Villagers from Nyamazana line, ward 9, in Tsholotsho North have attributed the effects of climate change to the abandonment of traditional customs such as rainmaking ceremonies.
Speaking during a community meeting held in the area on effects of climate changes, villagers expressed concern over the changes in rain patterns a situation that is affecting their yields.
Sipho Msebele from Magabelana village said there is a need to revive such customs.
“Long back we used to perform ceremonies to ask for the rains, nowadays people have their own different beliefs, they no longer want to perform those ceremonies any more,” said Msebele.
“We don’t know if we have made a mistake with abandoning our cultural activities and following Christianity. Nowadays even if it rains, some areas don’t even receive rains, we have even lost count of the farming season.”
Msebele added that climate change has also affected their water sources as they have dried up.
“What is more important to us at this moment are water sources, they have all dried up, the few available boreholes area overwhelmed by the number of people depending on it,” she said.
Meanwhile, village head Tymon Sibanda said freedom of worship also contributed to climate change as people no longer follow farming practices that used to exist before.
“Freedom of worship also contributed to climate change, Long ago we used to know that people don’t go to the fields on Wednesday but these days villagers no longer observe those laws that we used to have, if we tell them about such laws they will ask you whose law is that,” said Sibanda.
“Back then when there was thunderstorms or hailstorms, people never went to the fields the following morning but these days we no longer observe that due to the advent of different churches.”
“It is now difficult for us to go back to our traditions, we no longer go to Njelele, back then around September-October, those were set months for traditional leaders to go to Njelele and ask for the rains and perform different ceremonies, soon after those ceremonies we could receive heavy rains,” he added.
Chief Tategulu said his area is facing critical water shortages.
“We are having water shortages in this area, the few available water sources can not sustain all homesteads we have here,” said the traditional leader.
