CHIEFS SON IN DISGRACE

Greymouth Evening Star, 6 September 1938, Page 10

CHIEFS SON IN DISGRACE

KILLED SNAKE UNDER TREE Sikizwe. the 15-year-old second son of Mqilmane, Chief of the Mtuli tribe near Nyamazane hill at Mapuinulo. Natal, has caused a stir among the kehlas and wise men. For the moment fie is- in disgrace. Sikizjvo 'was coming home from school and had to pass under the giant wild fig tree beneath which his lather holds council and dispenses justice. As Sikizwe passed under it ho saw a snake in the branches. He killed it with a slick and —in accordance with the local custom —took it. to the Mapumulo Magistrate to claim the bounty of one shilling a head for green or black members, which is given in the area, to stimulate the killing of vermin. The snake is an ordinary green mamba about seven feel. long. But it is understood that some of the native wiseacres attach a. certain significance to its destruction in the shade of the council tree and fear that it may be the abode of the spirit of one of Mqilimane’s ancestors. There is a legend among the Swazi and Zulu peoples that whenever a snake is killed —should the snake be a, “spirit snake” —the killer may not succeed to power in his tribe until the. anger of the spirit of the snake —the ancestor of the ruling chief, probably according to popular belief —is appeased by slaughtering cattle. “The killing of this snake —if it is of the particular type regarded as spirit snakes—will be regarded as a very serious thing indeed by th? natives,” said Mi - . S. W. B. Shepstone. Native Welfare Officer for Durban, when interviewed by a representative of “The Natal Mercury.”

"Tho ancestor whose spirit, lived in file snake will be greatly augured at tho affront to him. He lias been attacked and rudely thrust from bis home, to native eyes, mid lie will visit his displeasure on the man who did the deed and on that man's father, according to native tradition.

"The only way (he spirit may be appeased is by killing cattle. There is no fixed 'tariff,' but uno, two, three, even. u <luz.cn bt-iisi.H may be sltiugli lured by the relative*; of the family to satisfy th" outraged amest.or."