Gombalume - SEXUAL UNION A novice dances as part of a rite in which the drum, when she is dancing on it, represents a woman making love; when she jumps off again, it is a pregnant womb. Gomba comes from khomba (girl of marriageable age) and lume from tshilume (young man), so that the word refers to a man and woman joined together as one person in the sex act. As at tshikanda, each novice squats and shuffles her feet in time to the music, as for ndayo exercises; she hops up on to an upturned tenor drum and 'dances' on it for a few moments, then hops back on to the ground and continues the movements. Those who are waiting their turn or who have already done the exercise, sing Domba Song No. 4.

Lesson This refers not to the joys of sexual union itself, but to the results of it, and it reminds girls and boys that when they sleep together they will have children. The Venda say 'madzanga a nnyo ndi ' (the best thing about the sex organs is the child that comes from them). The upturned drum represents a girl when she goes to her husband. When a novice jumps on it and 'dances', she is in the hut with her husband. When she jumps off again, she and her husband are no longer together, but the drum remains, representing the pregnant womb of the girl.

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