1. No category

* * « * * « •
« . he to m lg e d ,
dawn tnom U k
w W m s ^ o h e d , which H a
Meet,
« » •
■ * W > < m i= a l, having been handed
i e a m o r t a l , h a t v ery o fte n new cnee a re invented,
e s p e c ia lly fo r a to i- p a b tic dancing aiep ln y a.an d sin ce d if f e r e n t
ags.gw .npe on a re a s m y b rin g w ith t h e - t h e i r own n u t , hhere
any h e a m ild ly com petitive elem ent i n th ese d is p la y s .
* good example o f th e m m .e s a dram atic enactment w ith a
meaning or le s s o n a tta c h e d i s th e mhne-show o f
^
J W , Cpcberty) i n i t i a t i o n , one w ith a c lo th p a ssed b e t,,™ th e
a
*
#
:
#
r@qiiired t o p a t h e r W d * t a t * th e h o le w hile th e a * # 'A at* a n t
ta k to o u t ® 4 o o n e o W f o r th o oMOf i n i t i a t e ' , 1 . ouog.
fhooo
t e s t e s aro considered a g re a t d eU oaoy, form m important source
;
o f r e l i s h su r ln g th e rain y season end must he •'b itten 1 by the quean
OP d i s t r i c t bead before oth ers may partake o f them.
Sigoma th u s v e ry from t ir o and secret o b je c ts to mummeries
m d dram atic enactm ents.
Some ere le s s Important than o th e r s, one
o f t h e ir fu n c tio n s b ein g th a t o f p rovid ing entertainm ent, a s , fo r
example , th e dancing o f m k m a men in elab orate grass costum es,
a l l o ver the cou n trysid e during th e yyali-vuh w erg.
Others
g rea t s e c r e t s never to be w itn essed by the u n in itia te d .
™
may be more than t h i s ;
Of a l l a m m e r e th e
i t can a ls o be a god.
But a
The g r e a te st
drums « i c h , a s we have s e « , are
locked upon as gods and are thought to be p le a sin g to the a n c e sto r s.
are a ls o atiSBB and the knowledge th a t t h e ir part i s
played b y old men i n it ia t e d in to th e c u lt does n o t appear t o
rzr
~ =“•”
£
:r^“
^:r:r:,:rrr
I
l
i
S
B
-
amy t e k i l l e d .
:
Bigaaa BBmmaries a r e th e bogtenings o f d ram
among th e tev e d tt.
,
But they a lso provide t h a t element o f awe
i n approaehlng go4e so eonsB ieioaely absent from Louedu a n c e sto r
w o rship, t o which t h e i r seoreoy t o a g re a t e x te n t c o n trib u te s .
fhS
^.e.lowera i s a s much a n I n i t i a t i o n in to f u l l a d u lt
e ta tu a a s i t l a a f e r t i l i t y c u l t ,
f a t In te r e s tin g a s i t s d e t a i l s
and r a m ific a tio n s aa a "school" may h e , th e e d u c a tio n a l a sp ec ts of
t h i s i n s t i t u t i o n can n o t he e n tered upon h e re .
A ll we can attem p t
i s b r i e f l y to in d ic a te i t s g e n eral n a tu re and i t s fu n c tio n s as a
f e r t i l i t y c u lt.
The w a l l i s of such g re a t im portante th a t during
th e y e a r t h a t i t l a s t s , i t overshadows ev erything e ls e .
A ll W s
a t t e n t i o n , a l l m an's e n erg ies are tak en up by th e vyaM to which
ev ery th in g e ls e becomes s u b s id ia ry .
Even i n the S t i & ,th e
o f th e men, only e s s e n t ia l cases a r e d e a lt w ith .
h e ld u p .
Jrua
A ll m arriages are
Anyone having th e te m e rity to take home a b rid e during
the ...." - - .u W a r a must pay a fin e o f one head o f c a t t l e and a g o a t.
To ouch an e x te n t a re th e a tt e n t i o n and i n t e r e s t of th e whole
country fo cu ssed on th e v y a i i t h a t no r i v a l cerem onial i s to le r a te d .
There may be no g i r l s ' puberty r i t e s , no dancing o th e r than S S i i
d e n o te s, no a in g te g o f songs o th e r th a n those sung in th e S t i A se en th e dancing o f possessed people is p ro h ib ite d , a taboo communi­
c a te d i n 1938 to th e v a rio u s poeaesctng s p i r i t s a t a la rg e fa re w e ll
dance o f a l l th e possessed i n each a re a j u s t p r io r to the opening o f
te a v y . l l , when th ey were ordered n o t t o m an ifest them selves and
to lT L
none o f th e u s u a l taboos o f the c u l t would be observed
f o r th e n ex t y e a r .
I t i s o u stW
to o , f o r each d i s t r i c t head to
ike b rin g * f a r e w e ll'aaaha dance to th e qyeea b efo re th e opening o f
th e "w aH W t t h i s wee em itted I n 1938 owing t o th e le n g th o f th e
tim e i t would r e q u ir e .
Seen th e e p i r i t e a r e bound by th e a e ru le a
f o r no zwldalane. may cose to the h a rv e s t o ffe rin g during th e year
o f th e v y ali^ v u W era .
The -vy a l l * h e ld sim ultaneously by v a rio u s d i s t r i c t heads
I s preceded by a m ontteor s i x week’ s period o f p re p a ra tio n in
which i n i t i a t e s g a th e r a t th e v illa g e of th e headman every evening
t o be ta u g h t some o f th e songs they a re to s in g l a t e r on.
The
o f f i c i a l opening c o n s is ts o f a r e lig io u s ceremonyyin which the
a n c e sto rs o f th e d i s t r i c t head a re asked to b le s s th e •r .y alig and a
’ stre n g th e n in g ’ of th e i n i t i a t e s #
This ta k e s the form o f b eatin g
th e o f f ic e b e a re rs w ith a m edicated s tic k and smearing th e body
o f each i n i t i a t e w ith the stomach c o n te n ts and sometimes a ls o th e
t a i l f a t o f a head o f c a t t l e or a sheep s p e c ia lly sla u g h te red afar
th e purpose*
From now on th e i n i t i a t i o n l a s t s f o r & f u l l y e a r.
f 0W
Except f o r ^ /s p e c ia l occasions i t s a c t i v i t i e s a re , however, confin­
ed to th e evening and e a r ly morning so t h a t i t does n o t in te r f e r e
w ith th e d a lly a c t i v i t i e s o f th e g i r l s .
F urtherm ore, m arried
i n i t i a t e s become pregnant and have t h e i r b a b ie s even though they
a r e i n th e v y a l i .
The most im p o rtan t a c t i v i t y o f th e y y a l i c o n s is ts in singling
and drumming i n th e co u rty ard o f th e d i s t r i c t head every evening
and: again a t dawn during th e whole period o f th e i n i t i a t i o n .
Some o f th e songs a re r e l a te d to th e stage o f th e i n i t i a t i o n ,
d i f f e r e n t stag e* being c h a ra c te ris e d by d i f f e r e n t songs, o th ers
a r e p r a is e s of th e queen and well-known d i s t r i c t heads $ th e re
i© s c lu s te r o f songs a s s o c ia te s w ith th e winding op o f th e
s i n g i n g $w&@h e v e n in g w hen t h e c o u r ty a r d h a s two h e c lo s e d a n d a g h in ;
t h e e a r l y m o rn in g idhen t h e g a te i s o p e n ed , and t h e r e a r e aong*
d e r l e i o n I f anyone o f th e u n m a rrie d i n i t i a t e s l a seduoed
a # i a g th e w a l l p e rio d .
m ^ n ^ L tf kbh-
M oat im p o rta n t o f a l l , a re * h ow ever,
s m gs b eg u n i n a b o at D ecem ber, b u t forming th e main
f e a t u r e o f t h e s in g i n g a f t e r th e a r r i v a l o f t h e g r e a t b i r d .
* r a s i m i l a r t o le s u a u s o n g s .
They
On s p e c i a l o c c a s io n s , th ro u g h o u t
t h * y e a r * i n i t i a t e s a r e ta k e n o u t I n t o th e b u s h w h ere th e y a r e
show n dieam a and b e a te n and q u i t e o f t e n t h e r e i s d a n c in g w ith
th ro u g h o u t t h e n i g h t .
The r u l i n g s p i r i t o f t h e v y a l i i s ,
B ir d w h ic h a r r i v e s I n a b o u t A p ril* - i t 1* a g s # * f
****
s e c r e t e d i n a s p e c i a l e n c lo s u r e and s e e n b y women o n ly on moon­
l i g h t n i g h t s when i t comes d a n c in g i n t o th e g i r l s ' c o u r ty a r d ; b u t
i t * b l a c k c o lo u r makes i t d i f f i c u l t t o d i s c e r n c l e a r l y .
It
c o n s i s t s o f a l i g h t , s e m i - c i r c u l a r fram e -w o rk , a b o u t f o u r f e e t
h i g h , so t h a t a man may e a s i l y c ro u c h i n s i d e i t .
over th is a re
p u t s t r i n g s o f t h e g a g s .t h o r n t r e e (A c a c ia r t M m l a m ) / h i c h
b m e b e e n p la c e d i n w a t t ' to uecome b h a c k , a n d su rm o u n tin g t h e
w hole i s * a a a l l b e ad crow ned w i t h a * o s t r i c h o r o t h e r f e a t h e r .
I t speak*
fro*
i t s e n clo su re by w h is tlin g through an in stru m en t
a W l a r to b u t la r g e r
t h a n
t h a t used by th e
s*d made o f
t h e l e g bona o f c a t t l e ,
T bia b ir d r u l e s th e whole v y a li "
#
has many p ra is e s
„ U .
» i t . h m -u r.
===ins
» * « — ‘
^
f M te o f o u m er o re being e a te n and tb s g ra s s i s lo n g , i t i s th e
e m o d im n t o f p le n ty and W
d a ily to re c e iv e beer ^
«
f r u i t s from each i n i t i a t e .
A ll th e tim e i t ie th ere everyone
i n th e a re a who m ak e s %*ey h as tb b rin g one calabash to i t *
eneloeure or e le e be l i a b l e t o be fin e d a g o a t,
A l l t h i s food
1* oonmmed by e ld men dho apend much of t h e i r time i n th e enoloagre*
Once th e b ir d h as a rriv e d i t re g u la te * th e whole procedure
o f th e - w a l l .
I t o rd ers which songs have to be sung, t e l l s the
g i r l s when to d ance, when t o sto p sin g in g , what to do,
Jit tim es
I t g a ts angry and th e n may e t a # o u t th e co u rty ard f i r e s when i t
dances#
Any infringem ent of th e r u le s o f the w ygli a re r e f e r r e d
to as b reak in g the r i b s fha roba leii.ego.ri) o f th e Bird*
one man was fin e d si g o a t f o r b e a tin g h is wife*
m ntaaani (m arried I n i t i a t e ) , th e B ird sa id #
I n 1939
'Y ou've b eaten my
.to o th er, * r i# (rG tn +
o f f i c i a l i n th e w a l l was fin e d f o r sw earing a t an i n i t i a t e who
had made a m istake i n h e r answers to th e B ird .
From th e tim e of
i t s a r r i v a l , th e women of th e v illa g e may n o t begin stamping in
th e e a r ly morning b efo re th e B ird has made i t s e l f beard* and i t i s
even s a id t h a t Rhiwdoeane does n o t lik e cocks near th e v illa g e
because th e y d isre g a rd h i s precedence by zoning b e fo re be baa
begun t o w h istle*
fb a arrival o f th e B ird i n A p ril i s preceded by long end
e la b o ra te p re p a ra tio n s .
been erecting
For months b efo re ;+s a rriv a l* men have
v a rio u s en clo su res b e sid e th e v illa g e - one enclos­
ure and b u t t o house th e B ird i t s e l f , le a d in g in to a la rg e co u rt­
y a rd i n which th e sin g in g and drumming o f th e i n i t i a t e s
p la c e once th e B ird baa a rriv e d *
yard
is
to tak e
A t th e f a r end o f th e c o u rt­
l a * row o f de-b ark ed p o les s e t up i n # s p e c ia lly medicated
fu rro w , backing a c a r e f u lly p repared p latfo rm on and around which
tb s
initiates
s ta n d when sin g in g i n th e mornings W
evenings*
i
r
I
%%
looked upon by 5he I n i t i a t e s as a kind o f refu g e fs'oa th e
BL*d ehould be s a m to n e a r.
’
B efore th l* l& gglglo stan d s th e
ifhwinhmni ah rln e o f tb s ^ g a l i $ a long m edicated p o le of m#ogo
fT anelna?i" aag leea-) fo rk in g a t th e to p end in to a c i r c l e t of
bran ch ee,
Round t h i s pole & c ir c u la r mound baa been b u i l t ,
c o n ta in in g * f i v e r stone l i k e many r e lig io u s s h rin e s .
Hare I t i s
t h a t th e i n i t i a t e s have to sta n d s h e a conversing * i t h th e Bind*
B eside* th e e n c lo su re , th e r e a r e o th e r p re p a ra tio n s f o r th e
a r r i v a l o f th e B ird ,
From February and % a r-^ *ban th e g ra s s i s
long enough, b a n d o lie rs o f (Marlscus s g .) J^ ^ s_fUSh t o be warn
by th e i n i t i a t e s once th e B ird has a r r iv e d , sere woven, dancing
d t b t s o f ft s p e c ia l k ind o f re e d stru n g to g e th e r i n piece* about
**i in c h long (ire aside, and p o in ted f l a t p ie c e s of wood, two f o r
each g i r l , e re prepared f o r use w hile s in g in g .
Bo s ig n ific a n c e
la a tta c h e d to t h e i r m anufacture.
A g r e a t d e a l o f th e cerem onial o f th e %%93l centre* on th e
B ird a n d , i n th e r i t u a l c o n v ersatio n s t h a t tak e p lace mo^sdag and
evening betw een women and th e B ird , s p e c ia l term s p e c u lia r to th e
v y a l l , a r e employed,
1
m ealies air,, 't e e t h o f Shangsna-Tonga* b e e r
* ' f a t o f th e c r o c o d ile ';
baboob' f
n a tiv e p o ta to e s a r e 'f in g e r * ^
fire-w ood 1* ' bones o f th e g i r a f f e '.
livery day soma
g i r l s and women a r e d e ta ile d t o c a rry drum* a t about fo u r o 'c lo c k
i n th e a fte rn o o n t o th e e n c lo s u re , t h ^
th e B ird .
to a W t th e P le a su re o f
sooner o r l a t e r th e B ird w h is tle s c u t 'mm%S_a
Khiaiawa, - th e opening p h rase o f th e p r a is e o f t h e bead o f th e
sbereupo* one o f th e g i r l s (any one, a c t n e c e s s a r ily
t b s c h ie f g i f l h e r s e lf ) mounts th e s h rin e and r e p l i e s , i n a loud
J
\
L
ta le # *
teen, w a itin g h e re a long *hll# * B ird @f Ba&ala**
adding one o f i t s many p r a is e s .
-
“Whose ggsO l (l n it ,i a t e) a r#
yee?* adks th e b i r d ,
*1 a # th e S2S&& * f so-and^so^ g iv in g th e
s a s * (dr lit? f a t h e r ) .
The B ird w i l l th e n , T fhistling m e ta p h o ric a l;
phramea* o rd e r th e drama to be beaten^ In d ic a tin g t h a t song l a to
b * *ung,
The sounding of th e drums I s th e s ig n a l f o r *11 th e
I n i t i a t e * t o com t o th e e n c lo su re , which g ra d u a lly f i l l * a*
th e y a r r i v e i n two* * * th r e e s .
A fte r mueh Singing and drum­
ming th e B ird may a sk , "What have you brought me?" t o which th e
i n i t i a t e re p ly in g answers, "C ro co d iles' f a t* o r whatever she ha*
b ro u g h t.
