It’s been three years since the sangomas took Adia and disappeared with her in the middle of the night. S’bongile is clearing and sweeping the yard on a sunny day when she hears screaming and singing from a distance. She can’t quite tell what’s going on until she sees her daughter, Adia, dressed in traditional colourful sangoma attire, leading a group of sangomas. They’re beating drums and chanting as they approach the yard.

As they draw closer, S’bongile can see that Adia is adorned with beaded bracelets and anklets, and a brightly coloured headscarf. Adia’s eyes are bright and her face is beaming with joy as she leads the group of sangomas into the yard.

Thando, Adia’s aunt, rushes over to embrace her niece, tears streaming down her face. “We have missed you so much,” she says. “It’s good to have you back.”

Adia’s mother, S’bongile, stands back, watching with a mix of pride and apprehension. “Are you a fully trained sangoma now?” she asks her daughter.

Adia nods, a broad smile spreading across her face. “Yes, Mother,” she says. “I have completed my training and I am ready to serve our community as a healer and spiritual leader.“

The family gathers around Adia, asking questions and marvelling at her newfound abilities. The female sangoma who has been training Adia, a respected elder in the community, blesses her and gives her a set of traditional healing tools, including a set of divination bones and a bundle of medicinal herbs.

“This is for you,” says the sangoma.

As the sun begins to set, the family gathers for a feast, celebrating Adia’s homecoming and her new status as a sangoma. The singing and dancing continue late into the night, as Adia and the other sangomas share stories of their training and the spirits that have guided them on their journey.

***

The next morning, Adia wakes up early and heads outside to perform a ritual to officially mark her homecoming. She gathers a group of women from the community and leads them to a nearby river, where they immerse themselves in the cool, clear water.

As they emerge, dripping wet, Adia begins to chant and dance, calling on the spirits to bless her and her community. The women join in, clapping and singing, their voices rising in harmony with Adia’s.

After the chanting and dancing, the women make their way back to the village, where a cow has been slaughtered in Adia’s honour. The meat is cooked over an open fire and shared among the community members, who feast and celebrate together.

Adia’s aunt, Thando, takes her aside and presents her with a special gift — a beaded necklace that has been passed down through generations of sangomas. “This necklace represents the strength and wisdom of our ancestors,” she says. “Wear it with pride, and let it guide you in your work as a healer.”

Adia puts on the necklace, feeling its weight against her chest. She knows that the journey ahead of her will not be easy, but she is filled with a sense of purpose and determination. She is ready to serve her community as a sangoma, and to carry on the traditions of her ancestors.

As the day draws to a close, the community gathers around a bonfire, singing and dancing late into the night. Adia joins in, feeling a deep connection to the people around her and the spirits that guide her. She knows that she is exactly where she is meant to be — at home, among her loved ones, and ready to begin her new life as a fully trained sangoma.

S’bongile is on her knees, crying in one of the rooms.

“What did I do to you, God, what did my child do…” asks S’bongile, who is interrupted by a voice that sounds inside her.

“Listen, open your ears and open your heart, and trust in the happening of things,” says a voice exactly like her mother Amari’s.

S’bongile is frightened, and the fear holds her back for a while, but her heart is finally at peace.

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