Friday, August 6, 2010

The Ghosts of Gandavaroyi Falls


A natural wonder that has become the stuff of legend are the Gandavaroyi Falls located about 100 kilometres from Nembudziya Shopping Centre in the sprawling Midlands district of Gokwe.
The lore around the Falls is that from pre-colonial times right up to as late as the 1920’s, locals would throw all suspected witches into these waters, hence the Shona name "Gandavaroyi".

And according to the enduring lore of the place, one of its victims was a woman who was made to — as the Italian Mafia would say, "swim with the fishes", and left behind her twin children.

In 1926 Runyararo Mlambo, who was aged 20, was tossed into the Gandavaroyi Falls after the local community declared her to be a witch.

While two "witnesses" testified against the young woman, no concrete evidence was ever brought before the Dare to determine her guilt.

Many people who live in the area know this lore and they still view the falls with fear and trepidation with few of them venturing to get near these waters.

It is believed that the spirits of the witches still roam the area.

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