Ilifu Elimnyama Elilengalenga Phezu Kwala Mahlathi Ashinyeneyo
XA UWAJONGE ukwinqwelo-ntaka, amahlathi ashinyeneyo aseAmazon akukhumbuza ikhaphethi emfumamfuma engangelizwe, ekubeni esakhangeleka eluhlaza yaye ecocekile njengokuba ayenjalo xa uOrellana wayewafaka kwimaphu. Njengoko uthubeleza ukunqumla la mahlathi ashushu nafumileyo uhamba ngeenyawo, uzama ukuphepha amaqukunya ezinambuzane, ingqondo ithi ti ungazi nokuba uhleli okanye uyaphupha kusini na. Ucinga ukuba ubona amagqabi kanti ngamabhabhathane, ubone izityalo eziphinyelayo kanti ziinyoka, ubone neentsasa zemithi eyomileyo kanti zizikrekrethi ezothukileyo ezithi zibaleke ngathi ziyagityiselwa. Kumahlathi eAmazon, inyaniso engawo isadotyelelwa ngamabali.
Omnye umakhi-mkhanya uthi: “Eyona nto ikhwankqisayo yeyokuba, izinto ezenzeka eAmazon zimangalisa njengeentsomi ezibaliswa ngayo.” Zimangalisa ngokwenene! Khawuzakhele umfanekiso-ngqondweni wamahlathi angangeMpuma Yurophu ngobukhulu. Kuloo mahlathi yongeza iindidi ezingama-4000 ezahlukeneyo zemithi. Wambese ngobuhle beendidi zezityalo ezivelisa iintyatyambo ezingaphezu kwama-60 000. Uwahombise ngeendidi zeentaka ezili-1000 ezinemibala eqaqambileyo. Wathi jize ngeendidi ezingama-300 zezilwanyana ezanyisayo. Uwazalise ngokubhuza kweendidi zezinambuzane ezimalunga nezigidi ezibini. Ngoku uyasiqonda isizathu sokuba wonke umntu othetha ngamahlathi ashinyeneyo aseAmazon esebenzisa izibaxo. Ayikho enye indlela onokuyichaza ngayo le ntaphane yezinto eziphilayo kula mahlathikazi ashinyeneyo akweleenjiko.
Izidalwa Ezigqagqeneyo “Ezisecicini Lokuphela”
Kwiminyaka engama-90 eyadlulayo umbhali neqhakraqhakra leyolisa laseMerika uMark Twain wachaza la mahlathi anomtsalane “njengelizwe eliyolisayo, ilizwe elinentabalala yezinto ezintle, ilizwe elihlab’ umxhelo apho zonke iintaka neentyatyambo nezilwanyana zininzi ngokungathi zisemyuziyam, kwaye apho i-alligator nengwenya nenkawu zibonakala zisekhaya ngakumbi ngokungathi zikuMzi Wogcino-zilwanyana.” Ukucikoza kukaTwain kukude lee kwindlela izinto eziyiyo namhlanje. Iimyuziyam nemizi yogcino-zilwanyana kungekudala zisenokuba kuphela kwamakhaya aseleyo enani elandayo lezinto ezintle zaseAmazon. Kutheni?
Ngokucacileyo unobangela oyintloko kukugawula komntu la mahlathi ashinyeneyo aseAmazon, etshabalalisa ikhaya lemvelo leentyatyambo nezilwanyana. Noko ke, ngaphandle kokutshatyalaliswa okuphawulekayo kwekhaya lezi zidalwa, kukho nezinye izinto—ezifihlakele ngakumbi—ezibangela ukuba iindidi zezityalo nezilwanyana, nangona zisaphila, zibe “secicini lokuphela.” Ngamanye amazwi, amagunya akholelwa kwelokuba akukho nto inokunqanda ukuba ezi zidalwa zingapheli.
Enye yezinto ezibangela oku kukuba zigqagqene. Amagosa karhulumente anomdla wokuzilondoloza asenokuphelisa ukugawulwa kwamahlathi ukuze kukhuselwe izidalwa eziphila apho. Noko ke, indawana engenamithi kula mahlathi ibonisa ukuba ekugqibeleni ezi zidalwa ziza kuphela. IProtecting the Tropical Forests—A High-Priority International Task isinika umzekelo obonisa isizathu sokuba le ndawana ingenamithi kula mahlathi isilela ukuxhasa ezi zidalwa ithuba elide.
