ABSTRACT
Syncretism is always highly pronounced in the magical rites that are performed by the famous South African healers, and it is noteworthy that the magical rites generally occur as part of a divination ritual. The healers have medicines to protect a person from being shot, and medicines to evade the police. They can offer a client medicine to win a court case as well as to make him or her popular. The spirit continues to guide the isangoma's work, either through dreams or empathy, and shows what medicines to use. An inyanga is a traditional medicine man who has special knowledge of particular ailments. The isangoma was a member of an African independent church, and under the meat was a Christian altar containing traditional medicine as well as candles, crosses, and other types of Christian symbolism. Zulu crisis rites are generally dramatic events that force the patients to play a very active part, as it was the case for Theleki.
