Domba tshi swa - THE END (lit. BURNING) OF DOMBA   (e) U tika selo (placing the winnowing basket on stones). A winnowing tray is placed on three hearth-stones and filled with beer. A well-made basket should be used, so that the beer does not leak out, but on one occasion, a woman produced an old basket because she did not want her good one spoilt. Then an awl or a thorn is jabbed into the centre of the basket so that it stands erect in the beer. The milayo of this are explained, and then the master runs through all milayo, explains the dzingoma and , and finally breaks any models that remain. The master destroys the painted clay model of the hut Sinngwele. The awl may be seen sticking lopsidedly into the winnowing tray. Notice the porcupine quill in the master's hair. At one domba, a master forgot about u tika selo and the final revision of milayo. I think this was a deliberate mistake, so that he could later go round visiting the headmen and seeing his students once more. For over a year, the school had brought many people together at the chief's place, and he was sad that it was all over.  To return, click 'Back' in the browser. Next