Ngiyabonga Sihlalo. Sihlalo, oNgqongqoshe ikakhulu uNgqongqoshe WeZobuciko Namasiko neSekela lakhe. Amalungu ePhalamende ahloniphekile noNgqongqoshe bonke namaSekela abo. Le nkulumompikiswano yenzeka ngesikhathi esifanele ngenyanga yamagugu, inyanga kaMandulo. Lesi isikhathi sokuqala kwekhalenda labantu bokudabuka kulelizwe. Kuye kube yiyo inyanga yokuqala ukulima, kulandele nezinye izinto ezihambisana nezempilo kwimpilo yabantu abamnyama yokulwa nobubha ngokuthi basebenze ngokulima baphinde babelane ngokudla emva kwesivuno.
Sinezinyanga zonyaka ezisemthethweni njengesizwe esimnyama. Lokhu okubizwa ngekhalenda. Leli khalenda libeka izikhathi zokulima nokuvuna zonyaka. Linika ulwazi ngemithetho elandelayo kwezolimo nezokulapha okuyizinto ezisetshenziswa ngokwesilungu futhi akuvezwa ukuthi zazivele nobani. Imiphakathi yendabuko ayihlomuli kulezi zinto.
Ngenxa yokwehlukahlukana kwamasiko, kumele lisetshenziswe leli khalenda lendabuko ukuze linikeze amasiko esizwe nesizwe ithuba lokuthuthukisa amagugu aso.
Ukuze sikwazi ukwenza ngcono lolu lwazi lwendabuko, kumele siqale kabusha, sisebenzise leli khalenda labantu lemiphakathi yendabuko ngoba amasiko ethu avuselelwa kulo. Isigaba sokuqala saleli khalenda, siqala ngoMandulo, okuyisiqalo sonyaka omusha njengoba sazi ukuthi isikhathi sokuqala ukulima. Izimvula ziye zine ngenyanga kaMfumfu, kwenziwe nemigubho yokubonga uNkulunkulu ngokuna kwemvula nokuvunda kwenhlabathi.
Ngenyanga kaLwezi, izimbali ziyaqhakaza nemvelo yonke iqhakaze kabusha, kuthenwe izihlahla ezithelayo. Lesi isikhathi sokugubha ubuhle bemvelo nokubaluleka kwayo. Ngenyanga kaZibandlela, kuba nomgubho wokweshwama. Ngesikhathi sezithelo zokuqala, le migubho ihambisana nemithandazo kamoya kubantu bendabuko. Isigaba sesibili saleli khalenda, siba phakathi kukaMasingana nenyanga kaMbasa. Kuyavunwa amasimu kudliwe kube mnandi kube njeya kudunyiswe noNkulunkulu ngesivuno esihle kwenziwe neminikelo.
SinguKhongolose sithi: Akuvuselelwe izinsika nezinkambiso eziqhakambisa ziphinde zikhuthaze amasiko ethu. Uhulumeni oholwa uKhongolose uzibophezela ekwakhiweni kwesizwe esibumbene esakhelwe phezu kwesisekelo soMthethosisekelo wentando yeningi ohlonipha wonke amasiko abantu abaseNingizimu Afrika ngokuhlukahlukana kwabo.
UMongameli wezwe, uMsholozi, uNxamalala waphonsa inselelo enkulumeni yakhe yokuvula iPhalamende ngenyanga kaNhlangulana, ngiyamcaphuna:
The ANC-led government has once again committed itself to create a united cohesive society out of our fragmented past. We are called to continue the mission of promoting unity in diversity and develop a shared value system, based on the spirit of community solidarity and a caring society. Our shared value system should encourage us to become active citizens in the renewal of our country in which we build a common national identity.
Okunye okufanele singakulibali malungu ahloniphekile ePhalamende, ukuthi amasiko nezinkambiso zendabuko kuwumthombo wolwazi nakunoma yimuphi umntwana okhulayo ukuze akhule ezazi ubuyena, eqonda kangcono izinto ezamukelekile nezingamukelekanga emphakathini. Ukulima nje kukodwa kufundisa abantwana usiko lokuzisebenzela into anayo nokwazi ukuthi kumele ayisebenzele ngokuzikhandla ukuze aphumelele.
Lokhu kukodwa kuyisikhali sesizwe sokulwa nobugebengu obunjengobusela. Umlando wethu ubhalwe emasikweni ethu khona ukuze kuqondwe kangconywana ngemvelaphi yesizwe esithile,kubalulekile ukuthi wazi amasiko nezinkambiso zaso.Lokho kukhuthaza nenhlonipho phakathi kwezizwe.
Lokhu kwenza kubelula ukuthandana nokubumbana nokukhuthaza ukungacwasani phakathi kwabantu abaphila ndawonye. Thina bantu baseNingizimu Afrika singabantu abahlukene ngokwamasiko nemvelaphi, ngakho-ke kuyadingeka ukuthi sikhuthaze imigubho yezinto ezingamagugu namasiko ngokuhlukana.
Asibuye isithunzi sethu ngokuthi sizazi ukuthi singobani, sivelaphi nokuthi sibhekaphi. Siyazi ukuthi ukuqi nelwa ngabezizwe, esikubiza phecelezi nge- colonialism kwaba nomthelela ongalungile obumbanweni lwabantu baseNingizimu Afrika.
Lokhu kwaphinda kwakhuthazwa nayimithetho yokugweva nendawo, okuyiyo eyenza ukuthi abantu bokudabuka kuleli lizwe baphucwe amalungelo abo omhlaba, baphelelwe usiko lokuzenzela umnotho ngokuhwebelana ngemfuyo nezidlo ezitshalwayo. Abantu bakithi benziwa izigqila zokusebenzela amanye amadoda bashiye phansi okwabo.
Inselelo isenkulu Sihlalo. Yiliphi ikhambi esizolisebenzisa ukuvuselela nokulondoloza amasiko nemfundiso yendabuko? Kunenkulumo eyabekwa ubaba umhlonishwa owayenguMongameli uThabo Mbeki mhla zingama-24 kuMandulo ka- 2004, ngiyamcaphuna:
The weavers of iHluzo and Isilulu, the baskets from Hlabisa woven with care by Reuben Ndwandwe and Beauty Ngcongo, the makers of Ntwana dolls, the Letsema of the Basotho women, the iNcwala the Reed dance are only some of the traditions that have survived the passage of time. We must confront this challenge every day and ensure that we bring to a halt the erosion and destruction of our traditions and beliefs. This is necessary because if, as Africans, we are to claim the 21st century for ourselves, we have a duty to preserve our tradition and heritage.
Le nselelo idinga mina nawe nabantwana bethu omhlophe nomnyama siyithathe ukuze sakhe isizwe esibumbene ngokwempilo sihlukane ngamasiko; sibe nokuhlonipheka okususelwe esisekelweni somkhombandlela woMqulu weNkululeko othi:
The doors of learning and culture shall be opened! The government shall discover, develop and encourage national talent for the enhancement of our cultural life. All the cultural treasures of mankind shall be open to all, by exchange of books, ideas and contact with other lands.
Kumele senze izimo zempilo zibe ngcono ukuze sikwazi ukwabelana ngolwazi lwazo zonke izinto esizenzayo empilweni. Imiphakathi idinga ukuthuthukiswa ngokuthi kwakhiwe izindlela zokulondoloza lezo zimfundiso zendabuko nezindlela zokuphila zasemandulo. Angenze nje izibonelo ezimbalwa,emkhakheni wezempilo, ezesayensi kanye nezolimo.
Ngesikhathi sangaphambili imiphakathi yabamnyama yayingayazi lento okuthiwa ukuhlinzwa komuntu uma ebeletha. Kwakunezinto ezenziwayo uma ingane ingavumi ukuguquka uma umama ebeletha.
Kwakungekho muntu ohlinzwayo. Kwakwaziwa ukuthi uma kunomoya ovunguza ubheke endaweni ethile kusuke uchaza ukuthini. Kwezolimo abalimi bomdabu babazi ukuthi uma izitshalo uma zishintsha umbala ngaphambi kokuzithelela kusuke kudingeka ukuthi kushintshwe izitshalo kutshalwe enye into kuleyo nsimu. Ngiyabonga Sihlalo. [Ihlombe.] (Translation of isiZulu paragraphs follows.)
[Ms M D NXUMALO: Thank you Chairperson. Chairperson, Ministers, especially the Minister of Arts and Culture and her deputy, hon Members of Parliament and all the Deputy Ministers present here, this debate takes place at an appropriate time which is during heritage month, September. This is the beginning of the calendar of the indigenous people of this country. This is the time to start ploughing, and other things, which pertain to the health and livelihood of the black people, would then follow. And they devise ways of fighting poverty by ploughing and sharing food among themselves after the harvest.
We have our own official calendar as black people. And this calendar stipulates the times for ploughing and harvesting. It also provides knowledge about the rules that are followed with regard to agriculture and medicine - there are things that are used in western medicine of which the origins are never revealed. Indigenous communities do not benefit from these things. And because of cultural diversity, this indigenous calendar must be used so that it can provide each ethnic group an opportunity to develop its culture.
In order for us to improve this indigenous knowledge, we need to start afresh by using the calendar of the indigenous communities because our traditions are revived through it. The first phase of this calendar starts in September which is the beginning of the New Year, as that is the time to start ploughing. Seasonal rains start falling in October and then the celebrations for thanking God for the rain and the fertile soil are held.
And in November the flowers blossom and the whole of nature blossoms again; fruit trees are also pruned. This is the time to celebrate the beauty of nature and its importance. In December, there is the celebration of the first fruits. And during this time of the first fruits, indigenous people pray to their ancestors. The second phase of this calendar is between January and April. During this phase fields are harvested, feasts and celebrations are held and sacrifices are made in order to thank and praise God for a good harvest.
As the ANC we are saying that we should strengthen the pillars and revive the practices that distinguish and promote our cultures. The ANC-led government is committing itself to nation-building, which is done on the basis of constitutional democracy which respects all the different cultures of the people of South Africa.
The President of the country, Msholozi, Nxamalala issued a challenge in his state of the nation address in June, and I quote:
ANC-led government has once again committed itself to create a united cohesive society out of our fragmented past. We are called to continue the mission of promoting unity in diversity and develop a shared value system, based on the spirit of community solidarity and a caring society. Our shared value system should encourage us to become active citizens in the renewal of our country in which we build a common national identity.
Another thing which we should not forget hon Members of Parliament is that, culture and traditional practices are the source of knowledge to any growing child in order for him/her to grow up knowing his/her origins, and to have a better understanding of the norms which are acceptable and those that are unacceptable in the community. Ploughing, on its own, teaches a child to fend for him/herself and that in order for him/her to get something, he/she needs to work very hard to achieve it.
This, alone, is a nation's weapon to fight crimes like theft. Our history is engraved in our traditions. In order to understand the origins of a certain tribe better, it is important to understand its culture and its ways of life. And that encourages respect among different ethnic groups.
This makes it easy for the different ethnic groups to adore one another, and to be united. And it also discourages discrimination amongst people who are living together. We, the people of South Africa have different traditions and origins; therefore it is imperative that we encourage the celebration of our heritage and traditions separately.
Let us bring back our dignity by knowing who we are, where we come from and where we are going. We know that colonialism had a negative impact on the unity of the African people.
This was also encouraged by the Land Act which resulted in the indigenous people losing their rights to land ownership, subsequently forfeiting their rights to creating wealth through trading with livestock and agricultural produce. Our people were made slaves by working for other people leaving behind what was theirs.
The challenge is still big, Chairperson. Which remedy are we going to use to revive and preserve our traditions and indigenous teachings? There is a speech that was made by the former hon President Thabo Mbeki on 24 September 2004, and I quote:
The weavers of iHluzo and Isilulu, the baskets from Hlabisa woven with care by Reuben Ndwandwe and Beauty Ngcongo, the makers of Ntwana dolls, the Letsema of the Basotho women, the iNcwala the Reed dance are only some of the traditions that have survived the passage of time. We must confront this challenge every day and ensure that we bring to a halt the erosion and destruction of our traditions and beliefs. This is necessary because if, as Africans, we are to claim the 21st century for ourselves, we have a duty to preserve our tradition and heritage.
This challenge needs you and me and our children both black and white to use it in building a nation that is united in life but diversified in its traditions; to be respectable through the values that are entrenched in the guidelines of the Freedom Charter, that states that:
The doors of learning and culture shall be opened! The government shall discover, develop and encourage national talent for the enhancement of our cultural life. All the cultural treasures of mankind shall be open to all, by exchange of books, ideas and contact with other lands.
We need to make the living conditions better so that we are able to share all the knowledge of the things that we do in life. The communities need to be developed by creating ways to preserve those indigenous teachings and the traditional ways of life. Let me just mention a few examples with regard to health, science and agriculture. In the olden days black communities were not familiar with giving birth by Caesarean section. There were things that were done if the baby could not come out head first. They never gave birth by Caesarean section.
Indigenous people knew what it meant when the wind was blowing from a certain direction. And in agriculture, indigenous farmers knew that if plants changed colour before they could be watered, it meant that they should remove those plants and plant something else in that plot. Thank you, Chairperson. [Applause.]]
Debate concluded.