AmaRom—Iminyaka Eyinkulungwane Yenjabulo Nosizi

LESI senzakalo sifana nomshado omkhulu ongokwesiko. Kunenala yokudla neziphuzo, futhi endlini kuzwakala umculo. Izihlobo ziyohalalisela umkhwenyana onamahloni nomakoti wakhe ochichima injabulo. Kodwa lona akuwona umshado—bekumane kuyidili lokuthembisana umshado ngayizolo, eliye laheha abantu abangaphezu kuka-600 abazohalalisa. Kulo mcimbi abakubo kamkhwenyana banika abasekhweni lakhe isipho selobolo. Ngakusasa umkhwenyana nabakubo bazophelezela umakoti omusha aye emzini wakhe, lapho kuzoba khona omunye umkhosi ohambisana nomshado wangempela.

Zonke izihlobo zalo mbhangqwana omusha zikhuluma isiRomany—ulimi obeluyobhekwa njengolimi lwangaphandle nomaphi lapho zihlala khona. Lolu limi kanye nemikhakha yalo ngokwezigodi ezihlukahlukene, kuhlanganise namasiko amaningi asendulo nemicikilisho yomshado, kuyisiko elivamile labantu abathe chithi saka emhlabeni wonke kodwa abangenalo izwe elithi bona noma uhulumeni kazwelonke obaphethe. Kuthiwa amaRom.a

Angobani AmaRom?

Uma sithungatha umlando wolimi, amasiko nozalo lwamaRom, lokhu kusibuyisela emuva eminyakeni engaba yinkulungwane enyakatho yeNdiya. Ulimi lwawo, uma singakhulumi ngengxube esanda kuvela eminyakeni yamuva nje, ngokusobala ludabuka eNdiya. Ukuthi kungani asuka eNdiya akwaziwa kahle. Ezinye izazi zikholelwa ukuthi kungenzeka okhokho bawo babenekhono lemisebenzi yezandla futhi bengabadlali bezokuzijabulisa ababehamba namabutho, abasuka ezweni lakubo ngemva kwezimpi. Kunoma ikuphi, amaRom afika eYurophu eqhamuka ngasePheresiya naseTurkey ngaphambi konyaka ka-1300 C.E.

Ngokwemibono evamile eYurophu, amaRom sekuyisikhathi eside ebhekwa ngezindlela ezimbili ezeqisayo. Kolunye uhlangothi, aye adunyiswa kumanoveli namabhayisikobho njengabantu abathanda izihambi, abangenazinkathazo nabayimizulane abaveza injabulo nosizi lwabo ekuphileni ngokucula nangokudansa. Ngakolunye uhlangothi, aye anyundelwa, kuthiwa awathembekile, ayinqaba futhi angamaqili—abhekwa njengabafokazi abazihlukanisa nemiphakathi abahlala kuyo. Ukuze siqonde ukuthi le mibono eyeqisayo yavela kanjani, ake sihlole umlando wamaRom othakazelisayo.

Isikhathi Sokubandlululwa

ENkathini Ephakathi, abantu abaningi baseYurophu babengaphumeli ngaphandle kwemizana noma amadolobhana akubo. Ake ucabange ukuthi bazizwa kanjani lapho beqala ukubona imikhaya yamaRom ifika. Kumelwe ukuba izinto eziningi ngawo zazivusa ilukuluku. Ngaphandle nje kwebala lesikhumba namehlo azo ansundu kanye nezinwele ezimnyama, lezi zifiki zazigqoka, ziziphathe futhi zikhulume ngendlela ehluke ngokuphelele kweyabantu bale miphakathi, futhi amaRom ayevame ukuzihlukanisa—umkhuba okungenzeka usuka emuva lé emphakathini wakubo waseNdiya owawuhlukaniswe ngezigaba. Phakathi namashumi nje eminyaka, ilukuluku ababenalo ekuqaleni abantu baseYurophu laphenduka izinsolo.

AmaRom ayecwaswa ngokuqondile—ayephoqelelwa ukuba agxumeke amatende emaphethelweni emizana futhi engavunyelwa ngisho nokungena ayothenga ukudla noma ukukha amanzi. Kwakunamahemuhemu okuthi “eba izingane, azidle nokuzidla!” Ngezinye izikhathi amaRom ayecindezelwa umthetho ukuba apheke obala ukuze wonke umuntu ofisayo abone ukuthi kunani ezimbizeni. Ngokuvamile lokhu kuhlola kwakwenziwa ngokuchitha ukudla kwangalelo langa. Akumangalisi ukuthi amanye amaRom ayeba ukudla ukuze athole okuya ethunjini.

