1. No category

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Sinoe many b o rd e rlin e p ra c tic e # a re judged by t h e i r
r e a a l t and become w iH bhcraft when they ei«use death} i t might
be argued t h a t t h i s c r i t e r i o n must be d i s tin c tiv e .
however} n o t enough?
I t is
cau sin g d eath to a husband by a b o rtio n
i s 5 a s we have se e n , n o t considered to be w itc h c r a f t, nor i s
th@ murderous khleeveaw* a w itc h , even though he s e c r e tly kil-i3
people a t n ig h t and s e ll# p a r t o f t h e i r body to d o c to rs .
F u r th e r m o r e 9 many a cc u sa tio n s of w itc h c r a ft have a r is e n where
th e r e has been no d e a th b u t only eickneae o r lo s s by l ig h tn i n g .
The only d iffe re n c e between th e k i l l i n g by a Wa&gSSSgB^ ^
by a w itc h l i e s I n th e method employed.
weapons;
The k i l l e r uses o rd in ary
th e w itch . a l l * by means o f medicine o r some p e c u lia r
powers n o t known to o rd in ary p eople.
She d is tin g u is h in g fe a tu re
o f a l l case s of w itc h c ra ft i s th e use or supposed use o f m edicine
o r w itch-pow er.
a n a c tio n .
I n te n t l a a n o th e r fe a tu r e ^
which an* judge#
Where a woman cause# th e death of a husband through
a b o rtio n , h e r conduct i s a n t i - s o c i a l and th e a c t 1# done I n
s e c r e t , b u t i t d if f e r # from w itc h c ra ft proper i n the absence o f
n
I n t e n t to k i l l ,
f e a r of th e consequence# o f a d u lte ry I s th e
main f o rc e d e te r r in g h er from c o rr e c t beh av io u r;
and I t i s
arg u ed t h a t , i f ehe r e a l l y wishes t o k i l l , she need n o t employ so
ro tsa d jib e u t a method»
3b* c o n clu sio n w# may draw i s t h a t , f o r an a c tio n to be
w itc h c ra ft* I t m eat be disapproved o f as a n t i - s o c i a l , th e re m ast
be a n i n t e n t t o k i l l o r harm and i t must be thought t h a t e ith e r
m edicine o r th e m ysterious fo rc e s o f n ig h t w itc h c ra ft have been
u se d .
Secrecy 1*
p se u & k r t o w itc h c r a f t;
i t if* n o t a
J
p srT
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L
M atiagK lW aW fe& tw e bee&ua* i t l a o b a r s o te r ia tle a ls o * f * a * t
r
aa#& *
:
o a t do*# n o t %iab w ito ta a to know th e step* ease tak e# t o
gauateraet them*
Bo* wmme /OHS maw# s&SB*
Qg.2y a v e ry amaii p ro p o rtio n "if casea o f w itc h c ra ft le a ^ t o
an. open accusation anil legal procedure; for going to ft
involvee a long, expensive journey, and M
&
y&
Lprooeedlnge do not
etop the witch who may Indeed redouble bis efforts.
08*68
I* man?
o f i l l n e s s diagnosed a s due to w itc h c ra ft th e re i s nothing
d e f i n i t e Said about th e person re s p o n sib le ;
th e d ise a se i s cured,
th e oure I t s e l f u su a lly iw o lw ln g maglo to 'send beok' th e i l l n e s a
to th e owner.
The v e rd ic t o f th e d ic e 1* n e c e s s a rily vague,
U su ally only th e totem and sex air** g iv en , and th e c l i e n t h im self
w ith 1HS knowledge o f h is own frie n d s end enemies d ecid es which o f
^ e m i s m eant.
The d ic e may in d ic a te a totem to which
c l i e n t 's f r ie n d s or enemies b e lo n g ;
,1 0 0 6
Of t%
b u t even i f he th in k s be cam
p la c e th e w itc h , one i l l n e s s would h a rd ly end i n am a c c u sa tio n ,
avan d e a th a e td n o t n e c e s s a r ily lead to an a c c u sa tio n ;
th e grav*
may b e tr e a te d to 's e n d b ack ' d e a th t o tit* w itc h , b u t th e r e ar*
many cases i n which th e re i s n e ith e r a c c u sa tio n a w tre a tm e n t o f
th e g ra v e .
Whereas th e Azaude d e # le g a lly only w ith w itc h c ra ft
r e s u l t i n g i n d e a th , among th e lovcdu any form o f w itc h c r a f t may
f i n d i t s way t o t» e c o u rt,
We have seen oases before th* *<"*t
o f w itc h c r a f t in v o lv in g t h e f t , burning o f Storage h u ts b y l i g b t a i a g , d e ath o f o a # l e , i l l n e s s and * v a r ie ty o f o th e r i l l * a ttr ib u ,
te d 1** w itc h c r a f t.
ito c au se, a w itc h to d e s i s t , th e v ic tim « o a e a lly someone
;
tat M a *#&&#* a f t e r aazm & idag at a o o to r p riv a te ly f o r l o s t r u e t i@nA, may reaeP t t o bn mtus'ia, t h a t l a , sh o u t out an la A e fia ite
warning from tela o o u rty a rd , I f p o aalb le w ith in e a rsh o t of th e
Bpapected w itch .
$her* l a no f ix e d form ula, hut u su ally the
g i a t o f th e w arning l a a* fo llo w s *
' People of t h ia v i l l a g e , 1
want you, t o know t h a t you must le a v e my ‘p e r so n ’ a lo n e |
you
s u e t n o t k i l l him.
I f you k i l l him I s h a l l g e t 4* d o o to r to k i l l
a l l your r e l a t i v e s .
I f ay 'p e rso n ' has done any harm to you* I
W ill pay f o r him)
iBSki him i l l .
I f lie has done no harm, you have no r i g h t to
Tomorrow I want my 'p e r so n ' t o w a lk .
d ie s 8 you w i l l s e h l
I n one c a se a g i r l s u ffe r e d from e | i le p sy
and her f a t h e r , sta n d in g i n th e courtyard sh o u ted ,
who b ew itch ed my daughter , I know him .
ax e.
I f he
'The person
I S h a ll k i l l him w ith an
I speak n o t to th e v i ll a g e s of f h e d u li, hungadani and
R stahegu, I mean t h is v illa g e o f o u rsl
I n another ease when a
*nake appeared a t th e s p a l l i n i t i a t i o n and a « R v in e r had in d ic a te& tw o men a s th e c u l p r i t s , an old woman, th e h e r a ld a t th e
C a p it a l, i n th e p resen ce o f th e women in th e co u rty a rd , c a lle d out,
♦The p e r so n who has s e n t th e s e snakes w i l l f e e l p a in .
o f th e queen is n o t t o be 't r i e d ' (ba_lag& ).
The jgoro_
Sometimes a man
a sk s th e d i s t r i c t head to c a l l a m eetin g o f th e w hole area a t
which th e head th e n e b e l a 'e m entioning th e totem o f th e suspected
pefAOn*
Very o fte n th e re ie * t h r e a t t h a t i f th e s ic k person i e
not, cured* th e in ju re d p erso n w i l l go t o a m g a m .
i s Bald t * shame (nyam l W
%h* procedure
th e witch* o r be may ta k e f r i g h t and
withdraw th e w itc h c ra f t he has s e n t .
*-,..
v..- .
....
'. . . . ...
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,
BOmetiaw
you have a w itch i n th e v illa g e ,*0 t h a t
etM R gthenihg o f t h e f e w # would he o f it* a v a i l , area (2%% Mm,
i*&*, eau#* bim to f o r g e t t o mot and be 'ooca*, j u s t a* yo&#KE&
t h e e p i r i t a to keep them e a t ia f i e d .
:
More u e u a lly , however* you
j u s t move away and e a ta h H e h your own v illa g e aomewhere e la * .
%b#a w hea& eaodi'a d au g h ter lo a t h e r baby and th e d o c to rs a l l
agreed t h a t th e husband*3 people were resp o n sib le (some sa id th e
husband<s m other, o th e rs mentioned a n o th e r r e la tiv e ) 9 they q u ie tly ;
moved away* having been warned n o t to t a l k about th e removal l e s t
th e w itch g e t to know.
A ccusation of a s p e c if ic person may le a d to
proceed-
inge which involve* a s d e scrib e d elsewhere * th e appointm ent o f th e
*e*r8' who re c e iv e s a go at or 1 0 /- from each p a rty a s w e ll a*
p ro v isio n s* a wager o f a head o f c a t t l e o r .
sum
and
payment* th e vanquished e v e n ta lly to reim burse th e victo r^ of
jBl* lOe Oe o r more* a$ th e fe e o f th e ffigsss,*
O ccasionally in
p r a c t ic e , i f accused does n o t demand t o have h ie innocence proved,
th e a c c u se r does n o t go t o c o u rt and th e m a tter l a l e f t *
v ic tim s of w itc h c r a f t do n o t a c t in th e same manner«
AH
One man
p ro ceed s t o a s p e c if ic a c c u sa tio n th e very f i r s t tim e be i* barmed#
a n o th e r only i f th e same w itch has been re sp o n sib le f o r many e v i l s ;
I f th e w itc h is. a g r e a t r i v a l or p e rs o n a l enemy, th e v ic tim more
r e a d ily r e s o r ts t o a c tio n ;
b u t a commoner, unless ha *s prepared
t o le a v e th e d i s t r i c t w i l l be c a r e f u l t o avoid accusing n ls d ie t r l e t head o r a r e l a t i v e o f th e queen*
A v ic tim never makes a n
a c c u s a tio n w ith o u t p re v io u s p r iv a te c o n s u lta tio n o f a number o f
d o c to rs and o f te n even a mugpma as w e ll, and th e a c c u sa tio n i s
r
-2'3
t o th e v ito h y e i t h e r d i r e c tl y by th e v ic tim or in d lr e d tly
b y &i* interm ediary* and u s u a lly l a m etaphorical language,
la .
@*ae o f ilia e e a * th e w itc h may he in v ite d to 'come and nhaae f a r
cur p a t i e n t ' o r i n caae o f d e a th to 'come and a have u a '* d u tle e
Which only s p e c ia l r f l a t i v e a can perform*
o r more d i r e c tl y , he
may fee asked 't o come w ith us to c o n su lt th e hones'#
The accused
w i l l th an *ek demand to go to a mugome t o c le a r h ie name;
I f be
doe* n o th in g b u t m erely rem ains in a c tiv e , h is aooaeer may proceed
f u r t h e r and ta k e th e cage to th e khcna.
There was an i n te r e s tin g
c a se (July 1939) i n which a w itch was made to
c h ild #
^asM .4 to cure a
Btajie was suspected o f causing the i l l n e s s of h er hue-
b a n d 's b r o th e r 's child* so* sin c e they a l l liv e d in th e ro y a l
v illa g e * th e queen se n t th e p a r t i e s to a sm e lle r-p u t w ith o f f i c i a l
*e a r s '* w ith o u t b rin g in g th e case b efo re th e court#
The sm e lle r-
o u t p o in te d o u t M ajie aa th e c u l p r i t , and aaid she must
t o cu re i t ,
pMm '
H e jia denied h e r g u i l t a t f i r s t # b u t when ah* wa*
c a lle d to ’phaea
f o r th e c h ild , she came#
She took a le^adyane
b u lb , b o ile d i t and ap p lied i t (hu h&ita.) to v a rio u s p lac es a l l
over th e body o f th e c h il d .
Then aba phasa'd w ith w ater, b u t * )
on® heard what she s a id a s they d is c r e e tly l e f t h e r alone to
e f f e c t th e cure l e s t they should h in d er her i n h e r work#
The
© hild recovered* b u t th e queen has chased away W ajie,
A person p o in te d out by th e d ic e as re sp o n sib le f o r i l l n e s s
la o fte n asked to cure the victim #
sometimes he i s Shut up i n
a h u t w ith th e p a t i e n t , and th e r e have even been in sta n c e s in
which th e accused baa been locked i n a h u t w ith a corpse which
he *&* expected to b rin g back t o l i f e .
Bakhugu came one day t o
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th e
viiim g* to a d t f a r aepaeA al pa#a t o go t o * @m*llee»9et;
h ie wi f e j. he to ld us* had been accused of w itc h c ra ft,.
fh &
follow "
is g day he returned, to r e p o r t to th e queen* • c o u rt th a t h i s wife
had been ta k e n by fo ra * i n h i s absence by th e so** of
r e l a t i v e s o f th e s ic k p e rso n .
He was adv ised t o inform h er
r e la tiv e s * because* a s th e c o u rt phrased i t , 'you o sn ao t know th e
w itc h c r a f t o f your w ife* .
