Since the traffic between the periphery and the centre itself is based on and controlled by the people's conceptualization of sacred centrality, this book discusses the various ways in which conceptions of sacred centrality are constructed. The other interest of this book is the question of the organizational aspect of the Mwali cult: i.e. questions of power and authority in the cult; the leadership disputes, which have characterized the cult; and the cult's relationship with other religious organizations in Botswana and Zimbabwe. The study relates to theoretical debates in pilgrimage studies by other scholars in different traditions. In particular, it challenges the Eliadean view of sacred centres, and the Turnerian view of communitas as characteristic of all pilgrimage traditions. The book raises two main arguments: a) it is neither possible nor wise to generalize about the nature and meaning of pilgrimage traditions; b) conceptions of sacred centrality are socially constructed. Consequently, they are contested.

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