Tinashe Muchuri is a Zimbabwean author, journalist and storyteller. He enjoys reading and writing. His poems are published in Jakwara reNhetembo (2008), State of the Nation: Contemporary Zimbabwean Poetry (2009), War Against War (2010), Visions of Motherland (2010), Daybreak (2010), Defiled Sacredness (2010), Mudengu Munei (2010) and in several college and international journals. He has appeared in Zimbabwean feature and short films like Tanyaradzwa, I want A Wedding Dress, NyamiNyami, Playing Warriors, and The Husband. He performed at Intwasa Arts Festival koBulawayo, Dzimbahwe Arts Festival, Chimanimani Arts Festival, Arts Alive International Johannesburg, SADC Poetry Festival in Botswana and Harare International Arts Festival. The following is one is one of his newest Shona stories.
Pabindu raDhuke
Ndaiva zvino ndohwa kunyara nokuredza mvura kubva mumugodhi wemubindu raDhuke. Ndipovo pakasvika Wedzerai achibva zvake kuruvako rwemana redu uko aiva ayenda navamwe vagari vomumana kundogadzira mugwagwa wengoro pamwe nowedzimotokari. Vanhu vose vomumana medu vaiva vabatana pakugadzirwa kwomugwagwa uyu. Vaiva vabvumirana kuti pamusha pasaimba woga woga paizobva munhu mumwe chete zvisinei kuti murume here kana mudzimai.
“Mhorozve iwe mwana wana Chitapo,” akadero Wedzerai achitandavadza ruvoko rwakwe kwandiri. Ndakarubata ndomudzosera chishanu chake.
“Mhorozve iwe Chirandu mwana waNyajena,” ndakadero ndichisekerera.
Wedzerai akasekereravo achiti, “Ndimi madai kurova vakomana”.
“Ndogorova sei ini ndaiva vuno mwedzi mishoma yapfuvura iyi?” Ndakadero ndichisekaseka zvangu somunhu aiva abatwa kaitiro kake.
Panhambo imweyo pakabva pasvikavo mainini mai Jemisi. Vakandikwazisavo zvine mutsigo. Ndakavakwazisavo zvakanakisa. Murume wavo aiva munun’una wababa vangu mudzinza redu. Dzinza redu iguru haro kunyange riri duku haro kuna ravaira moyo vana vaNyajena rarakagarisana naro. Vana VaNyajena ndivo varidzi venyembe huru. Pamadzishe maduku omudunhu mashe Bota, yedu ndiyo yoga yakabatwa nomunhu asiri weropa ravana vaNyajena.
Mukutaurwa kwazvo zvinohi dzinza redu raiva rabva kuChipinge, kuChirinda uko kwainemerwa kuchihi kuPutukezi tichitevera madzimayi pamwe nenzvimbo yatayiva tavimbiswa navaira Moyo vorudzi rwashe Bota urwu. Kwayiva kwabva tateguru vedu Nyamutaki kwayiva kunyika yamakomo uko tava kupinda kuMuzambikwi kunyika yaShe Mapungwana. Zvinohizve nyika yatigere yomugomo reDyangwe yaigarwa navaira Shoko vakazokurirwa natateguru wedu voinda kundogara panzvimbo yokwaChivamba panova ndipo pavakavamba kusvika nhasi uno.
“Mwana ungabva wachona zvokupedza makore usati wavonekwa kunge munhu akayenda kuWenera chiyi kudero nhayi?” vakadero mainini mayi Jemisi.
“Ndinovonekwa wani nhai mhayi!” Ndakadero ndichiziva zvangu kuti kuvhara tsoro yavharirwa kare.
Taiva takura tichidzidziswa kuti mudzimai wose akaroorwa mudzinza redu ari womunun’una kana mukoma wababa aiva mayi. Munun’una kana mukoma wababa aishevedzwa kuhi baba. Vana vavo vose vaihwi vanun’una kana madzikoma zvichiyenderana nokuti mukuru ndiyani. Takakura tichingori mhuri imwe zvokuti hapana aiziva musiyano wokuti uyu mwana wani kana akasvika pamusha zviya takavungana seburi rimwe.
“Kasi hauchazivi zhira yokwamai kanhi? Kubva waita kunga vanhu vamatonganyika vanoti panopera sarudzo hatichavavoni vuno. Iyezvi chinguri takahwi tichachererwa matsime, nanhasi uno hakuna ati ativonavo. Hezvi vona totoponera pano patsime raDhuke. Kudayi asiye akachera tsime rino tingadayi tichiponepi?” Vakadero mainini mayi Jemisi vachinyika chimugomho chokucheresa mvura mutsime kuri vawane kuredza mvura.
