Inkosazana

"INKOSAZANA" IS THE PERSONIFICATION OF NATURE, THE AFRICAN GODDESS OF AGRICULTURE. SHE IS SOMETIMES REFERRED TO AS "NOMKHUBULWANE "AND HER DWELLING PLACE IS IN THE RIVERS AND THE FORESTS SURROUNDING THEM. SHE IS A VERY POPULAR AND MUCH LOVED GODDESS WHO IS KNOWN BY HER PEOPLE AS "LADY HEAVEN" WHO RULES THE CELESTIAL BODIES AND THE LIVES OF WOMEN AND GIRLS. SHE IS ALWAYS YOUNG BECAUSE SHE HAS NOT CHILDREN OF HER OWN. SHE IS RESPONSIBLE PRIMARILY FOR CEREAL GRAINS WHICH IS AN IMPORTANT ELEMENT OF THE ZULU DIET. AND, AS THE RAIN GODDESS, SHE IS OFTEN ASSOCIATED WITH RAINBOWS.

IN FACT, SHE CAN MANIFEST AS A RAINBOW, A SNAKE, A MERMAID, A BEAUTIFUL WHITE WOMAN, OR AS THE LIFE-GIVING RAIN, BUT SHE IS NOT COMMONLY SEEN. IT IS SAID THAT THE PRIMITIVE MEN KNEW HER. NO ONE EXISTING AT THE PRESENT TIME EVER SAW HER...OR PERHAPS THEY DID AND KNEW IT NOT. AS THE DEITY OF AGRICULTURE, SHE IS CALLED UPON IN THE "SPRING "TO BRING FERTILITY TO THE LAND; AS THE SENDER OF RAINS FOR THE GROWING CROPS AND PROTECTS THE WOMEN AND GIRLS WHO HOE THE FIELDS, BUT FOR THE SEASON TO GO WELL IT IS NECESSARY WHEN HOEING THE FIELD OF "INKOSAZANA" FOR THE WOMEN TO GET RID OF ANY ILL FEELINGS THEY MAY HAVE TOWARDS OTHERS.

Credit: mysteryvoodoo.blogspot.com