Wosana ritual and associated practices
Inscribed in 2024 (19.COM) on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding
© Ministr of Youth, Gender, SPort and Culture, Botswana, 2022 Wosana is a rainmaking ritual that is observed by the Bakalanga community in the Northeast and Central Districts of Botswana and in certain Zimbabwean villages along the Botswana border. The ancestral practice is characterized by rituals, prayer, feasts, song and dance. It is a collaborative practice involving traditional leadership, distinct roles, and the participation of the entire community. The related knowledge and skills are transmitted through observation, regular practice and mentoring, with new practitioners being sworn to secrecy regarding the sacred aspects of the practice. With the advent of Christianity, the observance of the ritual has decreased over time. Many traditional leaders have converted to Christianity and no longer recognize ancestral worship. The few remaining practitioners have to travel to one of the three villages that still observe the ritual. Furthermore, some of the songs, dances and objects related to the Wosana ritual have been misappropriated and are being used out of context. This has led to the gradual distortion of the ritual and a disregard for the taboos associated with it. It has also resulted in the neglect of the related cultural spaces.
