AmaCelt—Ithonya Lawo Lisazwakala

Ngumlobeli wePhaphama! eItaly

NAKUBA kungekho lutho umuntu aluzwayo ngawo namuhla, aye ashiya imikhondo engacimeki ezweni laseNtshonalanga. Aqala ukwaziwa eminyakeni engaphezu kwengu-2 500 edlule. Aye athonya umlando, ubuciko, nemikhuba engokwenkolo yaseYurophu. Futhi nakuba kungase kubonakale kumangalisa, aye athonya nokuphila kwethu kwansuku zonke. Ayedabuka kumaNdiya aseYurophu, futhi ngesikhathi esadumile, abusa indawo enkulu yezwe lasendulo kusukela eAtlantic kuya eAsia Minor, kusukela enyakatho yeYurophu kuya oGwini lwaseMediterranean. Ayengobani? AmaCelt.

Ngaphandle kokukuqaphela, sibona imikhondo yamaCelt nsuku zonke. Ngokwesibonelo, kwakuyiwona asakaza ukusetshenziswa kwamabhulukwe ezweni laseNtshonalanga; yiwona futhi asungula imigqomo yokhuni. Kunobunye ubufakazi obubonakala ngokwengeziwe bokuthi ayekhona emlandweni. Ezindaweni zaseYurophu, usengawabona amagquma anezinqaba, nezindunduma zisibekele amathuna asendulo—konke kwashiywa amaCelt. Amadolobha noma izindawo eziningi namuhla zinamagama adabuka kumaCelt, ngokwesibonelo, iLyons neBohemia. Uma umphakathi wakini unomkhuba wokukhumbula abafileyo ekupheleni kukaOctober noma ekuqaleni kukaNovember, ungaqiniseka ngokuthi emakhulwini amaningi eminyaka adlule amaCelt enza into efanayo. Futhi, uma wazi izindaba zeNkosi uArthur yaseNgilandi noma izinganekwane ezidumile njengethi Little Red Riding Hood nethi Cinderella, khona-ke ujwayelene cishe namafa aqondile aleyompucuko yamaCelt.

Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, amaCelt, njengabanye abantu abaningi, aqala ukubhekwa ngezindlela ezihlukahlukene kuye ngokuthi ngubani owachazayo. UPlato (umGreki, wekhulu lesine leminyaka B.C.E.) wawachaza njengabantu abathanda utshwala, abanochuku. Ngokombono ka-Aristotle (umGreki, wekhulu lesine leminyaka B.C.E.), ayengabantu ababeyeyisa ingozi. Ngokwesazi sezezwe esingumGreki waseGibithe uPtolemy (wekhulu lesibili leminyaka C.E.), amaCelt ayesaba into eyodwa kuphela—ukuthi isibhakabhaka sasingawela emakhanda awo! Izitha zawo ngokuvamile zaziwabheka njengamaqaba anonya, angaphucuzekile. Namuhla, ngenxa yentuthuko ekuhloleni kwamaCelt, “singaba nombono ohlukile kakhulu ngamaCelt kunalowo esasingaba nawo eminyakeni engamashumi amabili nje edlule,” kusho uVenceslas Kruta, esinye sezazi ezinegunya kakhulu kulomkhakha.

Ukuvelela Nokuwa Kwawo

Eqinisweni amaCelt ayinhlanganisela yezizwe ezihlanganiswe ndawonye “ngolimi olufanayo nendlela yobungcweti, ukuma kwezempi, nezinkolelo ezingokwenkolo ezazifana ngokwanele ukuba zingabonakala.” (I Celti, La Stampa, isenezelo sikaMarch 23, 1991) Khona-ke kunembe ngokwengeziwe ukukhuluma ngempucuko yamaCelt kunokukhuluma ngohlanga ayilo. AmaGaul, amaCelt aseIberia, amaSenone, amaCenomani, amaInsubre, namaBoii ayengamagama ezinye zezizwe ezazihlala kulokho manje esikwazi njengeFrance, iSpain, iAustria, nenyakatho yeItaly. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, ezinye zakha eBritish Isles.

