Online Reporter
Mthabisi Tshuma recently in Dombodema, Bulilima
TRADITIONALISTS from around the country have started to hold the rain-making ceremonies, which are practiced before or at the onset of every rain season so that communities have abundant rains and harvests.
In Bulilima district, Matabeleland South province, the ceremony was recently held koManyangwa. KoManyangwa is a Kalanga name and the place holds solutions to many troubled people who believe it has answers to their problems.
The shrine is located at Tjehanga Village, some 30km from Plumtree town.
The rain-making ceremony is also known as Umtolo in Ndebele, Mayile in Kalanga and Mukwerera in Shona.
In African tradition, the people don’t own the land but the land owns the people, thus if the land is angry, there would be low rainfall leading to drought. So, to appease the land there should be a ceremony known as umtolo/mayile/mukwerera.
This belief is not only synonymous with Zimbabwe but is prevalent among many other African communities, Australia, China and the Americas. The Wu Shamans in ancient China performed sacrificial rain dance ceremonies in times of drought.
During the rainmaking process, the women are responsible for brewing beer for the ritual. They also work with young children who are not yet sexually active.
Traditionalists claim that when the rain-asking ceremony is properly done, rains will start falling as the people dance or soon afterwards.
Zimpapers caught up with Amawosana at Dombodema on Thursday during the Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) project launch at Dombodema High School.
Leader of Amawosana Mr Elias Sibanda said there are optimistic they will be more rains this coming season.
“We were at Khulu Manyangwa for the past three days where we were doing the rituals for asking the rains as we approach the rainy season.
“During this period, it is taboo to do any work. For the three days, the ceremony was filled with singing, dancing and drinking traditional beer,” said Mr Sibanda.
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derick.khumalo