Common Beliefs

Popular superstitions, beliefs and customs
By Justinus Sechefo

1. A house spider should not be disturbed, it being the pillar that sustains the “back-bones” of the family.
2. A whirl-wind, whirling into a house, foretells the coming of a stranger. A whirlwind whirling one about should be spat upon to quell the misfortune it brings.
3. A dog howling ominously, “moola ke seotsa”, brings evil. It must at once be stopped or chased away.
4. A dog should not sit in front of people. especially in front of men with it’s back turned towards them. This portends sure evil. At once it must be chased away with contempt.
5 A visitor going on a long journey, when passing a certain place, (generally between two hills) where there is a heap of small stones piled together, should pick up another stone alongside of the road, spit on it and throw it on the heap. This is omen for good luck and good eating along the journey and at his destination. The common mountains of Sefikeng and Sefikaneng derived their names from such big heaps made there in olden times.
6. A person stooping to drink water at a spouting spring of water should before drinking appease the master below by generously throwing on the surface of the agitating water a tuft of green herbs, otherwise the restless water will erupt onto his face.
7. A cock clucking like a hen brings evil to the owner – it should be destroyed at once The same applies to a hen crowing like a cock.
8. Pottery women should cease to mix up their clay, to form pots, or to bake pots after a death in the village has been announced. After this time all pot work cracks and spoils.
9. Men should not eat bread-scraps from the pot because doing so would cause their drawers, “tseha” to burst asunder.