Kubonakala sengathi iqembu lokuqala lamaCelt lasakazeka lisuka eYurophu ephakathi. Akukhulunywa ngalo emibhalweni engokomlando ngaphambi kwekhulu lesithupha leminyaka B.C.E. Isazi-mlando esingumGreki uHerodotus sasiphakathi kwabantu bokuqala abakhuluma ngawo, ewachaza “njengezakhamuzi ezikude kakhulu zasentshonalanga yeYurophu.” Izazi-mlando zamandulo zikhumbula ukunqoba kwawo ngokwempi ngaphezu kwakho konke okunye. Izizwe ezihlukahlukene zamaCelt zamasha ziyokulwa namaEtruscan enyakatho yeItaly kanye neRoma ekuqaleni kwekhulu lesine leminyaka B.C.E., zalinqoba. Ngokwezazi-mlando zesiLatini, njengoLivy, amaCelt ayehamba kuphela ngemva kokuba isihlengo esifanelekile sesikhokhiwe nangemva kokuba uBrennus, umholi wamaCelt, esememezele amazwi athi vae victis, “maye kwabanqotshiwe.” Ngisho nasezikhathini zesimanje, amaCelt akhunjulwa yilabo abafunda ngezenzo zesibindi zamaqhawe angamaGaul uAsterix no-Obelix, akhishwa ezincwadini zamahlaya ngezilimi eziningi.

Isikhathi sokuhlangana kweGrisi namaCelt sasingo-280 B.C.E., lapho omunye uBrennus wamaCelt efika emasangweni ethempeli laseDelphi elidumile, nokho, wahluleka ukulinqoba. Kuleyonkathi efanayo, ezinye izizwe zamaCelt, amaGreki ayebhekisela kuzo njengamaGalatai, zadabula iBosporus futhi zazinza enyakatho yeAsia Minor, endaweni kamuva eyabizwa ngokuthi iGalathiya. Ngo-50-52 C.E., amanye amaKristu akuqala ayehlala kuleyondawo.—Galathiya 1:1, 2.

Ezikhathini zasendulo amaCelt ayaziwa njengamaqhawe anesibindi, enamandla amakhulu angokomzimba. Akukhona nje ukuthi ayenesithunzi, kodwa ukuze afake ingebhe ezitheni zawo, ayemanzisa izinwele zawo ngengxube yomcako namanzi, eyayithi lapho seyomile, iwenze abonakale esabeka ngokukhethekile. Futhi kungaleyondlela kanye ayeboniswa ngayo emifanekisweni yasendulo, “ngezinwele eziqine njengokhonkolo.” Isimo sawo somzimba, intshiseko yawo empini, izikhali zawo, indlela ayelungisa ngayo izinwele zawo, namadevu awo amade konke kwakusiza ekwakheni lowombono wentukuthelo wamaGaul owawesatshwa kangaka izitha zawo futhi ofanekisiwe endabeni ka-Asterix. Ngokunokwenzeka kungakho amabutho amaningi emuva ngalesosikhathi, kuhlanganise nalelo elaliholwa induna engumCarthage uHannibal, ayeba amasosha azuzelwa kumaCelt.

Nokho, ngasekupheleni kwekhulu lokuqala leminyaka B.C.E., amandla amaCelt aqala ukunqotshwa ngonya. Umkhankaso wamaRoma ngamaGaul, owawuholwa uJulius Caesar nezinye izinduna, waqothula inhlangano yamasosha amaCelt.

Abenzi Bezinguquko Emkhakheni Wobuciko

Ngezizathu ezihlukahlukene ubufakazi obuqondile abasishiyela bona bokuthi labantu babekhona cishe buyizinto ezenziwa yibona kuphela, ezatholakala ngokukhethekile emathuneni abo amaningana. Imihlobiso, izinhlobo ezihlukahlukene zezitsha, izikhali, izinhlamvu zemali, nokunye, ‘ezingenaphutha nezoqobo’ ngokochwepheshe, zaziyizinto zokuhwebelana okukhulu nabantu abakhelene nabo. ENorfolk, eNgilandi, muva nje kuye kwatholakala izinto ezihlukahlukene zegolide; phakathi kwazo kukhona amatorque, imigexo eqine ngokukhethekile. Njengoba kungabonakala emifanekisweni ekulamakhasi, amaCelt asebenza ngensimbi ayenekhono elingavamile. “Kubonakala sengathi insimbi kwakuyinto yamaCelt yobuciko obukhulu,” kuqinisekisa isazi esithile. Ukuze ayisebenze kangcono, ayesebenzisa izithando zomlilo ezaziphambili kakhulu ngalesosikhathi.

