Abantu boroheje bahinduye Bibiliya

MU MWAKA wa 1835, umufundi w’Umwongereza witwa Henry Nott n’umuturage wo mu gihugu cya Galles witwa John Davies wigaga umwuga w’ubucuruzi, bashoje umushinga ukomeye cyane. Nyuma y’imyaka isaga 30 bamaze bakorana umwete, amaherezo barangije guhindura Bibiliya yuzuye mu rurimi rw’Igitahiti. Ni ibihe bibazo by’ingutu abo bagabo babiri boroheje bahuye na byo, kandi se icyo gikorwa cyabo kirangwa n’urukundo cyatumye habaho izihe ngaruka?

“Abakangura”

Mu mpera z’ikinyejana cya 18, abayoboke b’umuryango w’Abaporotesitanti bitwaga “Abakangura” babwirizaga mu midugudu, mu binombe no mu nganda byo mu Bwongereza. Intego yabo yari iyo kugera ku baturage ba nyakabyizi. Ababwirizabutumwa bo muri uwo muryango batangaga za Bibiliya babishishikariye.

Umuporotesitanti witwa William Carey washinze uwo muryango, yagize uruhare mu gushyiraho umuryango w’Abamisiyonari w’i Londres mu mwaka wa 1795. Uwo muryango watoje abantu bari biteguye kwiga indimi zo mu karere ka Pasifika y’Amajyepfo, hanyuma bakajyayo kuba abamisiyonari. Intego y’abo bamisiyonari yari iyo kwigisha abaturage bo muri ako gace Ivanjiri mu rurimi rwabo.

Abamisiyonari ba mbere boherejwe ku kirwa cya Tahiti cyari kimaze igihe gito kivumbuwe. Abayoboke b’itsinda ry’Abakangura babona ko ibyo birwa byari ‘mu mwijima’ w’ubupagani, ko byari imirima igeze igihe cyo gusarurwa.

Abantu boroheje bakoze umurimo utoroshye

Kugira ngo abaturage ba Tahiti babwirizwe, abamisiyonari 30 batoranyijwe huti huti kandi batatojwe neza uwo murimo, bafashe ubwato bwitwa Duff bwari bwaguzwe n’umuryango w’abamisiyonari b’i Londres, bajya muri Tahiti. Harimo “abapasiteri bane [batahawe imyitozo ihagije], ababaji batandatu, abadozi b’inkweto babiri, abafundi babiri, ababoha imyenda babiri, abadozi babiri, umucuruzi umwe, umuntu wakoraga ibyo bicarira bari ku ndogobe, umukozi wo mu rugo, uwo mu busitani, umuganga, umucuzi, uwakoraga ingunguru z’ibiti, uwatunganyaga ipamba, uwadodaga ingofero, uwakoraga imyenda, uwabazaga ibikoresho byo mu rugo, abagore batanu n’abana batatu.”

Ibikoresho byonyine abo bamisiyonari bari bafite byari kubafasha kumenya indimi z’umwimerere za Bibiliya byari inkoranyamagambo y’Ikigiriki n’Icyongereza na Bibiliya yari ifite inkoranyamagambo y’Igiheburayo. Mu gihe cy’amezi arindwi bamaze mu nyanja, abo bamisiyonari bafashe mu mutwe amagambo amwe n’amwe yo mu rurimi rw’Igitahiti yari yaranditswe na ba mukerarugendo bari barageze muri Tahiti mbere yabo, amenshi muri yo akaba yaranditswe n’abakozi b’ubwato bwitwa Bounty bari barivumbuye. Amaherezo ubwato abamisiyonari barimo bwageze muri Tahiti, maze babusohokamo ku itariki ya 7 Werurwe 1797. Icyakora hashize umwaka, abenshi bari baracitse intege bisubirira iwabo. Hari hasigaye abamisiyonari barindwi gusa.

Muri abo barindwi, Henry Nott wari warahoze ari umufundi, yari afite imyaka 23 gusa. Umuntu afatiye ku mabaruwa ya mbere yanditse, usanga yari yarize udushuri duke. Ariko kuva agitangira kwiga ururimi rw’Igitahiti, byagaragaye ko yari afite impano yo kurumenya. Bavuga ko yari umuntu w’inyangamugayo, wishyiraga mu mutuzo kandi w’umunyamashyengo.

