Umemulo usiko olwenzelwa intombazane uma iziphathe kahle ebuntombini bayo yangabaphoxa abazali bayo. Isikhathi esiningi lolusiko lwenziwa uma intombazane iziphathe kahle yaze yafika eminyakeni engamashumi amabili nanye – 21, ikakhulukazi lwenziwa amaZulu.
1 Amalungiselelo omemulo
2 Usuku lomemulo
3 English Summary
4 Preparations
5 The day of the event
Amalungiselelo omemulo
Intombazane ihlala endlini isonto lonke phambi kosuku lomemulo, isizathu ukuthi kumele amadlozi ayibone ingane leyo ezobe ikhuliswa okanye ibongwa. Kuyaye kudingeke izimpelesi ezizoyimisa ngosuku lomcimbi nazo ezingakabi nazo izingane. Phakathi nesonto intombazane ezobe yemula iyaye ihambe nezimpelesi zayo bewoyiza emphakathini nakomakhelwane, lapho omakhelwane kumele bakhiphe abanakho okuyizipho nabo basuke beyibongela. Intombazane iphinde iye komalume ukuyolanda umkhonto.
Usuku lomemulo
Ilapho khona kuwusuku lomcimbi amantombazane ahamba izintathakusa eyogeza emfuleni, abuye ngezikhathi zasemini esevunule ngezingubo zesintu. Lolu kusuke kuwusuku olukhulu kusuke kuhlatshwe inkomo, kuculwa amaculo esintu kuphinde kusinwe. Umuntu owemulayo usuke echonywa imali ekhanda izivakashi ezisuke zithamele umcimbi ngalolosuku kuphinde kubekhona nezipho eziningi.
English Summary
Umemulo is an event which is done by parents for their daughter for a good behaviour during her childhood. Once a girl had reached the age of 21 or above, then this event may take place, it usually done by the Zulus.
Preparations
A girl had to stay inside a house in order for ancestors to see her and pass some blessings.
A group of her peers come for support; during the week they escort the girl to the community for invitations and donations as gifts from the people. On the last day of the week they go to collect a spear from mother’s side of the family.
The day of the event
The girls go to the river for a bath and return in traditional clothing. Slaughtering of a cow takes place, and they go to the open space (esigcawini) for cultural dance (ukusina) and music. In the open space, a girl with a spear will go around to people who are watching and do a selection by pointing a spear down in front of a chosen one. That particular person had to take the spear and dance (agiye) then put money (only paper money) on the head of the girl.
Umemulo
Lapha sibheka ukuthi uyini umemulo ngokubheka ukuthi ubani noma intombazane enjani eyenzelwa umemulo; ukuthi umemulo kungabe uyisiko yini futhi umzali ubona kanjani ukuthi eyiphi ingane ezinganeni ekufanele yenzelwe. Ziningi izincazelo abantu abanazo ngomemulo nalapha sibheka esizitshelwe izalukazi ezimbili ezikhonza ebandleni lakwaShembe.
Umemulo wenzelwa ingane yokuqala yentombazane ezelwe ekhaya. Ukwenzela ingane umemulo kuwusiko lwaKwaZulu kanye nebandla lasekuPhakameni liyawalandela amasiko futhi liyawagcina kakhulu. Kuthiwa uma kwenzekile intombazane endala ekhaya yadlula emhlabeni ingakokwenzelwa umemulo kufanele intombazane emlamayo yenzelwe ukumumela ngoba kuthi kuyakhaleleka.
Umemulo wentombi nto
Uma intombi intombi nto yenzelwa umemulo kuthi ngesikhathi izokwenzelwa umemulo kufanele iphume nezinye izintombi ezisagcwele ihambe iwoyiza ebuntombini bazo. Uma kuwoyizwa, intombi leyo uzowoyizela ezihlobeni zayo lapho isuke ibamema ukuthi bafike kumemulo wayo. Intombi le esuke yenzelwa umemulo isuke igcobe ibomvu ebusweni. Lapho usuke iwoyiza nomakotshana wayo.
Kuzothi ingaqeda ukuwoyiza kanye nezintombi lezo ebeziyiphelezela iyahamba iyolanda umkhonto komalume bayo. Kodwa uma kuwukuthi iyalotsholwa, izohamba iyolanda umkhonto wayo emzini. Kuzothi ingabuya komalume kuhlatshwe imbuzi yokuguqa. Lembuzi ihlatshwa ngoMsombuluko lapho intombi ayisezukuphuma endlini. Uma kukhona ekudingayo izolethelwa umakotshana wayo. Ngenkathi isuke ihlezi endlini isuke igcobe ibomvu.
Kuyothi ngosuku lweSabatha ntambama, seliphelile iSabatha bese kuhlatshwa inkomo. Kudliwe inyama yangaphakathi. Ekuseni izintombi ziyahamba ziyogeza ibomvu emfuleni esuke iligcobe ngesikhathi isuke igoyile. Zizothi zingabuya zihambe izintombi ziyogqoka imvunulo yazo. Nayo intombi leyo eyenzelwa umemulo iyavunula bese ifakwa nomhlwehlwe wayo izobe isihamba iyosina esigcawini.
Uma kwenzeka kanti kukhona intombi engaphelele yayikhishiswa inkomo kuqala kaZulu kanti ekuPhakameni, intombi ifakwa isiphandla sayo inkomo ehlatshiwe. Ziyahamba ziyogezwa emfuleni izintombi zibuye zifake iziphandla zazo. Uma intombi izazi ukuthi ayisiyona intombi ayiwufaki nhlobo umhlwehlwe. Ngoba uma umuntu efihlile kubonakala umhlwehlwe uyadabuka kanti kuqala kwakubonakala ngezalukazi zikhwifa phansi inyama. Zithi sawudla udoti ngoba bathi inyama iyazwakala.
Uma sekuyisikhathi sokusina esigcawini akufanele ime iqonde kumele igobe futhi ingababheki abantu. Kuthiwa isuke ihlonipha amadlozi akubo. Ngenkathi isisina imkhonto igwaza phansi eduze kwezihlobo zayo zakomalume. Uma kungabasemzini izogwaza phambi kwabo lapho kusuke kumele ukuthi bayikhunge. Uma imali bengenayo kumele bayihlome noma isipeletu. Ngenkathi kusinwa kusuke sekukhona izinsizwa sezizobheka ukuthi zingabathola yini abazozigana. EkuPhakameni kusuke kusho ukuthi intombi isingahlala esigcawini ikhethwe ngokwebandla ukuthi izogana bani. Umemulo uwusiko okumele umzali ayenzele ingane yakhe uma isikhulile ngoba uyakhalaleka ukuthi uma ungenziwanga.
By: Nqobile Mdabe
Sources: Mrs. Veronica Mkhwanazi, Mrs. Mary Matenga