I n th e 1938-9 w a l l th e re was a t the ro y a l v illa g e
an arrangem ent whereby a c e r t a i n number o f th e g i r l s brought
b e e r every evening ( s ix to e ig h t calab ash es) w hile I n th * morn­
in g s each i n i t i a t e came w ith g reen m ealies* n u ts or any a p p stls *
in g b ia h .
Thee* a r e put down a t a c e r t a i n sp o t from where th e
iw c a tl and Ig a a tZ s m , men who a c t a s go-betweens when th e B ird
i s crying* I n te rp re tin g i f n ecessary what ha say*, c a rry i t *11
i a t o th e B ir d 's e n clo su re where i t i s consumed by old men.
G oring t h e 3%s3i th e s e o ld men s le e p i n t h a t enclosure i f th ey
H%* and g r e a tly enjoy t h e good foods brought f o r th e B ird .
Sometime* when to * mush f o r them has accum ulated, th e y may * W
acme to th e queen o r d i s t r i c t h ead .
l a t e r th e B ird order* th e
g i r l s t o e a t t h e i r supper, which th e y have brought w ith thea»
and a f t e r *
tim e give* th e o rder t o sto p ( M w e ) ,
a While th e B ird ask* f ° r b is wood,
A fte r
Sach i n i t i a t , h a , brought
cne p la t* of woo*, w ith b e rk removed, l e s t , i t i s s a i d , sco rp ­
ion* W ,tch a r e a p t to be found i n th e b a rk b i t e tb s B ird , and
a t t h e order o f th e Bird* *11 proceed t o a s p o t n e ar th *
satWitttw t o th e B ir d 'a e n c lo a o r e .
Here a t a g iv e n s ig n a l th e*
i :
threw down t h e i r wood w ith a g r e e t n o is e and ru sh hack t o t h e i r
p la tfo r m of s a f e t y .
I f th e moon i s b r ig h t , th e g i r l s s i l l he
t o l d t o don t h e i r dan cin g s k i r t s end do t h e i r w h ir lin g don ee e n d ,
i
i f i t l i k e s , t h e B ird i t s e l f w i l l cone dan cin g i n , k eep in g t o th e
.
shadow s, end w ith one o r two m n alw ays near t o a c t a s g n id e e .
They a r e g iv e n th e order t o s to p by th e B ird a t ab ou t 10 or 11
o 'c lo c k a t n ig h t or 8 o 'c lo c k i n th e m orning.
Towards th e end o f th e v y a i i
B M X S tis . eongs are sung,
:
th e o ld e r men come end dance b e fo r e th e woman ^ v i n g ox t o l l s in
th e h an d s.
They w ould, i n th e v y a t i o f o l d , wove th e t o i l over
th e head o f a women th ey lik e d and , i f sh e acknowledged i t by
bowing th e head to d c la p p in g w ith hollow ed bands, she was g iv in g
h e r eo n een t t o be h is lo v e r du rin g th e i n i t i a t i o n ,
f o r a remark-
able' fe a tu r e o f th e v y a l i was prom iscuous s e x in te r c o u r se betw een
non end women i n w hich i n i t i a t e s cou ld ta k e p a r t o n ly a t th e end.
I n th e 1938-9 -v y ali t h e r e wee no each e e x I n te r c o u r s e ,
.
i t Whs
th ou gh t t h a t th e young m arried men wore t o o 'w ild* (ow ing t o
:
modern c o n d itio n s ) to t o l e r a t e a p o s it io n i n which th e o ld e r men
;
co u ld have f r e e a c c e s s to t h e i r w iv e s i n th e i n i t i a t i o n , end i t
„ e s a id th a t th e g r e a t preponderance o f women over men m igh t le a d
t o g r e a t j e a l o u s i e s and c o n f l i c t s between th e women f o r th e favours
A t th e tim e when th e i n i t i a t e s make p rep a ra tio n s f o r th e
a r r i v a l o f th e B ird (P ebruery-M aoh) th e boys i n th o se a r ea s
t h a t have the
m
W S S S == ^
ta k en out in t o th e bush ev ery
t o le a r n how to w a v e th e e la b o r a te costum es a s s o c ia te d w ith
th is in itia tio n .
T hese a r e o f two t y p e s ,
a l i g h t one . a i d to
■•■ftam' t v t m t m
a heavy m e .
kBoth c a a tu m a have ak lrW o f
W a e w n g te s * m t O m t « » to “ • * « “ »» « “
# W » , aB w e ti. . . eo m aly « l S t , « ■ ^
m
B feteM o f w o v m g m a a .
jk-
“*
o
la g - h a n a a » * ” « » - :
B » l i g h t e m t m a h a s t o a W l t l o n to o a d
a h o ttld B f M u d s em B B to g o v e r c h e a t m d b a c k a n d a m s k r e s t i n g
a p a n to e s h m l d s r s , v e i l i n g W
f a c e an d o p e n a t t h e t o p .
w a v y ao B tm as t o f a r m ore I m p o s in g .
th e re is m
S he
B e s id e s a w v m w a i s t c o a t ,
Im m n s e c o v e r i n g f o r h e a d an d m o u M o r s , r i s i n g t o a
c r e a M d s m m l t , f l a n k e d b y w h a t g i v e s th e im p r e s s i o n o f s c a l e s
a r r a n g e d i n ro w s o r p r o j e c t i n g w in g s , end f r o n t e d b y a s n o u t l i k e
th a t o f a c ro c o d ile .
The d m c e re m in d s one now o f t h e p r m c t o g s
o f a m a le b i r d c o u r t i n g i t s m a te , now o f a H e a r d c o n v u l s i v e ly
m a k in g i t s w h o le b o d y a s i t r e s t s upon a r o c k .
« .
U
M
*
s u g g e s t s s w s W d r a g o n - l i k e m y t h i c a l m o n s te r , b u t i t s
b e l i e s i t s f u n c t i o n s an d q u a l i t i e s , though p e r h a p s n o t th e s y s t i
•
"
^
—
have t w o m m g j u h m - »
T
'
in s te a d o f being s h o r t c o n s is ts o f many long s t r i p s of w<nr
s
„,..u
s
s
a
v n . . a f t e r having been b e a te n w ith m edicated s t i c k s ,
L
* *&Z3~
th e %*y# #2 #*a t h e i r tim e except when o n t h u n tin g o r danelng,
j.
t h e i r food h e ln g h r o t # i t t o th e w yali. o d u rty ard by t h e i r e i e t e r s ,
[
They a r e ta u g h t a few 'Ia*s* o r form ulae a se o c ia te d w ith th e
^ r hwara b u t t h e i r m ain a o tiw itle a acre le a rn in g to jn ak e th e
e la b o r a te ly woven coatumee and l a t e r t o danoe i n th e ](y e% * o o rtyaed.
Towards th e end of th e i n i t i a t i o n th ey spend most o f t h e i r
tim e gplng about t o danoe* a ccep tin g in v ita tio n s from o th er
d l R t r i c t heads and paying t h e i r re s p e c t* a t th e r o y a l v illa g e ^
They do b e a u tif u l movements to th e drumming o f t h e i r a m S S l i
g ir ls *
fmedabi)
Only two danoe a t a tim e and while th e y danoe* a tte n d a n ts
sta n d n e a r by su p e rv isin g .
The masked boys may w h is tle
out th e tu n e to which th ey wish to dance o r may beg s n u ff by
mean* o f w h is tlin g (f o r t h i s i s t h e i r only means o f con v ersatio n
d u rin g t h e i r i n i t i a t i o n ) .
When they dance w ell* women and g i r l s
come to g iv e them g i f t s o f le g - or a rm -rin g a.
The 'YBbasEa 1* a
ftjpd. of f in is h in g sc h o o l, an i n i t i a t i o n in to th e s e c r e t of what
th e S i r a i s and ho* th e costumes a re made.
I t I s alm ost as
though t h i s i s an e s o te r ic a r t , the p re s e rv a tio n of which baa
become th e mein fu n c tio n o f th e TndmSSa*
A p erso n who enter*
t h e fuhw ara e n clo su re may be re q u ire d to d isp la y b is s k i l l a t
weaving and in 1939 a mam who was unable to weave (and thus Showed
h im self to be u n in itia te d ) was h e a v ily f in e d .
The f a c t t h a t
th e r e i s mov#g&E& h e ld a t th e ro y a l k r a a l, whose boys used I n
th e old. d a y s, t o go f o r t h i s i n i t i a t i o n
** ** * * % * * * & '
a s e c tio n o f the Khaba, su g g ests t h a t th e I n s t i t u t i o n i s a more
re c e n t ad o p tio n th a n th e TE£lil‘>
I t is n o t easy f o r a European t o a p p re c ia te th e meaning
9*1** o f 8G@b I n s t i tu t i o a o a# tb@ -uvBH-imkwera.
f e a tu r e s cannot
h&
ex p lain ed by th e Lovedu them selves.
Many #? i t #
They a r e
th e f o a o l t o f a itsag h if lte r lo a l dovolopment which i n th e abaence
Of a l l w r itte n reco rd can n o t e a s ily be unravelled*
The w a l l -
vuhwera has many a sp e c ts s «►one i s th a t of an i n i t i a t i o n or cross­
ing f o r which m edical stre n g th e n in g and a n c e s tr a l b le s s in g a re
e s s e n tia l*
Though, each w a l l i s given a regim ental name, the
ages o f i n i t i a t e s v e ry g re a tly *
But in term in g led w ith and, overshadowing the w a li-v u h w e ra
a s an i n i t i a t i o n i s th e w a ll-v u h w era as a f e r t i l i t y c u lt*
It
l a s t s a y e a r, a f u l l a g r i c u l t u r a l c y c le , some of i t s sta g es being
a s s o c ia te d w ith th e s e a s o n s|
is p le n tifu l.
and th e B ird a rr iv e s only when food
S tress i s l a i d on g ra s s and vegetation*
The
p l a i t e d b a n d o lie rs o f g r a s s , th e t y p ic a l w a l l d re s s o f th e g i r l s j
Said to ren d er them f e r t i l e , cannot be worn, u n t i l th e g ra ss has
grown long;
g rasse s|
th e rem arkable vuhwera costumes a re made of various
th e dlaama a re alm ost a l l made o f ree d s, g ra s se s or
lea v es and a t one of th e most im portant excursions made by th e
g i r l i n i t i a t e s and c a lle d Maedini ( a t th e lo c u s ts ) , th ey a r e mad*
to c o l l e c t t e r k o f v a rio u s kinds o f t r e e s .
E a^hasis is la id on
mi-,r»nT» f r u i t s and te rm ite s as a source o f food supply,and th e
itiealie cob and leaves i n th e mouths of baboon and buck i n the
masaeobva costumes appears to sym bolise th e p le n ty of summer.
The w nllw yuhw era a s a f e r t i l i t y q u i t , i s f u r th e r s tr e s s e d in th e
promiscuous se x in te rc o u rs e which i s indulged i n a t th e order of
tb s B ird tow ards th e end o f th e y e a r.
a n th e approach o f Spring
*na th e s c a tte r in g o f seeds of a l l kinds on th e i n i t i a t e s on the
la e t
sir W vvAll men. the Butterfly asm of
*#*%
|
<****# *w«y th e B ird ,
The eiagiD g o f v y a li S o n g s , lik e th e he&ti&g o f th e saOred
3
MBa* 1* b e lie v e d to b rin g r a i n .
a f th e y e a r m & - » W
Even b efo re th e summer ra in *
begun, i t w a aaid by th e loved* t h a t th e
y e a r Would be one o f p le n ty on aeoount o f tbecgzali*
Tb*** **"
p e c ta tio n s were more th a n r e a l iz e d f * r , n o t only was th e eumaar *
. r a i n y ana b u t even th e w in ter which ia norm ally dry m e ex ce p tio n .
A lly wet*
Mi* tr u e meaning o f th e B ird on wMoh eo maoh o f th e r i t u a l
n o n tree 1= d i f f i c u l t to d e te r m in e .
throw any l i g h t on i t .
Her can th e Lovedn them selvea
I t i s a s s o c ia te d w ith m o o n lig h t, fo r on
aarlc n ig h t s i t i s s a id to r e tu r n to th e p o o l and does n o t w h is t le
out i t s o rd ers.
T his i s i n t e r e s t in g i n t i e * o f th e f a c t th a t th e
a o th e r -g o d d e ss and l i f e - g i v i n g p o se rs o f nomen are fr e q u e n tly
i d e n t i f i e d w ith th e moon i n a n c ie n t p r a c tic e aa e . g . , i n th e c a se
o f D iana who under 1hi's g u is e , gave abundant h a r v e s t , and f e r t i l e
to b arren women.
On i t , d ep a rtu re th e B ird d e c la r e s th a t i t w i U
le a v e m lete behind it,w h ic h seem s to a s s o c ia t e i t w ith r e i n .
In
one o f i t s p r a is e s i t i s r e fe r r e d t o a , y a S a ja , e n c e e t r a l e p lr it *
• I have heard y o u , B ird o f ours end Bahufa o f S u t o le .
o f g iv in g has t o n e , 0 3 # j a »
The fa t h e r
th e r e rem ain o n ly th in g s fo r w hich
one m ost payi
t n fa
n e . va^a.la.. tin ea de hha mathego y e ja ? -
aee
’
h o w ev er, t o be th e p e r s o n if ic a t io n o f »ummer>f p le n t y , ptthapa
a k in d o f toveau Bemeter w hich comes to he e n te r ta in e d upon th e
nhundance w hich i t M s h elp ed t o b r in g f o r t h , r u lin g th e whole
ooqatfy *& il* 1% ±e ppeaent.
*#*
ia y ste rie s
eoaplea i s snalegatts t o th e
o f
th e a n c ie n ts w ith t h e i r dram atic perform ances, the
s e c r e t o b je c ts , t h e i r p u r if ic a tio n s ana t h e i r a p p ea l
t o th e m y stic ana em otional.
But th e toveau m y steries have mo
m y th o lo g ical hackground, sad no f a s tin g s o r a sc e tic ism ,
They a re
mat a d e a th and r e s u r r e c tio n r i t u a l and have no copneetioa w ith
im m o rta lity cor th e l i f e h e r e a f te r .
Nor a re th ey in te r p r e te d i n
term s of th e d e stin y of th e s o u l a f t e r d eath which was th e c e n tr a l
fe a tu re o f E gyptian and l a t e Greek m y ste rie s»
The w ali'^vuhwara-gom ana complex appears to have bean borrowed by th e Lovadu from a n o ld e r Sotho substratum of p e o p le ,
ma
men o fte n s a y th e g a sa m c u lt comes from Phalam rw a end th e empheele
i n th e
f r u i t s end te rm ite s which e r e o f g re a te r im port­
ance i n Phalmmrwa d i e t th a n among th e Louedu lends some su p p o rt
to th e id ea t h a t i t eomes from th e r e .
These f a c ts a re o f i n te r e s t
because th e sacre d drum c u l t appears to d e tr a c t t o some e x te n t from :
th e queen* s own rainm aking powers and because th e laeedu r o y a l r * i* ^
c u l t which w* s h a l l examine in th e nen t Chapter has been aosoeeefuH f
and independently c a r r ie d o u t throughout th e r e ig n o f th e p re se n t
queen w ithout re fe re n c e to gpmapg.
r
r
“ 1
A--'
I
'H
Oha.t)tar . 7 .
;' \
.f."
Botred'i s a in c u lt i@ a whole complex o f in s t it u t io n s
m
;
i
; aA'-
ram ifying many asp eo ta o f t r i b a l l i f e j i t is no t opnflnQd to
**&*u**a tkken to #@@ur* r& in in tla * o f draught* I t * *h$*fT*a*
*#* a W
he * « * t * t a l l t i a e * .