I n th e meantime, th e accused lisa*
acc o rd in g to evidence she gave lis te r before th e c o u rt, been asa*
t o * ieep i n th e h u t o f th e p a t i e n t .
She was kept i n th e h u t f o r
te n d&ya* In t h i s way, i n o rd er t h a t she should h e a l th e p a tie n t
and since the person was too i l l to go out to r e lie v e h e r s e l f ,
c o n d itio n s became very b a d .
a w sm aller-o u t^ .
K ntw
The c o u rt agreed t o 1 s t them go t o
On th e way th e y passed *
th * ?
and he v o lu n te e re d , 'T h is woman i s n o t a w itc h .
h a , been l e f t a t home.
she does not bew itch .
j it la rg e l*
The w itch
This women I s ( S i e p h a n t totem) b u t
The E lephant woman t h a t bew itches i s s t i l l
Sun th e son* of K agw slt r e p lie d , '%ou*rs t e l l i n g l i e * .
We've c o n su lte d many d o c to rs , and th e d ic e always pointo t o t h i s
woman.*
They w est a long * * t i l l they * ^ * 4
o u t i n Bhangs** Tonga t e r r i t o r y .
^
sm cU ar-
%* ^ I t o u t, n o t th e accused,
Whom he d e c la re d in n o ce n t, b u t h e r fe llo w -w ife , who was a ls o o f
th e S laphunt totem, m en this was reported to the q u een 's court*
th e a c c u se rs were t o ld t o pay t h e i r wager (two head o f c a t t l e )
to th e woman they had w rongfully accused b efo re b rin g in g th e
.sc o n d woman to c o u rt,
g, woman can n o t be re q u ire d t o go w ith
p eo p le to c o n s u lt th e bones (* d i r e c t a c c u s a tio n o f w itc h c ra ft)
without th e knowledge o f b * r own r e l a ti v e * .
When Mantwa's
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r
AIif.
Z631<Mr-wlfa *** having a g l f f i c o l t c h ild b ir th , h e r huaband'a
people t o h l h e r t o aeaqmpany them to ft @82222, *hB p o in ted to
bar
08
th e e o l p r l t .
Mant*a v e n t s t r a ig h t to iter own b ro th e rs
«h6 same to S u ta e r e 's v i l l a g e , asked what r ig h t K utzera had to
ta k e t h e i r *person* w ith o u t t h e i r knowledge and demanded to go
a g a in t o a m e lle r - o o t f o r St f i n a l v e r d i c t .
H utzere' a fam ily
ka&w th e y were i n th e wrong and a s th e woman had a lre a d y given
b i r t h to h e r c h i l d , were n o t anxious to go t o ft s m e lle r-o u t.
o
So th ey eald ''We d id n o t accuse Nantwa, th e am eller^out d id .
You
can do as you l i k e b u t we a re n o t going to a am e tle r-o u t w ith you*
A g r e a t n o ise a ro s e , w ith b o th p a r t i e s q u a rre llin g a t th e to p of
t h e i r v o ic e s , t i l l l a t e In to th e n ig h t,
s e a t morning Qantwa's
b ro th e r s b rought the case to th e q u e e n 's c o u rt.
a d i f f i c u l t one t o d e c id e .
The m a tter was
I f they allow ed th e b ro th e rs o f
Wanted to tak e h e r h u sb an d 's people t o a mygprne th ey would 'b re a k
up* (hu rude.) th e v illa g e of W utzere, f o r whatever th e v i r d i e t ,
th e y would never ag ain a g re e .
I f , on th e o th e r h and, th ey re fu se
to allow th e c a se to be tak e n f o r d iv in a tio n , they knew Bantwa'8
o
'h e a r t would be s a d '.
But w ith t r u e Bantu wisdom th e c o u rt,
ig n o rin g (a* so o fte n happens) th e l e g a l is s u e s , decided upon th e
course t h a t would m a in ta in e x is tin g s o o ia l r e la tio n s h ip s ,
th e m a tte r end" th e y s a i d , " i t i s nonsense ( z g ita b f la ) .
and h e r b r o th e rs , f e e l in g th ey had r i g h t on t h e i r s id e , were
f u r io u s , b u t t h e d e c is io n of th e c o u rt bad i t * d e s ire d e f f e c t .
The m a tte r blew o ver, - NAntwa i s s t i l l M vlug i n h e r husband's
v illa g e - s a d t h e r e have been no f u r t h e r q u a rr e ls .
Sm elling ou t o f w itch e s by a mygsm i* & r e l a t i v e l y new pro"
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e e d u re ,
# * t long age th e a p p ro p ria te procedure *s# th e o rd eal
fppwaai and though th e m rem has given way I n Vhlovadu to a a e llln g o p t, i t c a n a t l l l be ***& f u r t h e r e a s t among th e ghalavorvao
Th*
t e a t to o k v a rio u s forms $ b u t th e b e s t known was to g iv e both p a r t i e s
o r t h e i r chosen r e p r e s e n ta tiv e s $ something t o d rin k (u su a lly
an
e x tr a c t of zavaaava fBatura stramonium) and place them in th e sun.
Tba f i r s t to be a ff e c te d was th e g u ilty p a rty .
I t i s always
s ta te d t h a t conv icted witchesj^ere k i ll e d I n th e days before
European in te rv e n tio n .
But in view o f th e larg e number o f
a c c u sa tio n s to d a y , i t would seem t h a t e it h e r t h i s i s an ex ag eratlo n
o r t h a t open a c c u satio n s must g r e a tly have In cre ased .
Witches
were k i l l e d by being t i e d and s tra n g le d th e n thrown by th e exacetio n e r s in to a p o o l ( l e s t th ey w ithhold r a i n ) .
Tb'.re i s a p o d
which to d ay s t i l l b ears th e name Gbikbpdumgja v q lo j (where witch**
a r e dropped in to th e w a te r ).
were taken by th e queen.
The goods end c h ild re n o f the w itch
These C hildren were brought up a t th e
ro y a l v i ll a g e and i n th e cawe o f boys, were given c a t t l e f o r pro­
c u rin g wive* by th e queen.
Thera i e a t th e p re se n t moment one
such woman a t th e r o y a l v i l l a g e .
E ar d aughter i s m arried to one
o f th e c h ie f c o u n c illo rs , th e son o f th e queen's u te rin e b r o th e r .
Though i n th e o ry such c h ild re n a re supposed to in h e r it th e e v i l
jpower o f t h e i r p a re n t ^in p r a c tic e t h i s i s n o t fe a re d .
The a t t i t u d e o f people towards convicted W itches depends
la r g e ly upon th e n a tu re o f th e crime b u t a ls o upon th e number o f
r e l a t i v e s o f th e in ju re d p a rty liv in g In th e neighbourhood.
If
b e b a a harmed a number o f people i n th e a re a , or i f th e in ju re d
p a r ty has many r e l a ti v e * t o aid e w ith him* th e w itc h may be fo rced
by p u b lic opin io n to leav e th e a r e s .
* e l a j l who bad caused th e
r
r
:
a ./ i
d i f f i c u l t b i r t h and th e d e a th
t^ e o h lld of h is lo v a r, became
v e ty tmpopulas* when th e w itc h c ra f t had f i n a l l y been a ttr ib u te d to
fciffif
from being one o f th e c h e e rfu l young bloods in th e d i s t r i c t
he qui&enaa t o re s e rv e and r e s t r a i n t , and s h o rtly a f te r s a r d s he
l e f t to work i n
f town.
But he was n o t o s tra c is e d by anyone
s w e p t th e r e l a t i v e s o f th e in ju re d woman end, when he r e tu r n s ,
i f we may judge from o th e r c a se s, th e whole m atter w i l l have
blown o v e r.
o
On th e whole th e a t t i t u d e o f th e g e n e ra l p u b lic
to a co n v icted w itch la (me o f unconcern a s long a s h is e f f o r t s
have/been d ire c te d a g a in s t them p e rs o n a lly .
People a re accUs-
tomed to liv in g in an atmosphere i n which any one o f t h e i r frie n d s
or r e l a t i v e s may tu rn out t o be a w itc h .
The a tm o sp h e re /illu s­
t r a t e d i n a p ro v e rb ,th e sense o f which I s t h a t you may be the
unsuspecting v ic tim o f th e w itc h c ra ft of your c lo s e s t frien d * or
more l i t e r a l l y , Belegwane, th e enemy, does n o t care# (so in tim a te
w ith him a r e you t h a t you e a t w ith him (y et) he i s th e foe t h a t
e a ts you.
have any d i f f i c u l t y i n b ein g a ccep ted in to a n o th e r.
C o n sid eratio n s such a s th e r e tu r n o f c a t t l e a re o fte n stro n g
enough to d e te r a man from chasin g away a w ife who has bewitched
someone i n th e v i lla g e (he would never chase away a w ife merely
f o r bew itching o u ts id e r s ) .
When once we asked a men why he k e p t
a w ife who had been found g u i lt y of bew itching h e r fellow -w lfe*
he r e p l i e d 'She is =y w itc h ' (g i **1,1 w ajg a).
he m erely b u i l t h e r a s e p a ra te v i ll a g e .
n e v er been p u b lW y
Being fond o f h e r
Some p eople, who have
r e u s e d of w itc h c r a f t, a r e n e v e rth e le ss
J
TF?TTY
L
kaow m te be bed w itc h e s .
l a each ease* people may f e a r th e * *ad 4
t r y t@ keep o& good term s w ith them l a o rd er to av o id a v # l eoase*
quencas.
One o f th e most f r u i t f e l stu d ied l a re g a rd to w itc h c ra ft
1# t h e ia v e a tlg a tio a o f th e r e la tio n s h ip o f th e people who bew itch
one another*
Two main c a te g o rie s must be d is tin g u is h e d , v iz .*
cases In wbfch r e la tiv e s bew itch one another , and eases i n which
th e e v i l i s s e n t by n o n - r e la tiv e s .
The Lovedu m ain tain , and th e
o p in io n i s hom e o a t both by one' s g e n e ra l im pressions'and by th e
f a c t s , t h a t w itch es in ju re mainly th o se w ith whom they a re i n clo se
c o n ta c t, t h a t i s r e l a t i v e s and neighbours, and th a t i t is d i f f i c u l t
to bew itch a s tr a n g e r .
And i t i s rem arkable th a t o f f i f t y cases
o f w itc h c ra f t observed by us as they came before th e tW S .
given i n th e t a b l e below, 70% involve c lo se r e l a t i v e s .
*ot a i l
r e l a t i v e s a re a p t t o bew itch one, b u t b o th men and woman a re eq u al­
l y l i a b l e to harm e ith e r men or women.
A mother n e v e r, i t i s
b eliev ed * bew itches b a r own c h ild re n , and th e re l e even a s a y i n g #
th e e f f e c t , t h a t a wmomi who p o in ts out one* s mother Is n o t ab le
to divine*
and a l ­
though b ro th e r .and c a ttle - lin k e d s l a t e r sometimes b a te one a n o th e r,
openly &# w a ll a s s e c r e tly , they cannot harm one another* i t l a
s a id , because th e y would use ’ the m edicine bag of th e (same) mother
S im ila rly n e ith e r a son n o r a daughter can bewitch th e m other.
The most p r o l i f i c s in g le source o f w itc h c r a ft i s th e c o n f lic t
o f co-w ives (248 o f a l l c a s e e ) .
T h e ir r e la tio n s h ip i n th e polygy-
noua fam ily l a a d i f f i c u l t one;
th e booses a re independent n o t
subservient to one a n o th e r, y e t th e y a re i n c lo se contact* and th e
lo a ie te a c e upon oompromlBOB occadldoa many m ental cO nfllctB .
S^oas.es a ls o b e ^ itc k
m &
an o th er f b u t wives k i l l o r In ju re t h e i r
husbands more fre q u e n tly th a n husbands k i l l t h e i r wivesf. i t i s
sa M t h a t a husband •who has only one w ife w i l l never bew itch h e r,
ex cep t perhaps among C h ris tia n s who can have only cae w ife ,
f t e c o n f l i c t w ith spouses i s an a sp e c t o f a w ider i n s t i t u t i o n a l
c o n f l i c t , that- between r e la tiv e s - in - la w .
I f they have irksome
O b lig atio n s tow ards one an o th er f th e s o c ie ty i n s i s t s th a t t h e i r
r e la tio n s h ip s h a l l be c h a ra c te riz e d by m utual re s p e c t and h elp fu ln e
n e ss and t h a t t h e i r d i f f i c u l t i e s , e s p e c ia lly
d iffic u ltie s ,
a re to be re so lv ed as f a r a s p o ss ib le by th e methods and procedure
o f th e k h o ra.
