This was even more so among the ancients of the world regardless of where they were domiciled. The appearance and positioning of stars, in this particular case, the Pleiades constellation, Isilimela, portends and sets in motion events that translate to renewal, regeneration and rebirth and these were captured during Amagugu Inkelo Cultural Expo where Leo Zulukandaba Khumalo was the guest of honour.Ĭivilised or uncivilised, human beings cannot escape the influence of stars that are several light years away from earth. Thereafter the shrine adepts, amawosana initiate the cleansing rituals (ukuthanyela) that are followed in the month of August by rain-inducing rituals. The initiation of songs, dances and associated rain-inducing rituals is ushered by the emergence in July of the pleiades constellation. Their order of presentation serves to immortalise the history and ownership of the rain shrine which used to have a large catchment in the past. The first was iWoso (Amabhiza) followed by iWosana. Fire brings to an end what had been in existence before. The wooden pyramid was consumed by fire that is perceived as a terminator. That brought in its wake a series of events that singly and collectively signified the processes of renewal, regrowth, rebirth and regeneration. As above, so below! The seven balloons that had been tethered to the tip of the pyramid were released thus symbolically marking their appearance in the firmament. ![]() The people were projecting their worldly experiences and knowledge on to the heavenly objects. The number and relative positions of the pleiades constellation to each other led to the naming of the stars - dogs and pigs, izinja lengulube. Movement of stars initiates all these changes that mark renewal, regeneration and rebirth. Hibernating reptiles abandon their hideouts when temperatures begin to pick up. The cold winter, an approximation of death of life and conservation of energy for use when the environment springs back to life. Seven symbolic white balloons had been tied to the representation of the grave of an Egyptian Pharaoh. Africa has used fire to symbolise change where the old state gives way to a new one. It was this learning through association that was captured during the opening ceremony at Amagugu Inkelo Cultural Expo on 23 September 2022.Ī wooden structure in the mode of an Egyptian pyramid was constructed, later torched, and completely burnt into white ash. What stars portend may result in them getting names that reflect and express what comes in their wake. The world of humans, their lived experiences guide them in interpreting the links between celestial movements, the resulting positions in the heavens and concomitant events on earth. Association between the appearance of pleiades and ploughing is evident in several southern African languages. In IsiNdebele the stars aee known as isilimela, a name that insinuates hoeing or ploughing. ![]() The constellation known as pleiades is also referred to as the hoeing stars in English. Shortly, the rains would be expected to begin in earnest. For example, the Pleiades were accordingly referred to as isilimela and marked changes in both the weather and climate. Celestial movements and resulting positions in the firmament and in relation to various places on earth are followed by predictable and consistent events. ![]() Movements and resulting positions of stars in the firmament mark and create time, seasons and ensuing economic, ritual, cultural and social activities.Īccordingly, stars get names that capture events that follow their appearances. For example, when the Pleiades appear in southern Africa in July, they are a wakeup call for the people who practice agriculture to begin preparations for the coming rains. This is another way of saying stars seem to portend coming events.
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