contrary to African norms and values of unhu/ubuntu, the effect of which is believed to include drought, mysterious happenings and even deaths at the hands of angered spirits. In such cases, the offender and the family of the offender are tried and asked to pay compensation, and a ceremony to cleanse the land will be held. Truth and reconciliation constitute the main thrust of community courts. Zimbabwe can make use of traditional justice-delivery mechanisms to facilitate truth-telling. Traditional leaders in parts of the country that experienced high cases of brutal, politically motivated crimes, particularly during election periods, can be the torch-bearers in kick-starting grassroots transitional justice in Zimbabwe. Ritualisation (Brainstorming, role play and drama) Rituals are ceremonies of symbolic value designed to influence preternatural entities or forces in order to promote the actors’ goals and interests. These rituals may be prescribed by the religious and cultural traditions of a community (Bell, 1997). Rituals carried out to appease the spirits for ‘blood spilled’ are a common practice in Africa and have been used in countries such as Mozambique, South Africa and Sierra Leone. They are a mechanism for addressing the wrongs of the past and for restoring the well-being both within and between communities. The ritual ceremonies can, therefore, take various forms that range from cleansing ceremonies to the appeasement of avenging spirits. Cleansing ceremonies (Brainstorming, role play and drama) There are collective ramifications for a community when crimes of an especially violent nature are committed, such as murder, arson and rape. Therefore, there must be collective responsibility on the part of the community when addressing these crimes, with each community member playing a role in maintaining the well-being of the collective. Cleansing ceremonies seek to hold the whole community accountable instead of labelling individual perpetrators. The cleansing ceremonies are intended to appease the ancestors and to ‘cleanse’ the land of bad omens and evil spirits that are brought on by violent actions like murder. Traditional and religious leaders usually officiate at the ceremony in the presence of the whole community. Some ritual ceremonies will involve cleansing the perpetrators of violence. The perpetrators are cleansed using various traditional or religious elements and are then presented to the demigods, whom, it is believed, will free them from the curse that may befall the family or community as a result of committing murder. Rituals can only be successful if the community shares the same religious and spiritual beliefs and has a mutual understanding of the objectives thereof. There is, therefore, a need for communities to reach a common understanding if healing through ritual ceremonies is to be effective. Rituals are not a new phenomenon in Zimbabwean communities, as evidenced by two cleansing ceremonies held in Chinamhora in December of 2012 to purify a communal area in Domboshawa. These ceremonies were carried out following a series of gruesome murders that occurred in the area during the course of 2012. The traditional ceremony, which was held at the Domboshawa Caves, was led by Headman Gilbert Mungate Murape and Headman Zimbiru, together with other traditional leaders who brewed beer and slaughtered a cow. 24 Community Healing: A training manual for Zimbabwe