My mom used to tell me a story about how there was once severe storms here in KwaTsaDuza. Kuthiwa there's a dam that was known to be the house of inkanyamba. Abelungu decided to there for God knows what. They found eggs there, took them to have them studied, kwavuka isvungvung.

They were told, these white people, by the locals, that don't play near those waters. Those waters are sacred, and those waters have a baas. Uyawazi umthetho wamabhunu mos. Zang'bezwe, bayenza okwabo. Kuthiwa les'vungvung went on for days, causing major damage, until those

eggs were returned. Umnikazi wendawo, ubaas wamanzi just wanted its eggs. As soon as those eggs were returned, and I don't know what else, kwathula umoya, lavela ilanga.

I used to be so fascinated by that story, and that dam. Kuthiwa amanzi anenkanyamba awayehli. The water's always pristine, and the foilage surrounding it is always green. Winter, summer, spring or fall, standard.

I also know that sometimes uk'thutha kwenkanyamba comes with a lot of damage.

White people have always denied the existence of inkanyamba, instead proffering theories of the weather, and some Black people have always maintained that that thing exists.

I'm with the latter crew.

Needless to say, I've always been a fan of the snake in the sky stories.

We used to pass by that dam to and from school. Providence made sure that I didn't live near there because I bet I would've gone to look for umnikazi wamanzi.

When you read the book of Job, when God tells Job ukuthi "ngiyakuzwa uyatefa, kodwa unawo amandla wami?" he makes reference to Leviathan.

I truly believe that Leviathan is inkanyamba.

Angazi, I'm still waiting for my burning bush consultation.

Unrelated:

uThixo is peeeeetttty!!!

Don't ever call me petty unless my petty levels have reached or surpassed God's or Jesus'.

I stan their petty shame.

"Any hope of subduing it false; the mere sight of it is overpowering."

Job 41: 9

I don't know if those creatures (inkanyamba and others) were more prevalent back then, or if they found ways to hide their existence with the encroachment of whiteness. Not only on land, but in spiritual reverence.

My mom and uncles have stories creatures they saw that were not like regular animals. Creatures that u never see twice because abanikazi never live to tell the tale
Don't ask me how those comrades survived, but I suspect it had something to do with the bone thrower in the family

And the only reason they could see them was because they were kids.

But that thing about reverence is definitely chowing me now.

There's a certain reverence we (Black people) lost for nature with the growth of whiteness in all spheres of our lives.

Savalwa amehlo.

I suspect this is why izinto ezifana nentwaso, and other practices feel and look so foreign and traumatic to us. This is why kukhona amagintsa womoya kangaka. Ngoba savalwa amehlo, so asazi grand grand ukuthi indlela eya ekhaya ikhonjwaphi.