SOUTH AFRICA: Followers of Shembe religion start three-day pilgrimage to sacred mountain

Record ID: 452540

  • Title: SOUTH AFRICA: Followers of Shembe religion start three-day pilgrimage to sacred mountain
  • Date: 10th January 2011
  • Summary: DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA (JANUARY 9, 2011) (REUTERS) SHEMBE WOMEN LEADING THE MARCH AND BLOWING TRADITIONAL SHEMBE HORNS VARIOUS OF WOMEN CARRYING BAGS WHILE MARCHING BAREFEET OF WOMEN AS THEY MARCH TO THE HOLY MOUNTAIN VARIOUS OF SHEMBE WOMEN MARCHING AND BLOWING HORNS SOUNDBITE (Zulu) NYALISILE DLUDLA, SHEMBE PILGRIM, SAYING : "This is in honour of our King (Shembe) who started this pilgrimage. May God be with us." MORE OF PILGRIMS MARCHING SOUNDBITE (Zulu) HAPPY NGIDI, SHEMBE PILGRIM, SAYING : "This pilgrimage brings blessings to all of us, our ancestors are with us as we march for blessings for our families." SHEMBE MEN LEADING AND BLOWING THE TRADITIONAL SHEMBE HORNS MORE OF MEN CARRYING HOLY STICKS AS THEY MARCH MEN MARCHING BAREFOOTED MALE PILGRIMS MARCHING SOUNDBITE (Zulu) KHETHUKUTHULA MHLONGO, SHEMBE PILGRIM, SAYING : "This pilgrimage is in honour of the prophet (Shembe) who started all this. We are continuing the pledge he made with God." VARIOUS OF THE PILGRIMS ASCENDING A HILL
  • Embargoed: 25th January 2011 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: South Africa, South Africa
  • Country: South Africa
  • Topics: Quirky,Religion
  • Reuters ID: LVA2NF09L8O1YFKJTQEUK7OW8SKR
  • Story Text: More than forty thousand followers of the Shembe religion turned up for their annual pilgrim to the sacred Nhlangakazi mountain, where they believe their prophet, Isaiah Shembe first made convenant with God in 1913.
    "This is in honour of our King (Shembe) who started this pilgrimage. May God be with us," said Nyalisile Dludla as she hurriedly continued her journey.
    Draped in white, barefooted and carrying traditional sticks, the Shembe faithful, brave the morning cold and afternoon heat as they snake through the bushes.
    The journey to the top of the sacred Nhlangakazi mountains takes over three days, with the followers stopping for a few minutes to say prayers. During the pilgrimage, the Shembe take part in hypnotic, trance-like dance, with the men leading the way and women and children following.
    Members of the sect believe that by being faithful to this tradition, their prayers and wishes will always be granted.
    "This pilgrimage is in honour of the prophet (Shembe) who started all this. We are continuing the pledge he made with God," 73-year old Happy Ngidi told Reuters.
    There are over 4.5 million Shembe followers. South Africans are the majority while the rest come from the neighbouring countries of Swaziland, Botswana and Zimbabwe. The church is currently led by Mbusi Vimbeni Shembe who is the fourth successor of Isaiah Shembe, a Zulu healer who formed the Nazareth Baptist church a century ago to infuse African tribalism into the Christianity brought over by Western missionaries.
    Legends of his miraculous touch have drawn four million followers across southern Africa who believe Shembe is a messiah and Africa's equivalent to Jesus, making it one of the largest independent church movements in Africa with some 7,000 temples.
    The sect preaches Christian values mixed with African traditions, insisting that western Christianity is only good for western traditional values.
    At the end of the long trek up the mountain, the Shembe faithful get an opportunity to meet their prophet and to be healed and blessed by him. The pilgrimage attracts an increasing number of followers each year.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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