Ngokufuthi kweleenjiko kukho imithi emi njengamadoda nanjengamabhinqa. Ukuze ivelise eminye, incedwa ngamalulwane athwala umungu ukusuka kwintyatyambo emi njengendoda awuse kwelibhinqa. Kambe ke, le nkqubo yomvumvuzelwano isebenza kuphela ukuba imithi ikhula kummandla abhabhela kuwo amalulwane. Ukuba umgama ophakathi komthi olibhinqa noyindoda uba ngumnkabankaba—njengoko kusoloko kusiba njalo xa indawana engenamithi emahlathini iphela inomhlaba omkhulu ongenazityalo—ilulwane alinakuqabela kumgama ongako. Le ngxelo ithi, yandula ke le mithi ibe “‘secicini lokuphela’ ekubeni indlela yayo yokuvelisa ekudala ikho ingasenakuqhubeka.”
Olu nxibelelwano phakathi kwemithi namalulwane lolunye nje kulwalamano olubangela ukuba kubekho izinto eziphilayo eAmazon. Ngamafutshane, amahlathi aseAmazon afana nendlu enkulu ekuhlala kuyo abantu abancedanayo baze batyele kwalapho. Ukuphepha ukuxinana, izidalwa zala mahlathi ashinyeneyo zihlala kwimigangatho engafaniyo, ezinye zihlala kumgangatho osezantsi, ezinye zihlala kophezulu. Bonke aba bemi banemisebenzi, ibe basebenza imini nobusuku—abanye emini, abanye ebusuku. Ukuba zonke izidalwa ziyavunyelwa ukuba zenze umsebenzi wazo, le ndawo inezilwanyana neentyatyambo ezahlukahlukeneyo zaseAmazon iya kusebenza ngokutyibilikayo.
Noko ke, izinto eziphila eAmazon ziethe-ethe. Enoba umntu wonakalisa nje izidalwa ezimbalwa kula mahlathi, kuphazamiseka izilwanyana ezihlala kwiindawo ezahlukeneyo kula mahlathi. Umlondolozi wendalo uNorman Myers uqikelela ukuba ukubulawa kohlobo oluthile lwesityalo ekugqibeleni kunokuba negalelo ekufeni kweendidi ezingama-30 zezilwanyana. Ibe ekubeni imithi emininzi ekweleenjiko, ixhomekeke kwizilwanyana ukuze isasaze imbewu yayo, ukutshabalalisa komntu izilwanyana kubulala loo mithi ibincedwa zizo. (Bona ibhokisi ethi “Unxulumano Phakathi Kwentlanzi Nomthi.”) Ngokufanayo nokugqagqana, ukuphazamisa olu lwalamano kushiya izilwanyana ezingakumbi nangakumbi ‘zisecicini lokuphela.’
Ngaba Ukugawula Imithi Embalwa Akubangeli Lahleko Ingako?
Bambi bathethelela ukutshatyalaliswa kweendawana nje beqiqa ngelithi amahlathi aya kuhlaziyeka aze akhule uhlaza olutsha kuloo mmandla ubugawulwe ngokufanayo nokukhula kolusu oluhlaziyekileyo emnweni osikekileyo. Ngaba oko kuyinyaniso? Eneneni, akunjalo ncam.
