Tunatazama - Community Monitors

Use of snuff during COVID19

Sekhukhune
17 August 2020
By Mmabore Mogashoa

Tobacco was banned because of the pandemic and more people were being frustrated. Snuff is made by using tobacco leaves and most people use it differently. Most of our elders in the villages use snuff. Some use it the African way to speak to the ancestors daily at home and traditional initiation schools. Some villagers plant tobacco in their yards and some buy it from the local shops.

 The shops were no longer selling snuff as it was banned and people who do rituals using snuff didn’t know what to do. Snuff is used along with African beer for the ancestors and now this pandemic was preventing people to live the way they are used to and this cause lots of stress. Snuff is used for headaches, bleeding nose and other uses depending on people’s beliefs. Home-made snuff have no artificial chemicals and our elders used it and lived long. Snuff can be addicted too and people should use it wisely.