Seeking to understand the Njelele Shrine

FROM far to the south the prominent hill stands above the rest. Distance has given it a sky blue hue. It is a cut above the rest. In comparison, other numerous hills pale into oblivion save for Silozwi which is also a towering rock massif. The hill is known as Njelele, a Tjikalanga name that is thought to refer to some type of birds.
In times gone by the hill was the spiritual centre for people from far and near. Every year in about August pilgrims trekked on foot to perform rain rituals. Women in particular were the supplicants. Putting on their black spiritual attire the women, with men providing security to them, brought with them a variety of items, gifts and artifacts that were used in the ritual.
Black cloth and gourd cups (mikombe) are to be used in the symbolic manipulation of the environment to induce it to release the rains. We shall see later how, in the process of rain making, these items were used. They also carried items such as dagga, beautifully coloured skins of wild cats, beer and sometimes black or blue beads. The two colours are associated with rain.
Njelele is actually a disabled hill. Part of its power derives from this very fact. Within it there is a vast cavern where supplicants are led into. Within the big cave there is a recess where items deposited from several decades are lodged. This is the equivalent of the holy of holies. From above a booming human voice was heard. Whatever language people spoke Mwali was able to respond. As the pilgrims approach the sacred hill the shrine adept extols the praises of Mwali.
ThobelaMbedzi nkuluDziba levula!There are a lot more that he chants. It turns out the praises correspond to those of the Malaba people. That does not come as a surprise as all the shrine adepts are of Venda extraction. Kumile Masola has preserved the full rendition of the praises and, working in liaison with Professor Wentzel of the University of South Africa, he produced a book.
At one time David Sitwanyana Ncube was the shrine adept. He had taken over from his wife Ngcathu Ncube. Sitwanyana from Mahetshe (a corruption of the Sebirwa name Moekejo) near Maphisa once worked in South Africa and later embraced Christianity. He was a member of the Amapostoli, who perform the "dress" type of whirling and spinning dance. His father was Matshokodo while his mother was Luthe Mpofu. Tjobuta was his grandfather. The better known Mbikwa was his great grandfather. Tengani was the earliest known ancestor.
More importantly though is the fact that his ancestors originally came from VhuVenda. The shrine at Manyangwa in Bulilima is in the hands of the Dubes. They too trace their origins to Vendaland. It is the same story at Ntogwa in Botswana where the Habangana Dubes are in charge. They too are Venda. Oral traditions are unanimous, at least in Matabeleland South, that the Mwali spiritual phenomenon was brought into the Matobo Hills by the VhaVenda, regardless of whether they were Ndlovu, Ncube or Dube.
When the Lozwi became the rulers they recognised the Mwali deity and worked with it. It worked to counterbalance the political authority though at times there was conflict between the two sources of power. We pointed out in an earlier article that although the Ndebele became rulers as from about 1839 they did not provide the counterbalancing political authority to the Mwali phenomenon.
The Lozwi remained the last political authority over Njelele. This is the source of confusion today when people approach the shrine. They forget the political side to the shrine which is and can only be provided by the last qualifying political authority. That happens to be the Lozwi rulers.
We need to remember that there had been earlier political powers that ruled over the area. Mwali shrines as we said coincide with the arrival of the VhaVenda in the Matobo Hills. It is likely that, that happened during the days of the Togwa State that was headquartered at Khami (nkami wepfumba dzisina mulu).
Today as you approach the hill you will see a sign that reads "KoThobela" The locals will also refer to the place as "Kokhulu". This is a reference to the grandfather's place. To the people it is known that the place belongs to someone male. There is a spiritual figure who lives there and is approached by people from various places. Daneel has done research that indicates the catchment for Njelele.
Due to colonisation and the advent of Christianity the catchment has shrunk. We, however, need to know who historically came to the shrine. First it is important to know there was specialisation within the shrines. Njelele as we shall see later was a fertility shrine. It was to do with the regeneration of the land.
Dula on the other hand dealt with war issues. It was to Dula that Joshua Nkomo turned when he was launching the campaign for independence in 1954. In the company of Grey Mabhalane Bango son of Luposwa and William Tjivako he approached the shrine. The story is documented in his book, "The Story of My Life."
The catchment is best understood when we get to know who the spiritual figure at the shrine was. How was he perceived by the people? That demands that we perceive Mwali as a spirit who many years ago was a man of flesh. He was a historical figure who many descendants today recognise as their ancestor. Who are the descendants of Mwali?