Witchcraft

Songoma’s, Nyanga’s(Witch doctors), Witches - what’s the difference

Did you know that Nyanga’s in Africa well at least my part of it are buried at night only, specifically between midnight and two in the morning is preferable, 3 to 4 am is actually a bit late.

Well now you know, that certainly put paid to any aspirations I may have had.

I’m not sure if this applies equally to Songoma’s, nowadays it is quite the in thing to be one, I wouldn’t mind myself actually that is if I don’t have to undergo the training part of it.

Definition
From what I understand Songoma’s and Nyanga’s (traditional doctors) are people who have a healing gift. They also have divination skills and can also communicate with the ancestors. They are consulted mostly on many problems to do with life besides actual illness, and usually preside over traditional ceremonies such as talking to the ancestors (we had one of those last year – it was an experience I never could have imagined) and the annual sacrifice (we are talking beer here people not anything remotely blood related for all you “sadomasochists”), usually performed after the harvest season when there is less to do as most of the work has been done), (I used to love those when me and my sisters used to sneak to neighboring homes at nights – you can hear the drums for miles - to attend them my granny is a staunch Christian). Basically beer is brewed from the harvested millet and people come together at night to dance and sing and well there is a lot more that goes on here – such as the ancestors talking to the people this from personal witness – you want to know more?

Training
The schooling involves apprenticeship with the teacher whereby you actually go to live with them for the duration of the learning. This can consist of months in the bush, with no shelter, no shoes, no food, and absolutely no chance of a bath, sot of like survivor international, except this time around you are supposed to emerge with great psychological powers (among others) as opposed to psychological issues, oh and just forget about combing your hair.
Nowadays however this apprenticeship can also be done in towns where, nowadays it can involve office help, or even chauffeuring services for the teacher – its civilization people!

Finding a teacher
Well the process of finding a teacher isn’t as simple, normally you will be told by those who “see” that you have “the gift”, sometimes if you are resistant the calling of the ancestors may manifest itself as illness or ill luck maybe even mental illness, the doctors will be unable to diagnose and eventually you may be forwarded to the traditional doctor who will inform you of the true nature of your illness. In some cases, of course it’s just hereditary, your father was a traditional healer, your grandfather is one and so on.
When looking for a teacher one may get responses such as “ I am not the one you are looking for” or “you are to heavy for me – please move on”??? I know, this all makes sense in the next paragraph

The examinations
I am told that at the end of it all teacher and student must test their powers against each other – to the death that is. Okay I don’t really know why this is so but there is a wide consensus on this one – it can’t be ignored. It explains the heaviness comment I think. What I wonder is if the student fails at this stage do they qualify for night burial?

Witches
Witches in Africa are common knowledge but one of the best kept secrets of the African heritage, little besides all the crazy stories - and there are many of these it would require a blog page dedicated to just witch stories or something like that to cover those fantastical tales - is actually known about them, in spite of the fact that there is apparently a network of them (yes they collaborate and share tips I’m told, it helps if say this person you were trying to bewitch moved to a different geographical area they even have a hierarchy of leadership). Apparently, witchcraft can not be used to enrich oneself, if you try some kind of spell to do so it will not work; also they cannot do good things with their powers. And the nudity thing just never seems to go away when talking about witches – I don’t know why all the stories involve them flying around at night in the nude but there it is.

Generally witches in Africa can “fly” and are generally always up to no good, putting evil spells and the like. I have come across a witch on 3 occasions in my life, if you wanna know more about that you will have to ask me.

I hope one day I do get an opportunity to interview one, and maybe I’ll be more informed then.

Oh I almost forgot when we were young growing up in the village, I did hear say that say you wanted to become a witch, and say you happened to know an old lady who was a witch in the village, you’d go to the bush and chop a whole stock of firewood and deliver this to the old woman. Ok unfortunately I never quite got the courage to try that one so (akitsi) – I don’t know, again I never really liked chopping firewood. Do you have any idea how difficult it is to tell whether a particular tree can be used as fire wood or not, or even whether its dry enough or not – just don’t remind me.

I will end with a question what is the difference between a traditional doctor & a sangoma – does anyone know?

Why all the hate?

The Kenyan quote on the snake and the men in my recent post highlights a theme that as Africans is central to our everyday existence, the issue of tribalism – in a recent article in the Sunday Standard newspaper a reader wrote a letter titled time to tame the Zimbabweans, well… there was a lot said but the gist is that the Botswana Defense Force commander should lead the way in this exercise. So I ask what exactly does such a letter imply?

There is a lot to explore here and I intend to, but as of now below is a letter I published in the Sunday Standard in response:

Had enough?
Have you heard the one about the white person who makes a point of saying oh but I have black friends, or the homophobic who says, but I have some gay friends?

The article in Sunday standard June 18 – 24 2006 issue sent a very cold shiver down my spine. That a person can have the guts to send such a hateful article to the Sunday standard knowing full well that it will be accessible to a large number of the population is very unbelievable, at the very least irresponsible. Further more the newspaper did not have any qualms about publishing such a letter.

