Modjadji clan faces a very dry season

TZANEEN – RESIDENTS of Kethaskone, home of the Modjadji royal family that is well-known for its supernatural rainmaking powers, took to the streets on Friday demanding water from the royal family.

The Modjadji family depends on the blowing of a horn to produce rain. If blown during the family’s annual rainmaking ceremony, rain falls in buckets and fills the Great Letaba river and dams along it.

Since the rainmaking ceremony that took place in October last year, the area has been dry. “This water shortage is a financial drain, as we now have to buy water at an exorbitant fee from those who have boreholes,” one resident, Jane Mohle, said.

“Grace Morwatshehla said she had to buy water at R1 per 20 litre container. “We use five litres for cooking, bathing, and cleaning in a family of six members. Taking a bath has become an unusual thing for us because instead of bathing, we prioritise drinking and cooking,” she said.

Modjadji royal council chairperson and spokesperson for the royal family, John Malatji, agreed that the annual rainmaking ceremony had failed to bring rain to the clan last year. Malatji said the problem was that the family could not reach the ancestral land in the Boakomo triangle to speak to the ancestors. “We only conducted the ritual ceremonies in Mathekga, Masopha, Morwatshehla, Matshwi and Mampeule. The problem is that it was raining at the time and we couldn’t reach the main core of the ancestral land because the soil was slippery,” he said.

Malatji said the area had since depended on water from the big reservoir that drew water from the Matshwi Dam, but the reservoir had since cracked and contractors were currently on site trying to fix the problem. “It is just a minor setback and we believe the situation will be back to normal soon,” he said.

Malatji explained more about the annual rainmaking ceremony: “Every October, five strong relatives of the Modjadji royal family converge at the royal house and conduct the rainmaking ceremony. The ceremony is held in an effort to speak to the ancestors to bring rain to the Bolobedu area.

“The family uses a horn from king Monomotapa of the then Rhodesia. The horn contains rare powers to make rain. The family brings a mixture similar to traditional beer called Mphapho. Some of it is poured into a sacred place called Thokoleng and some is fed to a black cow called Mokgadi. The Mphapho is then given to the members of the royal family to drink.

“During this process, the regent of the Balobedu clan, Mpapatla, then speaks to the ancestors by blowing the horn. In a few minutes, the ancestors respond by bringing rain that leaves the dams and river overflowing”.