Page 9 - BOLOBEDU K9_Neat

Traditions

Balobedu have their own traditional dances called khek-
hapa for women and dinaka for men. Dinaka is a tradi-
tional dance of all the Northern Sotho speaking people
covering such areas as gaSekhukhune, gaDikgale and Bo-
lobedu.
Balobedu have a male initiation ceremony called Moroto.
The female initiation ceremony is called Dikhopa.

Balobedu have their own way of praising and talking to
their God through Dithugula. They sit next to a tradition-
ally designed circle in their homes and start calling the
names of their ancestors.
Traditional rulers

Queen Makobo Modjadji VI
Main article: Rain Queen

The Lobedu have female rulers known as “Rain Queens”.
The queen is believed to have powers to make rain. The
Balobedu Kingdom consists of a number of small groups
tied together by their queen. On 12 June 2005, Queen
Makobo Modjadji died, leaving no clear successor ac-
ceptable to all members of the Queen’s Council. The late
queen’s brother has served as regent since then.

The area of Balobedu consists of around 150 villages and
every village has a male or female ruler who represents
Modjadji, the rain queen.

The Rain Queen was historically known as an extreme-
ly powerful magician who was able to bring rain to her
friends and drought to her enemies. Visitors to the area
always brought her gifts and tribute, including cattle and
their daughters as wives (though their role is more akin
to what those in the West would call ladies-in-waiting),
to appease her so that she would bring rain to their re-
gions. The name Lobedu is thought to derive from this
practice, referring to the daughters or sisters who were
lost to their families. The rain queen extends her influ-
ence through her wives, because they link her politically
to other families or villages.