ICape Verde Ayikhulumi Emabalazweni—Ikhukhuleka Ezintanjeni ZeMorna

Indiza yehlela ePraia Airport eSantiago Island, futhi iCape Verde ayikwamukeli ngezakhiwo ezinde. Ngaphandle kwewindi: amagquma aphansi ansundu, umoya owomile nocwebileyo. Into ekutshela ngempela ukuthi ufikephi ifika ngesikhathi uphuma esakhiweni setheminali — umsindo. Ikhehla lihlezi odongeni oluphansi, lidlala isigingci esidabukile. Kunosawoti wasolwandle ezintanjeni; ukushuna akuphelele, kodwa isigqi silungile.

Izwi likaCesária Évora liphuma emsakazweni wetekisi. Washona ngo-2011, kodwa eCape Verde izwi lakhe lifika ngesikhathi ukudlula noma iyiphi indiza. Umshayeli wekisi wakhomba umsakazo ngesilevu futhi wathi okuthile ngesiPutukezi esihlanganiswe nesiCreole — angizange ngikuqonde konke, kodwa ngakuqonda ukuziqhenya okukhona kukho. IMorna, usho kanjalo. Wabe esenyusa ivolumu.

ICape Verde isemgama ongamakhilomitha angu-570 entshonalanga yeSenegal e-Atlantic, iziqhingi eziyishumi ezinentabamlilo, inani labantu elilinganiselwa ku-600,000. Izwe lilincane kakhulu kangangokuba amabalazwe amaningi omhlaba awalimaki. Kodwa uma sewuke wezwa imorna noma kuphi — leyo melody edabukayo emisiwe phakathi kwefado yasePutukezi nesamba yaseBrazil — uyazi ukuthi leli zwe alikwazi ukuba lincane.

Ngobusuku bami bokuqala echwebeni laseMindelo, ngangena endaweni yokuphuza ebizwa ngeCafe Musica. Izindonga zazinamekwe ngephosta kaCesária Évora esesiphelile, isithombe seqembu lebhola lendawo, nemenyu ebhalwe ngesandla: ICachupa, inhlanzi eyosiwe, ugrogue rum. Umculi kwakungowesifazane oseminyakeni yamashumi amane, engenazicathulo, evale amehlo. Ikhodi yesigingci yashintsha ukuphakama komsindo emoyeni onomswakama, kodwa akekho owakhathazeka. Izisebenzi zasethekwini zayeka ukudonsa izintambo zacindezela odongeni lolwandle ukuzwa. Ingane yagoba emnyango ibukele — ezinyaweni zayo, ibhola elidala.

Ngosuku olulandelayo ngaya ePico do Fogo. Ngaphansi kwezinyawo: udaka lwentabamlilo olumnyama, oluqinile noluthambile, amasoli ezicathulo zami aqoqa intuli emnyama. Umhlahlandlela wathi intabamlilo yaqhuma okokugcina ngo-2014, yabhidliza imizi emibili, kodwa cishe bonke abantu baleyo mizi babuya. 'Lesi yisiqhingi sethu,' usho kanjalo. 'Intabamlilo ingumakhelwane onolaka — kodwa awuthuthi ngenxa nje yokuthi umakhelwane wakho unolaka.' Kusukela phakathi nendawo, ngibheke phezu kwe-Atlantic, ngaqonda okokuqala ukuthi kusho ukuthini ukuba yisiqhingi esingenasiphetho — kuze kufike lapho iso likwazi ukubona khona, akukho lutho ngaphandle kolwandle nolunye ulwandle.

ESanta Maria Beach eSal, izingane zazikhahlela ibhola zingenazicathulo. Ibhola lalidala, isikhumba salo sigugile, kodwa indlela ababelidlulisa ngayo yayibukeka njengolunye uhlobo lwemorna. Ihembe elimhlophe okwesibhakabhaka lomfana oyedwa lalinezinombolo eziphelile emhlane — hhayi uMessi noma uRonaldo, kodwa uRyan Mendes, umgadli weqembu lesizwe laseCape Verde. Wakhomba ihembe: 'Wazalelwa eMindelo. Njengathi.' Akukude, ifulegi leBlue Sharks laliphephezela kancane ngenhla kwesitendi sasolwandle.

Ukudla kwaba ukhiye wokugcina. ICachupa — isitshulu esihamba kancane sommbila, ubhontshisi, imifino, nenhlanzi noma inyama — yayibilile kusukela ngehora lesithupha ekuseni. Emakethe, abesifazane babehlezi ezihlalweni eziphansi bexhobola ummbila ngesivinini iso elingeke likwazi ukusilandela. Babexoxa ngesiCreole, beqhuma ngezikhathi ezithile ngokuhleka. Isalukazi esasithengisa imifino sanginika isitsha esincane secachupa, mahhala. 'Woza, nambitha,' washo kancane ngesiPutukezi. 'Ukunambitheka kweCape Verde kudinga isikhathi.' Ngachitha ihora nohhafu ngiqeda leso sitsha, futhi ngaqonda ukuthi wayengakhulumi ngokupheka.

Ekuseni ngosuku lokuhamba, ngabuyela eCafe Musica eMindelo. Indawo yayingakavulwa. Umoya wasolwandle wathinta iphosta endala emnyango. Buqamama, kukhala ikhwela lesikebhe echwebeni. Ikhehla elalihamba nenja yalo ladlula, langibona ngibuka iphosta kaCesária Évora, lame. NgesiNgisi lathi: 'Uyawazi umugqa wakhe odume kakhulu? ISodade — ukukhumbula okungenasimo esithile.' Labe seliqhubeka nendlela. Ngama phambi kwechwebo elingenalutho futhi ngaqonda ngokungazelelwe incazelo egcwele yemorna: iCape Verde akulona izwe elingachazwa ngebalazwe. Lingamakwa kuphela ngomsindo, ukunambitheka, umoya wasolwandle. Njengesodade uqobo — uyazi ukuthi ikhona, kodwa awukwazi ukusho ukuthi inasiphi isimo.