Kambe ke, liyinyaniso elokuba, ihlathi liphinda likhule ukuba umntu ushiya indawo egawulweyo ingaphazanyiswa okwethuba elithile. Kodwa likwayinyaniso nelokuba izityalo ezitsha ezikhulayo azibi zihle njengezo zehlathi lokuqala kanye njengokuba iphepha elikhutshelweyo lingacaci njengelo bekukhutshelwa kulo. UIma Vieira, osisazi ngezityalo eBrazil, wafunda ngommandla oneminyaka elikhulu ukho owawukhula ingca kwakhona kumahlathi aseAmazon waza wafumanisa ukuba kwiindidi zemithi ezingama-268 eyayidla ngokuchuma kwihlathi lokuqala, kuphela ziindidi ezingama-65 ezikhoyo kweli hlathi lisandul’ ukukhula. Esi sazi sithi, kukwanjalo nangeendidi zezilwanyana ezikuloo mmandla. Ngoko nangona ukugawula imithi kungaguquli amahlathi aluhlaza ukuba abe ziintlango ezibharhileyo, njengoko abanye besitsho, kodwa kuguqulela eminye imimandla yamahlathi ashinyeneyo aseAmazon ekubeni angafani ncam nawokuqala.
Ngaphezu koko, ukugawula nje indawana ehlathini ngokufuthi kutshabalalisa izityalo nezilwanyana ezininzi ezikhula, zihambe zize zihlale emithini kwelo hlathi nekungekho enye indawo ezikhula kuyo. Ngokomzekelo, abaphengululi base-Ecuador, bafumana iindidi zezityalo ezili-1025 kummandla othile ozizikwekhilomitha ezili-1,7 kumahlathi akweleenjiko. Ezingaphezu kwama-250 kwezo ndidi yayingekho enye indawo ezikhoyo kuyo emhlabeni. Isazi ngendalo saseBrazil uRogério Gribel uthi: “Umzekelo walapha yisauim-de-coleira (inkawana enobuso obunemibalabala nobungenaboya, ngesiNgesi),” inkawana ethandekayo onokucinga ukuba inxibe isikipa esimhlophe. UGqr. Gribel uthi: “Ezimbalwa ezisaseleyo zihlala nje kummandla omncinane wamahlathi kufutshane neManaus ekumbindi weAmazon, kodwa ukutshatyalaliswa kwaloo ndawana kuya kuzitshabalalisa ngonaphakade ezi zidalwa.” Ukugawulwa kwemithi embalwa kubangele ilahleko enkulu.
Ukususa “Ikhaphethi”
Noko ke, ukugawulwa ngokupheleleyo kwemithi kulengalengisa ilifu elimnyama phezu kwala mahlathi ashinyeneyo aseAmazon. Abenzi beendlela, abasarhi bemithi, abembi bemigodi nabanye abaninzi basusa la mahlathi njengekhaphethi, betshayela zonke izinto eziphilayo ngethutyana nje elingephi.
Ngoxa kungekavunyelwana malunga nawona manani achanileyo omlinganiselo wonyaka wokutshatyalaliswa kwamahlathi aseBrazil—uqikelelo olucokisekileyo lubonisa ukuba zizikwekhilomitha ezingama-36 000 ngonyaka—uwonke umhlaba wamahlathi oshinyeneyo aseAmazon osele utshatyalalisiwe usenokuba ngaphezu kwe-10 ekhulwini, ummandla ongaphezu kweJamani. IVeja, iphephandaba leeveki ngeeveki elinkqenkqeza phambili eBrazil, lanikela ingxelo yokuba umlinganiselo wama-40 000 wokutshiswa kwamahlathi ngabalimi abagawula imithi nabayitshisayo kuye kwagquba kwelo lizwe ngowe-1995—ngokuphindwe kahlanu kunonyaka ongaphambi kwalowo. IVeja yathi, umntu utshisa ihlathi ngokuzimisela, kangangokuba iindawo ezithile eAmazon zifana “nesihogo kwindawo eluhlaza enezidalwa.”
Izidalwa Ziyaphela—Kuthiweni Ke?
Bambi bayabuza, ‘Kodwa ngaba ziyimfuneko zonke ezo zigidi zezidalwa?’ Ewe, ziyimfuneko, utsho njalo umlondolozi wendalo uEdward O. Wilson, waseHarvard University. UWilson uthi: “Ekubeni amanzi esiwasebenzisayo exhomekeke ekusebenzeni kwezinto eziphilayo ukuze acoceke, nomhlaba wethu uxhomekeke kuzo ukuze uchume nomoya esiwuphefumlayo uxhomekeke kuzo, ngokucacileyo ukwahlukana ngokwebhayoloji asinto sinokuyiphatha ngokungakhathali.” Incwadi ethi People, Plants, and Patents ithi: “Ukuba nezinto ezininzi zendalo kusisikhokelo sokusinda koluntu. Ukuba izinto ezahlukeneyo ziyaphela, kungekudala nathi siyalandela.”