Ngokuthakazelisayo, ngokungefani nobuciko bamaGreki namaRoma bangalesosikhathi, obazama ukulingisa izinto zoqobo, ubuciko bamaCelt ngokuyinhloko babungobokuhlobisa. Ngokuvamile izinto eziphilayo zazenziwa ngesitayela, nezinto eziyimifanekiso zaziziningi, ngokuvamile ngezinjongo zomlingo nezingokwenkolo. Umvubukuli uSabatino Moscati uthi: “Phambi kwethu ngokungangabazeki sinohlobo lobuciko lokuhlobisa oludala kakhulu, olukhulu kakhulu, nolukhanyisela kakhulu iYurophu eyake yaba nalo.”

Umphakathi Oqondiswa Inkolo

Izizwe zamaCelt ngokuvamile zaziphila ukuphila okulula kakhulu, ngisho nakumaoppida, amadolobha azo anezinqaba. Lezizwe zazibuswa izikhulu, futhi abantu abavamile babebukelwa phansi. Ngenxa yesimo sezulu esibi sezindawo ababehlala kuzo, ukuphila kwakungelula. Mhlawumbe isizathu esibalulekile sokuthuthela kwabo ngaseningizimu kwakungeyona nje inzuzo ngokomnotho kodwa ukufuna isimo sezulu esingconywana.

Inkolo yayikuthonya ngokunamandla ukuphila kwansuku zonke kwamaCelt. “AmaGaul angabantu abathanda inkolo kakhulu,” kubhala uJulius Caesar. “Ukukholwa kwawo ekuphileni okuzayo nasekungafini komphefumulo,” kulandisa isazi uCarlo Carena, sicaphuna isazi-mlando esithile esingumLatini, “kwakuqine kangangokuthi ayengaboleka imali ngenjabulo enkulu, evuma ukuthi ukuyibuyisela kungenziwa ngisho nasesihogweni.” Empeleni, ngaphandle kwezidumbu emathuneni amaningi, kuye kwatholakala ukudla nokuphuzwayo, ngokusobala okwakulungiselelwe uhambo olucatshangelwayo lokuya kwelinye izwe.

Esinye sezici ezivamile kuzo zonke izizwe zamaCelt kwakuyisigungu sobupristi, esasihlelwe saba nezigaba okungenani ezintathu: izimbongi, amavate, namaDruid. Nakuba lamaqembu okuqala amabili ayenomsebenzi ongabalulekile kakhulu, ababenomthwalo wemfanelo wokudlulisela kokubili ulwazi olungcwele noluwusizo kwakungamaDruid, okungenzeka leligama lisho ukuthi “abahlakaniphe kakhulu.” Isazi uJan de Vries sichaza ukuthi “ubupristi obunjalo babungobunamandla kakhulu, buholwa yidruid enkulu, okwakufanele wonke umuntu azithobe ngaphansi kwesinqumo sayo.” AmaDruid kwakuyilabo futhi ngezikhathi ezimisiwe ababesingatha ukugawulwa okuyisiko komhlalanyoni (mistletoe) ehlathini “elingcwele.”

Kwakungelula neze ukuba iDruid. Kwakungathatha imfundamakhwela iminyaka engaba ngu-20 ukubamba ngekhanda ulwazi olungokwenkolo nolwemisebenzi lwalesigungu. AmaDruid ayengayibhali phansi noma yini ephathelene nezindaba ezingokwenkolo. Amasiko awo ayedluliselwa ngomlomo, okungakho sinolwazi oluncane kangaka ngamaCelt. Nokho, kungani amaDruid akwenqabela ukuloba? UJan de Vries ubonisa ukuthi “amasiko adluliselwa ngomlomo ayavuselelwa esizukulwaneni ngasinye: Okokuqala okuqukethwe kuyalondolozwa futhi ngesikhathi esifanayo kungalungiswa ngokuqhubekayo ukuze kufanelane nezimo ezishintshayo. Ngaso kanye isizathu esifanayo, amaDruid ayekwazi ukuhambisana nolwazi lwawo oluthuthukayo.” Umlobi uSergio Quinzio uyachaza: “ubupristi, njengoba babuwukuphela komgcini wolwazi olungcwele, babunegunya eliphakeme kakhulu.” Kanjalo, ngaso sonke isikhathi amaDruid ayelawula.

