Ndo livhuwa, Mudzulatshidulo na mira?o yo?he ya Buthano ?a Lushaka. Hei ?hoho ya namusi i na ndeme khulwane kha muthu mu?we na mu?we wa Afurika Tshipembe. Ro aluwa ri tshi zwi ?ivha zwauri vhuthu ndi tshone tshithu tshihulwane. Arali wa hau a tshi lila, u lila nae ngauri ndi muthu, u fana na muthu mu?we na mu?we. Na kha bugu ya ma?walo ho ?waliwa u pfi lilani na vha lalaho. I tshi ya phan?a iri, u ya mu?ani wa zwililo, zwi fhira u ya mu?ani wa dakalo. Hezwo ndi tsumbo ya uri rine vhathu, vhuthu ri a vhu ?ivha. Ndi ngazwo musi mu?we wa hashu a tshi lila, ri tshi lila nae, ngauri heyo ndi yone tsumbo ya vhuthu.
Kha ri ?ivhe u fhandekanya vhuthu na zwi?we na zwithu. Ri songo ?anganyisa zwithu. A ri koni u dzula ra peta zwan?a, ngeno mu?we wa hashu e ma?unguni. Ri fanela u sendela khae, ra vha nae, ra mu khuthadza, na ene u ?o pfa o vhofholowa naho e ma?unguni mahulwane. Muthu ha la?i ?wana nga pha?i. Ane a vha wau ndi wau, u isa nga hu sa fheli. Vha?we vha ita zwi?a zwa uri fhondo ?i si ?au, u ?huvha ?i tshi lila. Rine sa ANC, a ri zwi iti hezwo.
U dalela muthu musi hu na ma?ungu, ndi zwithu zwa kale na kale. Ro zwi wana, nahone ri ?o dovha ra zwi sia, ngauri ndi mvelele yashu. A ri nga shanduki, naho ri tshi zwi ?ivha zwauri mvelele dzashu dzo fhambana. Musi ri tshi ?a kha vhuthihi, ri tou vha tshithu tshithihi, nahone ri bva phan?a. Hezwo ndi zwone zwine ?wana wa MuAfurika a ?i?ongisa ngazwo. Ndi zwashu nahone a ri pfi ri tshi zwi shonela.
Kha ri sedze vhuthu kha vhadzulatsini. Mi?a yo dzulelanaho tsini, i vha tshithu tshithihi. Zwine mu?we mu?a wa bika, u avhela yo?he ya tsini; u fana na zwidzimba, thophi na zwi?we zwinzhi. Vhana vhashu vha tamba vho?he, nahone vha a ?ivhana, na u ?a, vha ita vha tshi ?a vho?he. Hezwi zwo?he zwi vha zwi tshi khou sumbedza uri muthu ndi muthu nga mu?we. Arali mubebi wa ?wana a si ho, u a kona u sala nga tsini, ngauri vha mu dzhia sa ?wana wavho. Kha ndi sumbedze ndeme ya u tshilisana. Kale musi mu?ini wa nga tsini hu na mufumakadzi o ?ihwalaho, vhakegulu vha mi?i ya tsini, vho vha vha sa tsha fara nyendo ndapfu u itela uri vha kone u thusa nga ?uvha ?a musi a tshi tsa mirini. Izwo zwo vha zwi tshi itiswa ngauri tshifhingani tsha kale ho vha hu si na dziki?iniki na zwibadela, mahayani. Hezwo ndi vhuthu, nahone ri bva naho kule.
U sumbedza u tshilisana ha MaAfurika, ro vha ri na zwithu zwine zwa nga madavha, zwine musi muthu e na mushumo, o vha a tshi ramba davha; ?i nga vha ?a vhanna, vhasadzi, kana vhaswa. Hafha hu vha hu tshi tou vha tshumisano. Hu vha hu si na mbuelo kana muholo. Ndi hezwi?a zwine ra ri munwe muthihi a u ?usi mathuthu. Vhuthu hovhu a vhu ngo thoma ?a?waha. Ndi zwithu zwashu. Vhathu vha sa zwi ?ivhi vha songo tshuwa; ri bva nazwo kule.
