Waterfalls

Waterfalls are spiritually powerful because they embody the energy of a roaring sea, the power of a flowing river, the invigorating potency of a rainfall, and the tranquility of a lake. Some of the more widely known falls found in Africa are Boyoma Falls in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Blue Nile Falls in Ethiopia, the Tinkisso Falls in Guinea, the Aughrabies Falls in South Africa, the Wli Falls in Ghana, and the Mosi-oa-Tunya Falls (Victoria Falls). Waterfalls are sacred because of their unique healing qualities, and the water is often used in rituals. Often, but not always, the guardians of waterfalls are women who are responsible for performing the rituals that ensure a good relationship between the community and the spirit(s) associated with the falls.

At Mosi-oa-Tunya Falls in Zimbabwe, Zambia, and South Africa, the Leya claim a connection to the land that dates back to the first Bantu settlement. They consider the falls a sacred site associated with water, rain, rainbows, fertility, cleansing, ancestors, and female authority. Their name for the falls is Syuungwe na mutitima or “the heavy mist that resounds.” It is also referred to as “the place of rainbows” (Syuungwe) or “the place where the rain was born.” One story says the drum of chief Sekute fell over the edge of the falls and lodged itself at the base. The sound of the falling water hitting the drum causes the thunderous sound made by the falls. The falls are associated with the memory of the ancestors. The northern aspect of the falls is known as Syuungwe mufu or “mist of the dead.” The foot of the falls is katolauseka or “make offerings cheerfully.” Here, after offerings are made, one can see a light or hear the sounds of drumming, children playing, and women stamping grain coming from ancestral communities. At this same place, Leza, the God of the Leya, can be approached. Leza is not associated with any place in the surrounding landscape except the falls.

The Leya also use the falls for healing. In a ritual called Sambadwazi or “cleanse disease,” afflicted people would plunge into a calm pool created by the swirling waters of the river just above the falls. They allowed their clothing to be washed away over the waterfall, taking disease and affliction with them. Another special place in the falls is Chipusya, where water for rituals is collected by a solitary person in the hours before daylight. The location of this place is known only by select elders.

The female authority associated with the falls is in the Bedyango, or “gateway to the chief.” This position is linked to the myth of an original female leader in the Leya and can only be held by a [Page 709]woman. She conducts rainmaking ceremonies, leads the infected to the waterfall for cleansing during epidemic disease, installs new chiefs, and ritually prepares warriors for battle by having them crawl through her legs. Ley a culture is decentralized, so although the Bedyango was an important figure, other spiritual workers, including men, had access to the falls for rituals and healing.

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