“Taura hako muzukuru,” akadero Dambi uyo wandisina kuvona kuti aiva asvika nhamboyi. Akayenderera oti, “Nesuvo vuno kusaziva vokushara. Tinoshara ivo vokure vasingazivi zvomumusha uno. Vanovuya kuzotivudza zvavanoda kutiira kwete zvatinoda kuti vatiitire maringe namamirire emana redu. Ndipo patinoirasha tsoro ipapo.”
Mainini mayi Jemisi vakaseka zvavo zvokusekera svoto chaizvo ndokuzoigamha voti, “Tingadiyi ivo vana vedu vachikangamwa musha sezvoita iyeyu uyu ari pano apa amire nemi uyu sekuru?”
Dambi akaseka hake akatarira kuchikomo cheChibaranyanga somunhu aisada kuvonekwa kuti aiseka zvaiva zvarebwa namainini mayi Jemisi. Ndakazvivona ndokumutarira zvangu iye ndokuenderera achiseka akatarira kuChibaranyanga. Zvakandifungisa mazamera namakosvo ataidya muchikomo ichi makorewo chichakazara nemiti. Zvino chaiva chakuzhumurwa zvokusara chava nemhazha. Ndakafunga kuti tichiri vadukwana ndimovo muchikomo maivanda vamwe vevanhu vomuraini maTongoona hondo asi iyezvi kuvandamo zvaiva zvafanana nenda yakahwanda mumusvuvu. Muchibaranyanga maiwanikwavo matunduru namakunguzhuru. Kana dziri shumha namatohwe hatichareva. Maiwanikwavo zvakare shozhowa idzo dzataitambisa tichisika kunge nyimo dzichidemana tichifara vuye tichiti ademwa ndiye ondodzora n’ombe. Ndiko zvakare kwaiva nezhira yokuyenda kuDzivarakondo uko taindodhidha zvedu tichiita mitambo yemudhidho yataishevedzera kuti, “Heri Sadza Mutuche”.
Zvimwe zvinhu zvinoshamisa chose. Ndimovo muDzivarakondo, PaJorodhani apo paijorodwa vose vanenge vatendevuka kubva mukutevera mweya yakaipa yemadzinza avo votevera Jesu Kristu. Vakomana navasikana vaishama kusara vasina kana mutimwi zvawo vachidhidha mudziva mumwe. Ndakayevuka mazuva ataidhidha nemhandara huru dzimwe dzaigona kunga dzava tsikombi tichiti kana zviya tamwira magongwe toinda tondozvambarara kumapeto kwedziva tichirohwa matumbu nejecha kuti tibukure mvura vuye kuti matumbu anonga azara mvura aserere. Dziva rimwe rainyanyodhidwa navakomana bedzi raiva mandimire iro raiva richiita kunga mwena. Iri raiwanikwa seri kwemudhuri wedhanu reRupiri. Vasikana vaitya kudhidha apa nokuti kazhinji paivonekwa nyoka tema hombe zvikuru. Imwe nyaya yaiva yokuti mvura yopo yaiva yakafukidzirwa nemiti zvokuti yaitonhora sokuti imvura yabva mufiriji munhambo dzechando. Iyezvi zvose dzangova ndangariro. Madziva ose angova majecha. Kana iro dhamu reRupiri rangova marangwanda. Kana kuti munhu arangarire kuti ndimo maimbobatwa hove vanhu vachidzidzira kukuzva hove pamwe nokuredza hove zvotoshura. Kanavo kuvudza vamwe nhasi kuti mudhamu umu maimbova namakarwe pamwe nemipurwa nemvuu, munhu
anototi asi dzava kutenderera dzounorondedzera. Kufamba kwenguva kunoshamisa.
Ndakazopepeswa naDambi oti, “Chokwadi chakambainaka, vanhu havatombozivi kuti Tandanayi une mwanakomana. Vanotofunga kuti unongori navanasikana voga. Iwe unonyanya kurovavo iwe, chii?”
Chokwadi ndechokuti vabereki vangu vaiva vana vanasikana vapfumbamwe ini wegumi pavana vavo ndini ndaiva mukomana ndiri weshanu pakuzvarwa. Vanasikana ndivo vaigarovonekwa kumusha nokuti vaiva vakarovorwa padyo navabereki. Vaiva vakarovorwa naivo vaira Moyo vacho vaiva vavimbisesu madzimayi nenyika. Asivo mukuzvitarira waivona kuti vorudzi rwedu vazhinji vairovora iko kumhuri dzavaira Moyo ava. Sekuru vangu vaivavo muzukuru wavaira Moyo ava. Avavo baba vangu vaiva mwana wemuira Moyo. Ini ndini ndaisava muzukuru wavaira Moyo, kunyange ndaiva ndarovora kure nomusha ndaiva ndarovoravo muira Moyo. Mukoma wababa vangu aiva akarovoravo muira Moyo. Saka vazhinji vomudzinza medu vaiva vazukuru, vakuwasha uyevo vana vavaira Moyo. Dzinza redu rairatidza kuti raivandudzwa zvakanyanya navanasikana vavaira Moyo.
