ancestors

Two weeks ago, I climbed Table Mountain, the centerpiece of these vibrant people.  It is a massive presence that peers through the cracks between the buildings, dances on the skirt of my vision, the backdrop of this performance.  It is the cradle of the university, and we are always held in its arms.  The climb was difficult, more than difficult actually, and there were many moments I very nearly turned around.  It is a strenuous, near-vertical slog of boulders that runs uphill without switchbacks for about a 1-2 hour hike.  Near the top, the rocks become cool and close inwards, and they begin to morph like clouds into familiar symbols and figures.  There are spirits in these mountains.

A strong element to African traditional religions is the abiding guardianship and influence of the ancestors of the living.  The two components of Bantu existence ("Bantu" is a label given to the indigenous people of Southern Africa, but is a term that may be broken into two: "ntu," which in simplistic terms means

"person," and "ba-" which implies that there are multiple persons, thus "people."  So when I refer to Bantu experience and existence, I am talking of the human experience, the existence of all people, not merely the Southern Africans, such as the KhoiKhoi, San, or Zulu, since these traditional religions apply to a larger portion of sub-Saharan Africa and indeed, the world.)  are that of the material and the spiritual realm, and the passing of a person is merely a transition point for that person to enter a different realm of reality.  Once a deceased person becomes an Ancestor (through process of ritual), they are considered the "living dead," because they are not dead in the Western sense; they are still present and actively engaged in our affairs, especially as protectors and mediators between us and the Supreme Being (who otherwise not be distracted by our sniffles and paper cuts).  The final breath of the climb up Table Mountain is known as the "Stairway to Heaven," appropriately named due to its difficulty and the hypnotic faces in the stones that surrounds the climbers.  

This would not be the first mountain to be ascribed sacred purpose; far from it.  Many mythical climbers have found sacred knowledge and communication with other worlds, other spirits and gods, after reaching the crest of a mountain.  Whether these visitations result due to lack of water, lack of sleep, sun-stroke, or possibly divine purpose, it is not my position to judge.  I do know, however, that there were bantu living in this place.  Look closely.  Determine for yourself.