KINGSHIP AND RELIGION

By

Prof. Mathole Motshekga

Executive Director: Kara Heritage Institute

Self knowledge shall set you free

Paper delivered at the Kara Roundtable, Richards Bay, KwaZulu Natal

Date: 18 – 19 April 2008

Place: Richards Bay

Kara Heritage Institute

No. 70 Ga-Motlhe Building
Cnr Potgieter & Church Streets
Pretoria
0001

Tel: (012) 328 5028

Fax: (012) 328 5037
E-mail: admin@kara.co.za
Website: www.kara.co.za

P.O. Box 2442

Pretoria
0001
 Table of Contents

1. INTRODUCTION

2. ORIGINS AND NATURE OF THE GODS

3. THE STRUCTURE OF DIVINE KINGSHIP

4. CULTURAL FESTIVALS

5. THE MORAL REGENRATION MOVEMENT

6. INSITUTION OF TRADITIONAL LEADERSHIP

7. CONCLUSION

2
 1. INTRODUCTION

Africans distinguished secular and divine Kingship. Secular Kingship was bestowed on
individuals who distinguished themselves in war or exceptional leadership skills. But
divine Kingship derived from the lineage of the gods (Neteru) of the First Time (Zep
Tepi). In order to understand the nature of divine Kingship one needs to understand the
origins and nature of the gods themselves.

2. ORIGINS OF THE GODS

The gods originated from the Decade that came out of Nothingness. This Decade
consists of the First Cause and its nine aspects which emanated from it. The Decade
manifested itself as a Python biting its tail, ten concentric circles, or the Rock of the
Divine Mother (Dombo rha Mwari). This Divine mother is also called Hathara, that is,
the house (Hat) of the Divine Light (Hara) which is also known as Domba or Demba, the
Python god. The Divine Light or Python (Charaoh) god is conceived as the spiritual
father.

The Divine Light (Hara/Kara) or Python (Domba/Demba) separated from the great
mother (Hathara/mara) and manifested itself as the spiritual father (Arhana or Arkana)
also known as Nedomba or NeDemba. This spiritual father is symbolized by the three
stars of the Orion (Urhan) belt. These stars represent the spiritual father as a trinity called
Usarmaatra, Nubamaatra and Menamaatra. These triune principles are made of;

• Usara + maat + Ra = Usarmaatra

• Nuba + maat + Ra = Nubmaatra

• Mena + maat + Ra = Menmaatra

• Mind + thought + Word = Higher Self

• Spirit + Soul + reason = Higher Self

This means that the spiritual father, mother and child are One and made of the same
substance. The spiritual mother (Maat) and child (Ra) separated from the spiritual father
and manifested themselves as the Sirius (Saba) star A and Sirius (Hara/Kara) star B.
Thus Sirius A and B stars represent the Divine mother (Black Madonna) and child. The
stars of the Orion, Sirius A and B represent the spiritual father, mother and child. Thus
Africans appear to worship stars rather than the spiritual trinity called the One or good.
Hence, the African religion came to be known as Sabaism. The triune spiritual father
appears as the tau (+) cross at the centre of the universe holding together the four quarter
(X) of the universe. This X monogram is superimposed on the tau (+) monogram to form
a solar wheel or eight-rayed wheel of Light [ ]. This is the nerve centre of the
universe which generates all life forms.

3
The eight-rays of the solar wheel are symbolized by the solar wheel or the Bull of heaven
and seven cows of Heaven. The Bull of Heaven represents the central sun Hara or Kara
or star (Saba) called God while the seven cows represent the seven smaller stars called
the Pleiades or circumpolar (Khelemela/Menrah) stars. These stars manifested
themselves as two triangles resting on each other’s top or two interpenetrating
triangles ( . ) sharing a centre.

The two triangles represented the female and male principles which emanated from the
central sun (Kara/Hara) that we call God. The interaction of the female ( ) and male
( ) reproduced the twelve gods who govern the twelve divisions of heaven called the
Zodiac (Bemben Stone). The Zodiac is linked to the earth by seven outer planets (Kabiri)
which corresponds to the seven energy centres of the human personality.

The central Sun (Kara/Hara) called the Bull of Heaven is the King (Fura/Faro) of Heaven
that is linked to the earth by the fourteen rungs of the ladder of heaven made out by the
seven Pleiades or Circumpolar (Khelemela/Menrah) stars and seven outer stars (the
“Kabiri”).

