The iNtfwasa initiation Ceremony in Swaziland (part 1)

A Sangoma or diviner (sometimes, rather misleading, known by the rather pejorative term "witchdoctor") usually starts out as a normal person who, through dreams or visions that are interpreted by a sangoma as indicating that his (or, more frequently, her) ancestral spirits are calling him or her to become a diviner. In Swaziland there are far more women sangoma than men; although the "calling" is often resisted at first, as a sangoma is distinguished by her appearance with her hair in ochred plaits, decorated with small bottles of traditional medicine and subject to many taboos, it gradually becomes irresistible and she becomes a learner sangoma in the household of a senior sangoma.

The small homestead of Bethany, near Matsapha in central Swaziland was such a "school", led by LaMabuza, a frendly lady who had about a dozen or more learners staying with her. During this time they had to observe various taboos: they were not allowed to quarrel, shake hands with anybody and have sexual relations, among others. Each year a two day "infwasa" or "iNkane" ceremony was held where the candidates had to undergo a series of tests and rituals that would make them fully qualified "tangoma" (the plural of "sangoma").

The ceremonies started with the candidates being led, one by one, on their knees as a sign of submission to the "emadloti", ancestral spirits, outside where they sat down; LaMabuza made small incisions on their shoulders, wrists and elbows and rubbed "umuti", traditional medicine, in these. Each had a goat placed on her shoulders; a man swiftly pierced the goats heart with a large knife and the candidate turned around, pressed her lips against the wound and drank the blood as it gushed out. She then walked on hands and knees to one of the large bowls, filled with medicine (water in which herbs had been steeped), drank deeply and then vomited the blood out, repeating this as few times. This was a test if they had observed the taboos: if not, the blood would clot in their stomachs and they would die.

The goats were butchered and small pieces of liver were placed on a shallow dish and one of the "bogobela" (senior tangoma) dragged it along the ground. The candidates, on hands and knees, ran after it, trying to eat it, fighting "like dogs" over it. LaMabuza later told me this would give them courage (liver, "sibindzi" in the siSwati language, is a symbol of courage) not to be afraid of even very sick people and being competitive to acquire customers. After this they had to drink "umuti" medicine again and vomit it out to cleanse themselves before being led to the hut they were staying in.

Continuing....

	Administering umuti	Goat on back	Drinking blood	Drinking umuti
	Candidates return	Administering gall	Dance "bogobela"	Running for liver
	Eating liver	After eating liver	Ritual vomiting	Back to their hut

Enter your search termsSubmit search form   Web WorldPics

Click on the map to select a continent...