These f a c to r s e x p la in why, d e s p ite t h e mmy sources
o f te n s io n between them, th e cases a re n o t, a s m ight be expected,
ov
erwhelmingly predom inant I
only
20 %
of th e t o t a l given in our
t s b l e a re oases o f wives o r t h e i r r e l a t i v e s bew itching husoande
o r t h e i r r e l a t i v e s and only 18% husbands or t h e i r r e l a ti v e s b o .
w itch in g wives or t h e i r re la tiv e s -,
t h a t i s even more a r r e s tin g is th e f a c t t h a t e a sily
ag g riev ed r e l a t i v e s who, a s i t i s phrased, a r e v e ry s e n s itiv e end
r e a d ily n u rse g rie v a n c e s, never o r r a r e l y bew itch;
auoh e re
c a t t l e - l i n k e d b ro th e rs or s i s t e r s , f a t h e r 's s i s t e r s , f a t h e r s ,
f a t h e r 's b ro th e rs and g ran d p a ren ts.
I t i s even c l e a r from what
we have a lre a d y s a id t h a t th ey a r e conceived to have rep re ssed
co m p lain ts, b u t th ey cannot p r o je c t a s w itc h c ra ft t h e i r d is p le a s ­
u re s o r m isfo rtu n e* or f a i l u r e s upon th o se who m ust, b u t do n o t,
r e s p e c t and humour them .
They can and do cause i lln e e a b u t i t i s
n o t by way o f w itc h c r a f t, and th e r e s o lu tio n o f th e c o n f lic t l a by
pardon and m _ # a s a , through th e gods n o t through v a k l '
i
#@ra*, witB& cfeft i* a r e f l a e t l o a mat o f ta n a io a a# aueh*
w hether opes o r re p re ss e d , b a t o f te n sio n s w ith in th e framework
o f c u l t u r a l mechanisms f a r avoiding t h e i r being p ro je c te d a s w i t # c ra ft.
They must W s ttid ie d i n th e whole c o n f* ig u ratio n o f
i n s t i t u t i o n s and s o c ia l v a lu e s s
th e perm issable or approved
r e a d i e s , th e in te r p o s itio n o f th e h ie ra rc h y of age and ran k be­
tween competing in d iv id u a ls «, th e compromises and re c o n c ilia tio n s
t h a t a r e I n s is te d upon, and. th e e x te n t to which m ental d riv e s a re
c o n d itio n e d t o th e c u lt u r a l p a tte r n or a _z%ed o u tle ts or a re
^
blocked by c u lt u r a l l y s tr e s s e d v a lu e s«
The in cid en c e o f w ito h e ra ft between stra n g e rs i s much more
i n t e l l i g i b l e to u s , because i t a r is e s in s itu a tio n s o f c o n f l i c t
t h a t a re n o t very d i f f e r e n t from our own.
But th e per-centage
o f th e s e eases (SOS) even when we in clu d e th e 10% of Cases between
d i s t a n t k in who a r e neighbours r a th e r th a n r e l a t i v e s , shows how
la r g e ly the s o c i a l s tr u c tu r e i s b u i l t upon th e k in .
The fo llo w in g ta b le re p re s e n ts a very broad a n a ly sis o f 50
caB&s o f w itc h c ra f t t h a t we observed a s th ey came before th e Bba&a
mad t h a t may be s im p lifie d f o r s t a t i s t i c a l p re s e n ta tio n .
of
l.W atj&g&i
(a) Bouse
or co-wife
agaW t
kouee or
c o -w ife .
fitob(es) VietiffiCs)! BO Remarks a s to
Mature o f
of
c o n flic t.
Cases
co-w ife
I
Category
.......... '
1
co-w ife , co-w ife *|
Child of)
c o -w ife . 1
i
2
oo-wlfe child of 1 2
co-wife I
:
Jealousy about
lo v e r s | n e g le c t
fev husband.
i je a lo u s y about
1c h ild re n & busbandis a tt e n t i o n .
D isagreem ents
about munvwalo.
*T
C8B2|;
226
C ategory
qf
(a ) C oat,
Me
Of
oases
*
2
co^wm s
aneS h er
Mother
e b tM
: fe llo w I widow’s
% c h il d .
1
*if& Of | Wife o f
3#other* I another
b ro th e r
o
*Son o f
I C hief sha
| C o-w ife. | and h i s
« w ife *
(b) Wife
(W ife,
a g a in s t hus­
band.
$
fa v o u ritis m o f husband
and o th e r mixed m otives.
Use o f c a t t l e o f one
house by an o th er and
Questions of prestige
I n h e r ite d C o?*## &
w ife ,
i her c h ild 8 ren . .
Widow,
Remarks a s t o n a tu re
o f c o n flic t.
husband
I Wife & ; huabsnd'e * 4
1o r w i f e '* a d u lte r in e I
I M other, ( c h ild o r
I
i lo v e r.
..A.....
P ro p erty arrangem ents
Complex je a lo u s le a
t a t us and p o s itio n .
F ric tio n * fa v o u ritism
of other- wives * p o s itio n
Sexual jea lo u sy and
neglect, of w ife.
iWife
I husband‘s
( s i s t e r 's
I c h ild .
Disagreement about
marriage o f c h ild re n
and siunvwaxo _______
Wife
| husband's
h r,* h i s
j w ife o r
I h is c h ild
P o sitio n * je a lo u s *
w if e 's
mother
hudband1s
c h ild
husband
w ife
1husband
swife*
against wife
, p re m a rita l sed u ctio n
1 and munywa lo tro u b le
I Husband impotent*
f se x u a l je a lo u s y .
a?;
(@> e w t . jmMb&oa
wiat**
s la te r
Husband J i l t e d ,
Revenge fo r m isfortune
( illn e s s )
Buabaaa 2 Brother's
s o n 's wif#
and h e r
mother
Bwsbaa*
W*f*'s
W ife 's b ro th er refu sed
h i s daughter as w ife to
w itc h 's son.
! 1
b r o t h e r 's |
d a u g h te r's;
husband
U nfaithfulness o f w ife,
H usband'e Wife
m other
O'
H usband'* W ife 's
mother
s is te r
(d) P a ren t
**& wm
c h ild .
Son
! F a th e r
F a th e r
, Sam
F a th e r
| S e n 's
w ife .
o
(a) uterine
br. & Ss. s i s t e r
I 1
*
! 1
< X
|
| Son co -h ab ited w ith inheri*
te d w ife <)f f a th e r .
I
Younger s is te r j i l t e d elder
s i s t e r ' s husband.
1
T otal^
R e la tiv e s
Son wished to o u st f a th e r
from p o sitio n as d i s t r i c t
head.
Son c( 'h ab ited w ith young
w ife o f f a t h e r .
Younger
s is te r.
c h ild .
* i f « 'e s i s t e r j i l t e d w itch |
s B rother re s e n ts power a f
1 s is t e r and mtmywalo tro u b le
a a tm A d a rs.
i
(a) 8#%ual ! Girl*
C gB fM qta.
| lo v e r j i l t e d g i r l .
L w er
_________ *
Lover engaged to h er croseeouein.
Lover
M e l te re r.
0
Loss o f fin e .a n d r ig h t to
woman or c h ild .
| M arried
Iwowm'a
) c h ild .
isssrl^f ii
I
|»
^ birth
I s s s M
2 er.
—
^ i , .
j1
I
»
!Widow
j
!
p rea U 8 e
1
IssrS
11
i&
:rii
( re la tiv e
J.
(Blatant
|
; la g .
fl I indirect economic rivalries.
|
(Men
(Man
Male neigh(-l ( Envy
sewing machine acquire
L
‘
^
in
to
w
n
by neighbour.
boor
1 | J e a lo u s y r e p r iv ile g e s
(Man
(Driver of
I car»
(Male
frie n d s
| Kan
I
1
(a iv a l
1 1 R iv a ls f o r c o u n c illo rs a tte n I t i o n , se x u a l or otherw ise
Woman
| because he could d riv e car#
| re s e n te d .
»
0)
H cth ef*
G ent.
kh^ba
in itia te
l
I n i t i a t e Who i s t o marry
croHse-Hsccsin wanted by
w itch a s d.-d b ^ iaw .
1
Com petition f o r jo b i n town
!
I
-
y
lAvedn
man
1
?.
;
.
■
...................... ■
fe ta l
e tra n g e r*
30
!
3;t v l l l ta k a a s to o f a r a f i e l d t o a isa u s* th e n a tu re o f tBe
e o n f l l e t s i n d e t a i l i n tub* v a rio u s c a s e s .
perhaps xw eeasary,
But a few observaticm a a r e
F ir s tly * th e cause o f this c o n f l i c t i s n o t n a c e ssa r-
i a # t t * one a ssig n s# by the p a rtie s * though th e o b je c tiv e s i t u a t i o n 1*
q f ts n se e n by O th e rs.
Sometimes v ery t r i v i a l causes a re giv en h u t
tfc»f have to he in te r p r e te d i n t h e i r t o t a l s e t t i n g .
Secondly* a s
reg a rd * n o n -re la tiv e s * i t i s sa id t h a t nobles a re sometimes 's e e n i n
# * a w * b u t th ey a r e never p u b lic ly aeeuasd by mere commoner*;
it
i * l l l b e u b tia e a t h a t , on tb s o th er hand* th e r e i s cue case o f a Sdb&#
a ee u ein g * commauar.
immunity;
Blob people who a r e n o t b o b lsa enjoy no a p a o is l
u n p lea sa n t paopl#* e s p e c ia lly thosejkho a r e quarrelsome*
rndbttloua* o f com petitive* a re o fte n accused.
:
;
O o u flla ts a r is e owing
t o c lo s e c o n ta c ts b u t may co n tin u e a f t e r th e p a r t i e s a re se p a ra te d and
w itc h c r a f t may be s e n t any d is ta n c e , even as f a r a s Johannesburg,
th ir d ly * tb # t a b l e doe* n o t g iv e a number o f ty p es o f oaees*
th e y a fe
m erely th e e sse s t h a t came b e fo re t h e court* many oar them bein g d lsm isea* us nonsense.
F i n a ll y , although th e m otives e re com plicated 1* * c * t
O f th e cases* I t 1# p o s s ib le it* say t h a t j U t * ) 1™* * ^ * * * 1 ^
# ^ 1 advance* i s a n W o r t a n t f a c t o r i n about
o f th e c ase s r a c e # -
Bi& w e a u M ta A t th in k o f FraudiaB pepeeaatoap* f o r a a a a a l
a # e * ir* a e e giv en re o o g n ltla n l a th e is d tita & io a
am&W&B*
a a s t c o n sid e r l o v e r 's c o n f lic t* i n th e o o ltu r a l a e t ti n g ,
(
**
!
TOM*
grg# i# n o t re p re s s e d , b u t th e lo v e r whose advance* e ra
:
fajeCt,*#* tM u g b b e baa o p p o rtu n itie s elsew here, f e e l s aggrieved,
The g i r l* whose choloe o f a m a rita l p a rtn e r la lim ite d , eeek*
e x tr a - m a r ita l a d v en tu re, b u t i t must be c la n d e s tin e and occasions
d i f f i c u l t i e s , and th e s i t u a t i o n between lo v e r, husband and w ife
i s an uneasy one* i n which i l l f e e lin g r e a d ily a r i s e s ,
The man*
who ha* a " h iid by a lo v e r, has no I n s t i t u t i o n a l claim on th a t
ch ild * end be may be g iv en away by th e woman and have t o pay *
heavy f i n e , w ith th e r e s u l t t h a t he i s angered.
There a r e a ls o
dangers i n se x u al in te rc o u rs e and* i f a man or woman s u ffe r* a* a
r e s u l t , he m y take revenge»
In o th e r Words, a c o n flic t s itu a -
t l o n must be a s c rib e d , n o t to re p re s s io n * , b u t to th e in d en t
in c id e n ts o f th e whole c u lt u r a l system .
S im ila r co n sid eratio n *
apply whenever we a n aly ee any o f th e o th e r s itu a tio n s o f c o n flic t*
I t i s fa r beyond our purpose to undertake an a n a ly sis of th e pay'c h o lo g ic a l a sp e c ts of the** c o n f l i c t s , b u t we would say t h a t w itcb ^
c r a f t ia t o be ex p lain ed m ainly, n o t by psychopathology, b u t by
a r e l a t i v l s t f c psychology, o rie n ta tin g i t s e l f from th e value* and
i n s t i t u t i o n a l c o n fig u ra tio n o f th e c u ltu r e .
When * man is i l l be w i l l im m ediately, i f be has an enemy *
ha* bad a q u a r r e l, th in k of th e p o ssib ility of W itchcraft,
Thl*
im pulse I s encouraged by th e technique of th e d ic e WbiQb* while
In d ic a tin g th e totem o r a#x of tb * w itch, leave* th e c lie n t to
decid* t e Whom among b i s f r i e n d s , enemies or relativ e*, th**a must
a p p ly .
