Abamisiyonari babwirije mu burasirazuba bwa Aziya bagarukiye he?

NYUMA y’imyaka itagera kuri 30 Yesu apfuye, intumwa Pawulo yanditse ko ubutumwa bwiza bwabwirizwaga “mu baremwe bose” bari munsi y’ijuru (Abakolosayi 1:23). Ayo magambo ntagomba gufatwa uko yakabaye, ngo abantu bumve ko umuntu wese wariho muri icyo gihe yari yarumvise ubutumwa bwiza. Ariko nubwo bimeze bityo, ibyo Pawulo yavugaga birumvikana: abamisiyonari b’Abakristo babwirizaga mu gice kinini cy’isi yari izwi icyo gihe.

Ariko se baba baragarukiye he? Ibyanditswe bivuga ko amato y’abacuruzi yatumye Pawulo abwiriza mu bice byo mu burengerazuba, akagera no mu Butaliyani. Uwo mumisiyonari w’intwari yashakaga no kubwiriza muri Esipanye.—Ibyakozwe 27:1; 28:30, 31; Abaroma 15:28.

Ariko se mu burasirazuba ho byari byifashe bite? Ababwiriza b’Abakristo babwirije mu burasirazuba bagarukiye he? Ntitwahamenya neza, kubera ko Bibiliya nta cyo ibivugaho. Icyakora, ushobora gutangazwa no kumenya ahantu inzira zo mu mazi zahuzaga Mediterane n’u Burasirazuba zageraga, mu kinyejana cya mbere. Nubwo tutazi aho abo bamisiyonari bagarukiye, kuba icyo gihe hariho izo nzira zo mu mazi bigaragaza ko abantu bashoboraga gutembera mu burasirazuba nta ngorane.

Umurage wa Alexandre

Igihe Alexandre Le Grand yagendaga yigarurira ibihugu, yageze mu karere k’uburasirazuba hagati ya Babuloni n’u Buperesi, no muri Punjabi, mu majyaruguru y’u Buhindi. Ibyo bitero byatumye Abagiriki bamenya inkombe z’inyanja, uhereye aho uruzi rwa Ufurate rwirohera mu nyanja, mu Kigobe cya Peresi, ukagera aho uruzi rwa Indus rwirohera mu nyanja ya Arabiya.

Ntibyatinze, ibirungo n’imibavu bitangira kwisukiranya mu bihugu byagenzurwaga n’u Bugiriki. Byahageraga biciye mu Nyanja y’Abahindi no mu Nyanja Itukura. Mu mizo ya mbere, ubwo bucuruzi bwari umwihariko w’Abahindi n’Abarabu. Ariko igihe abami ba Egiputa bo mu muryango wa Ptolémée bavumburaga ibyerekezo by’imiyaga yo muri Aziya, na bo batangiye gukorera ubucuruzi mu Nyanja y’Abahindi.

Muri iyo nyanja habamo imiyaga ihuha iturutse mu majyepfo y’uburengerazuba guhera muri Gicurasi kugera muri Nzeri, igatuma amato ava ku Nyanja Itukura akamanuka akurikiye inkombe y’amajyepfo y’Arabiya, cyangwa akagenda umujyo umwe agahita agera mu majyepfo y’u Buhindi. Kuva mu Gushyingo kugera muri Werurwe, iyo miyaga ihuha iturutse mu majyaruguru y’uburasirazuba. Ibyo rero ni byo bituma ya mato asubira aho yaturutse mu buryo bworoshye. Abasare b’Abarabu n’Abahindi bamaze imyaka ibarirwa mu magana bazi ibyerekezo by’iyo miyaga, kandi byarabafashaga. Bavaga mu Buhindi bakajya ku Nyanja Itukura, cyangwa bakava ku Nyanja Itukura bajya mu Buhindi, bafite amato y’ubucuruzi atwaye ibirungo bitandukanye, urugero nk’ibyitwa sinamomu, narada, urusenda n’ibindi.

Inzira zo mu nyanja zajyaga muri Alegizandiriya n’i Roma

Igihe Abaroma bigaruriraga ibihugu byategekwaga n’abasimbuye Alexandre, Roma yahindutse isoko rikomeye ryacururizwagamo ibintu by’agaciro, byaturukaga mu Burasirazuba. Muri byo twavuga nk’amahembe y’inzovu yaturukaga muri Afurika, imibavu itandukanye yavaga muri Arabiya, ibirungo n’amabuye y’agaciro byavaga mu Buhindi, ndetse n’imyenda ya hariri yavaga mu Bushinwa. Amato yabaga atwaye ibyo bicuruzwa yahagararaga ku byambu bibiri bikomeye byari ku Nkombe y’Inyanja Itukura, muri Egiputa. Ibyo byambu ni Bérénice na Myos Hormos. Ibyo byambu byombi byakiraga abagenzi baturutse imbere mu gihugu bajya mu mugi wa Coptos, wari ku ruzi rwa Nili.

