Cultural Significance
In most instances the tribe's witch doctor plays the essential role in dealing with the lightning bird. A supposed extract from the bird's flesh may for instance be prepared into a remedy for tracing thieves. In this way the witchdoctors may exert control over the minds of both law abiding and criminal members of their society.
In 2005, a South African man was convicted of culpable homicide after killing a two-year-old child he believed to be an impundulu.
Read more about this topic: Lightning Bird
Famous quotes containing the words cultural and/or significance:
“The primary function of myth is to validate an existing social order. Myth enshrines conservative social values, raising tradition on a pedestal. It expresses and confirms, rather than explains or questions, the sources of cultural attitudes and values.... Because myth anchors the present in the past it is a sociological charter for a future society which is an exact replica of the present one.”
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