By Nomathemba Pearl Dzinotyiwei

African Spirituality is broad and multi-faceted. Much has been made of the common manifestation of spirituality, that of the diviner or uMngoma or iSangoma. The word comes from the Bantu word ingoma meaning drum or song depending on the language and pronunciation. These healers undergo strict training to enable them to channel the ancestral spirits that are invoked through song that enable them to divine and heal. However there are many different types of healers with various specialities that channel spirits of ancestors from all over Africa. Statistics say 4 out of 5 people consult traditional healers across South Africa across racial lines.

Healers use various technologies to divine, diagnose, prophesy and heal. These includes herbs, roots, plants, seeds, water, sea salt, soil, ash, fire. Divination tools including bones, shells, crystals, carved wooden objects like runes or dominoes etc. Some use mirrors or a bowl of water for divination. Some operate in African independent churches as prophets and prayer warriors (abathandazi) and work mostly with the Bible, Christian songs, candles and water.

Regardless of the nature or origin of the ancestral spirit and how it is initiated, all indigenous healers have psychic gifts like clairvoyance (visions), claircognisance ( knowing), clairaudience (hearing) or clairsentience (feeling)or clairalience (smell) to get information from beyond the physical world in order to effectively carry out their calling to heal.

To maintain their connection with the divine, healers pray and carry out certain rituals in order to heal and centre themselves. It is important for a healer to maintain a sound body, mind & spirit by any means necessary. Diet, exercise, meditation, prayer help with that. The training & initiation by all accounts is tough. It requires a trained spiritual teacher or mentor known as uGobela. All highly spiritual people are aware of the war between darkness & light & stand at the front line of that battle.

There is a clear distinction between indigenous healers who are light workers and sorcerers that use dark magic. Healers are taught how sorcerers operate in order for them to be able to heal people, in the same way doctors and other medical personnel are trained in what kills people and how, in order to heal them. However all healers must make a choice to work with the light or with darkness. Those that work with the light must be spiritually pure. Unfortunately due to the Witchcraft Suppression Act and religious indoctrination all spiritualists and spiritual practices have been incorrectly labeled as evil.

In my research on spirituality, I’m fascinated by the way South African indigenous healers are incorporating different healing modalities such as meditation, yoga, crystals, astrology, numerology, aromatherapy and colour healing. It dawned on me that this is a natural evolution. Spirit is infinitely wise and powerful and will use any sacred object to accomplish what it needs to. However, all these practices associated with European and Asian spiritual traditions originated in the ancient African kingdom of Kemet in modern-day Egypt which birthed most of the spiritual traditions across the world so in a way it is a return to our indigenous knowledge systems in a modern form.

Indigenous African Spirituality is more than just ubungoma or shamanism, beads, snuff & traditional beer. If you live in an urban area, you can’t go to the bush to collect herbs etc. for healing. So it makes sense to use other modalities to balance & heal mind, body & spirit. There is such beauty & diversity in African Spirituality yet what I see is common among genuine indigenous healers is a desire to heal which overshadows any fear or adversity they endure. If what they do is so evil, surely they wouldn’t also be vulnerable to spiritual attacks?

If you are undergoing a spiritual awakening or have an interest in African Spirituality, there are many healers that offer information and guidance on various social media channels FaceBook, Instagram and YouTube for people needing to consult and aspiring healers. Notable examples include AfroSavvy, Gogo Dineo Ndlanzi and Sangoma Society and Bana Ba Moya on YouTube, Vusi Ngxande’ podcasts on ThokozaDlozi on Instagram. They are also available on Twitter. Research is very important to ensure that you make the most of the healers’ support and avoid unnecessary confusion, drama and trauma on your journey.