Atonement Ritual and Guardian-Spirit Possession among Kalanga
Africa July 1, 1964 Richard P. Werbner
Opening ParagraphFor Kalanga of Southern Rhodesia hereditary guardian spirits known as mazenge are a sanction on correct relations among kinsmen and affines. Only women are possessed by these captious guardian spirits; and I shall refer to such spirit-possessed women as mazenge hosts. Kalanga perform a ritual of atonement seasonally and whenever the illness of the host or of any of her...