzi kaNott wona awuzange ufe. Inguqulo yakhe yaba nethonya elikhulu ezilimini zesiPolynesia. Ngokusibhala phansi isiTahiti, izithunywa zevangeli zalulondoloza lolu limi. Omunye umbhali wathi: “UNott wasilondoloza isiTahiti sezinga eliphezulu. Kuyohlale kudingeka njalo ukuba umuntu aye eBhayibhelini ukuze afunde isiTahiti esimsulwa.” Umsebenzi wenkuthalo walaba bahumushi wasindisa amagama amaningi ukuba anganyamalali. Eminyakeni eyikhulu kamuva, omunye umbhali wathi: “IBhayibheli likaNott lesiTahiti elibabazekayo liwubuciko bolimi lwesiTahiti—wonke umuntu uyakuvuma lokho.”
Le nguqulo ebalulekile ayizuzisanga abantu baseTahiti nje kuphela kodwa futhi yaba isisekelo sezinguqulo zezinye izilimi zaseNingizimu Pacific. Ngokwesibonelo, abahumushi baseCook Islands naseSamoa basebenzisa yona njengesibonelo. Omunye umhumushi wathi: “Ngokuyinhloko ngilandele uMnumzane uNott, engiyihlole ngokucophelela inguqulo yakhe.” Kwabikwa ukuthi omunye umhumushi ‘wayebeke phambi kwakhe incwadi yamaHubo i-Hebrew Psalter kanye nenguqulo yayo yesiNgisi neyesiTahiti’ lapho ‘ehumushela elinye lamahubo kaDavide olimini lwesiSamoa.’
Izithunywa zevangeli eTahiti zalandela isibonelo samalungu e-Awakening eNgilandi, zakuthuthukisa ngentshiseko ukukwazi ufunda nokubhala. Eqinisweni, kwaphela iminyaka engaphezu kwekhulu iBhayibheli kuyilo lodwa incwadi etholakala ngesiTahiti. Ngaleyo ndlela laba yingxenye ebalulekile yesiko laseTahiti.
Esinye sezici ezinhle kakhulu se-Nott Version ukuvela kwegama likaNkulunkulu izikhathi eziningi emiBhalweni yesiHebheru neyesiGreki. Ngenxa yalokho, namuhla igama likaJehova laziwa kahle kakhulu eTahiti naseziqhingini zakhona. Liyatholakala ngisho nasemasontweni athile amaProthestani. Nokho, manje igama likaNkulunkulu lihlanganiswa ngokuyinhloko noFakazi BakaJehova nomsebenzi wabo wokushumayela ngentshiseko, abasebenzisa kakhulu kuwo iBhayibheli lesiTahiti elahunyushwa uNott nozakwabo. Futhi ukuzikhandla kwabahumushi abanjengoHenry Nott kusikhumbuza indlela okufanele sibonge ngayo ngokuthi namuhla iningi lesintu lilithola kalula iZwi likaNkulunkulu.
[Izithombe ekhasini 26]
Izinguqulo zokuqala zeBhayibheli ngesiTahiti, ngo-1815. Igama likaJehova liyavela
UHenry Nott (1774-1844), umhumushi oyinhloko weBhayibheli lesiTahiti
[Imithombo]
Tahitian Bible: Copyright the British Library (3070.a.32); Henry Nott and letter: Collection du Musée de Tahiti et de ses Îles, Punaauia, Tahiti; catechism: With permission of the London Missionary Society Papers, Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand
[Isithombe ekhasini 28]
Ikhathekizimu lika-1801 lesiTahiti nesiWelsh, okuvela kulo igama likaNkulunkulu
[Umthombo]
With permission of the London Missionary Society Papers, Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand
[Isithombe ekhasini 29]
Isonto lamaProthestani elibhalwe igama likaJehova ngaphambili, esiqhingini saseHuahine, eFrench Polynesia
[Umthombo]
Avec la permission du Pasteur Teoroi Firipa