Eneneni, umonakalo obangelwa kukutshatyalaliswa kwezidalwa udlulela ngaphaya kokugecwa kwemithi, ukusongelwa kwezilwanyana, nokuxhatshazwa kwezinye izidalwa ezihlala apho. (Bona ibhokisi ethi “Oko Kwenziwe Ngumntu.”) Ukuphela kwamahlathi kunokukuchaphazela. Cinga ngale nto: Umlimi waseMozambiki usika iindiza zecassava, umama waseUzbekistan utya ipilisi yoqingqo-nzala, inkwenkwe eyenzakeleyo yaseSarajevo inikwa ichiza eliyimorphine, okanye umthengi usezela isiqholo esinuka kamnandi ngokukhethekileyo kwivenkile yaseNew York—iPanos Institute ithi, bonke aba bantu basebenzisa izinto ezifumaneka kumahlathi akweleenjiko. Ngaloo ndlela amahlathi asaseleyo anceda abantu abasehlabathini lonke—kuquka nawe.
Alinantabalala Kwangaxeshanye Lithintela Indlala
Kuyavunywa ukuba, amahlathi ashinyeneyo aseAmazon akanakuzisela ihlabathi lonke intabalala yokudla, kodwa anokuthintela indlala yehlabathi lonke. (Bona ibhokisi ethi “Intsomi Engokuchuma.”) Ngayiphi indlela? Eneneni, kwiminyaka yee-1970, umntu waqalisa ukuhlwayela ngomkhamo omkhulu iintlobo ezimbalwa zezityalo ezavelisa isivuno esikhulu ngendlela engaqhelekanga. Nangona ezi zityalo zinemveliso enkulu ziye zanceda ekondleni abantu abongezelelekileyo abazizigidi ezingama-500, imeko isemaxongo. Ekubeni zingekho ninzi, zibuthathaka ibe zingamaxhoba ezifo. Intsholongwane inokutshabalalisa isityalo esinemveliso selizwe elithile ngaloo ndlela ibangela indlala.
Ngoko ukuze ivelise izityalo ezihle ize ithintele indlala, i-UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) ngoku ibongoza ukuba kusetyenziswe “iimbewu ezahlukahlukeneyo.” Ibe kulapho amahlathi ashinyeneyo nezinto ezikuwo ngokusisigxina zisiba luncedo.
Ekubeni kumahlathi akweleenjiko kuhlala ngaphezu kwesiqingatha seendidi zezityalo ezisehlabathini (kuquka ezinye iindidi ezili-1650 ezikwaziyo ukuvelisa ukutya), indawo ekhula imithi eAmazon ifanelekile kuye nawuphi na umntu ophandayo okhangela iindidi zezityalo zasendle. Ukongezelela, abemi abahlala kula mahlathi bayayazi indlela yokusebenzisa ezi zityalo. Ngokomzekelo, amaIndiya aseBrazil angamaCayapo akadibanisi nje kuphela izityalo ezitsha ezahlukeneyo kodwa akwalondoloza izithole kwiindawo zokugcina iimbewu ezisemathambekeni. Ukudibanisa ezingafaniyo kwezo zityalo zasendle zahlukeneyo kunye nezityalo ezilinywe emakhaya ezahlukeneyo kuya kongezelela amandla nokufaneleka kwezityalo ezivelisa ukutya komntu. IFAO ithi la mandla ayafuneka, kuba “ulwando lwama-60 ekhulwini ekuveliseni ukudla luyafuneka kwiminyaka engama-25 ezayo.” Phezu kwako nje oku, oogandaganda abageca amahlathi badudula baze bangene nzulu kumahlathi ashinyeneyo aseAmazon.
