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MR SELLO

MATSEPANE

BACKGROUND MY UPBRINGING part of the family rituals, so I
participated without my grandmother’s
y name is Sello Edward rowing up in Venda in the knowledge. My uncle was the one who
Matsepane. I was born in Ga- absence of my siblings and even took me to the initiation school for
MSekgopo Village in Limpopo Gparents was not easy especially circumcision and we did this without my
Province and lived with my parents and after my father’s passing. I initially grandmother’s knowledge or my
siblings. My parents had nine children, struggled at school as I did not know the mother’s consent.
seven girls and two boys. Four of my Tshivenda language, but I adjusted with
siblings are already deceased and only time and started to progress well. I My maternal family would perform
five remain. My elder brother passed on would herd my grandmother’s livestock yearly rituals to appease the ancestors.
whilst I was still very young, he drowned after school. My great maternal grandfather had
whilst playing with other children. His many wives and one of his daughter-in
death troubled my family, especially my My father never believed in ancestral laws was a sangoma. Whilst growing up,
father since I was the only male child left worship. Things were however different whenever we fell ill, she would make
in the family. with my maternal side of the family as cuts on us and put muthi in the incisions
they practised ancestral worship and so that we can be well.
Ga-Sekgopo Village was well known for consulted witchdoctors. We had an
witchcraft and my father thought it ancestral worship altar at my
would be best that I relocate to Venda grandmother’s house where I stayed. EDUCATIONAL
and stay with my maternal grandmother Whenever my family members came BACKGROUND
and uncle. That was done to protect me back home from Johannesburg, they
from any form of witchcraft that could would go to that altar and offer money passed my primary schooling with
be set against me. During this era, male there. My grandmother would at a later no challenges. My high school days
children in my culture were valued more stage take the money and use it for our Iwere challenging as my mother
than female ones as the males were to groceries. struggled to support us financially after
carry on the family name. my father’s death.
Before I relocated to Venda, my father
I was seven years of age when I was g av e cl ear i n s t r uct i o n s t o my My mother lost everything after my
taken to Venda and I spent my entire grandmother that I should never father’s passing. My paternal family
childhood there. Being separated from participate in any of my maternal accused her of witchcraft and forced her
out of her own home. She had to go and
my parents and siblings troubled me but family’s ancestral worship practises. My
I got used to it with time. My father grandmother honoured my father’s look for employment and my sisters
passed away a few months after I wishes and made sure that I was not part (except for the eldest one who was
relocated to Venda and this made our of any of their practices and rituals. In my already married) had to move to Venda
lives very difficult as my father was the innocence, I felt like my elders were to live with us. My grandmother was a
sole breadwinner at home. treating me unfairly by denying me to be pensioner and there was not much she
could do to provide for us. All she could

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