Ibicuruzwa byavaga mu mugi wa Coptos bikamanukira mu ruzi rwa Nili, ari na yo nzira y’ibanze yari muri Egiputa, bikagera mu mugi wa Alegizandiriya, aho byapakirwaga mu mato bikoherezwa mu Butaliyani n’ahandi. Indi nzira yageraga muri Alegizandiriya yanyuraga mu muyoboro wahuzaga Inyanja Itukura n’Uruzi rwa Nili, bikaba byarahuriraga hafi y’aho umuyoboro wa Suwezi uri muri iki gihe. Birumvikana ko Egiputa n’ibyambu byayo, mu rugero runaka byari hafi y’aho Yesu yabwirije, kandi byari byoroshye kuhagera uturutse kuri ibyo byambu.

Strabo, umuhanga mu by’ubumenyi bw’isi w’Umugiriki wabayeho mu kinyejana cya mbere, yavuze ko mu gihe cye amato 120 yo muri Alegizandiriya yavaga i Myos Hormos buri mwaka, ajyanye ibicuruzwa mu Buhindi. Hari igitabo cyanditswe mu kinyejana cya mbere kikiriho n’ubu, kivuga ibirebana n’ingendo zo mu mazi zakorerwaga muri ako karere. Birashoboka ko cyanditswe n’umucuruzi w’Umunyegiputa wavugaga Ikigiriki, akaba yaracyanditse agira ngo kizafashe abacuruzi bagenzi be. Ni iki icyo gitabo cya kera cyadufasha kumenya?

Igitabo gikubiyemo ibisobanuro bigenewe abagenzi cyiswe Urugendo rwo mu Nyanja ya Eritereya (Periplus Maris Erythraei, mu Kilatini), cyerekana inzira zo mu mazi zabaga zifite ibirometero bibarirwa mu bihumbi. Izo nzira zavaga mu majyepfo ya Egiputa, zikagera muri Zanzibari. Ku birebana n’igice cy’iburasirazuba, uwo mwanditsi yakoze urutonde rw’intera zabaga ziri hagati y’ahantu n’ahandi, agaragaza aho ubwato bwahagararaga, yerekana ahari ibigega, arondora ibicuruzwa byahaboneka, ndetse n’aho abantu babaga batuye ku nkombe y’amajyepfo ya Arabiya, umanukiye ku nkombe y’uburengerazuba bw’u Buhindi ukagera muri Sri Lanka, hanyuma ukazamukira ku nkombe y’iburasirazuba bw’u Buhindi, ukagera ku ruzi rwa Gange. Urebye ukuntu icyo gitabo kivuga ibintu by’ukuri kandi mu buryo bushishikaje, ubona ko uwo mwanditsi yigereye aho hantu hose avuga.

Abanyaburayi bagera mu Buhindi

Abanyaburayi bacururizaga mu Buhindi bitwaga Abayavana. Dukurikije uko cya gitabo cyabivuze, hamwe mu hantu abo Banyaburayi bakundaga kujya mu kinyejana cya mbere, ni mu mugi wa Muziris wari hafi y’umupaka w’u Buhindi wo mu majyepfo.a Ibisigo byo mu rurimi rw’Igitamili byahimbwe mu binyejana bya mbere, igihe cyose byerekezaga kuri abo bacuruzi. Kimwe muri ibyo bisigo kigira kiti “amato meza y’Abayavana, yazanye izahabu ajyana insenda, maze Muziris yuzura urusaku.” Hari ikindi gisigo cyashishikarizaga igikomangoma cyo mu majyepfo y’u Buhindi kunywa divayi nziza yazanywe n’Abayavana. Bimwe mu bindi bicuruzwa by’Abanyaburayi byabonekaga mu masoko yo mu Buhindi, ni ibirahuri, ibyuma, imitako n’imyenda.

