Scientific Essay from the year 2016 in the subject Cultural Studies - North African Studies, language: English, abstract: The Shangwe rainmaking ceremonies can be approached from different perspectives. Each perspective is subjective to the researcher's background or theological motif. The ceremonies however declined in 2004 when the last rainmaker and spirit medium, Nevana Tavasiira Marariromba died in 2004 and the spirit failed to choose a successor up to this time of writing. The functionalist perspective to the Shangwe rain making ceremony is based on an exploration of the functions that the rain making ceremony provided to the Shangwe people. This article explores ten functions that the Shangwe rainmaking ceremonies provided to the Shangwe people.