1* th e %*eeBt
%w oM *f » e ta r l a th l* r a t* o ^ t
Sh* 1* p rim a rily * * t a r u l e r h a t a ra in m a k e r
*Bd m*n r e l y f a r t h e i r s e c u r ity , not on reg im en ta tio n , armte*
if
and e rg a n la a tio B h a t on tb s ******* paver to make * s i#
0
A lhaeini ,th e P ortuguese a d v en tu rer and c h ie f o f th e Bnob****
M
m
m \:y
t r i b e and to v ltb h o ld i t when aee**B*ry* fro * &*r *n**ie*» a?#*
Skemgana-T o n g a , vae .tr ic k e n v i t h drought b*o*u** h* bad a tta c k e d
and harped th e ro y a l lovedu v illa g e sad bad to beg humbly f o r
r a l a v t t b g i f t* f o r th e d efe ate d quee*.
During l i f e th e queen i s not only th e T ra n sfo rm er o f th e
. :
Oloud* b u t i * ooaeeived o f a* th e obaag* o f th e seasohs **&
g u a ra n to r o f t h e i r c y c lic r e g u la r ity ; vhen she d ie * , t h . *******
*** o u t o f J o in t and drought i s in e v ita b le . She drought Of
O
1 6 9 4 .S ,
th e v o r e t i n re c e n t memory, fo lio v e d th e d eath o f the
l a * t C h ie f,m * W l H (b asalan av n ).
People liv e d ** ** * » ., many
f l* d th e country and th e boor Government va* fo rc e d to s te p i *
and supply m ealie* f o r th o l» sustenance.
r
Hence the csylhg **
th * d e a th o f a C hief le*bago_lsjfll*_laJSgSE&JB&jWS&m ( * *
e a u a try h as d ied w ith i t * owner) end th e euphem i* "th* e a rth i*
b a t 'o r * be* d rie d ue" (
o f * C hief,
tM w
9
E!%_m_$sS&
w o & W f* ' ^
*"*
•■vA
M r t lm . . f t h . WM"
« » n ta t «
* • le
- • 'f
M t n t i M t M . w e a r w w * * • n a M * w l* ” :U" " * ** 1954 '
- ir t
th e n th e f i r s t ra in * .* * ..
L
,
:
A . ,
\
L_
J
Aid sat
Deoe&ber, the drought *&$ attributed to her bblog ;
*pa*t #$ her daughter** ll&lmon with a oomioner, K#e ralB-hahlhg
l a h a t eohflwed t@ dyem&tW oerem oales In t in * o f ****** drought;
I t Is- SoneaiTsd e f m ; hestisuous e-art throughout the summer,
fu rth erm o re , th e l4 T # h do s e t a t t r i b u t e every f a l l o f r a l s to #4#*
*p#*i*l a a tlY lt# e r v e l l t i q a so* thus p a r t o f t h e i r qeoo* ,b s t r a th e r
believe th a t the qaeen exerelse® some g e n eral eohtrol or car* wMoh
*B**r*& a good *******
gubh b ein g th e powers Of th * queen, she i s th e person to 1b*
approached when th e re i s no rain* n o t only a t the beginning o f
th e seaso n $, b u t any tim e during th e summer month® in t h i s country
in which th re e weeks drought might r u in th e m aize c ro p .
w arlaue way* o f doing t h i s .
There a re
G reat c o u n c illo rs an* im portant
r e l a t i v e s may approach th e queen in p erso n , saying "The peO.pl* are
crying* * and ask in g h e r to h e lp them,
Whszi th e re i s no r a in ,
h h ta n l^ v e la te d to th e queen through h i* mother^ueed t o Walk n e a r
th e queen5a h u t com plaining, in a- voice c a lc u la te d to reach the
ro y a l e a rs j t h a t I t was a bad th in g f o r a c h ie f to k i l l h e r people
by w ith h o ld in g ra in *
m e n th e f i r s t summer storm o f 193? Opened
w ith much lig h tn ln jg and thunder, th e two c h ie f c o u n c illo rs mentioned
in fo rm a lly to th e queen a t b e er t h a t they hoped she would ward o f f
wind and thunder and give the® a good y e a r.
E a r lie r in the y e ar
When th e phenomenal ra in * o f February had been follow ed by a v*ry
d ry X&roh th e c h ie f c o u n c illo r had, complained ^'This month i *
norm ally r a i n y ‘yet- w in ter i s now coming and th er* i s no rain*#
Qthar* jo in e d in say in g , 8 The queen wants to k i l l h e r c h ild re n 6,
M t th e ***#& r^aain o d s i l e n t wkth an o n lf ^ a tie om il*.
head® o f d i s t r i c t # approach th e quo** (h^iova } w ith a g if t*
s s m l l y nowaday# o f ^ i# o r f i #
10A
#*yise,
^ ^
**?
/
r
r
l 6q
#** u* la w * #$&t$ ** &*r* e&m* t* *#* * * t* r *$*&*»#
TP# *aB*t flo a g k # * m th e re l a a* r& ia. (&+ r e T*la&l&ae? a* l *
k h l /r^jg-ana ra e. w a M. r e (Si l e ha hobela a a a s i ^a hare a re khea*2 ;
hu_i#%_tulA__e__khia_aa) , Often they b rin g w ith them in a d d itio n
dancing perfom ersC goeha) to p lea se h e r and evoke h e r p i ty a t
th e sorrow ful e ig h t o f people dancing in summer when they ought to •
hh ploughing*
The movemonte o f t h i s danoing do no t d i f f e r from
th o se o f o rd in a ry dancing, h u t th e a u a io oonelete o f lesagu Bongs,
aong a ls o a t the annual h a r v # Oeremony, on th e d eath o f Im portant
ro y a l people and a t th e # l r y y p ll in itia tio n *
The meet renowned o f a l l dancing fo r r a in i s th e M s ^ S S l E i
a s p e c ia l kind of aoeha, th e mourning dance o f a se c tio n of
T herein people liv in g under one o f th e d i s t r i c t head s, Hhdwalsha*
I t i s more d ig n if ie d , i t e movements l i g h t e r and l t d drumming mor#
subdued than in an o rd in a ry gosh^.
80
l i g h t l y are th e drum* e*r*&
th a t th e c le a r , s ilv e r y , v a rie d tones o f th e re e d p ip e s r in g o u t
l i k e th e p e a l o f h e l l s * Only two drum# a re used, no one &*t
th o se Who have l o s t one p a re n t a t l e a s t may perform# and i t i s
began i n th e glows o f th e dawn b e fo re s u n ris e when, a f t e r a s h o rt
s p e l l , I t sto p s and i s resumed l a t e m th e day, ^ ^
9b*n some one person has greatly angeredXand drought is
believed to be due to her displeasure on th is aomunt* the
married women from a i l the villages m the royal neighbourhood
assem ble # * r y morning a f t e r * * ,# * * to danse#
***
being killed on aooount of a bogey-man in skin#: (re vulaiswa A
W lW rn a ju a n a w W .
,» « « « «
affMBWts-
th . y = » s .r
« —
w m » * ith
» «
M r8 e * *
004
O M , t t iU U .. » 4
to , da«t » * « * » # > a” 4 by
J
\
L
J
#%* b la c k w ith d i r t and ****$; M t next day &%& th e a#xt
th e y e*R* *gal@,
f a r a@ lao g a* & week* t i l l ** ia f a l l #
o r *g atta* # d drought aak*« i t el#&r t h a t saa* o th e r ca*a# i*
■#p®ratlBg
m
w e ll,
th© g re a t h ardship t h i s danelag e n ta il# ( f a r
n u rsin g m others who perform h a re no time to feed t h e i r babies )
i s thought to m elt th e h e a rt o f th e queen,
foo aueh r a i n , as w e ll
a s too l i t t l e , i s l a i d a t the door o f the queen*
On one occasion
when i t had ra in e d alm ost in c e s s a n tly f o r s ix weeks* th e c h ie f
C o u n cillo r s a id in th e presence o f th e queenHF at does not f i l l th e
pot* (iaakhura a a d a le h i.la ) , meaning th a t th e re can he too much
o f a good thing* a h i n t to the queen to re g u la te th in g s b e t t e r .
There i s no b e l i e f th a t i s stro n g e r in th e t r ib e even today
th an t h a t in the power o f th e queen to transform th e clouds*
This
does n o t, however^mean th a t th ey do not reco g n ise th e r e g u la r ity o f
th e se aso n s,
People know t h a t th e month of February i s g e n e ra lly
th e r a i n i e s t in the year* th a t th e month marenane (October) ,*hen
th e Southern Gross s e ts j u s t b e fa re b ed -tim e, i s th e time when th e
f i r s t r a in s a re approaching, and- no one would Iowa r a in in w in ter
any more than Europeans would o rg an ise a day o f p ray er f o r ra in
i a t h a t season. Yet i f r a i n does not Come a t i t s p roper time
o r th e season i s g e n e ra lly bad i t may be said,"T he qaesn h as n o t
changed th e hoeing season (th e year) n icely* (
ledwMA* ha w t s e l * f o r I f th e c y c le o f seasons 1* considered
in e v ita b le * whether th e new y e a r i s brought in p r o p itio u s ly or
o th erw ise i s in th e band# o f the queen.
E o la tio n o f R aln-dootor t o . lu een
Though renowned as th e g r e a te s t rainm aker in South A frica,
Muj&ji never works a lo n e .
She always has a r a in d o c to r, of
whom th e re a r t many in the t r i b e , to work w ith her*
■It
3b* oho0398 any renowned, doctor^ tu t may ohange him for another,
a@mpl&lB th*t the rain i* baa* that Is* ih su fflolen t
or aoeomppr'ted by too many thanderstorm a.
the queen I s a e re r blamed,
For thee# d e fic ie n c ie s
The c h ie f function o f the doctor i s to
e o -o p e rate w ith the queen in some o f the th in g s she cannot do* he
•Siwih'eW th e cause o f drought and d isco v ers which fo rc e s are hinder*
la g th e queen'# power from ta k in g e f f e c t; and* using h i# own
m edicines* h e a id e h e r in removing th e' , cause* end s v ttln g r i g h t
what i s wrong*
ih to r e s t l h g .
The r e la tio n between ra in -d o c to rs and the queen i s
They a re s p e c i a l i s t s in t h e i r a r t whloh th ey have
In h e r ite d from t h e i r f a th e r # ,at, . a re even consulted Independently
by o u ts id e t r lb e u .
Khishidwa, th e %ueen's own rain^dootcr* i s
'
o fte n g a lle d by hwamltwa, th e Shangana-Tonga C hief, in time of
drought and T shivulane* a Vends c h ie f, comes, no t to lo v a H ujajl*
h u t to gg.ll le v e a , a ra ln -d o o to r on a farm w ith in h e r ju ris d ic tio n *
in y payments they rec e iv e a re t h e i r own*
Yet th ese doctors thesis el
ee u n re serv e d ly s t a te t h a t in th e l a s t r e s o r t they are dependant
an th e queen; i f She sta y s t h e i r hands t h e i r powers w i l l a v a il then
nothing*
I t i s said* " i f th e c h ie f holds the r a in from f a l l i n g
th e d o c to r cannot oause ra in " {
. . . yuat e « .
,
hor &_a^KW
A rai=-d<,t,tor »«nt by the aueto to =.ak=
r a i n f o r & Vends c h ie f who cam* to leva* once in our presence
urged th e C hief c o u n c illo r " T e ll th e queen no t to h o ld my hands
(harp ** Khi atsw are awisda) * The r e la tio n s h ip i s somewhat simile*
* , t o . * ,rO T a m = e b=b>ee« th e qaeeh a lt, th e a b ce eto re, w «
m ,
jo e d i t i o n to the q u e en 's nigh t-h ad d man In s a in a o tiv tU e s
m „
o re c e r ta in le .e e * *at«-do= tore * «
m e sse n g e r . * e n o u ts id e t r i b e , l a m
* = W lo y s *c he*
*" m X i m m
a r s e s c r s i r i n g a su p p lia n t m ed icin e to ta k e ta c k s l t h Mm,
These
Wwwwdb s e a t
th * ***** *?#* #$%**** **
$ *,*** to
t
#** RO* # a * any aa& leia* o r dnaem to *** in t h e i r t& in-aaking*
[
1
I t &e OQnaider#* enough th a t they come fr* a her* *** t h e i r p a y * * a t;
i s th e #R t*rtstH #*B t they re c e iv e # t th* fo re ig a *e*rt+
The Bain sh aras .and t h e i r care*
S hat the *****
4 a w
to transform th e eM cde and th e exact
* a t* re h f th e o h je c te an4 a * d i* in ee
v i t h h e r e e rk a re
eMtod«&=d i» the greatest eeereoy. I t t« do-Atffl. whether anyeee
Other than the gaeen Kereelf is in jjoeeaealon of tMe oeoret for t t
to hoohd op with the t i t l e are p o w er to ooooeea to the throne, » «
*#cret* are alwaye imparted to the sudoeeaor just f&ief te the dee#
o f th e ohlef , and on occasion in Loiredu tr a d itio n a l h is to ry the
would-be usurper# t , whoa th e secrets had n o t been entrusted* has
h##n deposed in favour of the **hos*B+ h eir. Th# queen's vein
m edicines a re kept in rough e a rth e tn p o ts (mehago) in a p a r t of th e
Some of t h e i r power i s s a id
v i ll a g e to which few have a c c e s s .
to derive from a human skull la the fain pet ahd #*** *r* %****
Which are kept in a hut. When the*# rain horns (Ai,RmAC ,1&
oro , 10=04 on th= grooni, rain fallof * o n tkoy are hong o,, i t
elearo »p ahd 1= dry, The hedioine in the rain home 1. « i * . * « "
hom t, to proaoeo raoho «Moh rioee op in the a ir to draw and to
, , 04oce the 01.04,. Ih« toohhi4ue i . not unlihe
JAk
BeSioiee, which when hornt dram motomero to traders xM toots,
hooooiated with the rain c u t are the ssaaas. drome .the heating of
whloh i s former time, sm hollered to hring rain, hat the troe
„
em w n le e hare not heen held for * W t th irty years. W
rai* ea lt today i s largely oonflned to oh.es-r.ooee oosneoted wit
:: r
the liieea aad h er medloines or eharms (d lth o g a la ) ,
aae sh le f ia g red len t of the rain j o t , io the ekin of the
J
L
\
L
w s L j a t w iii
s M t f **& o f
fo a e s liie rB *%* *?* h * r olomeet
I t i*
t w t th * O, _h/b*a *@9T*2$l*a * f %*%»#*
*###, t&* g&6$#*9 wteTlnd %r@th#f* 1* 1935 *»* deei&nAd to
*%#& **#
t b io b o d y f o r h o b a d , th y o u g h o e t h i s l i f e * b*** t&&
#%**? to e b fi* ti* a ity *
m a e * a b ia f d i* * ,th * %*#? i* i * f t
f * r *oa* day* i n tb* b u t «o th a t* whe* i t 1* TJbb*& i* * o a rta to **y
*a
th e * k ia e a s ily a**** * * # '
Otba* in g re d ie s ts * r* f a t
Of t&* #e*ly » s t* a t* r (%baa&&), * fo y a l anim al *hleb she* #**& &&*
a la sy * to b» brought a liv o to th e ro y a l T itla * # . and p a rt* o f tb#
k*d* (tb o lo X
%be # e # n * a r a in doobr to ld *s th a t *a**B tlal
iag F # d i* * ts * e f# **a * a ta r becauoe i t foaa# *«& f r o th s (M pohdia) *
f* a tb * ra o f tb s lig b w lo * b ir d , a b ito and b lao k ,* * s h o lls , add
W io * * fo o t* and b a r * ,, o h ief among which i s th* St** Of tb * gh&&L
. * . - * •* •*
« ,.«
a t™
» a t e o ,,ta l™ “ *
^
« e 8 U = =,== t o i w r l t k l l n g -c o o lin g ' m oatotooa =md
f = , ty in g toe
of d=8d »e=Bl=, SiwtoCP « . . « « « . « « » « * »
ingredients, »= cannot say. yrcm time to time a »==« «-«=» «•=
•
1
C6 U
8
iille d to give strscgtli to the laeen's rain neiioinesf i t h»
> . m sh ed n i t h w ater which i . s « e r . « i » »= «= » *»*•
M t i t is said that s« h sheep 1, Bersly a present-day suhs^t
ter a h«an heing, asuaUy a child, whose hrains were need. » -
g
#
#
^
X
t
n
r
*14
a t th* fo o t o f a
th e e v a e r'a f a t h e r h@&
i
on th e Oggar slopao o f a h i l l T&af#
The ra la ^ ^ q te of th e q&aen #& have ^
h o t eeeh #%* e h a t r e e o la r moaguree eh* t*k*& ay# g o t h&ewn f o r
;
e e rta th # b&t alae* I t t * *al&* #h*n th e re are &0 0 &* rathe* th a t
th e queen has firm ly l a i d the foundations (ha thoa) o f th e year*
i t i s n o t u n lik e ly th a t she a lso s t i r s h e r B ed io in es.
