Indigenous Knowledge systems used in weather forecasting Presence of dew signifies that it will not rain,whilst its absence notifies high probability that it might rain For southern African cultures, the ground hornbill (dendera) is a symbol of the arrival of the rainy season . Insects and certain spiders are associated with different weather outcomes e.g dzvatsvatsa(spider) is associated with coming of the rain, movement of bees signals the coming of the rain Some elderly people have associated the pain they feel in their bodies eg backache, itching of surgical operation during evening as a sign of cloudy conditions the next day Moreover, farmers knowledge of birds, insects, plants, animals, wind direction and astronomical indicators was used to predict weather patterns. The occurrence of large flocks of swallows and swans roaming from the South to the North during the months of September to November, for example is an indication of onset of short rains. unusual behavior of ants(if they start building the anthill ,collecting grass), earthworms, dragonflies,brown ants predict an upcoming rain, cyclone or bad weather. The ripening and shedding of fruits of plants such Guazuma umofolia (mutamba) were also considered by farmers as reliable indicators of the onset of rainy season while chakata,munyii indicates drought A long parallel band of feathery clouds, and moon with rings were also important clues to predict the coming of rains.Big ring around the moon shows heavy rains approaching Rainbird, cuculus(haya/hwishori)thought to sing before rain, including the European green woodpecker, Jamaican lizard cuckoo, Swifts whose movements are thought to signal the coming of rain Stork birds are migratory birds their presence signals the coming of the wet season Predictions from spirit mediums are also used for forecasting. -Birds building high nests up trees along the river it shows the coming of heavy rains resulting in flooding - Crocking frogs rains approaching. -Whirlwind (chamupupuri) indicates dry conditions. [8/11, 5:36 PM] +263 77 790 1088: QN. Outline indigenous methods used to test for the presence of water and its quality Some tree species eg mukute Rock types eg black soft rocks Ever green vegetation eg bani Take a bottle and put water and place in ur palm n walk towards ur area of choice were u want to taste ..,.if u reach were er z water e bottle will vibrate Trees like muonde fig tree show presence of water Hard water creates fatty substance Take a Y shaped mukute stick (mhande) u walk towards an area of choice e sticks will attract each other Quality can b tasted by soap Soft water z quick to create foam (furo) Hard water z found in areas w mopani trees Hard water wen boiled it will leave a whitish substance on e tin to show highest level of salinity If u put hard in an evaporating dish t leaves salt crystals WC signify poor quality Human tongue can taste e quality of h20 Water colour signifies quality as well Good quality h20 is blue in colour Blackish water z poor quality Evergreen grass in an area called majekacheka signify presence of water 1. prєѕєncє σf vєgєtαtíσn αt αn αrєα *єg* mukutє trєєѕ αnd wαtєr rєєdѕ ѕhσw prєѕєncє σf wαtєr. thíѕ ѕígnífíєѕ thαt thє αrєα hαѕ hígh wαtєr tαвlє 2. prєѕєncє σf frσgѕ αt αn αrєα ѕhσwѕ thαt thєrє íz grσund wαtєr αnd α hígh wαtєr tαвlє в'cσz frσgѕ uѕuαllч lívє ín αrєαѕ wíthígh wαtєr tαвlєѕ. 3. α glαѕѕ вσttlє cαn вє uѕєd tσ lσcαtє wαtєr *єѕpєcíαllч* grσund wαtєr. thє вσttlє íz fíllєd wíth wαtєr αnd plαcєd ín σnє'ѕ pαlm αnd єquαllч вαlαncєd, αѕ thє pєrѕσn mσvєѕ αrσund αn αrєα thє вσttlє fαllѕ dσwn tσ ѕígnífíєѕ thє prєѕєncє σf grσund wαtєr 4. αlѕσ α cσcσnut íz uѕєd tσ lσcαtє grσund wαtєr. thє cσcσnut íz plαcєd ín σnє'ѕ pαlm αnd σnє thєn wαlkѕ αrσund αnd íf thєrє íz grσund wαtєr thє cσcσnut rσllѕ αnd turnѕ σvєr 5. dσwѕíng íѕ αnσthєr mєthσd uѕєd. twσ cσppєr wírєѕ αrє hєld σnє ín єαch hαnd, thє dσwѕєr mσvєѕ σvєr thє ѕurfαcє ѕlσwlч αnd thє twσ wírєѕ wíkk crσѕѕ єαch σthєr tσ índícαtє grσund wαtєr