Commercialise tradition Part 3

Between commercialising tradition on one hand and protecting it against its commrcialisation is the question? the thobega story continues....when the healed cow finally died several years later, members of the family including my collegue were called to witness a cross that was drawn appearing on the sealed bone of the dead cow.

Years and years later, my collegue filled for a sick leave to seek help from the thobega expert.She is an old lady whose patients include some of the top football players of the country.She lives in the countryside with only a small subsistence farm to her family.And she is content.The accident lady was called to come late in the evening to receive this therapy.A hut was used as a healing home.She says, she was requested to undress and pointed to every aching part of her body.As she identified them one by one, symbols of a cross where drawn.This was carefully done.This was followed by a black ointment which were also carefully applied.The same night, the lady was to go to her home where she was told, she would receive the most unbearable pains but she should know that would be part of her  bones coming together, sealing.My collegue had also chose this day for it coincided with Bakgatla initiation ceremony, an ethnic group she belongs to and a tradition she subscribes for she is one of the women regiment in the village.As she says, during the night she experimented the most unbearable pain which lasted some hours.Waking up the following day, the pain that had lasted several months was no more.For the first, she slept in absolute peace.The charge was 35USD.infact the expert told her she is not to sell her expertise.