"Have you heard the story about nzuzu?
I mean, the mermaid, that beautiful woman who sometimes drags people into her pool?"
Nzuzu's story, our story, is the story of transformation.
SESA WORUBAN = transformation
"In some pools there is a very, very beautiful woman. She is called nzuzu. This woman can be very dangerous. If there is somebody whom she likes, she will entice him to get close to her pool. And once you get there, she will drag you down into the water. She will then keep you at the bottom of the pool. At first, you believe that she will be nice to you, because she is so beautiful. But once you get down there, she will become very harsh and strict. She will force you to obey her orders, and to eat the kind of food she offers. The food she gives you is black mud, worms, and raw fish."
This food represents the wounds that we all experience throughout our life time. The water represents transformation, emotions, and reconciliation.
"If you refuse to eat that food, she will never let you get up from the pool again. But if you accept her food politely, and if you obey her strict orders, she will change once more. After you have endured her harsh treatment for a couple of weeks, she will become kind. She will now offer you the most wonderful delicacies, such as rice, and sweet things. Then she will give you a basket with medicines (mushonga = magic "medicines"), and let you leave the pool. You will find yourself lying on a reed mat on the surface of the water. From there you will be able to reach the shore, and walk away with your basket. Thanks to the gifts in that basket, you will now be able to start a new life, and become successful and famous. You can become a n'anga (healer, diviner), or some other kind of artist, and lead a good life. End of the story. (JACOBSON-WIDDING, 1993)"