Snakes of Goodwill grace laying of tombstone of Chief Majola - SA Press Item

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: THE DISPATCH (East London, South Africa) 24 December 99 Snakes of Goodwill grace laying of tombstone of Chief Majola (Rufus Zingqi) : Tsolo: Five molesnakes, regarded by the Mpondomise tribe as a symbol of goodwill, made a mysterious appearance at the laying of a tombstone for the tribe's Chief Mtshazi Mditshwa who died 80 years ago this week. : The molesnakes at first sent workers scurrying, but villagers at Mdibanisweni near here were overjoyed. : The Snakes of Goodwill (ooMajola) symbolised the acceptance of the memorial ritual by the ancestors of the Mditshwa family. : Recalling the incident, village sub-headman Norman Gladile said he had taken the contractors to the tombstone site. : "As soon as digging and shovelling started, a number of molesnakes appeared around the upper half of the grave. They scattered in all directions as if disturbed from their peaceful place of safety. : "As a Mpondomise, I understood what this meant. After calling members of the royal house and council members to 'soothe' the snakes, praise-singing and other rituals were performed. With that, the reptiles all slithered away and disappeared into the grass nearby," Gladile said. : According to royal council spokesman Linda Mbabama, the Mpondomise legend has it that Chief Majola -- after which the molesnake is named -- was killed in a skirmish with another tribe. : His subjects took the body and buried it. To their surprise when they returned later, counsellors found a dead molesnake next to the grave. It had stab wounds all over its body. : "From that spread the belief that the snake had also died in the war by the spears of Majola's adversaries while trying to protect the chief. : "Since then, whenever a molesnake appears, the Mpondomise consider it a peace omen and an occasion for joy," Mbabama said. : As if to confirm that, during this week's praise-singing ritual to welcome the snakes, prayers for rain were also offered. : Before the end of the day, it was raining cats and dogs, Gladile said.

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