392 HISTORY AND CUSTOMS OF THE MAKARANGA. 



curious results as having occurred. To a certain extent divina- 

 tion is falling into disuse amongst the more or less educated 

 natives. Formerly, when a native was going away from home, 

 either to visit, or to seek work, etc., he threw the bones as tD 

 whether the time was propitious. Were the bones to say that 

 he should not leave home, nothing whatever would induce him to 

 do so. On the other hana', if the bones say that the native 

 should go only to Bulawayo to work and nowhere else, then no 

 persuasion or offer of money will deter him from his purpose of 

 going to Bulawayo. If labour agents and others would bear 

 this custom in mind, it would save them considerable worry and 

 trouble. Of course, the labour agent who wishes to be really 

 successful should send his own diviner on ahead of him, to throw 

 the bones, and read (from them that dire results will follow if the 

 natives do not go out to work vvfth his master (the labour agent). 

 Unfortunately in these modern times this kind of trick is looked 

 on with distrust by the powers that be, so I would not recommend 

 an agent to try the scheme. 



The power to cause rain or droughts is said to be in the 

 hands of two persons, that is, Mwari or God, and through him 

 various Mondoro, or Priests of Mwari, and Msikabantu, a chief 

 residing in Melsetter district, and through him Mazungunye, 

 the chief of the Waduma in Ndanga district. 



Only certain of the Mondoro are credited with this power ; 

 they are not thought to be infallible, and their assistance is 

 rarely sought nowadays. 



Msikabantu is related by marriage to IMazungunye, and 

 both these chiefs are renowned rainmakers, and many extra- 

 ordinary stories are told of their powers in this direction. 



The story of how Mazungunye, or, as he was then called. 

 Fupajena. gained the power to make rain is somewhat interesting. 



It appears that Msikabantu had a daughter named Mepu ; 

 she was a beautiful girl, but somewhat headstrong: in conse- 

 quence suitors for her hand were slow in coming forwani. 

 Apparently, to encourage the men Msikabantu gave out that 

 whoever married his daughter sliould be given the power of rain- 

 making. Mepu was not pleased with this, so told her father 

 that she would marry no man unless he could make her speak. 

 Suitors came one after another to court Mepu, but to not one 

 would she speak. So after spending a few ciays in the kraal 

 the young man would retire to make room for someone else. 



The story was told to Fupajena, who determined to marry 

 Mepu. He travelled to her kraal, explained who he was and 

 his business, and was told that he could do his best to make 

 Mepu speak. On the following day he accompanied her to the 

 garden, where they worked all day. No matter what he did 

 she would not speak to him. On the next day they again went 

 to the garden, where they were engaged in weeding. The crop 

 at this time being only a few inches high. Mepu showed him 

 what to do. but Fupajena. instead of hoeing out the weeds, 

 began to chop out the crop, leaving the weeds alone. Mepu, for- 



