Imvelo!
Njengoba ebengekho amawashi (watches) emandulo kwaZulu, ukwazi imvelo ikona obekusiza ukwazi isikhathi, lokhu kufaka ukwazi izinsuku ngesintu, izinyanga kanye nemibala. Ukwazi imvelo lokhu belu bekusetshenziswa kakhulu ukwazi izikhathi zonyaka ngokwesintu (calendars). Unyaka lona wehlukaniswa izigamu ezine ezibizwa kanje: intwasahlobo, ihlobo, ikwindla kanye nobusika. Lokhu bekwaziwa ngokuqaphela izithelo ezithile ezimila ngesikhathi esithile kanye nemifino. Okunye ke bekubhekwa kakhulu isimo sezulu, okubalwa imvula kanye nomoya, njengoba kuNtulikazi nje kwaziwa ukuthi kuba nezivunguvungu zomoya. Okunye ke bekubhekwa nenyanga phezulu esibhakabhakeni ukuthi igcwele noma incane kangakanani, njengoba entwasahlobo ingafani neze nasehlobo kanye nasebusika. Zonke ke izinyanga zethiwe ngezigama ezithila nazo ezizobalulwa la kuleli khasi.
Ncwaba (August) – Lenyanga ngokwesintu eyokuqala, ngoba izwe lisuke selincwaba, selembatha ngengoba ingubo yalo yobusha kade ihlutshulwe ubusika. Izulu la lisuke selikhuphula izitsha, sekuzogatshwa emasimini kulinywe.
Mandulo (September) – Lena inyanga yesibili ngokwesintu. NgoMandulo unyaka usuke usuthwese nezulu liyidliva imvula nabantu ke sebeqala ukwendulelisa ezifeni zabo.
Mfumfu (October) – Lenyanga eyesithathu, ibizwa ngomfumfu nje, ngoba izihlahla zisuka ziqala ukuthela, kanti ke nasemasimini okulinyiwe kusuke sekuqala ukuhluma.
Lwezi (November) – Lenyanga kukhala kakhulu amaselesele ngayo kanye nezilwanyane ezincane okuthiwa uLwezi. Emva kwalokho lisuke selizokwena.
Zibandlela (December) – UZibandlela lo, izindlela zisuke sezivaleka emva kokwena kwezwe ingakho ibizwa ngoZibandlela nje.
Masingana (January) – UMasingana omama basuke sebeqalile ukusinga phansi kwamagwagwa ezintanga belandela imilibo eyabekela kuqala befuna amagavuzana amathanga okuqobela imifino.
Nhlolanja (February) – UNhlolanja uqanjwe ngaleligama nje ingoba izincanga zisuke seziphinga.
Ndasa (March) – Okuhlekisayo ngalenyanga ukuthi iqanjwe ngoba izingane zisuke zinendasana yezisu zidla ifutho nenala yokudla okusha.
Mbasa (April) – La abadala basuke sebeqala ukubasa umlilo ngantambama, umoya usuqala ukushaza.
Nhlaba (May) – La amakhaza asuke eseqala ukuhlaba ezwele emzimbeni, ubusika sebukhokhoba bucothoza.
Nhlangulana (June) – Izihlahla zisuke seziqala ukuhlangula amaqabunga azo.
Ntulikazi (July) – Lenyanga ikhaphwa izivunguvungu zomoya, okwenza kuvuke izintuli zivuswa umoya, ingakho ibizwa uNtulikazi nje.
Brief Overview
It is a well-known fact that there were no digital watches in the African ancient times, which means that African people believed in nature and significantly used nature to detect time changes and weather patterns as well. This article reveals the names of months in Zulu tradition and how they originated mainly through observing the change in nature and the universe.