Iba yintoni imiphumo? Enyanisweni, ukutshabalalisa komntu la mahlathi ashinyeneyo kufana nqwa nokuba umlimi atye imbewu yombona—egxotha inxele likaKhetsekile okwethutyana kodwa engazi ukuba uya kuyichola into etyiwayo kwixesha elizayo. Iqela leengcaphephe ngokwahlukana kwezinto zebhayoloji kutshanje liye lalumkisa ngelokuba “ukulondolozwa nokukhuliswa kwezityalo ezikhoyo ezahlukeneyo kungumbandela ofanele uxhalatyelwe ehlabathini lonke.”
Izityalo Ezithembisayo
Ngoku khawucinge ngokukhiwa “kwamayeza” kula mahlathi, ibe uya kubona ukuba oko kwenziwa ngumntu kuhlobene nezityalo eziphinyelayo nezinye izityalo. Ngokomzekelo, iialkaloids ezenziwa ngezityalo eziphinyelayo zaseAmazon zisetyenziselwa ukuthambisa izihlunu ngaphambi kotyando; abantwana aba-4 kwaba-5 abaneleukemia bancedwa baphile ixesha elide yimichiza efumaneka kwintyatyambo iperiwinkle, eyintyatyambo efumaneka kula mahlathi. Kwakhona kula mahlathi kukho iquinine, esetyenziselwa ukunyanga isifo seengcongconi; idigitalis, esetyenziselwa ukunyanga isifo sentliziyo; nediosgenin, ekwiipilisi zoqingqo nzala. Kukho nethemba lokuba ezinye izityalo zingakwazi ukunyanga uGawulayo nomhlaza. Ingxelo yeZizwe Ezimanyeneyo ithi: “EAmazon kuphela kuye kwabonwa iindidi zezityalo ezingama-2000 ezisetyenziswa njengamayeza ngabemi bomthonyama nezo zinokwenziwa imixube.” Olunye uhlolisiso luthi ehlabathini lonke, abantu aba-8 kwabali-10 basebenzisa amayeza afumaneka kwizityalo ukuze banyange izigulo zabo.
Ngoko kusengqiqweni ukukhusela izityalo ezisikhuselayo, utsho njalo uGqr. Philip M. Fearnside. “Ukutshatyalaliswa kwamahlathi aseAmazon kugqalwa njengokuphazanyiswa ngokunzulu kwemigudu yokufumana iindlela zokunyanga umhlaza ebantwini. . . .” Wongezelela ngelithi: “Ingcamango yokuba izinto ezicacileyo eziphunyezwe zezamayeza zale mihla zisinika imvume yokuba sizisebenzise ngobuninzi bazo ezi zinto ibonisa uhlobo oluyingozi nolubulalayo lwekratshi.”
Noko ke, umntu uyaqhubeka etshabalalisa izilwanyana nezityalo ngokukhawuleza ngaphambi kokuba zifunyanwe zize zaziwe. Oku kukwenza uzibuze ukuba: ‘Kutheni ukutshatyalaliswa kwamahlathi kuqhubeka? Ngaba le meko inokulungiswa? Ngaba amahlathi ashinyeneyo aseAmazon analo ikamva?’
[Ibhokisi/Umfanekiso okwiphepha 13]
Oko Kwenziwe Ngumntu
Ukuphazanyiswa nokutshatyalaliswa kwamahlathi konakalisa kungekuphela izityalo nezilwanyana kodwa nabantu. Malunga namaIndiya angama-300 000, intsalela yazizi-5000 000 awakha ahlala kummandla waseAmazon eBrazil, asahleli ngemvisiswano nemekobume akuyo yamahlathi. AmaIndiya aphazanyiswa kakhulu ngabasarhi bemithi, abembi begolide, nabanye, uninzi lwabo oluwagqala amaIndiya “njengemiqobo kwinkqubela phambili.”
Kanti kukho namacaboclos, iingwanzilili zabantu abangumxube wabantu abamhlophe nomlibo wamaIndiya ababenookhokho ababehlala eAmazonia kwiminyaka eli-100 eyadlulayo. Ehlala kwiishedi ezimi phezu kwezibonda ngasemlanjeni, akanakuba akha eva “ngenzululwazi ngezidalwa nemekobume,” kodwa aphila ngokufumana izinto emahlathini ngaphandle kokuwatshabalalisa. Kodwa, ubomi bawo bamihla le buyachatshazelwa kukuthontelana kwabantu abavela kwamanye amazwe bengena kweli khaya labo lingamahlathi.
