Edited by Azizi Powell
This pancocojams post presents an almost complete reprint of a 1996 journal presentation by Karen H. Brown about the robes worn by the Nazareth Baptist Church In South Africa. This Africa Independent Christian demonination is also known as the
“Shembe Church", from the last name of its founder.
The content of this post is presented for historical, religious, and cultural purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owner.
Thanks to the founder and members of the Nazareth Baptist Church in South Africa. Thanks also to Karen H. Brown for research and writing on this subject.
-snip-
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2022/01/information-about-african-independent.html for a closely related pancocojams post entitled "Information About African Independent Churches In Southern Africa & Information And Videos Of Nazareth Baptist Church Denomination Of South Africa."
****
SHOWCASE PAPER
[This is almost a complete reprint of this presentation paper at the 1996 Textile Society of America Symposium except for a small portion of the text and except for Karen H. Brown's notes and list of works cited. A few of the notes that are included in this article are given below this presentation.]
From https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1879&context=tsaconf
Textile Society of America Symposium
Proceedings Textile Society of America
1996
White Robes For Worship: The Umnazaretha of the Nazareth Baptist Church In South Africa
Karen H. Brown
Indiana University
[page 229]
"South-eastern Africa was a major locus of Christian
missionary activity during the 19th and early 20th century and some dozen or more
denominations took to the mission field among the Zulus. 1 A Zulu man, Isaiah Shembe (c.
1879-1935) was one of many attracted to the Christian faith. His independent and
questioning nature, however, did not allow him to fit into the structure of the white-led
missions. Shembe founded his own church, the Nazareth Baptist Church (lbandla lamaNazaretha),
around 1910. Its beliefs and practices are based on a unique synthesis of Christian,
largely Old Testament, dogma and Zulu traditional beliefs. In addition to its specific
theology, the Church is well known for the charismatic family, the Shembes, who have led
it for some 85 years and the characteristic uniforms for worship and dance worn by
its followers. This paper is concerned with the white cotton textiles which have been
shaped into gowns known as umnazaretha, after their followers, the amaNazaretha or
Nazarites.2
From Isaiah Shembe's humble beginnings as an itinerant
preacher and healer, the Church now has some 300,000 members who live throughout
south-eastern Africa. 3 Church headquarters are in the black to\vTIship of Inanda,
near the port city of Durban, however, many Nazarites worship at regional branches through
out south-eastern Africa.
They are served by a network of ministers and other Church
officials who work with Isaiah Shembe's descendants to maintain traditions. The
majority of the members are Zulu-speakers and the predominant language used in services
is Zulu. Despite the Church's seeming emphasis on Zulu identity, as seen in their
dance uniforms, people from other ethnic groups (such as Swazi and Shangaan, both
culturally and historically linked to the Zulus) do attend services and often wear their own
"traditional dress".
The Church is best known to outsiders for its annual dance
festivals which attract thousands of members and visitors. Dance groups are
determined by gender, age and marital status and their uniforms are either based on
traditional Zulu dress or on Highlands military apparel. Church members consider dance to
be a form of prayer, and participation in a dance regiment is an important aspect of
the religious experience (Mthethwa 1989). The majority of members, however, are
merely spectators at the major festivals. It is possible that the focus on these dance
uniforms in both the popular and scholarly literature tells us more about the interests and
concerns of outsiders rather than the attitudes of Church members towards the emblems of their
faith. The pervasiveness of the white gowns worn for worship. services, funerals and
other important gatherings indicate that these gowns are far more significant than the
more spectacular dance apparel.
This paper will look at three aspects of these robes. First
I will discuss their origins in the vestments of the white-led mission churches.
Then I will tum to the ways in which a gown is acquired. Finally I will examine the
spiritual significance of the robe
[page 230]
and its place in the theology of the Church.
The origins of the umnazaretha
There is no evidence that Zulu-speakers in the pre-colonial
era ever spun or wove cotton. Nor was woven cloth available to many before
European traders arrived in the 1820s (Davison and Harries 1980). Popular dress in the early
19th century consisted of articles made from animal skins and plant fibers. 4 Thus the
use of woven cloth and tailored clothing was part of the colonial and missionary
penetration into the region (Etherington 1978). White communities required all African
residents, Christian and traditionalist alike, to wear European clothing from the
1870s. An important step in converting to Christianity involved the casting-off of
"heathen garments". African Christians who belonged to syncretic African churches like
the Nazareth Baptist Church usually were initially converted through the mission
churches and also retained their western apparel. 5
Because Isaiah Shembe led an independent group of African
Christians he came under the close scrutiny of various branches of the South
African government. Many of the earliest reports of these encounters include a mention,
sometimes a detailed description, of both his clothing and that of his followers.
These long, white robes as described by police constables and native affairs officials
set them apart from those African Christians who adhered to the missions and who would
not have often worn vestments off the mission station. 6 Nazarites were (and
still are) usually compared to (and conflated with) the Zionists who also wear white
gowns somewhat different in style (see Kiernan 1991 and Sundkler 1961,1976).
