WITCHDOCTORS

I love travelling as it gives me a chance to explore different people, cultures and ethnicity. I think this time, I would like to share my experience of visiting South Africa. I enjoyed my tour around Cape Town for about a week but it’s a different story in the North Province of South Africa, entirely!

The dark continent, Africa is a hotbed for witchcraft and voodoo. T he sad truth is that it is still part of life in the poorer countries. In South Africa, dark practices are still rife.

In the Northern Province, ritual murders are common. Women are often murdered and their parts of bodies are ‘harvested’ and sold on the black market as medicine. Can you imagine eating this medicine?

‘Muti’ means traditional medicine but is more often associated with murder for body parts. Witchdoctors buy these parts to make more powerful magic. Body parts obtained from children under 12 are supposed to be the most potent. Oh my God!!

The witchdoctors treat infertility and bring good luck. Do you know what are the treatments? One of the ‘finest’ examples is hands are burnt and mixed with herbs to cure patients sufferings from strokes. The body parts fetch between 500 rand for a testicle to 1,000 rand for a kidney and 2,000 rand for a heart. Desperate people living in poverty believe murder is the last resort.

Many of them believe that they are ill because they’ve been cursed. Some people who stepped on the land of North Province have disappeared without a trace( lucky me)

* Kudos to the young and pretty girl, Angeline (not her real name) for sharing all the stories with me when I was there!
~ I wrote this to share my experience, no offence! Different people, different beliefs!
~ It’s good to know that many witchdoctors use herbs ONLY for treatment than the earlier days.
~ Despite all this beliefs, South Africa is an amazing nation. Interesting places, beautiful and stunning tourist spots and their hospitality touched my heart. I will surely land my feet on the land of South Africa again if I’m given a chance!

HAPPY DEEPAVALI TO EVERYONE!! (27/10/2008)

~EN INIYA DEEPAVALI VALTHUKAL!!

Woke up at 6.00 am .
Realized that the henna on my hand had dried and some peeled off and dropped on my comforter…my bed was dirty...phew!!
Washed away the henna and was happy to see the colour.
Went downstairs and wished my mum. Promised her that I will be assistant chef of the day.
Prepared everything for cooking.
By the time I took my oil bath and prayed, my dad and bro woke up. I wished them too. My bro was over excited as Liverpool defeated Chelsea!
All of us ate our phutumayam together. Love the taste. Thanks to my mum.
We started cooking and everything was done by 12.00 noon.
Where’s Chai Lian, my pretty roommate? Received a call from her after a while.
Went to Klang train station to fetch her! Thanks for coming gal.
After eating the cookies, CL took her lunch. She told my mum that she likes the chicken rendang. Hope she enjoyed the food.
Later, Fharyl and Doreen came to my house. Thanks for the beautiful pink bouquet girls! Btw, I love pink!
CL went back followed by Fharyl and Doreen.
Rested for a while and started to cook again.
It was about 7 pm and we welcomed the newly married couples to our home. My neighbours, Uncle Henry and his wife married on the eve of Deepavali. Shall I call him Uncle? He’s only 20 something by age. Huh?
Later, about 8.30 pm, Uncle Chua( dad’s friends) came to my house. He’s son is cute .. lol.. very young..too bad = ) and I realized he was crazy of cars!
We ‘closed’ our house around midnight..lol.. was too tired and I was terribly full! Just couldn’t resist the delicious cookies, sweets and food.
Went to bed with good memories. Hope the lights of Diwali shines and brightens all our lives!

EVE OF DEEPAVALI

EVE OF DEEPAVALI (26/10/2008)

Celebrating Deepavali this year was a little different for me. Perhaps, it’s because this is the very first time I’m celebrating it in my new house. New environment .. huh? I went back home on Thursday itself and the greatest thing of all, I have 11 days of holiday. How did 1 day became 11? Charm of ALL 10!! ..lol..

Well, I enjoyed the eve of Deepavali. Went to Klang@ Little India~ last minutes shopping..hmmm..And I had a doubt whether it was Thaipusam or Deepavali due to the crowd. It was 11.55 pm and I was sitting down at a stall opposite Mydin for a girl to draw henna on my hands..cost me RM 10 but I think it was worth it!

It was already 12.00 midnight(27/11/2008). I was lucky to be part of the celebration in Klang. Firecrackers everywhere..Beautiful!!

My mind : Firecrackers? In Malaysia? Illegal right? But this celebration took place in the
middle of the city..so..huh?
My heart : Shalini, please stop thinking and enjoy the celebration.. don’t even bother if’s
it’s legal or not .. It’s Deepavali gal!!

I followed my heart!! Opposing the phrase follow your mind but bring your heart along…

Hey Shal are you wearing a black T-shirt? That’s the sms that I received from a friend, Jonathan when I was busy searching for some flowers as decoration. I was like oh my God! Was he somewhere around here?? We sent many messages and called each other several times but ended up not meeting each other..so sad.. sob sob.. so near yet so far. Told you it was like Thaipusam. Bought some flowers. RM 50 flew away.

I went back home at 1.30 am. Couldn’t sleep.. It’s Deepavali!! I woke up at 6.00 am. Gotta pray and help my mum to cook. Was happy to see my henna.. Kinda red coz I slept with it the entire night!!