G reat care has to he taken l e s t th e r a in p o ts ’weaken ’ iM _
£ ig g k g la )»They have te he gfesn (hu lumiswa, to cause to he b itte n )
th e f i r s t green foods (aiut sh at aha) every y e a r, k a ff Irwatermelos
flokw adsl)
n l t h o th e r green foods helhg heed f o r the pgrpos#,
and a t th e ro y a l v illa g e no one cook* and eat# th e n** eaamer
r e l i s h e s b efo re t h i s has been done.
On t h i s day possessed people
o r people who have e p ile p sy a ls o e a t medicine w ith th e f i r s t - f r u i t s
M t o rd in a ry people do n o t luma and th e re i s nothing o f th e pub­
l i c f e s t i v i t i e s of a se m i-Q illta ry o h a ra o te r a sso c ia te d w ith th e
e a tin g o f the f ir e t- g r u its a a o n g Swazi and galu*
I t i s very
im p o rtan t too th a t the f i r s t te rm ite s ( dinn^wa) * w hl^i eppear
u su a lly in December j u s t a f t e r th e f i r s t good r a i n s , should be
given to th e ra in -p o ts*
T erm ites are c lo s e ly a sso c ia te d w ith
ra in * th e y alw ays f l y o u t o f t h e i r n e s ts j u s t a f t e r th e r e in ; in
* dry y e a r th e re a re very few; and i t i s b e lie v e d th a t sp rln k lla g
th e antheap w ith r a in m edicine (gifago) makes th e a n ts corns in
g re a t numbers*
T erm ites f o r th e ra in ^ p o ts may n o t be g athered
b y m arried women o r g i r l s over pu b erty and in 193?» when some
;
young g i r l s c a rr ie d th e f i r s t te rm ite s t e the queen* she gave
th e te rm ite s to th e doge, re fu s in g to us* a n ts t h a t had th u s been
d e file d .
The g iv in g o f th e f i r s t te r m ite , to th e r a ln ,p o te - -
lw c a lle d b u lan e .
in i n te r e s ti n g ease s**M »*%
th is p r a c tic e
in Jan u ary , 1938, when
J
L
\
L
_J
II S'
*#fW a
in
area
tezm lte*
th$ talaa*
;
* 2 %&# b**&k &B #&qw4sor #** h e ld t y t&e d l g t r l s t head and. f a #
3*#* w@y* fin e d t%a apcwitat each*
|
They #*** to ld that* i f t h e i r #*&#!
had aea# %#fare th e geeen h e r g e lf , th ey would have had t@ pay m
head a f h a t tie *
Only the few euh-areae Hides' the immediate ju y ie -
A ia tian o f th # queea h e p g e lf tie** te rm ite e to th e guoen* in e th e r
,a re a s th e y send to t h e i r own head and th e re
##
i@
no r a l e th a t the
eh aald he given b e fo re athere*
^ 4 # ^ erm ventine r a i n and How they, a r e s e t rig h t*
The pewere o f th e queen to make r a in a re not aheolHte*
The
# n e o n tro l r a in only *1* agreement w ith h e r ahoeetor** who
# # able* i f tM y e ie h , to s ta y h e r hand jd e t as ahe here e l f 1*
a b le to s ta y th e han ds of rain -d o e tc rs*
Eende th ese wor ds in #
p ra y e r o f th e queen to th e anoeetore* "Do not hold my hands; leav e
me eo th a t when 1 work my charms (do my th in g s) r a in w i l l f a l l and:
p eo p le g e t
# i vove l a ntewer a maeohoi l e W tg h ,.
h u la * wrn vatho
m aveie;. There a re a l #
e e r t a i n th in g s t h a t , by causing th e r a i n sham e t o bsoeme'weak'
o r xhuma) . have power to stop the r a in u n ice s p ro p er
m easnres a re taken.
!
^
I t h as a lre a d y been who# hew h e a t i s a# # ssi# t
to d w ith i l l n e s s and th in g , being wrong.
%f »
^
bo m n a to d eath o r s tru c k by lig h tn in g * h* most be b u rie d i * a **ti
p la o s n e a r the r i v e r o r h i s grave 'e o d s d ' w ith s p e c ia l a e d ie ln e
^
o b ta in e d from th e c h i e f l o s t drought ensues* This was done even
in the e a se o f
a e th e r
b efo re h e r d eath
W e th e f i r e i n an e p ile p tic f i t and was s l i g h t l y b * m t,
j
%*
was b u rie d # s t in s id e th e v illa g e fa n e s b u t th e d W f i * t head
m a t to th e queen f o r c o o lin g (m l* )
o r * * * % * + " th e
^ b e a r e r s e rn e h # of th e w t he e n te re d w ith m fg g o M m and
r
“ 1
:y:-
1
r
....................................
W # & * f B badl * t$ * t * #**W & 4 tW &at*
W * # # ewogp#*
-
##**
:
3 w**ar#&
P
■
*99
y
i
h a l f f i l l e d i s J&ifeKO *a* *#&!* B p rih k ltd l a I t **d.
#& ids* gsmve, th e b o ra bein g l e f t then*,
i
l a a d d itio n to
th e a e #r@aa#ti@a# & a b ale le^& ta
'
&8& *a@a la e d le ( r i v e r graaa) * e re p lac ed a t tb* bee* *ad f* * t 4 f
th e sa rp a* to keep I t e o o l.
'
tfc m m
'
mm
m .
9l&oe& 18 th e
!-.y:
:'
# a a a l l snws flo la h M th e r e s t o f th e contest# o f # * hom $#*&
-.yv
B
" y
,
r e s t io g @a t h e t r %qr te W
*a8 th e toAy
th » #%*?#
'-9%
"
3@t& * B # * 9 * w ^qh
8 i * ll * f l y a b o rtio n s o r m iso arriag o st
dying in prcgtiancy o r c h ild b ir th , tw ins k i l l e d a t b irth *
b&b&ee dying b e fo re c u ttin g t h e i r t e e th o r c u ttin g tb s upper
t e e t h b efo re th e loner* i n i t i a t e s dying in th e o ir e m u is ie n 1*4**:
#11 m ust be b u rie d l a a wet plao**
,
B u ria l in a '* * t p la c e ' a u n t
n o t be taken t o , l i t e r a l l y .
The # * ? * should be dug ne&r th*
r l f e r and i t i s made deep
o rd er to rea ch wet so il*
But i*
■
on# b u r ia l we w itnessed no wet s o i l waa reached though th e hole
dug was sh o u ld e r deep.
" M ly
■::
co o l p la c e ead th ey s a id i* s* m * r
***1* ** * **' ^ ******
* r* b u rle d too n e a r th e w ater they a re l i a b l e to be washed o u t in
;v
o
m m : :::i
I t w as, however n e ar th e r i v e r , 1% *
th e sunmer flo o d s ,
S in c e a n
;
e le o trlo e l . t o n o t t n « » • l l t t w
or “
:
i t to b e lie v e d t h a t 's e n t ie S ' I t t f r t s lo * «® 15111 6 n e ’B
J#5#3
a « n «
p r a c t is e o f o l t e h e ^ w o U . t o e eeu o try W p r e v e e tto s
» i h . Senee a t a t r i b a l s a to e r ib g ( W l U t ) . M « ^
O f 1937- 8 , t o , p e o p le « «
-
-*
:
tt a
rI
t o ld n o o s o th e r tt* = g . t h a t to e
*
' i
O hi«r d o ,a h o t n o t t o s e e U W t o l h g o f p e o p le - ( a s opposed
to o a t e r a l l l g h t o l o g h «oy d l . t r t e t head h e e r io s o f aoythioB
U t e t o t s » o = S h i e p o o p ls va« to r e p o r t a t once to th e
A :8 e sM „ pheooaeooo »
tim e o f d r o o # t i s th e b a o k lm op o f
j
yy
X
}
•XX'
L
*
:: y-fy
n— — rr>n?lfi~irri>fli—
mA
'in
&*K*y r&ln d L # # * v i m a # th a jpreai** @f & aoaking * a is o a ly W
t * dlB garsad by v ln d ,
aay th iv g & e*oslat*d w ith v isa * i * t&a*
m * # d b t to $?***#& *%&&» 3&at I s m y
- l it e r a l ly ’d is p s rs e r o f
m .su ? u a
in #
by h&agiag W #G& 9&
cloads* (Aapara-gds
■»
©$ @# ordinary "brooiu 09 * branob where i t w i l l sway ia the air*
&m ai*p#r*e # * oloud*; a&* aayaae dying of & coughing di#e**o
fH3 nh an dere #r eoasmaption aaoni be "burieil in wot soil dr Soil that
haa bsen #rlm klei with. Mufago modlolae* if abortions or psopie
dying of a coughing disease are buried without these precautions
ths gr&ve is called pamidi (from hu pukul& whloh perhape 1* th*
opposite of hu fuea, to blow upon a cool breeze* to sprinkle with
cooling aedlein*)* PckAdi eontalnB the conoeption of wind lamaing
upwards or hot a ir qulrsring aboT* a heated surface. A* <*09* ** 1*
vapour-laden a ir reaches the grays * i t stops or diesclT** in the
Trial and i t Is even conceived that the corpse, thrusting aO *%*»
***** i t about to cause the wind that drives sway the ra in .
Bo* dangerous wind 1* cen»ld*f*d to be in W ttin g a t nought
th e e f f o r t s o f th e queen *as w e ll i l l u s t r a t e d on M e m b er iS th *
1937.
on t h a t dear a f t e r p ro p itio u s b lao k clouds had been Ms*****;
by a 8*1. t h a t l i f t e d th e th a tc h o f f many a h u t, i t *&* proclaim #*
t h a t th e fo llo w in g day bad to be a holiday*
People sa id
^
l * i ( i t i s a 'tu r n in g b a o k 'b .fo fe th e g o a l h a , been rea ch e d ), * *
-
ye w ere to ld t h a t in th e o ld day* **H o f importance ise d t .
r
8*
s a c * 9 * 4 0 1 # w ith (%&_«*«&&) th e c h ie f on #**& *
** * * * #
t* sym pathise w ith h e r in th e f r u s t r a t i o n * f h e r e f f o r t s , S b e r,
2— rrrr.=:rSs
4 0 SB.
»„} «
sach * tollW 1= oallsi ifc P4-
if m
(
« * « n « » • * * « * *M U * • 1,0 “ ’ *♦ ‘U sU M 8
&#iag
a# by tW h e g is g *
h o lid a y i* a ls o ob^arved
'
a fte a r th e z&ia oh&a** hav# ^h i t t e n ' th e a** tez aiW * end. f ir a t- ,
A m i t t o f th e y#*%?
j;';
*aa *h*B* &ay %i*e d o riag th e aamwf* r a i a
A#&1* a f t e r two Of th re e mask# d ro u g h t, i t i a o a lle d aoene (g h e tt
ear stra n g e r)
w ad
th e nex t day observed a s a h o lid a y , f o r one
&0 8 **r# * g a e a t,
%rong b u r i a l s which e ta # th e r a in a re rig h te d by th e da* o f
aufago m edicine and th e w ater obtained by squeezing the undigested
stomach c o n te n ts (muswane) of a sheep dorwn a hole made in the
g ray s w ith s stic k ; and reaching tb.e body # Shi a i s thought to dis*»
p a rse th e ‘wind* and cool th e grav e6 th e conception i s thus o f
a grave a g ita te d by g h o stly h e a l and aln d , which may b e 'la id ^ by
fooO lingf * r , as we might sa y , calm ing in the tr e b l e sens* o f
p a o ify ia g (th e g h o st)^ m o llify in g (th e h e a t) and causing (th e *l*d)
to subB lde. The f le s h o f th e sheep i s eaten w ithout s a lt*
t h e m edicine so Im portant in the removal o f impedimente to r#t%*
h a s t o be o b ta in e d from the queen and a s p e c ia lly appointed p w
*cm i s re s p o n s ib le f o r d o lin g i t out in b o ttle * when needsdt
The o f f i c e i s n o t conceived to be h e re d ita r y , b a t i t ha*
& *#:
b y & tS a d ig s fam ily f o r some time* b ein g banded by f a th e r to «*8.
m en th e l a * t o f f i c i a l in charge o f g i f s a a *19*' &*=
*** **
unm arried man to o young f o r th e r e s p o n s ib ility o f o ffic e *
Seme
f i v e y e s ra ^ t a r (1938), when th e queen decided t h a t he should
assume charge, be p re te s t* * h i* youth though b* the* had two
d d ild re n , f e a f ia g
a f t e r c o n ta c t w ith th e m edicine h*
f o r g e t tv wash b i s hands b e fo re e a tin g and th o s ba rendered
impotent. I* tbl* be bad tbs fu ll
of b is ***&*? * *
prevailed up** the queen to all** »* ^Idcr relative provisionally
to undertebe th e work* b u t th e p re s e n t p o s itio n i* t h a t , snoold
-
m
th e h*iT to th e o f f lo e v i l l haT* ta & e t*
:
Vhethay mufugo 1* i a e a t l e a l * i t h th e r a i n *$dioin* * f th e *&ta ?*** I
i * *&t g a it*
*b*t#T@r i t * iBgreai**t& may
**8#ld*r*&
i$ 1*
dmageeaast l i a b l e to rob a a a $a& **%*& * f
tW L r f e r t i l i t y *o& g r e e t ear* i e th e e aeeeeeery rh ea eepBing * l th
it*
gom atiaea i t l a e a ia t h a t the 'c o u n try i a a o t r i g h t ' (&qhf #
e lo r e ) aa& th e n th e re i e a e p e o ia l ceremony in e h leh a l l th e f i r e *
$m th e e e a n try ***
o u t vith_m ufugo.
%> g e n erally reeogn isea
aet g,f o lro ja a ta n c e e le a d up to sueh a lin e of ao tio n n o r i s th e re
any Id e a t h a t th e f i r e * a re d e file d l a any way.
I t i s sin g ly look**
span a* a method o f g e ttin g r a i n when th e re i s drought* re s o rte d
to ekee th e d iT in in g bone* o f th e d o c to r d eclare i t to be n ecessary ,
P eople aomettmee say* * flre a a re pu t o u t to a sb e r in a new y e a r'*
b iit t h i s does not mean th a t p u ttin g o u t th e f i r e s i s an
ceremony* a s i t i s f o r in sta n c e smcng th e P e d l.
w anum *
The word 'y e a r '
a a a t n o t be taken l i t e r a l l y , J * s t a s i t does n o t r e f e r to an a b stra e
p rie d o f tim e in th e phrase 't h e y ear h as been in fe c te d by &sJkkgg*%
when what l a meant i s t h a t th e r a in charms bare 'weakened' ( k U d m s
in t h i s ceremony 8 * ie * d*r puberty a re se n t to draw w ater f o r th e
igufwno which th e queen'* r a i n doctor prepare* f o r th e **ea*iO» ***
a f t e r a day o r two when th e m ediolns fro th * up (hu_p u k u W ,
*?*
s * * t w ith a horn o f mufugo and a b rash o f g s a d l *?««»«*
to s re ry Y i l ls g , in th e land*
f i r s t th ey b e a t medlcin*
** th e f i r e o f tb s m en's c o u rty a rd and th e r e a f te r on tb s th resh o ld
and h e a rth o f every h a t .
