The Crowned Lapwing Vanellus coronatus bears the black, white, and red colouration commonly associated with spirit mediums, and is therefore respected as such by many Zimbabwean people.
These are sociable birds, normally found in small groups in fairly open habitat, frequenting fields, roads, or paths near villages, or areas surrounding cattle enclosures. Here they are often disturbed, flying ‘explosively’ skywards, while uttering a harsh, excitable call. Crowned Lapwings may also be particularly raucous at night, with this nocturnal calling interpreted by many Shona and Ndebele people as a means to summon witches, directing them by chanting ‘Kure, kure’, which translates as ‘it’s far, it’s far’.
A number of people also maintain that should one of these birds enter a village, bad luck or death will certainly prevail. Similarly, many believe that should one cross a person’s path, all will not bode well for the future. However, in contrast, some Manyika and baTonga people that I interviewed considered this bird to be a benign messenger that warns of impending danger as it suddenly calls and flies up from the path ahead.
Local names for the Crowned Lapwing in Zimbabwe:
Querekwere, Hurekure, Njerechere, Warimutundo – Shona (all dialects)
uGweru, uGure – Ndebele
Mururwane – Sotho
Murekureku – Venda
Ngelekele – Shangaan
Information on the Crowned Lapwing was obtained only from personal interviews with contributors.
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