Domba tshi ima - THE BEGINNING OF DOMBA Dr Phineas Mboneni Mdadzhigli kindles the domba fire. Phineas is a specialist of children's diseases, and is responsible for the health of the novices while they are at the domba school.   For the sake of clarity, the item will be given in the left-hand column, with its symbolic equivalent or explanation on the right. The copula, and other words used to make the sentences, will be omitted. Connecting sentences necessary for sense, and my explanations, will be given in English.   1 Domba tshi ima when domba begins [lit, stands up]: Munna a na gumbudithu [or gumbudzhende] a man with swollen testicles, i.e. an erection. The national dance (tshikona) is played, and people come together in the ruler's courtyard and public meeting-place (khoro). A doctor, who is a specialist in making sacred fires (maine wa mulilo), kindles the domba fire. This may never be done with matches or other artificial aids. When the fire is blazing nicely, the doctor prepares the hearth. Methods may vary according to the specialist. On one occasions, the doctor took a small rounded pebble and poured on to it a brown treacly medicine. Then he 'banged' a cross on the ground with a stick; put a tortoise-shell in the middle of the cross, and beat the ground four times, north, south, east and west of the shell. He took away the tortoise-shell, dug a small hole where it had been, and placed the pebble inside. He poured in some more medicine, placed the tortoise-shell on top of the hole for a moment, took it away again, and filled in the hole quickly. He called for the fire, on to which he sprinkled powder which produced a strong aromatic smell. Then tshikona is played again until a woman comes in with a gourd full of beer, which she carries round the khoro and throws to the ground. When it breaks, the master of initiation chants the domba song. At one domba, a partially broken gourd was used, because people thought it wasteful to break a new one and spill a lot of good beer. Dr Phineas Mboneni Mdadzhigli kindles the domba fire in the council hut.      The doctor medicates a smooth pebble. He prepares the hearth for the sacred domba fire. The new domba school is about to be launched. The gourd is already largely broken, because they did not want to waste a new one.  2 Demba halwa pwashea when the gourd of beer is smashed to pieces. Makukwana o bva mwavhoni the chickens have come out of their nest; Ndi matshowana [matshohana] there are white calves [spermatozoa]. These milayo are generally followed by mavhavhe, and dadashanga, since they explain ritual actions (dzigoma).  To return, click 'Back' in the browser. Next