Springbok: Ray of the Sun

There is an animal in South Africa, a beautiful little antelope of white and gold: this antelope is known as the springbok. It is an animal that our people call Insepe in the Zulu language, and in the Tswana language this animal is called Tsepe. And both these words mean one and the same thing – ‘the ray of the sun.’ The springbok was one of the holiest antelopes in South Africa. It was believed to be specially favoured by the sun god. And the ridge of white hair on the rump of a springbok was believed to possess magical qualities, which attracted sunlight and spiritual enlightenment. When a hunter killed a springbok, he had to observe an important ritual – he had to tie a knot in the tail hairs of this sacred beast, and to ask to be reborn as a springbok. 

One of the most beautiful dreams that an African can have, who still holds to his ancient religion, is to dream of springboks, leaping and prancing, especially a group of several springboks. It is believed that if you dream of springboks you are going to acquire great wealth, and the horns of this sacred antelope – when found dead in the bush – are used as containers for a secret powder, mixed in order to promote good luck in money, love, as well as health affairs. During the Second World War, Batswana soldiers who had joined to go and fight up north, used to try and hide little containers of good luck medicine made out of springbok horn on their bodies. But all these things were confiscated by angry sergeant majors before the soldiers were shipped away. This did a lot of harm to these black soldiers, because in the heat of battle, whether with spears, bows and arrows, or modern machine guns, man needs a source of courage; man needs something to hold on to in the hour of the darkest peril.

At one time springboks were so plentiful in South Africa that Batswanas used to make dresses and other items of clothing out of them. Batswanas used to make trousers out of springbok skin, which kept the cold away when they were herding cattle out in the wilderness. It is said that when the last springbok dies in South Africa, it will be a day of dark misfortune for all the people of this land. This is why Batswana kings were guardians of the many millions of springboks that migrated through the land. 

You were not allowed to kill these beautiful animals for fun. It was believed that they fertilise the land with their dung, that they brought light upon the land, and that their presence was pleasing to the gods. May the Tsepe, the Insepe, ‘the antelope of the sun’ yet survive in South Africa.

Source: Credo Mutwa