I was literally amazed by what I read about Zimbabweans taking over such public places as gyms, stadiums and even bus ranks. Whenever I am in any of these places I only observe people who are going about their business, how anyone can take over these public places that can hardly be claimed ownership by any one individual due to their very nature actually boggles my mind. I wonder if the writer is a frequent user of these places, I have noticed that people who drive cars have a very weird view of the bus rank/ station from many comments I have heard them utter.

How anyone can even purport to be able to recognize who is Zimbabwean, South African, Malawian, Zambian or even Jamaican for that matter (Botswana is a very metropolitan country!!!) in such crowded situations only the writer seems to know. I can only express amazement at their amazing talentdedness. Whenever I pass through these areas I go about my business without paying much attention to whether the guy on the other treadmill is Zimbabwean, or the five out of 15 passengers with me are Mozambique’s, or that guy sitting in front of me at the game is from Malawi. Not so it seems with our writer, these matters in fact for reasons known only to them seem to be of great importance to them.

I never frequent pubs but the few – (for me anyway - unpleasant times) I have been there my experience is of overcrowded noisy places with hardly any standing room, its usually to dark to tell if a person is black, white, Indian, or in between let alone the true national identity of individuals, again the writers amazing powers and gifts are to be marveled at. I wonder how these places are taken over BY Zimbabweans, do they claim all the seats or maybe they buy all the drinks? Apparently they even have money to go to these places.

I quote the writer
“First and foremost in the mind of a typical Zimbabwean is an intense desire to dominate and take over”
“What bothers me is the general attitude and conduct of Zimbabweans in this country”

Very strong accusations stated matter of factly, and categorically, not to mention generalizing the behavior of a very large number of the Zimbabwean population in this country.

The writer having made these accusations goes on to further insult our intelligence by not even bothering to qualify, clarify, or support his statements with any supporting evidence. They are simply taking over and we must all agree with the writer and become fed up as well. I will not even raise the question of how many Zimbabweans the writer knows well enough to make such assertions, lets not forget their qualifications in uttering such statements, a PhD in psychology or human behavior perhaps, hmm and dare I ask concerning the extensive research the writer must have conducted in order to come up with such strong conclusions and assertions concerning the mind, general attitude, conduct and behavioral patterns of typical Zimbabweans in Botswana.

Our writer, who is “a Motswana citizen by birth” dare we forget, has made a very grave mistake in the form of this letter and it is my sincere hope that they realize the error of their ways and repent thoroughly. I have deliberately not stated my citizenship in this letter, whether it be by birth or by some other means or unsavory defect. I believe in the idea that irregardless of the couler of ones passport we are all human beings, none of us being perfect. We have no choice but to accept that the world is a small place and as such we are likely to find it difficult if not downright impossible not to have interactions with each other. We can only tolerate each other communicate our grievances peaceably and like the civilized people we are with a view to forging a way towards peaceful coexistence.

Respect for others in public areas indeed in all situations and circumstances is not just a Tswana custom but in fact an African custom. One that I believe all African cultures extol and instill in their members at a young and tender age it is who we are, not only that it is a respect that does not consider were a person is from or their country of origin. One that all Africans should be proud of I might add.


The snake flees from the man; the man flees from the snake,
and the path remains empty. Thus does enmity waste opportunity?
Translation of an Oromo tribe (Ethiopia / Kenya) proverb

The bitter heart devours its owner
Tswana saying

Most importantly this was a hateful letter aimed at inspiring nothing but malicious feelings towards Zimbabweans, written by a deeply disturbed individual, that level of hate found in any one individual in my view is a sign of sickness. On the other hand it may have been just an error due to the passion of the moment. The writer is totally unashamed to talk of respect in one breadth and then peddle such hate in the next. I am equally disappointed in the editor of a newspaper I happen to love and respect. As a reader I am offended to have been subjected to such hateful utterances, and have them treated with such apparent disregard of their implications so as to have found their way to this page. For the editor to have overlooked the implications of this article on the rights of another human being is unpardonable.

Am I the only person who is chilled by the call for the commander of the Botswana Defense Forces to take action against Zimbabweans, with a view to taming them? This is after all the major point of the letter as I understand it. What actions are these may I ask, I dread to imagine, I truly do. I also hope these are not the feelings of the majority of Batswana otherwise – “God help us all” is all I can say.

To the editor – i am shocked, saddened, deeply and immeasurably disappointed.

Why all the hate

The Kenyan quote on the snake and the men in my recent post highlights a theme that as Africans is central to our everyday existence, the issue of tribalism – in a recent article in the Sunday Standard newspaper a reader wrote a letter titled time to tame the Zimbabweans, well… there was a lot said but the gist is that the Botswana Defense Force commander should lead the way in this exercise. So I ask what exactly does such a letter imply?

