Mutare – The Mutare Museum, a repository of Zimbabwe’s rich cultural and natural heritage, holds within its walls many captivating exhibits. However, few are as intriguing and mystifying as the “mheni” (lightning) collection. These objects, reportedly used in the summoning of lightning for retributive justice, were surrendered to the museum by a family in Nyanga in the early 1990s, offering a glimpse into the complex intersection of science, African spiritual beliefs, and the very real dangers posed by lightning in Zimbabwe, one of the world’s most lightning-prone countries.
The collection comprises a 275ml bottle with a red cap containing 10 tied wooden sticks believed to be from the ‘mutamba / Umhahli’ (Strychnos or Black Monkey Orange tree), a small kudu horn, and two small containers filled with mysterious black and clear liquids. These items, arranged as part of the museum’s exhibit, evoke both interest and unease, as they are believed to be components used in summoning lightning, a practice deeply rooted in African traditional beliefs.
The combination of organic materials, animal remains, and unknown liquids suggests a deliberate and ritualistic process embedded in African spiritual practices. Traditionalists and spiritualists claim that certain herbs, bones, and enchanted materials, when combined and activated through ritualistic incantations, can summon lightning upon an intended victim. The mutamba tree, known for its medicinal properties, is thought to be a conduit in this practice, while the kudu horn and mysterious liquids might serve as catalysts or ‘spiritual conductors’ to direct the bolt toward a specific person.
Unlike the scientific explanation of lightning, African traditional beliefs, particularly in the eastern part of Zimbabwe, speak of a different kind of lightning – ‘mheni’ – a form of retributive justice that can be directed at an individual. The Manyika people have a well-known warning: ‘Tingoonana maenza’ (We shall meet in the rainy season). This ominous phrase suggests that those who have wronged others should be wary and seek peace, as supernatural forces may be invoked against them.
While science explains lightning as an electrostatic discharge caused by the build-up and separation of positive and negative electric charges in the atmosphere, African traditional beliefs attribute it to spiritual forces that can be manipulated by humans. When the difference in charge becomes extreme, a sudden surge of energy is released in the form of a lightning bolt, travelling between clouds or from the clouds to the earth. The process involves ionisation of the air, rapid heating, and the creation of plasma, which manifests as the visible flash we see. This natural occurrence is random and influenced by meteorological conditions, such as humidity, atmospheric pressure, and wind patterns.
The existence of mheni in African traditional knowledge poses an interesting paradox when viewed through the lens of science. Can humans control lightning? While meteorologists have found ways to influence electrical charges using conductors like metal rods, the idea of directing natural lightning to target individuals remains unproven. However, cultural perspectives cannot be easily dismissed. Stories abound of individuals who allegedly fell victim to mheni after being warned, lending credence to the belief system. Fear of retribution through lightning has historically played a significant role in maintaining moral order in communities, reinforcing the power of traditional justice systems.
By displaying these artefacts, Mutare Museum offers a rare opportunity for both academic inquiry and cultural reflection. Visitors are left to ponder whether mheni is a mere legend or a yet-to-be-explained phenomenon. The collection serves as a bridge between scientific reasoning and the deeply rooted African worldview that acknowledges forces beyond human comprehension. Whether one chooses to believe in the power of mheni or attribute lightning strikes to purely natural causes, the mystery remains a testament to the richness of African cultural narratives. Mutare Museum’s collection invites further exploration into the confluence of traditional beliefs and scientific understanding, ensuring that the legacy of mheni continues to spark curiosity for generations to come.
However, the mystique surrounding mheni is juxtaposed against the stark reality of Zimbabwe’s vulnerability to lightning strikes. Zimbabwe is one of the world’s most lightning-prone countries: the holder of a world record in lightning-related fatalities. During the rainy season, lightning strikes typically kill up to 100 people, mostly rural dwellers. Zimbabwe’s high lightning incidence rate is blamed on the prevalence of granite outcrops across the country. A study by the University of Zimbabwe showed that granite is radioactive and discharges gamma rays up to the cloud, in the process ionizing the air molecules.
Lightning has had a fair share on human and animal culling in particular Zimbabwe which has the highest lightning incidence in the world. Zimbabwe is recorded in the Guinness Book of world records as the country where a single bolt of lightning killed the largest number of victims on 23 December 1975 when 21 people were struck dead. The incident occurred in a village near the eastern border town of Mutare while the victims were sheltering in a hut. The dead included 14 children. Three people survived the incident.
The total number of people killed by lightning in the country (then Rhodesia) since Oct. 1 of that year to December 23 was recorded at 53 — one of the worst periods on record. On December 23, 1975, callously, lightning entered Zimbabwe into the Guinness Book of World Records after bolting 21 people in the Eastern Highlands village of Chinamasa in Mutasa. Alas, it also brings with it memories of the death of loved ones.
The devastating incident in 1975 serves as a chilling reminder of the destructive power of lightning and the vulnerability of communities, particularly those in rural areas. The fact that 14 of the victims were children underscores the tragic impact of lightning strikes on families and the need for greater awareness and safety measures.
In addition to the human toll, lightning also poses a significant threat to livestock. On March 8, 2012, The Herald reported of 13 head of cattle which were struck and killed by lightning in Msengezi District. The loss of livestock can have a devastating impact on rural communities, where cattle often represent a significant source of income and sustenance.
