Qho ngonyaka, ngoDisemba, yayisiba lixesha lomsitho weKwanzaa – ixesha lokudibana kweentsapho zize zitye kunye kwaye ziphane izipho. Ibe qho ngolu suku, uKhwezi, uLubo noMalaika babeye bavuke ngenj’ ixukuxa baye emlanjeni. Endleleni, babeye bacule iingoma ezimnandi baze bakhe amaqunube.
La mantombazana mathathu ayesoloko enemincili kakhulu, kuba ngolu suku, ayeza kufumana inkosazana yamanzi, uNobukhwebezane, ibalinde emlanjeni. Njengoko besondela, babesiva elo lizwi lakhe limyoli licula:
“Ma-Afrika phakamani … iKwanzaa ifikile!
Siphana izipho ezihle ... sibonisane ukuba siyathandana!
Yizani neziqhamo, inyama namarhewu.
Masityeni, sibhiyoze kunye … bonisanani ukuba niyathandana!”
La mantombazana ayehlala eludinini lomlambo aze amamele le ngoma. Emva koko, xa kuphuma ilanga, uNobukhwebezane wayewanika iibhaskithi ezizele imifuno neziqhamo ukuba bagoduke nazo xa bebuyela elalini.
“Usale kakuhle, Nkosazana Yamanzi!” babeye bakhwaze besitsho njengoko bebaleka begoduka ukuze abantu belali bakwazi ukulungisa isidlo semibhiyozo yeKwanzaa.
Kodwa ikho into eyayisoloko imkhathaza uNobukhwebezane. “Inoba kutheni la mantombazana engakhe andibulele nje xa ethatha iibhaskithi zeziqhamo nemifuno?” wayezibuza atsho xa ehleli yedwa.
Elalini, bonke abantu babeye badibane komkhulu kwikhaya lenkosi, benxibe imibala embejembeje. Ngaphandle kweziqhamo nemifuno evela kwinkosazana yamanzi, abantu belali babeye baqokelele imigubo nenyama, baze bapheke kunye njengoko abantwana bedlala.
Emva kokuba betyile, abantu belali babephana izipho, baze bacule kwaye baxhentse nokuxhentsa. Abanye abantu babetshintshisana bebalisa ezona ntsomi bazithandayo.
Ngomnye unyaka, xa kufika iKwanzaa, uKhwezi, uLubo noMalaika bavuka baza bakhawuleza besiya emlanjeni njengesiqhelo, becula kwaye besikha amaqunube endleleni. Xa besondela emlanjeni, babona ukuba kukho into engahambi kakuhle. Babengamva ecula uNobukhwebezane.
“Ngaba uNobukhwebezane usalele na bethu?” wabuza uMalaika.
“Mhlawumbi akaziva mnandi,” watsho uKhwezi.
“Mhlawumbi ulibele ukuba iqala namhlanje iKwanzaa,” watsho uLubo.
Xa befika emlanjeni, uNobukhwebezane wayengabonakali nangetshengele.
Ngesiquphe, kwathi gqi ukukhanya okuphandlayo. Emva koko, kwavakala ilizwi elikhwazayo eloyikekayo lisithi, “Nabani na xa ephiwa into umele athi enkosi! Yimbeko leyo!” Emva koko ukukhanya kwathi shwaka, kwashiyeka ilanga eliphumayo libonakala mgama. La mantombazana aziva ebuhlungu xa esiva into awayelibele ukuyenza.
“Asikhe simbulele uNobukhwebezane ngezipho zeKwanzaa! Sisoloko sihamba singxamile,” watsho uLubo edanile.
Bebuhlungu, bathi nyosho-nyosho behamba begoduka.
“Siza kuthini xa sifika elalini singaphethanga nto?” wabuza uMalaika.
UKhwezi wajika wajonga abahlobo bakhe wathi, “Zihlobo, … masijikeni siye kucela uxolo kwinkosazana yamanzi.”
“Kodwa uNobukhwebezane akafuni nto imdibanisa nathi nje. Akafuni nokusibona!” watsho uLubo eziva ephelelwe lithemba.
