News / National
Villagers row over missing hyena tail
14 Jul 2017 at 07:33hrs | Views
A FIERCE row reportedly erupted among villagers from Neta village along the Mbalabala-Zvishavane road over a dead hyena's missing tail and nose with many suspecting that an elderly man who took the body parts wanted to use them for witchcraft purposes.
The incident occurred last Saturday when the nocturnal animal was found dead along the road supposedly having been hit by a speeding car.
Sources said panic also gripped villagers when the hyena was found with some beads on its legs and a black cloth on its back raising suspicion that it might have been knocked down while on a witchcraft expedition.
A hyena is associated with witchcraft in most African countries.
In separate interviews, witnesses said they were shocked when they arrived at the scene and found the hyena's tail and nose having been cut off.
Mthulisi Moyo said people were baying for the elderly man's blood who was suspected to have taken the body parts which many believed were in high demand from traditional healers.
"Initially we suspected it to be a case of juju on the man who took the body parts. The reason why people were baying for his blood is that they know about the power of the hyena parts. Hyenas' tails, and sometimes their noses, are ground into pulp and mixed with herbs by witchdoctors or sangomas who then administer it to criminals.
"Smoke from the burning tail of a hyena puts people inside a house into deep slumber so that criminals can steal their belongings at leisure. Within two minutes of letting the smoke into the house the occupants would all fall asleep," said Moyo.
Another witness who identified himself as Dlodlo said people panicked because they suspected the man who took the body parts wanted to use them to harm others.
"It is well-known that a hyena's tail and a pinch of soil from a grave, and a secret mix of herbs is powerful juju used by thieves. That's why whenever a hyena is killed or found dead its carcass is burnt because people might also use the body parts to harm each other," said Dlodlo.
A sangoma, Ajaba Banda, confirmed that such juju was very powerful.
"The criminals roll the mixture into paper tubes or place it in a tin. The robbers light the tube and waft the smoke into the house through open windows, the gaps under doors or through cracks in the walls. A small part from a hyena's tail can make you sleep like you're dead," said Banda.
The incident occurred last Saturday when the nocturnal animal was found dead along the road supposedly having been hit by a speeding car.
Sources said panic also gripped villagers when the hyena was found with some beads on its legs and a black cloth on its back raising suspicion that it might have been knocked down while on a witchcraft expedition.
A hyena is associated with witchcraft in most African countries.
In separate interviews, witnesses said they were shocked when they arrived at the scene and found the hyena's tail and nose having been cut off.
Mthulisi Moyo said people were baying for the elderly man's blood who was suspected to have taken the body parts which many believed were in high demand from traditional healers.
"Smoke from the burning tail of a hyena puts people inside a house into deep slumber so that criminals can steal their belongings at leisure. Within two minutes of letting the smoke into the house the occupants would all fall asleep," said Moyo.
Another witness who identified himself as Dlodlo said people panicked because they suspected the man who took the body parts wanted to use them to harm others.
"It is well-known that a hyena's tail and a pinch of soil from a grave, and a secret mix of herbs is powerful juju used by thieves. That's why whenever a hyena is killed or found dead its carcass is burnt because people might also use the body parts to harm each other," said Dlodlo.
A sangoma, Ajaba Banda, confirmed that such juju was very powerful.
"The criminals roll the mixture into paper tubes or place it in a tin. The robbers light the tube and waft the smoke into the house through open windows, the gaps under doors or through cracks in the walls. A small part from a hyena's tail can make you sleep like you're dead," said Banda.
Source - bmetro
