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The Modjadji royal family members perform rainmaking rituals every October to plead with their ancestors for rain.
Girls dance during the annual traditional ceremony at Rain Queen Modjadji’s palace to summon the rains. Picture: Gallo Images / City Press / Muntu Vilakazi
Villagers in the Tzaneen area of Limpopo have turned to the newly crowned Rain Queen Masalanabo Modjadji VII for rain to quench their thirst.
This is after several boreholes recently drilled by the Mopani district municipality failed to produce a single drop of water for years because of the persistent drought that has plagued the region.
Annual rainmaking rituals
The Modjadjis, known for their supernatural rainmaking powers, have for years been making it rain in Limpopo during droughts.
Every October, five closely related families to the Modjadji royal family assemble at the Rain Queen’s palace in Khethakone, where they perform rainmaking rituals.
The family uses a magical horn from Zimbabwe to speak to their ancestors in a sacred place called Thokoleng.
According to former royal family and council chair, the late Mohale Malatji, the family uses a magical horn while pouring traditional brewed beer called mphapho onto the scared place.
Downpours
They plead with their ancestors for rain to fall in the region.
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To ensure that the ancestors have heard their pleas, the clouds suddenly gather, followed by a huge downpour that often fills dams and rivers.
Then, the families would be given Mphapho beer and dance around the scared place for hours while the rain continues to pour.
Boreholes and water tankers
During a recent imbizo held by the Mopani district in Makhwibidung, outside Tzaneen, villagers told mayor Pule Shayi to plead with the Modjadjis to bring rain to Limpopo.
Shayi said water would be supplied to the residents via boreholes and water tankers.
“Here, in greater Tzaneen municipality, we have 663 boreholes. Of this number, we have 287 which are operational,” said Shayi.
He said to address the situation they have set aside R45 million to energise all the boreholes in the district.
But the mayor added: “We have a challenge of vandalism as 42 of our boreholes have been vandalised and six of our transformers stolen.”
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