Vhuthu ri vhu sumbedza nga n?ila nnzhi dzo fhambanaho. Kha ri dzhie tsumbo nga misanda yashu, ngauri ri a i ?honifha ra dovha ra i hulisa, musi tsho limuwa, vhathu vho?he ri a bva ra ya dzundeni u lima. Musi hu tshi kaniwa, ri dovha ra bva ra ya u kana. Hezwo zwo?he, zwo vha zwi tshi sumbedza uri hu na vhuthu, ngauri a huna muthu ane a tou kombetshedza mu?we uri kha ri ye.
Ngauri ri a zwi ?ivha zwauri mavhele a musanda ndi a vhathu vho?he, ro vha ri tshi shuma mbilu dzashu dzo vhofholowa. Muthu mu?we na mu?we musi o fhelelwa nga zwi?iwa u ya musanda, a tshi swika a ?uselwa zwi?iwa nga dakalo. A hu na muthu ane a e?ela na n?ala. Arali muthu a e?ela na n?ala, u tou vha o tou litsha u tevhela zwi?iwa musanda.
Musi vhathu vho malelana, ho vha hu tshi vha na vhushaka ha vhu?i nga maan?a. Vho-Makhulu na vhakwasha vha a dalelana. Musi wa musidzana a tshi ?ihwala nga ?wana wa u thoma, u ya hayani ha vhabebi vhawe, hapfi o ya tshihulu. Musi a tshi vhofholowa, nahone a tshi vhuisiwa hayani, hu itwa mahalwa, ha sindiwa makhopfu, mikusule, na n?uhu dzo sin?iwaho u itela u ko?ela mukusule hou?a une wa khou bva kha Vho-Makhulu. Nga murahu ha izwo, musi Vho-Makhulu vha tshi ya u vhona ?wana, vha isa tsetshelo hangei vhakwashani. Hafho hu vha na tshimima tshihulu ngauri hu rambiwa mashaka, dzikhonani na vhahura. Murumba wa ?wa u tshi ?ambela tshan?a, ?i ?a maladze.
Vhuthu ri bva naho kule ngamaanda. Vhaswa musi vha tshi aluwa, vho vha vha tshi ya zwikoloni zwo fhambanaho u ya u guda milayo ine ya ?o vha thusa u fha?a vhumatshelo. Izwo zwo vha zwi tshi itelwa uri vha kone u vha vhanna na vhafumakadzi vha vhukuma, vhane vha vha na vhu?ifhinduleli na u ?ivha uri muthu ndi mini. Ndi ngazwo ?wana wa MuAfurika a tshi aluwa a zwi ?ivha zwauri ?wana u ?honifha muhulwane khae, zwi sa ambi uri ndi nnyi nahone ane a bva ngafhi.
Vho vha vha tshi ya zwikoloni zwine zwa nga sa murunduni, tshi?amboni na dombani - hezwi zwo vha zwi tshi itwa nga vhatukana. Vhasidzana vhone vha ya musevhethoni, khombani - vhushani, na dombani. Domba ?i tshiniwa nga vho?he, vha?hannga na dzikhomba ngauri havha vha vha vho no ?iimisela u ya u fha?a mi?a. Vha tshina fhethu huthihi nahone nga madekwana. Vhathu vha nga pfa vha tshi mangala, fhedzi ho vha hu si na zwo khakheaho zwine zwa bvelela. Vho vha vho gudiswa milayo ya vhuthu uri muthu u ita mini u itela uri a vhe muthu kwae.
Ndi ngazwo ?wana wa MuAfurika a tshi vhona muthu mu?we na mu?we a mu ?honifha, nahone a mu lumelisa. ?wana ndi wa mubebi mu?we na mu?we. Heyo ndi yone mvelelo ya MaAfurika. MaAfurika vha na zwinzhi zwine vha nga ?i?ongisa ngazwo, nahone vha dovha hafhu vha gudisa lushaka. Mabepha ndi i?we n?ila ya u sumbedza vhuthu ha MaAfurika. Muvhundu mu?we u a kona u ya u dalela mu?we, ha ?wa hu tshi khou tshiniwa zwithu zwi ngaho sa tshipai, nanga na tshikona. Hu vha hu tshi khou nwiwa, ho ?havhiwa na kholomo nahone ho bikiwa na zwi?iwa.