Mu mwaka wa 1801, Nott yatoranyirijwe kwigisha ururimi rw’Igitahiti abamisiyonari icyenda bari baje muri Tahiti. Muri abo bamisiyonari icyenda harimo John Davies wari ufite imyaka 28 wo mu gihugu cya Galles, waje kuba umunyeshuri ushoboye n’umukozi ukorana umwete, kandi muri kamere ye yari umugwaneza n’umunyabuntu. Bidatinze, abo bagabo babiri bafashe umwanzuro wo guhindura Bibiliya mu rurimi rw’Igitahiti.

Umurimo utoroshye

Icyakora, guhindura Bibiliya mu rurimi rw’Igitahiti ntibyari byoroshye, kuko urwo rurimi rwari rutarandikwa. Abo bamisiyonari bagombaga kurwiga batega amatwi gusa uko ruvugwa. Ntibari bafite inkoranyamagambo cyangwa igitabo kirimo amategeko y’ikibonezamvugo. Ukuntu muri urwo rurimi bagenda baniga ijwi, inyajwi zarwo zibonekamo kenshi (nk’inyajwi eshanu mu ijambo rimwe) n’ukuntu rugira ingombajwi nkeya, byatumye abo bamisiyonari barushaho kwiheba. Barijujutaga bati “amagambo menshi yarwo agizwe n’inyajwi nyinshi cyane, kandi buri nyajwi iba ifite ijwi ryayo.” Biyemereraga ko batashoboraga “kumva neza uko amagambo atandukanye avugwa.” Ndetse banatekereje ko ahari bumvaga amajwi atabaho!

Icyatumaga ikibazo kirushaho kuba isobe, ni uko hari igihe amagambo amwe n’amwe yabaga umuziro mu rurimi rw’Igitahiti, bityo bikaba ngombwa kuyasimbura. Amagambo afite ibisobanuro bimwe na yo yabateshaga umutwe. Urugero, ijambo “isengesho” ryari rifite andi bivuga kimwe asaga 70 mu rurimi rw’Igitahiti. Imiterere y’interuro muri urwo rurimi itandukanye cyane n’iyo mu rurimi rw’Icyongereza, na byo byababeraga inzitizi. N’ubwo hari izo ngorane zose, buhoro buhoro abo bamisiyonari bakoze urutonde rw’amagambo, maze nyuma y’imyaka 50 Davies arusohora mu nkoranyamagambo yari irimo amagambo 10.000.

Hanyuma, bahuye n’ikibazo cyo kwandika ururimi rw’Igitahiti. Abo bamisiyonari bagerageje kurwandika nk’uko bandikaga Icyongereza. Ariko inyuguti Icyongereza gikoresha ntizahuzaga neza n’amajwi yo mu rurimi rw’Igitahiti. Ibyo byatumye bajya impaka z’urudaca z’ukuntu bakwandika amajwi y’amagambo n’inyuguti bazajya bakoresha bayandika. Akenshi abo bamisiyonari bahimbaga imyandikire mishya, kubera ko bari aba mbere muri ako gace k’Inyanja z’Amajyepfo bari bagiye gushyira mu nyandiko ururimi rwavugwaga. Ntibari bazi ko nyuma y’aho inyinshi mu ndimi zo muri Pasifika y’Amajyepfo zari gukomora icyitegererezo kuri icyo gikorwa cyabo.

Bari bafite ibikoresho bike, ariko bari bazi kubibyaza umusaruro

Abo bahinduzi bari bafite ibitabo bike gusa bashoboraga kwifashisha. Wa muryango w’Abamisiyonari w’i Londres wabategetse guhindura bahereye ku buhinduzi bwitwa Texte reçu no ku buhinduzi bwa King James. Nott yasabye ko uwo muryango wamwoherereza izindi nkoranyamagambo z’Igiheburayo n’Ikigiriki hamwe na za Bibiliya ziri muri izo ndimi zombi. Nta wuzi niba yarabonye ibyo bitabo. Davies we yabonye ibitabo bimwe bikoreshwa ku ishuri abyohererejwe n’incuti ze z’iwabo. Hari inkuru zigaragaza ko yari afite byibura inkoranyamagambo imwe y’Ikigiriki, Bibiliya yo mu rurimi rw’Igiheburayo, Isezerano Rishya mu Kigiriki, na Septante.

Hagati aho umurimo wo kubwiza wakorwaga n’abamisiyonari nta cyo wageragaho. N’ubwo abamisiyonari bari bamaze imyaka 12 muri Tahiti, nta n’umwe mu baturage baho wari wakabatijwe. Amaherezo, intambara z’urudaca z’abenegihugu zatumye abo bamisiyonari bose bahungira muri Ositaraliya, uretse Nott wari waramaramaje. Muri icyo gihe, ni we mumisiyonari wenyine wasigaye mu birwa byitwa îles du Vent biri mu izinga ry’ibirwa byitwa les îles de la Société, ariko na we byabaye ngombwa ko ahungana n’Umwami Pomare wa II ubwo uwo mwami yahungiraga ku kirwa cya Moorea cyari hafi aho.

