Allegiance- a documentary on religion vs cultural beliefs

LOCALS can look forward to possibly finding a way to draw a clearer line between religion and ancestral beliefs depending on the side they take.

A chance of this being the premier of Vryheid shot movie ‘Allegiance: Walking with the dead’, on May 27.

This is a documentary telling the stories of four people who became Christians and turned their backs on their contact with rituals for the ‘so called’ dead.

Punctuated with re-enactments and commentary, the aim of the documentary is to tell their stories and struggles as a tool to reach thousands of people over South Africa with the Biblical perspective on this matter but also with a message of hope, which is believed to be bound up with the Gospel message itself.

These four different people are from different backgrounds, Munyuradzi Mujuru is Zimbabwean Shona, Karabo Lotsholo is Tswana, Hamilton Buthelezi is Zulu and Jean is white English. As Jean is preparing to go into the mission field in Muslim countries, her name and identity are kept secret.

Hamilton Buthelezi is a Zulu who was raised outside Jozini in KwaZulu Natal. His grandmother was a sangoma and his grandfather and father were Inyangas.

Hamilton felt sure he was destined to become a sangoma. All the signs were there and he showed amazing aptitude in ancestral things. He would even dream of things before they happened. Deeply entrenched in ancestral beliefs, Hamilton was challenged by a dream that was to change the whole course and direction of his life. Today Hamilton pastors the Swedish Evangelical Church in Louwsburg, KwaZulu Natal.

Banele Mavuso and Mthobisi Buthelezi play Hamilton. Banele is a student at Inkanezi Yesizwe Combined School and Mthobisi is currently working at the Crazy Store in Vryheid. This is their acting debut.

Munyuradzi Mujuru is a Shona who grew up in and around Harare in Zimbabwe. He has Bachelors, Masters and PhD in Chemistry. He currently is a lecturer at the University of Limpopo. Mujuru’s family has been deeply entrenched in ancestral traditions. His family is also well known for its connection to the instrument called ‘Mbira’ (African Piano) which can be played either for ancestral ceremonies or in a popular style with no connection to ancestors. His father, uncles and aunts were mediums who would be channels through which the spirits would manifest. This story explains his background and how he gave his life radically to Jesus while at boarding school and the grace and strength he received from the Lord to remain true to Him.

Mthandeni Dlamini, Sabelo Dlamini and Mesuli Mhlongo play Mujuru. Mthandeni and Sabelo are brothers and they are currently students at Inkanyezi Yesizwe Combined School in the rural area, Alpha Village, near Vryheid, in Northern KwaZulu Natal. Mesuli Mhlongo is currently studying a Bachelor of Pharmacy at Rhodes University in Grahamstown and is also from a rural area outside Vryheid.

Karabo Lotsholo became a born again Christian about 6-7 years ago. He grew up in a Tswana family outside Pretoria in a township called Ga-Rankuwa. Raised single-handedly by his mother he was raised to follow ancestral traditions. After a great emotional conflict of seeing the failings of ancestral traditions he became convinced that Jesus is the only way to God while working at BMW Rosslyn, where he still works today.

Jean’s actual name and identity are concealed for security reasons. She has gone to be a missionary in Moslem lands. This recent move is a testimony to the Lord’s hand on her life. Coming from a childhood where she was continually fearful of her father, she reached out for help to the spiritual world where she believed she was in contact with spirit guides and spirits of the dead. She got deeper into the occult until she came to experience the power and the peace of God to which she was drawn at a time when she fought tooth and nail against the idea of becoming a Christian. It was in the knowledge of God’s great power and love for her that she bowed her knee to Him and it was in the abandonment of herself and her focus on Jesus that she found her freedom from fear.

Lindy Els and Nicole Els play Jean. Lindy and Nicole are sisters. Lindy is at a primary school in Vryheid and Nicole is studying a Bachelor of Social Work at the University of Pretoria. This is their acting debut.

Although many may be happy to see a movie of this sort being broadcast locally, it is unlikely to go down without a tad bit of controversy as religion always has.

According to local traditional healer Enoch Mabaso, people, especially young people should not run away from their ancestral callings.

“These usually start off as dreams, and some tend to see it as evil spirits, but it is not. This is how our forefathers were able to foresee coming situations and this way try to figure out how to avoid or conquer that particular matter,” said Mabaso.

“An ancestor might come to you in a dream to remind you of a childhood event that relates to the current moment in time. Consider how you felt in your dream or on waking. If you were happy to see them and the dream left you feeling relaxed, it could well be your ancestors appeared to help you subconsciously resolve some problems currently in your mind. How then can we call this evil? Is this not the same as how one prays to God and is answered?” he went on.

Mabaso said that he feels that the concept of ancestors is one that is highly misunderstood.

“What people fail to understand is that we do not ‘worship’ our ancestors, we honour and acknowledge them. In our culture it is believed that when a person dies, they are much closer to God then us living on Earth, this way through them we are able to send messages to God asking for things or thanking him for certain things. Ancestors are like the ‘guardian angels’ that look out for us and help us along our way,” he said.

Whatever the controversy, this documentary will premiere at Lucas Meyer Primere Skool, on Friday 27th May. 6pm for a 6:30pm start and all locals are invited.

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