Heritage site turned into 'mapostori worship centre'

ONE of the heritage sites that used to add to Bulawayo's beautiful scenery has now been transformed into a hub of shrines for several apostolic churches.

Inxwala site is located between Masotsha Avenue and Selous Street in North End.

Besides the shrines, part of the place usually houses the popular Lunar Park during school holidays.

Research shows that at one point the beautiful site used to be a favourite destination for tourists particularly those who would be on their way to or from Victoria Falls.

Historically, the place was set aside by the council after a realisation that it was back then used as a centre for the Inxwala ceremony.

Inxwala is a sacrificial ceremony of giving the first fruits in a harvest to the gods who are believed to be responsible for the abundance of food the king was always in attendance.

Traditionally it marked a time of prosperity, in the good harvests experienced after the seasonal agricultural period.

It also brought the nation together, unifying it at a time of merry-making and quashing fears of famine.

The now abandoned site used to have a security fence. Its green vegetation added colour and beauty making it one of the most attractive recreational centres in the city.

However, a month long survey by this publication revealed that on week days and weekends, the place that used to be a haven for lovers, tourists, has instead of being painted green with vegetation, become a sea of an all-white affair due to the white gowns synonymous with Vapostori.

Walking into the park on a Sunday one will witness numerous groupings of Vapostori congregants. Some shrines are just less than 100 metres apart.

The local authority has in the past tried to force Vapostori to build their own church buildings.

Among one of their reasons to force them out of the bush the council cited health issues as they end up using the bush for relieving themselves during church services.

On the other hand Vapostori have defied odds citing nothing but their religious beliefs for worshipping God in the bush or mountains.

During the survey, this paper discovered that about nine different groups of Vapostori now grace the site on weekends and some times during the week or during the night.

An effort to get a comment from an Apostolic group leader who was only identified as Madzibaba Tawanda, proved futile as he refused to entertain the news crew.

However, Bulawayo deputy mayor Gift Banda said the council was working on resuscitating the heritage site.

"It is the council policy that we are against open air worshipping worse when it is happening on a special place," said Banda.

"Well the park has for years been lying idle obviously due to financial constraints. But I can assure you that we are going to take action on those worshippers as we are already preparing to revive the park," he said.