Kudala ngekhathi kusaphila okhokho bethu zazingekho izibhedlela kwakusetshenziswa amakhambi esintu okungaba ukulapha amanxeba kanye nezilonda kwakukhona konke. Kodwa sigxile lapho kuthiwa khona uma kwenzekile umuntu wesilisa walimala kwakwenziwa yini kuthiwe umuntu wesifazane akadingeki.
Kuqala kwakuba khona imithetho eyayibekwa ukuthi uma sekunje kumele kwenziwe njani. Okokuqala nje abantu kuqala babethanda ukudlala imidlalo yenduku, ukungcweka. Okunye futhi uma bexabana kwakushawana ngenduku. Uma kwenzeka kuba khona olimalayo umuntu wesifazane waye ngasondeli nhlobo wayemela kude abuke noma ngabe kwakuyingane noma umyeni wakhe lowo olimele. Kwakufika abanumzane baligeze inxeba bese behambe naye bamyise kwakhe noma ikubo.
Lapho kwakuba khona umuntu ozomela owesilisa ukuthi azomgeza futhi aphinde amgcobe umuthi. Noma egqokiswa wayegqokiswa umuntu wesilisa, umama wayewasha izingubo kuphela. Kuzothi uma igazi lisele lapho ebekade elimele khona, umama okunguyena omzalayo ozohamba ayogeza igazi ngamanzi , noma alimboze ngenhlabathi ukuthi lingabonwa muntu. Uma engekho umuntu omdala ekhaya kumele ligezwe ngumuntu wasekhaya ukuze kungeke kube khona izinsolo uma ligezwa umuntu wangaphandle.
Ngisho ngabe ufuna kangakanani ukubona inxeba umuntu wesifazane kwakungavumelekile nhlobo. Kodwa umuntu womndeni wayekwazi ukuthi amubone endlini lapho esuke elele khona. Kodwa owangaphandle wayengavumelekile ukuthi ambone, ikakhulukazi uma kungowesifazane wayengangeni wayehlala kwenye indlu ezwe ngomuntu wakhona ukuthi usenjani olimele. Uma kodwa engumuntu wesilisa wayengena eze azombona ukuthi unjani ngisho noma waye ngawabona amanxeba akhe kwakungabi nankinga.
Lokhu kwakwenzelwa ukuthi inxeba lisheshe liphole, ngoba kuthiwa laliphuza ukuphola inxeba uma labukwa umuntu wesifazane. Kwakuvikelwa izimo ezinjalo. Kodwa uma kulimele umuntu wesifazane kwakungabi nankinga wayengabukwa yinoma ubani inxeba lingabi nalutho. Ngisho umuntu wesilisa wayelibuka noma angaligeza lalingabi nankinga. Kukhona imizi esawenza lomkhuba namanje ufica omama abanye bengasondeli kumuntu wesilisa uma elimele. Uma ubuza bakutshele ukuthi indoda ayibukwa uma inengozi.
English Summary
A woman is not allowed to look or dress a man’s wound, it is believed it will take time to heal if they look at it or touch it. Only men are to wash and dress the wound. This applies even to married couples, a wife would come and just check up on her husband but not to dress the wound. If a female neighbour also visits to check on the progress they were not allowed to enter the hut where the man is sleeping. A family member will share the progress of health. Most of the wounds were caused by stick fighting which might be a game or they were fighting over something. But this practice didn’t apply to women, men were allowed to look at the wound or even dress it if a need rises.
By: Nqobile Mdabe
Source: Makhosazane Mdabe