Umlando Wamasekisi Amazeze

Indaba yesekisi lamazeze ayiqali njengokuzijabulisa, kodwa njengokuboniswa kobuciko obumangalisayo. Emakhulwini eminyaka e-16 ne-17, abenzi bamawashi, izingcweti zegolide, nabakhi bensimbi badala umsebenzi wensimbi omncane kakhulu futhi basebenzisa amazeze aphilayo ukufakazela ukuthi izidalwa zabo zazilula futhi zimbamba kangakanani.

Ngo-1578, umakhi wensimbi waseLondon uMark Scaliot wakhiqiza "isikhiya esihlanganise izingxenye eziyishumi nanye zensimbi, insimbi kanye nethusi, zonke kanye nokhiye wazo, ezazinesisindo segolide elilodwa kuphela." Wenza futhi iketango legolide elihlanganise izixhumanisi ezingamashumi amane nantathu futhi, esehlanganise leli ketango esikhiyeni nasokhiyeni, walibeka entanyeni yezeze, elahudula konke ngokulula. Konke—isikhiya, ukhiye, iketango, nezeze—kwakuqala igolide elilodwa nohhafu kuphela.

Cishe ngo-1743, umakhi wamawashi ogama lakhe linguSobieski Boverick wethula eRoyal Society inqola ye-ivory enamahhashi ayisithupha ephelele nomshayeli wenqola, abagibeli, izisebenzi, kanye nomshayeli—konke kudonswa yizeze elilodwa. Umcwaningi wemakrosikophu uHenry Baker wamethula emhlanganweni wango-9 Juni 1743.

I-Micrographia kaRobert Hooke eyavelayo (1665)—ukushicilelwa kokuqala okukhulu kweRoyal Society—yayifaka umfanekiso odumile omkhulu wezeze njengoba libonwa ngemakrosikophu. UHooke wabhala: "Amandla nobuhle balesi sidalwa esincane, ngisho noma besingenabo ubuhlobo ngesinye isikhathi nomuntu, bekufanele kuchazwe." Wachaza izeze njengalelo "elihlobiswe ngesudi ye-sable Armour ecwebezelayo, ehlangene ngobuciko."

Incwadi yaba yinto emangalisayo. Umlobi wedayari uSamuel Pepys wabhala ngomhla ka-21 Januwari 1665 ukuthi kwakuyincwadi "ebonakalisa ubuhlakani obukhulu kunayo yonke engake ngayifunda empilweni yami." Lokhu kwenza umhlaba wemakrosikophu ube sematheni kwasiza ekufuqeleni ukuthakaselwa kwezeze nokusebenza kwamazeze esikhathini esizayo.

Ukuqatshelwa kokuqala kwesekisi lamazeze njengokuzijabulisa—kunokuba kube umbukiso wosomkhiqizo—kuqala cishe ngo-1812 kanye nemibukiso kaJohann Heinrich Deggeller, ingcweti yegolide evela eStuttgart, eJalimane. Amazeze akhe ayekwazi ukudala "Umkhumbi Wempi wokuqala onamasango angu-120," ayelwa ngezinkemba, futhi ahudula inqola enamasontu amabili.

UDeggeller uyigxathu lokuguquka kusuka kosomkhiqizo abanekhono ababonisa umsebenzi wabo omncane kuya ohlobeni lwangempela lokuzijabulisa kwesizwe ngokwalo.

Ezalwa eGenoa, e-Italy, uLouis Bertolotto wayengumhleli wokuqala wesekisi lamazeze owathola udumo emhlabeni wonke. Wasungula "Umbukiso Omangalisayo Wamazeze Akhuthele" e-209 Regent Street, eLondon, eminyakeni yawo-1830, efaka imali yeshilingi elilodwa ukungena.

Imidlalo yakhe yayifaka amazeze amane adlala amakhadi, i-orchestra yamazeze okuthiwa yayidlala ngokuzwakalayo, inkosi yaseMpumalanga ene-haremu, umcimbi wokuhloba ofaka amanenekazi namadoda anemilenze eyisithupha edansa ku-orchestra enamalungu angu-12, kanye nesicukuthwane esikhuluphele seMpi yaseWaterloo esifaka uWellington, uNapoleon, noBlucher ngezingubo eziggokwayo ezigcwele.

