The Sunday Mail
Sekuru Friday Chisanyu Tracing African Roots
Most African countries still value the traditional beliefs of their lands. Even though some people are turning to modern methods of doing things, others in some parts of Africa are still practising traditions that were passed on to them from previous generations. One of these traditional practices is the conservation of rainfall as the rain season is an integral part of Africa.
It is celebrated because it safeguards livelihoods. Traditional practitioners and spirit mediums possess knowledge on agricultural and rainfall seasons. They are the strategic planners on the conservation of rules and regulations concerning rainfall. The preservation of sacred places has always been considered essential as it contributes to rainfall processes. Many traditional ceremonies (biras) take place during the period to seek guidance from the ancestors.
These traditional ceremonies have been there since time immemorial. They unify communities and their ancestors. Traditional medical practitioners (n’angas) also give guidance on climatic change. In African tradition, people first seek guidance from their ancestors before resuming agricultural activities. It is imperative that they do so that they are advised on the particular type of crop to cultivate, a crop that would flourish.
In these consultations, they are advised on the crops that will guarantee a good harvest, and whether there will be a drought or plenteous rains; or whether the rains will be early or late. This is how traditional medical practitioners will be able to set dates for planting. Not everyone has to start planting on the gazetted date though. Those with knowledge will wait for the chief of the area and the spirit medium (gombo ramambo) to advise them.
The natural systems include, among other things, wind direction. In the African traditional religion, things do not just happen, they happen for a reason. Wind direction has a lot to say about the coming season’s forecast. The positions of the sun and moon are also observed. Further, the traditional practitioners also proffer advice based on the farmers’ surroundings.
Too many grasshoppers and caterpillars are a sign of an impending drought. Also the budding of the wild loquat (mazhanje), wild oranges (matamba) and hacha is a sign that there is going to be drought and the ancestors have provided surplus food for their children to curb hunger.
Different types of ceremonies known as mukwerera are held across Zimbabwe mostly in August and September. In other areas, the ceremonies are named according to the religious groups in the particular areas.
However, these ceremonies are similar as they have the same purpose – requesting rainfall from God through the ancestors. At such events, beer is brewed by elderly women who will have reached menopause. They are the ones who help direct the ceremony while spirit mediums and the ancestors monitor. On the day of the event, small grass huts will be built.
This is where the invited spirit mediums are accommodated, together with their assistants. A wooden plate with nhekwe or chambwa will be retorted in the same grass huts by a specific chosen person. Through this act, the individual will be inviting the spirits to the event through the mediums’ assistance.
Brewed beer known as doro remusoro is then served in a small clay pot to introduce spirit mediums to each other. This is when people indicate that the purpose of the ceremony is to request rain for the impending agricultural season. Not all spirit mediums attend this ceremony, only those possessed with the lion spirit or mhondoro do so. In Chief Magonde’s area, we have spirits called Nyamuswa. They are responsible for rain.
Spirits from other areas will then work with Nyamuswa on the subject at hand. This ceremony is done under a full moon on a specific day of the month with people singing and dancing. Spirit mediums will then be possessed – one after the other – while singing and dancing continues throughout the night. At 5am, the spirit mediums will lie on their stomachs and instruct everyone to sit. This is when the spirit in charge of the ceremony will begin to narrate issues pertaining to the ceremony.
Sekuru Chisanyu is the president of the Zimbabwe National Practitioners’ Association.
