Mermaids terrorise fishermen

THE mermaids that grabbed headlines in 2012 after they stopped water from flowing from Gwehava Dam to Gokwe Town have struck again, as they are reported to be terrorising fishermen who try to fish in the waters without the approval of the custodians of the area.

Chief Njelele confirmed the reports.

A Gwehava local, Mr Prisai Kamutondori (47), said the fishermen were living in fear after the mermaids revealed themselves to them.

"I was going home at night when I heard screaming and before long four men came running from the direction of the dam as if something was chasing them. I stopped them and asked what they were running away from and they told me that mermaids had suddenly appeared from the water and asked who had given them permission to fish," he said.

Mr Kamutondori revealed that after a few minutes the fearful men jumped into their car which was parked a few metres away and drove off towards Gokwe Centre.

"They also told me that some of their fishing nets had been dragged under water by an unknown force and they failed to retrieve them. I think the nets were pulled into the water by the mermaids. I suspect the fishermen went into a water area that is frequented by the mermaids and they were just marking their territory. There is an area in the water that is a no-go-area, for even us locals because we know that the mermaids don't want us there," he said.

Mrs Priscilla Marufu, who also resides in Gwehava, said the mermaids did not want outsiders to fish in the waters.

She said this was a new trend as the mermaid attacks of this nature were very rare in the past. She said last year, about three incidents of fishermen who claimed to have been attacked by mermaids occurred.

"Sometime in October a canoe with two fishermen was capsized by the mermaids and the fishermen managed to swim to safety but their canoe sunk to the bottom of the lake. I also know that some fishermen did not reach the water as a voice coming from the water told them to go back where they came from," Mrs Marufu said.

In an interview, Chief Njelele said he had been approached, in December, by visibly shaken fishermen who told him that mermaids had taken their fishing nets and told them to leave as they had no permission to fish in the lake.

"Some fishermen went to Gwehava in December and failed to catch any fish after their nets were pulled under the water by mermaids, the nets disappeared forever. A voice asked them who had given them the right to fish and when they failed to answer the question they were told to leave and never come back. Those same fishermen are coming back and we are expecting them to ask to fish from us the custodians of that water," he said.

Chief Njelele said the waters in Gwehava Dam were sacred and urged people who want to use them to seek permission from the elders in the area.

"That water is sacred; it cannot just be used by everyone. Outsiders who want to go to Gwehava and fish must first go to the elders of the area and also talk to me. If you just go the mermaids will deal with you. One thing that is clear is that the mermaids do not tolerate selfishness.

If you want to fish to feed yourself they will not allow you to fish, but if you are fishing for the community, to sell to the community, they will let you fish. The people of Gwehava do not have to seek permission because the water is theirs to use," Chief Njelele said.

In 2012 the mermaids in Gwehava Dam stopped workers from installing water pumps in the dam because the Zimbabwe National Water Authority had not consulted the custodians of the water.

Traditional rituals led by Chief Njelele and Chief Nemangwe were done to appease the water spirits. Following the performance of traditional rites to appease the mermaids, water flowed to Gokwe Town without any problem.