Whether it is to simply appease the ancestors through training or to practise as a sangoma. Celebrities have been going public about their decisions to embrace their ancestors and spiritual calling.
The latest media personality to join the list of trained celebrity sangomas is presenter Boity Thulo.
Sowetan LIVE spoke to Khanyi Nkosi a practicing sangoma who shed a bit of light on the practice.
When asked if there are definite signs that people should look out for in terms of ‘receiving the calling’ Nkosi responded that it varies but visions/ dreams are a predominate sign.
The vision /dreams vary, they are never complete and the visions may feature your ancestors, yourself and sometimes a certain animal. She went on to further state that you might even see yourself in the visions doing things associated with being a sangoma.
“I would advise people to keep a dream dairy, so you can see the pattern and consistency of those dreams. Through the dreams you can determine whether you’re being called into be a sangoma or a prophet.”
Nkosi states that ubungoma differs and through those dreams you will know which direction to take. In layman’s terms through the messages in the dreams you will know whether you’re supposed to go through with the training (ukuthwasa) or is it something that has to do with your ancestors only- which is where you would acknowledge and not necessarily go through with the training (ukuthwasa).
Nkosi stated that the duration of the training varies depending on each student.
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| Latoya Makhene : Latoya left it all behind to pursue her spiritual gift in KwaThema Springs. She now juggles her acting schedule with a small consulting business where she heals |
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| TV personality Boity Thulo has remained mum after reports claim that she is a trained sangoma. - Picture : Vathiswa Ruselo |
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| Actress Lerato Mvelase said that after initially ignoring the calling, she had to finally relent. - Picture Credit : Vathiswa Ruselo |
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| Actress Baby Cele was initiated as a sangoma a few years ago. Later, she revealed that the calling was in fact meant for her mother but due to old age, she could not become a sangoma. - Picture Credit : Michael Pinyana |
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| Magi Noninzi Williams is also a practising traditional healer. She points out that they are poles apart from witchdoctors, who dabble in black magic. - Picture Credit : Simphiwe Nkwali |
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| Buhle Mda : Mda took to Facebook with her The Soil band-members to break the news in a video clip. “As Africans, at times we have to answer to greater beings than ourselves. Hence I will be taking some time out to concentrate on my own ancestral callings. Strength to me. So, from March 2016 I will be absent from all performances with The Soil.” - Picture Credit : Eugene Coetzee |
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| Siphokazi "Camagwini" Buti : Though it is publicly known that she went to train as a sangoma during her break, she flatly refused to speak about her training - and her ancestors. |
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| Nandi Nyembe : Having had her sangoma initiation when she was only 17‚ it’s no coincidence that Nandi Nyembe has managed to successfully play the role of a traditional healer in several productions‚ including Zone 14‚ Isibaya and the Oscar-nominated film. - Picture Credit : Mohau Mofokeng |
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| Treasure Tshabalala : Former Radio Presenter and currently an actor is also a trained healer |
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| Former Motsweding FM station manager Ben Dikobe has also undergone ukuthwasa. |
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| Bongani Masondo graduated to be a sangoma in 2011 at Margate in KZN (Kwanzimakhwe) and received his training to be a sangoma under Makhosi Dlamini. |
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| Freedom Hadebe, Former 7de Laan Actor also answered the ancestral calling |
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| Phelo Bala revealed earlier in the year that he had decided to train as a sangoma after he went to a medical doctor and was told that he had ‘body flu’. Even after being given a flu injection, nothing could help. After consulting with an African doctor, he started his sangoma training, adding that he never really completed the training. He has now gone back to his christian faith.- Picture Credit : Elizabeth Sejake |