Musi vha tshi ?uwa, vha fhiwa tshizwa tsha kholomo vha ?uwa natsho, tsha iswa musanda na halwa vhune vha vha vho vhuya naho. Hezwi zwo?he zwi ?ewa vhathu vhane vha ?a musanda u ?o?a zwi?iwa. Mabepha haya ndi i?we n?ila ya u dalelana ha mahosi. Havha vhathu vha vhumba vhukonani. Arali ha pfi musanda ufhio vho dzhenelwa, na mi?we misanda i a takutshedza na mmbi dzayo. Ndi i?we n?ila ya uri arali wa hau o wa nga khofheni, u fanela u sendela khae. U nga si ime kule wa sea, vhudzuloni ha uri u mu thuse. Rine a ri zwi ?ivhi hezwo sa MaAfurika. Zwine ra zwi ?ivha ndi zwauri ri tea u thusana. Musi hu na zwi si zwavhu?i, tshashu ndi u sendela tsinisa na avho vho welwaho, ngauri vhuthu ndi tshithu tshihulwane; ndi ngazwo hu na mbekanyamushumo ya Batho Pele kha mihasho ya muvhuso. Kha mafhungo a u fuwa, muthu o vha a sa koni u zwi vhona zwauri hu na vhathu vha si na zwifuwo ngauri vhana musi vha tshi ya malisoni, vho vha vha tshi bva vho?he, vhane vha vha na zwifuwo na vha sina.
Musi kholomo kana mbudzi dzi tshi hamiwa, vho vha vha tshi shelelana mafhi, mu?we na mu?we a ?uwa o fara. Hezwi muthu u tshi dalela hei mi?a u ya nga u fhambana hayo, u ?o wana hu tshi khou sukiwa mafhi mi?ani yo?he. Havha?a vha si na zwifuwo, vha dovha hafhu vha swaelwa ?amana kana mbudzana, zwa dzula henefho dangani u swikela hoyo muthu hu tshi pfi zwino o aluwa, u khou ya u shambila. Ndi hone zwi tshi bvisa hafho dangani, zwa itelwa danga ?azwo hayani ha hawe.
Zwi?we zwine ra fanela u zwi ?ivha ndi zwauri heyo kholomo kana mbudzi, na musi ya nga zwala ?amana nngana, i ?uwa nadzo dzo?he ngauri ndi dza onoyo o swaelwaho. MaAfurika vha na zwinzhi zwine vha nga ?i?ongisa ngazwo na u funza ?ifhasi a nga u angaredza ngauri ho?he hune vha ya hone, vha tshimbila vho hwala vhuthu. Hezwo ndi mvelele yavho nahone vha ?o zwi ita u isa nga u sa fheli. Ndi a livhuwa. [U vhanda zwan?a.] (Translation of Tshivenda speech follows.)
[Ms T E LISHIVHA: Thank you, Chairperson, and all members of the National Assembly. Today's topic is crucial to every person in South Africa. We grew up knowing that humanity is the main thing. If your fellow man is in trouble, you sympathise with him or her, because he or she is a human being like any other. Even in the Bible it is written that we should join those in mourning. It goes on to say that it is better to be with those who are mourning than those who are celebrating. That exemplifies that we know what humanity is. That is why when one among us is mourning, we mourn with the person, because that is an example of humanity.
We should know how to differentiate humanity from other things. We should not confuse things. We cannot just sit back whilst one of us is in trouble. We need to be with the person and console him or her so that he or she can feel better even when the troubles are worse. A person cannot reject his or her child because of scabies. Whoever is your relative is your relative forever. Others prefer to be rough with something that does not belong to them. We in the ANC do not do that.
Visiting a person when there are troubles is something from long ago. We found it, and it will continue after we perish because it is our culture. We will not change even though we know that our cultures are different. When it comes to unity we are united, in fact we are the best. That is the pride of an African. They belong to us and we are not ashamed.
Let us look at humanity in neighbours. Families that are neighbours are unified. Whatever one family cooks, it will dish up for the neighbours, like traditional foods such as zwidzimba, thophi and others. Our children play together and they know each other; sometimes they eat together. All this shows that a person is a person because of other people. If a child's parent is not there, the child can stay with the neighbour since they regard the child as theirs.