AmaRom ayebhekana nokucwaswa ngokunamathelana eduze angahlukani. Sekungamakhulu eminyaka ethola ukusekelwa nenjabulo ekuphileni komkhaya. Ngokwesiko, abazali abangamaRom bazithanda kakhulu izingane zabo, nezingane zibakhathalela ngokujulile abazali futhi ziyabanakekela lapho sebekhulile. AmaRom amaningi anamathela nasezindinganisweni ezingokwesiko zokuziphatha nenhlonipho.

Ukuphila Njengemizulane

Njengoba ayengamukelwa ndawo, amaRom ayehlala esendleleni. Lokhu kwawenza aba namakhono ahlukahlukene, njengokusebenza ngensimbi, ukuhweba nokujabulisa izihlwele. Ngokwenza le misebenzi edingekayo, ayekwazi okungenani ukondla imikhaya yawo. Abanye besifazane abangamaRom babesizakala ngedumela labo lokubhula, ababevame ukukhokhelwa ngalo. Ukuba imizulane kwanciphisa nengozi yokulahlekelwa isiko noma izindinganiso zokuziphatha ngenxa yokuxubana kakhulu nama-gadje—okusho “abangewona amaRom” ngesiRomany.b

Ukubandlululwa kwaletha ushushiso. AmaRom axoshwa ezingxenyeni ezithile zeYurophu. Kwezinye izindawo, kwaphela amakhulu eminyaka egqilazwa. Ukuphela kwalobo bugqila ngawo-1860 kwenza amaRom asakazeka nakakhulu, iningi laya eNtshonalanga Yurophu nasemazweni aseMelika. Nomaphi lapho ayeya khona, ayehamba nolimi lwawo, amasiko namakhono.

Nakuba ayecindezelwe, ngezinye izikhathi amaRom ayethola ukwaneliseka okuthile ngokuhileleka kwezobuciko. Ngenxa yokuxubana kwawo nezinye izinhlanga eSpain, kwavela umculo we-flamenco nomdanso, kanti eMpumalanga Yurophu, abaculi abangamaRom bathatha izingoma zabantu zendabuko, bazixuba nesitayela sabo esiyingqayizivele. Umculo ovus’ usizi wamaRom wathonya ngisho nabaqambi bomculo wezinsimbi, kuhlanganise uBeethoven, uBrahms, uDvořák, uHaydn, uLiszt, uMozart, uRachmaninoff, uRavel, uRossini, uSaint-Saëns noSarasate.

AmaRom Ezweni Lanamuhla

Namuhla kunamaRom aphakathi kwezigidi ezimbili nezinhlanu—abanye bathi angaphezu kwalokho—ahlala cishe kuwo wonke amagumbi omhlaba. Iningi lawo lihlala eYurophu. Amaningi awaseyona imizulane, futhi amanye acebile ngokwezimali. Kodwa ezindaweni eziningi amaRom asabalwa phakathi kwabantu abampofu nabahluphekile, futhi ngokuvamile ahlala ezindaweni ezingamafuku.

Phakathi nenkathi yobuKhomanisi eMpumalanga Yurophu, imibono yezombangazwe yayifuna ukuba zonke izakhamuzi zilingane. Ohulumeni bazama ngazo zonke izindlela ukulawula impilo yamaRom yokuba imizulane ngokuwanika umsebenzi nangokuwahlalisa ezindlini ezakhiwe uhulumeni. Ngezinye izikhathi lokhu kwakuyithuthukisa impilo nezimo zokuphila. Kodwa akuzange kuyiqede imizwa nemibono emibi amaRom nabangewona ababenayo amakhulu eminyaka.

Izinguquko zezombangazwe eMpumalanga Yurophu ngawo-1990 zaletha ithemba lamathuba amasha. Kodwa lezi zinguquko zavula namanxeba amadala lapho ukuncishiswa kwezinhlelo zezenhlalakahle nokuxegiswa kwemithetho enqanda ubandlululo kwenza amaRom amaningi abuyele esimweni esinzima kwezenhlalo nezomnotho.

