Tshiguvho Family

Vhurereli

NWALI (GOD)

Vhavenda, like other African nations, believed in the existence of a Supreme Being long before the arrival of European missionaries. The Vhavenda name for God was/is Nwali (Mwali). He was also known as Raluvhimba. Vhavenda believed that Nwali/Raluvhimba was a universal god and that he was the only creator of mankind on earth. They therefore referred to Him as Musika Vhathu or Mutumbuka Vhathu (creator of mankind). Nwali was the provider of rain which Vhavenda depended on for their survival. He was also the protector and defender of Vhavenda. It was believed that Nwali used to visit his people and that his arrival was preceded by the sudden cracking of thunder up to the sky. The people would look up in the sky, ululating and dancing while welcoming the arrival of Nwali. In 1917 a meteor, which bust during daytime, made a thunderous noise along the Soutpansberg mountain range and led to people believing that Nwali was visiting Venda.

VHADZIMU (ANCESTORS)

Vhadzimu are ancestors. According to Vhavenda cultural standards, ancestors are those people who died at a mature age or as parents. Ancestors are not on the same level as Nwali, and are not in competition with Nwali. It is believed that every mortal human being is a sinner and that human beings have no right to communicate directly with Nwali, who is holly. Living beings can only send their messages to God via the ancestors since ancestors are immortal beings and are no longer capable of sinning. Ancestors are intermediaries between Nwali (God) and mortal beings. Ancestors deliver people’s prayers, offerings and messages to Nwali. They also deliver Nwali’s blessings and messages to living beings. So, the offerings that are performed to venerate, to appease, to make offerings to the ancestors, to thank Nwali, or to ask for blessings, are a way of maintaining the relationship between living beings and the ancestors to ensure that prayers and offerings are delivered to Nwali and that Nwali’s blessings are received. But Westerners misunderstood this relationship and referred to the sending of prayers to God (Nwali) via the ancestors as ancestral worshipping.

ZWIFHO NA ZWITAKA (SACRED SITES)

There are numerous sacred sites in Venda, referred to as Zwifho and Zwitaka. Some of the zwifho are regarded as Zwifho zwa Nwali (Nwali’s Shrines). Tshifhe (priest) is the only person allowed to receive messages from Nwali and to communicate people’s wishes to Nwali. Each shrine had its own Tshifhe. The best known Nwali shrine is at Makonde. This is where Tshifhe Muhulu (senior priest) resided. Oral history has it that the Makonde shrine was established by the Vhambedzi. The Vhambedzi kingdom stretched from Masvingo, Zimbabwe to Vhumbedzi, North-Eastern Venda. The Vhembe River (Limpopo River) was never a barrier between the people living on either side of the river. The Vhambedzi royal kraal was in Malungudzi (Marungudzi in Karanga) in Masvingo. The Vhambedzi were renowned rainmakers. The first Vhambedzi group to settle in North-Eastern Venda settled at Zwaluvhimbi, Ha-Makuya. From there the group settled at Ha-Luvhimbi and Makonde. Later the group split into two: Tshisinavhute and Luvhimbi. The Tshisinavhute group moved to Mianzwi, while the Luvhimbi group remained at Ha-Luvhimbi. It is believed that the two groups split due to the fact that NTshisinavhute, wanted to be chief but Luvhimbi would not allow her to be one. www.luonde.co.za khavhambe@vodamail.co.za December 2013 The two Vhambedzi groups paid tribute to the King in Malungudzi. But later on great distances and the disintegration of Vhambedzi settlements led to the establishment of small autonomous groups at Ha-Luvhimbi and Mianzwi, and other lesserknown units at Ha-Mukununde, Tshikweta, and Masetoni. But whenever the South African Vhambedzi failed to cause rain to fall, they would send their messengers to Malungudzi where the Malungudzi Mbedzi would contact Nwali on behalf of Vhambedzi south of Vhembe. When Ravhura fled from Dzata after Tshisevhe’s assassination, he settled at Makonde which was under Khosi Muthivhi. Ravhura became the new Khosi of Makonde. The Nwali shrine had already been established when Ravhura settled at Makonde. Nwali continued to visit Makonde and to communicate with Vhavenda from Mount Makonde even after Ravhura had settled at Makonde. The other shrines which were visited by Nwali on his way to and from Makonde were at Ha-Tshivhula, Mudzivhadi (a few kilometres north of Makhado town), Donwa at Ha-Matsa, and Madindini a Nwali at Tshitangani (next to Lake Fundudzi). The Tshivhula shrine was found at Mavhambo, west of the Soutpansberg mountain range (where the Soutpansberg range starts). The area was under Khosi Tshivhula whose jurisdiction included present day Vivo, Waterpoort, Mapungubwe, Alldays, and Musina. The Tshivhula community (Tshivhula/Sebola, Lishivha, Mulambwane and Machete) was forcibly removed from their land by successive Boer and apartheid governments. Some settled at Mufongodi (Straightheart) in Nzhelele, while some settled at present day Marobyane, Kromhoek, De Vrede, and Ga-Kibi. The Donwa shrine at Ha-Matsa was, like most Venda shrines, a Ngona shrine and had been established long before the Singo conquest. Senior Singo chiefs and kings were not allowed to enter the Donwa shrine. Other sacred sites still revered and utilised for thevhula (religious rituals) include:  Songozwi;  Mashovhela (at Khavhambe, next to Manaledzi Tunnels);  Thavha ya Luvhola;  Vuvha;  Tswime;  Thavha ya Lwandali;  Tshitaka tsha Thathe;  Guvhukuvhu la Phiphidi (Phiphidi Waterfalls);  Tshitaka tsha Mungadi (found at Ngovhela village);  Tshitaka tsha Vhutanda;  Tshitaka tsha Khwevha;  Dzivha Fundudzi; and  Tivha la Tshiswavhathu (Tshiswavhathu Pool)

