Zambia: Hundreds of mourners gathered at Pemba Village on Friday in Chief Chikuwe’s area to witness the burial of a Nyau dancer Josphat Lungu, who died after being bitten by a black mamba.
The incident happened on Wednesday, January 24th, when the deceased, Josphat Lungu, aged 23, was allegedly playing with the snake at a secret shrine commonly known as Dambwe.
Speaking in an interview, the father to the deceased Thomson Lungu said he was yet to come to terms with the death of his son.
Lungu said it was sad that some nyau dancers decided to treat his son at the Dambwe without involving the family before they decided to take him to Muzeyi Rural Health Centre after they noticed that his condition had deteriorated.
He said the life of his son could have been saved had the friends decided to seek medical attention in good time or seek advice from the family.
“It’s really sad that we have lost the young man as a result of some traditional practices. I am also disappointed because his friends decided to treat him with some traditional herbs after he was bitten, and they only decided to seek medical attention upon noticing that his condition had deteriorated,” he said.
One of the concerned residents, Josphat Banda from Mchenga Village, said some traditional practices should be revised, especially if such vices continue to claim people’s lives.
Banda has since appealed to traditional leaders to look into the issue quickly, as the Chikuwe chiefdom has continued to lose people due to certain traditional practices, such as gule wamkulu.
He said it was sad to note that even children were initiated to join gule wamkulu, and some even abandoned school. Hence, some traditional leaders need to seriously look into the issue before it gets out of hand.
The snake was later killed and has since been buried together with the deceased, as decided by the family.
Recently, another nyau dancer from Katintha village of Chief Chikuwe’s area died on Christmas day after he inserted his head into a loop of a mosquito net string whilst dancing gologolo on a more than 35-metre pole.