Dole - menstrual blood Two youths face each other and carry a long pole. One master said that this should be done after tshivhuyu on the last day of domba, using the same pole; but I neither saw this done nor met anyone else who had seen it. Each girl in turn sits under the pole, grasps it with her hands, and suspends herself by lifting up her legs and crossing them under the pole. The pole-bearers then carry her along for some yards and back again. Since in this position a girl's pubic covering is liable to slip, she is usually allowed to wear her salempore round her waist like a loin cloth. I was surprised to see that many found this simple exercise difficult, and some were even afraid. A few did not hold on to the pole properly, and so they bumped on the ground. Domba Song No. 3, which accompanies the action, is similar to Song No. 9 of vhusha.

While performing this rite, girls should be carried by youths, and they may wear their salempores like loin cloth.

In this case the girls have not troubled to cover themselves and senior novices are carrying them, since no boys were present. Notice that the carriers' seniority in the school is indicated by the legnth of their hair.

Lesson The pole represent the tampon (muserwa) which every woman is supposed to insert during menstruation. The action of hanging from the poles teaches a girl she must use an old piece of cloth as a tampon, so that she does not soil her public apron.

Milayo  267 Thanda ila that long pole: Muserwa a tampon.  268 Musi vhathu vho nembelela: zwi amba uri musidzana arali o vhona u fanela u dzhia malabi a kale: ngauri arali a sa ralo: lawe tshinyala. When people hand down: this means that whenever a girl sees her monthlies, she must take an old piece of cloth: because if she does not that: her public apron will be spoilt. Video Clip

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