Rubbing food against genitalia: Disgusting superstitious rituals done to food in open air markets

A dirty video clip has gone viral on social media. In it, an unidentified grocer is seen rubbing tomatoes against her privates before packing them in a plastic bag for sale at a market.

The mama mboga is seen looking over her shoulders before quickly rubbing the tomatoes, one by one, in her groin area and throwing them in the plastic bag.

But as social media users express their shock and disgust, it’s important to note that this is just the tip of the iceberg. More horrible things are done to food stuffs before they are sold to us, especially in the open air markets.

For instance, a nasty tale have been told of how some women spit on simsims, among other foods, in a ritualistic act aimed at attracting more customers.

Stories, too, have been told of how some female vendors literally sit on chapatis with their bare bottoms, one by one, before selling them to unsuspecting customers.

All this madness is done in the name of attracting and permanently ensnaring customers and making them buy in large quantities. The ritual of sitting on chapatis is also used by some wives when they want to stop their husbands from straying.

However, Crazy Monday nosed around and discovered that such superstitious rituals are not just a Kenyan thing, but a common practice among many Africans and people world over.

From our investigations, it emerged that superstitious rituals are very common, particularly, among business people, sports men and women, students, farmers and people in general life to protect them from bad lack, omens and all manner of adversaries.

In Zimbabwe, for instance, business recently came to a halt along Lobengula Street, Bulawayo, after four vegetables and fruits vendors exchanged kicks and blows over water used to wash corpses.

Reportedly, the women always contribute money, which they use to clandestinely buy the water from a nearby mortuary. The vendors use the water to wash fruits and vegetables, believing that it will help lure more customers to their wares.

The fights erupted after two of the grocers short-changed the others by using the water without sharing with them despite contributing their cash.

The four mama mboga, Dumisani Sibanda, Thabiso Tshuma, Melody Mloyi and Monica Mlilo, viciously fought, after Mlilo accused one of them of stealing and using the corpse water that was collectively procured from Kelvin Industrial Funeral home.

The development brought the total number of named-and-shamed corpse water thieves to 19 after 15 others were arrested in separate incidents last year.

The water, according to other vendors who reportedly refused to be identified, is used to attract clients to buy their fruits and vegetables regularly and in big quantities.

“If you buy fruits sprinkled with corpse water, you automatically become a permanent consumer, as this will force your heart and mind to look for me,” a vendor, only identified as Nanomsa, who trades along Bulawayo’s Lobengula Street, was quoted as having said in local press.

Tshuma, one of the grocers, refused to comment on the cause of the fight, but she became arrogant and threatened journalists with assault by her bouncer boy-friend who works at a Bulawayo night club. But an angry Mloyi grudgingly opened up and revealed their source of corpse water.

“We contributed $70 (Sh7,210) to buy corpse water from the funeral home for business, but Monica and Thabiso opted to steal the ‘magical’ water for their use, forgetting others who contributed,” she was reported to have grumpily snarled.

Last year, local reports indicate 15 vendors were reprimanded for fighting in public over the strange and rare commodity, and they were handed a final warning by their association for the offence of using corpse water to lure clients.

Speaking to local media, the Vendors and Informal Traders Association President, Edward Manning, confirmed the existence of the deals between vendors and funeral house undertakers.

“This has been happening, and we warned our members against using dirty charms on innocent and unsuspecting clients as this is a health hazard,” he said.

He added: “The four fought over corpse water and we have issued them with a final warning, this time we are going to chase them away from Lobengula Street for their evil doings,” said Manning.

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Superstitious high and mighty

But if you thought it is only the lowly in society who subscribe to superstition, think again. In his memoirs, Donald Regan, former White House Chief of Staff to President Ronald Reagan, shared an insider’s view of the presidency.

He revealed that the First Lady Nancy Reagan had employed an astrologer to advise her on a wide range of topics, many of which bore directly on the affairs of state.

“Virtually every major move and decision the Reagans made during my time as White House Chief of Staff was cleared in advance with a woman in San Francisco who drew up horoscopes to make certain that the planets were in a favourable alignment for the enterprise,” the then White House operative wrote.

He claimed that Mrs. Reagan, “insisted on being consulted on the timing of every Presidential appearance and action so that she could consult her friend in San Francisco about the astrological factor.”

Suggestions that certain days were ‘bad’ for the president led to the cancellation of speeches and press conferences and, on occasion, the curtailment of all travel for days at a time.

Regan confesses he never discussed the issue with the president, so he was uncertain whether Mr. Reagan knew the extent to which his administration had been controlled by the alignment of the stars.

Mrs Reagan undoubtedly felt she needed all the help she could get to ensure her husband’s safety, and her background had led her to feel that astrology was a valid response to the vagaries of life.

In her own memoir, ‘My Turn’, Mrs Reagan admitted that, after the attempt on the president’s life in March 1981, she had regularly consulted astrologer Joan Quigley about her husband’s schedule, but she maintained that “Joan’s recommendations had nothing to do with policy or politics.”

This issue was a substantial embarrassment for the Reagan administration. So much so that Mrs. Reagan devoted an entire chapter of her book to explaining her actions. Understandably, she admitted to being afraid for her husband’s life.

Closer home, we all see presidents with trade mark fly whisks, rungus and even suits and shirts that are believed to have superstitious meanings. That Africa is a traditional stronghold of superstition is an open secret.

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People with the most incredulous beliefs

Most common folk wisdom holds that a number of subcultures are by nature particularly superstitious. These people are said to practice superstitions that are either unique to, or characteristic of, their group.

A keen observation will reveal that we have many superstitious groups, especially where uncertainty is an integral part of the activity like in sports, exams and businesses.

Tales have, for instance, been reported of local sportsmen who smoke weed to remain energised, or tie lucky charms or talismans on their wrists to bring them good luck.

Others, especially footballers during substitutions, always jog on the pitch with one leg for a few seconds. Some tough the pitch before coming on!

The anxiety that examinations bring has seen some students engage in superstitious activities like crossing their fingers to stop themselves from stumbling on tough exam questions.

So if you thought that the highly educated should be more sceptical than their less learned kin, think again. Mostly, student use of magical objects and the practice of special rituals.

 “A common superstitions among students involves clothing during exams. I had a roommate who always wore an old scarf that he claimed ‘carried parts of my brain in it’ during exams,” say Philip Kwama, adding that his roommate strongly believed the scarf improved his performance.

We were also told of cases where some students insist on use of special pens, which they specifically keep and use for exams because they bring good luck.

“Some students use common talismans on their wrists. But when it comes to superstitious, ritualistic, or magical acts aimed at bringing good luck, the overwhelming favorite is prayer. Even some non-religious students pray prior to exams,” says Kwama.

Richard Oduor, a teacher, says he has seen students engage in all kinds of superstitious activities, especially before exams. “I have seen some students knock on the exam room door three times before entering. Others step over the threshold of the exam room with their right foot, or circling the exam building,” he says.

In other instances, some students listen to “lucky songs”. A colleague to this writer told us he used to listen to Martin Luther King’s ‘I have a dream’ speech before every exam.

Like any other game of chances, local sports betting fanatics, too, have superstitious rituals they engage in before placing bets.

“Just like in any game where the outcome is random and the player has no control, rituals must be performed like ‘talking’ to the gods, the bet itself or snapping a finger while at it, especially in the case of a dice?” says Martin, a self-confessed betting connoisseur.