Rain, rain across the world

26 Jan, 2020 - 00:01 0 Views

The Sunday Mail

Online sources indicate that in many societies around the world, rain dance and other rituals have been used to attempt to increase rainfall.

Some native Americans used rain dances extensively.  European examples include the Romania ceremonies known as paparuda and caloian. Some United States farmers also attempt to bring rain during droughts through prayer. These rituals differ greatly in their specifics, but share a common concern with bringing rain through ritual and/or spiritual means.
Typical of these ceremonies was then-governor of Georgia Sonny Perdue’s public prayer service for rain, in 2007.
Contemporary Jewish liturgy includes prayers for rain, seasonally, as a part of the morning, afternoon, and evening, daily amidah prayer, during mid-autumn to mid-spring. During summer, this prayer is changed from the prayer for rain, to a prayer for dew.
Meet Nigeria’s rainmaker
In certain parts of Nigeria, “rainmakers” or “rain-pushers” are held in high regard.
People pay them to keep rain away from events such as weddings.
But can they really control the rain?
Godwin Onasedu from Ifiteduna Village in Anambra State says he is a rainmaker.
“If I say it should start raining now, it’ll rain. If I say stop, it will stop.”
In BBC Africa’s mini-documentary from Nduka Orjinmo, Godwin’s abilities are put to the test. And like magic, the old man shocked BBC. All he did was to drink an alcoholic mixture, light a candle and watch the rain pour.
Rainmaking rituals in ancient China
Online sources indicate that during the medieval period, rainmaking was an important element of religious practice in ancient China. Rainmaking rituals were performed by kings, emperors, priests and ritual specialists. As religious beliefs underwent significant change in ancient and medieval China, the importance of rainmaking persisted, even as its techniques were re-imagined by successive generations of ritual practitioners, particularly within the developing traditions of Buddhism and Daoism.

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