UBertolotto washicilela izinguqulo eziningi ze-The History of the Flea, with Notes and Observations. Wenza futhi eNew York (1835) naseToronto (1844) ngaphambi kokufudukela eCanada ngo-1856. UCharles Dickens waphatha "Amazeze Akhe Akhuthele" ku-Sketches by Boz (1836).

Amasekisi amazeze afinyelela ezingeni eliphezulu lokuthandwa ngesikhathi sikaVictoria osekuphelile nesikhathi sikaEdward, achuma njengengxenye yesiko elibanzi lemiziyamu yamadayimu, imibukiso yaseceleni, nemikhangiso yokulangazela.

Umbukiso waseLondon wango-1869 wawubonisa "amazeze azo zonke izinhlobo zezinganiso, iminyaka, kanye nezimo adala yonke inhlobo yezithuthi ezincane: amazeze agijima ngamane, amazeze agijima ngokubili, amazeze enza umsebenzi wenqola yeposi, amazeze ashayela izitimela; izeze elilodwa lenza umsebenzi wesitimu-tagi, lidonsa umkhumbi wempi omkhulu ngokuphindwe ngayinkulungwane kunalo uqobo."

Ekuqaleni kweminyaka yawo-1900, amasekisi amazeze ayeyinto evamile emikhosini ehambayo, ezindaweni zokungcebeleka eceleni kolwandle njengo-Coney Island, amaholo omculo, kanye nama-World's Fairs. Isikhathi segolide somkhangiso waseceleni sasinomlando kusukela cishe ku-1870 kuya ku-1920.

UWilliam Heckler, owazalelwa eSwitzerland owaqala umsebenzi wakhe njengendoda enamandla yesekisi, wethula isekisi lakhe lamazeze e-St. Louis World's Fair yango-1904 futhi kamuva e-Coney Island. Ngo-1915 washicilela i-Pulicology, incwajana nge-"sayensi" yokuqeqesha amazeze.

Cishe ngo-1925, uHeckler wahambisa umbukiso wakhe waya e-Hubert's Museum e-228 West 42nd Street, Times Square, lapho isekisi lamazeze laba isikhungo esidumile saseNew York. Ngemva kokushona kukaWilliam ngo-1935, indodana yakhe uLeroy "Roy" Heckler waliphatha waze wathathe umhlalaphansi cishe ngo-1957.

Izivakashi ezivelele zazifaka uJack Johnson, owayengumpetha wokushaya ngesibhakela wesisindo esisindayo, owasebenza njengomkhuthazi wombukiso ngo-1937. Ngesikhathi uJon Voight edlula phambi kwesakhiwo efilimu yango-1969 ethi Midnight Cowboy, i-Heckler's—okungenzeka kwakuyisekisi lokugcina lamazeze eMelika—yayisivele ivaliwe.

Amasekisi amazeze ayesebenzisa izeze lomuntu (Pulex irritans), elikhethwe ngenxa yesayizi yalo enkulu. Amazeze ayehlotshiswa ngamabhanti amancane entambo yegolide noma yethusi eyayijikwa emzimbeni. Ukucindezeleka kokuhlanganisa kwakumele kube qondile—kucindezeleke kakhulu futhi izeze belingeke lisakwazi ukugwinya futhi lizokufa.

Amazeze awakwazi ngempela "ukuqeqeshwa" ngendlela evamile. Kunalokho, abadlali babebheka amazeze ngabanye ukuze bathole ukuthi anezinga lokugxuma noma lokuhamba, base bewabela imidlalo ehlukene. Amazeze agxumayo ayekhahlela amabhola alula; amazeze ahambayo ayehudula izinqola nezingqukumbane ezincane. Amazeze "ashayanayo" ayeneziqeshana zensimbi ezinamatheliswe emilenzeni yawo yangaphambili—lapho ezama ukuzivuthulula, kwakubonakala sengathi alwa ngenkemba.

