“It has been nothing but an amazing journey, from having to navigate the complex maze of people claiming to be the royal family, to having to ensure that the broadcaster is happy with our choices. Because it was a labour of love and passion, the project went relatively well.”
Creative producer Gersh Kgamedi concurred, saying working on this project was exciting not only because he is Molobedu but also because it was a chance for him to showcase his culture on national TV.
For Kgamedi, who was tasked with the creative look and feel of the series, it was a delicate but exciting balancing act between pushing the creative envelop regarding the aesthetics so that the show would appeal to a broad audience, while also developing unique ideas to distinguish the series, against the backdrop of staying true to Balobedu culture.
More than giving viewers a glimpse into the Balobedu culture and the importance of telling African stories creatively and authentically, it’s also about shaping the future.
Kgamedi and Ndlovu said at the core of the Queen Modjadji series was women empowerment. “The whole story, it’s about women empowerment, and also reflecting women leadership. So that’s why it’s very important for now to tell the story, and also for South Africans to know about the history [as] we are bombarded with one stream of culture, which is predominantly Nguni. So to show other cultures as well, helps South Africans to know each other from a social cohesion point of view,” Kgamedi said.
He said the production team sought permission from the regent to tell the story of the queen of Balobedu. Though he preferred not to delve into the political aspects, he said the authorities were enthusiastic about the project.
They were welcomed warmly and given a tour of significant locations, including the Queen’s hut, the kitchens, and the capital. This visit was invaluable, providing insights into the layout and access to certain not sacred ritual spaces.
Will Queen Modjadji explore the secret rituals?
Kgamedi said the series had to carefully balance what could and could not be shown. The essence of a secret is that once it is known, it is no longer a secret. Thus, the team had to respect cultural boundaries and avoid depicting certain sacred rites of passage on TV. They adhered to guidelines on which areas were off-limits but told the story as fully as possible within those constraints.
Viewers can expect to see nudity, which research shows would have been commonplace 200 years ago when the story of Queen Modjadji takes place. But the series will not delve into any of the initiation ceremonies or the practice of exactly how the queen makes rain. These are secrets that weren’t shared with the production team, which Kgamedi said would have been tantamount to “sharing the family recipe” of making rain.
According to legend, Queen Modjadji cannot attend public events.Instead, she communicates through trusted male counsellors who convey her will and wisdom.
Forbidden from marrying, she is said to bear children with male relatives, maintaining the purity of her lineage. Tradition dictates that she meticulously selects her eldest daughter to inherit her sacred mantle, ensuring the continuation of her legacy of rain-making and spiritual leadership.
For a modern audience, perhaps the most haunting myth surrounding Queen Modjadji is her ritual death — a solemn act of self-sacrifice believed to renew the land and ensure the prosperity of her people.
These enigmatic traditions and rituals, woven into the fabric of her reign, form the backdrop for the upcoming TV series that promises to unravel the complexities of her life and reign.
‘Queen Modjadji’s story represents strength, wisdom and spiritual power’
Controversial new TV series is one of a matriarchal dynasty whose rain-summoning abilities earned her a place in African history.
For many, Queen Modjadji of the Balobedu people in Limpopo, is equal parts legend and myth. Known to some as the Rain Queen, she’s revered for her mystical abilities to bring rain to the drought-prone lands.
The tale of Modjadji begins with her grandmother, Princess Dzugundini, whose story is steeped in both prophecy and scandal.
One version recounts how a 16th-century chief in Monomotapa (southeastern Zimbabwe) received a divine message from his ancestors, instructing him to impregnate his daughter, Dzugundini, to endow her with rain-making powers. Another version tells of a scandal in which the chief’s son fathered Dzugundini’s child, forcing her to flee the village in disgrace. She sought refuge in the Molototsi Valley, the present-day Balobedu Kingdom.
Carrying the secrets of rain-making with her, Dzugundini passed these sacred abilities down to her granddaughter. Modjadji, inheriting this ancestral gift, became more than just a queen; she was a living symbol of hope and fertility. Through ancient rituals, she transformed barren lands into fertile fields, solidifying her divine status.
This tale of mysticism, intrigue, strife and incest in the royal family is also one of a matriarchal dynasty whose rain-summoning abilities have earned her a place in African history.
For executive producer Duma Ndlovu of Rhythm World Productions, the process of making the story of Queen Modjadji into a TV series of the same name was not only a labour of love but an undertaking to bring a deeper understanding and appreciation of African heritage to future generations and the global audience alike.
“The story of Queen Modjadji is one that represents strength, wisdom and spiritual power. It offers audiences a chance to connect with an important part of African history. African stories have always been narrated inaccurately over the years, to ensure authenticity we intentionally sourced local artisans to produce the artefacts and indigenous items,” he said.
Queen Modjadji tells the story of the first Queen Modjadji and is set in the 1800s. Starting tonight the series will air on Mzansi Magic at 8pm every Sunday for 12 weeks, weaving a narrative of power, spirituality and ecological harmony that defined the queen’s reign.
Navigating the underlying story of incest and sacred cultural practising in creating Queen Modjadji wasn’t as challenging as dealing with the real-life drama unfolding within the queendom.
Days before the media event to celebrate the launch of the series, the reigning Masalanabo Modjadji VII, together with the Balobedu royal family and the Balobedu Royal Council, approached the Pretoria high court on an urgent basis to interdict the broadcast of the series.
