Zodwa Wabantu followed the beat of her ancestral drum in 2022

At the beginning of the year Zodwa Wabantu opened up about accepting her ancestral calling and has been navigating her spiritual journey since then. 

Though this journey is known to be sacred and private, the reality TV star and exotic dancer has been sharing every step she has taken and continues to dance at nightclubs as she gets bookings. 

Zodwa accepts her ancestral calling 

After she shared on her Instagram page in January a picture of herself in a stream wrapped in traditional healer cloths. Speaking to TshisaLIVE, Zodwa revealed she was called and said things started unfolding last year.

“The dreams started in September and October, but I’ve always been this person. I don’t wear makeup, I wear expensive watches and earrings and they get lost and now I know it’s because they don’t want them.”

Zodwa plans to share every detail of her journey. 

In February the reality TV star and exotic dancer said he planned to share every detail of her journey. 

“I'm just preparing for wherever the journey is taking me. I also don't know where I am going spiritually and with this journey, so you don't limit yourself. I'm Zodwa Wabantu, they should know. They will know all the way.”

Zodwa Wabantu sparks African spirituality debate 

She said her ancestors blessed her with her dancing and TV career, brushing off criticism that wearing ancestral beads while gyrating half-naked was disrespectful to the African culture and her calling.

The star sparked debate after a video clip emerged of her dancing at a gig in her trademark ensemble accessorised with ancestral beads.

Zodwa told TshisaLIVE she was embracing her journey and did not feel she was hindering her calling to become a sangoma in any way.

“This is my job. You know, my ancestors gave it to me. My great-grandfather was the one who was famous. All the travelling that I’ve done or I’m still doing, I don’t think they will make me live bad ... [or] change my living conditions, because they know I’m their child from now, as long as I go wherever they send me.”

She plans to keep things the way they are.

“So their concern about the beads being there or not when you do your job, we have women working at KFC wearing beads in the workplace, and in corporates we have people wearing their ancestral beads. It’s just that because with me everything that I do is taboo and it’s extra.”

Zodwa's no-show at events 

Zodwa said promoters needed to get with the programme —she's not as available as before.

“My explanation is that ngiya thwasa, so when my ancestors deal with me and don't want anything bad to happen to me, I listen.”

“I take the responsibility in another realm, and I feel like those who complain are complaining for small amounts of money. But I understand it's their money and they need it.”

Zodwa said she's not ashamed of her ancestral journey, because of which she'll sometimes be a no-show.

Zodwa Wabantu accused of swindling money from promoters 

In July the exotic dancer revealed she was officially initiating to become a traditional healer after a debt scandal involving promoters.

Zodwa told TshisaLIVE she was preoccupied with officially initiating to become a sangoma, hence she “forgot” to pay them.

“I have not replied, I’m now initiating. I’m at initiation school. I’m not the one deciding, it’s the spirit that tells you. I have so much going on in my life, so truly speaking I'm not on top of it. I’ll check on it now,” she explained.