Water as a sign and as a pilgramage is an important aspect of African Spirituality. The state of water in dreams is communicating the state of things in one's life or that one is going to encounter. But let us look at the reasons why we make these pilgramages to water in the form of rivers, waterfalls and seas. At this time of the year, a lot of pilgramages are planned to water and we all need to take precautions and not take things litely.
Amadlozi amanzi- Spirits of the water
We believe that Amadlozi reside on land or in water. The water spirit is represented visually by what we call "Umnomzane" or various other names because of the belief that we should not say the name as saying it will result in the spirits appearance. We ascribed tornados and viscious rain storms to the spirit's appearance and these are a disguise for when it moves from one body of water to another. Also there are people who as partof their initiation as iZangoma, have to go to water to fetch items or even other members of their spiritual family who show themselves as being in the water. Still more of the African Traditional Churches perform their baptisms in open water as was done in biblical times. As we can see, water is sacred in all aspects of African Spirituality.
How does one go to the water?
In most cases, an elder person (symbolised by iNyanga or a Priest) would take the initiate or church members to the water. The elder is responsible for obtaining permission to enter the water safely and to perform whatever ceremony that was meant to be carried out at the river. It is important though that permission is sought before the actual journey to the water to ensure a safe journey there and back. In seeking this permission, there are several observances that need to be made by both the elder and the person being taken to the water. The most imporant is ensuring that there is nothing which would make either of them unclean for a journey to a sacred place. This includes abstaining from intercourse, fasting and asking to be shown the exact place where one should enter the water.
Are there people who should not go to the water?
There are people who have to go to water with an offering becuase if this is not done, they may in fact not come back. These are people who have a spirit with them of someone who spent time underwater for their initiation. How do you know if this is you or not? Well if you dream of yourself living underwater and if you look at a body of water, you feel as if its pulling you in and you get dizzy, in all liklihood, this is you. You would have to ask for guidance on what an appropriate offering is. This can vary widely from throwing silver coins into the water before you enter, to more elaborate things like having to offer an animal sacrifice. I do believe if your particular gift is taking people to water, you should know how to swim because you never know what issues may surface and in what way from the people you are taking to the water.
If someone is taken by water, what should be done?
There are people who are taken by the water and drown. We believe that your spirit stays wherever you take your last breath until it is fetched to be rejoined firstly with your body during burial and thereafter to be reunited with the family after your burial and an appropriate mourning period has been observed. This is so to for those taken by water. It becomes problematic when one has an ancestor who drowned and is still in the water spiritually. It is a problem for subsequent users of the water as they will be disturbed by the spirit that is at a place where it should not be. It is also a problem for that person because they have been left at a place where they should not be.
Drownings this week
My heart goes out to the families who lost those little boys this week near Soweto. This has been a week filled with drownings of both adults and children. All we can say is lalani ngoxolo. For the rest, we all need to treat water with respect. Philani!