A person w ith a grievance or ** unpopular person i a *or*
l i k e l y th r o o th e r s t o tie thought r e s p o s s lb le f o r h e s a .
W im
.
come OirtU* o t t h e q u een , o s r o ix y o s s a hy !M 4»1 f o r p lo u g h in g ,
s e r a tr a a e a t o a Buropean, he so m p lelm a most M t t e r l y .
A seek
l a t e r , when lig h t n in g s tr u c k « s to r a g e e n c lo su r e In th e r o y a l
V i l l a g e , uuduml was Im a e a ia te ly s u s p e c t.
Some o f th e c a t t l e
h e lo n g ln g t o S etem a n e's In h e r ite d w ife had t e e n taken t y th e p o lio s
t o g e t h e r w ith th o s e o f h er husband In s e ttle m e n t of a d e b t,
grumbled c o n tin u o u sly about h er l o s s .
sh e
A year and a h a l f l a t e r ,
on t h e d eath o f a c h ild o f h e r f e ll o w - w lf e , she was su sp ected a t
o n c e a n d , a f t e r c o n s u lta t io n o f th e b o n es, her husband c ta s e d her
away.
D isco n te n te d c la im a n ts to th e p o s it io n of d i s t r i c t head
a r e th ou gh t t o be l i a b l e t o bew itch th e r e p r e s e n ta tiv e s o f th e
q u een who come to p o in t out th e tr u e h e i r .
Hence th e s e r e p r e s e n t-
a t i v e s alw ays come w e l l prepared w ith m edicine f o r w ith sta n d in g
w it c h c r a f t , rod som etim es even have a doctor in t h e i r company.
A
p e r so n w ith an u n p leasan t fa c e v e r y o ft e n earns th e r e p u ta tio n o f
b e in g a w itc h even though n o th in g has been d e f i n i t e l y a tt r ib u te d to
h im .
A very
too,
old p e r so n ,
i s a p t to be thought a w itc h ,
h is
lo n g l i f e i s a tt r ib u te d to h i s b a r te r in g th e l i v e s o f younger
r e l a t i v e s f o r h i s own.
J u s t a s p eo p le w ith g r ie v a n c e s a re s u s p e c t-
ed o f w it c h c r a f t , so s u c c e s s /o n e s a r e thought to be s p e c ia lly
l i a b l e t o b e in g bew itched - th o s e who reap b e t t e r c r o p , th en o th e r s ,
s a o c e a e f u l h u n te r s , th o s e fa v o u red by t h e ir European - s t e r n .
On
th e o th e r hand, t h e ir s u c c e ss i s a ls o l i a b l e t o he a tt r ib u te d to
w itc h c r a f t on t h e i r part*
I t t o e b e e s a id th a t w it c h c r a f t i s a r e f l e c t i o n o f th e
in t e n s e h a tre d s o f w hich th e Bantu mind i s c a p a b le .
T rue, th e
European i s a p p l i e d a t th e s e r io u s n e s s o f th e crim es a tt r ib u te d
to wj&Ahee f o r th * moBt t r i v i a l
mm
mother#* broth#***
Wte# k i l l s th e a b iM o f h e r h&*b@na*e s i s t e r t h a t i a l iv in g * i tb
th * * I*o*ga* &* *#t» to * moeb ~ 'h e fiaieh eB our
b*o*ua*
a woman so lo n g er loves him, a man, n o t only causes in te n se s u f f e r ia g t o h e r d u rin g a prolonged b i r t h , but a lso k i l l s th e c h ild ;
je e lo u e o f si la rg e crop reyped by h is neighbour, a man sends l i g h t ­
n ing
d e s tro y h is whole h a rv e s t.
These th in g s do n o t, however,
p re s e n t th e m e lv e s i n th is way t o th e mind of th e Lovcdu.
A
hovcdu a rg u e s, n o t from r e a l cause to e f f e c t i n such m a tte rs, b u t
from e f f e c t t o cau se, which makes i t a l l appear if* & somewhat
d iffe re n t l ig h t .
p o s s ib le cau se .
can f in d none *
A c h ild d ie s and he looks around him f o r a
He th in k s o f p o ss ib le m etises and enem ies, b u t
He c o n su lts th e d ic e which p o in t
such-and-such a totem .
to a woman o f
The only one to answer t h i s d e s c rip tio n
i s th e m o th e r's b ro th e r’s w ife .
She happens to be known a s un­
generous, perhaps she was one day heard to comment on having an
e x tra mouth to fe e d .
The m isfo rtu n e I s th u s p ro je c te d upon her*
r/l'.
b u t I t i s n o t a phyehopatM c, i t i s an approved c u lt u r a l escape
technique or com pensation,
i n c a se s o f 1lin e as o r d e a th , people
te n d to seek th e cause i n th e d ire c tio n o f t r a d i t i o n a l je a lo u s ie s .
At w ife of th e queen d ie s in c h il d b i r t h .
The cause cannot be a
j i l t e d lo v er because she and th e f a t h e r of th e C h ild were on the
b e s t o f te rm s.
But he i s a m arried man, and women are known
through je a lo u sy t o cause d i f f i c u l t c h ild b irth to th e lo v e rs of
husbands*
The death must have been caused by M s wife (even
though she l i v e s m iles away)*
N othing i s don** i n th e m a tte r;
moreover th e r e la no g e n e ra l agreement i n th e
v e rd ic ts o f
J
'L
■
\
L
j
d ia c w e n t dootA fe,
S ix m@8th# l a t e e a young g i r l i n tb* v illa g e
d ie s snadenly oaf m ood poiBoning^
b*r mother l a lew;** t o bav*
baa q p areela * l t b th e &*(;***#& w ife o f th e qiiea*. I t i s th e re fo t#
^eheraM y ru m u re a t h a t th e grave moat have been tr e a te d t o 's e n d
bask* d e a th and t h e d e a th o f th e c h ild in d ic a te s th a t Ilex' mother
**a th e w itch reaponalble*
Nothing more l a s a id o f th e l o v e r 's
w ifeW itchcraft provides an explanation of the worst e v ils j suoh
&3 hloknesn and d e a th , t h a t b e f a l l man;
e v i l , th e Bantu (Satan.
i* g e n e ra lly c u ra b le ;
i t let th e p rin c ip le o f
I l l n e s s caused n a tu r a lly o r by a n c e sto rs
i t i s only w itc h c ra ft t h a t r e a l ly k i ll e *
It w*e a t f i r s t a source of g re a t amazement to us t h a t a man 40*18
f i n d i t p o s s ib le tio l i v e on s o c ia lly good term s w ith someone who
bad
h i* f a t h e r , a tte n d in g th e same b e e r- p a r tie a and a b le to
convorae i n f r ie n d ly fa s h io n .
But u n less th e oaa* bad been pub*
l i o a l l y d e a l t 'w ith and th e w itch sm alt o u t, th e evidence is eons id e re d incomplete in s p i t e of one's own c o n v ic tio n s.
Moreover
I t doa* not fo llo w t h a t th e w itch has any e v i l designs upkn one,
though be has k i l l e d somoom e ls e .
P erso n al adjustm ent* w ith the
w itch a re more e a s ily achieved th a n we might im agine;
they a r e
even im p e ra tiv e , p a r tly baceose w itc h c ra ft i s so u n iv e rs a l a eauM
o f d e a th t h a t i n t h i s r e s p e c t th e w itch i s alm ost p a r t of th e
in e v ita b le o rd e r o f th in g s , p a r t l y because, w d a s s a confirm ed
w itc h , he i* s o t reg ard ed w ith h o rro r by th e whole s f e i e t y , and
p a r t l y because be say be an i n f l u e n t i a l end re a p s c te d men.
W itc h c ra ft s e rv e s a ls o to e x p la in th e d i f f e r e n t i a l W id e n s ,
o f m isfo rtu n e o r d e a th which we g e n e ra lly leave unexplained;
i t i s n o t o f te n invoked i n t h i s re sp e c t*
but
** o ld d rie d -u p t r e e
stan d e i n a f i e l d .
People o fte n r e s t beneath i t a t hoeing tim e ,
OAe day w h ile two c h ild re n a re s i t t i n g i n i t s shade, i t f a l l s
down and k i l l s one of them.
a re l i a b l e to f a l l down.
The Loved* r e a liz e t h a t dead tr e e s
But i t has long been standing th e r e .
Why baa i t f a l l e n j u s t on t h a t day and moreover a t th a t p artio u la*
tim e when th e c h ild re n were th ere ?
one, le a v in g the o th er unhurt?
F u rth e r, what made i t k i l l
T his combination o f circumstances
m ust, they f e e l , be due to some m alignant c o n tro llin g fo rc e d ire c t
ed a g a in s t th e c h il d .
O r, when people recover from a disease
such as sma 11-pox in one d i s t r i c t , b u t succumb to i t i n a n o th e r,
th e d i f f e r e n t i a l a f f e c t i n th e l a t t e r i s a scrib ed to th e work o f
a w itc h .
The occasion fo r evoking w itc h c ra ft a s an ex p lan atio n
in c e r t a i n circum stances i s an a sp e c t of w itc h c ra f t, b u t i t i s
n o t an explanation o f i t s n ature and p sy ch o lo g ical b a s is and only
p a r t of th e ex p lan atio n of i t s fu n c tio n .
W itchcraft i s employed to acco u n t f o r unusual or a n tis o c i a l beh av io u r.
c r a f t or p o sse ssio n .
H y ste ria might be a ttr ib u te d e ith e r to w itch­
A g i r l ran away from h er own puberty cere ­
mony, an unheard o f and re p re h e n sib le a c tio n .
s a id she must have been bewitched in to doing i t ;
Bar r e la tiv e s
s o , in ste a d of
being punished, She was given tre a tm e n t to remove th e b a le f u l
in flu e n c e .
A ttrib u tin g c e r ta in type* of a n ti - s o c ia l a c tio n o r
th e breaking of soma customs to w itc h c ra ft makes i t p o ssib le f o r
s o c ie ty t o b re a s t s u c c e s s fu lly many blows;
an issu e i s avoided
and th e tra n s g re s s o r made to f e e l him self incapable o f such
a c tio n s b u t f o r th e w itc h c r a f t.
fe must a ls o remember th a t
a b n o rm a litie s need n o t n e c e s s a rily evoke comment.
A person may
aay %e b o m an Im b ecile, b u t i t may be considered q u ite norm al.
f b is i s so because th e re i s a p lac e i n th e s o c ie ty f o r th e weak*
minded5 sometimes even, aa j e s t e r s o f th e court*
P erso n al d e fe cts
or lim ita tio n s do n o t, to th e same e x te n t as among u s, d isa b le a
man from perform ance markedly below the standards re q u ire d in
spheres i n which he can be u s e fu l; end th u s th e re need n o t a r is e
an I n to le r a b le s i t u a t i o n from which escape i s sought by psychop a th o lo g ic a l d ev ic es or th e p ro je c tio n of o n e 's m isfortune a s * ito h c r a f t upon o th e rs .
F in a lly 3 to a t t r i b u t e death to w itc h c r a f t and s e t about takings te p s t o send i t back to i t s owner probably provides g re a te r
em otional s a t i s f a c t i o n to th e bereaved th a n th e f e e lin g of impotence;
i n th e fa@e o f an u n c o n tro lla b le , n a tu r a l fo rc e .
The same kind o f
em otional need i s answered when a man w ith a grievance f e e ls th a t
he c an , i n th e l a s t r e s o r t , employ m edicine to g a in h is e n d s, and
people n o t In fre q u e n tly in d ir e c tly h in t to t h e i r enemies th e p o ssi­
b i l i t y o f t h e i r doing s o .
BAGIG IN tcnmon SOCIETY.
Tba g r e a t weapon a g a in st w ito h o ra ft ana eoroary* th e se e l e a a n ts o f e v il
m b
m lafortane in s o c ia l l i f e , i s magic.
a
com­
p le te account o f magic in Lcnreau so c iety would cover alm ost every
aspeoS- o f l i f e |
t h i s would re q u ire
n o t he attem p ted h e re .
I t m ight he
volume to I t s e l f and can
o f
v a lu e , however, to in d i­
c a te I t s incidence in th e so c ie ty by summing up under v a rio u s
headings th e more im portant m agical p r a c tic e s o f th e Lovedu.
Buob h a s a lre a d y been d e a lt w ith in th e preceding pages)
th e
n a tu re o f w ito M ra ft, magic d ire c te d to s o c ia lly u n d e sirab le ends,
has been d iscu ssed am numerous m agical p r a c tic e s have been des­
c rib e d .
We s h a ll th e re fo re be co n ten t to in d ic a te only in bread
o u tlin e th e incid en ce o f lovedu magic.
