KHUZWANE

Very popular God of Beer and Muddy Footprints

He's a very remote God, but unlike most deities he did at least leave some hard evidence of himself behind.

These Godly footprints have given certain places a sacred aspect which persists to this day. Once a year, in a semi-secret ceremony, local beer is poured into them. We can barely guess the reasons for this practice, but we trust that good beer is not going to waste.

Meanwhile, Lake Fundudzi is a very special place to the VahVenda people. They believe it to be KHUZWANE's private swimming pool. Apparently he sometimes returns to Earth for a quick dip. Consequently, no-one is allowed to visit the Lake without permission. It might be advisable to take some beer as well.

By all accounts, Lake Fundudzi — Africa's only natural freshwater lake — is a mysterious place. For a start, it's home to a giant fertility snake and a beer-guzzling white crocodile. (These may even be Gods, but we suspect not.) Most importantly, it's a VahVenda burial ground. There's an underwater village populated by spirits of the dead — and sometimes in the dead of night you can hear them singing their underwater laments.

No wonder the Lake is full of tribal taboos. No fishing! No swimming! And if you do get permission to visit, prepare to be humbled; first-time visitors have to bend down and peer at the waters from between their legs. We hope the Queen gets to visit someday.

The Tshiavha clan of the VhaVenda are guardians of the Lake, and their methods have managed to keep it pristine and pure for centuries. This has become increasingly difficult in modern times, but long may they continue. When they say No Fishing, they mean it!