 

Zwidade

Lili, nwananwananga;
Lili, nwananwananga vhasa mulilo.
Lili, vhasa mulilo;
Lili, vhasa mulilo khotsi vha a vhuya.
Lili, khotsi vha a vhuya;
Lili, khotsi vha a vhuya vha vhuya na nnyi?
Lili, vha vhuya na nnyi?
Lili, vha vhuya na nnyi, vha vhuya na Donga.
Lili, vha vhuya na Donga;
Lili, vha vhuya na Donga, Donga u todani?
Lili, Donga u todani? 
Lili, Donga u todani, ndi toda tshinoni.
Lili, ndi toda tshinoni;
Lili, ndi toda tshinoni tshi sa li mavhele.
Lili, tshi sa li mavhele;
Lili, tshi sa li mavhele, tshi la ndovhodzhane.
Lili, tshi la ndovhodzhane;
Lili, tshi la ndovhodzhene ndovhodzhalutanga.
Lili, ndovhodzhalutanga.
Lili, ndovhodzhalutanga seli a hu welwi;
Lili, seli a hu welwi; 
Lili, seli a hu welwi huna mupfa wa mutunu.
Lili, mupfa wa mutunu;
Lili, mupfa wa mutunu wa Khotsimunene.
Lili, wa Khotsimunene;
Lili, wa Khotsimunene, wa khotsi matshelo.
Lili, wa khotsi matshelo;
Lili, wa khotsi matshelo, vhasidzana vho bva.
Lili, vhasidzana vho bva;
Lili, vhasidzana vho bva vho ya khunini.
Lili, vho ya khunini;
Lili, vho ya khunini thavhani ya Thengwe.
Lili, thavhani ya Thengwe;
Lili, thavhani ya Thengwe ha Vhatavhatsindi.

Version 2

Lili, nwananwananga;
Lili, nwananwananga vhasa mulilo.
Lili, vhasa mulilo;
Lili, vhasa mulilo khotsi vha a vhuya.
Lili, khotsi vha a vhuya;
Lili, khotsi vha a vhuya vha vhuya na nnyi?
Lili, vha vhuya na nnyi vha vhuya na Donga.
Lili, vha vhuya na Donga, Donga u todani?
Lili, Donga u todani?
Lili, Donga u todani, ndi toda vhasidzana.
Lili, ndi toda vhasidzana;
Lili, ndi toda vhasidzana, vhasidzana vho bva.
Lili, vhasidzana vho bva;
Lili, vhasidzana vho bva vho ya khunini.
Lili, vho ya khunini;
Lili, vho ya khunini thavhani ya Thengwe.
Lili, thavhani ya Thengwe;
Lili, thavhani ya Thengwe, Thengwe a hu welwi.
Lili, Thengwe a hu welwi;
Lili, Thengwe a hu welwi huna dzhimba fulu.
Lili, huna dzhimba fulu;
Lili, huna dzhimba fulu lo nyiwa nga nnyi?
Lili, lo nyiwa nga nnyi?
Lili, lo nyiwa nga nnyi, nga Khotsimunene.
Lili, nga Khotsimunene;
Lili, nga Khotsimunene a no dzula seli.
Lili, a no dzula seli;
Lili, ano dzula seli, seli ha Luvuvhu.
Lili, seli ha Luvuvhu;
Lili, seli ha Luvuvhu a hu tsha welwa.
Lili, a hu tsha welwa;
Lili, a hu tsha welwa huna mubvana.
Lili, huna mubvana;
Lili, huna mubvana wa madamu mahulu.