Probably th e commonest and most w idely p ra c tis e d magic i s
t h a t d ire c te d tow ards securing and m ain tain in g h e a lth .
The
v a rio u s tech n iq u es a s s o c ia te d wii a i f have a lre ad y been d escrib ed
There i s 'throw ing-out* o f d ise ase by the u se o f scapegoats o r
fro g s i
th e re a re p re c au tio n s and p u r if ic a tio n s , such as mutual
in o c u la tio n o f th e newly-wed* steam ings and m ixings a f t e r an
a b o rtio n o r m is c a rria g e , connected wi&h th e dangers believ ed to
be a sso c ia te d w ith sex ih tc rc o u rs # ;
c o u n te ra c tin g w itc h c ra f t.
and c o u n tle s s methods o f
There are a lso m agical p ra c tic e s f o r
ensuring th e h e a lth o f c a t t l e and curing t h e i r d ise a se s;
b u t on
th e whole c a t t l e magic i s ra re * except f o r th e charmed fence o f
t h e i r e n c lo su re , taboow reg ard in g e n try o f women and p u r if ic a tio n
^ aeath. i o th * fam ily .
jggglo l e aBaooiated w ith a l l t r a n s itio n r i te s * I t s d b le f
pqrpose b a re t a l a g to ward o f f danger* bdlieved t o t e Ig M ra n t 1*
th e change t h a t h as ooCgrred.
Re baby 1* allow ed c o t o f th e h a t
In which i t has been born w ithout f i r s t being 'h elp ed ; (bn tha*a)
t o fa c e th e dangers o f th e o u tsid e world by being h e ld In the
smoke o f b am lng b a rk s and ro o ts and s c a r i f i e d a l l oyer th e body
to atre n g tb e n i t f o r th e o r d e a l.
L a te r i t i s introdnoed n o t
o n ly to th e Roon b u t a ls o to th e v eld and th e f i e l d s In a r i t e
C alled hn gwlsa anvana (omos ng th e c h ild to com© o u t) .
In o rd e r th a t she may n o t khuma (become 111) from th e Change
i n h e r l i f e a g i r l l a , an being Is o la te d a t her f i r s t menstrua­
t i o n , given medicine* an in g re d ie n t o f which l a some o f h e r #*8
m enstrual blood.
T h e re a fte r, on e n te rin g a strange v illa g e * o f
tbo f i r s t tim e abo m s t take th e p rec a u tio n o f s p i t t i n g on h e r
b re a s ts .
The dancing and sin g in g and tea ch in g o f 'la w s ' which
form so e s s e n t ia lt p a r t o f th e p u b erty ceremony a r* e d u catio n al
r a th e r th an m agical in purpose.
In th e circum cision lodge boys
a re s im ila r ly given s p e c ia l medicine a t th e tim e When th e g r e a t
change from fa c in g west to fa c in g e a s t tow ards the l i g h t o f t h e i r
nfw manhood, takes p la c e .
stre n g th e n in g by b e atin g the i n i t l a —
to e w ith m edicated s t i c k s i* a p a tte r n common to gomanej, % a l i
@ad vuhwera.
This* a t th e opening o f th e v y a ll i s accompanied
by an e la b o ra te r i t u a l In which a b e a st or sheep i s k i l l e d and
th e stomach c o n te n ts smeared a l l over th e neophytes who * fe th*#
s c a rifie d .
The costumes worn are a ls o o f m agical slg # lflo a n o e i
t h a t o f t h e g i r l s i s b e lie v e d to baotow f e f t l l i t y \ # b l l * n o t a
s in g le p ie c e o f th e b e a w tifu l dancing costumes o f
3
a#wera I s
allow ed t o f a l l to th e ground w ithout being pidcad up and g at
amide to be b u rn t w ith th e lodge a t th e end,
D*ath i s a fu r th e r tra n sitio n f u l l o f danger bu t in t h is
oame i t i s t h e c lo s e s t r e l a ti v e s t h a t a r e l ia b l e to ^hgma.
They a l l have t o be shaved and 'smoked*, th e widower o r widow o f
th e deoaased has to be is o la te d and s p e c ia lly purifies,* end th e
d e filem e n t i s f i n a l l y 'throw n o u t ' some weeks l a t e r a t th e W r
t s b H a (removal o f d i r t ) ceremony when th e r e l a t i v e s are shaved
o r rubbed w ith m edicine and th e ' d i r t ' placed in a bulb to be
b u rie d in a wet p la o e .
Even th e c a t t l e have to be tr e a te d w ith
m edicated w ater or sand l e s t th e y ,to o » khuma from th e change#
A la rg e C lass o f magio i s d ire c te d towards p ro tectio n * e s­
p e c ia lly a g a in s t th e e v il m achinations o f w itches.
No new
v i l l a g e , no c a t t l e k r a a l , no encloenre f o r an i n i t i a t i o n cere­
mony i s e v e r made w ithout a p o d a l p rec a u tio n s to keep out w itch es.
The technique employed, even the k ind o f medicine u sed , i s f a i r l y
s te re o ty p e d :
a magic c i r c l e may be d r a tc round th e fen ce o r
m edicated pegs may bo bu rled th e r e , sp e c ia l a tte n tio n bein g paid
to the v i ll a g e gate*
and a common in g re d ie n t o f th e medicine
u sed I s s e a -o r r i v e r - sand o r s e a w ater, which a re b eliev ed to
have th e p ro p e rty o f causing the v illa g e t o d isap p ear beTbr* th e
e y e s o f th e w itch by twrnimg in to w a ter.
# e khadl o r e ld e s t s i s t e r o f t h e v illa g e head i s th e ;* # < *
t o draw t h e magic c i r c l e .
In one &s t a n c e where th e m a g i I # * *
f a r o f f , th e V illa g e had a lre a d y been completed and i t s inm ates
were in occupation b e fo re she a rriv e d to perform th e r i t e .
She
c o u ld n o t e n te r before a b lack powder, mixed w ith b u tte r f a t had
b e e r smeared on th e s o le s o f h e r f e a t l e s t 'sh e open a way f o r
w itc h e s '.
Than,
a
M
e
r
p a r t a k i n f
o f re fre s h n e n t a f t e r her long
journey, at» was « » t e «MW ram e W Uronr siae o f a atn iatara
mhos two lo r e s hranobes o f
Her brother hoa moaroa with str ip e o f blaoK nowlar ona f a t .
The hrenoM s wore l o f t on eith er eiae o f the r llla g e extronoe.
la ‘aoetorlng* a v illa g e a AVer stone I s laoaolly Irarlea w ith
o h a w calphoha) at tho gates
the gate-posts,whloh most be o f
fchlrsift or tmftito (Gslt i s % roussi»m),are smeorel rith m ealelnes
ana a medleoted stic k la id on th e grama so ro ss th e gatemsy.
y ,ry o ften a medioatea stic k with a piece o f 4 ^!jgjMaJEX$ 2 s lS v n l e s B l stook on the end Is set op outside the entrance.
Some
doctors require a goat to be used In such r it e s 1 ana whereas
one sp rin k les river sand round the fence, another w in use w d l e a te d pegs,
Emmy year
bo
re n o rcd
the dlpbebo or Mffiufijla. o f the v illa g e have
j^ u ^ s a m ts e l.
Bapaka. a doctor wo know, does
t h i s naked a t dead o f n ig h t, sprinkling riv e r sand mined with
medicine round th e fen ce ,
some o f the medicine used for pro­
te c tin g the v illa g e i s always given to th e owner fo r future u s e .
I t may be recommended by the d ice fo r the cure o f certain « l< * n essos and i t often forms on ingredient, o f the medicine used fo r
sp rin klin g over a person oho has been struck by lig h tn in g .
V,
however, the v illa g e I t s e l f i s struck, the p rotective pegs have
to bo .oooled* with medicine mixed with th e stomach con ten ts and
blood o f a sheep or goat ( i g j t o p issh a la
mutse)-
Hut-dmildlM
i s associated with no p ro tectiv e r it e s except oceaslon olgrw ou tloom taKan a g a in s t ligbtnlB g*
X,0V*4U v illa g e s are not moved on the death o f the owner, as
i . the custom among some other tr ib e s .
But when a d is t r ic t
bWMm 4$##* W Waww* to hi# village ha#* ox* the @ay hi#
sq aceaso r 1# i n s t a l l e d , to ha c lo sed and a new one m agically
opened (ho 6hivala k h o rn ),
And b a re the r l t e e a re th e same *#
lb th e e stab lish m en t o f a new v i l l a g e .
The doctor with, medicine :
on h ie a o le s la th e f i r s t to e n te r th e new g a te ;
ameared I n c ir o u la r s t r i p e round th e g a te p o s ts ;
i n th e gateway,
mediolne i a
a s tlo k 1# l a i d
th e r e s t o f th e cerem onial connected w ith ^
t h iv e la khoro c o n s is ts o f the form al banding over o f th e drume tlc k o f o f f loo t o th e euooeesor by a re p re s e n ta tiv e o f th e qpeen
th e r i t u a l k i l l i n g o f a head o f c a t t l e , th e le g o f which ban l a t e r
t o be se n t (hu suma)t o th e queen, the g ath erin g o f th e whole d i e - :
t r l c t to d rin k b e e r in the v i ll a g e , drumming and sin g in g in which
a f t e r su n set th e a n c e s tr a l s p i r i t s (sw idajane) may jo in ,
BUt
b e fo re th e h e e r-d rin k ends, th e women o f th e v illa g e have to tak e
o u t a l l t h e i r h e a rth -a to n e s and a sh e s , p lac in g them in a heap
j p g t o u tsid e th e new e n tra n c e .
Each woman s i t s n e ar h e r own
h e a rth —stone a w hile th e d o c to r, beginning w ith th e c h ie f wife*
g iv e s t o each a black powder t o mix w ith butter-fat and smear on
h e r head and le g s and a ls o on h e r th re e h e a rth sto n e * .
may use th e old h earth ston es ag ain .
Bo one
w h ile t h i s r i t e ta k e s plaee
th e do cto r w ill allow no one e ls e n e ar l e s t someone bew itch the
v illa g e .
This throwing ou t o f th e o ld hear th a t cnee which ensures new
fir® being made f o r th e now head ( n o t, in t h i s e ase, by mean# o f
f i r e e t l c k e ) 1* s im ila r to th e cerem onial p u ttin g ou t o f a l l th e
f i r e * 1& th e lan d on the accessio n o f a new quean*
I# th e l e t t e r
however, each h e a rth 1# 'b eaten * w ith f e e d in g ! m edicine (* # * * »)
j u s t a* when a ll-p e rv a e iv e impediments to r a i n are cerem o n ially
I
1
r
fg&oveai
T#e ai&tlnctive Id&aa are e&pllqit In the#@rite&i
fire as # rolerfa prerogative *oa fire in its aspeef @
f giving
ant deleterious beat vblob met be ooontereoted by ooollng #ltb
mufomo fho foes* to blow upon bu a oool breeze, to sprinkle *itb
#oll#g medicines).
Fire also is linked up *ltb erleee df greet
ohaagea and is used to extinguish on evil or purify a state #f
defilement.
In the aaored fire kindled by frietlon in the boys*
olroumaislon lodge Is found its central shrine at the plao* *hSre
the obieg initiate sits.
CD
In the sanctum of the Bird of the
wall Is an undying fire also ritually kindled, and at the end
of these Initiations fire destroys all the dlatinetiV# tbinge
a s s o c ia te d eith them.
The lodge, eneloeuree, costumes, every-
thing lo burnt and the initiates Irrevocably severed fremtheir
past#
Scan when the country is *not right? and the hearths
have to be purified with
a transition is Implied for it
Is said the fires are put out *te usher in a new year*#
A whole series of magical rites i s associated with rain and
ra&n-m*klng, as we have seen.
BO
t only is the queen of ralh-
dootor able to produce rain by means of magic but all manner Of
precautions are necessary to prevent the rain~aharme from becom­
ing defiled (hu khum
a or ^laehela).
first-fruits and first termites;
They have to be given the
they are liable to lose their
power If people who have been burnt to death, twins* babies
have died before cutting their first teeth or people dying 0;
coughing lllJf a* are not burled in wet soil or with cooling
medicines#
seaatlmes the whole country has to be magically
purified for the rain to fall.
yith fertility are associated tbs rite* of the
with their promiscuous sex intercourse, rain-producing songs
;i?E —
J
\
L
J
*#& g r e e t
Bqt tM e e r i t e s are *xtra~*Nl%#By, o ew rr*-
l a g laaasrewgtH&rrSS/p a f t e r lima*; I n te r v a ls o f tl# e and o%# th e re fo r#
exgOots t o f in d o rd in ary r i t e s f o r in c re a s in g sm m aiiy th e f e r ­
t i l i t y o f soed o r o ro p s.