It is on record that lightning is an atmospheric discharge of electricity that is frequently accompanied by thunder when it occurs during a thunderstorm. According to Universetoday.com, lightning is a powerful force of nature, but few truly understand exactly what it is. Lightning is electricity that is discharged from a cloud. It can also occur during volcanic eruptions and dust storms. The front end of a bolt of lightning can travel 60 000 miles per second and reach 30 000 degrees Celsius, the website says. That is hot enough to turn silica sand into glass.
Universetoday.com also adds that lightning can have a positive or negative charge, but is overwhelmingly negative. An average bolt of negative lightning carries a current 30 000 amperes (amps). Positively charged lightning has about 3 000 000 amps. Lightning rapidly heats the air in its immediate vicinity to about 20 000 degrees Celsius. This is about three times the temperature of the Sun’s surface. This compresses the surrounding clear air and creates a supersonic shock wave that decays and becomes an auditory wave we call thunder.
Lightning is referred to locally as “mheni” in Shona and “umbane” in Ndebele. In the African tradition there is a general belief that there are people, especially from Manicaland Province, who have the power to manufacture mheni. Those who possess such powers use mheni to demonstrate their strength to would-be adversaries.
“It is true that mheni exists according to the African culture and can be made by humans,” lambasted Caiphas Shutu Sithole, a renowned herbalist from Mbare. In 1992, I was approached by a traditional healer known as Matemba while I was working in Chipinge. “Matemba offered me four small sticks saying to me . . . ‘unofanira kusimba’ (you must be strong). I did not know what the sticks were for. He then demonstrated to me by rubbing the sticks together and throwing them on the ground. The sticks immediately disappeared and there was a huge flash of lightning in the sky.
“Ndozvandinoreva kana ndichiti unofanira kusimba” (This is what I mean when a say you must be strong),” narrated Sithole. He added: “I have never actually seen mheni but I have treated survivors of lightning who allege that it looks like a lamb with wings.”
Edison Banda, a vendor in Emabutweni (Bulawayo), seems to be a religious follower of the “survival of the fittest” law. The man confessed to unsuccessfully employing forces of supernatural world (lightning) to kill a fellow vendor whom he accused of attracting more customers than him.
The Mutare Museum’s mheni collection, therefore, serves as a powerful reminder of the complex relationship between humans and the natural world, and the enduring power of traditional beliefs in the face of scientific understanding. It also highlights the urgent need for greater awareness and safety measures to protect communities from the deadly threat of lightning strikes.
Max Van Olst from the University of Zimbabwe’s Electrical Engineering Department, in 1987, said he had discovered that Zimbabwe’s fertile soil plays a role in causing the lightning deaths. “A lot of Zimbabwe’s soil is a poor conductor of electricity, meaning that the charge from a lightning bolt, instead of dispersing evenly, can stream with concentrated force hundreds of yards from the strike point as it follows narrow paths of easy conductivity,” he said. Explained Max Van Olst: “High altitude, high humidity and high temperatures combine to affect the density of the air and thus the ease with which lightning can occur.”
Most victims are peasants living in thatched huts in rural areas. Findings indicate that many victims are sitting or sleeping on the ground in their huts when struck. This could well account for the story on January 16, 2006 in The Herald where 10 members of Johanne Masowe were struck and killed by lightning and 61 others hospitalised during an open-air prayer session in Seke, Chitungwiza in 2002. Another story appeared in the same paper on December 6 2012, where four family members including three minors were struck by lightning. The four who died were all burnt beyond recognition when the hut they were sleeping in caught fire.
Given the high risk of lightning strikes in Zimbabwe, it is crucial to dispel common misconceptions and promote accurate information about lightning safety. It is a misconception that if it is not raining and there are no clouds overhead, one is safe from lightning. The truth is lightning often strikes more than three miles from the thunderstorm, far outside the rain or even thunderstorm cloud. Bolts from the blue can strike 10-15 miles from the thunderstorm. Lightning in clouds can travel over 100 miles from the thunderstorm.
It is also not true that rubber tyres offer protection from lightning in cars by insulating one from the ground. However, most cars are reasonably safe from lightning. The metal roof and sides become shield, not the rubber tyres. Thus convertibles, motorcycles, bicycles, golf carts and cars with plastic or fibreglass shells offer no lightning protection. Likewise, farm and construction vehicles with open cockpits offer no lightning protection. But closed cockpits with metal roofs and sides are safer than going outside.
Furthermore, many lightning victims die within sight of onlookers as they are denied first aid on assumption that by merely touching a victim one will be electrocuted. The human body doesn’t store electricity. It is therefore safe to touch a lightning victim to render first aid. It is not safe if outside during a thunderstorm, to go under a tree. Trees pose being the highest objects within a locality and are prone to lightning strikes.
Another misconception is, if trapped outside and lightning is about to strike, lie flat on the ground. While lying flat on the ground gets you as low as possible, which is good, it increases your chance of being hit by a ground current. However, it is advisable to use the “lightning crouch” that is, put your feet together, squat low, tuck your head, and cover your ears. Lightning induces electric currents along the top of the ground that can be deadly over 100 feet away. The best combination is being low and touching the ground as little as possible.
There is no way to completely stop lightning, but if you’re careful, you can avoid injury or death. Lightning is somewhat lazy, and will take the shortest path, striking the tallest object.
In conclusion, the Mutare Museum’s mheni collection offers a unique and thought-provoking lens through which to examine the intersection of science, spirituality, and the very real dangers posed by lightning in Zimbabwe. By exploring the traditional beliefs surrounding mheni and promoting accurate information about lightning safety, we can work to protect communities from this deadly natural phenomenon and ensure that the legacy of mheni serves as a reminder of both the power of nature and the enduring strength of human belief.
