© 2018 Dr Margaret Sheppard

Badimo Feasts- Feasts for the Ancestors

A Badimo feast is held specially for Ancestors and the two traditional ones I observed were conducted in the following way:

The first Badimo feast was being given as thanks to the Ancestors for the safe recovery of a teenager, whom the traditional doctor said had been bewitched to die by jealous relatives. In 1978 he had been a student at a private secondary school in a nearby sub-village. One night two boys, with whom he shared a rented house, for no apparent reason had entered the house where he was asleep, and poured paraffin over him whilst he slept and set fire to him. He was very badly burnt but fortunately, although he was scarred, he made a good recovery at the local hospital. His family then, on the advice of their family traditional doctor, decided to hold a Badimo feast for him to thank their Ancestors for protecting him and for his recovery.

The second Badimo feast I attended was being held to thank the Ancestors of the husband and wife of one of my neighbouring families. Recently they had completed several successful marriages for their children. The two oldest sons were both prospering in the mines. They had had good harvests at their Lands, and their cattle were multiplying well at the Cattle post. So their feast was to thank their Ancestors for their success so that they should continue to prosper.

At a Badimo feast a bovine beast is usually slaughtered early in the morning. It is slaughtered in the usual way by the men in the kraal (in both the above-mentioned cases the feasts were held in Kanye, so the beasts were slaughtered in the kgotla kraal), the men then cooked the meat in the kraal, and the women the accompanying food (samp, rice, salad etc.) in the lolwapa. When the meat is cooked at such a feast, certain ingredients are added to it. On the second occasion, I was informed that their family traditional doctor added earth from the graves of the particular Ancestors being thanked, this earth had been mixed with certain traditional medicines and this was added to the pots as they were cooking. Traditional beer was brewed by the women and the same additives are poured into this.

When all the food was ready, everyone around was invited to the lolwapa to share the food and beer. As many people as possible come because at Badimo feasts the food and beer must all be finished on that day, none can be saved or taken away from the lolwapa.The reason for this is that the purpose of these feasts is to gather Ancestors round one place to feast, round one person (or family) so that the Ancestors may continue to show their favour. Sharing the beast outside the household might distract their attention.

Traditional doctor in black, sprinkling the protective medicine on the slaughtered beast

Digging the pit in the yard in which  the scraps from the feast will be buried - this is for the Ancestors

Preparing the food for the feast. The man on the right is stemping the meat cooked in the kgotla until it has a consistency like minced meat

When the feast is ready, all the neighbours and relatives and any passers-by gather in the yard to share the feast. The men sit together and the women sit with the women. All the food must be consumed in the yard and not carried away in order to focus the Ancestors’ attention on this family who are thanking them for their care. So many people being fed together and being satisfied is believed to please the Ancestors and by holding the Badimo Feast for them it is hoped that they will continue to send the family success and a good life.

These scraps were then emptied into a pit at the back of the yard that had been specially dug earlier that morning. Even the washing up water used to wash the dishes was tipped into this pit, and the wheel barrow was washed out into it.

When all the scraps had been put into the pit, it was set on fire. When the fire had gone out, the pit was filled in again, later in the evening. Throughout, the family traditional doctor officiated.

At  both of these feasts, all the family came to attend. At that held by the second family even the sons working in South Africa attended, and the married daughters, and the daughter-in-law at college also came.

Perhaps one further Badimo feast that was held should be referred to. This was held in June 1981, I did not personally manage to attend, but it was held for a young man who was wrongfully arrested by the local police and falsely accused of having committed several thefts from local shops. As he was only just returning from a mines contract in South Africa when he was arrested, and the charge was for thefts that had occurred over a period of several months, when he was in South Africa, he was obviously innocent. However, during police interrogation he was badly beaten before they realised that he was innocent.

When he was released, the family traditional doctor, who had been called to find out the cause of this bad luck, found that it was caused by discontented Ancestors whom the man had not pleased. The family were then advised to make a Badimo feast. Two weeks later the family made this feast at their Lands as this took place during the ploughing season. It was made in the same manner as is described above.

Attention should perhaps again be drawn to the fact that Ancestors can have influence over the length of a person's life. This can be seen in the case of a very old sick person who could not die. I observed such a case in 1979. People believed, as did the old lady herself, that her Ancestors would not let her die. The old lady wanted to die, all her comrades were dead, and also many of her children had already died of old age. So she asked the guardian of her cattle, one of her sons, to slaughter a cow for her to please her Ancestors so that they would allow her to join them. She claimed that she could see them in the spirit world and they were telling her that a cow must be slaughtered for them before they would allow her to join them. When eventually a beast was slaughtered and the meat had been finished, the old lady then died peacefully.

The traditional doctor supervising the burning of the remains of the feast in the pit  and ensuring that it is carefully filled in. These remains are for the Ancestors

Another feature of Badimo feasts is that all the left-overs for example, bones, blood, scraps, dregs of beer etc., have to be collected together. At the feasts I attended they were all scraped off the ground into a wheel barrow, into which people scraped their plates. Dogs, who are always present on these occasions, were kicked away, as it is a taboo for them to eat these scraps which are for the Ancestors.