© 2020 Dr Margaret Sheppard

Service at Sunrise Service

Just about sunrise the bride and some women and girls were put in a line in the centre. The groom with  the men and boys were placed in another line. The Moruti of the Lobatse main branch then announced the purpose of this service and then those in the centre were each washed and prayed on with the Holy duster and stick.

These two groups next joined together into one inner circle and one of the Baruti took a piece of Holy Paper and burnt it in the centre of this circle, holding it up as it burnt for all to witness. The bride and groom, now dressed in "ordinary" smart clothes, were taken into one of the houses. All the women were dismissed from the circle and the men and boys continued singing and dancing on their own.

In the meantime, the ladies, were served with light refreshments of tea and fatcakes!

Men and boys continue to sing and dance after the women have been dismissed for refreshments.

MaScotch - dressed in their Scottish kilts and military style uniforms they dance and sing to hunt for boloi (sorcery)

From time to time one of the men performs a “speciality” - in this case a somersault - in the centre.

Sunrise Service - the singing and dancing of the congregation “calls” the Holy Spirit to give the prophets power to “see” location of buried boloi (sorcery) items.

The bridal families are placed in the centre of the circle - men and boys standing together and women and girls. They are then purified, protected and prayed upon by the Baruti (Church Leaders)

The groom (tall man with black jacket) stand with men and boys. The bride  with the women and girls is wearing a brown hat.

Sprinkling their backs with Holy Water

Sprinkling their feet.