A g rlo u ltu re l maglo i s , hoeover, amqrg
th e Love do, conspicuous hy I t s absence;
only eltcbO s t r y iso
in c re a se th e y ie ld o f t h e i r f i e l d s and t h i s I s always a t th e
expense o f o th e rs by means o f ausuhalo m edicine o r by d ir e c t
th e f t *
There I s only one r a r e r i t e f o r In creasin g th e f e r t i l i t y
o f th e f ie ld s * ehloh ae have never seen* b u t which i s s a id to
tak e p lac e i f f o r many y e a rs th e re have been poor h a rv e s ts over
th e whole co u n try .
I t i s th en holloved t h a t fo re ig n w itches
have s to le n th e f e r t i l i t y o f th e s o i l and tra n s fe rr e d i t to t h e i r
Own c o u n try .
Tp re g a in t h i s p ro d u c tiv ity th e queen sends doctors
t o c o l l e c t some o f th e e a rth and m oslie s ta lk s from th e f ie ld #
o f many neighbouring t r i b e s ,
These are ground and mixed w ith
m edicines in order t h a t th e l o s t f e r t i l i t y may be drawn bank
a g a in .
Though i t i s not le g itim a te t o u se magic f o r in e ra s sin g the
f e r t i l i t y o f th e f i e l d s , i t i s pormissabl© to combat p e s ts such
a s b ir d s shloh e a t th e k a f f l r com * worms th a t a tta c k th e m esli#*
ahd baboons th a t s t e a l the produce o f th e f i e l d s by the m agical
r i t e of hu ttha.
As t h i s i s e s s e n t ia ll y a means o f c h asin g th e
p e s ts t o o th e r f i e l d s o r a re a s , i t has t o be done w ith t b s kno*le d g e o f th e d i s t r i c t bead who u s u a lly performs i t f o r th e whole
a re a .
Rites of hn ube d i f f e r in d e ta il h u t in e s s e n tia ls they
ar# a l l s im ila r to one we saw a t B a s m tlti1s»
F i r s t th e whole
field was smoked by means # f m edicine, c o n s is tin g o f th e flash
and bask o f a hawk mixed w ith c h ip s o f ro o t and bark* sh ie b was
W * . l a th #
Of tb * *&arra@ rw m lne o f *b# m&isijo*
w&lgh *er# ground t o & po*dert acme mixed w ith f& t w*a eaear#*
on sm all sto n e s plaood in * heap i n th e c e n tra o f th e f i s l i f o r
& *t*r # a# t
%@ ro o t wae giv en t* em ail boy* and g i r l * under
puborty f o r ty in g m edicated kno ts in tb# o o m .
a f t e r ty in g a
k not in a M ade o f corn in th e e e n tre o f th e fie ld * th e y prooeo—
dad t o t h e b o u n d a rie s.
They would t i e a k not in th e corn w ith
eyes s h u t, then tu rn in g found would make a s im ila r m edieatsd k n o t
t h i s tim e w ith open eye** i n the g ra ss o r leav e* o f th e ad jo in —
in g v e ld ,
T his makes th e b ir d s see only th e bush, n o t the e o ra .
Sext th e c h ild re n w ith pipes o f mukhure (R lolnua commonie) walked
alo n g th e b o u n d aries blowing to im ita te th e o b lrp o f b ir d * .
On
th e e a s te rn edge o f tho f i e l d th ey c a lle d o u t, *I,et th e b ird s go
to Fhalavohwa f a c o u n try to th e e a s t o f 1/ulovedu;
on th e northern
b o rd e r th e y o a llo d j 'L et th e h erd s go to Vendaland,? and so on
t i l l th e b ir d s had been se n t in a l l d irectio n * *
A fte r bu uba
S leep in one b u t.
th e c h ild re n must r e f r a in from speaking sod
B arly th e fo llo w in g morning a man w ill come
end sa y 3$Where have you sen t th e b ird s ? )
They may now re p ly •
Then they wash in th e r i v e r and th e taboo a g a in s t speaking i s
lifte d .
am old woman goes t o th e f i e l d whore the medicated stone
were p la c e d .
On seein g b ir d s , she throw* a stone t e l l i n g them
t o go elsew here t i l l she has covered a l l d ire c tio n * o f the comp**#
Sometimes* in ste a d o f a to n e s, a m edicated s t i c k i s brandished a t
t h e b ird s*
I t 1* taboo f o r th e s e x u a lly m ature t o e n te r a f i e l d
on th e day fo llo w in g hu uba. l e s t they undo th e magic (hu ubnll& li
A most e s s e n t ia l form o f magic in lovedu so c ie ty i s t h a t o f
d iv ln a tlo n i
I t 1* n ecessary f o r tb * daagnoal* o f d isease and l t d
*****, f o r d isc o v erin g th e wish** o f th e a n c e sto rs in e l l r o i i g i -
f&t##* f o r d ecid in g tb a g u i l t o f * person aoonsad a f
I t I s p*#er&e& t o in le g a l cases o f a d u lte ry o r sed u ctio n
"hen evidence i s la c k in g .
«o v illa g e can be b u i l t o r eat& l*
%P**1 made w ithout c o n s u lta tio n o f th e die# a s to th e s u i t a b i l i t y
o f th e
and
chosen s i t e .
Indeed d iv in a tio n 1* found a t every tu r n
r e l i e d upon i n th e d a lly l i f e o f
sad good h e a lth *
la
every fam ily fo r se c u rity
Success o r good lu ck in v a rio u s undertakings i s another
o b je c tiv e o f m agical r i t e s .
4
doctor who w ishes to a t t r a c t
p a t i e n t s , $ t r a d e r who heeds more o llo n ts , tu rrn B i* o k m edial**
to a t t r a c t them to him ,
& young man whom th e g i r l #
do n o t Ilk # 1# smeared w ith th e stomach C ontents o f a go at and
te h e a to s i t belo# a cascade o f w ater in o rd e r t h a t he be re a d e y
#d a t t r a c t i v e ;
a boy who wants a c e r ta in g i r l to love him w ill
blow a m edicated w h is tle in th e d ire c tio n in which she l iv e s o r
H#e o th e r lo v e charms*
No w a rrio r would ev er go to b a t t l e w ith
out f i r s t having been rendered stro n g and su c c e s s fu l, Im raln arab le to th e apeara o f th e enemy.
f u l l day.
rite s
f o r d o c to rin g an army f o r
fo
give tb# s o ld ie r s courage
success used to ta k e a
and s tre n g th th ey war*
ssads t o d rin k m edicine co n ta in in g th e spine o f a human being*
o r a b la c k b u l l , th e f le s h o f which was e aten w ith m edicine# had,
t o be k i l l e d w ith th e f i s t s w ithout th e use o f a s s a g a is ,
ppr
succee# end i n o rd e r t h a t th e b o l t s * f th e enemy might mlea t h e i r
mark th e r e were v a rio u s a lt e r n a t iv e r ite s *
sometime# th e w arriors
ware mac* to kneel round & f i r * to be anokea in lu c k m edicine,
a f t e r dhich each had to shut h i s eyes while t h i s m edicine wee
n
r
n
r
33t|
smeared on ta* forehead or press#* against I t with a bem aff * ltk
tb a w ards, $!Oie enemy da n o t see* ;
sometimes t o ren d er th e war­
r i o r s in v is ib le g i r l s under puberty sp rin k le d them w ith madloatad .
sand o r w ater drawn by th em selv es;
o r th e doctor would tak e th e
w a rrio rs a t dead o f n ig h t to wash and be smeared w ith medlalne
BOntalnlng th e f a t o f human b e ia g a w ith th e words, *Tbls man #*n*t
be seen* (mumna a a
%&e weapons o f th e w a rrio rs had
S lso to be tr e a te d to make them h i t t h e i r mark and sometimes
o
m edicated guns ware sh o t in th e d ire c tio n o f the enemy f o r th e
same purpose.
A man who k i l l e d an enemy In b a tt l e had not only to p ierce
th e stomach l e s t h i s own stomach sw elled w ith t h a t of th e dead
m an.but a ls o to tak a back w ith him the r i g h t am: t o be used in
h i s p u r if ic a tio n ,
TTo was thought to be f u l l o f l e r i d l (bad
shadow) end co u ld n e ith e r e a t nor mix w ith e th e r people bofor#
having been p u r if ie d ,
P or t h i s purpose a b e a st was k i l l e d and
i t s meat e a te n w ith medicine co n ta in in g th e a m o f th e enemy by
a l l th o se oho bad k i l l e d a man.
D
Magical r i t e s to secure su ccess formed p a r t also o f b a n tin g ,
fo p rev e n t the q u arry from escaping the sp ear# o f th e h u n t m e n , #
th e men danced round a m a l l boy showing t h e i r weapons and shout­
ing o u t what th e y in ten d ed doing;
toy rem aining s t i l l d u rin g the
performance* th e recumbent boy caused th e anim al* t o *S leep s.
To make *a fence through which th e anim als e w ld * o t break** tb #
doctor, palms m edicated w ith a m ixture c o n ta in in g dung o f v atio u c
a n im als, would s tr e tc h o u t h is s m s In an e n c ir c lin g movement
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(fw kfmba d lc h o a fo la i*
Daring a dangeroos l i o n bnnt tb # **m$a
gath o red 1* on* s p o t an* s o m a 4* no seeking % ill th e p e ta rn Of
t h e i r a*n#8.k* a g fa e w tle m s im ila r in fa n e tio n to t&& nnmarogs
$*boe# d ire c te d tow ards t&m snooaas o f th e e n te r p r is e observed
b y women w hile th e men a re a t war*
##n w&s b a d s le p t w ith
Bo new ly-m arried man o r
w ife tb s p ro v id es n ig h t e v er want
ant to b a t t l e or to hent; n o r would he r e tu r n unhurt I f h i s
o b ild e r le d on seein g him s e t out*
B esides saoeess in t h s i r undertakings man d e sire a lso r e ­
venge on t h e i r enem ies.
To a s t t e f y th is need th e re a re v a rio u s ;
c la s s e s o f m agic, such as khldaha a g a in st th ie v e s $, Mi t g i ^ ^ a
to send back d eath and madahd t o frig h te n s run-away w ife In to
re tu rn in g home, a l l of which have already been d escrib ed ,
Prom t h i s b r ie f review i t i s c le a r t h a t magic ra m ifie s a l »
most every a s p e c t o f Lovedu l i f e .
I t l a notegorthy* however* l a
s p i t e o f t h i s m assive a rra y * t h a t a p a rt from magic d ire c te d
tow ards m a in ta in in g h e a lth and c u rin g d lsc a a a , magic does n o t
p la y a g r e a t r o l e i n th e d a lly a c t i v i t i e s o f th e people*
o
Si#r*
i s no magic in cooking and b u t-b u ild in g and l i t t l e o r hen* in
th e a r t s and c r a f t s , in a g ric u ltu r e and o a t t l o —herding $ tM ich
ta k e up most o f th e d a ily r o u t in e .
Indeed th e o b serv er who
w atches th e d a ily l i f e and a c t i v i t i e s o f th e loveau and does n o t
concern h im se lf w ith d e lv in g deep in to th e m agical system i s
im pressed, n o t by th e amount o f magic be comes upon but by tb *
p r a c t i c a l n a tu re o f t h e i r a c t i v i t i e s , th e In tim ate knowledge
which people have o f t h e i r environment and o f techniques re q u i­
r e d f o r m eeting th e everyday problems o f foodr-supply and handi­
c ra fts .
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54-1
Carofwl e x m lB a tlo a o f t b a mmgWal r l t a s fmrna gmoag
3 ,<#B4 #
abo** th a t *y f a r th e g re a te r p ro p e rtie s ar* d ir e o W * n e t
tow ards soscoss* good fo rtu n e o r e lim in a tin g th e element o f ohanoel n u n d e rta k in g s, b u t tow ards p rev e n tin g Of ovoroomlng danger*
** would c a l l imaginary^ a ris in g o u t o f t h e i r oosoeptlos*
a f g e n eral law s governing l i f e , such s s 'm ixing' (hu khuma ) ,
shad** f& urldl) , b e a t (ha fesa). sad th e dangers o f sex IntOrOoorBi
Knob o f t b s m agical cerem onial i s i n i t i a t i o n s i s to p rev en t M
khuna a s a re a ls o p u r if ic a tio n s a f t e r d eath , p recau tio n s connedo
te d w ith th e r a in eliarms.
R ite s a f t e r war a re d ire c te d to com­
batting 'sh ad o o ' ( I c r i d i ) . a s a re a lso a la rg e number o f B odies!
p r a c t ic e s .
