Isiphandla – Do you believe in the significance of wearing cultural wrist bands?
By: Natasha Archary
Isiphandla is a cultural wrist band worn by isiZulu people for various reasons, which include connecting to their ancestors, family and custom.
Many believe the bands are symbolic and offer hope, security and instil a sense of respect and pride.
The Zulu culture isn’t the only one to make use of items of jewellery, or cultural objects, with many religions making use of specific items for important occasions.
Making reference to Kabza de Small, Sizwe touched on how many people say the artist’s success boils down to his spirituality.
“There’s just so many good songs by Kabza that people often wonder if his isiphandla has anything to do with his success. If you notice, he’s a really spiritual and traditional guy, and he’s always wearing isiphandla, sometimes he even has 3 or 4.”
The traditional isiZulu wristband is made from the hide of a slaughtered cow or goat, which is then worn on the wrist.
Many families slaughter cattle as part of a cleansing ritual or rite of passage, or even to welcome a visitor.
The cleansing ceremony, or, ukugeza and uplifting the living-dead to the ancestral community, or ukukhuphula, are the more common rituals were animals are slaughtered.
While Sizwe’s family don’t make use of isiphandla, he does remember having intambo, which is a rope or “safety belt” which is said to offer protection to babies and younger children.
Mbali Dhlamini says intambo is used for various reasons like if a child is sickly, the elders will make the safety belt, sometimes using beads of different colours.
For some, these items are a form of superstitious beliefs that are passed down by generation, and there’s no valid proof that they work but because it’s been used for years, the practice is carried on and becomes tradition.
Other cultures have items of symbolic meaning too, with the Indian community of Hindu origin also warding off the “evil eye” and protecting their babies and young girls with the use of a black dot.
The black dot is thought to protect the young ones’ innocence and keep any evil spirit away.
Catholic Christians use a Holy Rosary which is a string of knots and beads that are used to count component prayers.
Kaya Drive listeners share with Sizwe Dhlomo what isiphandla means to them:
Also read: Kaya Biz: How is umuthi/traditional spells addressed in the workplace?
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