Enyanisweni, kuwo onke amahlathi ashinyeneyo aseAmazon, aliqinisekanga ikamva labazizi-2000 000 abavuna iinqoba, abavelisa irabha, abangabalobi nabanye abemi, nabahlala ngemvisiswano nemijikelo yehlathi nezinto eziphuma emilanjeni. Abaninzi bakholelwa kwelokuba imigudu yokulondoloza amahlathi ifanele idlulele ngaphaya kokukhusela imithi yemahogany neemanatees. Kufanele kukhuselwe nabantu abahlala emahlathini.
[Ibhokisi ekwiphepha 15]
Intsomi Engokuchuma
Iphephancwadi iCounterpart lithi imbono yokuba umhlaba waseAmazon uchumile, “yintsomi ekunzima ukuyiphelisa.” Kwinkulungwane ye-19, umhloli uAlexander von Humboldt wayichaza iAmazon “njengovimba wehlabathi.” Kwinkulungwane kamva, ngokufanayo uMongameli waseUnited States uTheodore Roosevelt wavakalelwa kukuba iAmazon yayithembisa ngemveliso kwezolimo. Wabhala wathi: “Umhlaba ochumileyo nolinqatha ngolu hlobo awunakuhlala nje ungalinywanga.”
Eneneni, umlimi oneembono ezifana nezi ufumanisa ukuba kangangonyaka okanye emibini, umhlaba uvelisa isivuno esihle ngenxa yokuba amalahle emithi etshisiweyo asebenza njengesichumiso. Noko ke, emva koko, umhlaba uba yintlango. Nangona uhlaza oluchumileyo lweli hlathi lunika ithemba lokuba umhlaba ulinqatha ngaphantsi, eneneni loo mhlaba nguwo obangela amahlathi abe buthathaka. Kutheni?
UVukani! uthethe noGqr. Flávio J. Luizão, ongumphengululi kwiNational Institute for Research in the Amazon noyingcaphephe kumhlaba wamahlathi ashinyeneyo. Nanga amanye amagqabantshintshi akhe:
‘Ngokungafaniyo neminye imihlaba yamahlathi, umhlaba omninzi kwisidibi saseAmazon awuzifumani izondlo ezisuka emazantsi, kumatye abolayo, ngenxa yokuba amatye ezisuka kuwo akanazondlo ibe angaphantsi gqitha emhlabeni. Kunoko, umhlaba okhukulisiweyo ufumana izondlo ezisuka phezulu, emvuleni nasenkunkumeni. Noko ke, amaqabaza emvula namagqabi awileyo afuna ukuncediswa ukuze abe nesondlo. Kutheni?
‘Amanzi emvula awela kula mahlathi ashinyeneyo akanazondlo zininzi. Noko ke, xa esiwa emagqabini aze ehle ngeziqu zemithi, emka nezondlo ezisemagqabini, emasebeni, kwingubo yesele, kubulembu, kwiindlwana zeembovane, naseluthulini. Xa la manzi engena emhlabeni, aba sele eguqukile aba kukutya okulungileyo kwezityalo. Ukuze uthintele oku kutya kungamanzi ekubeni kunkcenkcezele kwimilanjana, umhlaba usebenzisa iingcambu ezithambileyo ezinabele kwiisentimitha ezimbalwa zomaleko wawo ukugcina ezi zondlo. Ukungqina ukuba umhlaba uyakwazi ukuzigcina ezi zondlo, imilanjana efumana la manzi emvula inomlinganiselo omncinane kakhulu wezondlo kunomhlaba wamahlathi. Ngoko ezi zondlo zifikelela ezingcanjini ngaphambi kokuba amanzi afikelele kwimilanjana okanye kwimilambo.
