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23 September 2011
Bulletin
Churches asked to practice culture
Reports & photos by Orlando Chauke
Healers, know your limits The chairman of traditional healers in Mopani, Mr Frank Chauke, popularly known as FrankXikhavele, warned other traditional healers against waiting too long with patients that they know they can’t treat. He spoke during a three-day annual conference by traditional healers held at N’wamatatani village, Giyani. The conference, attended by people from as far as Cape Town, is aimed at encouraging members to share ideas and expertise on how to heal certain diseases, as well as addressing challenges that they might have encountered during the course of the year. “Our aim is not only to get money but to heal people as well,” he said. “If you can’t treat certain disease, just pass the patient over to those that can.”
Xikhavele said there are certain diseases that can’t be cured by traditional healers, and that these diseases should be passed over to modern doctors “as soon as detected to save the life of a patient.” Asked on the issue of some traditional healers that are said to bewitch people or give clients concoction meant to harm other people, Xikhavele said “those are not true healers, but individuals driven by greed to make money.” “Naturally for a true healer the Gods would be angry with you, and probably take away your power to heal if you commit things like that,” he said. “Normally the process of qualifying a healer takes long, sometimes years before completed – but nowadays people train for few weeks and come back claiming to be healers,” he said.
An example of solar heating system on a roof
Women in Va-Tsonga cultural dress are seen here selling cultural wares during the launch of the Ndhavuko na Vutshila cultural village in Giyani.
Go for solar; it’s easy A do-it-yourself (DIY) solar energy system is a key to uplifting millions of poor South Africans battling to cope with the high price for electricity. According to Mr Johan Weideman of Modimolle who has discovered the benefit of using the self-made solar system to supplement his electrical energy, “it’s easy and cost effective” to construct since it can be constructed from old materials. Weideman has been using a self-made solar heating system for more than a year now. “All you need is a fitting called U-connector. The system can be built with new or old waterpipes and the U-connector.” The pipe is cut into several
equal lengths, after which the U-connector is fitted at the end of each pipe to connect them to form parallel lengths. “After that, you install a drum of water at the end of the system, a tap on the other end, and then put it on the roof to get the sun’s exposure — and if more water is needed, just add pipes.” According to Weideman the heating system can also be connected to a geyser, to pre-heat the water up to 30°C. He said the system would help to reduce the energy bill, as well as to create jobs for people who would specialise in installing it. “This will also curb air pollution, since people would no longer have to make fires to heat water,” he said.
The ANC’s general secretary in Limpopo, Mr Joe Maswanganyi, says cultural practices and dressing should not only be seen during cultural events. “It should be a trend seen on a daily basis, including churches services.” Maswanganyi was speaking during the launch of Ndhavuko na Vutshila cultural village in Giyani. According to him “churches and departments should have a day dedicated to cultural dressing, so that youth will grow up knowing their culture and where they come from.” “In some churches cultural dressing is associated with unholiness — we must make sure that leaders and pastors take a lead in cultural practices to change the mind-set that people have about our culture,” he said. In support of Maswanganyi’s statement, Giyani mayor Pat Hlungwani said people nowadays no longer love culture as they used to in the past. He said the challenge is that “most people want free things, and only support culture when it is dished out to them for free”. He also urged business people to support culture wherever possible. Ndhavuko na Vutshila cultural village was initiated by Howard Khosa and other stake holders to establish “an area that reflects the true identity of va-Tsonga people.” It is said to officially open soon. According to Khosa, the project is a none profit organisation.