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Southern Africa has long been captivated by tales of ukuthwala, a powerful and dangerous practice promising long-term wealth. At its heart is the belief in a wealth-giving familiar known as the mamlambo, often envisioned as a snake, a mermaid, or a seductive woman. However, this supernatural assistance comes at a great personal and moral cost, demanding sacrifices that can destroy relationships and undermine one's well-being.
One of the most renowned practitioners of ukuthwala was the medicine man Khotso Sethuntsa. Born in a mountain village in Lesotho in 1898, Khotso began as a farm worker before establishing himself as a successful herbalist in Kokstad in the 1920s. His medicines, particularly those for wealth and success, were highly sought after. By 1960, he had relocated to the Transkei, setting up his main headquarters in Lusikisiki, where he lived and worked until his death in 1972.
The Mysterious Mamlambo: A Shape-Shifter of Wealth and Danger
The mamlambo embodies a unique blend of the occult, the sensual, and the economic. Its name, mamlambo, derives from the Xhosa word for river, mlambo, leading to its full Xhosa name, u-Ma-Mlambo, meaning 'the mother of the river'. This being is a shape-changer, sometimes appearing as bright, shining objects reminiscent of coins, symbolizing wealth. Yet, it is most frequently imagined as a snake, a mermaid, or a seductive woman.
The mamlambo is not just a bringer of riches; it is also a treacherous figure. The wealth it grants comes at a "terrible price", wreaking havoc in its owner's life by damaging or even destroying close personal relationships and undermining individual sexuality. Its serpentine aspects, while drawing on the ancient mystical significance of snakes in African beliefs, are notably menacing. This negative portrayal is linked to the influence of Christianity, where the snake is associated with evil, and the impact of Western economic systems that foster individual wealth accumulation.
The High Cost of Prosperity: Blood and Betrayal
To sustain the ukuthwala pact, the mamlambo's owner is required to make sacrifices, which can include bread, banknotes, or animal blood. Disturbingly, it is also believed to demand the blood of those closest to its owner, such as family members. The Tswana people use the same word, madi, for both "blood" and "money," highlighting the dangerous link between wealth and destruction. This concept is akin to "blood money," symbolizing the forfeiture of family members' lives or well-being for riches. Even if physical sacrifice doesn't occur, the mamlambo's partner is said to witness sorrow and misfortune befalling their family, a testament to the damage caused by this "marriage" to the supernatural being.
These perils reflect the "hazardous allure of western materialism," which promises much but can lead to economic inequalities and isolation, harming individuals, families, and communities. The mamlambo serves as a "form of cultural critique," embodying the "contradictions of the experience of modernity itself".
A Blend of Tradition and Modernity: "Magicalities of Modernity"
The practice of ukuthwala and the mamlambo itself are seen as examples of the "modernity of witchcraft," where ancient beliefs intertwine with modern changes. The mamlambo's frequent depiction as a curvaceous, pale-skinned Western mermaid or wearing Western clothes underscores its association with Western forms of prosperity like money. This highlights how Western ideas of modernity, often presented to colonized peoples in rationalistic terms, could paradoxically seem "magical, impenetrable, inscrutable, incontrollable, darkly dangerous".
Belief in the mamlambo spread across Southern Africa, particularly due to the migrant labor system. Accounts often describe the mamlambo being purchased on mines or from white or Indian shopkeepers, who were perceived as having access to powerful magic due to their privileged positions. This suggests a connection between the mamlambo's emergence and the "disconnection to a traditional, communal way of life," economic inequalities, and the allure of Western materialism.
The Ordeals of Ukuthwala: Sensual Tests and Psychological Trials
Khotso's ukuthwala process involved clients undergoing a series of frightening and often hallucinatory ordeals. These experiences typically included confronting snakes, sometimes in water-filled rooms. One relative of a client described a test where he and friends found their room filled with water and a large snake wrapping itself around them. Another account mentioned a "pool test" where a naked mermaid would appear and offer "love kisses," requiring the client to resist temptation.
The sensual and erotic quality of these encounters is a notable aspect. The mamlambo's sexual qualities are not surprising, as other witchcraft familiars, like the impundulu (lightning bird) or uthikoloshe, are also believed to have erotic connections with humans. The mamlambo, however, is considered the most powerful and perilous due to its combined sexual enticements and association with wealth.
Oral accounts describe how a man's relationship with a serpentine lover can lead to marital neglect, with some stories claiming the mamlambo's "insatiable" sexual demands drain its consort's sexual energies. It is said that men who have sex with the mamlambo may become unable to have sex with ordinary women due to physical changes. These narratives metaphorically depict the destructive consequences of an all-consuming passion for individual wealth, leading to the breakdown of human relationships and a sense of deprivation. Clients were also often instructed to abstain from sex, even with their spouses, while using Khotso's ukuthwala medicine. This celibacy was a path to economic advancement rather than spiritual purity.
Khotso's Entrepreneurial Magic and Its Legacy
Khotso's success as an ukuthwala seller was fueled by widespread belief in his ability to bring about "financial miracles". He actively devised and publicized stories about his skills, wealth, and renown, effectively using South African oral tradition for commercial gain.
Beyond the supernatural, there were practical reasons for his clients' success. Some speculate that Khotso might have administered hallucinogens (like isipili, a mixture inducing "otherworldly visions") during the ordeals, testing his clients' determination and firmness of purpose. If they endured, they might have developed the resolve needed for entrepreneurship. Khotso also preferred to work with clients he believed possessed the skills for economic advancement, such as "clever, energetic, purposeful young men". Furthermore, he provided business assistance, offering "good business advice" and even start-up money to aspiring entrepreneurs.
Towards the end of his life, Khotso's health and sexual capacity declined, leading to stories that his "marriage" to the mamlambo was failing due to his promiscuity. These tales, where the occult and erotic brought punishment, served as "compensatory narratives," offering comfort to those struggling economically by suggesting that immense wealth acquired through dark magic could not bring lasting good.
Despite the ambiguities and symbolic interpretations, ukuthwala continues to be practiced in South Africa, particularly in the poverty-stricken Transkei region, with some of Khotso's followers and family members carrying on his work. For many, ukuthwala stories also function as moral fables, warning about the human cost of pursuing individual wealth in a society rife with economic inequities. They serve as a powerful framework through which people understand their experiences and the often-perilous allure of prosperity. The practice remains a fascinating example of how the economic, the erotic, and the supernatural intertwine in complex and fluid ways.