Ukushisa kwakuyindlela eyinhloko yokulawula. Ukufaka ukushisa kusuka ngezansi kwenza wonke amazeze abhantshiwe aqale ukuhamba ngamandla, okwakha inganiso yokudansa noma yokusebenza. Abadlali babevamise ukunikela amazeze abo ngokuwavumela abalume izingalo zabo kanye ngosuku.

Amazeze angagxuma kuze kube izikhathi ezingu-150 zobude bomzimba wawo futhi adonse izinto ezinzima kuze kube izikhathi ezingu-20,000 zesisindo somzimba wawo. Ukugxuma kwawo akuqhutshwa ngumsipha kuphela, kodwa ngamabhulokhi e-resilin—iprotheni enjenge-rabha, efana nesipringi esisesifubeni—evumela ukusebenzisa amandla aphindwe kayi-100 kunomsipha uwodwa.

Amasekisi amazeze amaningi, ikakhulukazi lawo ayesetshenziswa ngabakhathazi, ayengasebenzisi amazeze angempela nhlobo. Amamagnethi, izintambo ezifihliwe, amamoto kagesi, kanye namaqhinga omshini ayesebenzisa ama-trapeze amancane futhi ahambise izibonakaliso ezincane. Inganiso yokukhulisa nge-glasi yokubheka yayenza imishini ibonakale inkulu ukuze izilaleli ziyibone.

Lolu uhlobo lwesekisi lamazeze okuphathwa kulo efilimu kaSteven Spielberg ethi Jurassic Park (1993), lapho uJohn Hammond ekhumbula khona: "Uyazi into yokuqala yokudonsela abantu engake ngayakha lapho ngifika eningizimu ngivela eScotland? Kwakuyisekisi lamazeze, Petticoat Lane. Ngempela elimangalisa kakhulu. Sasinentambo yokugxuma encane, ne-merry-go... carousel ne-seesaw. Zonke zazihamba, ngamandla kagesi ngokusobala, kodwa abantu babethi bayawabona amazeze."

UProfesa Len Tomlin wayesebenzisa elinye lamasekisi amazeze angempela okugcina e-UK e-Belle Vue Zoological Gardens eManchester ngesikhathi seminyaka yawo-1960 nawo-1970. Imidlalo yakhe yayifaka amazeze omuntu abhantshiwe egijimisa izinqola, ehudula umgoqi wensimu, egibela isithuthuthu, kanye "amazeze ashayanayo" acabacaba ezipinini ezishaywe eziqeshini ze-cork.

ULen nomkakhe u-Evelyn babesebenzisa abathini bezinambuzane abangcono ukuze bagcine amazeze abo. Isekisi lavalwa eminyakeni yawo-1970 eyedlula lapho ukuhlanzeka kwasekhaya okwenziwe kangcono kwenza amazeze omuntu abe nzima kakhulu ukuwathola.

Izinto eziningi ezihlangene zaqhuba ukwehla kwamasekisi amazeze ngemva kweMpi Yezwe Yesibili. Ukwandiswa kokusebenziswa kwama-vacuum cleaner, imishini yokuwasha, ukuhlanzeka okwenziwe kangcono, kanye nezindwangu zokwakhiwa kwenza izeze lomuntu (Pulex irritans) libe sjwajwile ngokukhulayo. Abaphathi ababethembele ekunikezweni okuqhubekayo bakuthola kunzima ngokwengeziwe futhi kubiza ukuthola abadlali.

Ngo-1935, amazeze ayishumi nambili ayebiza cishe amapeni amabili. Ngeminyaka yawo-1950, ishumi nambili lalibiza amashilingi ayisithupha, futhi ngesikhathi sokusweleka izeze elilodwa lalingabiza amashilingi amabili. Ngesikhathi esifanayo, ithelevishini, isinema, namapaki okuzijabulisa adonsela izilaleli kude nemibukiso yokulangazelayo eyayigcine amasekisi amazeze iminyaka engaphezu kwekhulu.

