Okushiwo ISifihla-buso

UMGAWULI WEMITHI UYA ESIHLAHLENI ESITHILE EHLATHINI LASE-AFRIKA EPHAKATHI, EPHETHE IMBAZO. UKUTHUNYWA KWAKHE KUNGOKWENKOLO, OSEKWENZIWE IZIKHATHI EZINGENAKUBALWA EZINKULUNGWANENI ZEMINYAKA E-AFRIKA.

LOMGAWULI wemithi ukholelwa ukuthi ngaphakathi kwalesi sihlahla kuhlala umoya ofanelwe inhlonipho ejulile. Ukuze azivikele olakeni lwalowo moya, lomgawuli wemithi wathintana nombhuli ngaphambi kokungena ehlathini. Kamuva wenza umkhosi wokuhlanzwa futhi wanikela umhlatshelo emoyeni walesi sihlahla.

Ugalela lesi sihlahla ngembazo yakhe. Ebeka izindebe zakhe endaweni agawule kuyo, ngokulandelayo umunca amanzi esihlahla ukuze amukeleke kuso. Ngemva kokugawula lesi sihlahla, usishiya phansi izinsuku ezimbalwa ukuze anikeze lomoya isikhathi esanele sokuthola ikhaya kwenye indawo. Ukholelwa ukuthi lesi sihlahla sinamandla aso siqu, naphezu kokuhamba kwalomoya. Amandla aso makhulu kangangokuthi labo abathinta ukhuni lwaso kumelwe balandele ngokucophelela imicikilisho engokwesiko abayinikeziwe, ukuze balondeke.

Lapho ethola lolu khuni, umbazi onekhono wenza isifihla-buso. Njengoba kwenziwa lesi sifihla-buso, kukholelwa ukuthi lolu khuni luthola amandla engeziwe. Umbazi akakhululekile ukuba enze noma isiphi isimo asifunayo; kumelwe avumelane nomfanekiso ongokwesiko wohlanga lwakubo. Uma engenzi kanjalo, uzifaka engozini yokuklolodelwa umphakathi wakubo nokuthukuthelelwa amandla omoya wesifihla-buso.

Lapho lesi sifihla-buso sesiphelile, inyanga yenza umkhosi wokusingcwelisa lapho ifaka khona izithako zomlingo kulesi sifihla-buso. Manje kucatshangwa ukuthi lesi sifihla-buso sinamandla amakhulu angaphezu kwawemvelo futhi siba indawo yomoya esinikezelwa kuwo. Lesi sifihla-buso sesikulungele ukusetshenziswa emikhosini engokwenkolo.

Okushiwo Isifihla-buso E-Afrika

Izifihla-buso zisetshenziswa ekukhulekeleni ezingxenyeni eziningi zezwekazi lase-Afrika. Incwadi ethi Masks—Their Meaning and Function ithi: “Isifihla-buso singasetshenziselwa izinjongo ezimbili: singasetshenziswa njengento enamandla omlingo, njengesifihla-buso esincane; noma singafakwa, lapho sisetshenziselwa khona ukushweleza kokhokho, emimoyeni noma kwabanye abantu abangaphezu kwemvelo.”

Sinikeza incazelo eningiliziwe, isazi uGeoffrey Parrinder sithi encwadini yaso ethi Religion in Africa: “[Izifihla-buso zokhuni zase-Afrika] zingokwenkolo, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi zingokwemvelo, zingokwesiko noma ziyacatshangelwa. Zimelela abafile noma imimoya eba khona emikhosini yabo, noma ‘imiphakathi yangasese’ ehlobene nabafile noma evimbela ubuthakathi. Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi azinyakazi noma ziyesabeka, ziphendukezelwe noma ziyacatshangelwa, izifihla-buso zikuveza ngokucacile ukwesabeka kwabafile kanye nenkolelo yokuthi ukufa akusona isiphelo. Zenzelwa ukuba zifakwe abantu abalingisa abafile, imizimba yabo ngokuvamile embozwa ngezivatho ngaphansi kwezifihla-buso, futhi okungamelwe babizwe ngokuthi bangabantu kodwa ngokuthi bayimimoya.”

