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Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu , Chronicle Reporter
THERE are myths associated with pigeons and Mr Christopher Ndlovu who has been breeding them for over 45 years, has found a way to cash in on folklore.

Some people believe pigeon droppings and the water they drink can be used to make love portions and to cure diseases. Pigeons generally mate and remain together for life. They remain true to each other as long as they live or are allowed to remain together, which is probably why some people believe a potion made from their body parts or stuff they use every day will make their lovers loyal forever.

Mr Ndlovu (67), popularly known as Chakaoma, from Phakama suburb in Gwanda said he no longer knows how many pigeons he has but he suspects they are about 1 000. He said customers frequent his house to either buy the birds, their eggs, their droppings, nests or water they drink and bath in.

Mr Ndlovu said he sells a bird for R100, an egg R50, droppings R50 and a 500ml bottle of water for R50.

He said his customers are mainly members of Apostolic sect and women.

“I breed pigeons and I have a number of people who frequent my house to either buy the birds or certain products that come from the birds. My customers are mainly women and members of the Apostolic sect, especially prophets. Women usually use the heart of the pigeons to make a love potion which they use on their husbands or lovers. They believe that if they give their husbands or lovers a potion from a pigeon then their union will last long till death separates them.

“Prophets especially from the Apostolic sect use the birds and products from the birds to cleanse people. Some say that the products of the pigeons also cure an epileptic patient. I sell birds for R100 each, an egg R50, droppings R50 and a 500ml bottle of water for R50. I used to sell a bird for R50 after realising that some people were abusing them and then I doubled the price to discourage people from buying them unless they genuinely need them but people are still buying regardless of the price increase,” he said.

Mr Ndlovu said some prophets use the birds to cleanse people and thereafter, set them lose. He said the birds return to his home and this sustains his school. Mr Ndlovu said he started breeding pigeons in 1967 after having an interest in taking care and protecting them.

He said he later stopped after he relocated to Esigodini and the birds dispersed. Mr Ndlovu said he resumed the project four years ago with four pigeons and his school has grown to about 1 000 birds. He said he had over the years learnt a lot about pigeons and their behaviour. Ndlovu described the pigeons as peculiar birds that have unique behaviour.

“Pigeons are communicators and they can send different messages through their behaviour. If there is a funeral within the family, before I hear the news the pigeons sit on the rooftop on one leg and bow their heads. When I see them behaving this way in the morning, I instantly know that I will receive bad news.

“Pigeons are peace loving birds. When there is commotion or disputes in the house they fly away, they don’t stay in a tense environment.

They don’t stay in an environment where witchcraft is practiced,” he said.

Mr Ndlovu said he has so many birds that feeding them had become too costly. He said he feeds them small grains. Mr Ndlovu said some of the birds were now laying their eggs in the house because of their numbers. He said neighbours were constantly complaining as the birds were frequently invading their homes. Mr Ndlovu said he also breeds chickens.

His sister, Ms Margaret Ndlovu, who stays with him said her brother had always had love for the birds. Ms Ndlovu said she watched her brother begin with four birds up until now when they were about 1 000.

She said she had learnt a lot about the birds.

“The number of pigeons continue to grow because some of them go and get married and they bring their spouses with them which increases their numbers. Some of them are hatched and they start as chicks and grow up and they also lay eggs or marry. Those that are married can be identified by always moving in twos.

“Once they are married these birds are separated by death and then the surviving spouse goes on to remarry. We now have birds with various colours because some of them come from different places to live here. The pigeons have taught us to live in peace because once we quarrel, they go away,” she said.

A pastor from the Zion Apostolic Church in Central Africa Michael Ndlovu said pigeons were a very special type of bird with special attributes. He said they use the birds to strengthen marriages and to cure epileptic patients. Pastor Ndlovu said the birds were also used to cure cervical cancer.

“At church we use the birds to strengthen marriages. When we are uniting a couple, we take two hearts from the pigeons, dry them and then pound them. We give the couple to eat.

The pigeon birds stay together for long as couples and if people eat those hearts this will enable them to stay longer in their marriage. That spirit of lasting love that is with pigeons is passed onto them. “The droppings can be used to cure an epileptic patient. They can also be used to cure cervical cancer. The droppings can be mixed with elephant dung or fat from a lamb. The pigeon eggs can also be used to treat an epileptic patient,” he said.

A tradition healer from Gwanda Ms Dorothy Ngwenya said from a traditional perspective the birds were sacred. She said the pigeons were like angels and they deliver messages. Ms Ngwenya said the presence of the pigeons was a sign that a house was blessed She said some people try to breed pigeons but fail as they fly away before they can multiply, probably because there would be no peace at the home.
Ngwenya said the birds’ hearts, droppings and water that they drink was powerful medicine. — @DubeMatutu