A Harare man has left the public shaken after he drowned in a dam at Stone Hurst Farm during a “manjuzu” ritual recently.
Kwayedza reported that on Sunday, Tapiwa Makunungunu, who resides in Glen Norah C, Harare, went to a dam at Stone Hurst Farm for a traditional mermaid ceremony. The farm is in the Somerby area, close to Snake World.
Mermaids are marine spirits which some believe bring fortune or misfortune. The “manjuzu” trend has been popular lately, especially with slay queens and ladies of the night wishing to attract rich men in their trade.
During mermaid rituals, people get into water bodies for the rituals, usually with spirit mediums. They also take with them sweets, wines, eggs, rice and other snacks to appease the marine spirits.
Tapiwa went to the dam in Somerby on Sunday with other people for the mermaid spirit ritual. As they reformed the ceremony, he drowned.
In the African Traditional Religion, when a person is swallowed by the waters, people perform ceremonies singing and dancing on the spot so that the person returns. Some believe the victim comes back as a powerful spirit medium.
With this in mind, Tapiwa’s friends and relatives spent the whole night where he drowned holding a traditional ceremony, playing drums and mbira, begging the marine spirits to return him. He never resurfaced.
How A Glen Norah Man Drowned During A Mermaid Ritual In Harare [Image: Kingstone Mapupu]
It was only then that reality crept in, and the people panicked. They reported the case to the police, resulting in the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) Sub Aqua Unit initiating a rescue operation.
The police retrieved Tapiwa’s body on 4 March 2024. Heartbreaking pictures from the scene show his body wrapped in a blanket and officers later putting him in a metal coffin as crowds watched.
How A Glen Norah Man Drowned During A Mermaid Ritual In Harare [Image: Kingstone Mapupu]
Social media users had stinging words as a man drowned during a mermaid spirit ritual.
Rutendo:
“Sad 😔 for the word of God says, “My people they perish because of lack of knowledge.”
Shackman:
“Tsvakai Jehovah achawanikwa mudanei achiri pedyo, tomorrow is not guaranteed for anyone.”
Noliwe:
“Zvakaoma majuzi apedza vanhu.”
Moses:
“Mese imimi makarara muchiridza ngoma muchiita zvemanjuzu maitoda kurohwa chaiko kunyatsobhurwa chaiko.”
Source iHarare
