Swimming with the Seven Headed Snake

May 15th, 2011
2:15pm

As previously mentioned in the blog entry “Mountains of Books and Waterfalls”, there is a seven headed snake living in the base of the waterfall that I swam in. Other than the complete “ick” and “awesome!” factors that somehow coincide, this discovery peaked my interest in this Swazi cultural monster. Thus, I asked around for more information and got a slew of interesting answers.

According to my sources (PCV friend living in snake inhabited community, host brother Sandile, and community friend Fikile) this snake is definitely demonic. (Is anything with seven heads ever good? :-P) It can lure people to it by transforming itself. The two examples given to me were a duck and a pretty woman. Once you approach the disguised snake it will transform back to its original scaly body and pull you under the water. Few make surface alive, but those who do have special, though demonic, powers.

Two of my three sources discussed the relationship with the snake moving and the weather. If the snake is out the sky will be cloudy and black. Once a dam or water source is low, the snake must move to another one. There is a general belief that there is multiple powerful and evil snakes residing in Swaziland, but the seven headed one is reserved for the Zombodze community (waterfall location).

Two denominations of Swazi Christians are whispered to be worshippers of the snake: the Jericos and the ZCC (I don’t exactly know what this stands for). The candle remains that we found at the pool of water are said to be left by the Jerico church. They collect the regurgitated water and snake saliva mixture, somehow found at the waterfall base, because it has healing properties. There are many healing rituals that are spoke of at this place which include an induced vomiting practice and a umuti (traditional/herbal medicine) inhalation ceremony using boiled water from the waterfall. I’m very interested to talk to someone from the Jerico church (usually identifiable by colorful, twisted ropes tied around their head and robed waist on Sundays) to verify any of these customs.

When asked why the snake did not attack us the answer was “because you are white”. Swazis are rumored to die by the fang of the snake, but white people do not. My bhuti (brother) told me that the white men gave the snake an offering of a very large bag of silver coins and it was pleased with the monetary sacrifice. He also said that I was there with more than three people, which decreased my risk of being taken into the depths of the ~13 foot pool by the murderous fiend.

The last story I can share with you regarding the infamous seven headed snake was also told to me by my bhuti. He spent some time with extended family members who reside in Zombodze a few years ago. While there, he helped them put large pipes from the mountain river to their homestead. He received a call from them about a month later. The pipes had been “twisted” and no longer transported the clean water to the community. This was put forth as proof to the existence of the seven headed demon snake. True story.