Departing fishermen blame ancestral spirits for poor catches
The fish at Lake Ngami are not biting. The nets are empty, as are the fishermen’s bellies.
Hungry and frustrated, the fishermen are convinced supernatural forces are behind their recent bad luck.
They are adamant upset ancestors have cursed the lake due to ‘too much noise’ surrounding fishing licences during the current wet season.
Early last month, the fishermen were given up to Wednesday 21st April to have vacated the lakeshore camps or risk being arrested for illegal fishing and squatting.
By deadline day, only a few fishermen were left on the shore and preparing to leave.
But before they did, they shared eerie tales from the many nights they spent in their makeshift camps with Okavango Voice.
“More water is coming in and, naturally, we should be getting more fish but the fish have gone into hiding,” explains Atang Kwenga Dada, who believes it is a sure sign the ancestors that live in the water source are not happy.
“They do not like it when we are chased out of this place and denied to catch fish which God has given to us to feed on. They hate it when people come here to take pictures!” he adds, his words coinciding with the exact moment this unfortunate reporter unveiled her camera.
Dada and his colleagues say mysterious things are taking place at the lake, especially at night.
“Sometimes you hear people singing and the ground shaking as though they are dancing. You cannot even tell whether the singing and dancing is coming from under the water or underground, but we are used to it.”
According to 37-year-old King Monnawakhuti, the strange happenings are not confined to the cover of darkness.
“Sometimes, on a sunny day, you cannot see the sun because a mysterious cloud would cover it and a cold breeze would appear from nowhere. Sometimes a big mist covers the lake and we cannot go in, yet we know a mist usually happens in winter.”
New species of fish have also been caught in the lake for the first time, much to the fishermen’s bewilderment.
Casting his mind back to happier times, Monnawakhuti notes in 2016, when the ancestors were happy, they caused fish to float all over the water surface.
“We just had to collect and fill up our canoes without even having to sink our nets into the water. When the water spirits are calm, there are plenty of fish,” he says with a rueful smile.
Meanwhile, Tuelo Bapedi, who manages Lake Ngami Conservation Trust, confirmed hearing of the mystery theories and promised to investigate.
“Those are young people and they know nothing about ancestors. But it is true that when we visited them recently it was evident they caught very little fish, which was strange because that lake produces a lot of fish. So we may have to investigate that as well.”
Over 200 fishermen had camped at Lake Ngami in recent weeks, some travelling more than 300km in a bid to make a living through catching and selling fish, albeit without licences.
The lake is yet to receive a fishing quota from government, thus the Trust is unable to issue any licences, leaving the fishermen in the lurch.
However, Bapedi indicated the quota is expected ‘very soon’.
In the meantime, the fishermen formed a committee before departing the lake, registering their names in the hope they will be given first priority once the licences are issued.
“We had talks with the Trust and we have agreed that we will compile our list in preparation for the licencing exercise,” explained the Committee Chairperson, Ketlhophamang Motlaleselelo, who insists those who camped ‘for a long time’ were around 50 in number.
For now, though, after months of noise and activity, all is quiet at Lake Ngami. It is unlikely to please the ancestors!
