adminSharon Ngomani Correspondent
On the veranda she sits, basking in the mid-morning sunshine. One hand rests on her knee, the colour of red floor polish still visible on the edges of her thin but stylish nails. In the other hand is a rock of some sort, creamish in colour which she is carefully carving with her huge molars, opening her mouth like a bellowing hippo. Her cracked lips get painted in a fine white paste as she frequently licks them. The paste seems to stick in her gums and teeth but she is not bothered. Her tongue constantly sweeps away the gummy mush followed by a bath of saliva then she swallows it all. At first sight, this looks disgusting but another glance at her facial expression seems to suggest that whatever she is eating may be a delicay, after all.
Mai Tino, as she is known in the “location”, has enjoyed her kaolin clay (dhaka) for years now. She keeps her stash in a paper bag safely kept dry in her bedroom. No matter how broke, she just cannot sleep without her piece of kaolin clay. She even knows which ones taste better just by the sight of it. “It’s been years and I don’t see myself stopping anytime soon. I can’t explain to you what it tastes like but I just know it can never compare to anything else,” she said.
Like her, many women in Zimbabwe have somehow caught up to this habit. This act is a condition called “pica”, where people eat non-nutritious food such as ice and non-food substances such as this kaolin clay.
The condition, however, for specifically those eating soil, is called geophagia. So what causes normal people to want to eat clay?
Dr Brighton Chireka, medical director of StarkMeditrip, based in England, explains: “Women eat clay mostly when they are pregnant. Medically we have not yet found the definite reason why women do so. It is thought that it’s a sign of lacking some minerals especially iron. However, eating clay is not encouraged.”
This is from a medical perspective. However, some churches believe that eating clay is a sign of being possessed by a snake spirit. Their argument stems from the Book of Genesis Chapter 3 Verse 14 which says: “… You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust.”
For this reason, many a time women with geophagia approach churches like Prophet Walter Magaya’s Prophetic Healing and Deliverance Ministries and TB Joshua’s Synagogue Church of All Nations seeking deliverance from the habit. Afterwards an exorcising process is done through prayer.
Bishop Matanhike of the Apostolic Fellowship Church, however, believes otherwise.
“It is just a bad habit that women have sometimes when they are pregnant and then fail to let it go. I don’t think there is anything satanic there. Even if one wants to give up the habit, she can, only if she dedicates herself wholly to it,” avers Bishop Matanhike.
To some, eating clay can only be stopped by taking supplements of folic acid, iron and other minerals. It usually works wonders especially if one is not too drawn into the habit. The effects of eating clay are mostly unconfirmed but many women across social platforms to express what they go through.
Many women complain of infertility, ovarian cysts and fibroids, development of pimples, constipation, abdominal pains, heavy menstruation and loss of appetite. There is also a high chance of getting lead poisoning from geophagic habits. Lead is a toxic metal found in the earth’s crust. Most women also complain of anaemia, constipation, high blood pressure and fatigue which are also symptoms of lead poisoning.
Pauline Ndoro, of Unit O, Chitungwiza, lost a sister in 2006 during an appendectomy. “We lost Anna when she was 28. During her operation, doctors found a sizeable lump of dhaka sitting in her stomach. She loved her clay and in the last days she had been heavily constipated.
“However, her death was said to have been caused by complications during her operation. But we somehow believed eating clay had something to do with the complications,” she said, struggling to fight back tears.
The addictive clay is mined underground in different areas. But it is also an environmental menace. According to Statutory Instrument 7 of 2007 for EIA and Ecosystem Protection,
“No person shall excavate, remove, possess or license the removal of clay or sand deposit for commercial purposes without a licence by the agency.” At Mbare Musika, clay is big business.
A Sekuru Sigombe is a magnate in this field.
“This clay comes from Hwedza in the farms, though we have never been there,” he explains.
“This is because those who bring it know that once we are familiar with where it is found, we may go behind their back to get it. This becomes cheaper for us but puts them out of business,” said Sekuru Sigombe.
Interjecting, a young man in a white knitted hoodie explains the myth around eating clay. “My sister, the thing is there are many beliefs surrounding dhaka. People eat it for different reasons.
However, for us it’s a money making business where we sustain our livelihoods. We don’t know if we are breaking the law but at least we are not stealing,” he concluded.
However, the habit of eating clay is not confined to Zimbabwe only. In Malawi, they call it dhoti and a packet costs 50 kwacha. Many women enjoy it, usually beyond pregnancy.
In West African countries, they refer to it as calaba chalk, nzu and kaolin clay. In continents like Europe and Asia, kaolin clay is known for beauty regimens. Some even add its properties in beauty products especially masks.
Eating clay is said to be like taking cocaine. Once you start, you can never stop without putting up a proper fight.
It is sad that not much research has been done to fully reveal the effects of eating clay so that there can be awareness campaigns to help women.
Online Reporter