Though I have not yet received the knowledge of how I am to dress as a Mosebeletsi, my ancestors on my father's side are the Bapedi people and how they attire themselves represents me in the time being. As the givers of my enlightenment, I feel their presence and speak their tongue with the utmost understanding, without even knowing their language.
Ke Mosebeletsi - I am a prophetess healer, still in the very early stages of being trained and enlightened by my ancestors through visions, dreams, instincts, and a sense of knowing. Other times, through the advantages of fate and destiny.
My ancestors guide me and have recently granted me a relationship with my oldest sister. One I had a catastrophic and completely traumatic fall out with a few years ago, right after the death of our mother. And through my sister, I found my guide on this side of reality. He is a prophet healer and dream interpreter - ke Mosebeletsi. Our meeting truly takes the phrase, "it takes one to see one" pretty literally. My guide's name is Mpho. A seSotho name that translates to gift.
Again, ke Mosebeletsi - I am a prophetess healer, still to unearth her gifts.
I had signs.
Undeniable. Tragic. Overtaking. And Present.
Sometimes small and continuous, and other times life shifting and long lasting.
I smile when I think of what I have, imagining how I have always wanted it to be me who has the 'gift'. I was so ashamed, convinced I was envious and romanticised what may be an extremely painful and shifting journey. The drums and the singing captured me in what translated to me as a people, as MY people. A piece of us, of our history, of what was our present. Timeless. It was the land coming back to life as the vibrations of our patterns and flows fed into the grounds and opened up our skies. It was our stories and fantasies come to confirmation with our music and voices telling them to all things living, dead, perished, and undying. Our one language amongst all tribes and cultures, celebrating our individual paths.
And in those states was when I knew I had to dance. I knew that my participation is inevitable and unremitting, I still know it.
One day, I could not avoid it. One of the girls who was in my high school with me is a healer of a different kind - one I am finding rather hard to explain - she is a Sangoma. On that one day, she was in the school hall playing drums and I walked in with my best friend.
The song she played and the words she sang just made sense and all they were missing was expression in movement, and there I was. All that flowed through my body was enlightened and freed and so I freed my mind as well, to make way for all that was to come. She was the only Sangoma to tell me that I have a gift.
I danced unhinged and let whoever walked in, watch and see me in all of my probably awkward glory. I had not known the song before I danced and to this day, I cannot say I remember it. As I moved, she played harder and longer, even after the lyrics had ceased. She and I were invoking spirit, and we were doing it together.
I repeat, ke Mosebeletsi - I am a prophetess healer, this would be my introduction in one of my most cherished mediums of expression. Another cherished expression being the piece you are reading. Thobela!
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