Every Wednesday and Sunday afternoon we do tours to this traditional ceremony.
A fairly new church in rural Zululand. Very vibrant colourful with a Woman priest (maXulu Ndwandwe). Beer is served by her in place of wine. Talking in tongues, drums, music and great chanting.Fifty to one hundred people attend. An interesting new experience. These unique ceremony\'s take place in the beautiful Zululand countryside surrounded by rolling hills and Zulu villages.Usually take place in traditional kraal and one can also experience day to day life in rural Zululand while the ceremonies are taking place.
The Sangoma philosophy is based on a belief in spirits They have equal representation between men and women. They may be consulted for issues of health, love, travel, or business. They are also often used to reveal information about a crime. The sangoma performs a first-world function similar to the counsellor. They are trained and graduate at a sangoma initiation, and paid, sometimes a lot.
For a South African Sangoma there is a long student period, similar to many religions, with an emphasis on service. After a few years of training they are initiated in a weekend ceremony to which we are welcome. Zulu people believe in ancestors and in traditional healing. They believe that the divine healer, isangoma, has supernatural powers of communicating with the ancestral spirits on their behalf. Isangomas play a significant role among the Zulu nation and are assigned very powerful status among the society. Usually it is women who take up this profession. Isangomas predict the present and the future of the people who come to seek help from them. Sometimes they are expected to find stolen goods. They throw bones to determine the future and to find stolen things. Isangomas work alone or sometimes in conjunction with medicine men (inyanga).
