Masalanabo Modjadji II (died 1894) was the second

Rain Queen Queen Modjadji, or the Rain Queen, is the hereditary queen of Balobedu, a people of the Limpopo Province of South Africa. The Rain Queen is believed to have special powers, including the ability to control the clouds and rainfall. Modjadji Ro ...

of the South African

Balobedu The Lobedu or Balobedu ''(''also known as the BaLozwi or Bathobolo'')'' are a southern African ethnic group. Their area is called Bolobedu. They are initially known as Bakwebo (wild pigs). The name "balobedu" means "the mineral miners" lobela ...

people.

Reign

Masalanabo reigned from 1854 to 1894. She was preceded by Maselekwane Modjadji I. During the native "location policies" of the early 1890s,

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(1834–1900) surrounded the Rain Queen's home until she was forced to give herself up. Historian

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wrote, "It would be the first time that white people would see the Rain Queen." However, what happened was not what they had expected. "After four days," Changuion continues, an elderly black woman was carried out on a litter, accompanied by her chief indunas, to negotiate with the white people. It was a great disappointment to the men watching the proceedingsof ' She-who-must-be-obeyed' there was no trace. She was not the white woman of the legends. It is told that

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presented her with a "kappie" (bonnet) and a blanket." According to the book ''Realm of a rain-queen'',

was shown not the real Rain Queen, but an impersonator. A mysterious figure who only rarely appeared in public, Masalanabo had several children. At some point the royal council designated the daughter of her "sister" and "great wife" Leakhali as heir to the throne. Masalanabo committed

ritual suicide A suicide method is any means by which a person chooses to end their life. Suicide attempts do not always result in death, and a nonfatal suicide attempt can leave the person with serious physical injuries, long-term health problems, and bra ...

in 1894, after having named Leakhali as her successor. She was succeeded by Khetoane Modjadji III.

Legacy

Among other female authorities in Africa, Masalanabo Modjadji is said to be the inspiration for

H. Rider Haggard Sir Henry Rider Haggard (; 22 June 1856 – 14 May 1925) was an English writer of adventure fiction romances set in exotic locations, predominantly Africa, and a pioneer of the lost world literary genre. He was also involved in land reform ...

's novel '' She: A History of Adventure''. However, the praise for the influence of female authority on the book is not without criticism. Critics argue that the representation of womanhood in the book and similar works in the field of

literary tourism Literary tourism is a type of cultural tourism that deals with places and events from literary texts as well as the lives of their authors. This could include visiting particular place associated with a novel or a novelist, such as a writer's hom ...

did not only mirror and further imperialist initiatives but "''She'' is also a thinly disguised allegorical admonition to recognize and dispel the threat that the New Woman posed to late-Victorian society".

References

Year of birth missing 1894 deaths Rain Queens 19th-century women rulers 19th-century monarchs in Africa 1890s suicides Suicides in Africa {{SouthAfrica-bio-stub