Rock: Message from God?
September 22nd, 2008 | Published in Culture & History
Written by Linky Matsie
Children were playing on the Jankrap Bridge near Boelang and Nkotobona High School. Some were busy making animals out of clay next to two big stones in the river. People believed that it was a hoof of a cow. People believed that they could see the footprints of cows on the two stones; one was the normal size and the other was huge.
People were surprised to see the footprint of a cow on a natural stone. They were asking different questions about the imprints. What kind of animal could leave a hoof footprint on a stone? No one had the answer to all the questions that people were asking.
As people passed by with their cows, Mokgalabje Dilebo explained that he’d seen the prints in question a long time ago, and he had thought they were cow footprints although he was not sure. “I told my family about what I saw, and they said people will say I am a witch if I tell them,” he explained. He added that a long time ago people were burned to death if they were suspected of being witches, so he was afraid. Dilebo said that many people have not seen the footprint yet, but when they do see it he believes that people will think it is a special place where God passed by. “God wants to show people that he is alive and how big he is. As we all know that on a natural stone, imprints cannot be shown. But with this one, it shows,” he said.
Surprise Melamine is one of the children who saw the print and had many questions. “I was not sure if it was a cow’s footprint. I was arguing with my friends until the old man came while we were still trying to figure what that is. The granny confirmed that that is a cow’s footprint,” explained Melamine.
Kokwana Malope walks the same route everyday in the morning and evening with her cows, and she believes it is a sign from God. “I have been using this way since I was young, but I have never seen this,” said Malope, referring to the prints. She continued that she heard stories that in the olden days, stones were soft like sponges. According to Malope, “God wanted to show people that he could do great things.”
Many things in our culture remain mysteries that no one knows for sure what is what.
