The Inkanyamba of Howick Falls
Zulu tradition says a great serpent lives in the pool beneath Howick Falls, and that its anger brings summer storms.
What was reported
In Zulu tradition, the inkanyamba is a huge serpent-like creature, sometimes described with a horse-like head, that lives in deep pools, especially the one beneath Howick Falls, a 95-metre waterfall in KwaZulu-Natal. It is said to be most active in summer, and its anger is blamed for violent storms and tornadoes.
Some local residents and visitors have reported seeing a large shape in the pool, and traditional healers have long made offerings there.
Explanations offered
No evidence of a large unknown animal has been found. Large eels live in the region's rivers, and some suggest they or other animals explain sightings. Many people see the inkanyamba as a spiritual figure connected to water and weather.
- When
- Told for generations
- Where
- Howick Falls, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
- Witnesses
- Zulu tradition and local residents
- Status
- Legend
Famous cases are real, widely reported events. Each file sets out what witnesses said and the explanations that have been offered, without taking a side.