Imbokodo yowe-1956 nomthelela omuhle kwezeshashalazi
SEKUNGUMLANDO ukuthi omama abangaphezulu kwezinkulungwane ezingamashumi amabili benza imashi eyingqophamlando beya ezindlini zePhalamende ePitoli, i-Union Building nalapho babekhala ngokuphoqwa ukuphatha incwadi eyayaziwa ngodompasi kanye nengcindezelo umthetho wobandlululo owawuyibhekise kwabesifazane nokubalwa ukungavunyelwa ukwenza eminye yemisebenzi. Lesi senzo sabesifazane bezinhlanga zonkana zakuleli savula amehlo omhlaba ngesimo sobunjalo bengcindezelo kuleli.
Kungemuva kwale mashi lapho ngeminyaka yowe-1960 kwaqala ukubonakala nabesifazane sebengena kwezobuciko ikakhulukazi emculweni nokwathi ngokuhamba kwesikhathi baqala ukubonakala nasekulingiseni emidlalweni yeshashalazi. Yize isimo sasingabavumeli ukuba sesiteji nabanye abezinhlanga ezahlukene kodwa kwezinye izikhathi babezithola sebedlalela izibukeli zezinhlanga ezahlukene.
Njengoba sekugoqwa le nyanga yabesifazane kubalulekile ukuveza ukuthi umshikashika wemashi yembokodo wahlahla indlela ukuthi nabesifazane bazithole sebengena nabo kwezokulingisa. Umlando kwezokulingisa uyasibonisa ukuthi nase-England ngezikhathi zikaWilliam Shakespeare emidlalweni yakhe babengalingisi abesifazane kanti izindawo zabo zazilingiswa abesilisa abasebancane, hhayi abesifazane. Phela amaNgisi ayethatha ngokuthi abesifazane indawo yabo isekhaya futhi kwakungamele basebenze.
Kulesi sifundazwe izingqalabutho ezifana nomama uPatty Nokwe nowahlangana nomyeni wakhe uMnu u-Alfred Nokwe ngonyaka we-1954 wangena shi kwezokulingisa eshashalazini, kuthelevishini nasengqayini wahlahla indlela kwabaningi abesifazane nokungamangazi ukuthi ngisho amadodakazi akhe wonkana alandela ezithendeni zakhe kwezobuciko ikakhulu uTu Nokwe (emculweni nasekulingiseni) noMarilyn Nokwe odume kakhulu ecula neMango Groove. Ngisho nomzukulwane wabo u-Ayanda Nhlangothi naye ungene wathi shi kwezobuciko njengoba useke wavelela nakuma-Idols.
Abanye abesifazane bokuqala kwezobuciko abangena kwezwakala kubalwa oThandie Klaasen, uDorothy Masuka no-Abigail Kubheka ukukha nje phezulu.
Eminyakeni eyishumi edlule isikhungo Ekhaya Multi Arts Centre sasungula Ishashalazi Women Theatre Festival ngenhloso yokunikeza umganga abesifazane abanekhono nesifiso sokulingisa kwezeshashalazi. Umphumela walokhu kube ukuzalwa kwamaciko amaningi abesifazane iningi lawo eselibonakala ngisho kuthelevishini nasengqayini, sibala oSamukele Mkhize (ISIBAYA), uNompilo Maphumulo (UZALO), uNombulelo Chili (Lion King, London), uVuyelwa Tshona (Lion King, Mexico), uPretty Ncayiyana (Skeem Saam) nabanye.
Ishashalazi Women Theatre Festival yalo nyaka iyaqala khona esikhungweni esidumile Ekhaya Multi Arts Centre kusukela ngoLwesihlanu zingama-26 kuya zingama-28 kuNcwaba ngowezi-2016 kanti kungenwa mahhala kube kuqalwa ngehora leshumi ekuseni nsukuzonke. Kulokhu kuzobe kududulana amaqembu asesiteji abesifazane bodwa angamashumi amabili (20) kanti azobe etshengisa imidlalo ebungaza imbokodo ngenhloso yokukhumbula iminyaka engama-60 kusukela ngowe-1956.
Kusekuningi-ke okubhekiwe kwabesifazane bakuleli kwezokulingisa ukuze le mboni yezobuciko iqhubeke nokusimama ngokulingana. Sisesikhulu-ke nesidingo sokuthi kukhiqizwe abesifazane boHlanga abazoba abaqondisi nabakhiqizi ngoba bayindlala kakhulu namanje, kusagcwele abesilisa kule mikhakha. Kanti kuze kubengcono nakwabamhlophe ngoba bona bacishe babekhonyana abaqondisi besifazane. Esifundazweni iKwaZulu-Natal khona kumnyama kakhulu kubaqondisi nabakhiqizi besifazane! Yize-ke umbhidlango wemashi we-1956 waba nemithelela emihle kwezobuciko kodwa kuyacaca iseyinde indlela okumelwe ihanjwe ukuze sibone abesifazane abanjengo noJulie Taymor ongumqondisi jikelele weLion King Musical.