BAKASHONGWE

BakaShongwe, boMtimandze, boBhambolunye tingaba timbili tafuta ekhabonyoko, badzabuka kanye nebakaKunene, Madvonsela, Hleta, Sikhondze naletinye tibongo letingena ngephasi kweluhlanga lwemaTimamdze.

Khokho wabo lomdzala losakhunjulwa nguMahlangobe, lotele Luziya. Luziya yena utele Mkhweli, lotele Mlambo, lotele Tikhuni, lotele Matsafeni.

Kutsiwa kadzeni bebakhe eNgwavuma lapho Luphongolo lungenela khona elwandle. Kuyacaca-ke kwekutsi behlukana nebakaMadvonsela labasuka bakhwela Lubombo batewukwakha eMbilaneni, lapho kwaphuma khona boSikhondze balibangisa dvute naseSinceni njalo njalo. Bona-ke boShongwe bahlala eNgwavuma, kutsiwa bebakhe nemaZingili, lesingatfoli kahle kutsi ngumaphi emaZingili ngoba nawo anetibongo letinyenti.

Lapho kutsiwa badzimate basuka ngekuhlaselwa yinkhosi yemaZulu, lokungenteka nguDingiswayo webakaMtsetfwa nome nguZidze webakaNdwandwe, ngobe sive semaZulu besingakabi nemandla ngaleso sikhatsi, emakhosi abenemandla ngabo boDingiswako naZidze. Lapho basuka babaleka baze bayewufika kuBulunga. Lapho Tikhuni afela khona. Nekungulapho Somhlolo abakhandza khona. Tikhuni ushone sekubusa inkhosi Mswati wesibili.

Tindlu taboShongwe ticale kwehlulana tibe tinyenti ngaso lesikhatsi, hhayi ngoba kucatjanwa nome kuliwa, cha. Tikhuni utele Matsafeni watala naNduma. Lamajaha lamabili aTikhuni aba tingwazi sibili. Matsafeni waniketwa liphakelo enhla ngesheya kweMgwenya nakwehlulwa beSutfu. Abelwa timphi naboLomahasha wakaMahlalela, naboMatsafeni Mdluli kucoshwa beSutfu. Matsafeni Mdluli naye wanikwa liphakelo khona enyakatfo lapho sekuboMbombela(Naspoti) khona lamuhla. Matsafeni Shongwe yena wakha imiti lemitsatfu, KaShongwe(umphakatsi), kaNdlangamandla, naseSidvungweni. Umphakatsi wakhiwa ngetinkhomo tatiphuma kuBulunga. Matsafeni washona emva nje kancane kwekukhotsama kwenkhosi Mswati ngesikhatsi kuhlasele sifo incubulunjwane (smallpox). Umuti wakaNdlangamandla kutsiwa kwavalwa ngelihlahla bashona bonkhe, umuti waseSidvungweni wona wabuyela kuBulunga.

Matsafeni utele Matsamo, lowaba sikhulu sakaShongwe emva kweyise. Matsamo walakha impela lakaShongwe ngobe abenemiti lelishumi nesitfupha (16). Unina kutsiwa abenguLaSomhlolo. naye abeyingwazi Matsamo, yenkhosi Mbandzeni. Imiti layakha kuKatifunele, eMashobeni, eKubalekeni, Kabojini, eNhlambeni, eMfelakhona, eNgcweleni, eChibini, eMfomfeni, eKusukeleni, KaboTililo, KaboSilwane, eTalukatini, KaMakhomba, neKhaboMbabane. Bafati kutsiwa abenenemashumi lamatsatfu (30). Wafela eChibini lapho angcwatjwa khona eSchoemansdal nga-1925. Matsamo utele Lugebhuta. Kepha kwaba lishwa Lugebhuta washona nga-1912 asaphila Matsamo, kepha asayibekile indvuku ebandla watala umfana, Magubha. Magubha nguye-ke lowalandzela mkhulu wakhe njengesikhulu. Matsamo kutsiwa wametsa libito laSidlamafa, lokungulona agcina sabitwa ngalo. Nalomuhla kunesikolwa lokutsiwa kuseSidlamafa nje. Sidlamafa-ke yena utele Tinhlonhla, lotele Sikhumbuzo.

Sibuyele emuva kuMatsafeni njengobe sishito kwekutsi utele naNduma. Nduma naye wanikwa liphakelo yinkhosi Mswati eMotjane. Nduma yena utele Mzululeki (Sihlelo) naMfukuka. Mzululeki utele Mbetsambalo lotele Magodze (Sipho) loshone nga-2011. Mfukuka waNduma yena utele Mdvwayiba. Mfukuka wentiwa sikhulu sasEkudzeni.

Kukhona naNdzangu lesingati kutsi utalwa ngubani-ke yena, kepha kutsiwa naye abeyingwazi yenkhosi Mswati, wanikwa liphakelo kuMagomba. Yena utele Gudlulwako.

SHONGWE
Mtimamdze.
Bhambolunye,
Tingaba timbili tafut’ ekhabonyoko.
Mabhengeda.
Tihle timomotfo.
BoMageza ngelubisi emant’ ahleti.
Nkhukhu tiyalima,
Emantjwele ayahlakula.