Interpretation of music in Zambia: nearness
Interpretation of music in Zambia: nearness.
Drumming to the patient shortly after the coming of the shing’anga is not unusual in case of severe symptoms, especially when there is no immediate reaction to the applied herbs. Sometimes when herbs during treatment don’t work, the shing’anga will start singing, without drums, to enhance the herbs’ working.
Mika Mwape Chungwa ∵ personal communication, 1986.
I do not use music or dance in treating other cases [than those related to possession]. The singing is to pull the spirits nearer, so that they reveal in shorter time. In the Cibombe we had yesterday, the patients (mwana) were treated this way, they could also have brought songs themselves but this time they didn’t.
Sheki Mbomba ∵ personal communication, 1986.
The forbidding by the Jehovah’s Witnesses of their members visiting occasions where the possessed are, is based on the fear for the ‘jumping-over’ of possession. This slowly getting in the hold of possession is especially strong through singing and seeing dancing.
Mika Mwape Chungwa ∵ personal communication, 1986.
Photo 76 ∵ Near to the drums
A possession patient being as close as possible to the drums at a Cibombe in 1986.
Interpretation of music in Zambia: nearness. One of the few generally acknowledged features of music in Chibale is that the physical nearness (kupalamina) of music heightens its effectiveness. This is not always expressed in the positive sense, not a few express it by staying away from spirit possession music for fear it will affect them.
Photo 77 ∵ Near to the drums
A medium (bamukaNdubeni) being as close as possible to the master drum at a Cibombe in 1986.
It should not be forgotten that songs are a product brought from the mpanga without human interference in its making. They are comparable with the honey, the meat and the medicines that come from the mpanga. Look at medicines. They are taken from certain places in the mpanga and when used to cure a person bring him into nearness with that place and its features. Medicines lying in the village before being used are similar to cilaila, just singing songs. When they are sung in full preparedness, they bring the mpanga near the place where they are sung.
Alube Mika ∵ personal communication, 2007.