The earliest photographs I have seen of the umnazaretha were
published in the 1930s (Dube 1936, Roberts 1936). They were taken during the
last ten years of Isaiah Shembe's life and were clearly taken with his cooperation.
In appearance, the gowns closely resemble those those worn today.7 Shembe claimed
that the inspiration for his own clothing and that of his followers was received in a
series ofvisions. 8 His biographer, in 1936, described him as wearing clothing which
"resembled that of the ancient priests of the Jews" (Dube 1936, 92). Shembe's
robes, in their design, closely resemble both the ecclesiastical garb worn by missionaries
as well as those worn by biblical figures in the illustrations found in Zulu language
bibles, prayer books and bible stories that were published during the first third of the
20th century.9 In turn, these prints were probably taken from a stock of Victorian-era bible
illustrations popular in Europe and the United States at the end of the 19th century. The
source of inspiration for these bible illustrations probably comes from two intertwined
sources: liturgical dress and earlier religious painting.
Shembe, although illiterate until he was in his forties, was
apparently able to repeat large sections of the Zulu-language bible from memory
and had a vast knowledge of the Scriptures. 10 Most missionary societies throughout
southern Africa by the tum of the century had published bibles and bible stories in the
vernacular languages...
[page 231]
[…]
Shembe's earliest known association with African Christians was in the Orange Free State around 1906 with the Methodist Church and later
the African Native Baptist Church (Roberts 1936, 28-30) and it is likely that he was
exposed to biblical literature in Zulu or Sotho at that time. 13 Many of his earliest
followers in Natal had left the mission churches, including the American Board Church, and he is
likely to have seen their publications. 14 Interesting comparisons can be made between
the illustrations found in biblical literature published by missions close to Shembe's
headquarters in Inanda and both the descriptions of Shembe's visions (recounted in Dube
1936 and Roberts 1936) and the photos taken in the 1930s, however, it is beyond the
scope of this paper to examine this aspect of the dress of Shembe and his followers
(see Brown 1995).
Contemporary reports noted that Shembe used a tailor in
Durban to make up his designs and then sold them to his followers. 15 In the early
photographs it is difficult to tell what types of material were used, but it appears to be
heavy cotton sheeting. The umnazaretha worn today are made of light-weight white cotton
sheeting and are fully cut with a yoke like that found on a choir robe. Although the
male and female uniforms are similar, details clearly differentiate gender and social
status. Men wear gowns which reach their knees while those worn by women are slightly
longer and often have horizontal rows of stitching at knee-length. Married women
cover their heads with a headscarf or an isicholo (the basket-like Zulu headdress).
16 They also wear a white shawl made of the same cotton material which is draped over their
shoulders. A black fabric belt denoting their status as married women is tied around
the waist. 17
Group leaders and other individuals with authority wear
extra garments to indicate their status - such as a detachable, black fabric yoke,
known as an isiphika, worn by female group leaders.18 Men who are preachers or evangelists
wear a flowing gown which buttons down the front in either white, blue, green or
turquoise modeled on those worn by Isaiah Shembe. Currently most wear dark green robes
or cloaks.
Acquiring an umnazaretha
[page 232]
The majority of African Ipdependent Churches regard baptism
as an essential event in the life of every believer and this is also true
for the Nazarites (Sundkler 1961, 1976; Oosthuizen 1985). Although children raised in the
Church wear the umnazaretha when attending services, a person is not considered a full
member until she or he reaches 18 years of age and elects to undergo baptism. Baptisms are
usually scheduled for a weekend dedicated to the celebration of Church festivals and
a large group will be baptized together. The Church observes Saturday as the
Sabbath, so baptisms take place on Sunday morning. Those who are to be baptised gather with
the ministers in the morning and they proceed together to the local water source.
Men and women gather in separate groups on the river bank. Each person removes his
or her street clothes and dons an old white gown, usually a cast off umnazaretha, often in
poor shape. The two groups then rejoin in order to pray and sing hymns. After this the
men and women form two lines down to the water. Each individual is given the
opportunity to privately confess their sins to an elder and pray with him. Then he or she
queues in order to enter the water where they undergo full immersion. Those who resurface
spluttering and upset are said to have had demons expelled. Upon returning to land
each person changes into dry clothes and a new umnazaretha. Once the group has
reassembled on the shore, they pray and return singing to the temple grounds. 1
Baptism, judging by the reactions of those who underwent it
when I was in attendence, offers a fundamental spiritual experience for
many followers. Many were clearly affected, some were weeping. All were in a solemn
state preceding and following baptism. As they returned, singing hymns, the solemn mood
slowly lifted and the singing became increasingly spirited. Interestingly, their return
was not particularly acknowledged by the others who were busy preparing for the
afternoon dancing. This experience thus is a personal one rather than one celebrated
by the congregation of the faithful and is experienced internally rather than
externally.