There is a lot to explore here and I intend to, but as of now below is a letter I published in the Sunday Standard in response:

Had enough?
Have you heard the one about the white person who makes a point of saying oh but I have black friends, or the homophobic who says, but I have some gay friends?

The article in Sunday standard June 18 – 24 2006 issue sent a very cold shiver down my spine. That a person can have the guts to send such a hateful article to the Sunday standard knowing full well that it will be accessible to a large number of the population is very unbelievable, at the very least irresponsible. Further more the newspaper did not have any qualms about publishing such a letter.

I was literally amazed by what I read about Zimbabweans taking over such public places as gyms, stadiums and even bus ranks. Whenever I am in any of these places I only observe people who are going about their business, how anyone can take over these public places that can hardly be claimed ownership by any one individual due to their very nature actually boggles my mind. I wonder if the writer is a frequent user of these places, I have noticed that people who drive cars have a very weird view of the bus rank/ station from many comments I have heard them utter.

How anyone can even purport to be able to recognize who is Zimbabwean, South African, Malawian, Zambian or even Jamaican for that matter (Botswana is a very metropolitan country!!!) in such crowded situations only the writer seems to know. I can only express amazement at their amazing talentdedness. Whenever I pass through these areas I go about my business without paying much attention to whether the guy on the other treadmill is Zimbabwean, or the five out of 15 passengers with me are Mozambique’s, or that guy sitting in front of me at the game is from Malawi. Not so it seems with our writer, these matters in fact for reasons known only to them seem to be of great importance to them.

I never frequent pubs but the few – (for me anyway - unpleasant times) I have been there my experience is of overcrowded noisy places with hardly any standing room, its usually to dark to tell if a person is black, white, Indian, or in between let alone the true national identity of individuals, again the writers amazing powers and gifts are to be marveled at. I wonder how these places are taken over BY Zimbabweans, do they claim all the seats or maybe they buy all the drinks? Apparently they even have money to go to these places.

I quote the writer
“First and foremost in the mind of a typical Zimbabwean is an intense desire to dominate and take over”
“What bothers me is the general attitude and conduct of Zimbabweans in this country”

Very strong accusations stated matter of factly, and categorically, not to mention generalizing the behavior of a very large number of the Zimbabwean population in this country.

The writer having made these accusations goes on to further insult our intelligence by not even bothering to qualify, clarify, or support his statements with any supporting evidence. They are simply taking over and we must all agree with the writer and become fed up as well. I will not even raise the question of how many Zimbabweans the writer knows well enough to make such assertions, lets not forget their qualifications in uttering such statements, a PhD in psychology or human behavior perhaps, hmm and dare I ask concerning the extensive research the writer must have conducted in order to come up with such strong conclusions and assertions concerning the mind, general attitude, conduct and behavioral patterns of typical Zimbabweans in Botswana.

Our writer, who is “a Motswana citizen by birth” dare we forget, has made a very grave mistake in the form of this letter and it is my sincere hope that they realize the error of their ways and repent thoroughly. I have deliberately not stated my citizenship in this letter, whether it be by birth or by some other means or unsavory defect. I believe in the idea that irregardless of the couler of ones passport we are all human beings, none of us being perfect. We have no choice but to accept that the world is a small place and as such we are likely to find it difficult if not downright impossible not to have interactions with each other. We can only tolerate each other communicate our grievances peaceably and like the civilized people we are with a view to forging a way towards peaceful coexistence.

Respect for others in public areas indeed in all situations and circumstances is not just a Tswana custom but in fact an African custom. One that I believe all African cultures extol and instill in their members at a young and tender age it is who we are, not only that it is a respect that does not consider were a person is from or their country of origin. One that all Africans should be proud of I might add.


The snake flees from the man; the man flees from the snake,
and the path remains empty. Thus does enmity waste opportunity?
Translation of an Oromo tribe (Ethiopia / Kenya) proverb

The bitter heart devours its owner
Tswana saying

Most importantly this was a hateful letter aimed at inspiring nothing but malicious feelings towards Zimbabweans, written by a deeply disturbed individual, that level of hate found in any one individual in my view is a sign of sickness. On the other hand it may have been just an error due to the passion of the moment. The writer is totally unashamed to talk of respect in one breadth and then peddle such hate in the next. I am equally disappointed in the editor of a newspaper I happen to love and respect. As a reader I am offended to have been subjected to such hateful utterances, and have them treated with such apparent disregard of their implications so as to have found their way to this page. For the editor to have overlooked the implications of this article on the rights of another human being is unpardonable.

Am I the only person who is chilled by the call for the commander of the Botswana Defense Forces to take action against Zimbabweans, with a view to taming them? This is after all the major point of the letter as I understand it. What actions are these may I ask, I dread to imagine, I truly do. I also hope these are not the feelings of the majority of Batswana otherwise – “God help us all” is all I can say.

To the editor – i am shocked, saddened, deeply and immeasurably disappointed.