Isiqunga

Isiqunga uhlobo lotshani olusetshenziswa kakhulu abantu abangamaZulu labo abakholelwa emadlozini. Isiqunga siyazimilela emahlathini nasezindaweni ezingamagquma nemihosha. Isiqunga utshani obukhula bubebude, nesidumbu esikhulu buyahaya uma ubuthinta, sinephunga elimnandi uma sesikhiwe.

Umsebenzi wesiqunga omkhulu ukugeza. Isiqunga sisusa amathunzi amnyama kanye namabhadi. Isiqunga sisethenziswa ekhaya uma kushoniwe, sikhiwa nezimpande zaso siyagxotshwa bese sihlanganiswa namanzi, lawomanzi yiwo ekugezwa ngawo izandla abantu bonke abasuke beze emgcwabeni uma sebebuya emathuneni, sibekwa esangweni lomuzi ngomcengezi, uma ufika uyageza izandla bese ungena ekhaya.

Izandla zigezelwa ukususa ithunzi elimnyama bangangeni nalo ekhaya, futhi basuke sebezokudla, akufanele udle nesinyama samathuna. Umndeni oshonelwe, wona ngemuva komngcwabo uyahamba uye kogeza ngaso isiqunga emfuleni ohambayo njengophawu lokususa ithunzi lobumnyama phezu kwabo. Uma bengakwenzanga lokho basala nebhadi kuthi noma benza izinto izinto zabo zingalungi zingaphumeleli. Ngosuku olulandelayo bayaphalaza ngaso ngaphandle komuzi. Isiqunga siphinde sisetshenziswe uma uphuma lapho kushonwe khona uyasihlafuna isiqunga ungasigwinya bese ufela izingane emakhanda ngalokho obukuhlafuna, lokhu kwenzelwa ukuthi izingane zingakhazeki futhi zingethuki ebusuku uma zilele.

Uma uphuma ejele ngaphambi kokuba ungene ekhaya ugezwa ngaso futhi isiqunga ngaphandle komuzi, kusuke kususwa amathunzi njengoba ijele lithathwa njengendawo engalungile ehlanganisa lonke uhlobo lwabantu nabangababulali. Kunenkolelo yokuthi uma engagezwanga kungenzeka aphinde ehlelwe ibhadi lokuboshwa.

Isiqunga siphinde sisetshenziswe uma kuzokwenziwa umsebenzi ekhaya. Umuntu ozobulala isilwane kungaba imbuzi noma inkomo kumele aququde noma asihlafune isiqunga bese efela phansi. Lokhu ukwenzela ukususa iqunga elibi ezandleni zakhe, uma engakwenzanga lokhu inyama ayiyoli. Kungenzeka ukuthi lowo osuke ezobulala isilwane unegazi elibi isidalwa sakhe noma sewake wabulala umuntu. Umkhonto noma ummese ozohlaba isilwane nawo kumele ugezwe ngesiqunga ngaphambi kokuba usetshenziswe ukuze inyama ihlwabuse.

Isiqunga siyasetshenziswa yinoma ubani uma ezizwa engaphilile kahle. Ungaphalaza noma ugqume uphinde ugeze ngaso ukuze uzihlanze ngaphakathi. Ngokwenza lokhu kungaphela nesidina, uthandeke kubantu.

English Summary
Tambootie grass is mostly used by Zulu people when they perform their rituals. It is mainly used for cleansing after a burial by the family and people who have attended the funeral; it can also be used by a person who have been released from goal; it can also be used when there is a traditional ceremony before slaughtering an animal by washing a spear or a knife and the person who is going to slaughter needs to bath with it.

Source: S.S Ndlovu. Umbumbulu
Written By: Bongiwe Ndlovu