| |
Muhololi - THE BLACK COBRA (Lines 182-185)
| 182 |
- Muhololi (ndi)
 ya thavha:
The black cobra (is) a mountain snake:
|
| 183 |
 no (wo) i vhona na?
Have you seen the river-reed (i.e. penis)?
|
| 184 |
- Na (wa) i vhona
 mukosi
When you see it, raise the alarm;
|
| 185 |
- Mukosi wa
 nda lila.
A long, loud yell pierced (the air) and I wept.
|
Compare these lines with lines 3 and 4 and the accompanying notes. Apart from the literal allusion to a dangerous snake, the words are said to refer to the loss of a girl's virginity. The Venda say that muhololi is found in Karanga country, in southern Zimbabwe.
The novices are shown the model of a snake. In some areas, muhololi is said to be the same as dyambila (black mamba). If the model is painted with clay, the red, black, white and yellow spots will symbolize respectively women, old women, men and old men. Four other milayo are given:
| 327 |
- Mutshila wa muhololi
its tail;
|
- Luunzhi
an awl (see milayo Nos. 220 and 320).
|
| 328 |
 yawo
(or yayo, referring to  , snake, understood).
Its head
|
Ndalama dza Venda
Large Venda cowrie shells (worn as ornaments) (see milayo Nos. 226 and 311). |
| 329 |
-
 ayo:
its teeth:
|
- Misendo ya
small Venda axes for planing wood (see milayo Nos. 184 and 307 ).
|
| 330 |
 ayo
its eyes:
|
- Ndalama dza
large Venda cowrie shells (see mulayo No. 328, above).
|
|
|