Abahanga mu bucukumbuzi bw’ibyataburuwe mu matongo babonye ibimenyetso byinshi byemeza ko u Buhindi bwatumizaga ibintu mu bihugu by’i Burayi. Urugero, ahitwa Arikamedu, ku nkombe y’amajyepfo y’uburasirazuba bw’u Buhindi, havumbuwe ibimene by’ibibindi Abaroma babikagamo divayi, ndetse n’amasahani yariho amakashe y’ababumbyi bayakoreye mu mugi wa Arezzo, wari hagati mu Butaliyani. Hari umwanditsi wavuze ati “iyo umushakashatsi wo muri iki gihe abonye ibimene by’ibibumbano mu mucanga wo mu kigobe cya Bengale, biriho amazina y’abanyabugeni bari bafite amatanura ku nkengero z’umugi wa Arezzo, arushaho kwiyumvisha uko ibintu byari bimeze.” Kuba uturere twari dukikije Mediterane twarahahiranaga n’u Buhindi, nanone byemezwa n’ibirundo by’ibiceri by’Abaroma bikozwe mu izahabu no mu muringa, byavumbuwe mu majyepfo y’u Buhindi. Ibyinshi muri ibyo biceri byakozwe mu kinyejana cya mbere, kandi biriho amashusho y’abami b’Abaroma, ari bo Awugusito, Tiberiyo na Nero.

Hari ikarita ya kera (Table de Peutinger) yemeza ko Abaroma bashobora kuba bari bafite uduce two mu majyepfo y’u Buhindi bacururizagamo. Muri iki gihe kopi y’iyo karita ishobora kuboneka, ni iyakozwe hagati y’ikinyejana cya gatanu n’icya cumi na gatandatu. Iyo karita ivugwaho kuba igaragaza uturere twategekwaga n’Abaroma mu kinyejana cya mbere, kandi yerekana urusengero rwa Awugusito rwari mu mugi wa Muziris. Hari igitabo cyagize kiti “iyo nyubako igomba kuba yarubatswe n’abayoboke b’Ubwami bwa Roma, kandi abo bayoboke bashobora kuba ari ababaga mu mugi wa Muziris cyangwa abahamaze igihe kirekire.”—Rome’s Eastern Trade: International Commerce and Imperial Policy, 31 BC–AD 305.

Inyandiko z’i Roma zigaragaza ko ku ngoma ya Awugusito, wategetse kuva mu mwaka wa 27 Mbere ya Yesu kugeza mu wa 14 Nyuma ya Yesu, intumwa z’u Buhindi zagiye i Roma nibura incuro eshatu. Hari ubushakashatsi bwagaragaje ko “izo ntumwa zari zifite ubutumwa bukomeye bwari bufitanye isano n’imikoranire y’ibyo bihugu byombi.” Impande zombi zagombaga kumvikana ku gace abaturage b’ibihugu bitandukanye bagombaga gukoreramo ibikorwa by’ubucuruzi, ahashoboraga gusoreshwa, aho abanyamahanga bashoboraga gutura, n’ibindi.

Mu kinyejana cya mbere, abantu bari bamenyereye gukora ingendo bava mu duce turi hafi y’Inyanja ya Mediterane bajya mu Buhindi, cyangwa se bava mu Buhindi bajya muri utwo duce. Ubwo rero, umumisiyonari w’Umukristo wakoreraga umurimo mu majyaruguru y’Inyanja Itukura, yashoboraga gufata ubwato akagera mu Buhindi bitamugoye.

Ese baba bararenze u Buhindi?

Biragoye kwemeza ahantu abacuruzi bo mu burasirazuba bwa Mediterane hamwe n’abandi bagenzi bagarukiye. Nta n’ubwo byoroshye kwemeza igihe bahagereye. Icyakora, abantu bemeza ko ahagana mu kinyejana cya mbere, hari Abanyaburayi bageze muri Tayilande, muri Kamboje, muri Sumatra n’i Java.

Hari inyandiko zivuga iby’amateka y’abami ba nyuma bo mu muryango wa Han (Hou Han-Shou), zikubiyemo ibyabaye kuva mu mwaka 23 kugeza mu wa 220. Izo nyandiko zerekana igihe urugendo nk’urwo rwabereye. Mu mwaka wa 166, intumwa zoherejwe n’umwami wa Daqin witwaga An-tun, zageze mu ngoro y’umwami w’Abashinwa, zishyiriye amakoro uwo mwami witwaga Huan-ti. Daqin ni ryo ryari izina ry’Ubwami bw’Abaroma mu Gishinwa, naho An-tun rikaba Antoninus. Iryo zina Antoninus ni ryo zina ryo mu muryango rya Marcus Aurelius, wari umwami wa Roma icyo gihe. Abahanga mu by’amateka bakeka ko izo ntumwa zitari zoherejwe n’ubutegetsi, ko ahubwo zari zoherejwe n’abacuruzi b’Abanyaburayi bashakaga kugura imyenda ya hariri mu Bushimwa, bitabaye ngombwa ko banyura ku bandi bacuruzi.