Nyamara kuba Nott yarimutse ntibyahagaritse umurimo we wo guhindura. Kandi Davies amaze imyaka ibiri muri Ositaraliya, yongeye gusanga Nott aho yari ari. Hagati aho, Nott yari yaratangiye kwiga ururimi rw’Ikigiriki n’urw’Igiheburayo kandi yari amaze kuzimenya. Ibyo byatumye atangira guhindura ibice bimwe by’Ibyanditswe bya Giheburayo mu rurimi rw’Igitahiti. Yahitagamo guhindura ibice bya Bibiliya birimo inkuru abaturage kavukire bazashobora kumva bitabagoye.

Nott afatanyije na Davies batangiye guhindura Ivanjiri ya Luka, barangiza kuyihindura muri Nzeri mu mwaka wa 1814. Nott yahinduraga akurikije uko ururimi rw’Igitahiti ruteye, hanyuma Davies akabigenzura akurikije inyandiko z’umwimerere. Mu mwaka wa 1817, Umwami Pomare wa II yabasabye niba yakwicapira urupapuro rwa mbere rw’Ivanjiri ya Luka. Yarucapishije imashini ntoya icapa abo bamisiyonari bari bazanye i Moorea. Nta wavuga amateka yose yo guhindura Bibiliya mu rurimi rw’Igitahiti atavuze Tuahine, Umunyatahiti w’indahemuka wagumanye n’abo bamisiyonari iyo myaka yose kandi akabafasha gusobanukirwa neza urwo rurimi.

Barangiza guhindura

Mu mwaka wa 1819, bamaze imyaka 6 bakorana umwete, barangije guhindura Amavanjiri, Ibyakozwe n’Intumwa n’igitabo cya Zaburi. Abandi bamisiyonari bari baraje bari barazanye imashini icapa. Iyo mashini yoroheje umurimo wo gucapa no gukwirakwiza izo Bibiliya.

Bakomeje guhindura bashishikaye, banonosora umwandiko kandi basubiramo ibyo bari barahinduye. Nott amaze imyaka 28 aba muri Tahiti yaje kurwara mu mwaka wa 1825, maze wa muryango w’abamisiyonari umwemerera gusubira mu Bwongereza. Igishimishije ni uko icyo gihe ubuhinduzi bw’Ibyanditswe bya Kigiriki hafi ya byose bwasaga n’ubwarangiye. Yakomeje guhindura ibindi bice bya Bibiliya byari bisigaye igihe yari mu Bwongereza. Nott yasubiye muri Tahiti mu mwaka wa 1827. Imyaka umunani nyuma y’aho, ni ukuvuga mu mwaka wa 1835, yarekeye aho guhindura. Nyuma y’imyaka isaga 30 akorana umwete, Bibiliya yose yari imaze guhindurwa.

Mu mwaka wa 1836, Nott yasubiye mu Bwongereza kugira ngo acapishirize Bibiliya yose yo mu rurimi rw’Igitahiti i Londres. Ku itariki ya 8 Kamena 1838 Nott wari wishimye cyane yahaye Umwamikazi Victoria Bibiliya ya mbere mu rurimi rw’Igitahiti. Birumvikana ko icyo cyari igihe gishimishije cyane ku muntu wari warahoze ari umufundi. Hari hashize imyaka 40 afashe ubwato bwa Duff akajya muri Tahiti, agacengera umuco waho kugira ngo abone uko asohoza umurimo ukomeye kandi wari kuzamara igihe kirekire.

Hashize amezi abiri, Nott yasubiye muri Pasifika y’Amajyepfo afite ibisanduku 27 birimo kopi 3.000 za mbere za Bibiliya yuzuye mu rurimi rw’Igitahiti. Amaze kugera i Sydney yongeye kurwara, ariko yanga gutandukana n’ibisanduku bye by’agaciro kenshi. Amaze koroherwa yarakomeje agera muri Tahiti mu mwaka wa 1840, asanga abaturage barekereje baniganira kuri ibyo bisanduku bashaka Bibiliya yo mu rurimi rw’Igitahiti. Nott yapfiriye muri Tahiti muri Gicurasi 1844, afite imyaka 70.

