INKOSI HINTSA KAKHAWUTA – INKOSI EYABA LUYAWU LOKUXHATHISA KWAMAXHOSA
By Lilitha Mdakana
Phakathi kweenkokheli ezinkulu kwimbali yamaXhosa, zimbalwa iinkumbulo ezihlonitshwa kakhulu njengezikaNkosi uHintsa kaKhawuta. Eyaziwa ngokubanzi njengo “Kumkani wamaXhosa,” uHintsa wakhokela amaGcaleka ngexesha elinzima neliphithizelayo kwimbali yaseMzantsi Afrika, xa ukwandiswa kolawulo lwamaBritani kwakungena nzulu kwimihlaba yamaXhosa.
Ezelwe kwindlu yobukhosi bakwaGcaleka, uHintsa waba yinkokheli ngexesha izizwe zamaXhosa zazijongene noxinzelelo olwandayo oluvela kubaphathi bamakoloni kunye neengxabano ezazisenzeka kwimida. Wayesaziwa ngobulumko, ubunkokheli kunye nokukwazi kwakhe ukumela abantu bakhe. Wazama ukukhusela umhlaba, isidima kunye nenkululeko yabantu bakhe, ngelixa efuna izisombululo ezinoxolo apho kwakunokwenzeka khona.
Kwiminyaka yokuqala yoo-1800, kwaqhubeka iiMfazwe zeMida (Frontier Wars) phakathi kwamaXhosa namajoni aseBritani. Ezi mfazwe zazibangelwa ziingxabano ezimalunga nomhlaba, iinkomo, ulawulo kunye nokwandiswa kobukoloniyali. Njengoko uxinzelelo lwalusiya lusanda, iNkosi uHintsa yazifumana iphakathi kwemizamo yokukhusela ubukhosi bamaXhosa kunye neenzame zokuphepha ungquzulwano olungakumbi.
Ngo-1835, ngexesha leMfazwe yeSithandathu yoMda, uHintsa wangenela kwiingxoxo nabaphathi baseBritani. Nangona kunjalo, ezi ngxoxo zaphela kabuhlungu. Esesandleni semikhosi yaseBritani, uHintsa wadutyulwa wabulawa ngomhla wama-12 kuCanzibe ngo-1835 ngexesha lokuzama ukubaleka.
Ukufa kweNkosi uHintsa kwakungaphezulu kokulahlekelwa yinkokheli. Kubantu abaninzi bamaXhosa, kwaba luphawu lomzabalazo wokukhusela umhlaba, inkcubeko, isidima kunye nenkululeko ngexesha lokwandiswa kolawulo lwamakoloni. Ibali lobunkokheli bakhe kunye nokuxhathisa kwakhe ladluliselwa kwizizukulwana ngezizukulwana, liqinisekisa ukuba ilifa lakhe alilibaleki.
, iNkosi uHintsa isengomnye wabantu abahlonitshwa kakhulu kwimbali yamaXhosa neyaseMzantsi Afrika. Igama lakhe lisetyenziswa kwizikolo, ezindleleni, kumaziko nakwiindawo ngeendawo, ngelixa abaphandi nembali beqhubeka nokuhlolisisa indima yakhe kwimbali yeMpuma Koloni nakwisazisi samaXhosa.
Ngaphezu kweenkulungwane ezimbini emva kokufa kwakhe, ibali leNkosi uHintsa lisaqhubeka livuselela ukuzingca, ukungancami kunye nokuqonda nzulu imbali yabantu abalwa nzima ukulondoloza umhlaba, isazisi nobomi babo.
INkosi uHintsa kaKhawuta ayisosahluko nje sencwadi yembali — lilifa elisaphilayo.