She ashes a re C leared away by an M l
we***, f o r *» dangerous 1* th e m edicine used t h a t any man, woman
o r c h ild C htcrihg th e h u t h e lc T , i t hac hccc accarcd w ith d » « w i l l
W ™ a h le to h a re c h i l d , , 0 .
A -«
« « * l * kiD“ e* t a ^
'3 0
*$n*#
f # t 9 h*a * t r a o i & r h e r Sim h a t,
f o r I t 1* t*&e# t* klB dly * f i r * fra * any o th e r.
I* * et* m f o r h # :
fire'br£md eaoh. eomwe girme th e men stamped m ealies or groandauts
*&i*b th ey e a t 1* th e ^ o r s .
j
v
3bah m arried ma* i a ta r n a s * t *lT*
SOsethiag: to the hoy# #ho h a re 'brought aufago t dsti&iiy a s h i l li n g
a ? * f o # l (IB th * ol& 6*9* w
*? aealio@)& h a t o ft*# al**
tobacco o r o th e r g i f t* fo r» a s *0&fag& doe* no t okeaa** ( m S S #
^ o k hethe) anything may b* given*
Baeh boy mn*t g it* * s h i l li n g
o r fow l to th e keeper o f mufugo* keeping th e r e s t a s a reward f u r
his
lab o u rs*
]ggfago*
i t 1* taboo to work in th e f i e l d s on th e day a f t e r
In 1927 some boys, too l* sy to fe tc h th e m edicine, took
m a tte rs in to t h e i r sen hand* and made * m ixture o f ash and w ater,
which they used in t h e i r ro u n d s.
They were discovered and made to
pay fiw e bead Of c a t t l e each and the ceremony had to be performed
9hen th e d iv in in g bones diagnoo* drought a s du* to ancestors*
s te p s have to be taken f o r a s a c r i f i c e a t an a n c e s tr a l grave* .any
on* o f th e d o s e r e l a t i v e s o f th e qaeen can c sss e drought* sometime
i t i , to e eu ,e a ’= Bother, le a k h a li, » « i= d a t Baada, soniettoee i t
19 Kagodo'a B ister Hurled a t m d z to ea l, i s 1928-6 I t W »uWgmae,
the queen', te o to e r , to e eemplained that he sae burled to t t e Ctol.
‘ ion emeter% Instead e f In t o . shade o f toe f e r e .t .
A s a e r lfie e
fo r r a in *111 take p la c e pnly a fte r i t has h e c e « clear th a t, in
;
:
s p ite o f ste p s taken to 12ffi to e queen by means o f aoney or dtooing
t o . f a i l e by her ordinary method, to cause the rain to f a l l .
danoary, M » « * h o t and d ry,
10TO b u t no r a in f e l l .
S e « r s l headmen had been to
Im portant d l e t e i o t h e a d , and c o u n c illo r ,
t o w began t o t » « l a b o u t, h a v in g th e b o n e, torow n 'to d is c o w r
t o e o a c e ^ i l e to o queen * r o e l f m oo s e n t - e e s o n g e r , to to r to u s
dlTkna***
re p ly oaa*, "Seek ye & b le a k
g*
i
y# if ith I t %a #m@* yowr dare f a r th e s p i r i t * sad y# e h a ll **# th a t r
I t *111 r a i n s le e iy t*
A* 1$ *a o fte n th e caea, no Ind lcatlO h ***
glYon @f th e os@#e o f t h e i r eom pieint; th e suggestion a s to the
praetM & l rneaa#** to be take* and th e id e n tity o f th e troublesome
s p i r i t * s e r e * u lte e o ffie ie n t*
The O hief, hoeerar* remained 1*-
a c tlT e i i t was n o t f o r h e r to tak e the i n i t i a t i v e t i l l h e r people
huWbly begg&i h e r to do eo.
On the 11th February th re e o f th e
s o s t im portant men a t th e c a p ita l approached h e r, sa y in g ,*People
a rs c ry in g . Help u s.' Thereupon she im p a tie n tly re p lie d ,'P e o p le
t i r e me.
The y e a r was w e ll e s ta b lis h e d b u t they h a re weakened*
fhtt f ig a h e la ) i t .
They want me to be tr o u b le d '. (m th o va la p l s a
T&Mdui a ** o t h e i l e c a v o v a w v a l* ea o flK P f jij s*
hnrm me
nfchi thanolW a Re^yatho) * She implied, t h a t she had
safeguarded th e y e a r b u t th a t the people themself** by breaking
r a l # tab o o s and by t h e i r e v il works and w itc h c ra ft bad undermined,
t h a t sa feg u ard .
When th e o o u n o illo rs continued p lea d in g , she
re le n te d sad s a id , *?ind me a b la c k sheep w ithout blem ish (colour)*
The f i r s t m essenger th ey se n t re tu rn e d w ith o u t success b u t two
-
o th e rs were despatched to scour th e country and on th e 17th one
was found,
Bbeshldwa, th e r a in d o c to r, was now c a lle d .
p asse d b u t he d id n o t come.
Four days
;
Then th e q u .e n , angry a t the d e la y ,
suggested t h a t she proceed With th e Ceremony a lo n e . But t h i s th e
c o u n c illo rs would s o t h e a r o f , 'You a lg b t d e v ia te fro * the procedure
th e bones in d ic a te to b e e s s e n tia l,* th ey s a id , on th e f i f t h day,
however, Zklsbidwa a rived, ex p la in in g h i s delay a s due to a l l * *
* a a io tn « s he had to f in d and a t dawn on tb*
2
Srd February th e
cereaony took place*
A calabash:------------------------------
"
"
^
~
'
-eatiSadLnfcng w it'im was plaeed in a ’b asket for th e eltief' wife of
j
th e <yieen, s b r o th e r to s a r r y $md a p ree ee ste n o f most # f the 'in*
matss of the royal Tillage set oat with the sheep, They stopped
:
f i r s t a t a oxsmp o f trees n e ar the T illa g e where l i e s Hoyaradupl,
a female relative by marriage to the quean on the mother's
brother's side*
Then the gosen ordered her chief ooonolllor as
direst representative of the mother's brother's side to begin*
he uncorked th e c ala b a sh and poured some o f i t s c o n ten ts over the
grave* saying* *Stop f o r us th ese winds and tr ib u la tio n s th a t i t
may r a i n n ic e ly *
They say i t i s you people whose murmurings a re
impeding th e r a i n (Re re r e thibelane dInhere je l e ,m
atMh&
_kM
l&
e ae ea vnva, Ba re ge v o lenM l e r e r pho he b u la e a h ia ,.M.) « Si®
younger s i s t e r n e s t took th e calabash* praying in alm ost identical
words* follow ed by th e queen h e r s e lf who said* 'Aye* we say* atop
for u* a l l th e s e nukudi (winds from wrong b u r ia ls ) t h a t ra in may
f a l l and people fin d c o r n '.
fhu lo s h a )
The people now r e s p e c tf u lly g ree ted
.re p e a tin g th e p r a is e o f Mdhale* th e k ing of o ld , and
d u rin g the t r i l l i n g s th a t follow ed th e ra in d o cto r s a id , 'The
fro g s do no t cry* S ir e , I do not h e ar them'* he may have meant
t h a t i t was so dry t h a t even th e fro g s were s i l e n t , b u t we do n o t
know f o r c e rta in *
th e process!oh now processed to S'aslwi, t .e saored grove
where e re h u rle d M a h ers o f the ro y a l fam ily end th e two l a s t
td M M ,
At th e grave o f HatheHm, m o th er's b ro th e r to the ddeen
and f a t h e r o f th e c h ie f c o u n c illo r, they a l l s a t down while th e
same procedure was gone through as a t the o th e r g rav e .
*0= “
was the q u een 's tu rn to p ray , she took a - a l l horn wrapped UP in
rag e and planed i t on the g rav e.
Then, pouring from the calab ash ,
she pray ed , 'So not continue to hold my arms, lea v e w to do w
r
#€S
th in g s , t h a t r a i n may f a l l and people h a re dorn* f e l l one another^'
t e l l every s in g le on*, a ls o th e o ld eoman (meaning le a k h a li, h e r
mother)» and Majaji, *haok@t*r in th e hut** who ’e a s ts away seme
and sh a re s o th e rs w ith th e v u ltu re s (M ujajl 1 ) , So not continue
l e a f in g us to he bmrnt "by the sun*
As f o r onr h ealth # we are
reasonably w ell# we a re m erely troubled by th e poverty you have
l e f t u s ’ * (Ig Khi wove la a t smarm aadzoho la letshe re re ge_ dl#&
sw ilo gweeu bula e ne watho wa khumsne._mawwle *-
e?isa_WtA
^ 2* pn&haeula 1* Kuia.H mushswa n#eni* Muja.il wamv* va l*%a.10888*
O
o h a b e l a m a n o n i. l e k h i w oye l a
le tsh a re
KhT awa
le la .ii . He.
e' e h a ohela nvana r e we r e kha no hhela, r e dio tswggya Re..%%n&_—
th s iu I s r s aigd^ho, yona) . She poured out a l l th e m jfugo, t im i n g
th e calabash upside down b esid e th e horn, while th e assembled
company did obeisagos and ululated.
shinned and small pieces#
placed In an earthen bowl
away, began squeezing t e
from the more solid p a rt*
The sheep was slaughtered and
cut from various parte of the body# were
while the doctor, sittin g some distance
stomach contents to separate the liquid ^
Shew he had finished# the c h ie f C ouncil^
ibis s is te r and the queen placed the meat on the eraT# tellin g t*e
Gods
approach (bn sums) you with th is sheep’* Tb* solid stoma^
contents were placed os the grave# the assembled people greeted
and trille d as before, the queen took away her l i t t l e horn from the
grave, and they a ll departed, carrying the sheep to an open spot
some distance from the grave. Her* they kindled a large fir*
began cooking the meat in two large pots* one containing th* inter­
'
i
nal organ, (8*1*) *»* head which, on th is owas!**, are not to b .
eaten by women *f childbearing *84* *ormally ea&S
& slaughter**
animal *r* the portion par.
^ ^ ***«*'
meat was cooking th* d**tor took a potsherd containing the 'water'
.1
.u
\
L
J
ef.th#
h is me&Wisa hmga #ad & gtiak »f hhs#
g**ep*r» &n6 ^*9#*e&ed &loqe t» the
It i* earmieed that h*
: ■., :'
W a t h a re made a h o le In th e grave to p o ir doen th e e a te r an&
Beanwhile th e eleed* t h a t had te e n i n th e e*y a t dawn h*a
thiokti-n@d and# w hile the p o ts were s t i l l cooking* r a in f e l l and
ex tln g u ieh ed th e f i r e s which had to he rekindled*
The meat *a*
eatfs- e» th e spot hy a l l p re s e n t and j u s t b efo re they a l l dep arted
;
th e banes were c o lle c te d , wrapped l a th e skin sad planed on th e
8r*Ts*
B r ie r to t h i s , however, th e do cto r had spoken s e rio u s ly to
th e c o u n c illo rs to approach th e c h ie f about th e gukudi. ia the
v a lle y below where a woman who had. d ie d i n c h ild b irth had been
b u rle d 'I n th e open* w ithout mufugo.
Ten days l a t e r th e doctor
was c a lle d to s e t th e m atter r i g h t .
T his s a c r i f i c e i s exceedingly ra re b u t i t w e ll i l l u s t r a t e *
th e s i g n if ic a n t and usual in te rm in g lin g o f r e lig io u s w ith what no
would c a l l p u re ly m agical r i t e s .
Thus, a s th e p ray e r i s offered*
i t i s r a i n medicine# which works by m agic, n o t bi e r , the food o f
th e gods# t h a t i s poured.
The ro y a l grave i s t r e a t e d , n o t to
p r o p i t i a t e th e gods, but to c o n stra in them, t o keep them c o o l, so
t h a t th e y w ill be unable to sto p th e r a i n . The eheep i* an o fferin g \
t o tb# god*, a ta n g ib le in d io a tia n t h a t men s t i l l 'O ar* far* t h e i r
a n c e s to rs , b u t th e use of th e stomach c o n te n ts on the grave f a l l s
in to th e m agical p a tt e r n .
Another p o in t worth m entioning i s t h a t
th e queen was o nly one o f s e v e ra l o f f lc la to ra * e?*a h e r d iv in ity
does n o t give h e r precedence over th e n e a r e s t liv in g descendant*
in approaching th e com plaining s p i r i ts *
,thS
I t h as been shown t h a t th e re i s a g re a t v a r ie ty of ste p s
:
t&a* ##a W Wta*
peeaura ralet
# * # 1# Dellef&d to W @*#1%* t&* # * # # $ *
Aepta&ts* ap@%
I f tb*
-
1# iW u g b i %B4p4Q@lbl4)aa4 t h i s l a u su a lly believed, to b*
# # #*&* I s th * f l f * t inatanoe# then b a r a u b je ats v l l l I w a b a r
w ith g i f t e o r d«#cae to e x a lt# h e r p i t y anil to ple&a# b a r .
If
th e r e haY# been wrong b ar W e a n i r a i n taboo a have bean broken,
th e s e M a t be rlg b te lg M i l # I f the tro a b l# aamaa from th e enaetM
t a r e , th ey m eet b# p la e a te d .
gamatimee on# fin h a a oombln*ktlan
##*$#*#. b a t e lv a y e i t i s th e d iv in in g bona# vhiah daolde what
s te p s a re to be tak en ,
f h e re a re r a i n r i t e s th ro sg h o at the a ear*
son* f o r n o t only may th a r# b y good r a in in one a re a and n o t in
a n o th er * b u t an inopportune p erio d of drought in th e b e a t of
saasons may have d ra a tio e f f e c ts on th e cro p s.
As an in d ic a tio n
o f th e type of a c tio n in connection w ith th e ra in c u l t i s any one
seaso n , th e f o lio sin g has been taken from our d iary f o r th e season
1957-9* by no means a very bfid y e a r, b u t one i n which th e rain fb & l
was below th e average *~
I g t h ITovcmbsr
1^59
A r a in d o c to r s e n t to make r a in a t litim kclu, a,
p e tty Shangana-Tonga Chief to the n o rth who had
se n t m essengers to le v a a few days before*
1 4 th Hovember
A thunderstorm , w ith very l i t t l e r a i n b e t a very
stro n g wind, broke in t e afternoon*
1 9 th November
h o lid a y cbserved to tu rn back th e r a in which had
been s c a tte re d by th e wind*
3 5 ya
BoTember
Rain f e l l w ith much lig h tn in g which s tru c k a t
Ehicbene;, one of th e d i s t r ic t s *
26 t h hoveztber
There was a thunderstorm in M l oh lig h tn in g s tru c k
a t W4@Wma%*&*, * a su b -a rea o f th e c a p ita l*
The p lac e was tr e a te d w ith m edicine and in th e
r
^ -
.
]
icaiz
mrabih* a a f t r a j ^ f e l l b u t a o t o h e u # f o r Fleug&r
iw .
# * m aadB ef
B e e l s o t - m » t n f e l l t i l l ttte 3 r a ,
4 # B eg aaW
##& *# b@8Sht
9t& S aom bee
F i r s t l e m i t a a brought h u t given to doge a* o a r r i e i
■
K-:.
£
by g i r l* over puberty*
-
:
F lr a t te rm ite * giv es to r a in obarm**
.
-
:
mm
18tb DeaWBer
Snliaay*
J*a#ary*193$
? e rlo a o f d ro u g h t.
#ae& Jggwary
MoKUpl* an im portant woman d i s t r i c t bead, came to
•-v-V
v£:
apeak to the queen a s th e re bad been no ra in fo r
th r e e week*,
th e sun b e a t down f i e r e e i y and th e
erope ware beginning to s h riv e l up.
■
25rd January
-1 1 th February
.
S everal o th e r d i s t r i c t heads came to leva w ith
money*
People were c o n su ltin g d o cto rs about th e
drought.
