chidhoma or chitupwani
can either mean a familiar spirit or the spirit of a deceased person (mweya wemunhu akafa) that is collected from a grave at a cemetery (or a mausoleum) and is often stored mudende (calabash or gourd) and sometimes, although rare, in a little plate called mbiya comprising a mixture of mbashto (mishonga).
By the way, some of this mbashto is made from human body parts harvested from a blood sacrifice. The purpose of using mbashto is to compel the spirit of that dead person under control so that it follows the orders of the owner.
Uses
Zvidhoma (zvitupwani) are used for various purposes for example:
- to aid witches in opening graves so they can engage in necrophagia (or necro-cannibalism).
- to thoroughly beat up targeted people (i.e. enemies) at night or even in broad daylight.
- they can also be used to steal things from neighbors.
- sexual gratification (ah yes, you read that right).
- etc, etc.
Note: Chidhoma shouldn't be misconstrued with chikwambo because the latter refers to a spiritual goblin that is purchased from a n'anga ("traditional healer") for capitalistic purposes, whereas chidhoma is usually made by varoyi ("witches") to serve them without the primary objective to be sold off to business people whose sights are set high to be multi-millionaires, billionaires, umm... maybe!