P re ca u tio n a ry m easures such a& sp rin k lin g g ra v e st
r l s b t l o g i r o n s ' b u ria ls* keeping th e a n ce sto r* ?co@l* a re a l l
taken to c q u n to ra c t d e le te r io u s 'b e q t ' and ensure th e welfare * f
v i ll a g e and co u n try .
T hese, d iv in a tio n and r i t e s t o c o u n teract
th e e v i l deed* o f w itch es f a r outweigh a l l o th e r form* a r * M a* t iv e a o f magic among th e lo v ed u .
Thar* i * * co n sid erab io body o f term inology connected w ith
o
m agical p ro c e sse s:
hu p #
j e c t s used m a g ica lly ;
i s th e smearing o f modloin* on Ob­
bo p r u l a i s th e rubbing o f m edicines *n
th e bead o r body f o r removal o f ' d i r t ' o r o f d e filem e n t a s 1* th e
k h l ta h l la ceremony a f t e r a d eath , p u r if ic a tio n in th e v z s l l
I n i t i a t i o n o r in th e removal o f th e ak in o f tb* deceased c h ie f
f o r u se in too r a i n p o ts.
Hu k l # a 1* t o bend th in g s to your
w i l l o r remove, t h e i r p o ser a s In bunting anim als o r 1* 'cooling*
tw
a n c o to rs ,
b u _ ^ m l e e lm ila r in f u n c tio n ,
*11
m edicine b u rn t for lu c k o r success w hether in tra d in g * * * ?
* r in m edical p fa c tlo e j
..
**
8 2 1 ^ ^ **&*» 4*g* keen 1% b W lh g * f
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34-2
k##n In w ar;
eleaaas of madloino.
m d t h e r e a re many o th e r prOQoeaea #o@
Non* o f these are* however, oonfWO to
ifixut w WOOl# os&l Biagieal wS-®tiotsj ma% wfa £■&&& t&m 1R
#s&ig$*a o r a re m edioal l a t h o l r fu n c tio n ,
m liana* se e d th e
t e r n magio h er* l a th e Baropoaa eeaa* a s Bomothlag o lB tla o t
#
0*
ecleaoe o r teohaology on th e oao ban@ and r e l i g io n on # $
O th e r,
Bo* f a r #aah d&*tiBOtt*ns e a l e t f a r th e
o o a sld o r I n idle fo llo w in g c h a p te r.
re
.
GHAPTBR 10
INY3KR2LATIOR
^ « i l U i . ^ > i i i»<
BBDICINBi MAGIC AND RELIGION,
'.............................................................. . ...... .... m i ■ irwi » i W M » » . - 'M H — i n o — i i m u i
t
iW f t u p .
One p rin c ip le t h a t bes emerge a from t h i s stufiy o f lo w a u
M e aie lm , magio and r e lig io n i s t h e i r Interdependonce, th a p e r meatiem o f r e lig io o s r i t e s by elem ente th a t we sbould o a ll magi?- .
o a l and th e Im p o s s ib ility In many cases o f deciding she th e r a
r i t e i s m agical o r r e lig io u s *
The sbolo r e lig io n s system i s
dependent upon d iv in a tio n , a purely magical p ro cess:
over 90%
o f a l l r e l i g io u s r i t u a l ta k e s place a t tbo eomiand Of th» d K s
and no one would perform a r e lig io u s ceremony o f any im portance
w ithout f i r s t c o n su ltin g tb s bones to die cover *&at i s re q u ire d
to s a t i s f y th e gods end s e t t l e snob d e t a i l s a s abo i s to o f f l e l a t *
@V*n th e queen h e r s e l f was dissuaded by h e r council lo r e
from
perform ing a r a in s a c r if ic e w ithout th e a id o f h er ra in -S o c to r
on th e grounds t h a t she might 'd e v ia te from th e course pro scrib ed
by th e bones* ( l a ga fitpana 10 d l t a o l a ) .
% * o b je o ts and symbols used In r e lig io u s r i t u a l are n o t
confined to r e l i g i o n , nor a re r e lig io u s r i t e s fo re ig n to magig*
3yen tb o term inology i s the same throughout th e m ag lco -re llg lo u s
world*
A n c estra l beads, sp ears and hoes which p lay an im portant
p a rt i n l ib a t io n s , dedicated animals* sh rin e s o f a l l c la s s e s nr#
r e f e r r e d to as th u g u la i
but a. th u g ala i s a lso any charm, bon#
or anim al olaw g iv e n by a dootor t o b# worn f o r p ro te c tio n a g aln et
iiln h s h and harm o r any m edioated peg o r braa#& in th # v illa # #
t o keep ©tit w itch e s.
S im ila rly the r a in ©haras o f th e
ga#»a a re dithtiRtila $* a re th e m edicated gnns s h o t l a th e d ir a o t l o n o f th e eaemy i n p re p a ra tio n s f o r war.
3hrtharaor#» j u s t
## a n m e t r s l beads a re s y b je c te d to th e r i t e o f W nhasa w ith
b e e r o r w a te r b e fo re boing given to th e p a tie n t to wear f o r r e c o from I lln e s s * *o d o c to rs also very o fte n oham on a obar#
b s fo re g iv in g i t to th e p a t i e n t ,
And i t was in te r e s tin g to so#
how in one in stan o e in which a doctor was advised to btirn 190k
m edicine (isshw aha) to a t t r a c t p a tie n ts , th e d ic e recommended
t h a t t h i s p u re ly m agical a c t should be perform ed by th e khadj,
( p f ie a te a s ) o f th o fa m ily . J u s t &e though lit. were a r e lig io n s
rite .
In LovsSu term inology p ray er I s not d istin g u ish e d from sp e ll*
Xo prey to th e a n c e sto rs i s hu rerelfelfe or hn re ta * but so i s tb s
s p e l l , u tte r e d to make m edicines e f f e c tiv e or to t s i li an enemy
hu r e r e l e l a . though in the form er case s p i r i t s *r* appeal# ! to*
o fte n by name, While in th e l a t t e r th e m edicine i s t o ld what to
do or a wish expressed about th e d e sire d r e s u l t *
Urging tho
d ic e t o t # l i th e t r u t h or p r a is in g thorn by t b o i r recognised
p r a is e s may a lso be r e f e r r e d to as M r & ^ l s l a *
beeoyer* o f small Im portance in lavedu m agic,
%bs s p o il 10*
Power i s tb eu g b t
t o l i e I n th e m edicine u s e d , n o t i n th e words t h a t a re u tte re d *
Moreover, th ere i s nothing fix e d about a s p a ll $ s p e lls are ®1"
ways extempor# l i k e p ra y e rs and d o c to rs never give in s tr u c tio n s
about S is ex act wording o f a sp e ll*
%be r i t e s which form p e rt o f r e l i g io u s technique a re n o t
confined t o r e l i g io n .
Hu t h s s e . s q u ir tin g o u t w ater o r pouring
*it& * BPsy&f t o tba aaoeetors^la a commw rellgioq #
Bgt I t 1# V#*4 aiea abea +@eo4iBg tsck* e v il to s witah *bo baa
@a#e@d &b i l l a e a a and i s tb a rocognlaoa method by #hlc& a # ito b
#*A y& aall o r re n d e r impotent b l e w itc h c ra ft,
aven th e e a a rifle *
o f a abeep f a r p a in deee n et d i f f e r very g re a tly from th e b i l l i n g
Of u aheap o r goat t o a c t r i g h t a wrong b n r la l th a t l a thought
to be oaoe&ng draogbt.
and the firat-frolte of green fooda and
te rm ite s a r e u sed , n o t a s an o ffe rin g t o th e a n o a a tra l s p i r i t s
b u t to be pu t In th e r a ln - p o ts .
I t i s n o t always p o ssib le t o d is tin g u is h between r e lig io u s
s h rin e s end b u rle d charms f o r th e p ro te c tio n o f th e v i l l a g e .
B oth a re th e re to y ro te o t th e v illa g e and very o fte n th e p a r t i a l l y
b u rle d r i v e r stone placed in th e gateway w ith charms o f f o r g e t­
fu ln e s s i s t h r exact r e p l i e s o f th e v illa g e sh rin e which may
lik e w is e be a r i v e r stone w ith the id o n tld S l charms used a t the
g a te .
I n t h i s case one i s guided by t h e i r p o s itio n in the
v i l l a g e , but th e re a re cases in which i t i s im possible t o d e te r­
mine whether one I s d e alin g s * tb a r e lig io u s sh rin e o r a m agioal
s t r u c tu r e .
Such a s tr u c tu r e i s th e hhuiUDOnl, c a lle d the thuRUla
o f th e w a l l I n i t i a t i o n , the mound on which luitl& tGB ste a d to
shout o u t t h e i r r e p l i e s to th e B ird ,
i t I s s itu a te d tow ards
one end o f th e v y a li enclosure and i s made by th e doctor In charge
When th e khulunoni a t the w e l l o f th e ro y al v illa g e was made*
th e doctor* a f t e r digging a h o le with h ie digging iron* poured
in powdered m edicine from h i s m edicine b ag s, th en placed i n I t
th e m edicated end
o f a long p o le o f the mueueu t r e e (T endnalla
s e r ic e a ) and a m edicated r i v e r s to n e .
A fte r once more pouring
1
in powders he covered in th e h o le end l e t th e women make a moond
eroond t h e pole l i k e t h a t o f many sh rlo e s to serve a s a m a l l
p la tf* * * .
Judging hy i t s p o s itio n in sid e th e enolosore one
m ight be I n e llm d to th in k o f th e khulunoni a s a sh rin e^h at th #
mososo t r e e I s not to our knowledge found in sh rin e s and th e re
i s never any l i b a t i o n o r p ray e r made a t t h e khulunonl*
But oven
th e pouring o f a l ib a tio n upon i t i s not th e d istin g u is h in g
mark o f a shrine* f o r l ib a tio n s are sometimes a lso made on ebarma,
Many pavpie on re s o lv in g k h lru la b eer (b ear se n t by re la tiv e s* in -la w o r f r ie n d s ) in th e v illa g e pour a l i t t l e on th e r i v e r
stone a t th e g a te In o rd er t h a t snore may some«
pouring said* *Here i s th e c o u rty a rd ;
always some, $ (Kharo go vans ve:
aa m a ia ii) ,
One man while
i t i s open,
ea th am lle.
l e t beer
tfyalwa_vo_no_^@_
Exoept t h a t th e anoestore a rc n o t addressed* the
rit® hero does n o t d i f f e r from a lib a tio n on a s h rin e »
i t might
be thought th a t in th e l a s t r e s o r t th e d is tin c tio n between a
r e lig io u s sh rin e and a m agloal s tr u c tu r e must l i e in th e f o o t
t h a t though b e e r may be poured m both, th e a n c e sto rs would hot
bo prayed to a t a m agical s tr u c tu r e .
f * t t h i s d is tin c tio n does
n o t hold* as i s i l l u s t r a t e d by th e follow ing cerem onial in
which a p ra y e r to th e a n c e sto rs accompanied a ho .fihaifi r i t e on
t h e p ro te c tiv e charms In th e gateway o f th e W a ll en clo su re.
At B a ie ia th e w a l l e n clo su re was m ag ically p ro te c te d on th e
name day a s a sheep was k i l l e d f o r use in 1stre n g th e n in g 1 th e
g i r l s f o r th e 'G ro s s la g '.
Chasing away everyone f o r f e a r #
w itc h c r a f t, th e d o c to r, B opal, accompanied by b is w ife who i s
k hadl $o th a t v illa g e * dug a h o le In the newly-made en tran ce to
th e w a l l e#<a&88m»
Then f i r s t h ie wife ana l a t e r b# h im self
%hssa*a w ith water# o t te r in g & prayer a* th ey d!4 me,
#a e o t
# * r 6 what th e y s a t* b * t Mepal a ft* r* a r* a t o l* * s t h a t th e y be*
e a lle * *& th e go** on h i s w if e 's al*e (those e f R*lsi&)*bo was
h o ld in g th e I n i t i a t i o n ) asking t h e i r b le s s in g s apoo th e Z W l
(bore v ath o va wele ga tfoya)»
In to th e h o le were placed # # 1 1
p le e s s Of meat e a t from a l l p o rts o f the sheep jb s t me in the
O&sS. o f a meat o ff e r in g , some o f the t a i l f a t a sag f o r ino su la—
t in g th e g i r l s an* soke m edicine from the d o c to r's medlelB* b ag s.
T his was a r i t e f o r th e p ro te c tio n o f th e en tran ce and r iv e r
sand c o n ta in in g th e soma medicine and t a l l f a t as had been poored
in to th e ho le wcs s c a tte r e d a l l roond th e f&no*.
