They needed good rain for grazing, and had many feasting and dancing rituals to bring on the desired rainfall.
They also sent parties into the bush to search for the elusive chameleon, which was supposed to bring rain.
When found, it was buried stomach upwards in the earth, and special care was taken not to injure it.
The people firmly believed that it would rain the same day. When this happened (hopefully for the chameleon's sake this was often), and after sufficient rain had fallen, or the rolls of thunder had grown quite frightening, the chameleon was dug up and set free.
A substitute for the chameleon, was the yellow cobra which, however, did not fare so well. It was half killed before burial, and only finished off when no more rain was required.
Other practices to bring on rain were, the burying of round stones in the veld, and sending those who had been born during a rainstorm to walk alone in the bush.
If the rainstorm turned into hail, the last born child of the family was asked to step outside and put a hailstone in his mouth until it melted. It was thought this would surely make the hail slacken.
If the storm persisted, and the family became desperate, one of the old ladies were sent outside and told to pick up her hind karos (leather skirt) and bend over. The weather then became shy and the rain would retreat in embarrassment!