I-Cape Verde Ayithethi Kwiimephu—Ikhukuliseka Kwiintambo Ze-Morna

Inqwelo-moya ithi nca e-Praia Airport kwisiQithi sase-Santiago, kwaye i-Cape Verde ayikubulisi ngezakhiwo eziphakamileyo. Ngaphandle kwefestile: iinduli ezimdaka ngebala eziphantsi, umoya owomileyo nocacileyo. Into ekuxelela ngokwenene ukuba ufikephi ifika kanye ngelo xesha uphuma kwisakhiwo seenqwelo-moya — isandi. Ixhego lihleli phezu kodonga oluphantsi, libetha isiginkci esidlakazileyo. Kukho ityuwa yolwandle kwiintambo; ulungelelwaniso alufezekanga, kodwa isingqi silungile.

Ilizwi lika-Cesária Évora liphuma kunomathotholo weteksi. Wasweleka ngo-2011, kodwa e-Cape Verde ilizwi lakhe lihamba ngexesha ngaphezu kwayo nayiphi na inqwelo-moya. Umqhubi ukhomba kunomathotholo ngesilevu aze athethe into ethile ngesi-Portuguese esixutywe nesi-Creole — andizange ndiyive yonke into, kodwa ndaliva ikratshi kuyo. Wathi, Morna. Emva koko wanyusa ivolyum.

I-Cape Verde imi malunga neekhilomitha ezingama-570 ngasentshona ye-Senegal kuLwandlekazi lwe-Atlantika, iziqithi ezilishumi ezinentaba-mlilo, inani labemi malunga nama-600,000. Eli lizwe lincinane kangangokuba uninzi lweeme phu zehlabathi aluphawuli nokuluphawula. Kodwa ukuba wakha weva i-morna naphi na — loo ngoma yokukhumbula exhonywe phakathi kwe-fado yase-Portugal ne-samba yase-Brazil — uyazi ukuba le ndawo ayinakuba ncinane.

Ngobusuku bam bokuqala kwizibuko lase-Mindelo, ndangena kwibhari ebizwa ngokuba yi-Cafe Musica. Iindonga zazincanyathiselwe ngepowusta edlakazileyo ka-Cesária Évora, ifoto yeqela lebhola ekhatywayo lasekuhlaleni, kunye nemenyu ebhalwe ngesandla: Cachupa, intlanzi eyojiweyo, i-grogue rum. Imvumi yayingumfazi ophakathi kwiminyaka engamashumi amane, engenazihlangu, evale amehlo. Isandi sesiginkci sasitshintsha isandi kumoya ofumileyo, kodwa akukho mntu wayikhathaleleyo loo nto. Abasebenzi basesikhonkwaneni babeyeka ukutsala iintambo bachopha eludongeni lolwandle ukuze bamamele. Umntwana wayechochome emnyango ejonge — ezinyaweni zakhe, ibhola ekhatywayo edlakazileyo.

Ngosuku olulandelayo ndaya e-Pico do Fogo. Ngaphantsi kweenyawo: ilava emnyama, erhabaxa neqhekekayo, iisoli zezihlangu zam ziqokelela uthuli olumnyama olucolekileyo. Umkhaphi wathi intaba-mlilo yaqgabhuka okokugqibela ngo-2014, yatshabalalisa iilali ezimbini, kodwa phantse bonke abahlali babuya. 'Esi sisiqithi sethu,' watsho. 'Intaba-mlilo ngummelwane onesimo esibi — kodwa awufuduki ngenxa yokuba ummelwane wakho enesimo esibi.' Ukusuka embindini wendlela enyukayo, ndijonge ngaphaya koLwandlekazi lwe-Atlantika, ndaqonda okokuqala ukuba kuthetha ukuthini ukuba lichweba elingenasiphelo — kangangoko iliso linokubona, akukho nto ngaphandle kolwandle nolwandle olongezelelekileyo.

KuLwandle lwase-Santa Maria e-Sal, abantwana babekhaba ibhola bengenazihlangu. Ibhola yayindala, ulusu lwayo lugugile, kodwa indlela ababeyigqithisa ngayo yayikhangeleka njengolunye uhlobo lwe-morna. Ihempe eluhlaza yenkwenkwe yayinenombolo edlakazileyo emqolo — ayingu-Messi okanye u-Ronaldo, kodwa ngu-Ryan Mendes, umdlali ophambili weqela lesizwe lase-Cape Verde. Wakhomba ihempe: 'Wazalelwa e-Mindelo. Njengathi.' Kufuphi, iflegi ye-Blue Sharks yayiphephezeliswa ngobunono phezu kwendawo yokuthengisa elunxwemeni.

Ukutya yayisisitshixo sokugqibela. I-Cachupa — isityu esiphekwe kancinci sombona, iimbotyi, imifuno, nentlanzi okanye inyama — yayiphekwa ukususela ngentsimbi yesithandathu ngaloo ntsasa. Emarikeni, abafazi babehleli kwizitulo eziphantsi bekhoba umbona ngesantya iliso elingenakulandela. Babencokola ngesi-Creole, maxa wambi beqhuma yintsini. Ixhegokazi elithengisa imifuno landinika isitya esincinci se-cachupa, simahla. 'Yiza, ngcamla,' latsho ngokucothayo ngesi-Portuguese. 'Incasa yase-Cape Verde ifuna ixesha.' Ndachitha isiqingatha seyure ndigqiba eso sitya, kwaye ndaqonda ukuba wayengathethi ngokupheka.

Ngentsasa yokuhamba kwam, ndabuyela e-Cafe Musica e-Mindelo. Ibhari yayingekavulwa. Umoya wolwandle watyhalela ipowusta endala emnyango. Mgama, isandi sophondo lwesikhitshane savakala esikhonkwaneni. Ixhego elihamba nenja yalo ladlula, landibona ndijonge ipowusta ka-Cesária Évora, lema. NgesiNgesi lathi: 'Uyawazi awona mgca wakhe udumileyo? Sodade — ulangazelelo olungenasimo esithile.' Emva koko laqhubeka nokuhamba. Ndema phambi kwesikhitshane esingenamntu ndaza ngequbuliso ndayiqonda intsingiselo epheleleyo ye-morna: I-Cape Verde ayilolizwe elinokuchazwa yimephu. Inokuphawulwa kuphela ngesandi, ngencasa, ngomoya wolwandle. Njenge-sodade ngokwayo — uyazi ukuba ikhona, kodwa awunakutsho ukuba inasimbo sini.