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The Modjadji or Rain Queen is the hereditary queen of Balobedu, the people of the Limpopo Province of South Africa. The succession to the position of Rain Queen is matrilineal, meaning that the Queen's eldest daughter is the heir, and that males are not entitled to inherit the throne at all. The Rain Queen is believed to have special powers, including the ability to control the clouds and rainfall.

Currently there is no ruling Rain Queen as the previous Rain Queen died on 12 June 2005.

History of the Rain Queens

There are several different stories relating to the creation and history of the Rain Queens of Balobedu. One story states that an old chief in 16th century Monomotapa (South eastern Zimbabwe), was told by his ancestors that by impregnating his daughter, Dzugundini, she would gain rain-making skills. Another story involves a scandal in the same chief's house, where the chief's son impregnated Dzugundini. Dzugundini was held responsible and was forced to flee the village. Dzugundini ended up in Molototsi Valley, which is in the present day Balobedu Kingdom. The village she established with her loyal followers was ruled by a Mugudo, a male leader, but the peace and harmony of the village was disrupted by rivalries between different families, and therefore to pacify the land, the Mugudo impregnated his own daughter to restore the tribe's matrilineal tradition. She gave birth to the first Rain Queen known as Modjadji which means; 'ruler of the day.'

The second Rain Queen, Masalanabo Modjadji is said to be the inspiration for H. Rider Haggard's novel, She: A History of Adventure.

Responsibilities and Customs

According to custom, the Rain Queen must shun public functions, and can only communicate with her people through her male councillors.

Every November she presides over the annual rain-making ceremony at her royal compound in Khetlhakone Village.

She is not supposed to marry but has many 'wives' (these are not wives in the actual sense of the word; as a noble woman she has to have servants so these women ought be to called "the servants of the queen"), sent from many villages all over Balobedu Kingdom. These wives were selected by The Queen's Royal Council and in general are from the households of the subject chiefs. This ritual of ‘bride giving’ is strictly a form of diplomacy to ensure loyalty to the Queen.

The Rain Queen's sexual partners are chosen by the Royal Council so that all of her children will have blue blood. However the Rain Queens are not expected to confine their sexual activities. In the past, the Rain Queen was only allowed to have children by her close relatives, probably to ensure that her children were of 'pure blood' although this probably meant the children may have displayed some genetic defects as a result of inbreeding.

The Queen's eldest daughter is always her successor, therefore the title of Rain Queen is always passed from mother to daughter. It is said that the Queen ingests poison when she is near death so that her daughter will assume the crown more quickly. Lately, however, a lot of these traditions have been abandoned with the influence of Christian missionaries.

The Rain Queen's mystical rain making powers are reinforced by the beautiful garden which surrounds her royal compound. Surrounded by parched land, her garden contains the world's largest cycad trees which are in abundance under a spectacular rain belt. One species of cycad, the Modjadji cycad, is named after the Rain Queen.

The Rain Queen is a highly respected figure in South Africa and many tribes revere and respect her and her land. The Rain Queen's influence and esteem is so high that even when states around the Balobedu kingdom are warring, they rarely invade or even touch her land. Even Shaka Zulu of Zululand sent his top emissaries to ask her for her blessings. The fifth Rain Queen, Mokope Modjadji, met and became quite good friends with Nelson Mandela.

The Rain Queen has become such a figure of interest in South Africa, that she has become a massive tourist attraction which has helped South African economy. The Rain Queen has therefore been offered an annual salary. The salary has also been offered to help preserve the beautiful cycad trees found in the Rain Queen's gardens.

Makobo Modjadji

Rain Queen Makobo Constance Modjadji VI ( 1978 - 12 June 2005) was the 6th in a line of the Balobedu tribe's rain queens. Makobo was crowned on 16 April 2003 at the age of 25 after the death of her predecessor and grandmother, Queen Mokope Modjadji. This made her the youngest queen in the history of the Balobedu tribe.

Makobo was admitted into the Limpopo Medi-Clinic for an undisclosed illness, rumoured to be AIDS, on 10 June 2005 and died two days later at the age of 27. Official cause of death was listed as chronic meningitis. She is survived by a son, Prince Lekukena (b. 1998) and a daughter, Princess Masalanabo (b. February, 2005).

Because Makobo's daughter, Princess Masalanabo, is fathered by a commoner, the traditionalists are not likely to accept her as the rightful heiress to the Rain Queen crown. Therefore there are worries that the 400-year old Rain Queen dynasty may be coming to an end. No new Rain Queen has been chosen since Makobo died.

Text from Wikipedia