The Sunday News
Tinomuda Chakanyuka
TRADITIONALISTS have said, now that their prediction of normal to above rainfall this season have come to pass, the nation needs to start taking them seriously on weather predictions, among other issues of national importance.
Early last year, some traditionalists who spoke to Sunday News predicted a wet 2016/2017 season.
They banked their forecast on indigenous knowledge systems (IKS), on the back of “successful” rain making ceremonies.
Rain making ceremonies are traditionally held before the end of October every year as people ask God, through ancestors, for enough rains and adequate yields.
Forecasts by traditionalists also corroborated weather experts’ predictions which pointed to improved rainfall from last season.
In an interview last week, Zinatha cultural secretary Mr Ernest Tekere said traditionalists deserved to be taken seriously as their work was genuine and for the benefit of the country at large.
He said the abundant rainfall that the country has received so far this season was a result of successful rainmaking ceremonies that were held in different parts of the country.
“Like I said the other time our ancestors, through spirit mediums, assured us of enough peaceful rains. There you have it,” he said.
“Our dams are spilling and there is enough water for both people and animals.
“When we said this last year people didn’t take us seriously, but now that our predictions have come to pass, I think people need to start listening to us when we speak next time,” said Mr Tekere.
He said during the rainmaking ceremonies, ancestors also warned of high temperatures.
He urged authorities to prepare for the high temperatures by educating people on the necessary precautions that should be taken against heat waves.
“It’s going to be very hot soon after the rains. I said this in December last year and I will say it again. The Government needs to prepare people for possible heat-waves by educating them on precautions and so on,” he said.
Mr Tekere added that at the start of the season there were a number of tell tale signs that the season would be good, which signs he said have always been used to predict seasons in traditional African societies.
“God communicates these things to us in various ways but sometimes we are too stubborn to see.
“Apart from the message we got from our ancestors, there were a lot of signs that we were poised for a good season. The way nature behaved told us that indeed what the ancestors promised us would come to pass,” he said.
Mr Tekere, who is also a farmer, said he believed in traditional methods of rainmaking and weather predictions such that he planted his maize crop early banking on what ancestors had told him.
He has two hectares under maize at his plot in Kingsdale, Bulawayo, where he said he expected a bumper harvest.
“I’m expecting about four tonnes of maize from this. If I didn’t believe in my own practice I wouldn’t have planted early. I planted early because I heeded my ancestors.
“Most people who planted early are about to harvest but those who planted late may risk losing out,” he said.
On the cyclone that was predicted by the Meteorological Services Department Mr Tekere encouraged people to take heed.
“As traditionalists we usually make long term, seasonal predictions. However, with the weathermen their forecasts are usually short term. They have predicted a cyclone and I urge people to listen,” he said.
Cultural expert Mr Pathisa Nyathi also weighed in, explaining how indigenous knowledge systems assisted in predicting weather patterns.
He advocated for indigenous knowledge to be integrated with modern knowledge to achieve accurate forecasts.
“The bottom line is nature predicts itself. Nature knows what’s going to happen. When man knows what is going to happen, it is because he is part of nature,” he said.
Traditionalists have on many occasions clashed with the Meteorological Services Department over weather forecasts with weather experts often dismissing forecasts by traditionalists.
