Gatherings in Zambia: diagnosis and treatment

Gatherings in Zambia: diagnosis and treatment. Kubuka is the diagnosis of illness and/or problems, possibly combined with treatment, by a shing’anga, or by a non-possessed (mufisoko) who claims to have other means of communicating with the mpanga. It can have various forms, only one of which involves music. That is the Kubuka done by a possessed shing’anga during a session held after sunset.

Diagnosis and treatment of patients by a possessed healer

One or more patients or people with other problems are present. Non-resident patients have announced their coming during the day and have left an offering (mumpamba). They have put money on a tray with mealie meal on it as an offering for the possessing spirits of the shing’anga. In the evening, the shing’anga does kuseluka on a bed in his house with his head on the mumpamba plate. When the spirits have come down, one of them starts a song. On hearing that, the patients and the helpers of the shing’anga enter the room where the shing’anga lies which is completely dark.

One of the possessing spirits starts a song through the shing’anga. The helpers and the patients form the chorus while the shing’anga plays the musebe, the specialists’ rattle. One of the helpers (cipyaila) has the special task of remembering all important things said and sung. After the song has ended, the spirits of the shing’anga start talking with one of the patients or a relative of hers who is present. This is regularly alternated by the bringing of a song by one of the spirits. On average, there is more singing than talking during Kubuka.
The Kubuka songs (nyimbo sha pa Kubuka) come from the large repertoire of healing songs. The text of each song refers to the case which the spirits are dealing with at that moment. During a Kubuka by Mbomba, it was actually discussed how the song was related to the case under examination.

Mental and physical treatment

Gatherings in Zambia: diagnosis and treatment. During the Kubuka there is no physical examination of the patients, but physical treatment sometimes occurs. This is called Kukanda, massaging, the occasion at which the (possession) patient is treated. More often, the treatment is mental. It may involve singing by (the spirits of) the treating shing’anga and, in case of possession illness, possibly also by the spirits of the possession patient. An example can be heard in Music example 19. One of the spirits possessing Munteta Chalebaila sings through him to communicate with bamukaNdubeni. BamukaNdubeni was the shing’anga who treated him by discussing and singing with the spirits possessing him.

Depending on the number of patients, the Kubuka can take half an hour to an hour.
Attending a Kubuka is a most impressive (musical) experience, not only for outsiders like researchers but also for the relative outsiders that most patients and their relatives are.