Catching up with ‘white sangoma’ Brownyn Saayman
She has been practising as a sangoma for almost 15 years now. Speaking to Fourways Review recently, Saymaan said she has progressed to become an expert in her calling.
Bronwyn Saayman has been practising as a sangoma for almost 15 years now. Speaking to Fourways Review, she told us that she has progressed to be an expert in her calling and all the criticism about being a sangoma who is white, is slowly becoming a thing of the past.
“I refer to myself as a specialist sangoma; just as Western doctors specialise so do we. Unfortunately, due to the fact that I travel extensively, I do not keep a traditional Indumba [traditional hut]. I also do initiate other sangomas especially those who have landed at the wrong gobelas [trainers] and were trained with an incorrectly diagnosed ancestral spirit. This has become common in our industry.”
“People are generally accepting of my calling as it is something I did not hide from the get-go,” she said. She added that her biggest challenge was not fitting into societal stereotypes.
“Overcoming this has been a long-term mission of simple education. Many sangomas have mixed race backgrounds and it is important for people to know that so that they can understand where it all comes from. That is why I have a common bond with my friend and colleague, Romeo as some of his ancestors are white. The title of white sangoma does not bother me much.”
Saayman captured news headlines and received all kinds of criticism when she came out as the ‘white sangoma’ a decade ago. Fourways Review caught up with Saymaan, in 2017 to chat about her journey to becoming a traditional healer following her return to Fourways.
She told us, at the time, that she had always been in touch with her spiritual gift from a young age. However, a lot of her ancestral dreams began to make more sense when she went for training as a sangoma in 2009.
She does the majority of her work at her client’s houses and if the distance is a hindrance, she said she also offers telephonic consultations.
“I will then throw my ancestral bones to diagnose the problem and thereafter treatment will be couriered to the client with instructions clearly stated.”
She loves helping people using her ancestral gift as Mkhulu Tshepo. Unfortunately, she said she is no longer based in Fourways, ” I am moving from Krugersdorp to Wakkerstroom this week to put down roots for a little while.”
Details: Browyn Saayman 072 555 5131
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