Owning a car in Africa is more of dream come true and a sign of achieving a high status as a car is considered to be a preserve for the economically upright group of people. And as thus, some people perform certain rituals when they buy cars. Here are some:
Animal Sacrifice
Sacrifice has been a common ritual since the Jesus’ time. To date, people are seen sacrificing animals for newly acquired assets like cars, buildings, newborns among other things.
As Fred Wafula, a taxi driver whose boss slaughter’s a hen for every new taxi notes, this is done to appease ‘gods’ to offer protection to the newly acquired asset. The driver, who plies the Kisaasi-Ntinda-Kyanja route, told Matooke Republic that after slaughtering the chicken, his boss he only named as Lule, uses some green leaves to sprinkle its blood all over the car before feasting on the chicken.
“I personally do not believe in any rituals. But I do not even own a car. My boss though takes all the newly acquired taxis to his home village in Masaka and performs those rituals. He brings the car back with blood sprinkled over it.”
Wafula who hails from the Elgon slopes in Sironko district says the rituals are witchcraft and do nothing to keep the car on the road.
The village elders’ blessing
Elders are held in high regard across the globe. Their ‘blessings’ are sought for marriages, investments, long journeys, and apparently, after acquiring new cars. The elders ‘bless’ the car by sprinkling concoctions of ‘holy’ water comprising and local herbs coupled with wishful laments.
Peter Magumba, 39, a resident of Seeta in Mukono Municipality, admitted to have taken his took his Toyota Premio to his mother – deep in Kyampisi for her to sit in it first before he could start using it for his eggs business.
“I cannot start using my new car for business or any private work before taking it to mother. Even this Premio am driving now; I took it there so I could drive her first. Never underestimate an elder’s word. It can bless or curse,” he said.
Hanging rosaries
Rosaries are widely believed to be a blessed prayer tool for Catholics. On the road, five out of 10 cars will have a rosary hanging in the rearview mirror.
Ever wonder why they are there? The car owner buys a ‘blessed’ rosary and hangs it on the rearview mirror of their newly purchased car as a sort of good luck charm so that God can lead their way and protect them against any accidents as they are on the road.
When Juma Makumbi was tasked about the Misbaha (Islamic rosary) that swung in his mirror, he had this to say:
“I highly respect that Misbaha because it’s my prayer tool, due to my work structure, even when I fail to make it to the mosque for the daily prayers, I can still communicate to Allah through this Misbaha. So it always has to be near me. It also makes me feel safer on the road and closer to Allah,” he said.
Baptism of Alcohol You have seen those flashy cars being soaked in beer as in Baptism. That’s a practice most common among beer lovers.
Beer drinkers believe pouring beer on a newly purchased car is a sign of ancestors blessing it before it hits the road.
Not relevant However when Matooke Republic visited Pine car bond on Lumumba Avenue, several car brokers and sellers considered most of these rituals out fashioned and believed to be acts of the spiritually bankrupt. “Those rituals rare among our customers.
Here, people come, buy cars and drive off them immediately minus performing any rituals,” said John Simbwa, a car broker.