THE FEMALE SANGOMA

BY OMOSEYE BOLAJI

Strange barmy weather had held sway that day in South Africa. Despite the fact that we were in the heart of summer, the weather had not only been intensely cold, but a chilly wind punctuated the ambience. But life must go on; and people were clad in their overcoats, leatherjackets etc as they went about their usual work.

One of the female workers in my South African office entered my room and there was a stricken, strange expression on her face. “You have a visitor,” she said.

I grinned. “You don’t need to look too haunted about it,” I joked. “You look like Lady Macbeth! What’s so special about this visitor? Is it the weatherman with more dollops of horror?”

She now smiled. “You won’t believe it. You must see for yourself. Do you remember Julia who used to frequent this office, selling assorted meals? The pretty young lady?”

“Of course I remember her,” I said “I haven’t seen her for a few months. So she wants to see me…there’s nothing special about that. Bring her in,”

“Well, don’t be too surprised when you see her now,” she said. “I’ll tell her to enter your office…” In a very short while a woman entered my office. It was the same Julia, yet not quite the same Julia we had known for a long time!

What the hell is this! I found myself thinking, in unseemly fashion, as she entered, face wreathed in smiles. She waited for the customary hug, which I was reluctant to indulge in this time around. With prescience, she said: “Are you afraid of me now?” There was a big smile on her lovely face.

Was I! I knew about sangomas, traditional doctors or healers; but I had never actually gone to their arcane offices. It was clear enough that Julia, incredibly was now a female sangoma! She was fully dressed, and looked like one. How could this metamorphosis have happened? But there was no doubt about it: the girl wore the traditional attire, and had all the intimidating trimmings; to summarise, the numinous imprints on her face and body. Indigo. Camwood. Intriguing casque. Filigreed...beads across her head, wrists, feet. And barefooted to boot in the heart of toropo! (the city)

Seeing how shocked I was, she hugged me, and presently seated she explained: “Yes this is a surprise to so many people. They cannot believe I am now a sangoma, and an authentic one! That’s why I disappeared for a few months. I was undergoing the full traditional training in the bush, the forest. It was not easy. The wild animals were there. We had to be vey disciplined, listen to our ancestors and the spirits. You appreciate I can not go into details. Suffice it to say I am now a rather full-fledged sangoma,” She smiled and I appreciated once again – in my old age - how attractive she was.

She added: “It’s a pity sometimes, when the spirit enters me. I go into intermittent trances. I see visions, let’s say premonitions. Sadly, it might be visions of a tragedy about to befall someone,”

I winced. Had she seen a negative vision as regards me? She laughed, reading my mind again. “Don’t be afraid. I am not here because of any visions. I just came to visit you socially, to invite you out for lunch. I hope you’ll accept,”

How could I refuse? After all, I was sort of creating history for myself – my first ever lunch with a veritable sangoma!!