11th February
/i.;,
Bones d eclared a s a c r i f i c e necessary*
.
-
G ouneillora approached queen and messenger sen t
si
fo r a b la c k sheep*
17th February
Xbeehidwa, the r a i n d o c to r c alled *
19th February
D i s t r i c t head a t Muduveni (se v e ra l farm* b u t an
old a re a o f tr ib e ) came w ith 41,10 to low s.
S2ad February
S a c rific e a t Kaolwi,
much,
Mmm:
:
,
-
m
.
v:
Some r a in f e l l b u t n o t very
ls t .4 tk * a r G b
L egobathele dance f o r r a i n by th e Shavolo,
Bad Xaroh
Kheshldwa c a lle d to put r i g h t a grave*
' '• .1:
•
Tht* don*
Oh th e 4th*
? th b a r oh
s r ' ^
-'ii:. ■
le v a g a , a, d i a t r i d t head from th e n o rth , came to
le v a w ith as*
2B& A p ril
Bain f e l l *
U
''S':
a #
\
L
J
Ifv
With th e eoltlY A tl** a f W * # *****
am *
a re r e le v a n t to e®?- p r e i e a t auhj eet*
Among: th e lo v e da t h i s crop
■
S* n e t # s a t* & # t & l th e m e a lie s, a m a g whloh I t grave# a r e a fo o t
high* h h t t h i s 1# regarded a s a p r a e tld a l meaehre to p rev e n t Ih ja ry
to th e toealiesjrath er than ae d ic ta te d hy th e b e l i e f , firm ly rooted,
and n t i l l p a t in to p r a c tic e by tr ib e e to the so u th and eouth^east
Vuloiredn, t h a t njugo beans p la n te d to* e a rly Impede the rain *
©aly some ineedU
#0
Sew ** have t h i s b e l i e f and no one* as f a r ae
know, a o ts upon i t ; n o r do th e lovedu p u l l up th e young p lan t*
when th e re i s no amain* whioh th e phalavorwa do, sue one loved* awar
g ested
t
because th e beans look l i k e h a il s ton ea.
The loveda also
any* b u t again as i f i t were a fo re ig n oonoeption, t h a t n* njugo
beans should be p lan ted during th e year follow ing th e death o f a
ebi#f*
su
The a s s o c ia tio n o f ra in and njugo beam* seems to belong; to
c u ltu r e complex coming from th e so u th .
The in s is te n c e nowadays i s upon studying culture change ss
i f i t were a phenomenon important only in i t s r e la tio n to European
c o n ta cts, b u t th e re has always been and there s t i l l i s culture
Change o f a d i f f e r e n t and* a s f a r a* th e lovedu a r e coB@erned*mdra
v i t * l n ature*
%ren in th e r a in e u l t th e re have been change**
%
th e re ig n o f m j a j l 11 when the f a th e r c f KheShidwa succeeded
raln-m aker, he i n s t i t u t e d &u r un&, a new ceremony Of
modi e a tin g a l l hoe* w ith fnu^um b efo re the hoeing o f the *a**n"#
f i e l d Of e le u s in e , a p r a c tic e which has fallen , in to d isu se With
th * re c e n t abandonment o f th e qu een 's h i l l s i d e f i e l d fo r one in
th e v a lle y which can be ploughed*
fhe b reaking o f taboos i s n o t
a e o e s s a r lly a r e f l e c t io n o f the breakdown and deoey o f custom,
indeed* th e tech n iq u e * f the m ln c u lt was based on the assum ption
t h a t taboos # r * broken*
188
'%***#&** &c*0 * a t f t * d ro ag a t and th e e e u a ttrv a A lia s e ffis s o y
* f th * #**% *, * * * * * * * *x*laia* h * f re p u ta tio n *a& th« *oafid**e*
BM iplehaYe i n her*
Wrong h a r la l# a r* *n**n to prev en t r a t a
h at* alnoe p*opl* t r y to avoid tb* unpleasant p u b lic ity involved
i a g e ttin g mufuKQ f o r th e b u r i a l * f , e*y, *& a b o rtio n o r i s
bsrylng i t 1* a * * t pi**** tb*a* wroBS b a ria l* *r* *1**?* W A**
place*
Hait& er S « o p « » c o n ta c t nor C h r is tia n ity has euooiedei in
w s a k in s
& «m
th e i ^ i i o i t b e lie f o f every BM ten o f the t r ib e
in the yoeer o f the queen to make r a in ,
f r e e , no C h ris tia n ,
ta k e p a rt in ceremonies fo r ra in and some do not b e liev e th a t
Wch th in g s M erong b u r ia ls e f f e c t r a i n f a l l , b a t they harmonise
th e nee w ith the old f a i t h by the r a tio n a lis a tio n t h a t th e queen
mekee r a i n w ith th e h e lp o f God, fo r they have a l l seen and can
C ite c o rro b o ra tiv e evidence fo r th e powers o f the queen.
Ih at
th e queen h o r s . l f i s honeet and genuinely b e lie v e s n o t only in
h e r powers b u t a lso in th e o u tsid e in flu e n c e s th a t prevent h e r
from ach iev in g euooese.cen be seen in th e re p ly e h . gave to the
meeeengers who oeme on the 19th Pebruery, 1938, w ith * . » . from
a one-tim e d i s t r i c t head in h e r kingdom to beg f o r r a in ,
'<*»,
eh , s a id , .and t e l l th e m aster o f MuddveCni th a t »
h o t th in g s W ill j u s t n o t come r i g h t '
■■..0. - 0, r e . r e
L
(arrengem ente were be ng
fo r . - b r i f l o . to the a n o e .to r, fo r r e in ) ,
howovaf, *** kept*
m. _ ^ e
CgAPTER J&.
yrTGHGRAPT ABB SC8CEK%
V u ls i. a s th e Lovedu use the word, com prises both w itch­
c r a f t a iS s o rc e ry , but th e d i s t in c t io n between them , as accepted
by many modern e th n o g rap h ical w r i t e r s , div erg es co n sid erab ly from
th e d i s t in c t io n s nade by th e Lovedu.
I n o rd e r, th e r e fo re , t*
p re s e rv e Lovedu conceptions and term inology, i t i s n e ce ssa ry ,
f i r s t l y | to use a s in g le word, namely w itc h c ra ft
and
se co n d ly , to d is tin g u is h n ig h t w itc h c ra ft (im la l
and
day w itc h c r a f t (v u l^ l w a m a tsia re ) . V u lo i i s d is tin g u is h e d from
o th e r form s of what we should c a l l m agic, n o t so much by th e
methods employed, though some o f them a r e confined t o w itc h e s, *A
by i n t e n t and r e s u l t s .
V U lal i s a n ti - s o c i a l ;
i t i s i l l e g a l and
flint# a t harming people from m otives o f je a lo u s y , revenge $ f r u s t r a ­
t io n or anger*
Though w itches a re b e liev e d to have a hind o f
compulsion t o do e v i l -
t h e i r f in g e r s i t c h to bew itch - th e y a re
nev er unconscious of t h e i r own e v i l deede and powers, a s had been
re p o rte d by Junod f o r Shangana-Tonga and S ta y t f o r th e Venda.
The w itch knows h is own powers and uses them to o b ta in h is own ends
Knowledge o f w itc h c ra ft does n o t in e v ita b ly involve i t s p r a c tic e ;
th e c h ild o f a w itch may re fu s e to k i l l people While oelng hi*
pewera t o in c re a s e h i s c ro p , and i t i s even p o s s ib le f o r * w itch
t o p r o te c t someone h e lik e s a g a in s t th e m achinations o f o th ers
th e r e a r e Im portant d i s t i n e t io n s betw een n ig h t-w lto h e s
or n ig h t w it c h c r a f t on th e one hand and day-w itches o r day
witchcraft on the other*
the nlght-witch i* a bom' witch)
ta u g h t i n e a r l y In fa n cy by M s m other.
n ig h t b u t eon a l s o work by d a y .
Be works c h i e f l y by
She d a y -w itc h i s any ordinary
in d iv id u a l who) by means o f medicine o b tain ed from some doctor
o r w itc h , t r i e s to k i l l h i s en em ies.
He has no knowledge o f
w itc h c r a ft beyond th e m ed icin e o b ta in e d f o r some d e f i n i t e end.
There i s a c e r t a in amount o f vagu en ess about th e d i s t in c t io n
between day and n ig h t w itc h e s , and i n p r a c tic e When anyone i s
accu sed o f w it c h c r a f t th e r e i s n ev er any in q u ir y in t o w hich ty p e
o f w it c h c r a f t has been u se d .
N e v e r th e le s s th e d i s t i n c t i o n i s
e s s e n t i a l f o r an u n d erstan d in g of Love do. w itc h c r a ft*
WTGET WITCHES.
The n lg h t-w itc h i s a b le d i r e c t l y and w ith o u t the a id o f
any m edicin e to e f f e c t h i s e v i l purposes*
through th e s m a lle s t c r e v i c e .
He can e n te r a but
But M s absence from home w i l l
n e v e r be m issed been use lie w i l l throw h ie slum bering ooagpaMone
in t o a deep s le e p
o r even le a v e a hyena in M s own image |
bu t
th@ s o u l i s n ev er s e n t o u t t o do th e work a s among th e Amende,
I h e n one w akes up from a dream in a sw eat o r f r i g h t , i t i s a
s i g n t h a t n ig a t-w itc b e s a r e near and in c o n su lta tio n s w ith
d o c to r s such symptoms a r e o ft e n d e sc r ib e d by p a t ie n t s a s v ery
r e le v a n t t o t h e d ia g n o s is o f t h e i r i l l n e s s »
K igh t-w itch.es
a r e n o t O ften se e n by p e o p le bu t th e r e i s c e r t a in m edicine
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which can be pat In the village fence to keep a night-witeh rooted
$o the spot! unable to move t i l l you come and find him* Am soon
as he is addressed he w ill scurry away.
IhedinM to ld as hw
ena n ig h t when s le e p in g alone on th e s i t * of a new v illa g e he was
bttildingf he f e lt somath in g sliding along his body. He jumped
up and saw a naked, woman. But immediately he had said “You want
t& k i l l # * , do you?* She went away.
Those who have seen w itches
always d e sc rib e them a s naked* perhaps because people always sle e p
naked wrapped in their blankets«
The most effective way of
keeping w itch es a t bay i s the p la c in g o f medicine (d lP h n W round
th e v illa g e fen ce which e ith e r makes them f o r g e t t h e i r errand o r
makes th e village appear l ik e water o r a forest*
a ig b t-w itc h e s cause a l l manner o f i ll n e s s i n ways unknown
to o rd in a ry p eo p le.
They may pour b lood over you, th en n e x t day
you a r e i l l ; your blood i s not r i g h t and soon you d i e .
They may
out o f f portion o f your body to insert m illet or sand which causes
intense p a in . If your bones ache and you fe e l t i r e d without
knowing why, i t may be that a night-witch has made you hoe in his
garden a ll night or beaten you a ll over your body w ith sticks.
Sometime© he even makes you ride a bicycle a ll n ig h t. Besides
k i l l i n g , n ig b t-w itch e a a r e fond o f causing barrenneaa i n t h e i r
enem ies,
th ey a re g r e a t d e stro y e rs o f erope.
A fter you have
ploughed, they go into your field and pick tip all. the seeds so
that n o th in g grows, or th e y rob your field of i t s f e r t i l i t y to
In c re a se t h a t o f t h e i r own f ie ld s *
They a ls o send t h e ir
fam ili# * * a t night* u s u a lly th e &bucl (
) to =&]& fowr
cowe o r a r t th r n o u t o f t h e i r k r a a l to cause damage th a t may
h rih g y*& to c o u rt.
K ight-W itchea form a s o r t o f f r a te r n ity *
th ey *11 knew On*
g n o th er end meet a t n ig h t t o drum ana danee f o r amusement.
a ls o f i g h t »
one another*
They
those o f an a re a i n which th e crops
ha?* f a i l e d w i l l aen& wind to break m ealies and tr e e s i n an o th er
area o r worms t o d e stro y th e c ro p .
The d e stru c tiv e n e s s of eooh
c o n te s ts i s a r e a l i t y to some, f o r i n one d i s t r i c t i n which many
worm* appeared i n th e m ealies* so we heard* a p u b lic m eeting was
h e ld
one
accused Shangana-f onga w itches whom he s a id he
had seen th e previous n ig h t.
O ften a r e a l b a t t l e a g a in s t fo re ig n
w itch es ta k e s p la c e i n Which wounds a r e re c e iv e d th a t th e w itc h
does h i s b e s t to h id e during the d a y .
W itches have even been
known to d ie from wounds re c e iv e d i n b a tt l e a t night* as some tim es
a d m itte d by them selves.
S ig h t-w itc h e s employ fa m ilia r s (dithSffiys) such a s th e
hyena ( th u r l * th e Snake muiahond - pMeti-SgBSS-SlMStiSM^ snakes *
and, to * l e s s e r e x ta n t, owls an d /th e s t r i p e a \ 2 ak*d& awishond
b o th k in d s o f mulsbond a re p o le c a ts o r skunks,
go* th e w itch tames th e se anim als i s n o t known, b u t th ey became
*0
In tim a te th a t th e y come a t n ig h t to ask f o r food and c a l l She
w itc h t h e i r m other, b u t th e r e i s no sex r e la tio n s h ip between
w itch and f a m ilia r a s l a re p o rte d f o r th e Pondo.
Two a c tu a l
ease s were re p o rte d to th e queen w hile we were i n th e f i e l d
i n which 's e n t ' snake* had been k ille d *
one o f th e se bad been
found t o c o n ta in p o rrid g e and r e l i s h * c e r ta in p ro o f o f i t s
i
r
r
(43
W ao cim tlea w ith a w&tob,
Tha (CiffAfeao# between an o rd in ary
#*&%* wbiah & W M te e ana a "aant* attains appears from th e
eireumetanceG*
I f , f o r eaampla* o th e rs walk alo n g & p a th befo re
yan an& eeoape b u t you g o t b i t t e n , th e n th e snake m e t be 's e n t* *
y e r ' eent* enakee a re r e a l snakee*
th e Zulu p ra c tic e o f omearlng
m edicine on s tic k s t o tu r n them in to snakes when your enemy passes
l a n o t known t o th e lo v ed u .
The most f e a r f u l o f a l l fa m llla ra 1**
however $ th e Ehldcdwane, a human being th a t has been k i l l e d by a
w itc h to be M b slave*
A ease came before th e queen1© c o u rt
w hile we were i n th e f ie ld * i n which a man accused si woaeua o f
cau sin g h is w ife t o have a m isca rria g e i n o rd e r th a t th e c h ild
m ight be h e r c la v e .
The divineyhad s t a te d t h a t th e c h ild wae n o t
r e a l l y dead b u t e n slav e d , end t h a t i t had even been given a name
by i t s owner.
The khidudwane is n o t an o rd in ary c o rp se, though
w itch es So c a l l corpses out o f t h e i r graves i n order to c u t o ff
p o rtio n s of t h e i r body f o r m edicine * a procedure which can bo
prevented by m agical p ro tec tio n , o f th e g rav e .
s p e c ia lly k i l l e d f o r th e purpose can be a
Only a person
^hen th ey
b a ry him i t i s only h is shadow t h a t goes in to th e grave |
the r e a l
p erso n has b e e n enslaved end p u t in to is la rg e earthen p o t pi" i n a
cave*
At n ig h t he hoes fo r h is m a ste r, c u ts p o les f o r b u ild in g ,
o r g o es 0 % n e fa rio u s e rra n d s .
I f you meet a
^bln&
a t th e s ig h t and even a f t e r m edical tre a tm e n t, your body may £®el
dried up m though i t ha* no b lood.
