Seeking Jesus by day, n’anga by night

It is vogue to be a ‘born again’ Christian today. Even more fashionable to speak the language of blessings; speak the name of Jesus Christ; plead the blood of Jesus; and believe in divine portions and declarations. It is also considered befittingly righteous to daily call on the Lord Jesus Christ, read His word every morning or night, lay all one’s life burdens at the feet of His cross and to serve only Him.  And many in society today, in the multitude of churches spanning across the width and breadth of the country, have heeded the call to Christianity.  But while many are called, few are faithful only to Him. The rest are Christian by day, and traditionalist by night.

Many people of African descent, from both the ivory towers of the rich and famous and the coal face of the poverty-stricken and plenty others in between, are straddling across Christianity and African Traditional Religion (ATR) with one leg in Christianity and the other in ATR. A sprinkle of Christianity and a whole lot of ATR, or vice versa, is what many people practice.
With Christianity being an imported religion, many families in our society find themselves split into those who have abandoned the so called “heathen” ways and others who have held on to the indigenous systems of worship. Such splits have been known to cause untold divisive and explosive wrangles, separatist tendencies and as well as give rise to suspicion, mistrust and family relationship breakdowns in the greater extended family circles.

These vacillations between Christianity and ATR have left many struggling daily to find the perfect balance, if ever one exists. While Christianity has had a considerable pull factor for people today, many have found themselves pushed to ATR by circumstances or challenges beyond their control. With science being more akin to Christianity, where there have been gaps in science in terms of answers to explain or decipher different phenomena this is where many have turned to ATR for possible explanations.

According to one, Yusufu Turaki, in an academic paper entitled: “Africa Traditional Religious System as Basis of Understanding Christian Spiritual Warfare”, there are four foundational religious beliefs in the traditional religions. These are (1) the belief in impersonal (mystical) power(s); (2) the belief in spirit beings; (3) the belief in divinities/gods and (4) the belief in the Supreme Being.
According to Turaki, the belief in impersonal or mystical powers is dominant and pervasive.  It is because of the fear of these powers that some people find themselves held hostage by traditional beliefs.
“There is a very close relationship between the spirit beings and the mystical or impersonal powers and forces described above. This realm of the supernatural operates mystical power, magic, witchcraft, sorcery and many others. The spirit world or the realm of the supernatural is, in a sense, a battleground of spirits and powers that use their mystical powers to influence the course of human life. These mystical powers can be designated as positive or negative, good or evil, which may bring blessings or curses,” Turaki says.

According to Rudo Mashamba, also known as Mbuya VaChinjanja Guvheya Muroro, ATR does believe in God but communication with God is not direct.
“It is based on the belief that when a person dies that is not the end but comes back as a spirit and lives among descendents or relatives in and invisible community. This community is what is called vadzimu or nyikadzimu. The living  are able to communicate with the ancestors including holding verbal conversations with spirits that speak through mediums. The ancestors are the ones that reward, punish, protect and fight on your behalf.
“They control day to day lives. The ancestors are the ones that communicate with God on behalf of the living,” Mashamba says.

She believes there is a widespread belief and acknowledgement that vadzimu exist though not as many people practice the religion or believe it is a good religion.
“Some call it evil.  (But the fact) that some of churches make an effort to discourage their members from believing in ATR is evidence that the belief is widespread,” Mashamba says.
While many people practice ATR, that practice is at different levels.

“Some pick what they want and leave out or ignore others. For example people will pay mombe yehumai, not marry in November but will not communicate with their ancestors,” Mashamba says, highlighting that all such beliefs fall under ATR.

The paradox is that many people will seek Jesus during the day, but in the night, under the cover of darkness will clandestinely consult vadzimu and other gods.
“The nature of the ATR is such that you do not have to practice it yourself, someone else especially parents or grandparents can practice on your behalf. Communication, appeasing, thanksgiving and other rituals are done on behalf of the extended family,” Mashamba says.

What that means is that while one may walk around  denouncing ATR and personally disassociating themselves with it, they may actually be under the ‘cover’ or ‘consultation’ of it, which unbeknownst or even beknownst to them could have been done on their behalf by parents, grandparents or other relatives.
Mashamba adds, “Also, it is a very private religion. Unless someone is a n’anga (witch-doctor) the public might not know. Public gatherings are done at ceremonies or rituals, some of which are once-off like kurova guva and mabira which are done at least once a year.”

One youth in his 20s, Hillary Matias believes many people actually do visit witchdoctors, much more than they let on.
“They do it privately. If not the n’angas, then it is mapostori,” Matias says, adding that because the love of money has seen many people make such consultations. Also some families use these visits for post-mortem solicitations for their dead relatives.
“They keep it as family secrets, but they go young and old.  In families when somebody dies, the families go to n’angas for explanations of the cause of death.”
In any case, Mashamba says, n’angas are healers or ‘doctors’ and therefore people will visit them privately. Just like they would their general practitioners, who by the way, is also bound by his profession to keep confidential his or her patient’s information.
“Unfortunately ATR is mostly associated with consulting n’angas but these are healers who take care of both medical and spiritual problems. There was a gap in the spiritual needs of people for exorcism and prosperity that ATR takes care of and which was met to some extent by mapostori.
“Then you would find someone with both bhachi or bhande (as uniforms for Christian churches) and gemenzi (for the apostolic sect),” Mashamba explains.
“It is a fact that people pray but still follow what we call the occult — which is belief and practice of  n’anga or even apostolic prophets (maporofita),” says Pastor Mairosi Mubvumbi of the Hope in Christ Ministries. 
“However while  the majority of African people are always going to believe and acknowledge that ATR exists, in terms of numbers fewer people still actually practice. The majority of people do not practice because they have seen the Light of the Gospel.”

Are there any positives at all to worshipping the ATR way?
Mashamba says ATR also abides by the equivalent of the Ten Commandments, and is perhaps even stricter.
“Ancestral spirits guide, warn of dangers, gives explanations and fight. There is direct communication with verbal response or interpretation by n’angas and svikiros.It is a religion that is not organised or institutionalised and therefore relaxed and doesn’t call for effort. Communication is done when it is needed,” she says.
And, she is quick to point out, there is no need for ATR and Christianity to clash.
In any case, she says, “The new churches have become popular because they have incorporated aspects of ATR such as miracles, exorcism and prosperity that are at the root of ATR and have been practiced since time immemorial.”
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