Mayindo, the sole provider
Jul 10, 2008
A young Muganda woman visited Mayindo in Kyaggwe for blessings to marry a whiteman. A few days later, she hooked up with one and is now married. <br>She returned to Mayindo with her husband to thank the spirit which honoured her request.
By Gladys Kalibbala
A young Muganda woman visited Mayindo in Kyaggwe for blessings to marry a whiteman. A few days later, she hooked up with one and is now married.
She returned to Mayindo with her husband to thank the spirit which honoured her request.
According to Charles Lwanga, a resident of Wankwaale village, for three days, residents from villages near Mayindo celebrated and slept at the site when they heard about the story.
“The feast was accompanied by drums and dancing. Three cows were slaughtered and a Dyna truck full of tonto (a local brew) and matooke was delivered to the residents to feast on,†he narrates.
The whiteman filmed the ceremony and participated in the Kiganda dance which was performed by a group the couple had hired from Katwe. Lwanga says the couple also took meat, food and clothes for Mayindo.
Residents refer to Mayindo, a huge rock, as a woman and claim she has a husband among the many stones surrounding her.
They do not have a proper explanation about the origin of the name Mayindo, but by looking at the structure of the rock, one can make out the shape of a person’s face. It also has a protruding shape structure that looks like a nose.
Among the wonders of Mayindo is its private parts where the residents claim red-like water comes out each month, thus the belief that Mayindo gets monthly menses.
Mayindo, who is sometimes covered by barkcloth, is believed to be a special spirit (musambwa) in Wankwaale village, Mukono district. It is also believed that whatever you ask from Mayindo, you must get.
He says according to the history of Mayindo, it is wrong for one not to return to thank Mayindo. Whenever someone is about to return to give thanks to Mayindo, word is sent around the trading centre and everyone is invited.
Residents who sell coffee beans in the area have benefited most as whoever goes to Mayindo must give her coffee beans and money.
“The amount ranges from sh5,000 to sh50,000,†a resident says. People joyfully narrate how they have benefited from Mayindo’s generosity. Some even pick money and clothes from the rock. “There is no special person to receive the offertory.
Mayindo, being a very generous musambwa, goes there first and picks whatever she wants,†says a resident. The resident narrates an incident in which she prayed hard to Mayindo for her son’s school fees and managed to get it from the site that day. She also picked an expensive gomesi.
Many people consult Mayindo when they need money, spouses and to conceive. Lwanga recalls how a businessman from Kampala lined up four of his vehicles at Mayindo to celebrate with the residents for two days.
This was after he consulted Mayindo when his business had collapsed, leaving him in debts. Mayindo is said to have revived the business.
According to Zinunnula, a Wankwaale tycoon, the olubengo, which was given to President Yoweri Museveni during the 1996 campaigns, was got from Muyindo.
There is also a big stone near Mayindo in form of a boat, but the oar is missing.
Residents believe it could have been stolen by one of the traditional healers who frequent the place seeking extra healing powers.
“I suspect one of the traditional healers would have stolen Mayindo long ago if it had been just mayembe (small spirit), but since it is a musambwa and cannot be stolen, someone resorted to stealing the oar for special powers,†a resident says.
Mayindo also has a well from which residents get water. Residents claim it never dries up.
Meanwhile Christine Nabibuga, who was born in this village, says although Mayindo lies on a hill amidst bushes and trees, no one is allowed to pick firewood from there.
She says a new family in the village got firewood from Mayindo and never slept in their house that night. “A leopard kept on screaming at their doorstep throughout the night frightening them until they left,†Nabibuga narrates.
Residents advised the family to return the firewood and when they did, the situation normalised.
A young Muganda woman visited Mayindo in Kyaggwe for blessings to marry a whiteman. A few days later, she hooked up with one and is now married.
She returned to Mayindo with her husband to thank the spirit which honoured her request.
According to Charles Lwanga, a resident of Wankwaale village, for three days, residents from villages near Mayindo celebrated and slept at the site when they heard about the story.
“The feast was accompanied by drums and dancing. Three cows were slaughtered and a Dyna truck full of tonto (a local brew) and matooke was delivered to the residents to feast on,†he narrates.
The whiteman filmed the ceremony and participated in the Kiganda dance which was performed by a group the couple had hired from Katwe. Lwanga says the couple also took meat, food and clothes for Mayindo.
Residents refer to Mayindo, a huge rock, as a woman and claim she has a husband among the many stones surrounding her.
They do not have a proper explanation about the origin of the name Mayindo, but by looking at the structure of the rock, one can make out the shape of a person’s face. It also has a protruding shape structure that looks like a nose.
Among the wonders of Mayindo is its private parts where the residents claim red-like water comes out each month, thus the belief that Mayindo gets monthly menses.
Mayindo, who is sometimes covered by barkcloth, is believed to be a special spirit (musambwa) in Wankwaale village, Mukono district. It is also believed that whatever you ask from Mayindo, you must get.
He says according to the history of Mayindo, it is wrong for one not to return to thank Mayindo. Whenever someone is about to return to give thanks to Mayindo, word is sent around the trading centre and everyone is invited.
Residents who sell coffee beans in the area have benefited most as whoever goes to Mayindo must give her coffee beans and money.
“The amount ranges from sh5,000 to sh50,000,†a resident says. People joyfully narrate how they have benefited from Mayindo’s generosity. Some even pick money and clothes from the rock. “There is no special person to receive the offertory.
Mayindo, being a very generous musambwa, goes there first and picks whatever she wants,†says a resident. The resident narrates an incident in which she prayed hard to Mayindo for her son’s school fees and managed to get it from the site that day. She also picked an expensive gomesi.
Many people consult Mayindo when they need money, spouses and to conceive. Lwanga recalls how a businessman from Kampala lined up four of his vehicles at Mayindo to celebrate with the residents for two days.
This was after he consulted Mayindo when his business had collapsed, leaving him in debts. Mayindo is said to have revived the business.
According to Zinunnula, a Wankwaale tycoon, the olubengo, which was given to President Yoweri Museveni during the 1996 campaigns, was got from Muyindo.
There is also a big stone near Mayindo in form of a boat, but the oar is missing.
Residents believe it could have been stolen by one of the traditional healers who frequent the place seeking extra healing powers.
“I suspect one of the traditional healers would have stolen Mayindo long ago if it had been just mayembe (small spirit), but since it is a musambwa and cannot be stolen, someone resorted to stealing the oar for special powers,†a resident says.
Mayindo also has a well from which residents get water. Residents claim it never dries up.
Meanwhile Christine Nabibuga, who was born in this village, says although Mayindo lies on a hill amidst bushes and trees, no one is allowed to pick firewood from there.
She says a new family in the village got firewood from Mayindo and never slept in their house that night. “A leopard kept on screaming at their doorstep throughout the night frightening them until they left,†Nabibuga narrates.
Residents advised the family to return the firewood and when they did, the situation normalised.