Ukuthola Ithemba Nokuphila Okungcono

Zazinjalo izimo lapho u-Andrea onezinwele ezimnyama efunda isikole eMpumalanga Yurophu. Wayewukuphela komfundi ongumRom ekilasini. Nakuba engumuntu oqinile, uyehluleka ukubamba izinyembezi lapho ekhumbula ukugconwa nokukhishwa inyumbazana abhekana nakho. U-Andrea uyakhumbula: “Ngangiqokwa ekugcineni njalo lapho kukhethwa amaqembu ezemidlalo. Ngangifisa sengathi ngingabaleka ngiye eNdiya lapho ngiyofike ngifane nawo wonke umuntu. Empeleni, othile wake wamemeza umngane wami ethi, ‘Buyela eNdiya!’ Waphendula: ‘Bengizohamba ukube benginemali.’ Sasingondingasithebeni. Sasingafunwa yonke indawo.” Njengomdansi onekhono, u-Andrea wayefisa ukuba nodumo, ayezolusebenzisa ukuze amukeleke kwabanye. Kodwa lapho eseyitshitshana, wathola okuthile okungcono kakhulu.

U-Andrea uyalandisa: “Ngolunye usuku intokazi okuthiwa uPiroska, engomunye woFakazi BakaJehova, yafika ekhaya. Yangibonisa eBhayibhelini ukuthi uNkulunkulu usithanda njengomuntu ngamunye hhayi njengesixuku nje sabantu. Yachaza ukuthi ngingaba nobuhlobo obuhle noNkulunkulu uma ngifuna. Lokhu kwangenza ngaba nomuzwa wokuthi kunothile engibaluleke ngempela kuye. Ukwazi ukuthi kuNkulunkulu bonke abantu bayafana kwangenza ngazethemba kakhudlwana.

“UPiroska waya nami emihlanganweni yoFakazi, lapho ngahlangana khona namaRom nabangewona amaRom futhi ngabona ukuthi banobunye. Lapho, ngakha ubungane bangempela noFakazi bazo zombili lezi zizinda. Ngemva kokutadisha iBhayibheli noPiroska isikhathi esingangonyaka nesigamu, nami ngaba omunye woFakazi BakaJehova.” Namuhla u-Andrea nomyeni wakhe bangabashumayeli besikhathi esigcwele, bafundisa abanye ngothando olufudumele uNkulunkulu analo ngabantu bazo zonke izizwe.

“Bangamukela Njengomuntu Olingana Nabo”

Lapho ekhumbula isikhathi esakhula, umRom okuthiwa uHajro uthi: “Ukwakha ubungane obubi nabafana abangawuhloniphi umthetho kwakungifaka enkingeni njalo. Amaphoyisa ake angibopha ngenxa yokweba okuthile ngihamba nalabo bafana. Lapho amaphoyisa engiyisa ekhaya, ngangesaba kakhulu ukuthi umama uyongenzenjani kunokwesaba amaphoyisa, ngoba ngangifundiswe ukuthi akulungile ukweba into yothile, okuyinto efundiswa emikhayeni eminingi yamaRom.”

Lapho uHajro esekhulakhulile, yena nomkhaya wakubo nabo bahlangana noFakazi BakaJehova. Isithembiso seBhayibheli sokuthi uMbuso kaNkulunkulu uyoqeda izinkinga zesintu, kuhlanganise nobandlululo, kwathinta inhliziyo kaHajro ekujuleni. Uthi: “AmaRom awakaze abe nohulumeni kazwelonke owanakekelayo. Yingakho nginomuzwa wokuthi amaRom asesimweni esikahle sokuqonda indlela uMbuso kaNkulunkulu oyozuzisa ngayo zonke izizwe. Ngisho kwamanje ngiyazibona lezo zinzuzo. Kusukela mhla ngiqala ukungena eHholo LoMbuso, ngazizwa ngendlela umphostoli uPetru azizwa ngayo lapho ethi: ‘Ngokuqinisekile ngiyaqonda ukuthi uNkulunkulu akakhethi, kodwa ezizweni zonke umuntu omesabayo futhi enze ukulunga uyamukeleka kuye.’ (IzEnzo 10:34, 35) Bonke abantu bangamukela njengomuntu olingana nabo. Kwangimangalisa lapho abantu abangewona amaRom bengibiza ngokuthi phrala—okuwukuthi ‘mfowethu’ ngesiRomany!