Apa ndipovo pakabva pangopindavo mbuya mayi Serudzayi mubindu raDhuke mataiva. Vakaita zvokundimanyira vachisvikondimbundira. Takakaroita gumi rakadya vaviri tichimbwerera mumihomba yemabura aiva akakomberedza tsime romubindu maDhuke. Izvozvo mudzimayi wangu ayiva aripo zvakwe achivona. Akangondichonya neziso rayiti ndizvo zvinoitwa vuno here izvi? Rayiva zuva rangu rokutanga kuva naye pane vanhu vomumana medu. Nhambo zhinji aiyenda kumusha kundovona vabereki ari oga navana. Apa taiva tabatana nokuti mazuva aiva awandisa ndisati ndasvikavo kumusha. Tasvika kumusha ndokuvona kuti mvura yaiva yava kucherwa kure uko kwayishupa kuti mudzimai abve akatakura mugomho pachipande. Nokuwanda kwavanhu vaiva pamba pedu zvaireva kuti mudzimayi wangu aifanira kuswerotutana nemvura. Ndakazohi namai vangu ndimubetsere kuchera mvura nokuyitakura nengoro yayikwevewa namadhongi.
Mayi vakativo ndizvo zvayiita baba vangu, kundocherera mayi mvura vachiitakura nengoro inokwevewa namadhongi. Ndakaterera ndokuyenda navadzimayi vangu. Ndipovo pakazoitika zvose zvaiva zvava kuitika izvi nambuya mayi Serudzayi zviri mumeso avo.
Vapedza kudero Mbuya mai Serudzayi vakatora nhope ndokutanga kundishapura nayo kumeso kunga mukadzi anoshapura imba yakwe kuti ivonekerevo.
“Waifunga kuti wakachenjera uchisara kuchirumbi mukadzi achivuya vuno oga, zvino nhasi wairasha, ndakubata. Iye mukadzi wakoyo kuzovuya vuno kose kudayi aifunga kuti hakuna vamwe vakadzi vakasvika vuye vanogeza vachichena? He-e? ko iko kwaakabva haana kunga asiya zvikombayo? Chakamutizisa kumatongo ekwakwe chii?” Vayidero izvozvo vachindinama nenhope kumeso.
Ndakada kuti ndipukunyure nditizire kure waneyi mbuya yakabata bhande nemuchivuno chaimo. Ndakavona kuti kurwisana navo kwaiva kutamba nenhambo kuteya zvosve nomusongo ndokuteramira kunge ngunzi yemombe irikukwenyedzerwa nemufudzi wayo kuti ibviswe madari. Ndakavasiya vakadero vachindiparanga kumeso nomuviri wose nenhope.
Mudzimai wangu ndakamuvona aita sembeva yegwite yakafunda chikafu. Ivo Mbuya mayi Serudzayi kana kumbozviisa mundangariro havo. Vakatotanga kumuvudza kuti, “Undogezesa murume wedu. Toda kuvona kana uchizvigona zvatayiita iwe usati wavepo. Murume wedu mainini mumupe rudo, anoda kudiwa. Iko kuzovuya kuno waiva washaya varume kwenyuko? Usafutisa matama, ndinomutora ndikayenda naye kwangu.”
Mudzimai wangu kana kuti koso zvakwe. Aiva ongoturika migomho yemvura mungoro chimwiromwiro. Muzukuru wangu mwana wehazvadzi yangu yokwaMutare ndiye aiva akamirira madhongi kuti asakweva ngoro isati yazara.
Hahi kuparangwa nenhope uku yaiva tsika yaiitwa nanambuya kare zviya kana muzukurukomana wavo achangarovora. Hahi zvaiitirwa kuti vavone kuti vunhu bwomudzimayi womuzukuru wavo bwakaita seyi? Kana asina vunhu kwabwo
unohi aibva agumbuka zvokutogona kusvika kana pakuramwa chikafu. Asi uyo une vunhu unohi aizoseka zvakwe nanambuya vaya oendavo kundochera mvura oyidziyisira murume wakwe kuti ageze. Kana zvadayi vanambuya vaibva vafara kuziva kuti muzukuru wavo akarovora munhu akabva kuvanhu kana kuti uya akabva chembere dzokwakwe dzisina kuyenda kundhari.