Let me highlight the importance of social interaction. Long ago when a woman was pregnant, old women from the families nearby would not go to places far away, so that they could lend a hand when she went into labour. That was because in the past there were no clinics and hospitals in the rural areas. That is humanity and it originated long in the past.
To highlight the social interaction of Africans, we had traditional social clubs comprised of men, women or youths, who would come to help whenever one had a task to perform. It is co-operation in this regard. There is no profit or payment. That is why we say one finger cannot lift a pebble. This humanity did not start this year. It is our own culture. Those who do not know should not be frightened. We have come a long way with it.
Humanity can be shown in many different ways. Let us take our chiefs as an example, because we respect and honour them. When it is summer, all the people go to plough the chief's maize field. When it is time to harvest, all of us go there to harvest. All that shows that there is humanity since there is no one who forces others to go there.
Because we knew that the chief's maize was for all the people, we worked with enthusiasm. When one's food was finished, one would go to the chief's kraal and upon arrival would be given food. No one went to bed hungry. If a person went to bed hungry, he or she had decided not to go and fetch food at the chief's kraal.
When people are related by marriage, there is a very sound relationship. The wife's people and the husband's people visit each other. When the wife becomes pregnant with her first child, she goes to her parents to give birth. When she gives birth and eventually comes back home, traditional beer is brewed, crushed maize is stamped in a mortar. Vegetables are cooked and dried and peanuts are ground to be cooked with the vegetables from the wife's people. After that, when the wife's parents come to see the child, they bring traditional beer, maize crushed in a mortar and a chicken to the husband's people. There is a great gathering of people invited to a celebration; because relatives, friends and neighbours are invited. There is singing and dancing and people are happy.
We come a long way with humanity. When the youth grow up, they go to different circumcision schools to learn the precepts which will help mould their future. That is done to help them be real men and women, who have the responsibility and know what a human being is. That is why a child of an African grows up knowing that a child respects someone older than him or her, regardless of who the person is and where he or she comes from.
They go to circumcision schools like the circumcision school for boys and group rites school as a preliminary to marriage. Girls go to the initiation rites schools and group rites school as a preliminary to marriage. The group rites school, as a preliminary to marriage, is compulsory for all boys and girls of marriageable age, because they are ready to start a family. They go to the same group rites school in the evening as a preliminary to marriage. People may be surprised by this, but nothing unseemly could happen there. They are taught the precepts of humanity, that is what one does to be a good person.
That is why a child of an African respects and greets any person. A child belongs to any parent. That is the culture of Africans. Africans have plenty that they can be proud of and even impart to the nation. Parties of flute players are another way of showing the humanity of Africans. Villagers from one village can go and visit the villagers in another village and boys and girls perform a dance with a reed-flute ensemble, a flute of bamboo reed, horn or bone and the performance of a reed-flute ensemble accompanied by drums. They drink, cattle are slaughtered and food is cooked.
When they leave they are given a haunch of beef to take to the chief's kraal, together with traditional beer. All these are given to people who come to the chief's kraal to ask for food. Parties of flute players are another way in which kings visit each other. These people form friendships. If one of the kingdoms is attacked, the other kingdoms help with their armies. This is another way of saying that if one of yours is in trouble, you have to help him or her. You cannot stand at a distance and laugh, instead of helping. We as Africans do not know that. What we know is that we need to help each other.
When something bad happens, that's when we move closer to those affected, because humanity is great; that is why there is the Batho Pele programme in government departments. When it comes to livestock farming, one would not see people without livestock, because when children go to the pasturage to herd the livestock, all go - those who have livestock and those who don't.
When cows or goats are milked, they share the milk. When you visit these families, you find them eating pap mixed with milk. The one without livestock is given a calf or a kid, that is kept for him in the original cattle kraal until the person has grown up and is able to start work. Then it will be taken out of the cattle kraal and another kraal is made for it at the person's home.
Other things to note are that such a cow or goat, even if it has several calves or kids, is taken along since they belong to the person who was given the mother cow or goat. Africans have plenty of things they can be proud of and which they can teach the world in general because everywhere you go, you carry humanity with you. That is your culture and you will do it forever. I thank you. [Applause.]]