That the fear of zwidodwane is very real to the native
and backed by what 1* to him (icqivjbOKklxig evidence la shown la the
cnee of **dume*
.a
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I n Bevmnber* 193?# BaA#** a man remidlng near urn ^died.
alaea M#
1&
raf
death he had lived *ith (b9JWU&) a agoaxi whom
Be had never ^qperly ka#m, and, after his death, it *a* rumoured
that he had been killed # the mother of his son's *Lfe f # tb*
#dt* of her daughter, who was jealous that her buehaoa'# fathev
Should he fonder of, and showmore favours to, a oonoublne than
to his legitimate daughter-in-law.
The mother of the girl had
first, so it was said# wanted to t ill M
adume'a wife, but her
daughter had argued that i t would be batter to kill Madame himself sin** be might plok up some other wom
an and they would have
the asm# trouble over againt Howmuch of this story had mutually
been given by the diviner and he* mush was Sheer surmise ** were
never able to discover, but a month after the death, people began
to be afraid to go near the village at night as he had been seen
standing at his gate.
The concubine, afraid to remain at home
at night, went to sleep with neighbours, when,she would return at
dawn to do her household duties.
On* morning when it was just
getting light, she rose to go heme.
O
On her way she suddenly
ran Shouting Into the nearest villas* and fell la a faint at the
entrance.
People rushed to help her end called in W
adum
a'a
sister to revive her in the manner usual in such circumstances,
by holding smoking chip* under the nose to cause snaesiag
Q%*_gg]gmBa6isa)'
she told them ah* bad seen three awDMwam*
a mancalled Zbishwenl who bad died long age in the neighbour­
hood* and two children, dancing and singing in the road.
Fro*
this evidence* the conclusion wa* iap*aiat*ly com* to, that
Khiahwenl must have been killed by the *«*» *1™ as *adum,
a la g a
# * # vq&klng a b o u t, and
90
g r e a t w*9 th# f t a f of
g o in g o a t a t n igftt th a t th e woman o t th e neighbourhood could
n o t be persu aded t o a tte n d a g i r l ' s i n i t i a t i o n ceremony which
had begun b e fo r e t h i s episode *
A s s e e ia te d
w ith w itc h e s a r e zwiwone.
A 9hivoae i s n o t a
f a m ilia r bu t a l i g h t se e n a t n ig h t and I n d ic a tin g th e p resen ce
o f w itc h e s*
I f you s e e one n ear home you u s u a lly ta k e cars- t o
str e n g th e n th e ch a rm (dloh aba) o f th e v i l l a g e fe n c e »
Many
p eo p le u sed to s e e a fehivtme In or near oar h u t, e s p e c i a l l y when
we w ere n o t th e r e (probably b ecause th ey knew no charms had been
u se d f o r i t s p r o t e c t io n ) .
Some say a khiuone i s a kin d o f to r c h ,
o th er s aver th a t when a w itc h i s b ein g ta u g h t h i s mother g iv e s
him m ed icin e w hich becomes a l i t t l e bag in h i s stomach*
bag e m its f i r e or lig h t from h is t a i l l
T h is
C on tact w ith Europeans
M e led. t o th e c o n c e p tio n of khioaao (spook) w hich m ast n o t be
Confused w ith khl^udwane.
A khinoao i s th e ghost o f a dead
person b u t th e s ig h t o f a khipoao does n o t, l i k e t h a t o f a
khldudwane* make one f a i n t or dry up)
jtisp | n f r i g h t .
i t o n ly makes one’ s h ea rt
Such a g h o st can be la id by means o f m edicine
(dlphaba) on th e grave*
C h ild ren o f t e n run to t h e i r m others
With soared f a c e s and b a te d b reath t o say th e y have se e n a kMSSSB#
some tim es even i n broad d a y lig h t *
K ight-w itches can be male o r fem ale bu t th e g r e a t m ajo rity
&r* fem a le .
T here I* noth in g corresponding to w itch-substanoe
found in th e a to m ch a o f Zandl w itch es*
A w itc h i s s a id to
in&ibe w itc h c r a ft w ith I t # m o th er's m ilk y e t I t involve# le a rn in g ,
a p r o c e s s begun on th e second or th ird , day a f t e r b i r t h when i t s
I
r
r
i<ji
mother throws i t op against the wall to which i t slings like a
oceaalem th e anger a f a granamothar t h a t h e r gpan&k i
&*& ba*n 'ta k e n o a t ' o f th e h o t (ha thuea) w ithout h e r p r e a * #
&p knowledge was construed as due to a sense of frustration because
t h i s had prevented h e r from te a c h in g the child witcb-eraf'w*
She
d aH n esa a t a ch o o l o f a c e r t a i n g i r l whose m other was s a id to lb* a
w itc h was a s c rib e d t o th e d i f f i c u l t y o f sim ultaneously le a r nin g two
t h in g s : w itb h c ra ft and books.
o
Since w itc h c ra ft 1* l e a r n t f r o a th e
m other (though one sometimes h e a rs t h a t th e mother teadhes h er
d a u g h te r, and th e f a t h e r h ie s o n s ) * b ro th e rs and s l a t e r s o f on*
m other cannot accuse each o th e r o f w itc h c r a ft w ithout in v o lv in g
them selves;
t h a t such a ccu satio n s do occur shows how th eo ry o fte n
give# way t o p r a c t ic a l c o n sid a ra tlo n e .
I n one such caee where a
woman b ro u g h t h e r son t o c o u rt f o r b e a tin g h e r and h e r d au g h ters,
tb # eon accused hi* own m other and a i s t e r of k i l l i n g 1*1# c h ild ,
E l* s l a t e r a s k e d / I f I and my m other a r e witches* what about you?'
*hea he r e p l i e d , *%y mother a ti n t e d me, g iv in g only you th e knowledge'
th e c o u rt W a n e d *aying, 'B e * y o u 're madl
When have you W
h e ard o f a man accu sin g h is own mother o f w itc h c ra ft* .
But th e
boy i n s i s t e d on going to a Kuaame, th o u f th e c o u rt warned him c f
t h e c o n s c ie n c e s o f b reaking h i s r e l a t i
*blp w ith h is c a t t l c l i n k e d
H a t e r whoa* c a t t l e , i f c a lle d back because o f th e Im putatio n , could
* o lo n g er *erv* ae a bond f o r f u tu r e m arriag es.
1*
B ight w itc h c r a f t
l e a r n t , b u t u n lik e day w ith h e re ft* i t can n e ith e r be le a r n t from
a& o u ts id e r n o r b e bought.
? * t on* b e a rs o f such tra n s a c tio n s
**** s a p e a la lly among C h ris tia n s , who av er t h a t payment o casia t*
* f th a blood o f * c lo s e r e l a t i v e , u su a lly yo*r **& dWLia.
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^4*4*4*% e&e&et&t&a the
begiaaisg* of hla atap-aatbe**#
the d#th of her o*& ohila* follovea ahortly aftarworda '
■
T
by that of her etep-dau&hter.
m r - m a ; . ,# # m , m s ^ .
The day-w ltoh la alm ost always a man a is c a women caxmot eaaAy
buy m ed icin es.
lie is d ia tia g a ie h e d from th e n l^ it-w ito h by h ie
h@e o f m edicine and ape H a ,
S p e lls have no fix e d pbra*eol@gy b a t
c o n s is t in t e l l i n g th e medicine what to do, m entioning th e name
t h e p a rso n .
o f
;
Very o f te n th e m edicine works a# w e ll w lth o at tab*
* p e ll a s w ith i t ,
The day w itch employs no fami l i a r s , belongs t o
no f r a t e r n i t y , does n o t in h e r it h i s knowledge.
Be i s c a lle d d ay - ;
w itc h , n o t so much because he works by day, f o r he may work a t
n ig h t t o o , b u t because of th e tech n iq u e he uses.
Whereas th e
n ig h t-w itc h h im self goes out and s t e a l s your mealle seed s, th e dayw itch p u ts m edicine on th e so le s of h is f e e t and walks through
your f i e l d ;
and w hile th e day w itc h in tro d u ces substances lasts
yew , body by m&ana o f medicine# th e n ig h t- * ltc h employs e s to a t t * ta k e up i t s abode in you and e a t a l l your food.
C ertain te c h -
n iq u ae a r e a s s o c ia te d w ith day w ith c r a f t though I t i s p o ssib le f o r
any n lg h t-w ltc b t o us* a ls o a l l th e methods of th e day-w itch,
sim ply by g e ttin g th e r i g h t m edicine.
i
The dsyM fltch can oaus* I l l n e s s or d eath by hu lg#a+ #
t o t r y , t o tempt and hence, by e x ten sio n o f meaning, two
ch alle n g e or t o a end m isfo rtune by means oaf m edicine,
Tb* v i t e b
may mi% your f o o t - p r i n t w ith m edicine o r put a m edlocated th o rn
&& tb * p a th you u s u a lly ta k e t o cause p a la &o th e le g , wbieb
g ra d u a lly p a sse s in to th e r e s t o f th e body **& *&:&*
*
m
w p o ta to a
U:
aatog « a W yo# W a — h " 1= or d o t h . , you Mvo « « = .
M r « * ;;
Ml t e « « , t o « v « , to t »= h oaed in w it o W a A a«a o d y a Urn
p e o p le , more ea p e o te lly »m en are o a r e tu l about t w i n a t o p o - l .
l o p o in t a t a man i n a »=™=1B8 W , =r to sa y the w o rd s,'tea w i l l
M»> tn do ,Q M ) s u f f i c e s , Should e v i l t e f e l l h to , t o ground an
im putation o f w itc h c r a ft.
I n a v io le n t qua.rrel. between a womm
who had a c h ild fey her lo v e r and the lover whom she had j i l t e d
b ecause th e l i a i s o n was cau sin g trou b le w ith her husband, the
angry lo v e r flu n g out th e c h a lle n g e , 'you've got my daughter who
::=::z
w ith g r i e f and f u r y , c a r r ie d h e r d e d to th e lo v e r 's house and
H
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e
@
-
E
done, the la tt e r became a b ird and flew a ^ y l
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#
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Beading H a & ta ia g , to cause lig h tn in g to e trik e (hu t i i e a
|
<yw&L>» la « ocmmsn m a n s o f harming o n e 's enemiee employed by dayv lto h e a ,
;
$* $ay qf a permon^He knows lig h tn in g * i s tantam ount
to c a llin g him * w itch) f tp u n lik e th e Z ulu, th e levcdu have n*
S o c ia lly reco g n ized lig h tn in g d o c to rs .
two
The Lovedu d iB tln g u lsh
o f lig h tn in g - n a tu r a l or " lig h tn in g Of th e b ifd * and
"aent** lig h tn in g .
The form er comes w ith r a i n and i s caused by th e
b ir d which ha* blue fe a th e r s and looks somewhat lik e a
goose w ith la r g e f e e t .
These b ird s g et no food u n less th e re I s
lig h tn in g and th e n t h e i r food i s th e suhululU* th e blue-headed t r e e
lla s rd ,
When th e b ir d s t r i k e s a tre e * i t leav es i t s u rin e as a
w hite substance a t th e ro o t $ then d o cto rs come and ta k e th e s o i l
in to which i t has soaked to be used as medicine to cause lig h tn in g
o r f o r curing b u m s.
N a tu ra l lig h tn in g i n th e o ry and according
to th e d ia g n o sis of th e d ice i s conceived to s tr ik e only tr e e s o r
rocks f a r from v i ll a g e s , never anim als o r p e o p le |
but some say
t h a t i t i s dangerous to men i n autumn when i t follow s th e sweet
sorghum sp a t ou t on th e ro a d .
'Sent* lig h tn in g , on th e o th er hand*
s t r i k e s n e a r t h e v illa g e * k i l l i n g c a t t l e o r people*
I t comee w ith
;
l i t t l e or no r a i n and i s more t e r r i f y in g than t h a t o f th e l i ghtnin g ;
bird*
L ightning i s judged alm ost s o le ly by I t s r e s u lts *
does no barm i t i s n a tu r a l;
if i t
i f i t s t r i k e s anyone or d e stro y s any­
th in g i n th e v illa g e i t i s dad j ye VSt&B or khl#qdi m uthm m
s e n t' ,
by p eo p le,
T.ightnitKz very fre q u e n tly s t r i k e s v i ll a g e s o r people in
TW avedu and once a d&rage h u t in t h e v illa g e b e sid e us was Twrnt
down.
Consequently t h e r e a r e numerous aceueatlone o f 's e n d in g '
r
:1
r
life
2cm
S
llir
mm.
llli
r '■
*
W ;,«
lig h tn in g .
XA
& m
!
ease t h a t came to c o u rt, th e motive o f th e
Witch was s ta te d to he t h e f t .
i n a s u itc a s e i n h i s h u t.
Complainant had
£30
in © w a lle t
!
One might lig h tn in g s tru c k h is h u t;
i t % u rn t o f f th e r o o f , broke p a r t o f th e w a ll, knocked th e owner
-
’
'
a b o u t, e s p e c ia lly on th e head, broke v a rio u s th in g s inclu d in g th e
s u itc a s e and e x tra c te d th e £301”
.
in an o th er case i n which a
m a*# Whole h a rv e s t was b u rn t by lig h tn in g , a neighbour was
accused o f doing t h i s ou t o f jea lo u sy because he had reaped so
o
S
v
l i t t l e h im s e lf.
D octors fre q u e n tly 1try* one an o th er by sending lig h tn in g .
A ifghtm tng w itch e ith e r may f l y h im self or may smear medicine on
'
a dov© or a red-w inged lo c u s t which, when i t th u n d ers, i s able t o
r
&
m
. .
&
•go1 w ith th e lig h tn in g * and s tr ik e where i t s owner w ishes.
Use
of th e lig h tn in g b ir d I t s e l f f o r t h i s purpose i s im possib le.
A
man t h a t h im se lf s t r i k e s a s lig h tn in g must be s c a r i f i e d w ith
m edicine c o n ta in in g some p o rtio n o f th e lig h tn in g blrdyBnd when
le a rn in g to s trik e , may be tak en to a h ig h ,d e s o la te p lac e where he
"tv :
la ta u g h t accuracy by being req u ire d to s t r i k e one o f a number o f
w:
o
a lo e s i n ft row .
An Inform ant once saw a man w ith b la c k and w hite
S tr ip e s a l l over h is body and two branches tie d to h is h ip s ;
he
concluded t h a t t h i s must be a lig h tn in g w itch { e .f .th e s trip e d
hyena w ith i t s mane o f u p rig h t h a ir on neck or along back, or th e
S tr ip e d p o le c a t w ith b r i s t l e s up i t s t a i l in a n g e r).
l7^7m m
m m m
: -, .. .
A.
One who
c o n tro ls lig h tn in g i s a b le to p revent i t from s t r i k in g him by
c u ttin g o r p ie rc in g , th e f la s h w ith a m edicated axe or sp e a r,
t a i l i n g i t t o go elsaw b sra,
lig h tn in g fre q u e n tly s t r i k e s
V '."
v i l l a g e s and people i n Vulovedu and i n every in s ta n c e , some
r.'V.:
-r ;■7:7
M m m m
71:3'
:-7'
777.
mm'-
1
\
L
A
A& caaatioa I s b P o a g b t t o c o u r t,
<yg&3aat U g h W n g .
m t s may ba mag&wlly p p o te o t#
;
i f a w itch s tr ik e d it prot#et%& v llia g e i t 1#
b d ilc v e d t h a t he w i l l 'f h l l * * change In to & jeers** *aa ban th an
b@ i&aw*ggit&*
ing
@h*r& a r e no taboos a g a in st milk in g o r working d u r­
h u t th e day a f t e r i t has s tru c k th e whole d i s t r i c t
h a s *t h o lid a y .
Day-WltcheS use s e v e ra l o th e r te c h n iq u e s.
jScam o f day w ito h c ra ft la hu learn
A very common.
(to cause to e a t ) , th e i n tr o -
d u c tlo n of medicine in to beer o r fo o d , w hldi on being swallowed
tu rn s i n t o an in d ig e s tib le p ie c e of meat or oth er o b je c t th a t
cakes one i l l .
Most people one meets have a t some tim e pit o th e r
s u ffe re d from khileSQ .