“Nam ndivumelana noKhwezi,” watsho uMalaika. “Kufuneka sijike siye kucela uxolo. Kwanokuba sifika engekho uNobukhwebezane phaya, singashiya umyalezo wakhe entlanzini.”
“Unyanisile,” watsho uLubo, eqalisa ukuziva ebhetele. “Ndinecebo, xa sibuyela emlanjeni, masikheni amaqunube esiza kuwaphathela uNobukhwebezane njengesipho.”
La mantombazana mathathu akha amaqunube awazalisa ingxowa. Ubuso bawo bancuma kwakhona njengoko ayebaleka ebuyela emlanjeni. Njengoko ayesondela, eva ingoma emnandi ayiqhelileyo:
“Ma-Afrika phakamani … iKwanzaa ifikile!
Siphana izipho ezihle ... sibonisane ukuba siyathandana!
Yizani neziqhamo, inyama namarhewu.
Masityeni, sibhiyoze kunye … bonisanani ukuba niyathandana!”
“UNobukhwebezane ubuyile! Inkosazana yamanzi ibuyile!” bakhwaza besitsho, bebaleka ukuya eludinini lomlambo.
UNobukhwebezane wayehleli phezu kwelitye eludinini lomlambo, encumile.
“Nkosazana, sicela uxolo ngokungazenzisiyo ngokungathi enkosi ngezipho zakho zeziqhamo nemifuno!” watsho uMalaika.
“Ewe, Nobukhwebezane, sicela uxolo. Sixolele torho,” wacenga watsho uKhwezi.
“IKwanzaa lixesha lokuphana izipho. Namhlanje sikuphathele isipho!” watsho uLubo, enika uNobukhwebezane ingxowa ezele amaqunube.
UNobukhwebezane wajonga ngaphakathi kwalo ngxowa waza wancuma. “La maqunube abonakala emnandi. Enkosi, bahlobo!”
“Siyabulela nakuwe, Nkosazana, ngezipho obusipha zona yonke le minyaka ngeKwanzaa. Enkosi,” watsho uMalaika eneentloni.
“Bahlobo bam, … iKwanzaa lixesha lokupha, imivuyo, uxolo nothando! Khanisondele, ndifuna ukunifundisa ingoma entsha!” Emva koko uNobukhwebezane wacula wathi:
“Bulela qho, uthande qho ibe uza kuphiwa!
Bulela qho, uthande qho ibe uza kuphiwa!
Bulela qho, uthande qho! Zisoloko zilungile ezi zinto!”
“Khawulezani nigoduke ke ngoku,” watsho. “Ixesha selixhatshwe yinja! Thathani nazi iibhaskithi zeziqhamo nemifuno. Kulindwe nina.”
“Enkosi, Nkosazana Yamanzi. Siyabulela, Nobukhwebezane!” atsho la mantombazana.
“Nihambe kakuhle! Niyonwabele iKwanzaa!” wakhwaza esitsho uNobukhwebezane.
“Nawe, Nkosazana! Siyabulela!” akhwaza la mantombazana.
Xa efika ekhaya, abantu belali babesele bewalindile. “Siyabulela, zintombi. Ingathi nize neziqhamo nemifuno engakumbi kunangaphabili. Enkosi!” yatsho inkosi yelali.
Athi akuva loo nto la mantombazana, ajongana ... aza ancuma. Ayesazi ukuba uNobukhwebezane wayewaxolele. “Enkosi, Nkosazana,” asebeza esitsho.
[Get story active!] Yenza ibali linike umdla!
Ngaba intsapho okanye abantu bendawo ohlala kuyo bakhe bathathe inxaxheba kumbhiyozo owenzelwe ngokukhethekileyo ama-Afrika okanye abemi boMzantsi Afrika? Yintoni igama lawo kwaye kutheni ubhiyozelwa?
Hlobo luni lweziqhamo nemifuno enidla ngokuba nazo kwimibhiyozo yenu? Zoba ezinye zezo ziqhamo nemifuno.
Ziqambele ingoma apho ubulela khona ngezinto ezintle ozifumana suku ngalunye.
