Religion
People in Mamvulaland are free to practice and follow their own religions. Most of them follow Inkolo yaBantu. Inkolo yaBantu translates to "faith of the people". The AmaMvula do not impose it upon anyone as they view it as a way of life unique to their culture and respect the fact that other people have their own religions.
The head of the religion is The Rain Queen. According to the stories and traditions, the first Rain Queen Nomvula, founded the faith. It is said that the people of the world were so evil that the Creator wanted to destroy them. He shut the gates of heaven and stopped the rain. The people and animals began to die out. There was one woman. Her heart was pure and she was sad for her people. She went to the Mountain of Shelter and begged Him for rain. He had pity on her and told her to assemble her family and trek through the desert where they would find help.
She did as he instructed and walked through the harsh winds, and the scorching sands. The food and the water they had brought with them was almost finished. The animals began to die. The people began to suffer horribly. Her brother Ntutemnyama cursed the Creator and the others wanted to do the same. Nomvula warned them that this hatred of the Creator and rebellion against him is what caused this. Ntutemnyama wandered into the desert alone and died.
When they saw his bones, eaten by vultures and bleached by the sun, they cried and mourned him terribly. That is when Nomvula sang the song "Izinyembezi zami aziweli phantsi". This means "my tears do not touch the ground". It is an expression that means that no matter how bad things get one will never give up. Then they arrived at a new place where the air was cool. The Creator then said that he would reside in her, but her blood would have to be a sacrifice.
She cut her hand and cast the droplets onto the sand. From that spot, water gently guzzled out. They began to drink and thank the Creator and from there the nation was born. She then became known as the Rain Queen. It became her duty to ask for rain and protection from the Creator. The people swore their allegiance to her and made her the absolute ruler of their new home.
The Rain Queen became old. Only a heart as pure as her own could assume her place. While het human body was weak and dying, her soul was eternally alive and would continue to live on as long as there was someone to take her place. A young girl became the Queen. Nomvula committed suicide and the girl drank her blood and became the Queen and so it goes to this day.
There are places of worship called Temples. People come to pray, ask for divination and offer sacrifices to the Creator in the Temples. The Temples are run by Prophets. The Prophets are virgin women who act as the conduit between humans and the Creator. They predict the future and can heal, cast out demons and teach about the Creator, and lead worship. It is recommended that people come as often as possible, but there is nothing set.
There are special rituals. The following is a list:
- The Solicitation of Heaven is when the Queen goes to the Mountain of Shelter and asks the Creator for rain.
- The Planting of the Sacred Garden is when the Queen and the women of the land plant the first seeds of the maize crop in sacred gardens from which all people are allowed to eat. A sacred garden is planted in as many places as possible.
- The Gleaning of the Sacred Garden is when the Queen and the women take the first harvest of the sacred garden.
- The Mourning of the Lost is when people mix ash with water and put it on their faces. It is celebrated on the day Ntutemnyama left to wander in the desert. They mourn people who are "lost to evil". People are encouraged to show charity to prisoners and the less fortunate.
- The Festival of the Psalmody is when people celebrate the truimph of good over evil. They cover their heads with oil and sing and feast.
- The Rhapsody of the Diviners is when new Prophets are inducted into the proohethood. This is on the day, the first vision was shown to someone other than the Queen: a child, and the first Prophet was consecrated.
The people have a variety of rituals for many situations;
- Imbeleko is when a goat is slaughtered to introduce a child to their ancestors and celebrate their birth. This usually happens The mother uses the goat skin to carry the child.
- Wedding is when a man and women are united together and subsequently families are united as well. Their blood (droplets) is mixed in a cup with special herbs and they drink the mixture. They subsequently have sex to complete the process. A goat is slaughtered so that the ancestors recognise the affair.
- Funerals is when a person dies and they are buried. A goat is slaughtered so the ancestors accept the dead person.
- When a child is born to a couple where the parents are not married the man's family must send cows, or goats or money to the woman's family.
- When people want to get married cattle or money is given to the woman's family, so that she can become his betrothed.
When people get blessed, they actually go to the temple to offer a sacrifice of happiness. A sacrifice is when people slaughter an animal and burn it. They can also do this as worship. The aroma is pleasing to the Creator.
The Creator is the omnipresent, omniscient and omnipotent, benevolent, merciful creator and keeper of the universe. He made man to have many characteristics that he has and to have dominion over the earth and glorify him. When mankind rebelled, they were sold to the Darkness. The Creator hated man, but was reconciled to him through the shedding of the blood of the Rain Queen in whom he dwelt, who was a living sacrifice as payment for mankind. He has moral requirements of humans.
The ancestors are the spirits of the dead. They must act as witnesses to the actions of man. They serve to sanctify agreements such as marriage and guide people.Each clan or tribe has its own dwelling place upon death. They do not require worship or offer intermission between man and The Creator. An animal must be slaughtered to elicit their recognition of official sacred acts such as marriage.
There are other spirits which are good or at least neutral. These are irrelevant to humans, except as lessons and stories. There are bad spirits such a demons. These will be expunged from the universe when The Creator completes the Transaction for Mankind, by killing a Queen, upon resting in her so that he can go to the Darkness and take all humans dead and alive with him to heaven. Only those who loved him and did his work can be saved.
