Sibe negxoxo noMakhosana Mdabe waseCongo ngesiko lokugqobhoza lakwaMdabe okuyisibongo sakubo. Amasiko abantu awafani ngokuhlukana kwezibongo nemvelaphi yabo. Ngesinye isikhathi uthole ukuthi abantu kuthiwe bashadile kodwa izinto zingabahambeli kahle ngenxa yokuthi kukhona lapho bengahambisanga khona ngokwesiko idlozi bese liyaphika. Kulengxoxo uMakhosana uveza ukuthi izingane zakhe zibiza isibongo sakubo ngoba akazange agcagce ngokwesintu. Wawushanda omhlophe kodwa amadlozi awuphika lokho okwaholela nasekuhlukaniseni kwakhe nomyeni wakhe kodwa base benazo izingane.Ingane zibiza isibongo sakubo ngenxa yokuzivikela olakeni lwabaphansi. Wake wazama ukuzibongo ngesibongo sakuboka baba wazo kodwa zagula waze washweleza emadlozini zabuyela kwesakhe isibongo. Amadlozi akwaMdabe anolaka ikakhulukazi uma umuntu enze into engalungile.
Njengokuthi kuqala abantu bakaMdabe babengavumelekile ukuthi bagqoboze noma bafake amacici endlebeni kwakufanele bacelelwe emadlozini uma befuna ukwenza lokhu. Kodwa ngokuhamba kwesikhathi baqala bathanda ukufaka amacici izingane ngenxa yokungazi zazithathela izinqumo zokuthi kufanele zigqoboze uma kwenzeke zathunywa edolobheni ukuthi ziyokwenza izidingo zasekhaya. Kwakungapheli isikhathi eside umuntu ekwenzile lokhu kuzoqala ukubhibha kwendlebe, ingane igule uma abazali bengayingeni indaba yakho kwakugcina ngokuthi uwakhiphe amacici. Kuzothi ngokuphola kwazo izindlebe kusale izigaxa ezindlebeni ezinkulu ongaze ufunge ukuthi amacici. Abanye bayaluzama usizo lodokotela ukususa lezigaxa kodwa zibuye zihlume.
Uma unemali yokuthenga isilwane noma unemfuyo ngoba vele kuqala kwakufuyiwe umzali wayemcelela umntwana emadlozini ukuthi ucela ukugqobhoza nokufaka amacici ngembuzi amenzele nomsebenzi ngemuva kwalokho wayengakwenza kungabikhona zinkinga. Kodwa nakulabo asebekwenzile nakhona wawumenzela umsebenzi wokumxolisela umntwana emadlozini. Namanje kusenjalo uyamcelela umntwana uma efuna ukufaka amacici.
UMakhosana ukhumbula ukuthi okusanda kwenzeka ngonyaka ka 2010 umzukulu wakhe emndenini ubenenkinga ngoba unina wakhe wavele wamgqobhoza ngaphandle kokwenza okufanele ingane yavela isigaxa endlebeni. Imbangela yalokhu ukungalaleli nokungafuni ukutshelwa kwabantu abazalwe ngesikhathi samanje. Kwathi noma esecela usizo ngoba ebona ukuthi ingane isinenkinga yezigaxa akubange kusalunga. Wacela ugogo ukuthi ucela bamushwelezele emadlozini bamenzela kodwa aziphelanga izigaxa kodwa kwaphela ukubhibha nomntwana wabangcono. Amadlozi anolaka akakhathali ukuthi izikhathi sezashitsha wona asaqhubeka ngokwawo.
English Summary
Many families follow different traditions that were implemented many decades ago. This article looks at the tradition of ear piercing for the Mdabe clan. Girls and women are not allowed to pierce their ears without consulting with their ancestors by slaughtering a goat to inform them or ask for their permission. Nowadays, young girls make their own decisions without even telling their parents, for instance their parents will notice that they pierce their ears while they were sent to town for other household needs. Not long after this they will get sick, and have sores around their ears. Some parents get angry with them and demand that they should remove the earrings, but other parents have to slaughter for ancestors and ask for forgiveness on behalf of their children.
By: Nqobile Mdabe