Roberta Eaton, aka Robbie Cheadle, shares the second of her posts on the beliefs and myths of her home. The first post in the series can be found by clicking HERE.

At the time when European settlement began, the Khoikhoi were settled in modern day Namibia, the north-eastern Cape and the south-western Cape. The name Khoikhoi means “real people” or “men of men”. The Khoikhoi are closely related to the San (Bushmen) and are sometimes referred to together as Khoisan.

The Khoikhoi were nomadic, moving around in search of grazing land for their animals which consisted mainly of goats, cattle and sheep. They also manufactured animal skins into clothing, bags and blankets and used reeds to make sleeping mats and mats to cover their round and mobile homes. The Khoikhoi also made pottery which could be tied to their oxen or to hut poles when they moved.

God and the afterlife

The Khoikhoi attach special significance to the moon and new and full moons were historically important times for rainmaking rites and dancing.

The Khoikhoi deity is called Tsui-Goab and he is believed to be the founding ancestor of the Khoikhoi. He is the creator of the world, of man and of the elements. He provides for man and gives them full bellies and happy hearts. His opposite is Gaunab, who is primarily an evil being who causes sickness or death.

Tsui-Goab lives in a beautiful heaven of light and sunshine while Gaunab lives separately in a dark hiding place. Tsui-Goab, meaning the Read Dawn, bring the light and life to the world. The Khoikhoi always pray in the early morning with their faces turned towards the east where the first light of day appears.

Witchcraft

The Khoikhoi were aware of the existence of witchcraft and sorcery, but they did not practice it. Any dabbling in witchcraft had to take place in secret and, as a result, it was shunned and despised. They did, however, believe in good and bad omens.

Death

Hamerkop bird

The Khoikhoi had some interesting beliefs about death:

1. If a locust made its way onto the roof of one hut and proceeded to chirp there, it meant that a relation had died;
2. If a bird flew into a hut it would bring misfortune unless it was quickly killed;
3. The hooting of an owl at night was an omen of death;
4. The hamerkop bird was also believed to be an omen of death; the Khoikhoi believed that the bird could see reflections of the future and knew who would shortly die.

Rain

The Khoikhoi needed good rain for grazing for their livestock and had several feasting and dancing rituals to summons rain. They also sent parties into the veld (fields) to search for a chameleon as this creature was supposed to bring rain. The chameleon was buried alive, stomach facing upwards in the earth. Other than this, it was not injured. The Khoikhoi believed it would rain on the same day as the chameleon was buried. After it had rained, the chameleon was dug up and set free. A Cape Cobra was also sometimes used for this purpose, but the snakes were half killed before they were buried and killed when no further rain was required.

Sources

South African History Online

Myths and Legends of southern Africa by Penny Miller

Wikipedia

Stories of the Khoikhoi in South Africa – Alan Tours

www.khoisan.org/religion.htm

Khoikho – New World Encyclopedia

Pictures courtesy of Google

About the author

Robbie, short for Roberta, is an author with five published children’s picture books in the Sir Chocolate books series for children aged 2 to 9 years old (co-authored with her son, Michael Cheadle), one published middle grade book in the Silly Willy series and one published preteen/young adult fictionalised biography about her mother’s life as a young girl growing up in an English town in Suffolk during World War II called While the Bombs Fell (co-authored with her mother, Elsie Hancy Eaton).

All of Robbie’s children’s book are written under Robbie Cheadle and are published by TSL Publications. Robbie has recently branched into adult horror and supernatural writing and, in order to clearly differentiate her children’s books from her adult writing, these will be published under Roberta Eaton Cheadle. Robbie has two short stories in the horror/supernatural genre included in Dark Visions, a collection of 34 short stories by 27 different authors and edited by award winning author, Dan Alatorre. These short stories are published under Robbie Cheadle.

Find and follow Roberta Eaton

Roberta Writes Blog     Twitter    Facebook

While the Bombs Fell

TSL Publications     Lulu

What was it like for children growing up in rural Suffolk during World War 2?

Elsie and her family live in a small double-storey cottage in Bungay, Suffolk. Every night she lies awake listening anxiously for the sound of the German bomber planes. Often they come and the air raid siren sounds signalling that the family must leave their beds and venture out to the air raid shelter in the garden.

Despite the war raging across the English channel, daily life continues with its highlights, such as Christmas and the traditional Boxing Day fox hunt, and its wary moments when Elsie learns the stories of Jack Frost and the ghostly and terrifying Black Shuck that haunts the coastline and countryside of East Anglia.

Includes some authentic World War 2 recipes.

Robbie also writes as Robbie  Cheadle

Robbie’s Inspiration Blog      Goodreads    Facebook    YouTube

Amazon author page   Twitter: @bakeandwrite

Books by Robbie and Michael Cheadle

The Sir Chocolate books are a delightful marriage of story, verse and cookery

… a perfect recipe for sharing with children.  Silly Willy goes to Cape Town tells the adventures of two very different brothers…and includes five party cake ideas.

You can purchase the Sir Chocolate books from:

Amazon  Lulu.com    TSL Books

or you can buy them in South Africa directly from the authors by emailing Robbie Cheadle at sirchoc@outlook.com.

Tell me a story…

If you are a writer, artist or photographer…If you have a poem, story or memoirs to share… If you have a book to promote, a character to introduce, an exhibition or event to publicise… If you have advice for writers, artists or bloggers…

If you would like to be my guest, please read the guidelines and get in touch!