‘Omnye umthombo wokutya yinkunkuma—amagqabi awileyo, amasetyana neziqhamo. Malunga neetoni ezisibhozo zenkunkuma ecolekileyo iphelela kwihektare yomhlaba wamahlathi nyaka ngamnye. Kodwa le nkunkuma ingena njani ngaphantsi komhlaba ize ingene kwiingcambu zesityalo? Iintubi zinegxalaba koku. Ziqhawula amaqhekeza afana namacwecwe kumagqabi zize zise la maqhekeza kwizindlwana zazo ezingaphantsi komhlaba. Ingakumbi ebudeni bamaxesha emvula, ziba zizinxadanxada, zithutha ngokungummangaliso ama-40 ekhulwini ayo yonke inkunkuma ekumhlaba wamahlathi ziyithuthela ngaphantsi komhlaba. Apho, zisebenzisa la magqabi ukwakha umyezo womngundo. Lo mngundo uye ubolise la magqabi akhuphe initrojen, iphosphorus, ikhalsiyam, nezinye izinto—ezizizondlo eziluncedo kwizityalo.
‘Iintubi zifumana ntoni koku? Ukutya. Zitya lo mngundo ibe zisenokuginya namasuntswana amagqabi. Emva koko, izidalwa ezincinane ezisemathunjini entubi zibila zisoma ziguqula ukutya kwayo zisebenzisa imichiza, ukuze, ngokomphumo ilindle lesi sinambuzane libe kukutya kwezityalo okunesondlo. Ngoko imvula nokutshintshatshintsha kwezinto eziphilayo zizinto ezimbini ezifak’ igxalaba ekugcineni amahlathi ashinyeneyo ekho yaye ekhula.
‘Kulula ukubona okwenzekayo xa ugeca uze utshise amahlathi. Alusekho uphahla lokubamba imvula okanye umaleko obangela ukutshintshwa kwenkunkuma. Kunoko, izandyondyo zemvula ziwa ngamandla kumhlaba oluqhayi, ibe ukuwa kwazo kuyawugangatha umhlaba. Kwangaxeshanye, ilanga elihlaba ngqo emhlabeni longeza ubushushu bomhlaba lize liwenze uqine. Umphumo uba kukuba amanzi emvula abaleka ngaphezu komhlaba, engondli umhlaba kodwa ezalisa imilambo. Ukungabikho kwezondlo kumhlaba onamahlathi atshatyalalisiweyo natshisiweyo kusenokuba kukhulu kangangokuba imisele ekufuphi nemimandla engenamahlathi iba nezondlo ezigqithiseleyo, nto leyo ebeka engozini ubomi bezidalwa eziphila emanzini. Licacile elokuba, xa lingaphazanyiswa, ihlathi liyakwazi ukuzondla, kodwa ukungenelela komntu kuphumela kwintlekele.’
[Ibhokisi/Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 16]
Unxulumano Phakathi Kwentlanzi Nomthi
Ebudeni bamaxesha emvula, uMlambo weAmazon uyaphuphuma uze uyigqumelele imithi ekhula kumahlathi akummandla osemazantsi. Xa ezi zikhukula zifikelela encotsheni, uninzi lwemithi ekula mahlathi luthwala iziqhamo luze lukhuphe imbewu—kambe ke, akukho zikrekrethi zihlala ngaphantsi kwamanzi zokuyisasaza. Intlanzi ekuthiwa yitambaqui (Colonnonea macropomum) idlala indima ephambili kule nkalo, ifana nesixhobo sokuqhekeza iinqoba esidada ngaphezu kwamanzi esilichule lokujoja. Idada phakathi kwamasebe emithi engaphantsi kwamanzi, iyiva ngevumba imithi esele iza kukhupha imbewu. Xa imbewu isiwela emanzini, le ntlanzi ityumza iqokobhe ngaloo mihlathi yayo inamandla, iginye loo mbewu, icole eso siqhamo sinamanzi amaninzi ecaleni kwayo, ize ikhuphe loo mbewu kumhlaba wehlathi ukuze intshule xa amanzi esikhukula ewuthile. Intlanzi nomthi ziyangenelwa. Itambaqui igcina amafutha, ibe umthi uvelisa isithole. Ukugawula loo mithi kubeka engozini ubomi betambaqui nezinye iindidi ezingama-200 zeentlanzi ezitya iziqhamo.