The heavenly King (Fura/Faro) has four children corresponding to the four quarters
(Kheru) of the universe. These children are:

• Mundu/Faham (Woman)
• Mwanamutapa (lion)
• Mutapa (Eagle)
• Faro/Amun (Bull/Ox)

These children correspond to the four elements:

• Mundu/Faham (water)
• Mwanamutapa (fire)
• Mutapa (air)
• Faro/Amun (earth)

The earthly King (Faro/Pharaoh) is conceived as the physical manifestation of the

heavenly King. That is why divine kings bore the titles: Omphta (Mutapa), Momphta
(Mwanamutapa), Meneptah, Amunthph, Amenhotep etc.

3. THE STRUCTURE OF DIVINE KINGSHIP

The earthly order in both church and state reflected the heavenly order. The earthly like
the heavenly order, consists of:

• The Emperor (Faro/Fura)

• The Four counsellors of the Emperor (Kheru)

4
 • The seven sages who carry out the will of the emperor and his four counsellors.

• The twelve elders (Bakare/Bakhale) who govern the twelve hours of the day and
twelve hours of the night.

• The twelve elders who govern human affairs through the seven outer planets (the
“kabiri”).

This governance structure applied in heaven and in both church and state.

The Shamsu Hara (Greek Shemsu Hor i.e. Followers of Horus) and the society of sages
(Bonabakhulubasekhemu) were both structured according to the structure of the heavenly
Divine Kingship. At the earthly plane this structure represented:

• The king/emperor

• The royal counsellors

• The seven executive members

• The general council elected by the popular assembly.

The King and four counsellors occupied their positions by virtue of their blue blood (i.e.
royal birth). The seven executive members were appointed by the King in consultation
with the royal counsellors.
The king/emperor is the earthly representative of God on earth who carries out the will of
both God and the people. In the modern democratic state the royal institutions assumed
the spiritual and cultural functions while political parties assumed social and political
functions. In other words social and political powers share power and compliment each
other in the best interest of the people. There is no conflict between traditional and
political authorities.

4. CULTURAL FESTIVALS

The traditional authorities, like faith communities, are custodians of spiritual and cultural
values. These values are inculcated through spiritual and cultural festivals which
correspond with the four quarters of the earth and the three seasons of the year. These
festivals are:

• The new year and rainmaking festivals (September/October)

• The First Fruits Festival (December)

• The Harvest Festival (March/April)

• The Initiation Ceremonies (May/August)

5
The Solstice and equinoxes play critical roles in the determination of the timing of these
festivals. These spiritual and cultural festivals not only link the individual and
communities with the hierarchy of heaven but also inculcate human values. In other
words, African spiritual and cultural festivals, like those of other faith communities, have
a critical role to play in the Moral Regeneration Movement.

5. THE MORAL REGENERATION MOVEMENT

Both traditional authorities and faith communities should be mobilized to swell the ranks
of the Moral Regeneration Movement (MRM) that was launched by the then Deputy
President, Jacob Zuma, in 2002. The South African government seeks a caring society.
The Moral Regeneration Movement (MRM) and the Religious Leaders Forums (RLF’s)
affiliated to it can play a major role in the creation of a caring society. The Kara
Roundtables which will be held throughout the country seeks to mobilize the youth,
women, traditional authorities and faith communities, and in particular professionals and
business to swell the ranks of the Moral Regeneration Movement and contribute to the
National efforts to build a caring society. The Kara Roundtables also seeks to motivate
local communities to join the war against poverty, preventable diseases, illiteracy and
underdevelopment. The Kara Heritage Institute offers skills development and learnership
programmes aimed at empowering communities, especially the youth, women and
persons living with disability to become voluntary community development workers. A
caring society must be anchored not only on values but also on skills which will enable
communities to feed, heal and dress themselves. The Roundtables seek to help
communities to become self-reliant and self-sufficient.

6. THE INSTITTUTION OF TRADITIONAL LEADERSHIP

The organisations of traditional leaders, healers, and devotees of African Religion,

cultural institutions and associations should create forums to engage with issues of
cultural and human values and co-ordinate their participation in and input into the Moral
Regeneration Movement.

7. CONCLUSION

The participation of faith communities and institutions of traditional leadership in the

Moral Regeneration Movement (MRM) will make the MRM the strongest means for the
revitalisation of UBUNTU/BOTHO Value System and building of a Caring Society.
Thus African Culture and Religion is still relevant to Nation Building.