Gatherings in Zambia: rituals of problem solving

Gatherings in Zambia: rituals of problem solving. There are many small rituals of problem solving like those around illness and personal and family problems.¹See, for instance, the ritual to solve family problems, kulala panshi. When problems are bigger or persist, larger rituals are needed, often after consulting a shing’anga. For this some of the rituals intended for mourning are used, like the Bwalwa bwa nkombo, the Ipupo lya fikankomba and the Ipupo. In fact, there are hardly any larger rituals explicitly aimed at problem solving in Chibale. The Mwami cults introduced problem-solving rituals not related to mourning rituals in the 1970s, but they have remained very rare.

Cibombe

Gatherings in Zambia: rituals of problem solving. Let’s look at the larger rituals of the Mwami cult, all called Cibombe.²If the root of the word Cibombe is interpreted as coming from the Lala -bomba (work) the term means place or occasion where the spirits do their work. From a historical point of view it is more likely that the term derives from the Lenje verb -bomba which in the Lala language is –womba. Cibombe then means: place or occasion of begging the spirits. Both interpretations are given in Chibale and the pronunciation Ciwombe is also sometimes used.
There are six types of Cibombe. Three of these are for rejoicing. They are treated in the article on rituals of rejoicing. The fourth one is explicitly aimed at problem solving. The other two are initiation rituals. Though not explicitly aimed at problem solving, both may be considered part of a problem solving trajectory.

Problem solving Cibombe

The Cibombe ca kuposha/kukanda banamanga (the Cibombe of cooling/treating the patients) is a ritual in which one or more patients are treated. It is organised by the shing’anga and held at his farm. In the 1980s, it was normal in town but rare in Chibale, as people had no money to pay for it. It was sometimes held for patients from town.

Cibombe ca cisungu (the Cibombe of the girl’s initiation): the initiation ritual at the end of the treatment of the possession disease. The patient (mwana) shows fitness to be a ‘wife of the spirit’. It is organised by the initiate(s) under the guidance of the shing’anga. It is the most frequently held type of Cibombe in Chibale. A short description of what happens at this Cibombe is given in the story about Chisenga becoming a spirit-possessed.

Cibombe ca kusubula or Cibombe ca kumwensho mulopa (the Cibombe of the pulling out of the water or the Cibombe of the drinking of blood): the initiation of a mwanang’anga (apprentice-shing’anga) to become an independent shing’anga. At this ritual the mpata (shrine for the spirits) of the new shing’anga are officially taken into use. It is extremely rare. Many (small) shing’anga in Chibale were ‘self-proclaimed’ healers. In the 1980s, only two shing’anga had gone through this ritual. These two had three mwanang’anga, all of them accomplished shing’anga, who were still waiting for a kusubula. The kusubula would set them free completely, that is ritually and financially, from the parent-shing’anga.

Conclusion

Rituals with music and dance aimed at problem-solving only are rare in Chibale. Problem solving often is done through mourning or initiation rituals.