A gourd made from a calabash used in sacred rituals to hold specially brewed beer to acknowledge the ancestors
In most cultures and traditions it is customary to give thanks before eating. The Uluma is an annual ceremony that gives thanks and asks for the blessings of the ancestors and opens the way for the whole community to harvest the crops in their fields for eating.
For the first time that Tshiavha leaders and elders could recall, the Uluma (first fruits) ceremony was being performed in their community. Some of these elders were born around 1930 and, so, are well into their 90s. The inspiration to hold the ritual came after attending learning exchanges to other first fruits rituals, in February and March 2024, performed by communities accompanied by EarthLore. These communities included Elukwatini and Steenbok, Mpumalanga, South Africa, and Bikita, Zimbabwe, who had now sent representatives to participate in this Uluma ritual in Tshiavha, Venda, South Africa, held on 11 April 2024.
There was much excitement when young 33 year old Vhutshilo Netshiavha appeared to lead the ceremony with the support of the Netshiavha Royal Council elders. Vhutshilo is acting chief while his older brother works in Pretoria. The instructions given to the visitors for the morning was to wake early and to be ready by 7h00. Community members were not to eat breakfast before the ceremony but visitors could have a few snacks to sustain themselves until after the ceremony when they would enjoy a substantial and satisfying breakfast of locally grown traditional food.
While the visitors were gathering at the Netshiavha homestead, people could be seen holding green maize stalks with maize cobs still attached to them, pumpkins and sweet canes. More community members arrived with a sense of pride, bringing groundnuts and other first fruit crops. Before the ritual started, they put the field crops on the ground and started singing and dancing around the produce.
A ceremonial opening ritual, a phatla or prayer, was performed to inform the ancestors about the visitors and that a ceremony was going to take place to honour them for the first fruits. Part of the ritual involved members of the Netshiavha family who were leading the process, to go up the nearby mountain with some of the field crops while everyone else remained seated. On their return, the phatla was resumed. This was done kneeling on the mat, drinking from a gourd and spitting the contents on the ground before beginning to talk with the ancestors. Spitting on the ground is a traditional gesture of cleansing and purification that symbolises the removal of negative energy and the preparation for a sacred gathering.
The laws were then given to the group and included instructions to take off one’s shoes and walk barefoot and not to take photos of the event. There was a deep commitment to the process and a shared understanding of the importance of rigorously following the laws to the letter to ensure the success of the ceremony.
People were joyful and there was lots of singing and chanting as they followed the custodian and royal elders to the cattle kraal, taking with them the food crops. It was a sacred journey, a moment where tradition and heritage converged that commanded respect and reverence. People felt privileged to witness it firsthand.
At the kraal, everyone kneeled down and participated in the second phatla. In the Vhavenda tradition, cattle and goats are given names of ancestors to represent them and communicate good and bad news to the clan. During the phatla, the cattle and goats are seen as intermediaries between the living and the ancestral spirits. Their behaviour and well-being are closely observed, as any signs of illness or distress can be interpreted as messages from the ancestors. After the phatla people chopped up the maize stalks and cut up the pumpkins. The custodian opened the cattle kraal and first fed the cow that represents the ancestors, followed by the other cattle. The sweet canes were distributed amongst the people for them to eat.
The elders shared that they used to do this ritual in the cattle kraal years ago to honour their ancestors and to prevent diseases. The symbolism of first feeding the cow that represents the ancestors, followed by sharing with others, underscored the communal nature of the ceremony and the spirit of unity that permeated the event. It was a powerful reminder of the deep connection between the community and their ancestors, as well as their belief in the importance of maintaining balance and harmony.
A message delivered by Gogo Xolisiwe Themba from Steenbok at the end of the ceremony provided affirmation that the ancestors accepted the ceremony. Rain fell the next day, a powerful validation of the ritual’s success that was seen as a blessing from the ancestors. This brought a sense of joy and gratitude to all who had participated.
It was reassuring to witness how memories of traditional rituals and ceremonies remain, despite the many years that have passed since they were last openly performed by the community. Demonization of rituals and ceremonies by the church had created fear and suspicion and so people stopped performing their rituals. The exchange visits organised and supported by EarthLore created the understanding that these ceremonies are not demonic and evil but are about expressing gratitude and celebration for one’s rich cultural identity and honouring the ancestors. It was acknowledged that one can be a Christian while participating in traditional practices. A lot of excitement was felt about recognizing the importance of preserving and celebrating one’s culture and heritage through traditional rituals and ceremonies.