Asivo kana munhu akarovorwa achibva kune rimwe dunhu risina kunemerana kwakadayi aibva ashatirwa kuti ndapinzwa basa rukundogeza mumwe wangu. Uya unonga ashatirwa aizogarwa naye pasi navanambuya vakuru vachimudzidzisa tsika dzokumusha kwaakarovorwa.
“Iye Dhuke akagona kuchera tsime rino. Kana iyovo mvuramupengo yakagona kunaya zvokupaza tsime rokumba kwenyu. Tayizokuvonerepivo zvedu isu vanamunhukwatsva?” Mbuya mayi Serudzayi vakadero.
Handina kupindura. Ndakabva ndafunga mariva ataiteya muchikomo cheChibaranyanga ayo taishandisa kubata mbeva dzorudzi rweMadanhazvuru pamwe nesiriri.
Ndovo pandakanzwa Dambi oti, “Masvika pano tichitawura nyaya yokuti vanhu vakaita saDhuke ndivo vanofanirwa kudeyi vari makanzera edu. Uyu haavuyi kuvanhu achiti ndichakuitirayi ichi nechocho nokuti ane chinovonekwa chaakayitira mana redu kare. Vonai isu nezvifuyo zvedu tinoponera pano.”
Mbuya mai Serudzayi vakabva vaigamha. “Isu vanhu vomumana muno hatina meso zvose nenjere. Takangofanana nemuzukru wangu (izvozvo kwairebweni) akandokotovana nemukadzi asingazivi tsika dzovuno. Vonai zvaitwa muromo zvino, hoyo waredzva sewamudhenge. Ndiyo nhamo yedu iyoyo. Kudayi akatora wemuno anoziva zvovuno ingadayi achitofara kuti vanambuya vandiitira basa. Kudei vematonganyika vaihwi vanoitwa zvoitwa vusabhuku kana vushe. Ukayera watama mumana hauchagoni kugara vushe kana vusubhuku asi kana uri wematonganyika unohi unogona kumiririra vanhu vedunhu rausingagari. Kuhi wakaberekwako hazvina zvazvinoreva nokuti nhamo dzeko hauchadzizivi.
Pawakama wakatama noruzivo rwenhamo. Watova mutorwako. Hauchafaniri kimirira vanhu veyo. Ipapo gavhumende inofanira kupashandura.”
Ndakabva ndaseka zvangu. Kunyange isiyo nyaya yataiva tichitaura Mbuya mayi Serudzayi vasati vasvika ndakangovona zvakanaka hazvo kuti idzeyewe sezvo yayiva yandipa mukana wekupindura nokupwisa ivo mbuya mayi Serudzayi vaindipomera mhaka yokundomera musango rekure nomusha.
Ndakabva ndangoti, “Magona mbuya nokundizivisa kuti kurovorana vematongo hazvichashandi kana munhu usingagari mumusha wawakazvarirwa. Kurovora kwawakazvarirwa usisagariyo zvangofanana nokurovora kure kwausina kubvira wakagara. Ini ndakarovora kwangu kudhorobha kova ndokwava kudongo kwangu nokuti tinozivana vunhu netsika dzedu ikoko.”
“Iwe, usada kunzvengesa nyaya yedu kwayakananga. Asi newevo unoda kuhodzoka uchihotimirira muparamende sezvoita vamwe venyu veiko kuHarare uko? Zvino kana zvirizvo, hatichadi. Kana wadzokera ikoko, unondovudza vamwe vako kuti vuno hatichakudiyi. Tava kuda vana vomuno vanogara muno tichipota tichitambidzana zviponda navo. Ivavo ndivo vanoziva nhamo dzedu. Rwendo rwadarika taiva tasarudza uyu mwana wepaseri pauyu apa. Ndiye hoyo kwakayenda mbwa ndokwaenda shuro. Vamwe vaivawo kumashure kwakwe taivavonera pamabhakani ekuzivisa kuti ndivo vanoda kusharwa, tavashara kana kuzovavonazve. Kuita kunge taishara zvitunha kuti zvitimiririre,” dambi akadero achiratidza kudemba kukuru.
“Zvino ini mopota muchindivona wani. Nhamo dzenyu ndinodzizivawo. Vonai kana pano patsime tiri tose,” Ndakadero ndichisekerera.
Vanhu vakamboseka zvavo. Nhope yayiva yawoma zvino. Mudzimai wangu ndipo paakasvika pandayiva ndiri mubindu maDhuke oti tichiyenda kumba. Ndakawoneka ndokubuda ndoyenda.
“Usakanganwa kumusha nevukama iwe. Upote uchivuya kumusha,” Mbuya mayi Serudzayi vakasvevedzera tati fambeyi kubva patsime pavuponero bwavanhu vemana redu nezvifuyo zvavo.