I f a man has enem ies, th e f i r s t th in g he
does i s to a b s ta in from d rin k in g b e e r a t t h e i r p la c e » P ek aia,
a baavy d r in k e r , whose p o s itio n a s d i s t r i c t head made i t neceseaiy
f o r him. t o be e a lle d to most b e e r-d r in k s i n b ia a re a , abatai&ed
a lto g e th e r from a l l beer some months b efo re our d eparture * because
to ld tor ft d o c to r to be c a r e f u l ,
To pour r e a l poison in to food
k h ita b a ) i s si modern though s t i l l very uncommon method
Of k i l l i S g .
'
.
Hb f a h e le ia (hu f a , to d ie , m JE W a * to caua* t e g* |
f o r ) l a to c&uae a person to leav e home, e ,g , $ f o r European
employment* and d ie fb r away.
T h is f a don* c h ie f ly by day *ltShe*;
b u t a ls o sometimea by n lg h t-w itc h e s ;
eawaon n o r w ell-know n.
i t i s however* n e ith e r
Modern condition* w ith Inoreased t r i b a l
c o n ta c t* i n Buropean toons have la d to * trem endous in creaa# i *
day w itc h c r a f t.
Be* method* end m edicines f o r m_lAg&, unknown
t a t h e t r i b e b e fo re , &?* being intradw oed.
Some eve* #
** a ?
*a t o sa y t h a t th e sending o fjU gbW ng i* a r e l a t i v e l y ?****&
mAOClOBS 3*08838*8**% <# #??(%#%&%.
There a r e many p r a c tic e s bordering on w itc h c ra ft, in d is tin g "
y&WM&le fTom day w itc h c ra ft i n technique and method o f precedure
h u t coneidered le g itim a te end th e re fo re n o t w itc h c ra ft i n th e tr u e
aenae*
Some o f th e s e e re so c lo se 1*0 , t h a t th e y e re sometimes
looked upon as* w itc h c r a ft.
The deciding f a c to r ih -s n c h cases
i e always th e r e s u l t* i f i t causes d e a th i t i s w itc h c ra ft;
if it
does ncdi or i s done w ith an o b je c t th a t i s recognised a s l e g i t i "
is a te s i t i s n o t w itc h c r a f t.
Hu_clabgka i s e sa e n th lly le g itim a te »
I t s tech n iq u e c o n s is ts i n changing th e n a tu re of th in g s $ making
m ediedted p iec es of th e sk in o f an anim al tu rn in to th e anim al
i t s e l f , changing a p e rs o n 's se x , and one of th e b e st-k n o w d o cto rs
i n loveduland i s s k i l le d i n madabl.
I t i s a technique confined
t o men, employed to make a woman marry you o f to f r ig h te n lies' In to
coming back to you when she has run away,
^
a woman sending madablf
l iv e w ith a n o th e r.
ho one has every heard
A woman ra n away from her husband to
Whenever she was cooking or doing her house-
h o ld d u tie s a t h e r new home, monkeys and o th er dmimsls appeared
a t th e v illa g e t i l l , frig h te n e d out of h e r w its , she r a n hack to
h e r f i r s t h u sb aid .
c h ild b irth .
*3
w itc h c r a f t.
Madabl a re o fte n sen t i n connection w ith
Sometimes th e sending o f madgbl i s looked upon
K a la ji changed th e sex o f M uhale's daughter so
*e to make th e b i r t h d i f f i c u l t each time h e r c h ild was about to
be b o m , because th e c h ild was h is b u t th e g i r l no longer
him*
We were n o t allow ed i n to th e h u t, h u t th e midwives, whom
wa knew w e ll, t e s t i f i e d to a r e a l change though probably b ecaw *
------
-
-----^-ac^f&A3Ka-
403
%-/
a*fW & % r% *a o f d i f f i c u l t t i r t h a r* co n v en tio n ally ao explained.
^
E v o n tta lly th e b i r t h to o k p la c e , b u t s h o rtly efterw ard # t h e baby
t
#d* a**a*
S h is was o ^ i d o r e a w ltf& craft* 'Kbit ca*e m s brooght lie
# o p t **& a la rg e f W
im posea.
*e s e re t o l a o f a case i a #&<&
bgf W 8#$ a f
* Aan <&u@i#ed a c h ild i d t e a "buck v h ile I t ?
being hohn.
*he hom e atu ck in to th e woman's womb and **&$ th e
;
b i r t h im possible t i l l medicine was obtained to co u n teract i t .
Only th e d o cto r who used madabi can undo o r re v e rse i t s p*wef by
b u t o th e r d o ctors may, i f th e re has been any in ju r y ,
h e a l lib w ith m edicins.
A o ra c tic e s im ila r to madabi but d iffe r in g from i t in, o b ject
ii% m a^ ileb a.
At th e tim e of th e Swazi r a i d s , Bs #wagu* in s te a d o f
h id in g las th e fo re s ts , p u t Ida f a i t h i n m ^ j l # 2 '
alien take m esy
oe&e h i* v i ll a g e tu rn ed In to w a te r final th ey could n o t fin d h is
c a t t l e though they heard t h e i r low ing.
M asia, who was wanted ty
th e p o lic e during th e whole p e rio d of our in v e s tig a tio n was a b le ,
when chased by them , to d isa p p e a r even i n th e open*
lie was a b le to
%pne liV* a b a t on a plough to lo o k j u s t l i k e i* spanner.
3hen
e v s n tm lly he was a r r e s te d , he avar; % j and many people a eeep ted ,
t h a t I t was because he was t i r e d .
Ehldaba i s a technique used a g a in st th ie v e s and i t i s b o th
p u b lic and le g i t ii m te .
Some k in d s o f
remedy,- some a re obtained from d o c to rs .
^ e know as it borne
By means o f medicine
aaed on le d g j^ e r l g ra ss (pYP^hfh^ni* S W a ) *** *** ***** * severe
and palndW . Itb h la g i n tile f in g e r of th e t h i e f # b h may ccuapel him
to c o n fe s s .
W eew iae, b y
a s to le n g o at may be made t o cry
o u t i n th e t h i e f 's b e lly a s happened i n a re c e n t c a s e , probably o f
,
eompttlsion n e u ro s is $ i n wnich b le a tin g was ta k e n aa conclusive
pro o f of b is g u i l t .
Another method of hu daba causes th e eyas o f
th e t h i e f to p ro tru d e t l H th ey f a l l out on to h is stomach;
i f M s mother th e n c r ie s tin se ein g him, he may d i e .
and
Ih id a M
s t r i k e s th e t h i e f even when he h id es or s e l l s th e s to le n goods .
B esides th e s e measures „ taken, to b rin g a t h i e f to hook a f t e r th e
t h e f t i one may by a n tic ip a tio n p r o te c t one’ s property by means o f
a p iec e o f l a t a t e rdsh feiariacus s p . ) s p l i t a t one end to resemble
th e mouth of a snake and smeared w ith coloured m edicines.
Wh,en
p laced a t th e hut entrance o r on th e border o f your f ie ld * I t
tu rn s i n t o a snake and b ars 'th e e n try or e x i t Of a th ie f ,,
k.
d o c to r we knew used to have se rio u s ta l k s w ith h is son about th e
fo rtu n e he would make, i f he knew t h i s m edicine, e s p e c ia lly in
Johannesburg where t h e f t i s common and v ic tim s pay high p r ic e s .
The only reco g n ised cure o f th e power and e f f e c t of ha dabs i s by
asking f o r pardon, when th e doctor who gave or used th e khidabg,
w i l l be ask ed to ^ t n i i A i . e . , rev ere* the e ffe c t* o f h ie medicine.
He w i l l u su a lly charge a la rg e f e e (even a n ox) which he shares
w ith h is c l i e n t .
Was of m edicine on a grave which causes the death n o t only
o f th e w itc h who k i l l e d th e deceased b u t a ls o o f other member* of
h is fa m ily , i s n o t considered to be w itc h c r a f t»
hu t a l k e l a or hu d le la lev-ida
i n v a rio u s ways*5
ffais i s c a lls d
(to work on th e grave) and i s done
the corpse may be smeared before, b u r ia l o r th e
seed of & c e r t a i n p la n t from Rhodesia sown on th e grave ^and When
I t grow* th e r l t o h M U d i e ; o r m edicine and th e stomach contents
of * g o a t may be poured down a hole Sn rea ch the body i n i t s grave
This i s th e u s u a l sense i n w hich hu tg ik s la i s used, b u t sometimes
o?o5l t I s &###&**&<# a s a k t n d o f h a doba
th e p u r ^ g e
a g a in st a t h i e f w ith
wreekimg vengeance n o t Only on him h u t a le * oa
ajii thosti who have eaten, e f th e th in g s to le n •whothen they are
innocent: atn an g ars or g u ilty accom plices.
h n doba which m erely injure*.
I t k i l l s ? unlike
A* l a k # 4 o h a th la form o f &&
t a l k e l a la s o r e o r le s s p u b lic $ fo r th e v illa g e r s and neighbours
mua t be p re v io u sly informed so th a t th ey w i l l have a n opp ortunity
to c o n fe ss.
The o th e r and more u su a l form o f hu t sl k&Lg i s
d ire c te d a g a in s t w itch es who a r e m urderer* and f o r t h a t reaso n i t
Q
i s s o t p u b lic * f o r I t i s conceived t h a t th e w itch might take
co u n ter m easures or b r ib e a bad do cto r to c a l l back th e m edicine.
I t may be se n t t o a d e f in ite person d isco v ered by c o n s u lta tio n
w ith th e bones, but the name o f the person w i l l not be mentioned
i n th e s p e l l l a s t th e w itc h ta k e s counter m easures.
The s p e l l
i s n o t i n s e t term* b e t i t u su a lly runs a s fo llo w s, *You Rufubs
(th e deceased i n th e grave whose d e ath i s t o be avenged)* *S *r*
today w o rk in g on y o u r g ra v e .
to fo llo w you to t h e g rav e .
We c a l l a l l th o se who k i l l e d you
*e do a c t
mean *11 who a re o f them (th e whole f a m ily ).
Sba*
*0
them * **
Do you a ls o c a l l
t h a t a l l o f them should follow y o u '.
A d e a th i s sometimes a scrib e d by th e bone* t o M WkSW
and i n one case tb s su ic id e of a g i r l , who was s a id t o have be­
w itch ed h e r husband's p e o p le , was found to have beau caused by
such m edicine#
P a rad o x ic al as i t may seem* I t l a p o s s ib le f o r *
W itch who g et* a d o cto r to t& lW a f o r him , to be s tru c k do*a by
th e m edicine intended f o r a n o th e r.
I t i s cu rio u s th a t* though
h e knows that the m edicine seeks o u t the tr u e w itch , he w i l l r i s k
**ak a procedure* b u t th e e x p la n atio n i s t h a t , though a d o c to r
\
L
m ight he deosived » 'his bones confused by th e w itch ’ s medicine
.(khipah&nag&) th e m edicine cannot b e , and th a t th e f a t a l e f f e c t of
ha t s l k e la i s diagnosed ex p o st f a c to .
fhus i n one c ase where a
woman d ie d , h e r s i s t e r 1went t o a tsih g Ja s p e c i a l i s t |
b u t subset
qu en tiy th e s i s t e r h e r s e l f and some o f h e r r e l a ti v e s d ie d .
When
a g r e a t myhome was co n su lted ^he s a id t h a t th e s i s t e r had se n t
m u tsik ela t o people whom she hated and t h a t , n o t fin d in g the
m urderer th e r e i t re tu rn e d and stru c k down th e sen d er.
M utsikela
w i l l continue i t s deadly e f f e c ts u n less 1stopped6 by th e d o cto r
who s e n t i t , though th e r e i s a m edicine (le s g lo ) which may be
e a te n by a l l th o se who th in k they a re in danger o f vengeance magic f
to n e u tr a lis e i t s e f f e c t s .
I t i s recognised t h a t th e w itch
may r e t a l i a t e to vengeance m agic, though t h i s
i s considered
unusual and alm ost always in e f f e c tu a l.
Love m edicine was n o t known to th e Lovedu and i t s
g e n e ra lly s a id by th e o ld e r people to be w itc h c r a f t.
is
The only
le g itim a te p r a c tis e was t h a t o f "d o cto rin g ’ a boy Who mas unable
t o f i n d a w ife o r whom th e g i r l s g e n e ra lly d is lik e d by smearing
h i s body w ith th e stomach c o n te n ts o f a g o at o r l e t t i n g him s i t
under a w a t e r f a l l o r by g e ttin g a c a t t o s c r a tc h b is sh o u ld er;
N e v e rth e le ss, t h i s m agic, in tro d u c ed from th e towns where,
e s p e c ia lly among Zulu and Xhosa i t i s common, i s used by many
young men i n Vblovedu to d ay .
One day a do cto r q u ite openly
a c c o ste d a man a sk in g f o r payment, saying ^You know f u l l w ell
you’d nev er have been a b le to marry your w ife i f i t had n o t been foj
th e m edicine X gave you!
I t i s g e n e ra lly b e lie v e d t h a t Andrew,
whose f i r s t w ife d is lik e d him in te n s e ly a t f i r s t , won h e r by lo v *
.
m e d ic in e e .
And when B a la to l* w e brought t o c o u r t f o r ca u sin g
th e d eath o f th e c h tM ha had hy a g i r l who w ould n o t marry him ,
h e r iJ tftta a Im ving u sea lo v e m ed lo in es and named th e d o cto r f r o m
whoa he had: o b ta in e d th e m ^ o u g h he dented r e e p o m ih il it y f o r th e
d ea th o f th e C h ild .
c a t io n Of th e fo reh ea d
One method employed t o lo v e m agic, e c a r l f l or u se
a l l th e g i r l s lo v e you}
o f th e m edicine t o your s n u f f , makes
b lo w in g a m ed lo ited pip e o f th e ftBB aaa
shrub t a ie ln a s o p . ) rnomtog and e v e n in g , w h ile c a l l i n g th e name
o f a c e r t a in g i r l , w i l l make h er come t o you soon;
v a r io u s o th e r m e d ic in e s .
and th e r e are
Love m agic to cau se h y s t e r ia t o g i r l s
I s known a s a Z u lu p r a c tic e b u t i s n o t used t o V alovedu.
It
would b e looked upon a s w it c h c r a f t .
t h e s e b o r d e r lin e m ethods, sometimes c a lle d w it c h c r a f t ,
som etim es n o t , a id o f t e n r e f e r r e d to a s 'good' S l M
a c o n s id e r a tio n o f what c o n s t it u t e s s t i a i '
b r in g s us t o
A H w itc h c r a ft i s
s o c i a l l y d isa p p ro v ed , a n t i - s o c i a l , but t h i s c r i t e r i o n i s n o t
a lw a y s s u f f i c i e n t to d is t i n g u is h betw een w itc h c r a ft proper and
p r a c t ic e s b o rd erin g on w it c h c r a f t .
Sw earing a t p e o p le , or s c o ld ,
t o g th em v i o l e n t l y , when th e ca u se h a rd ly J u s t i f i e s i t , i s l i a b l e
to c a l l d o m upon them f o r c e s w hich le a d to d ea th o r m isfo rtu n e,
t o them o r t h e i r fa m ily .
' W ; but i t is not w g M l
I t i s c a lle d I m s M end i s r e p r e h e n sih er i s S M B , i U n e s . caused by th e
i l l - f e e l i n g o f a f a t h e r ' s s i s t e r or o th er r e l a t i v e ,
m e conduct
Of a woman who, h a v in g had an a b o r tio n , ca u ses h e r husband's
d eath through n e g le c t in g t o g iv e him th e m edicin e n e c e ssa r y t o
ward o f f such d i s a s t e r , i s s tr o n g ly a * disapp roved o f , b u t i t i s
n o t w it c h c r a f t ev en though i t c a u se s d e a th .
Author Krige E
Name of thesis Medicine Magic and Religion of the Lovedu 1940
PUBLISHER:
University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
©2013
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