“Ekuqaleni, amanye amalungu omkhaya wakithi angiphikisa kakhulu. Ayengaziqondi izinguquko engangizenza ukuze ngiphile ngezimiso zeBhayibheli. Kodwa manje izihlobo zami nomphakathi wamaRom baye babona ukuthi ukumelela izindinganiso zikaNkulunkulu ngokuqinile kuye kwangenza ngajabula futhi kwaba nemiphumela eminingi emihle. Abaningi babo bangathanda nabo ukuthuthukisa ukuphila kwabo.” Njengamanje uHajro ungumdala ongumKristu nomshumayeli wesikhathi esigcwele. Umkakhe ongeyena umRom, uMeghan, naye ufundisa amaRom nabanye indlela iBhayibheli elingabasiza ngayo baphile ngenjabulo—manje nasesikhathini esizayo. UMeghan uthi: “Abakubo kamyeni wami nomphakathi baye bangamukela ngokuphelele. Kuyabajabulisa ukuthi umuntu ongeyena umRom ubathanda kangaka.”

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

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Namuhla amaRom ahlala cishe kuwo wonke amagumbi omhlaba

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Ngenkathi yamaNazi eYurophu, uHitler wabulala amaRom abalelwa ku-400 000 noma ngaphezulu emakamu akhe okufa, kanye namaJuda, oFakazi BakaJehova nabanye. Ngo-1940, ngisho nangaphambi kokuba umkhankaso kaHitler wokuqothula abantu waziwe kabanzi, umdlali wamabhayisikobho uCharlie Chaplin—naye owayengumRom—wenza ibhayisikobho ethi The Great Dictator, ebhinqa uHitler nenhlangano yamaNazi. Abanye abasemkhakheni wezobuciko abathi bangamaRom ngokwendabuko bahlanganisa abadlali bamabhayisikobho uYul Brynner noRita Hayworth (ngezansi), umdwebi uPablo Picasso (ngezansi), umdlali we-jazz uDjango Reinhardt kanye nomculi waseMakedoniya u-Esma Redžepova. Futhi amaRom aye aba onjiniyela, odokotela, oprofesa namalungu amaphalamende kazwelonke.

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AFP/Getty Images

Photo by Tony Vaccaro/Gett

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OFakazi AbangamaRom

AmaRom amaningi asengoFakazi BakaJehova. Amanye angabadala bamabandla nezikhonzi zesikhathi esigcwele ezingamaphayona. Izikhulu zohulumeni bendawo nabanye abangewona amaRom bawabheka njengesibonelo. UFakazi othile ongumRom eSlovakia uyalandisa: “Ngolunye usuku kwafika umakhelwane ongeyena umRom emzini wethu. Wachaza: ‘Umuzi wami uyachitheka, kodwa ngiyazi ukuthi ningangisiza.’ Sabuza: ‘Kungani uza kithi?’ Waphendula: ‘Uma uNkulunkulu enimkhulekelayo engasiza nina maRom ukuba nithuthukise izinga lokuphila kwenu, mhlawumbe angasisiza nathi.’ Samnika ikhophi yencwadi yeBhayibheli ekhuluma ngokuphila komkhaya enyatheliswa oFakazi BakaJehova.

“Kamuva kwafika umkakhe, naye enesicelo esifanayo, engazi ukuthi umyeni wakhe wayesefikile kakade. Wathi: ‘Akekho omunye umuntu kule ndawo ongasisiza.’ Samnika ikhophi yencwadi efanayo. Ngamunye wabo wasicela ukuba singamtsheli omunye ukuthi wayeke wasivakashela. Ngemva kwenyanga nesigamu, saqala ukutadisha iBhayibheli nalo mbhangqwana. Ukuphila ngeqiniso leBhayibheli kuye kwasiphakamisa kakhulu emehlweni abantu kangangokuba beza kithi bezocela usizo olungokomoya.”

[Izithombe]

ENarbonne, eFrance

EGranada, eSpain

“AmaRom asesimweni esikahle sokuqonda indlela uMbuso kaNkulunkulu oyozuzisa ngayo zonke izizwe.”—UHajro

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EPoland

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© Clive Shirley/Panos Pictures

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AmaRom eNgilandi, ngo-1911

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By courtesy of the University of Liverpool Library

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ESlovakia

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EMakedoniya

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© Mikkel Ostergaard/Panos Pictures

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ERomania

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EMakedoniya

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ECzech Republic

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ESpain

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U-Andrea wayefisa ukuba nodumo futhi amukeleke ngokudansa

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Romania: © Karen Robinson/Panos Pictures; Macedonia: © Mikkel Ostergaard/Panos Pictures; Czech Republic: © Julie Denesha/Panos Pictures