Speaking to Sunday Times on behalf of Masalanabo Modjadji VII, secretary-general of the Balobedu Royal Council, Gabriel Rasebotsa, said the queen felt undermined she wasn’t consulted. “The Queen is very disappointed and felt undermined by the producers and MultiChoice, in terms of the decision they took without consulting her, and also without consulting the Balobedu Royal Council. If there is any decision that involves the queenship, the families that are part of the queenship must be consulted,” he said.
Having only seen the promotional billboards and adverts, Rasebotsa said the series was a misrepresentation of the Balobedu culture, the Queen Modjadji heritage and the Khelobedu language.
The court application was dismissed, which saw the Masalanabo’s uncle, His Majesty Bakhoma Mpapatla Modjadji and members of the Modjadji Royal Family attending the lavish screening at Montecasino.
It was a royal affair, complete with Amarula, ululating, dancing and regular chants of “Pula, ha e ne” (Let it rain).
Before getting a glimpse of the highly clandestine first episode, cultural and language adviser for the series, George Mahashe, hinted that the Khelobedu spoken in the series would not be the ideal form of the language. This, he said, was because Khelobedu’s development was halted in about 1940, leading to a lack of updates in the language from what was spoken in the 1930s to today.
Mahashe said significant work was needed. “For Khelobedu to become visible, there must be a public document that the Balubedu can discuss,” he said.
“The series is a vehicle for a much broader discussion around Balobedu that will help us have material to improve Khelobedu — especially as a language but also in terms of visibility as well.”
Mahashe sees Queen Modjadjias a catalyst for broader conversations about the Balobedu people, which could provide material to enhance Khelobedu’s development and provide an opportunity to think more deeply about how we tell such cultural and academically complicated stories.
The Balobedu Royal Council wasn’t at the screening and not privy to the first episode. However, having seen only the trailer, Rasebotsa slammed the language and the costuming, calling it a bastardisation of the Balobedu culture.
Meanwhile, at the launch , Ronnie Moroatshehla, spokesperson for the Modjadji Royal Family, said they were the ones who gave MultiChoice and Ndlovu the permission to proceed with the series.
Moroatshehla added that the battle between the Modjadji Royal Council and the Balobedu Royal Council was complex and historical. But real-life drama aside, Moroatshehla — flanked by members of the royal family — hailed the first episode as a “gem”.
“It’s important for our children to know where they come from. It depicts what has been told to us, our customs, traditions and our history. Our culture is sacred and unique,” he said.
“Although this is fictitious, it is very close to what our elders told us about our traditions and our customs. This is a good representation of what we are and what we have been in the past.”
It’s against this historical family feud between the two councils and the court battles that Ndlovu said making Queen Modjadji was the most challenging and exciting production he’s undertaken. “This is an amazing story of a woman who had to sleep with her father, the same father that had just killed his 10 sons,” he said.
“It has been nothing but an amazing journey, from having to navigate the complex maze of people claiming to be the royal family, to having to ensure that the broadcaster is happy with our choices. Because it was a labour of love and passion, the project went relatively well.”
Creative producer Gersh Kgamedi concurred, saying working on this project was exciting not only because he is Molobedu but also because it was a chance for him to showcase his culture on national TV.
For Kgamedi, who was tasked with the creative look and feel of the series, it was a delicate but exciting balancing act between pushing the creative envelop regarding the aesthetics so that the show would appeal to a broad audience, while also developing unique ideas to distinguish the series, against the backdrop of staying true to Balobedu culture.
More than giving viewers a glimpse into the Balobedu culture and the importance of telling African stories creatively and authentically, it’s also about shaping the future.
Kgamedi and Ndlovu said at the core of the Queen Modjadji series was women empowerment. “The whole story, it’s about women empowerment, and also reflecting women leadership. So that’s why it’s very important for now to tell the story, and also for South Africans to know about the history [as] we are bombarded with one stream of culture, which is predominantly Nguni. So to show other cultures as well, helps South Africans to know each other from a social cohesion point of view,” Kgamedi said.
He said the production team sought permission from the regent to tell the story of the queen of Balobedu. Though he preferred not to delve into the political aspects, he said the authorities were enthusiastic about the project.
They were welcomed warmly and given a tour of significant locations, including the Queen’s hut, the kitchens, and the capital. This visit was invaluable, providing insights into the layout and access to certain not sacred ritual spaces.
Will Queen Modjadji explore the secret rituals?
Kgamedi said the series had to carefully balance what could and could not be shown. The essence of a secret is that once it is known, it is no longer a secret. Thus, the team had to respect cultural boundaries and avoid depicting certain sacred rites of passage on TV. They adhered to guidelines on which areas were off-limits but told the story as fully as possible within those constraints.
Viewers can expect to see nudity, which research shows would have been commonplace 200 years ago when the story of Queen Modjadji takes place. But the series will not delve into any of the initiation ceremonies or the practice of exactly how the queen makes rain. These are secrets that weren’t shared with the production team, which Kgamedi said would have been tantamount to “sharing the family recipe” of making rain.
According to legend, Queen Modjadji cannot attend public events.Instead, she communicates through trusted male counsellors who convey her will and wisdom.
Forbidden from marrying, she is said to bear children with male relatives, maintaining the purity of her lineage. Tradition dictates that she meticulously selects her eldest daughter to inherit her sacred mantle, ensuring the continuation of her legacy of rain-making and spiritual leadership.
For a modern audience, perhaps the most haunting myth surrounding Queen Modjadji is her ritual death — a solemn act of self-sacrifice believed to renew the land and ensure the prosperity of her people.
These enigmatic traditions and rituals, woven into the fabric of her reign, form the backdrop for the upcoming TV series that promises to unravel the complexities of her life and reign.