Ngaphandle kokusetshenziswa kwazo emasikweni omngcwabo nasekuzivikeleni eziphonsweni, izifihla-buso zinendima eyinhloko emikhosini yokuthwasa, emicimbini, ezindabeni zokwahlulela, emikhosini yenzalo, “nasekukhulumisaneni nabafile.” Ngezinye izikhathi izifihla-buso ziyasetshenziswa emicimbini nasemikhosini yeLobukholwa. Ngokwesibonelo, eSierra Leone “odeveli” abafake izifihla-buso badansa baye emagcekeni esonto ukuze bayobungaza imishado. Ngazo zonke lezi zindlela, izifihla-buso zifeza injongo efanayo eyisisekelo. Incwadi ethi African Masks ithi “ziyizinqolobane zamandla aphezulu, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi ukusebenza kwazo kuhloselwe ukuba kukhulu, noma kungasho lutho futhi kujabulise.”

Phakathi kwezinhlanga ezingaphezu kuka-1 000 e-Afrika, cishe ezingaba yikhulu ziyazenza izifihla-buso. Izifihla-buso ziyahlukahluka ngokubukeka kuye ngokwamaqembu, futhi zihlukahluka ngokwenjongo eziyifezayo. Nokho, naphezu kwalomehluko, kunezinhlobo ezaziwayo eziqondwa abantu ezingxenyeni eziningi ze-Afrika. Ngokwesibonelo, izifihla-buso ezimelela imimoya yokhokho ngokuvamile zinokubukeka okunokuthula, kanti izifihla-buso ezimelela imimoya engeyona eyabantu ngokuvamile ziyesabeka. Isiphongo esikhulu sibonisa ukuhlakanipha nengokomoya elijulile. Amehlo aphumele ngaphandle noma ubuso obuqinile bubonisa isimo sokungenwa umoya. Ibala elimhlophe limelela imimoya yabafileyo kanye nemfanelo ‘engaphezu kwemvelo.’ Izifihla-buso zezilwane ezinezimpondo, ikakhulukazi inyathi nenyamazane yase-Afrika, zihlobene nemikhosi yokubhula, ukuthutha kwemimoya, nobuthakathi.

Ukusetshenziswa Kwesifihla-buso

E-Afrika izifihla-buso azilengiswa nje odongeni; zisetshenziswa emikhosini nasemdansweni. Zingase zimboze ubuso noma lonke ikhanda lomuntu ozifakile. Umzimba walowo muntu uvunuliswa ngezivatho ezinde noma ngemicu yelala noma yesitshalo esiwukhuni.

Ofake isifihla-buso ubhekwa njengosebenzelana ngokuseduze namandla omoya waso. I-New Encyclopædia Britannica ichaza okwenzekayo: “Lapho esefake isifihla-buso, osifakile ngezinye izikhathi uguquka ingqondo futhi njengokungathi uqulekile athathe indima yomlingiswa womoya omelelwa isifihla-buso. Nokho, ngokuvamile osifakile ngobuciko uba ‘umngane’ womlingiswa amlingisayo . . . Kodwa kubonakala sengathi osifakile ngokuvamile unamathela ngokuphelele ngokwengqondo kumlingiswa azama ukumakha. Ushiya ubuyena abe njengomshini olingisayo, ngaphandle kwentando yakhe, olawulwa intando yomuntu omelelwa isifihla-buso.”

Ezibukelini ezihlabeke umxhwele—cishe njalo okuba amadoda kuphela—lesi sifihla-buso asimeleli nje kuphela umuntu ongaphezu kwemvelo. Zikholelwa ukuthi umuntu ophilayo ongaphezu kwemvelo ungena ngokoqobo kulesi sifihla-buso. Ngakho, isifihla-buso ngokwaso singcwele, futhi noma ikuphi ukweqiwa kwemithetho kuthola isijeziso somphakathi, ngezinye izikhathi ngokufa. Ukuze avikeleke, ofaka isifihla-buso, njengomgawuli wemithi nombazi, kumelwe alandele izinqubo ezigunyaziwe.

