Namhlanje lusuku lokuqala lweeholide zesikolo! Ikwalusuku lwemarike, yaye uMme wa Afrika usa uAfrika noDintle emarikeni ukuyothenga ithoyi okanye into emnandi. “Mnye nje umqathango phambi kokuba ufumane ithoyi yakho okanye into emnandi,” utsho uMme wa Afrika, encumile. “Kufuneka wazi igama layo ngeSesotho nangesiNgesi!” UAfrika ufuna iphiko elincinci elinemibalabala awalibona emarikeni kwixa lokugqibela babephaya. Limkhumbuza ngamaphiko abasoloko bewabona kwiifama ezikufutshane. “Jonga indlela elinemibalabala ngayo! Ungalibona likude lee,” uxelela uDintle, ekhomba iphiko endleleni eya eteksini. 

UAfrika uyazazi into ayifunayo kodwa akakalazi igama layo ngeSesotho. Icebo lakhe kukubuza wonke umntu adibana naye ukuba bayalazi na igama layo leSesotho. “Molo, Malume,” uAfrika ubulisa umqhubi weteksi njengoko ekhwela kwisihlalo esingaphambili. Endleleni eya emarikeni, uAfrika ubona elona alithandayo iphiko elizuba okuqaqambileyo kwifama ekufutshane aze alikhombe. “Malume, kuthiwa yintoni ukubizwa laa nto?” uyabuza. “Iwindmill, mfana wam?” umqhubi uyabuza, ehleka. 

“Ndithetha ukuba ibizwa ngokuba yintoni ngeSesotho?” uAfrika uyasebeza. “Iwindmill yiwindmill,” utsho umqhubi, esonyusa isandi kunomathotholo weteksi. Le asiyiyo impendulo uAfrika ayidingayo. Xa befika emarikeni, uAfrika ubona umhlobo wakhe uMaduo, nomama wakhe. Ngelizwi eliphantsi, ubuza uMme wa Maduo, “Lithini igama lephiko ngeSesotho?

“Ke windy milly,” utsho uMme wa Maduo. UAfrika akacingi ukuba elo ligama leSesotho lephiko, kodwa uyambulela uMme wa Maduo phambi kokuba ajoyine usapho lwakhe. UMme wa Afrika usa abantwana kwindawo ethengisa iziqhamo. Iiapile ezibomvu zibengezela kakhulu. “Ningathanda iiapile?” uyabuza uMme. “Hayi, enkosi,” utsho uAfrika. 

Endleleni yabo eya kuthenga imifuno, babona imikrolo yemithi emdaka ngebala nemincinci yabantu nezilwanyana. “Mme, jonga uGogo,” utsho uDintle echulumancile, ekhomba umfanekiso oqingqiweyo wexhegwazana. “Ungawuthanda umfanekiso oqingqiweyo, Afrika?” Uyabuza uMme. “Hayi, enkosi,” utsho uAfrika, encumile yaye enikina intloko. UAfrika uhamba aye kuthetha nenkosikazi ehleli ngakwimifanekiso eqingqiweyo. “Molo Mama, ungakwazi ukwenza enye yeziya?” Uyabuza uAfrika, ekhomba iphiko elimnyama namhlophe mgama. “Ndingenza nantoni na ngomthi, nyana,” uphendula ngokuzingca.

“Ewe!” uAfrika uyazicingela ejayiva kancinci. “Unganceda undixelele ukuba ibizwa ngokuba yintoni ngeSesotho?” uyabuza. “Owu, abantwana bale mihla! Imibuzo yabo,” itsho inkosikazi ingaphenduli. Njengoko uAfrika, umama wakhe noDintle beqhubeka behamba emarikeni, babona inkwenkwe idlala ngemoto yetoti. Amavili enziwe ngeziciko zeebhotile esezisetyenzisiwe. “Ungayithanda imoto yethoyi, Afrika?” uyabuza uMme. “Hayi, enkosi,” utsho uAfrika. Emva koko uAfrika uyalibona! Iphiko elincinci phezu kwetafile, iibhleyidi zalo zijikeleza emoyeni. “Eliya lihle,” uMme utsho kuAfrika ebuka iphiko naye. “Yile nto kanye ndiyifunayo,” utsho uAfrika aze abaleke aye ngasetafileni. 

“Kamnandi, uyasazi isivumelwano,” utsho uMme njengoko emjoyina. UAfrika uyaqonda ukuba akakalazi igama lephiko ngeSesotho. “Dumela, Mme,” uAfrika ubulisa umthengisi. “Zonke iithoyi zakho zintle!” “Enkosi! Sizenza ngezinto ebesezikhe zasetyenziswa,” itsho inkosikazi inika uAfrika iphiko alijongileyo. “Kodwa yintoni le nto?” uMme wa Afrika uyabuza, ejonge uAfrika. “Ke sefefo sa moea. Ikhona enye into oyifunayo?” itsho inkosikazi, icinga ukuba uMme wa Afrika uthetha nayo. 

“Kamnandi, uyasazi isivumelwano,” utsho uMme njengoko emjoyina. UAfrika uyaqonda ukuba akakalazi igama lephiko ngeSesotho. “Dumela, Mme,” uAfrika ubulisa umthengisi. “Zonke iithoyi zakho zintle!” “Enkosi! Sizenza ngezinto ebesezikhe zasetyenziswa,” itsho inkosikazi inika uAfrika iphiko alijongileyo. “Kodwa yintoni le nto?” uMme wa Afrika uyabuza, ejonge uAfrika. “Ke sefefo sa moea. Ikhona enye into oyifunayo?” itsho inkosikazi, icinga ukuba uMme wa Afrika uthetha nayo. 

Uncumo olukhulu lukhanyisa ubuso buka-Afrika, “Ndingayifumana le nto, ndiyacela?” utsho. “Le ntoni?” uyabuza uMme wa Afrika njengoko ehlawulela iphiko. “Esi sefefo sa moea,” utsho uAfrika ngoloyiso. Aze aphakamisele iphiko ngaphezulu kwentloko yakhe okwendebe yaye abukele iibhleyidi zalo zijikeleza emoyeni. “Leyo yindlela ekrelekrele yokufunda igama elitsha, akunjalo, Dintle!” utsho onwabile.

Yenza ibali linike umdla!

• Emva kokufunda ibali kunye, ncokolani ngento eyenzeke ebalini. Buza imibuzo efuna abantwana bakho baveze izimvo zabo ukuze ubakhuthaze ukuba bacinge kwaye bancokole ngezinto ezidibene nelo bali, umzekelo, “Yeyiphi indawo oyithandayo kweli bali?”
• Ukuba unabantwana abadala, bakhuthaze ukuba bafumane ukuba i‘windmill’ yintoni ngezinye iilwimi ezimbini ubuncinane.
• Zoba umfanekiso weyona thoyi uyithandayo okanye into emnandi.Yenza uluhlu lwezona thoyi zili-10 uzithandayo ngolwimi lwakho lwasekhaya. Ngoku fumanisa kwaye ubhale phantsi amagama ezo thoyi nezinto ezimnandi ngolunye ulwimi olunye ubuncinane
• Nikunye nosapho lwakho, yenzani iphiko lethoyi nisebenzisa izinti, iwulu okanye umtya, iphepha neglu.