iNtfwasa initiation Part 2, Swaziland

"iNkane or iNtfwasa, the ceremony where a "Sangoma" (sometimes called "witchdoctor") qualifies in Swaziland." In the second part of day 1 the "bogobela" or senior tangoma pull a basket along the ground in which pieces of liver from the goats whose blood had been drunk by the "ematfwasa" or candidates are placed. The candidates run on hands and knees and try to eat these pieces; they "fight like dogs" over it, to show they will later compete for their patients! Also in Swazi culture, "sibindzi" or liver, means "courage". They then have to drink "umuti" medicine again and vomit it out to cleanse them. Later in the afternoon they dress in their ceremonial outfits and dance to the drum rhythms, associated with the "emadloti" or ancestral spirits. The gall bladders from their goats have been hidden and the candidates have to find those by "kuphengula". divination, in which suggestions are shouted at the "bogobela" seniors who alays answer with the same: "izwayi, 'mgoma, izwayi" (I hear you, sangoma) or "siyavuma" (we agree). Yet, the candidates figure it out and they will retrieve their gall bladder, that is then tied into their hair by one of the seniors as a sign of their qualification. They will do the "phengula" divination rituals with other people in the audience as well, to find hidden objects. And everyone cheers if the new sangoma succeeds. These scenes were recorded with an old 8 mm camera (without sound) 11 September 1973; sound, including my commentary, was added later from tape recordings I had made during the same ceremony in previous years and later filmed from a screen with an analogue video camera. The image and sound quality is therefore poor for which I apologise. For (better quality) photos of this ceremony go to http://worldpics.com.au/Africa/Swaziland/ and follow the link to Traditional Healers and from there "iNtwasa Sangoma Ceremony".

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• Swaziland
• Africa
• dance
• culture
• African
• dancing
• tradition
• initiation
• ceremony
• witchdoctor
• spirits