Ziningi izinkolelo ezikhona ngesihlahla somdlebe esitholakala ezwenikazi laseAfrika kuphela, eNingizimu Afrika lesihlahla sasitholakala endaweni yaseNgwavuma nasesifundazweni saseLimpopo. Lesi yisihlahla esesatshwa kakhulu ngoba bekwaziwa ukthi siyingxenye yezihlahla eziphila ngegazi labantu nelezilwane. Izinkolelo ngaso ngezokuthi amazimuzimu ayehlobene noma ayehlangene ngandlela thize nalesihlahla kanye nokuthi lesihlahla asizwani nobisi lomuntu osawumdlezane kangangoba kuthiwa siyavala uma kukhona umdlezana eduze kwaso.
Izinkolelo eziningi ezikhona zifana nezimpikiswano ngaso ngoba kwizazi zezihlahla bayayiphikisa indlela esiyiyo nesiphila ngayo abanye bathi siyinganekwane nje bese abanye bathi sanyamalala emandulo asisekho manje. Isihlahla somdlebe sinezinye izihlahla esihlobene nazo ezicishe ziphile njengaso. Lapho esikhula khona lesihlahla kuvamise ukuthi kube yindawo eshisayo futhi enesihlabathi futhi engenazo izihlahla ezinye eziningi, uma zikhona ezinye siyazisobozela ukuze kube yisona sodwa esinikezela ngomthunzi khona sizogadla ezilwaneni. Lesihlahla sibonakala ngokuba nesiqu esikhulu, umbala waso ungathi umnyama okusadaka bese kuthi ngasemagatsheni aso sibe nezindilinga ezehlukanisa isiqu namagatsha. Amagatsha anezimila okuyizo ezisebenza njengonoxhaka uma kukhona okuseduze lesi sihlahla esifuna ukukusobozela.
Asimili endaweni enamanzi kakhulu ngoba izimpande zaso azikwazi ukuzinza kahle phansi. Futhi sona asishawa yizulu njengezinye ngoba asinawo amanzi alihehayo izulu. Isihlahla somdlebe sikhula sibe ngamamitha ayi 8 kuya kwayi 12. Uma sisakhulasikhula njengazo zonke izihlahla kodwa kuqale ukuhluka kwaso uma sesikhiqiza amakha asashukela esiheha ngawo izinyoni nezinye izilwane zasendle. Kuthiwa lesihlahla uma sibambe inyamazane enkulu kusithatha amaviki amabili sivalekile ngoba sisuke sisamunca igazi layo. Amaphisi asezindaweni ekutholakala lesihlahla kuzo ayakwazi ukusizwa uma sesomile ngomsindo esiwenzayo ukudonsa abantu nezilwane. Kuthiwa siyakwazi nokushintsha umoya ukuzwa noma ukuhogela ukuthi abantu noma izilwane zingakuphi.
Luyakhiwa futhi luyelapha loluhlobo lwesihlahla
Abelaphi bendabuko bayasisebenzisa lesihlahla ukuhlanganisela imithi ethile kodwa kunemidanti elandelwayo uma sizokhiwa. Okokuqala kufanele labo abazoya kosikha bazile ukulungiselela loluhambo lwabo. Izangoma ziya emfuleni ukuyocela imvume yokuyosikha ngoba kuyaziwa ukuthi siyingozi kakhulu. Ngemuva kokuphahla lokho akufanele kukhulunywe ngokuthi kuzothathwa loluhambo futhi akufanele kudliwe imithi ezokwenza igazi lishise uma kulungiselelwa ukuyokha umdlebe. Lokhu kwenzelwa ukuthi isihlahla singasheshi sidlobe ngoba sinukelwa yigazi. Ngosuku lokuyosikha kuphathwa utshwala besintu, ugwayi, imali emhlophe noma ecwebezelayo kanye nendwangu emhlophe. Kuqhutshwa imbuzi noma igusha phambili ekuyizona ezizonikwa lesihlahla ekuzothi sisavalile kuphonswe ezinye iziphi abaziphethe bese kuyashiwo ukuthi kungani sizokhiwa. Akufanele basikhe kakhulu noma sigawulwe sonke.
Uma sekufikwa ekhaya lesi sihlahla kasingeni egcekeni sinjengoba sinjalo singeniswa ngemikhutshana ethile, kuhlatshwe nenkukhu ukuze singadali umkhuhlane ekhaya. Futhi kufanele sigxotshwe ngalelolanga ngoba siyayiphuphisa eminye imithi. Nalabo abekade beyosikha kufanele bagezwe ngaphandle komuzi ukubulala umkhondo waso.
Lesihlahla asidliwa nangengozi futhi asisetshenziselwa ukugcaba umuntu ngoba kunenkolelo yokuthi siyavuka siphile emzimbeni walowo muntu sifune igazi, abonakale ngokudla inyama ebovu ingaphekiwe noma ahlale omele ukuphuza igazi. Lesihlahla uma singasetshenziswanga ngendlela siyawubhubhisa umuzi siwuqede futhi siyakwazi nokuxosha idlozi. Sisetshenziselwa eminye imisebenzi yamakhubalo njengokuqinisa umuzi njalonjalo.
English Summary
African people are known for their rich beliefs and stories of their lifestyle. In this article we are looking at the ‘ya-te-veo’ tree which forms part of carnivorous plants. This tree is only found in Africa and in two provinces in South Africa, KwaZulu Natal at Ingwavuma and Limpompo. There are lot of debates about this tree some researchers believe that it’s a myth and some say it is no longer in existence. There are beliefs that this type of a tree doesn’t like the smell of a breast feeding woman. Traditional healers uses parts of this tree for their work. They have to undergo a special ritual before going to pick it. They have to requests the ancestors and not use certain types of traditional herbs. It is also said that they should not talk about their journey. On the day of their journey they take sorghum beer, goat or sheep, white cloth, coins and snuff. The goat or sheep is given to the tree first so that while the tree closes to suck on the blood of the animal then they give other gifts and inform the tree why they want part of it.
Only after that that they can start to pick the tree but it is not allowed to pick a lot of branches or leaves from it. The tree does not enter the homestead before a special ritual is performed where a chicken might be slaughtered. It should be grinded on that day. Those who went to pick it they should be cleansed of all the smell of the tree. If these processes are not done properly the tree can be fatal. They say this tree have a way of attracting attention of animals and people so that it can suck on them.
By: Mbusiswa Zuma