Okushiwo Isifihla-buso Kumqongeleli

Ikakhulukazi phakathi naleminyaka eyikhulu edlule, izifihla-buso zase-Afrika ziye zaqongelelwa ngentshiseko emhlabeni wonke. Kumqongeleli isifihla-buso sisho okuhluke ngokuphelele kulokho esikushoyo kulabo abaqhuba inkolo engokwesiko e-Afrika.

Kunokuba basibheke njengento engcwele, engokwenkolo, abaqongeleli babheka lesi sifihla-buso njengomsebenzi wobuciko oveza impucuko yase-Afrika. Kunokuba bahlaziye isifihla-buso ngokomsebenzi waso emphakathini, basahlulela ngokubukeka kwaso okucacile, ukukhanga, nokujula kwaso okungokomzwelo. Abaqongeleli bayabuza: Umbazi uthinteka kangakanani ngokhuni ngokwalo, umnyama walo, nokwakheka kwalo? Umbazi ulisebenzisa ngobuciko kangakanani ikhono lokusungula izinto nobuciko kodwa anamathele esitayeleni esibekwa isiko lempucuko?

Yiqiniso, umqongeleli akayishayi indiva indima yenkolo ezingeni lomsebenzi. Ngokuvamile, ngenxa yokungafani kwamandla ashukumisa umbazi, kunomehluko omkhulu phakathi kwezifihla-buso ezisetshenziswa ekukhulekeleni kanye nezifana nazo ezibazelwa izivakashi ezibona amazwe. Incwadi ethi Masks of Black Africa ithi: “Umbazi . . . wayethola izici ezishukumisayo enkolelweni yakhe ejulile, ekuhlonipheni kwakhe ukuthunywa kokuba akhe umuntu onamandla onke, ongokomoya, futhi afeze umthwalo wakhe wemfanelo okhethekile emphakathini kulendima. Ngokushesha lapho lolu kholo olungokwenkolo . . . luwohloka, umsebenzi wakhe, naphezu kowawukufinyelela ngokusobala kwezobuciko, wafa futhi waba nezinga eliphansi lobuciko.”

Labo abaqongelela izifihla-buso zamamnyuziyamu ngokuvamile bacophelela ngaphezu kwabaqongeleli bobuciko ngendima yesifihla-buso emphakathini esivela kuwo. Nokho, ngokuvamile ukwaziswa okunjalo okunembile kuyantuleka ngenxa yendlela izifihla-buso eziningi eziye zatholakala ngayo eminyakeni edlule. Ezinye zaziqongelelwa njengezikhumbuzo, ezinye zaziyingxenye yempango yemikhankaso yezempi, futhi ezinye zaqongelelwa ngobuningi emakethe yezentengiselwano. Ngenxa yalokho, injongo yokuqala nokusetshenziswa kwesifihla-buso ngasinye ngokuvamile akwaziwa.

Okushiwo Isifihla-buso KumaKristu

Ngakho, izifihla-buso zisho okuthile kulabo abaqhuba inkolo engokwesiko kanti zisho okuhlukile kulabo abaziqongelela njengemisebenzi yobuciko nempucuko. KumaKristu, zisho okunye okuhlukile.

IBhayibheli likwenza kucace ukuthi awekho amandla angaphezu kwawemvelo aqukethwe isifihla-buso noma isihlahla esivela kuso. Umprofethi u-Isaya uchaza ubuwula bomuntu osebenzisa ingxenye yokhuni lwesihlahla ukuze apheke ukudla kwakhe futhi afudumale abese ebaza ingxenye esele ayenze unkulunkulu aphendukela kuye ukuze athole usizo. (Isaya 44:9-20) Isimiso esifanayo siyasebenza ngezifihla-buso ezingokwenkolo.

