RIVER sangoma Nomanyange Vika-Jamani has a stern warning for people who spill blood in the rivers.
“Stop spilling chicken blood in the river. You anger the ancestors,” said the sangoma from KwaZakhele kasi in Port Elizabeth.
She said the spilling of blood in the rivers during rituals by sangomas is dangerous even for the sangomas themselves.
The warning comes after Nomanyange found dead chickens dumped at Perseverance River on Monday.
“I am not a fake sangoma. I know what I am talking about,” she said.
“There are different clans who live there, just as on earth. When sangomas perform rituals in the river those clans stand up and listen for their names to be called.”
She said when the ancestors are angry the river stands still and no fish, bird or crocodile shows up to welcome you.
“Bees come out to sting you and the river is covered by a green plant that looks as if it’s growing sweet potatoes. That plant signifies that sangomas are no longer welcome.”
Nomanyange said her ancestors have told her to warn fake sangomas to stop polluting the river.
“A chicken is no one’s ancestor. It represents impundulu. It is used for killing a person.
“Those who do this will cause drownings.”
Ngeji Mpambani (72), former chairman of the Nelson Mandela Traditional Practitioners, said: “The slaughtering of chickens in the river is new and shocking to us. These things are evil and bring bad luck to families. Those who practise it cause unnecessary drownings and invite deaths in families.
“As far as I know, no animal is allowed to be slaughtered in the river because that is not acceptable to the ancestors.”