Akukho okwaziwayo ngonkulunkulu bamaCelt. Naphezu kweqiniso lokuthi kuye kwatholakala imifanekiso eqoshiwe nezithombe zabo eziningi, cishe zonke azinamagama, khona-ke kunzima ukusho ukuthi umfanekiso ngamunye umelela muphi unkulunkulu noma unkulunkulukazi. Kukhona okubonakala kuyizithombe zabanye balabonkulunkulu embizeni enkulu edumile yaseGundestrup eyatholakala eDenmark. Amagama anjengathi Lugh, Esus, Cernunnos, Epona, Rosmerta, Teutates, nelithi Sucellus awasho lutho kithina namuhla; nakuba kunjalo, labonkulunkulu bakuthinta kakhulu ukuphila kwansuku zonke kwamaCelt asendulo. Kwakungeyona into engavamile ngamaCelt ukuba anikele ngemihlatshelo yabantu (ngokuvamile izitha ezinqotshwe empini) ebadumisa. Ngezinye izikhathi amakhanda ezisulu ayethwalwa njengemihlobiso yesiko lokungcwaba ngokusina, futhi ngezinye izikhathi imihlatshelo yabantu yayenziwa nje ngenjongo yokuthola izibikezelo endleleni izisulu ezafa ngayo.

Isici esikhulu senkolo yamaCelt kwakuwumthath’ emunye waphezulu. Ngokwe-Encyclopedia of Religion, “ngokunokwenzeka isici esibaluleke kunazo zonke emifuziselweni yamaCelt engokwenkolo inombolo u-3; ukubaluleka okuyimfihlakalo kwesimo sobuthathu kuqinisekiswa ezingxenyeni eziningi zezwe, kodwa kumaCelt kubonakala ukuthi kwakunokuqashelwa kwakho okunamandla ngokukhethekile nokuqhubekayo.”

Ezinye izazi zithi ukucabanga ngonkulunkulu njengonguziqu-zintathu noma njengonobuso obuthathu kuyefana nokumqaphela njengobona kuyo yonke indawo, owazi konke. Izithombe ezinobuso obuthathu zazibekwa ezimpambanweni zezindlela ezibalulekile, mhlawumbe ngenjongo “yokwengamela” ukwenana kwezentengiselwano. Ngesinye isikhathi obathath’ emunye, kuqinisekisa ezinye izazi, babenokubonakala “kobunye kubantu abathathu.” Namuhla, kuzo kanye izindawo okwatholakala imifanekiso eqoshiwe yonkulunkulu bamaCelt abangoziqu-zintathu, amasonto eLobukholwa asabonisa uZiqu-zintathu ngaleyondlela efanayo. Nokho, imiBhalo Engcwele ayifundisi ukuthi uNkulunkulu noJesu bayalingana futhi bayingxenye kaZiqu-zintathu.—Johane 14:28; 1 Korinte 11:3.

Yebo, ukuphila kwamanje kwansuku zonke nemicabango yabantu abaningi kuthonywa amaCelt, mhlawumbe kakhulu kunokuba sicabanga.

[Umdwebo Ibalazwe ekhasini 18]

Ukuchuma KwamaCelt

ITène

IRoma ngo-390 B.C.E.

IDelphi ngo-279 B.C.E.

IGalathiya ngo-276 B.C.E.

ULwandle Olumnyama

ULwandle IMediterraneanULwandle Lwasenyakatho

[Izithombe ekhasini 16, 17]

(Ukuze ubone ukuthi indaba ihlelwe kanjani, bheka encwadini)

1. UAmbiorix, induna yamaEburone;

2. Imbiza enkulu yaseGundestrup;

3. Isigqoko sensimbi;

4. Isigqoko se“bronze,” insimbi, negolide;

5. Isongo le“bronze”;

6. Itshe lesikhumbuzo elenziwe ngobuciko;

7. Phawula unkulunkulu onamakhanda amathathu esesitsheni sezimbali esenziwe ngobumba;

8. I“torque” yegolide;

9. Umhlobiso wegolide;

10. I“torque” yegolide;

11. Umhlobiso wesigqoko sengulube se“bronze”

[Umthombo]

Photos 2-6, 8-11 Courtesy of Palazzo Grassi, Venice; 7 Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris