Cape Verde Ayikhulumi Emabalazweni—Ikhukhuleka Emincwembeni YeMorna

Indiza yehlela ePraia Airport eSantiago Island, futsi iCape Verde ayikubingeleli ngetakhiwo letiphakeme. Ngaphandle kwelifasitelo: emagcuma laphansi lansundvu, umoya womile futsi ukhanyile. Loko lokutshela kutsi ufikephi kwehla ngesikhathi unyathela uphumela esangweni lesikhumulo setindiza — umsindvo. Lijaha lelikhulile lihleti elubondzeni loluphansi, lidlala siginci lesigugile. Kuneluswayi lwesolwandle emincwembeni; kuhlelwa akukapheleli, kodvwa sigci sigcine sifanele.

Livi laCesária Évora liyaphaphatseka emoyeni lisuka emsakatweni wetekisi. Washona nga-2011, kodvwa eCape Verde livi lakhe lisemkhatsini kunanoma iyiphi indiza. Umshayeli ukhomba emsakatweni ngesilevu asho lokutsite ngePutukezi lokuhlangene nesiCreole — angikwazanga kutibamba tonkhe tigaca, kodvwa ngakubamba kudabuka lokukuyo. Morna, utsite. Wase ukhulisela livolumu.

ICape Verde ihleti emakhilomitheni langemakhulu lasihlanu nemashumi lasikhombisa entshonalanga yeSenegal e-Atlantic, tihlenge letilishumi letinentsabamlilo, bantfu labalinganiselwa ku-600,000. Lelive lincane kakhulu kangangoba emabalazwe lamanyenti emhlaba akaze alibhale. Kodvwa nake wake weva umorna nome ngukuphi — leyo melody lelusizi lengemumkhatsini wefado yasePutukezi nesamba yaseBrazil — uyati kutsi lendzawo ayikwati kuba ncinane.

Ngubusuku bami bekucala echwebeni laseMindelo, ngangena ebhawa lelibitwa ngekutsi yiCafe Musica. Emabodwe abenemaphepha laneposta yaCesária Évora lesiphephile, sitfombe selicembu lebhola letinyawo lasekhaya, kanye neluhla lwebhalwe ngesandla: Cachupa, inhlanti leyosiwe, grogue rum. Umculi bekangumfati loneminyaka lengemashumi lamane, agucule tinyawo, avale emehlo. Inshintshi yesiginci yashintja iphimbo emoyeni lonelikusu, kodvwa akekho lowanaka. Emadvodza lasebenza edokhini ayeka kudvonsa tintsambo ancika elubondzeni lwesolwandle walalela. Umntfwana wahlala emnyango abukele — etinyaweni takhe, ibhola letinyawo leliphelile.

Ngelilanga lelilandzelako ngaya ePico do Fogo. Ngaphansi kwetinyawo: inhlabamhlophe lemnyama, lokhuhlele futsi lobululako, emasoli eticatfulo tami aqongelela luhlata loluncane lolumnyama. Umhlahlandlela watsi intsabamlilo yagcina kughamuka nga-2014, yabhubhisa imiphakatsi lemibili, kodvwa cishe bonkhe bantfu balemiphakatsi babuyela emuva. 'Lesi sichingi setfu,' utsite. 'Intsabamlilo ngumakhelwane lonemoya lomubi — kodvwa awusuki nje ngoba umakhelwane wakho anemoya lomubi.' Kusuka enkabeni, ngibuke ngaphesheya kwe-Atlantic, ngacondza kwekucala kutsi kusho kutsini kuba sichingi lesingenaso sicedzelo — kuze kufike lapho liso lingabona khona, kute lokunye ngaphandle kwesolwandle nalesolwandle.

ESanta Maria Beach eSal, bantfwana bakhahlela ibhola bageule tinyawo. Ibhola belindzala, sikhumba salo sigugile, kodvwa indlela lebebaliphasa ngayo beyifana nalolunye luhlobo lwemorna. Lihembe leliluhlata lalomunye umfana belinenombolo lesiphephile emhlane — hhayi Messi nobe Ronaldo, kodvwa Ryan Mendes, umgadli welicembu lesive laseCape Verde. Wakhomba lihembe: 'Watalwa eMindelo. Njengatsi.' Hhayi kukhulu kusuka lapho, ifulegi yeBlue Sharks yaphephetha kamnandi ngenhla kwesitendi saselwandle.

Kudla kwaba sihlutselo sekugcina. ICachupa — sipheko lesiphekwe kancane lesinemmbila, emabhontjisi, tiluhlata, kanye nenhlanti nobe inyama — besiphekwe kusukela ngehora lesitfupha ekuseni. Emakethe, bafati bahleti etihlalweni letiphansi bavuba ummbila ngejubane lelingakwati kulandzelwa ngelihlo. Bebacoca ngesiCreole, ngekwesikhatsi lesitsite bagcakamele kuhleka. Lomunye umfati lomdzala lotsengisa tiluhlata wanginika sitsha lesincane sechachupa, angitsengiselanga. 'Woza, nambitsa,' utsite kancane ngePutukezi. 'Kunambitsa kweCape Verde kudzinga sikhatsi.' Ngachita ihora lelicedvulela ngicedza leso sitsha, futsi ngacondza kutsi bekangakhulumi ngekupheka.

Ekuseni ngelilanga lebengisuka ngalo, ngabuyela eCafe Musica eMindelo. Ibhawa belingakavulwa. Umoya wesolwandle wanyikinya leposita lendzala lesemnyango. Bukhashi, kukhala kweluphondvo lwesikebhe echwebeni. Lijaha lelikhulile lelihamba nenja yalo ladlula, langibona ngibuke leposita yaCesária Évora, lame. NgeSingisi watsi: 'Uyawati umugca wakhe lodvume kakhulu? Sodade — kukhumbula lokungenasimo lesitsite.' Wase uchubeka wahamba. Ngema phambi kwechweba lelingenalutfo futsi ngekushesha ngacondza incazelo legcwele yemorna: iCape Verde akusilo live lelingachazwa ngebhalazwe. Lingabalwa kuphela ngemsindvo, ngekunambitsa, ngemoya wesolwandle. Njengesodade — uyati kutsi ikhona, kodvwa awukwati kusho kutsi inasiphi simo.