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112 Rain–making ceremonies are part of African culture Rain-making ceremonies have been part of African culture since time immemorial. There is an underlying belief that spiritual intervention can result in the heavens opening up. Kings performed rituals to cause the rains to fall. For example, King Lobengula went into the goat byre to perform the solemn rite. During that period no guns were to be fired. Armies were not to be sent out on raids. Anything red was not to be exposed in the open. Among the Shona and related groups rain–making shrines abounded. There was a hierarchy of these ranging from national to local shrines. Local shrines went by various names such as Daka or Mtolo. Njelele is the best known national shrine. The Chronicle of January 20, 2001, reported Chief Hwange as saying that people from his area used to go to Njelele to request for rains. There were established routes that they followed. He was attributing train derailments in the area to failure to recognise these routes. The rain-making rituals were performed just before the start of the rainy season. When amawosana came back from Njelele, rains came to erase their footprints, ukucitsha izinyawo zabo. When the rains failed to fall, measures were taken to seek spiritual intervention so that the rains would come. The rites, it was believed, resulted in cloud formation and induced the clouds so formed to release the rain. When the dry spell persisted, elders in a given locality took steps to bring the spell to an end. The 2000-2001 rainy season, particularly dry in Matabeleland South, was no exception. Unfortunately, the rituals performed were to no avail. I caught up with one of the senior elders who briefed me on the rituals that they performed. According to Menyezwa Nyathi, a ritual known as ukwebula inxoza (debarking a tree) was performed. In cultural terms, Sankonjana, also known as Babirwa, is a melting pot. Ndebele, Birwa (or Sotho) and Kalanga traditions co-exist. The term ukwebula inxoza is Ndebele. However, the people at Sankonjana also call the ritual tenhela, the Kalanga rendition of the same rite. The elders assess the situation and if, in their view, the weather pattern warrants spiritual intervention, they will initiate the ritual. At Sankonjana, this privilege falls on the shoulders of men like Nyumbana Driver Dube and Menyeza Nyathi. Once the intention to perform the ritual was made known, the local chief, Lemakatso Silebuho Nyathi, was 113 approached. He summoned his subjects to a phutheho (meeting) at his kgtla (court). The words phutheho and kgtla bear testimony to the presence of the Birwa influences in the area. The Birwa originally came from Botswana, especially the areas of Bubonong, Gobajangu and Semolala – what today is known as the Madinare area on the north of north-eastern Botswana. Some came straight from the north-western Transvaal (Limpopo Province). On the appointed day, men gathered at the foothills of Sankonjana Mountain. Kafusi River flows close by. When the men arrived at the selected spot, they piled up all their knobkerries (induku) in one place. One man obtained some bark fibre (ingxoza) with which to tie all the knobkerries into a single bundle. Another man picked up the bundle and threw it to the ground. Dogs milled around, itching to participate in the impending hunt. One of the officiating elders reminded the participants of the regulations to be observed. All those setting forth from the meeting point should return to the same spot. No one is allowed to desert during the hunt. No one should carry money on his person, nor bring salt with which to season the meat. Elderly members of the community such as Bheka, Marko Siziba, Nyumbana Dube and Meyezwa remained behind. Their frail bodies would not allow them to undertake the gruelling journey through mountains and valleys. Those proceeding on the hunt looked out for exposed animal bones They buried such bones. The men also removed cobwebs they found on trees. They also looked for trees that had been struck by lightning. These trees were tied with a creeper known as isibhobhono. Wood was collected and piled around the trees, which were then burnt to ashes. Any animals that they came across were killed, including tortoises and leguans. In the afternoon the hunting party went back to the starting point. A big fire made by the elders welcomed them. Animals killed during the hunt were skinned and their flesh roasted. No salt was used...

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