Update: Ritual held after snake is shot

A ritual to appease the ancestors was held after a snake was killed in the Waaihoek area on Wednesday (September 7).

The snake had constricted and killed a goat, and was shot by a community member.

A sangoma who lives nearby was called to the scene to perform the ritual. In Zulu culture, it is regarded as bad luck to kill a snake. Bad luck is said to befall all who partake in the killing of a snake.

The sangoma cut open the goat and removed the animal’s bile. The person who killed the snake had to pour the bile drippings on the snake’s body. While doing that, he had to ask for forgiveness for the wrong doing and to prevent bad luck.

While social media pundits say the killing was wrong and against the law, a simple understanding of isiZulu culture would make it clear that the killing was not something anyone wanted to do, but regarded as a necessity by the community.

“The snake was a danger to our children, as they play and walk in that area every single day. It is not like we did not call the police and ask them to send snake catchers. But after waiting hours, with nobody coming and daylight starting to fade, we had to do something,” explains a community member. “Till now, nobody has come… There is a second snake in the area, but nobody comes until something dies.”

Local snake catcher Zam Paulik confirmed that most snake catchers will not go out unless the snake is visible or has been recently seen by the community.

“It is far to travel, only to have the community point to a large area of bush and say, ‘It is in there’. On this particular occasion, I was out of town,” said Mr Paulik.