4.3 Traditional Sotho intertexts in MSP
4.3.2 Traditional Beliefs and Practices
4.3.2.2 Witchcraft and Traditional Medicine
174 | P a g e
175 | P a g e 65. Feela ha a kholoe ke matla a boloi.
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63. If he believed in witchcraft, he would be certain, 64. That they had got and finished him,
65. But he believes not in the power of witchcraft.
The lines are referring to Molumakae’s first experience of his heart problem that eventually caused him his life. Even though he does not attribute his heart problem to witchcraft because he does not believe in its power, he does not dismiss its notional existence and practice. There is also a counter practice by which ailments and witchcraft are neutralised among the Basotho. This, I refer to as traditional medicine and healing systems or practices. Intertexts of beliefs and practices are a common phenomenon in MSP. Examples are extracted from the poems entitled
‘Lesotho’ and ‘Bothuaela’ in Khaketla (1985: 59) and Ramone (2001: 4 – 5) respectively.
Use is made of images of traditional healing systems or methods in describing Moshoeshoe’s foresightedness in inviting the three PEMS missionaries to Lesotho in 1833 in the poem entitled ‘Lesotho’ (Khaketla, 1985: 59). The three missionaries are metaphorically referred to as ”manaka32 a le mararo” ‘three medicine horns’ in line 56, while the act of evangelisation is termed “ho phatsa” ‘to make an incision’ in line 58;
conducting modern education is called “ho sesetsa” ‘rub medicine into an incision’
and instructional as well as learning materials are representatively called “mokoetla le mosili” ‘chalk and pencil’ in line 59.
Besides making allusions to the horns as the method of keeping traditional medicines, the poem also makes mention of incisions and rubbing in of drugs as traditional methods of healing, which Moshoeshoe, through his doctor, applied.
About these Damane et al (1974:17) write: "Each chief had his own doctor, who kept the medicines of the chiefdom in various horns…and they would be administered by being rubbed into light incisions in the flesh.” In the same manner, the PEMS as a religious institution kept the three medicine horns for Moshoeshoe and they were administered in the evangelisation and education among the Basotho. These images are intertexts from the traditional world of healing and they manifest the intertextual
32 Manaka (Singular: Lenaka) - fortifying medicines, medicine horns. Wells (1994: 316)
176 | P a g e relation between traditional beliefs and practices as precursor texts and MSP as a parasite or primary beneficiary in this host parasite relationship.
The poem Bothuela33 (Ramone, 2001: 4 – 5) touches on aspects relating to this form of traditional healing practice performed by a sangoma ‘Lethuela, plur. Mathuela’. In describing the origins of bothuela Matšela (1990:82) suggests that despite its being famous among Basotho, it is a foreign phenomenon that originated from Natal during the 1820s. Echoing the same sentiments and going a step further, Wells (1994: 234) traces the origins of the term mathouela ‘practitioners of bothuela’ to the term AmaTugela which is used for those living around the Tugela River in the Province of KwaZulu-Natal. The practitioners of this style of medicine are said to have originated from this area by Basotho. According to Matšela (ibid) and Wells (ibid) not only was the term then adapted to Sesotho as mathuela, but also other terms as evidence shows. Both scholars further show that among other terms given as evidence to the Sotho-isation process, mention can be made of the alternative word for bothuela in Sesotho, bokoma, and for lethuela, mokoma, which is cognate with the Zulu term isangoma; derived from the Bantu language root for drum, -ngoma. Other Zulu names are umsholongo ‘mocholoko’, an apprentice lethuela and isangoma ‘mokoma’.
Matšela (ibid) further explains that bothuela comes through ho thoasa34 or ukutwasa in Zulu.
The poem draws parallels between an academic institution of higher learning and the Nguni-styled traditional institution of medical practice and healing, bothuela.
Considering the title, the comparison is drawn between studentship in an institution of higher learning, the bustle and hustle of its academic activities, which include studying, research and attending classes, among others, and some activities that take place in a traditional institution, bothuela. The voice in the poem represents a student but described as lethuela ‘sangoma’, equating his high spirits and enthusiasm in the initiation into bothuela to his activeness in learning. Learning
33 Bothuela - Nguni-style traditional healing system (ibid)
34 Ho thoasa – the act of the apprentice lethuela reconnecting with the ancestral spirits through dreams or visions in which he / she is directed to the lethuela responsible for his / her cure, as well as through the whole initiation process; being shown clothes to wear when healing, which animals should be slaughtered as a sacrifice to the balimo, medicinal plants or herbs to use in healing people, even songs to sing.
177 | P a g e activities are described along the lines of the activities involved in bothuela. For example, in lines16 – 20, he appeals to his schoolmates not to disturb him so that he could maintain focus and be able to find his way in his studies but puts it thus:
16. Ntloheleng ke le inotši kea kopa,
17. Rata le ka mpherekanya (Ramone, 2001: 4).
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16. Leave me alone I beg you,
17. Noise will distract and confuse me,
Some academic study methods are described through some traditional methods of finding solutions to ailments or human problems. For instance, having visions of what to do is described as dreaming while finding answers and solutions through consulting a variety of materials is presented as “ho laola” ‘throwing the divining bones’ and being able to understand what is being taught and finding direction in his studies is equated to ho “utloa mok’hoba hantle” ‘to diagnose the problem or locate hidden items’ in lines 18, 19 and 20 respectively.
Reference is also made to class sessions or lectures which are described in bothuela term hlophe35, by mathuela, where hlopheng in line 38 is an adjectival phrase denoting where the hlophe is taking place as in
33. Ke mathela hlopheng kea bitsoa, (Ramone, 2001: 5).
‘I am rushing to the hlophe, I am being called,’
While undergoing training for a certain length of time, a sangoma trainee is said to be in lefehlong. From the line below, the poem makes use of a similar term to refer to the academic training the student is undergoing:
36. Pelo ea ka ea choba ke lefehlong, (Ramone, 2001: 5)
‘My heart throbbed while undergoing sangoma training,’