Amasekisi amazeze ashiye uphawu olujulile ngokumangalisayo emasikweni adumile. Ezincwadini, umkhuba usukela ku-The Clouds ka-Aristophanes (c. 423 BC), okufaka ihlaya ngokulinganisa ibanga lokugxuma kwezeze, kuya enkondlweni kaJohn Donne ethi "The Flea" (c. 1590s) kanye nokuphathwa kukaCharles Dickens ku-Sketches by Boz (1836).

Kumafilimu, uCharlie Chaplin wacabanga umsebenzi womdlalo wesekisi lamazeze ngokuqala ngo-1919 wefilimu emfushane engakhishwanga eyayibizwa ngokuthi The Professor, ekugcineni wayifilimu nge-Limelight (1952). ULaurel noHardy babonisa isekisi lamazeze ku-The Chimp (1932). I-A Bug's Life kaPixar (1998) ibonisa "P.T. Flea" (izwi likaJohn Ratzenberger), umlawuli wesekisi ozithandayo ogama lakhe lihlekisa ngoP.T. Barnum.

Okuphathwa okudume kakhulu kwanamuhla yinkulumo kaJohn Hammond ku-Jurassic Park (1993), lapho isekisi lamazeze lisebenza njengomfanekiso wenganiso yokuba usomabhizinisi ngokuqhathaniswa nesifiso sokuba neqiniso.

Abadlali abambalwa bagcina umkhuba uphila namuhla. UProfesa Adam Gertsacov uhambise i-Acme Miniature Flea Circus yakhe e-United States naseCanada kusukela ngo-1996, ebuyisela isekisi lamazeze e-Times Square ngo-2001. Amazeze akhe agijimisa izinqola, ahamba ezintanjeni, futhi adutshulwa esibhamwini adabule indandatho yomlilo.

Umculi wase-Colombia uMaria Fernanda Cardoso wachitha iminyaka eyisithupha esungula isekisi lamazeze njengephrojekthi yobuciko. Amazeze akhe ahamba ezintanjeni, ahudula izinqola, futhi adansa itango. Umsebenzi wawuhambile e-Sydney Opera House, Centre Pompidou, nase-New Museum eNew York ngaphambi kokuthengwa yi-Tate Gallery eLondon.

Isazi sezilwane uDkt. Tim Cockerill wadala kabusha isekisi lamazeze elisebenzayo lama-2010 Royal Institution Christmas Lectures futhi waqeqesha amazeze we-BBC thelevishini. EMunich, isekisi lamazeze lomndeni wakwaMathes beliyinto yamanje e-Oktoberfest kusukela ngo-1948—enye yamasekisi amazeze angempela okugcina emhlabeni, eneminyaka engaphezu kuka-75 yokusebenza okuqhubekayo.

Ngo-2026, i-FleaWinder™ yangenisa isekisi lamazeze esikhathini sedijithali. Isekisi elincane elihleliwe elihlala ngaphezu kwebha yakho yemisebenzi ye-Windows noma macOS—manje nasephaketheni lakho ku-iOS—i-FleaWinder™ iqhutshwa ngokuphelele ukusebenzisa kwakho kwansuku zonke. Ukuchofoza kwekhibhodi, ukuhamba kwemawusi, ukuchofoza, ukuthepha, ukuswayipha, nokusheka kwakha amandla aqhuba imidlalo eyisikhombisa ebukhoma: umhambi wentambo, umculi wethrephizi, umbukiso wesibhamu, izeze elinamandla, umgibeli wesondo elilodwa, izeze elijaglayo, nomphefumuli womlilo.

Lapho izihambeli zeVictorian zibambe amazeze angempela ngentambo yegolide, i-FleaWinder™ ibamba okufakwayo kwakho ngekhodi. Lapho izilaleli zikaHeckler zazigcwala ekhoneni elivalwe ngodonga lwesitezi sangaphansi se-Hubert's Museum, isekisi le-FleaWinder lisebenza kumudwa wamaphikseli angu-150 ongeze uphazamise. Umkhuba wombukiso omncane kunawo wonke emhlabeni uyaqhubeka—akukho amazeze alimele ekwakhiweni kwalesi sekisi.