Afro-soul star Vusi Nova rejects calls to be a sangoma after ‘spiritual initiation’

JOHANNESBURG – At a time when most South African artists are answering their so-called spiritual callings and turning into traditional healers/sangomas, Afro-soul star Vusi Nova has said no to the calling.

Reports have been circulating on social media, claiming Vusi who now calls himself Snova, was on a path to becoming a sangoma after he was seen in a video wearing traditional attire.

The 39-year-old star said people misunderstood what they saw in the video and he wasn’t going through any spiritual initiation.

“People tend to think, or rather people are thinking I’m going through initiation. No, I’ve always said even the amadlozi have always been with me,” said Vusi.

He added that he always feels the spiritual calling when performing on stage, but he heals people through his music.

“I hear people on stage. That means I am a healer. I heal people in that moment through music,” the singer added.

The video in question was captured during a deeply cultural family ceremony, but the vocalist has clarified that it had nothing to do with ‘ukuthwasa (initiation)’.

“When I went home this past week, we were doing a ceremony whereby we were welcoming Izihlwele. That means every single person who has passed in our family. Because if you don’t invite them inside, they stay outside.

“We were literally inviting them inside the yard. And that requires amanzi, you know, going to the river and the ocean. So we basically collect all the water to bring it inside the yard, and that requires a gobela as the presence of amadlozi,” he added.

Vusi has built his career with some songs, paying respect to the dead and the amadlozi. His songs like As’phelelanga, which pays homage to dead showbiz giants, have become funeral songs at every South African celebrity funeral.