Abstract
ABSTRACT Drawing on five years of intermittent ethnographic fieldwork, this article examines the ritual ecology of the Nkolola girls’ initiation practice of the Tonga-speaking people of Mola, Zimbabwe. It focuses on the materiality framework to demonstrate the environmental contingencies of this ritual and how the breakdown of Nkolola indicates an environmental crisis. There are specific materials required for this ritual, but extreme weather patterns such as continuous droughts and heatwaves have made it challenging to gather essential items like red ochre, traditional herbs, firewood, and tree branches, as well as access to perennial rivers and streams needed to properly perform the ritual. The article discusses the importance of these materials in each stage of the ritual, as well as the significant consequences of their absence, including avoidance and delays in conducting the ceremony. It also explores an alternative ritual that is less material-intensive and demanding of natural resources.
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