Nakuba kunjalo, amaKristu ayaqaphela ukuthi ‘kunendikimba yomoya ababi ezindaweni zasezulwini.’ (Efesu 6:12) Ngaphansi kwamandla kaSathane, adukisa abantu ngenkolo yamanga.—IsAmbulo 12:9.

AmaKristu ayaqaphela futhi ukuthi amademoni asebenzisa izinto ezibonakalayo ukuze akhulumisane nabantu. Ngakho, izinceku zikaNkulunkulu azigcini lutho oluhlobene nenkolo yemimoya, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi intelezi, isigqizo, indandatho yemilingo, noma isifihla-buso. Ngokwenza kanjalo zilandela isibonelo samaKristu okuqala e-Efesu. Ngokuqondene nawo iBhayibheli lithi: “Abaningana impela kulabo ababenza ubuciko bemilingo baletha izincwadi zabo ndawonye futhi bazishisa phambi kwawo wonke umuntu. Futhi babala ndawonye amanani azo bazithola zibiza izinhlamvu zesiliva eziyizinkulungwane ezingamashumi ayisihlanu.”—IzEnzo 19:19.

Labo abafisa ukukhonza uJehova abasebenzisi noma bagcine izifihla-buso noma nanoma yini ehlobene nokukhulekela kwamanga. Ngokwesibonelo, uPius, umdala ongumKristu eNigeria, uyaphawula: “Izifihla-buso ziveza ukucabanga okungokwenkolo kwalabo abazisebenzisayo. Izifihla-buso zinamagama futhi ziyadunyiswa noma zisatshwe kuye ngokuthi zimelela muphi unkulunkulu. Bengingenakulokotha ngibeke isifihla-buso endlini yami ngoba lokhu bekuyomdumaza uJehova nangenxa yokuthi izivakashi zingase zicabange ukuthi ngivumelana nezinkolelo ezingokwenkolo esizimelelayo.”

AmaKristu eqiniso ayazi ukuthi umthetho kaNkulunkulu obekwe ngokucacile owanikezwa ama-Israyeli wawuthi: “Ungazenzeli izithombe ezibaziweyo, namfanekiso wokusezulwini ngaphezulu, nowokusemhlabeni phansi, nowokusemanzini phansi komhlaba; ungazikhothameli, ungazikhonzi, ngokuba mina-Jehova uNkulunkulu wakho nginguNkulunkulu onomhawu.”—Eksodusi 20:4, 5.

[Ibhokisi ekhasini 23]

Izifihla-buso Ezimpucukweni Eziningi

Igama elithi “isifihla-buso” lisho ukuthini kuwe? Kwezinye izimpucuko leli gama liyisifenqo esibonisa ukufihla okuthile. Uma uthanda ezemidlalo, ungase ucabange ngesivikela-buso njengokuthile kokuvikela ubuso engozini, njengakuyi-baseball nasekungcwekeni ngezinkemba. Mhlawumbe ucabanga ngesivikela-buso segesi, isifihla-buso sodokotela, noma isifihla-buso sasemcimbini.

Nokho, kubantu abaningi namuhla, izifihla-buso zisho inkolo. I-New Encyclopædia Britannica ithi: “Izifihla-buso ezimelela amabutho angcwele anomusa noma anonya emidansweni engokwenkolo—ikakhulukazi ezindlini zezindela zobuBuddha eNepal, eTibet, naseJapane kanye nasemiphakathini eminingi engaphucuzekile—ziwela [esigabeni] sezinto ezingcwele ezingokomfanekiso. Ngokuvamile zikhulekelwa njengezithombe.”

Izifihla-buso ezingokwenkolo zitholakala kuyo yonke imiphakathi futhi zisukela endulo. Kokhokho bethu cishe zazinendima ebalulekile ekuphileni okungokwenkolo nokungokwenhlalo. Incwadi ethi Masks—Their Meaning and Function ithi: “Ekuqaleni, isifihla-buso ngasinye sasinokubaluleka, futhi isifihla-buso ngokwaso noma umuntu osifakile ngokuyimfihlo wayemelela amandla noma umoya othile.”