Ingaruka zagutse

Icyakora, umurimo wa Nott wo ntiwapfuye. Ubuhinduzi bwe bwagize ingaruka zagutse ku ndimi zikoreshwa muri Polynésie. Abo bamisiyonari batumye ururimi rw’Igitahiti rudacika, kuko barushyize mu nyandiko. Hari umwanditsi wagize ati “Nott yashyizeho ikibonezamvugo cy’ururimi rw’Igitahiti. Bizaba ngombwa buri gihe ko twitabaza Bibiliya kugira ngo twige ururimi rw’Igitahiti cy’umwimerere.” Uwo murimo abo bahinduzi bakoranye umwete watumye hakomeza kubaho amagambo abarirwa mu bihumbi yagombye kuba yaribagiranye. Imyaka ijana nyuma y’aho, hari umwanditsi wagize ati “iyo Bibiliya y’agaciro kenshi yo mu rurimi rw’Igitahiti yahinduwe na Nott irakomeye mu mateka y’ururimi rw’Igitahiti, abantu bose barayemera.”

Uwo murimo ukomeye ntiwunguye gusa Abanyatahiti, ahubwo nanone wabaye urufatiro rw’ubundi buhinduzi bwo mu ndimi zo muri Pasifika y’Amajyepfo. Urugero, abahinduzi bo mu birwa bya Cook n’ibya Samoa barayifashishije. Hari umuhinduzi wavuze ati “nakurikije cyane urugero rwa Bwana Nott, nasuzumye ubuhinduzi bwe mbyitondeye cyane.” Bavuga ko hari undi muhinduzi ‘washyiraga imbere ye igitabo cya Zaburi mu rurimi rw’Igiheburayo, ubuhinduzi bw’Icyongereza n’ubw’Igitahiti’ igihe yabaga ‘ahindura imwe muri Zaburi za Dawidi mu rurimi rw’Igisamowa.’

Abamisiyonari bo muri Tahiti bakurikije urugero rw’Abakangura bo mu Bwongereza, bashishikarije abantu kwiga gusoma no kwandika. Koko rero, hashize imyaka isaga ijana Bibiliya ari cyo gitabo rukumbi abaturage bo muri Tahiti bashobora kubona. Ni yo mpamvu yagize ingaruka zikomeye ku muco w’Abanyatahiti.

Kimwe mu bintu byiza cyane biranga ubuhinduzi bwa Nott, ni uko izina ry’Imana riboneka incuro nyinshi mu Byanditswe bya Giheburayo n’ibya Kigiriki. Ni yo mpamvu muri iki gihe izina rya Yehova rizwi cyane muri Tahiti n’ibirwa byayo. Ndetse rinaboneka kuri zimwe mu nsengero z’Abaporotesitanti. Icyakora, ubu iyo umuntu yumvise izina Yehova ahita atekereza ku Bahamya ba Yehova n’umurimo wo kubwiriza bakorana umwete bifashishije Bibiliya yo mu rurimi rw’Igitahiti yahinduwe na Nott na bagenzi be. Kandi iyo mihati ikomeye yashyizweho n’abahinduzi nka Henry Nott itwibutsa ukuntu twagombye gushimira ku bwo kuba dufite Ijambo ry’Imana rishobora gusomwa n’abantu hafi ya bose muri iki gihe.

[Amafoto yo ku ipaji ya 26]

Ubuhinduzi bwa mbere bwa Bibiliya mu rurimi rw’Igitahiti bwo mu mwaka wa 1815 bubonekamo Izina ry’Imana

Henry Nott (wabayeho hagati y’umwaka wa 1774 n’uwa 1844) ni umuhinduzi w’imena wa Bibiliya yo mu rurimi rw’Igitahiti

[Aho amafoto yavuye]

Bibiliya mu rurimi rw’Igitahiti: Copyright the British Library (3070.a.32); Henry Nott n’ibaruwa: Collection du Musée de Tahiti et de ses Îles, Punauia, Tahiti; Gatigisimu: uburenganzira bwatanzwe na London Missionary Society Papers, Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand

[Ifoto yo ku ipaji ya 28]

Gatigisimu yo mu mwaka wa 1801 yanditswe mu ndimi ebyiri, urw’Igitahiti n’urwo mu gihugu cya Galles, ibonekamo izina ry’Imana

[Aho ifoto yavuye]

Uburenganzira bwatanzwe na London Missionary Society Papers, Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand

[Ifoto yo ku ipaji ya 29]

Urusengero rw’Abaporotesitanti ruriho izina ry’Imana, mu kirwa cya Huahine ho muri Polynésie y’Abafaransa

[Aho ifoto yavuye]

Uburenganzira bwatanzwe na Pasteur Teoroi Firipa