“Your scared space is where you will discover your-true-self, time after time”
Noma
Thokozani MaAfrica, Camagwini, Thobela, Lesedi, Ndawe, Greetings to all.
I have been to a lot of places and I have talked to a lot of people, but nothing compares to the experiences of Umsamo. No matter how lost I feel and no matter how discouraged I come, I enter down on my knees and exit up on my feet with my head held high, chest out, shoulders up and walking tall.
Every time I come to my Scared Space, I meet my true self over and over again, I discover my true self, time and time again. I understand that the challenges I am facing are opportunities to help me discover my full potential and lessons needed to help me become a better educator.
The aim today is for you to watch the video and get a comprehensive understanding of Umsamo, but the reason why I started this blog website is to have African Indigenous Knowledge captured in writing, so a three-part serious of Umsamo will follow soon on the website. This series will simply be the break down of the video in writing.
Allow me to start by explaining Umsamo wakho as a person. Umsamo is your Family tree, here we need to understand who we are by knowing where we come from. So Umsamo wakho will be; You, Mom and Dad, and your Grandparents from both maternal and paternal side.
Umsamo, in the physical manifestation, is a sacred space created with the intention to communicate with the Ancestors – ho Pahla. I find it difficult to refer to it as a “prayer” place, because it is more than that, Ukupahla is communicating to the Ancestors, Ukuthandaza (Prayer) is communicating to Divinity, the Creator. Emsamo we pahla, pray, plead, rejoice and express our true self.
Umsamo is created to “house” ancestors in your place of living. In the olden days, because land was sufficient it would be a round-mud house, used only to communicate to Abantu abadala. Entered with adherence to strict rules passed from one generation to the other and respected from one generation to the next.
Umsamo in the modern day is a scared space you create in your house, an altar or shrine. It can be a corner or a room reserved for ukupahla. The tools or things one will find this space include – but are not limited to; moseme (mat), impepho, a candle/s, calabash (the mud pot), snuff, etc. A white cloth is used to signify the purity of the space to the Ancestors and help them enter into this space, it also shows them the purity in our hearts and intentions.
To create this scared space, you will take the white cloth and place on the floor and others even place it on the wall. Light impepho and a white candle, and ask your Ancestors to find a “home” in this scared space and your life.
There is still so much to explain and uncover regarding Umsamo. Watch the space and stay updated. Follow me on Facebook and Instagram. Subscribe to the YouTube channel and stay in touch via email.
Thank you for choosing to walk this journey with me.
My name is Noma, and this is Learning with Noma.
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