Myths and traditions of the Venda
76My favourite is surely the Venda myths.
- Lake Fundudzi
A must see is definitely the sacred "Lake Fundudzi" situated in the Thathe Vondo forest, the home of the mythical python and white crocodile. The python is the god of fertility in the Venda tradition and the legend tells us that a Venda man had a broken heart because of the loss of a great love. In his sorrow he walked into Lake Fundudzi at which time he turned into a python. Young virgin Venda maidens still perform the famous Domba-python dance in this area to honour this god of fertility. It is also believed that the white crocodile lives in this Lake. This crocodile might have really existed because this Lake is still today populated by large crocodiles, and an albino crocodile might have once lived in the lake where young, virgin Venda maidens were once offered to them. Lake Fundudzi is surrounded by mountains and special permission has to be obtained to visit this sacred Lake. No-one washes or swims in this lake.
- Sacred Forest
Also in the Thathe Vondo forest is the so-called "Sacred Forest". The Thathe Vondo forest has giant hardwoods (jakkelsbessie, yellowwood), a wide variety of ferns, creepers and a wealth of plants and trees which makes the forest nearly impenetrable on foot. The Sacred Forest is a mystical place, where no ordinary Venda person may walk and as a visitor one may not walk off the dirt track going through the forest - hikers are not allowed. In the Sacred Forest, two mythical creatures keep guard namely the white lion (the spirit of Nethathe an important chief) and the thunder and lighting bird called Ndadzi which according to myths flies on the wings of thunder. One can speculate further about this bird and its origin, and the origin of the Venda people.
- Domba
The Domba is not a tourist attraction but a ceremony with deep meanings, and it is not possible to witness many parts of it (teaching, ritual bath.). The public is only able to see the dancing which is the occasion for men to choose future wives for their nephews or sons. To see such a dance one gets goose bumps running up and down your spine looking at the bodies movies together to their own rhythm.
- Tshikona
This is traditionally a male dance in which each player has a pipe made out of a special indigenous type of bamboo growing only in a few places around Sibasa and Thohoyandou but unfortunately these have almost disappeared. It is quite something to listen to the pipe which has only one note and they have to play in turn in such a way that they build a melody.
The Tshikona is a royal dance, each sovereign or chief has his own Tshikona band. Tshikona is played at various occasions for funerals, wedding or religious ceremonies, this can be considered as the Venda "national music/dance
- Tshigombela
The Tshigombela is a female dance usually performed by married women, this is a festive dance sometimes played at the same time as Tshikona.
- Tshifhasi
Tshifhasi is similar to Tshigombela but performed by young unmarried girls (Khomba) - womenfolk.
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OYAMA.. YPU DID A VERY GOOD JOB, YPOU EXPLAIN MOST OF THE THINGS VERY WELL. BETTER THAN ME WHO IS A VENDA.
NOTHING PECIFIC TO COMMENT I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU. THIS IS A GOODWORK
I WANT TO SEE THAT LAKE WITH THE CROCODILE INSIDE
It's very nice to experience it for yourself ... you people must go there
I need information about the Domba(Python)Dance so I can try it myself because I got the danceing steps from a different website and its documents about the python dance in which I just printed.
This is all very true and we as the Vha-Venda people are proud that the world can now know why we so proud!!!
im a xhosa lady just got engaged with a venda guy. need to know more abt wedding ceremony, how do i dress when i go to the grooms home are there any rituals to be perfomed. do's and dont's plz help....
I dont know why you call our culture a myth? I have done a lot of research. It is disapoiting for my fellow venda people who does not differantiate between an insult and a praise. As I told you before, you really need to do a research before you write anything for the public.
it is quite interesting to read this but i am kind of disappointed. i know nothing about the venda culture and i am willing to learn. i have an assignment to complete before the end of this month, about traditional venda food. i'v surfed the net several times but yet still find nothing. anyone with information about traditional vende eating habits please email me. Mitchellmabuza@gmail.com. your help will be very much apprecated
it is quite interesting to read this but i am kind of disappointed. i know nothing about the venda culture and i am willing to learn. i have an assignment to complete before the end of this month, about traditional venda food. i'v surfed the net several times but yet still find nothing. anyone with information about traditional vende eating habits please email me. Mitchellmabuza@gmail.com. your help will be very much apprecated
It is said to realise that most people who are not Vendas are interested in the Venda culture more than the Vendas. May you wake up from sleep and start asking your elders about all the cultural Venda dances. A point of correction, it is Tshifasi and not Tshifhasi dance. Thanks
Is is true that Vendas prefers to marry each other than to marry people from other ethinic group?
i think that the venda culture is very beautuiful and i would really love to learn it especially the language i also would like to marry a venda man:-):-):-)
though your information is accurate and well presented, there is no need to qualify our culture as a "myth".
i dnt blv in such thng bc0z lyk wat plp syd itz sacard itz the past..nw thez nthng
I would like to know about the tractors that were apparently stuck there. Some white men tried to do some infrastructure and they died and never seen. True or Not.
You want more? well go there: http://www.adventures.co.za/ven_art.htm he just copy/paste some part of it
The way of vhavenda are different from the way of other tradition.
PEOPLE NEED 2 KNOW DAT EVERY TRADITION HAS THEIR OWN MYTH,BUT I THINK THE VHAVENDA TRADITION ARE THE MOST SCARY IN THE SOUTH AFRICA.
I would also like to know about the ngomalungundu drum which is said to have been made of human skin and a bone from a human hand as a drumstick pls.
I'm currently dating a Venda guy and am doing all the research abt his culture as we planning on taking things seriously , I'm Xhosa and willing to learn everything I can as the more I learn about the Venda the better it'll be for me to understand .....
venda rocks
i am a venda girl and origionaly from venda but i still do not how to get a permission to get in the lake Fundudzi.any one with an idea
LOl what is is about xhosa women and venda guys
i wanna know that which people were allowed to enter the sacred forest
Ja gys wats hapenng in venda mdn and xosa womman(venda wea rockng tlo
its our culture not a myth.and trust me our culture is uniqe
our culture its not myths as like other ppl perceive it as myth i blieve its lack of interest in researching abt culture , the fact about fundudzi is that its a sacred and its not everyone enter that area they are special clan like
nnyase who enter and perform rirtual according to time of the year and depending on wat ur assking from ancestors i can confirmed im one of anthropologist whos busy with research abt that sacred place situated in venda u can ask me more avmugadi@gmail.com or victor@unisa.ac.za
Thanks to the one that intoduced me to this language of Venda coz it made me to be interested in it more and telling you the truth they rock shame and when you are married to a Venda guy you don't look back coz what he gives is special....
This is all true.and we are very happy as the vha-venda people.
Im current doing a project about the venda people i would like to know more about you
Wel i wanna fine out abt venda weddings or marridges
Venda culture alwyz rck
I wanna know about Venda cultural clothing and food
Am a Xhosa women but and want to learn Venda, i love this language so much please help me VhaVenda
Wow i am so inlove with the venda culture..it's so unique
Oyama 3 years ago
i realy dont understand this venda culture, am a xhosa gal and my assignment is based on venda culture,PLEASE TELL ME MORE ABOUT VENDA CULTURE!!!!!!!!URGENTLY NEED YOUR HELP!