Reka noneho tugaruke kuri cya kibazo twahereyeho: ni hehe amato ya kera ashobora kuba yaragejeje abamisiyonari b’Abakristo bo mu kinyejana cya mbere? Ese baba barageze mu Buhindi ndetse bakaharenga? Birashoboka. Mu by’ukuri, ubutumwa bwa gikristo bwageze kure cyane, ku buryo intumwa Pawulo yashoboraga kuvuga ko ‘bweraga imbuto kandi bukagwira mu isi yose.’ Ibyo rero byumvikanisha ko bwageze kure cyane mu isi yari izwi icyo gihe.—Abakolosayi 1:6.

[Ibisobanuro ahagana hasi ku ipaji]

[Agasanduku/​Ifoto yo ku ipaji ya 22]

Umwami yitotomba

Mu mwaka wa 22, Umwami w’Abaroma witwaga Tiberiyo yaritotombye kubera ko abaturage be bari bafite ingeso yo gusesagura. Kubera ko abo baturage bakabyaga kwifuza ibintu bihenze byo kwinezeza, n’abagore b’Abaroma bagakabya kwifuza ibintu by’imirimbo, bapfushaga ubusa umutungo w’igihugu, bawuha “ibihugu by’amahanga cyangwa abanzi babo.” Umuhanga mu by’amateka w’Umuroma witwaga Pline l’Ancien (wabayeho mu mwaka wa 23-79) na we yigeze kwitotomba kubera ibintu nk’ibyo byo gusesagura umutungo. Yaranditse ati “iyo ukoze imibare, usanga amafaranga make u Buhindi, Sères (ubu ikaba ari igice cy’u Bushinwa) n’Umwigimbakirwa wa Arabiya bitwara ubwami bwacu, agera ku masesiteresi miriyoni ijana buri mwaka. Ngako akayabo k’amafaranga dutanga ku bintu bihenze byo kwinezeza, no ku bagore bacu.”b

[Ibisobanuro ahagana hasi ku ipaji]

[Aho ifoto yavuye]

Museo della Civiltà Romana, Roma; Todd Bolen/Bible Places.com

[Agasanduku/​Ifoto yo ku ipaji ya 23]

Ni hehe abacuruzi bashakiraga ibicuruzwa?

Yesu yavuze iby’“umucuruzi wagendaga ashakisha amasaro meza” (Matayo 13:45). Igitabo cy’Ibyahishuwe na cyo cyavuze ibirebana n’“abacuruzi bo mu isi” bari bafite ibintu byinshi, birimo amabuye y’agaciro, imyenda ya hariri, ibiti bihumura, amahembe y’inzovu, ibirungo byitwaga sinamomu, ububani, n’ibindi birungo byitwaga amomu (Ibyahishuwe 18:11-13). Ibyo bicuruzwa byakomokaga mu turere twari twegereye imihanda y’ubucuruzi, yageraga mu burasirazuba bwa Palesitina. Ibiti bihumura, urugero nk’ibyakorwagamo amavuta, byaturukaga mu Buhindi. Amasaro y’agaciro kenshi yabonekaga mu Kigobe cya Peresi no ku Nyanja Itukura. Nanone dukurikije uko umwanditsi wa cya gitabo yabivuze, ayo masaro yabonekaga no mu duce two hafi ya Muziris no muri Sri Lanka (Periplus Maris Erythraei). Birashoboka ko amasaro yavaga mu Nyanja y’Abahindi ari yo yarushaga ayandi kuba meza no guhenda.

[Ikarita yo ku ipaji ya 20 n’iya 21]

(Niba wifuza kureba uko bimeze, reba mu Munara w’Umurinzi)

Mu kinyejana cya mbere, imwe muri iyo mihanda y’ubucuruzi yari hagati ya Roma na Aziya

Arezzo

Roma

INYANJA YA MEDITERANE

AFURIKA

Alegizandiriya

EGIPUTA

Coptos

Uruzi rwa Nili

Myos Hormos

Bérénice

Zanzibari

Inyanja Itukura

Yerusalemu

ARABIYA

Uruzi rwa Ufurate

BABULONI

Ikigobe cya Peresi

U BUPERESI

↓ Umuyaga uva mu majyaruguru y’uburasirazuba

↑ Umuyaga uva mu majyepfo y’uburengerazuba

Uruzi rwa Indus

PUNJABI

Uruzi rwa Gange

Ikigobe cya Bengale

U BUHINDI

Arikamedu

Muziris

SRI LANKA

INYANJA Y’ABAHINDI (INYANJA YA ERITEREYA)

U BUSHINWA

UBWAMI BWA HAN

TAYILANDE

KAMBOJE

VIYETINAMU

Sumatra

Java

[Ifoto yo ku ipaji ya 21]

Dore uko ubwato bw’Abaroma bwatwaraga imizigo bwabaga bumeze

[Aho ifoto yavuye]

Ubwato: Pictorial Archive (Near Eastern History) Est.