| Preface | Death
| Graves | The
Burial | Embryos | Common
Beliefs | Infant Child | KHOHO-ea-LIRA
| LEPHAKA-TLAHI | The
Mokhotla
The following is but a meagre account of the many superstitions,
beliefs, customs and practices still common in the different
parts of Basutoland.
To enumerate them all would be impossible for this would
require the help of many of the now unavailable gray heads
to call them back to memory; since through the coming of the
white man, the belief in Christianity, neglect and disuse,
they are almost forgotten or even abused, while to the present
generation many of the superstitions are entirely unknown.
 However
the in born spirit, traditions, influences and keen interest
aroused by listening attentively to folk tales, fables, ghost
and witchcraft stories told by grand mothers to their grandchildren
at bed time in the hut; and also other peculiar talks among
the men at home or in the "khotla" in the evenings
about these beliefs and customs; all these I say must naturally
have implanted in the minds of young listeners, deep and not
to be shaken impressions about these customs and beliefs.
In those days to have doubted the integrity of charms, the
binding necessity of certain incisions, the magical powers
of the "baloi" evil doers, witches and those of ghosts
etc. would have deemed worse than insanity itself.
Poetical and rhymed amusing songs were sung, nursery tales
repeated about these beliefs at the hearth by night, and fables
were told at bed time by old grannies to their grandchildren,
who in every case slept at their houses, in order to shun the
abusive slander "ho hloba khoale" to pluck the partridge
recklessly or in ordinary. "Do not pamper your children".
Superstitions, fables and nursery tales were then and there
related to the little ones. However it must be remembered that
fables were not too be narrated during the day time, but only
at night, these being a strong belief that a mysterious horn
would happen too grow on the head of the person who recounted
fables during the day time.
Back to top.
Since death was considered so terrible an occurrence in
all localities, it would be out of the question to classify
the many inconvenient superstitions about it.
In those olden times the "leqhofa" the hut of
the dead man, especially one in which an aged person died,
who had no family, was left unoccupied, its entrance blocked
up either with stones or bundles of grass.
Kraals in which such deaths occurred were deserted and
the spots no longer held fit for habitation.
Surprising or sudden deaths, such as caused by the striking
of lightning etc. were incidents of great shock. Witch doctors
were urgently sought for, and divining bones thrown down by
them to reveal the mournful secrets. Death reports were announced
to relatives at night.
Children upon their inquiring as to the whereabouts of
such and such a newly deceased, were told, "ofaletse"
he has emigrated, and not "o shoele" he is dead,
which was a vulgar as well as a wrong saying.
It was also improper especially during the term of mourning
to pronounce the name of the deceased, but he should be addressed
"the late so and so".
In olden times there was no night watch over the corpse
as is done today, since as far as possible the corpse was buried
during the night of the day of death.
Funerals were nocturnal performances,
held only by grown ups at dead of night. In many cases the
young were not allowed to see the dead body, neither to attend
the funeral.
Back to top.
"A very old man who would not die", but was a
nuisance and a burden to the family, was done away with. He
would be placed at the entrance of the cattle kraal, so that
the cattle getting inside the kraal for the night would trample
him to death and then he would be picked up to be buried quietly.
Back to top.
On no account should the grave dug out for the dead remain
open during the night. The corpse must necessarily be buried
on the same day the grave was dug, that is on the day of death.
But in the case of great stress or perplexity impeding the
burial, the grave should be watched by men throughout the night
to prevent the "baloi" (evil doers) from approaching
it.
Graves of elders and owners of cattle were dug out in their
cattle kraals since of necessity the rich should not be separated
from their cattle.. The stones of the kraal were removed for
sufficient space for the grave, and the kraal was built up
again after the burial.
The grave itself was nothing more than a round hole, a
few feet deep, since there were no spades for digging, but
only small iron rods called "kepa" used for digging
medicines or clumsy blindly pointed sticks made from hard wood
of the wild olive tree. The body was not laid stretched out
in the graves, but was buried in a sitting position.
Visible graves, outside the village, were as far as possible
avoided so as not to frighten people. In the case of those
who had no reason to be buried in respectable graves in their
cattle kraals and in the case of strangers, graves were dug
outside the village. These unfortunate places were dreaded
spots. People should not sit nor stand upon the heap of a grave.
