Piki Piki Mabelane

“I’ve never consulted with ngaka/moprofeta in my entire life. My family has never been that way inclined. I don’t know what to expect.” These are words I’ve heard often. Ha ke iqapele.

First of all… ngiyadlala (kidding).

There are many ways in which dingaka/izangoma/amagqirha work. There are those who use ditaola/amathambo/tinhlolo/bones to divine. The healer will ask for your name/surname/lebitso/seboko and throw the bones for you. They will interpret the bone formation in relation to your life. It’s up to you ho hlapolla/ ukuhlambulula/to engage the bones in order for you to get answers and to move forward in the divination/consultation. When I say “to engage the bones” I’m talking about agreeing/disagreeing with how ngaka ya hao interprets them for you. This is actually the most important part of the divination/consultation: for the client to engage the bones and have a conversation with them. Without this crucial aspect of the consultation, the client may walk out of *seromo/indumba/isigodlo feeling uncertain about what the consultation touched on. They may walk out feeling more confused than when they walked in. If you’re going to seek counsel ngakeng/esangomeni, you need to engage the bones; ask questions; ask for clarity; ask, ask, ask!

Other forms of divination include candles (fire gazing), water, ho hlahloba ka hlooho (mediumship), the bible, playing cards etc. there are many other forms of divination, some unknown to me. The most crucial aspect of your consultation is that you interact with whatever form of divination the healer uses. Ask, respond, jwalo jwalo.

If you have never interacted with ngaka/moprefeta at the level of seeking guidance/counsel, I’m going to suggest that you use the following as a guideline:

1. Where are you feeling stuck in your life? Is it in relationships (with family, friends, significant others, colleagues?)
2. Is it in your finances?
3. Is it in your health(both mental and physiological)? Have you suffered from an inexplicable affliction that cannot be medically explained?
4.  Is it spiritual? Sometimes people suffer from afflictions caused by sedimo/amadlozi and these can manifest physiologically/emotinally/spiritually/financially/sexually etc.
5. Sometimes we suffer blockages as a result of boloi. Yes, yes, these things happen. Often times though, it isn’t boloi in the literal sense that has you trapped in one place. Perhaps you suffered a childhood trauma that creates a visible blockage in an aspect or aspects of your life.

An example that may be seen as boloi at face value, but is a another issue upon further investigation; an issue related to unhealed parts of ourselves, the wounded child, past traumas etc, can be seen in the following example:

When you were younger, someone you trusted and expected to provide security and comfort for you did the opposite and traumatised you instead. Later in life, you experience another trauma by someone you expected comfort and security from. You develop an anxious/nervous-attachment style in your relationships (not just romantic) and this affects how intimacy is experienced. When I speak of intimacy, I do not mean the sexual kind only. I am talking about allowing yourself to be vulnerable with someone. As a result of this attachment style, your point of departure when approaching relationships is that someone is going to inevitably hurt you because batho ba jwalo akere/abantu banjalo angithi?

While you’re going through life thinking, “Aekhona, ha ke utlwisisi…ba tlameha ba ntoya man. Why do all my relationships seem to crumble?” You’re unaware that there’s an unhealed wound deep in your subconscious, waiting to prove its point every chance it gets. Wa bona?

In order to rectify this, you may need to go back to that wound and start the healing process. Either through therapy, which isn’t readily accessible to everyone because chelete ya tura hleng; or through recognising the wounded part of yourself and working on healing that.

Consider the scenario below and identify the unhealed wound, its manifestation and how it is rectified.

Sebele has now come from a consultation with Gogo X and it came up in the divination that S is the above mentioned person. It is now months later and S has vowed to heal said trauma. S meets a person with whom they can vibe and things are going well. One day, Person and S catch themselves exchanging words and the exchange becomes heated very quickly, because batho ba jwalo akere(can you see S’ wound acting up)? S decides to step back from the exchange to cool off. While taking a walk, it hits S that their reaction was disproportionate to the situation. S then realises that it was the unhealed wound talking; reacting from the expectation that vele abantu bazokuphoxa ngoba banjalo, isn’t? An epiphany hits S as they’re walking back to their home, my goodness what a momentous realisation: people disagree all the time and it need not be difaqane every time a disagreement comes up. Can you see how S is beginning to heal that wound? Hanyane, hanyane, S is facing the wound and healing it.

Healing is work. Everyday. Every moment. You must want to heal, but also commit to healing. How you achieve that while doing life, will be up to you. No two healing journeys can be identical. Wa nthola? The journey to healing also doesn’t have a final destination; you may experience many pit-stops and be derailed a couple of times, which is normal, but it is important to get back on the journey.

In conclusion, prepare for your consultation/divination, in order for you to gain as much insight as possible. Take notes. I have never come across isangoma who would chastise you for taking notes during your consultation. Akere you want to remember? Others are okay with you making a voice recording of your consultation. Please tread carefully here: ask ngaka ya hao if it is permissible to record.  Prepare for it so that you do not walk out more confused than ever. You need to have a sense of clarity and direction when leaving a consultation.Engage. Lea nkutlwa akere? Engage! Engage! Engage!

Ha ebe Lesedi

*seromo/indumba/is’godlo- The consulting room that also doubles up as a dispensary.

Gogo Malepena

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