Zim dancehall star Freeman faces ancestral backlash, prominent sangoma claims
A sangoma has come forward, asserting that Zimbabwean dancehall artist Freeman is not an armed robber, but rather his troubles stem from his angry ancestors due to his alleged abandonment of them. However, Freeman vehemently denies the sangoma’s claims, stating that he is a devout follower of God and does not believe in the practices of sangomas.
In an interview with H-Metro, Freeman expressed his faith, saying, “Matoita basa, handiite zven’anga ini, ndoita zvaMwari, handiite zvevadzimu, I don’t do such things.
“Handiite shave rekuimba, mine is pure talent from God.”
While Freeman remains one of the country’s leading artists, he has recently been surrounded by negative publicity due to his questionable associations with slain armed robbers. Sekuru Achapola, the sangoma who gained recognition for treating a girl who was discharging worms from her privɑte pɑrts, defended Freeman, stating that the artist is not involved in armed robbery. However, he emphasized the importance of Freeman respecting his ancestors.
“For a fact, Freeman is not an armed robber but he needs to respect his ancestors,” he said.
Achapola, originally from Malawi, revealed that Freeman faced other challenges that were leading him down a dangerous path, tarnishing his reputation. According to the sangoma, Freeman’s ancestral spirits possess him when he performs and imparts teachings to others. Achapola claimed that Freeman’s ancestors were now summoning him, and failure to respect them could result in serious consequences.
“Freeman gets possessed with his ancestral spirits when singing to the world as well as teaching people.
“I am being told that Freeman must respect his ancestors and clan because he is not an ordinary man since he is led by his ancestral spirits.
“Freeman is being invited by his ancestors now, we came across this while we were at our shrine and the issues are really serious.”
The sangoma suggested that Freeman should brew traditional beer and perform specific rituals to appease his ancestors, as failure to do so could potentially lead to false accusations and imprisonment. Additionally, he advised Freeman to take his guidance seriously, particularly in his choice of companions.
Achapola expressed admiration for those who hold reverence for their ancestors, citing Alick Macheso and the Chimbetus as examples of artists who consistently honor their ancestral heritage during performances.