A person who happened unconsciously to do so, should have his
or her feet passed slightly over a brisk fire of grass to scorch
off the misfortune.
Back to top.
In those primitive days of feudal times, even in days of
leisure and peace, men and boys did not sit down heavily on
the ground. They always "satup" even in the "Khotla"
while eating, so as to be able to leap up instantly at any
call of alarm.
The dead body for interment was wound up in an ox skin,
bound with ropes of the "moli grass" and placed "sitting
up" in the grave, sop as to be able to rise up instantly
on the day when it would be summoned to do so.
Under no circumstances should the corpse be buried lying
stretched out in the grave. The corpse was gently lowered down
into the grave and supported on all sides with the ground dug
out to keep it firmly "sitting up".
A few grains of the seeds of the "mabele", occasionally
maize, sugar cane, pumpkin seeds and a tuft of ordinary doog
grass twisted into a tiny ring were thrown beside the body
in the grave. His or her snuff box, if any, was also placed
at the side of the body.
The corpse was placed sitting up in such a way as to half
face the east, so that the rising sun might slightly cast its
rays on the corpse’s right cheek. Some of the binding ropes
about the head were gently cut through with a knife so that
the covering of the face could be slightly opened to prevent
suffocation.
The ground was then thrown in as far as the level of the
head. Lastly a small flat stone was placed directly above the
centre of the head and the grave was filled up with sand.
In each case the ground dug out of the grave should all
be brought back to fill it up again, so that none of it remained
scattered about. The surroundings should be swept clean and
all particles of earth remaining placed on the newly covered
grave.
However, should it happen that much of the ground remained,
it was carefully removed and scattered thinly over the grass
at some distance from the grave so as to prevent evil doers
from taking any of it to do mischief over the corpse.
A mound of stones was built over the grave and a higher
stone planted at the top end to mark the head side. In certain
cases the dogs would smell out the putrified body which was
not too deep in the ground and would scratch at the grave.
In these cases it was necessary to crush the bitter roots of
the "leshokhoa" plant, which were dipped in water
and sprinkled over the grave, or placed in pans "mangetana",
around the grave.
An unnfortunate man who died stretched out without people
to help him to close his mouth and eyelids, or fold his arms
and legs, had the stiff muscles at the back of the knee joint
gently cut through with a knife, so as to allow the body to
be easily positioned sitting up in the grave.
Now in modern times, since the hier is the first to let
flow his blood at all incision ceremonies in the family, it
is also hiss privilage to be the first to throw a handful or
spadeful of soil into the grave. The rest of the family, beginning
with the eldest, follows after him, after which everyone can
then take part in filling up the grave.
The custom of the olden times was that the person who placed
the corpse into the grave had to be purified or compensated
as explained later. At the same time, this showed the public
the lineage and succession of the family in case of any dispute
afterwards.
An imposter, "ho ja metlakana", who falsely claimed
and took upon himself this exceptional privilage which did
not lawfully belong to him, would be condemned by the ancestral
gods. Invariably such a man became stupid, dull or even insane.
The pan that bore the seeds in the grave was place above the
grave.
Back to top.
Embryos are buried in old broken earthen pots. The smallest
may even be placed in an old horn of an ox and then buried.
Only women , who have acted as midwives during the confinement
may perform the burial, which takes place in the early hours
of the morning or about nightfall. The grave or hole is dug
out by the woman on an ash hill outside the premises. A man,
if needed, may help dig out the hole, but cannot attend the
burial.
Back to top.
- A house spider should not be disturbed, it being the pillar
that sustains the "back-bones" of the family.
- A whirl-wind, whirling into a house, foretells the coming
of a stranger. A whirlwind whirling one about should be spat
upon to quell the misfortune it brings.
- A dog howling ominously, "moola ke seotsa",
brings evil. It must at once be stopped or chased away.
- A dog should not sit in front of people, especially in
front of men with it’s back turned towards them. This portends
sure evil. At once it must be chased away with contempt.
