Zimpapers Logo

Walter Nyamukondiwa

Mashonaland West Bureau Chief

Kariba, the land and the lake, is now attracting tourists with a mystic agenda seeking to tap into “the spiritual energy” of the dammed lake with the glamour, from cars, revealing clothes, shorts, shades and hats of all kinds, adding to the excitement and relief from the searing heat of the Zambezi Valley.

It’s a perfect camouflage for those intending to mix pleasure and spiritual business.

These become tourists by day and much more by night.

If boats and the depths of the vast Lake Kariba, up to 128m deep, could talk, there would be many takes of man’s escapades. From sprinkling of rice, sweets, biscuits, laying of cloths and other artefacts in its belly, Lake Kariba has seen and experienced all.

Some do it for supposed cleansing of bad luck, others to invoke spirits, ostensibly to set one on the path of prosperity and invincibility on their earthly endeavours.

Is this the secret code to the Tonga diety, the Nyaminyami River god?

It could be the other half, separated from its spouse during construction of the Kariba Dam, according to Tonga mythology.

Downstream of the dam also attracts its fair share of visitors, maybe taping into the female half of the mythical Nyaminyami River god.

On land and in the water, Kariba carries the aura that draws people from everywhere, including those from abroad.

In recent days, an incident that had residents talking occurred when heavy rains and strong winds caused mudslides and rock falls, covering roads and felling some electricity lines.

The ferocity of the storm, with winds of up to 75km/h and rainfall of 120mm in about two hours, its concentration in areas close to the venue of a rain-making ceremony, Baobab Ridge, adds to the mystery.

Conducted on October 21, 2024, the rain-making ceremony brought most of the 26 chiefs in Mashonaland West Province, led by Chief Mudzimu and Chief Nyamhunga from Kariba and Hurungwe districts.

Chairman of the Provincial Chiefs Council Senator Peter Pasipamire (Chief Ngezi) said the ceremony went on well and produced results immediately.

“We couldn’t finish the ceremony properly after it started raining. It shows that we need to continue with our traditional practices like rain-making ceremonies,” he said.

Resident Mr Fanny Katyamakwara concurred with the chief’s observation saying the heavy rains were concentrated in Kariba urban.

“It is unusual that we have the rains along with other parts of the country. We are usually among the last to receive rains but this time we were presently surprised,” said Mr Katyamakwara.

Christians and scientists dismiss this as mere coincidence as the contest of religion and beliefs takes centre stage.

Science attributes the rains to geographic phenomenon, with sophisticated simulations that foretold early rains from around October 15.

However, these are ceremonies, which only test beliefs and religion, causing nothing more than bouts of arguments and counterarguments.

The real contention is on those ceremonies conducted singly or in groups which have been disowned by both traditionalists, Christian or otherwise.

These are ceremonies where people get into boats, including houseboats to conduct short or night-long vigils and rituals while others use the shoreline.

“I was instructed to go to Kariba by a ritualist because it carries the energy that is needed to address the challenges and desires I have in life. That is as far as I can share,” said a man from Kwekwe.

He brings his relatives to the resort town every month.

Boat captains said they encounter strange situations as some clients conduct strange rituals and activities during their  voyages.

“Some will tell us to retire for the night while they remain drinking and you hear strange things happening. Some, especially women, bring rice, wine, biscuits and other strange things, which they throw into the water,” said a boat captain who cannot to be named for professional reasons.

The activities undertaken in darkness come to light when some of the artefacts drift to the shore, blighting the Lake’s ambience.

“We conduct clean-ups on the shoreline and the number of red cloths is worrying. I feared to pick them up. Others just picked up everything saying they will not be affected by anything,” said Mr Katyamakwara.

Traditionalist Simbarashe Chewu, commonly known as Mukanya Svosve, said activities in the country’s rivers were alien to African traditional beliefs.

“We have sacred forests and pools where rituals are conducted using familiar things such as rapoko and sorghum, which are part of the ecosystem but lately we have strange things such as sweets and biscuits being introduced into water bodies,” said Mukanya Svosve.

“We now have a problem of a cult of mermaid spirits commonly called Manjuzu, where people are buying names and rituals, including dinners, offering of sweets and biscuits among others. This is outside our African traditions.”

The cultists, he said, were desecrating sacred places and they usually disregard the local traditional leadership in an area.

Apostle Elson Zvavahera of the Community of God Apostolic Ministries International said there was clash of religion adding that people were invoking marine spirits.

“These are people offering and submitting to the demon of Asherah, a biblical Canaanite mother goddess symbolised by a lion, serpent and sacred trees.

“This demon works in some churches,” said Apostle Zvavahera.

Chairperson of the Evangelical Fellowship of Zimbabwe in Mashonaland West, Apostle Tendai Reggie Nyemba said people have become selfish.

“People no longer regard others in their actions. Imagine dumping strange objects on a resource that others use without regard for them. That is selfishness,” he said.

In one incident a woman went to the shoreline with a pigeon before making some incantations and later releasing it.

“I was fishing and the woman parked her car close by and took out a pigeon. She made some chants before releasing the pigeon and left without realising that I was nearby,” said the fisher.