Ok, so here are myths about iZangoma which I had. I am living proof that these statements/generalisations are not true.

Myth 1 – iZangoma do not believe in a God
Growing up I knew that iZangoma do not pray nor have anything to do with God. They pray to their ancestors/guides (amadlozi). This is not true. It’s a legacy of missionaries and how they colonised Africa and vilified the religion that they found alive and well when they arrived. The forms of worship were different and independent of their Christian doctrine. We all recognise the ultimate creator as uMvelinqange God. Our ancestors are intercessors between us and God. They are very much “alive” in the next world and are part of our lives. By virtue of being a Sangoma, it does not mean that you do not believe in God as the Supreme. I have to say though that in my experience the people who actually live by faith more than other’s, are iZangoma. It takes enormous faith to believe in the gift one has and to resist the negativity about the gift.

Myth 2 – All iZangoma communicate with their ancestors/guides through the throwing of bones
There are as many methods of speaking to abantu abadala as there are iZangoma. But they all have common features. Some do indeed use amathambo. Others have aBalozi who speak out loud. And still others have iSithunywa (Psychic Intuition/clairvoyance) who speaks to them and they then pass on the message to you. I’ve seen this described as faith healing but I think the terms I’ve used are more accurate because not everyone will perform healing but all will be able to give clear guidance on past and future events to differing degrees of accuracy. Isonto le Zioni (the Zionist churches) are usually founded by someone who has a strong iSitunywa who prophecies when during these services. Also whereas maybe “western” psychics access their guides telepathically, someone with iSitunywa will use prayer as a starting point. And still others actually allow the spirit to enter their bodies and to communicate directly with those who are around.

As a Sangoma, you can have all these gifts singularly or in combination. I have a combination and am able to communicate through aBalozi (aMakhosi) as well as iSitunywa.

Myth 3 – You have to Thwasa even if you only have iSitunywa
To be a thwasa implies the presence of iDlozi with you. Some Sangoma’s who have a combination of gifts may still find that iSitunywa is stronger than iDlozi, such that they undergo the process of ukuthwasa but work more with iSitunywa. If however you do not have iDlozi but have only iSitunywa, then it is usually sufficient to go to someone with an equally or more powerful Situnywa to be able to strengthen your iSitunywa allowing you to be able to work with and for people.

This strengthening will be in the form of making a prayer rope for you and taking you to water (waterfall, river or sea) to bless you and strengthen your ability to communicate with isitunywa. This is called ukukhuphula isitunywa literally to “arise the messenger”.

Myth 4 – iZangoma always wear the outward symbols of this gift even when not in consultation
Outward symbols would include items like amabhayi, izinyongo, imiyeko, iziphandle.

Amadlozi are not a uniform grouping of people. What you wear outwardly is a personal matter between you as a Sangoma and your guides. Also playing a role is the iNyanga who helped you to ukuthwasa and what they did. UMakhatini and uGogo do not wear any outward identifiers of being iZangoma. When speaking to amakhosi, it is then that we put on ibhayi and the headdress with imyeko. Sometimes during the year we would put imiyeko in our hair or have braids with beads.

Gogo said that she asked idlozi lakhe not to wear all these outward symbols constantly. As such we who are initiates in her line generally look like her with small variations here and there. If you met me in the street on an ordinary day you would not be the wiser. On an extra-ordinary day I may have an ibhayi tied around my waist and or in my hair. On an even more extra-ordinary day, I may even have isiphandla on if I have had a function for idlozi lami.

Myth 5 – iZangoma are unclean and unkempt
This is not true. Cleanliness in everything that we do has always been emphasised by uGogo. This is especially so as when you are an iThwasa you can only use cold water to bath in. Also the emphasis is that the way you treat yourself is the way you treat your elders as you are the body that they inhabit. Disrespect yourself, you disrespect them.

As an Inyanga it’s important that the space that you work in with medicines including the medicines themselves is also kept clean. This ensures that your patients receive clean uncontaminated medications.