Although the design of the basic white gown has been clearly
codified by years of Church tradition, I could find no evidence that there were
strict controls placed over their manufacture today. This is different from the early reports
where Isaiah Shembe is said to have had them made by a tailor and then sold them to his
followers. Today, each new full member provides his or her own umnazaretha to be donned
upon baptism rather than the elders providing such garb. These tend to cost nearly a
full week's salary for a domestic worker or laborer, a large sum but considerably
less than the dance uniforms.
Most individuals order theirs from Church members who work
as seamstresses.20
"Garments of Heaven"
Isaiah Shembe's son and successor, Johannes Galilee
(1904-1976), called the urnnazaretha "garments of Heaven" in a 1958
sermon. While speaking on the subject of faith, he told his congregation:
You say this is the dress of Heaven. Don't think you will
reach Heaven just because you have worshipped many years .... A white
dress cannot
[page 233]
remove sin. We are evil and not worthy of being clothed in white. They are the garments of heaven. But Jesus lifts off the yoke.
(Sundkler 1976, 185)
Here Johannes Galilee is reminding his followers that the
white cotton gown alone will not absolve them from sin, and that each person must be
vigilent against the many temptations of the world. This message was repeated quite
vehemently in the 1990s to a Rockville, Soweto congregation I often visited. There
Reverend Vilakazi and his fellow ministers called the umnazaretha a "reflection of
heaven" when warming Nazarites of the very evident evils and temptations of the world around them.
21
The choice of the color white for the umnazaretha must be
deliberate given its origins in ecclesiastical garb. Additionally, cotton
sheeting is inexpensive and easily available. But most significantly, the color white has
ritual and symbolic significance in both Christian and traditional African cultures. White, for
most Christians, is usually associated with notions of purity and innocence. For many
Africans, Christian and traditionalist alike, white is an element of a triad of red,
black and white which helps mediate many rituals (Jacobson-Widding 1979, Renne 1991,
Turner 1967, Ngubane 1977). This can be seen in the uniforms, robes and vestments
worn by members of many different independent churches (Kiernan 1991, F ogelqvist
1986, Sundkler 1961, 213) as well as in the garb of members attending mainstream
Christian churches in southern Africa (Moss 1989). Within the Nazareth Baptist Church,
these colors dominate the dance uniforms worn by women and girls. Additionally, much
of the beadwork consists of Latin cross patterns in primary colors, outlined by a row
of black beads. This is placed on a ground of white beads, and the overall effect
emphasizes a balance between the colors. For Zulu traditionalists, white is associated with
goodness, light and the "good things of life, good health and good fortune" (Ngubane
1977, 113). For African Christians, this is extended to an identification with
purity, the angels or Christ and Sundkler writes that "white is an active and effective
colour: it carries with it purity and purification and acts as a guarantee that.. .. magic
defilement has been washed away (1961, 213-4).
The umnazaretha, both a sign of baptism and membership in
the Church, largely relate to notions of purity and strict rules determine the
appropriate wearing of the gown. For example, they may not be worn following sexual
intercourse when a Nazarite is considered ritually unclean. Acts of purification allow a
return to normal behavior. This usually involves ritual bathing at a local water source,
symbolically repeating the act of baptism. Members who break church laws have their gowns
taken away for a period of time. This act, known excommunication, is done publicly and
as is the reinstatement of the right to wear the umnazaretha (Roberts 1936, 79).
As the clergy of the Nazareth Baptist Church reminds us, a
white umnazaretha is more than an outward sign of one's faith: it should reflect
the thoughts and actions of its wearer. This inexpensive cotton sheeting, tailored into a
simple, flowing gown, is transformed and given a sacred nature through the rite of
baptism. It confers upon the
[page 234]
Church faithful both the rights and obligations of
membership, giving them a solid structure of belief and practice in an increasingly
unpredictable, dangerous and chaotic society."
-snip-
Here are some of the notes that were given in that journal article:
16. The built-up headdress, isicholo, typically worn by married female
traditionalists is rarely seen in the early photos 'of Church members when
they are wearing the umnazaretha. Most of these women are wearing large and bulky
head-ties, which might cover an isicholo. Photos taken in 1939 at a secular event,
also show the married women in the umnazaretha and head-ties. In these photos it is
clear that the overwhelming majority of women are not wearing the izicholo. See the
Daily News April 4 and April 8, 1939.
17 . This belt known as iforteen or isibamba, is modeled on
one originally worn by Isaiah Shembe but was transferred to the woman's uniform
because so many of his early followers were female. The name iforteen refers to the day
of the month when the women hold their meetings. Isibamba is a more generic term
for a belt worn by Zulu women, although it is usually was made of fiber (or less
commonly of beads) when worn by traditionalists. These belts cen be seen in the
photographs from the 1930s. Even if Isaiah Shembe did once wear a black belt and added this to
the women's uniform, it only replaced an item which was once associated with the state of
marriage by traditionalists.
18 . According to Doke et aI., this is a cape for covering
the shoulders (1990, 661 ).
These women are known as the umkhokheli, a term which can
mean "one who pays another's debts" and also means the leader in a woman's
church society (Doke et al. 1990, 398). These women are also responsible for collecting church
dues from other women (personal communication, Inah Shoba, Nov. 21, 1992)"
****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
