Africa-Press – Lesotho. As a result of the Covid-19 virus epidemic, a section of the community living in Mafeteng district, Makoabating village in Thabana-Morena district complains that the epidemic has caused them to abandon their traditional Basotho customs and beliefs.
One of the measures of the government and the World Health Organization (WHO) is for the public to avoid mass gathering at the same place, be it for festivals or diseases and the sting of death. This has left many Basotho feeling their lives even more vulnerable to the presence of the epidemic.
In an interview with Voice of the Nation, Mr Monyane Senyane who lives in the Makoabating community, explained that the Basotho people are so respectful and jealous of their traditions and beliefs that when they do it they believe that this brings them peace and stability within their lives.
Selinyane went on to say that the epidemic has brought about a lot of changes that are against them and even endangering the lives of them and their families.
He said among the Basotho traditions, when death was present within the family, the issue of slaughtering the deceased was one of the most important as it was a way to accompany the deceased and said Covid-19 had prevented the incident.
. He went on to say that this leaves them feeling indebted to their dead.
“As Basotho we believe that in the presence of the deceased, slaughtering a cow is a way for the deceased not to return to fetch others in the form of a number of illnesses. We are now in danger of contracting a number of diseases within the family as the relatives of the deceased still owe him money, ”he said.
Selinyane said in their village, some families had contracted a series of diseases after burying one of the victims without having been slaughtered, and said their belief was that the reason was that the deceased had not been slaughtered.
He added that their desire as a nation was for the government to look at some of the measures to prevent the epidemic with a different eye so that they do not feel abandoned by their traditions and end up being killed for not being.
more than that killed by Covid-19. He recommended that people be allowed to go on a rampage but still comply with Covid-19 conditions such as a rallying point. He said it was still a bottle for the dead to be buried only by family members.
Selinyane said the government could work with the Chiefs in the villages to ensure that this was achieved, adding that Covid-19 would be the end of it, and that the Basotho would almost certainly not be able to do so.
One of the residents of the village, Ms ‘Mabaena Selimo, said that as a result of the epidemic, circumcision was also closed and circumcision was still part of the Basotho culture.
He said some of the people with a medical call, should be circumcised, as part of the ritual and performing the call. “Such a person ends up sick or loses his life because of not being able to meet the needs of his ancestors,” he said.
Continuing, Selimo said apart from medical issues, circumcision is where boys and girls are taught many things such as being real men and women who take care of their families and communities.
The King of Thabana-King, King Moopisa Makhasane, on the other hand, claimed to be the King and to the Basotho people who still practice and believe in it.
see the consequences. Makhasane said that although there were no reports of Covid-19 infections in their villages, they still believed that the culture should continue.
be honored so that even their Ancestors can continue to protect them. “Turning away from the culture and traditions of some Basotho is a great curse on their ancestors,” he said. He said the epidemic could end and life would return to normal as it had created a great deal of tension within the community.
Khasane said what he was most excited about was seeing the public’s understanding of the epidemic as he had learned that they only met the requirements such as frequent hand washing and wearing helmets to protect themselves and advised Basotho to continue to beware against Covid-19.
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