- A visitor going on a long journey, when passing a certain
place, (generally between tow hills) where there is a heap
of small stones piled together, should pick up another stone
alongside of the road, spit on it and throw it on the heap.
This is an omen for good luck and good eating along the journey
and at his destination. The common mountains of Sefikeng and
Sefikaneng derived their names from such big heaps made there
in olden times.
- A person stooping to drink water a a spouting spring of
water should before drinking appease the master below by generously
throwing on the surface of the agitating water a tuft of green
herbs, otherwise the restless water will erupt onto his face.
- A cock clucking like a hen brings evil to the owner -
it should be destroyed at once. The same applies to a hen
crowing like a cock.
- Pottery women should cease to mix up their clay, to form
pots, or to bake pots after a death in the village has been
announced. After this time all pot work cracks and spoils.
- Men should not eat bread-scraps from the pot because doing
so would cause their drawers, "tseha" to burst asunder.
Back to top.
The birth announcement of the first-born child to its father
is formal. A male neighbour goes to the place where the father
of the child happens to be and by standing behind him unnoticed
strikes him with a stick in his hand saying: "We are given
a son!" In the case of a female child, a woman in the
same way pours a calabash of water over his head saying: "The
birth of a girl!".
This shock and excitement changes into joy itself. The
first-born boy is the property of the grand-parents. It has
to be weaned by a ceremony performed by the grand-father, generally
after the of two or even three years suckling, during which
period there are no sexual realtions between the young couples.
Such actions spoil the child, who at that time continues
to suckle congealed milk, caused by pregnancy. The "senofu"
or "spoiled child" suffers from chronic constipation,
caused by the mild and very often dies.
So as to prevent an infant from afterwards becoming a rogue
or a thief, it must be protected against the least rain drops
for the space of two or three months after birth. Then on one
fine day, when there will be a nice shower of rain, the infant
is taken out and gently laid down on the ground in the reed
closure in front of the house. Here pouring rain will freely
spatter over it for a few moments. The frightened infant will
scream bitterly. The family all shout out as if micking at
it, saying: "Ah! Behold the thief, the thief, the thief!"
Suddenly it is picked up, wiped, carressed and taken to the
house.
A young child ready to be given solide food, should be
given it by a chosen man known to be of a good temper and morals.
He gives it a slice of meat, which the child sucks eagerly
as if it were sucking into itself the good qualities of the
man. In the olden times, it was customary that a good respectable
herd boy should exclusively do the milking of the cows for
the infants.
All adults, men and women, with the exception of the aged
and younger boys and girls are forbidden, for the space of
two or three months after the confinement of a woman, to enter
into her premises, since their "bad conduct and trampling
everywhere", they are apt to cause evil to the infant,
"ho hata ngoana".
Back to top.
This bird, "masianoke", the Heron or Hamerkop,
seems closely connected with lightning. When the "Masianoke"
alights in the village, it announces lightning in it. This
bird should in no way be killed, nor should it’s nest be touched
or disturbed.
Back to top.
This bird, "Koho-ea-Lira" or Dikkop, screeching
near the village forewarns of the the same evils, therefore,
it rouses the apprehensions and anxieties of all villagers.
Back to top.
The "lephaka-tlali" is a spot seen on grass in
the fields that has supposedly been scorched by lightning.
Such a spot used to be dreaded and someone unconsciously passing
over it, should when noticing it, have his or her feet passed
over a flame of fire on the grass to escape misfortune.
Back to top.
The "Mokhotla", or black ibis bird, possess exceptional
and wonderful charms. To obtain these from it, a device is
used. A snare is laid in the nest of the bird to catch it’s
yound ones. When one is caught it should neither be killed
nor removed from it’s snare, bbut left securely ensnared within
it’s strings. The mother bird when returning home and finding
her young one ensnared in this manner, places a drug on the
snare, which will cause the strings to opoen. In this way she
releases the captured one. The famous drug found on the snare
should be removed and used as a medicinal charm. However, should
one on the following morning find the drug on the snare and
the captured bird still ensnared, he must take the drug away,
leaving the little bird ensnared and continue to do so every
morning, until at least he has found it gone and a fresh drug
on his snare. This particlular drug is the true one to be preserved.
Lesotho.
Back to top.
|