B ut i t was
a t th e same tim e a ls o a pray er and o f f e r in g , though o ffe rin g #
a re not g e n e ra lly b u rie d b u t ro a s te d end e a te n by youn# Children*
Chare l a i n r e a l i t y no r e a l d is tin g u is h in g mark between a sh rin e
mad a m agical s tru c tu r e n o r i s I t o f say Importance to the
bovadw t h a t th e re should b e .
Only th e European i s tro u b le d by
syoh q u e stio n s a s whether th e khulunoni i s o f r e lig io u s or BSs i "
# a l s ig n if ic a n c e ;
,
to th e Lovedu i t i s d u fflo le n t t h a t I t i s th e
th u a u ia o f th e W a l l :
th e re i s no need o f f u r th e r d is tin c tio n s *
M agical r i t e s merge In to r e lig io u s r i t e s j u s t a s r e lig io u s
s a c r i f i c e , o ffe rin g s o f b e e r and th e 'b rin g in g boms'
com­
p la in in g s p i r i t s a re permeated w ith m agical r i te s *
I n th e same way th e m a g ica l merge* a lso in to m edical s o le n o e .
$e th e loWdw th e r e i s no e s s e n tia l d lffe rsn o * between d rin k in g
* herb ** a a *m *tlc end th e use in c u rin g convulsions o f medica­
t e d cockroach** a lo n g 'p a th s ' shaved a c r o s s th e bead;
o r between
w ater b o ile d w ith b a rk of t h e qolhlna b o rry W ra d o Of
A w h elaa iW s R atm lehsie) to @#re fe v e r end b ein g t h e re d sap o f
.
Bmps do (p tero sa rp u s M m l& w iB ) a s a oure f o r d iso rd e rs da© i s
^blsod *.
T e t *e label) th e one s q ie n tif lo beoanee we b e lie v e
we have a e i e n t l f i a p ro o f t h a t th e e ffe o te o f th e qalnlne b e rry
a re in f e e t what th e y a re b e lie v e d to be* b a t th e o th e r m agical
bsoause based
on id e a s of sym pathetic magics o r . In the ease o f
b a rk eoekroaches, o f 'throw ing out* d is e a s e .
S nglish-speaking
boxrsda in f a c t experience g re a t d i f f ic u lt y i n grasping e x a c tly
what we mean by m agic.
On th e on* band they f e e l t h a t we dub
a s m agical many o f t h e i r most su c ce ssfu l m edical p ra c tic e s while
bn th e o th e r c la s s in g many r e lig io u s p ra o tio e e w ith t h e i r worst
form s o f w itc h c r a f t, c a llin g b o th m agical.
And when asked to
s t a t e whether an o b je o t lik e the khulunoni I s re lig io n * o r
m agical they f a i l to se e on what b a s is th ey ere to make th e
d is tin c tio n ;
I t w ill be o f i n 'a r e e t In th e l i g h t o f a l l t h i s to examine
soma o f the more well-known d is tin c tio n s th a t have been made by
a n th ro p o lo g is ts between s c ie n c e ,. magic and r e l i g io n .
F ra s e r,
who has made so g r e a t a c o n trib u tio n to the s u b je c t, dletlagB idb**
m a g ic
from r e lig io n on th e grounds t h a t magic wherever i t CGCufe
assume* t h a t i n n a tu re on# event follow© an o th er n e c e s s a rily and
in v a ria b ly w ithout th e In te rv e n tio n o f any s p i r i t u a l o f p e r s o n a
agency*
The m agician b e lie v e s t h a t th e fp ro p er performance * f
th e proper ceremony accompanied by th e a p p ro p ria te s p o il w ill
I n e v ita b ly have th o d e sire d r e s u lt* provided b l$ magi* i s not
f a i l e d by some e th e r sorcerer**
Ragle th e re fo re compels* wbSre
n
r
r
( r e l i g io n m applidslee aomo h ig h e r po**r ebloh l e b e iiev e g lo
o o n tro l n a tu ra l f o r o e s ,* Love&u r i t e # h a rd ly b ear e a t t h i s
Si s t i n c t i o n ,
The r e lig io u s r i t e of hu ohasa, to p la e a te the a n -
l a eoneelved e f as bound to end in #****##.
I f hu uhaua
l a perform ed t o our* on i l l n e s s , f a i l u r e o f the r i t e w ill never
be in te r p r e te d o s due to xxneH lls**** o f th e e n o esto rs t o oeoede
t o th e d e u lre s o f t h e i r deseeadonts;
i t v i l l always bo thought
Bpme O ther causa must be o p rra tin g as w ell and an attem pt w ill
r%«/
\
be mode t o dl soever what 11 i s .
PUrthamora* e e r ta in m agical
su b sta n c e s such as mu^sra. le s u ^ n . v u ls s a ja are lwa.ieved t o have
:
th e power o f com pelling the s p i r i t s to be s a t is f ie d ju s t a s th e y
compel w itches to be (cool* and h arm less»
That i s why th e y are -
alw ays found in sh rin e s and used in th e uhasa r i t e .
S im ila rly
th e r i v e r stone found in sh rin e s *cools* th e s p i r i t s and makes
them co ntented j u s t as th e r i v e r stone charm in th e v illa g e g a te ­
way disarm s th e w itch .
as one f e r a ' s
One may fees a n c e sto rs in the same way
a w itch o r an o rd in a ry person*
c a u tio n t o p rev ent tro u b le*
o
g" j% m ip a p re ­
i f you f e a r t h a t the g u e sts a t your
b e e r—p a rty may become e x c ite d and quarrelsom e,
you
can ,£§££ the
b e e r (by p u ttin g i n i t some mufe.ro) to p revent t h i s )
i f a w itch
l i v i n g in your v illa g e i s can sing harm you may f@Z& &&& to re h g e r
him pow eriass t o do e v i l .
In th e same way a n c e sto rs a re c o n -
strm ined to be s a t i s f i e d by u se o f mnfera. in l i b a t i o n s .
fo
d is tin g u is h th e r e f o re between magic and r e lig io n on th e b a s is Of
the compulsory n a tu re o f maglo and th e su p p lic a to ry n atu re o f
r e l i g i o u s r i t e s dees n o t seem to be le g itim a te .
F ra& er** c o n c e p tio n o f magic as a pseudo-science' i s c r i t i ­
c is e d by Malinowski, who says t h a t magic ’f a r from
L
being p rlm i-
J
L*
\
J
L
1
A
r
r
n
r
”i
tice oolonoa is ths outgirewth of a oloar recognition «-ot eolonoo :
i«3 Ms lim its 6h4 tnat a Inman mind and human sk ill are at tlmos
iajotsBtf . Aeoordtog to him magic develops vhere Knowledge and
science tore Httahle oompietoly to control ohanee, to eliminate
aooidsnts, to foresee the unexpected turn of natural events:KagiO i s used 'a s something vhich over and above men's equipment
and b is force helps him to master accident and ensnare look.'
th is point he illu stra te s hy his frotriand material. Bare in
lagoon fishing in ehioh good results can bo obtained by an eaey
and absolutely reliable method of poisoning without any danger at
a n , there is no magic, whereas for open-sen fishing which is
fu ll of danger and uncertainty, there i s extensive magical rituel
to secure safety and good resu lts. sim ilarly in war, in lovo
cud in sailing, 'the most taoordous enterprise Known to primitive
man', magic Is highly developed. I t is true, as Malinowski
gays, that much magic is directed towards controlling the ele­
ment of chance and securing good luck and success. But that
th is i s the function of a ll magic or that the Incidence of maglo
is highest in haeardoua enterprises, whore the element of nnoor- ;
tainty is greatest is not in accordance with the facts in iovodu
society. Here there is , for example, no magic directed to
warding off b all or preventing locusts from destroying the crops,
two of the most destructive and uncertain forces in agriculture,,
though in war and hunting in which luck also plays a greet role,
there is quits on extensive system of magic. By far the greater
proportion of hovedu magic is directed not towards mastering
Occident or controlling elements end fo rc e beyond Mnfs dun
J
L
\
L
J
kno#l@dg9 *n4 axparl^noe W t toanrds AonntaraAting the lb*& io flu ao o e a o f goob im aginary, magical conception* aa hu khnrnn,
m n rld l and *&#&%**
Magloal method* o f o a rin g even th e sim p lest
d ise a se * e x i s t aid* by sid e v l th c u re s th a t a re o f r e a l th o r a p e u tio v a lu e .
They say be need a lte r n a tiv e ly o r a t the same
tlm a sa d I t can thus not be a a ld In snob o aees t h a t magic atop*
i n t o f i l l in an unbridgeable gap, a h ia tu s in man** knowledge
o r powers o f p r a c t ic a l c o n tr o l.
Prom Malinowski*s phraseology
i t would alm ost seem as i f p rim itiv e man o o n scien sly r e s o r ts to
magic when h is o rd in ary te c h n ic a l knowledge f a i l * him:
?hs r e b e ls
a g a in s t in a c tio n because alth o u g h be r e a l i s e s b i s impotence h@
i s y e t driven to a c tio n by in te n se d e sire and strong emotions*?
I f , as has a lre ad y boon indicated * p rim itiv e man o fte n fin d s I t
d i f f i c u l t to d is tin g u is h between a m agical r i t e end a. s c i e n t if i c
cure* t h i s cap h a rd ly be a r e f l e c t io n o f th e tru e p o s itio n .
It
c e r t a i n l y does not accord w ith th e hotch-potch o f m agical and
t r u l y th e ra p e u tic a l tre a tm e n ts to be found in th e treatm en t Of
0*9
and th e earne d ise ase among th e loVOdu.
In su p p o rt o f b la argument a g a in st m ajlo as p rim itiv e scien ce
Malinowski says t h a t p rim itiv e man w ill never n e g le ct the hard
p r a c t ic a l work o f gardening in the hope t h a t magic alone w ill
produce a or&p;
and th e p r in c ip le o f sympathy which dominate#
magic *is n o t th e % asls o f pragm atic scien ce even under th e moat
p rim itiv e conditions**
B ut i s I t always easy to d is tin g u is h
between sympathy and tr u e sc ie n c e ? .
Inflam m ation o r f e s te r in g o f a
Anyone who has su ffe red froM
d a o p ly - e m
b a
aded th o rn o f th e *so@t—
g o rin g 9 t r e e end he* ap p lied a p o u ltitie o f th e fungus growing on
th # sam@ t r e # *111 bave *%p*rl#no@d th* r e l i e f tb& t I t b rlB g s.
I t ieawB out th* tbafB and th e remedy m ight th e re fo re be 6*11*4
e a le a tlf lG ,
But th e European peasan ts in South A frloa Who use
t b l * p o u ltlo e aeorlbe i t s p o se rs to th e p rin c ip le th a t 'n a tu re
alw ays (and very o f te n on one an* th e same n a tu ra l o b js s t) p re ^
@ue*e something w ith p o ser to c o u n te ra c t any e v il i t may h* r e s ­
p o n sib le fo r* - s u re ly a conception b o rd erin g on th e m ag ical.
A gain, th e Lovedu l i k e th e Europeans c u re smallpox e r le e se n i t #
V irulence by In o c u la tin g m a tte r from t h e poetukes o f a ffe c te d
persona*
But i t l a n e t e asy fo r them to see shy t h i s @ufo sbould
be c a lle d s c i e n t if i c when use o f th e body o f a snake to care
snakebite* based on th e same s o r t o f p r in c ip le i s dabbed m agical*
The t r u t h I s th a t o fte n y e a rs o f s c i e n t i f i c re se a rc h a re necessary
b efo re one hae the knowledge e s s e n tia l f o r d is tin g u is h in g magic
from se l* n o e \o r r a th e r th e d is tin c tio n emerges only a g a in s t a
background o f thought steeped in tb* assum ptions o f a s c i e n t i f i c
approach.
But even in our own s o c ie ty people s t i l l b e lie v e in
m agical a u ra s , not because b a ffle d by gaps In our te c h n ic a l s k i l l
o r because ** have no s c i e n t i f i c cu re* t o re p la c e th e * b u t sim ply
because th e y have f a i t h in th o se c u re s and b e lie v e th a t they
r e a l l y have th e e f f e c t s a sc rib e d to them ,
a jb e r t and Mauss opposed th e id ea o f magic a# p rim itiv e
sc ien c e by fo rm u latin g the p rin c ip le th a t a c ts o f magic a re e l *ay# ** t a p a r t, reg ard ed as d i f f e r e n t , conceived and o s r r ls d c u t
%nd*r d i s t i n c t c o n d itio n * .
They t r i e d to chow th a t th e super­
n a tu r a l c h a ra c te r o f magic 1* expressed in such th in g s a s th e
abnormal c h a ra c te r o f th e magician end th e temporary tab*#*
eg rro u n aiag the Axwotlom o f magi**
gena r a l l y accepted.
m i# pela& lpl* h a s q u it*
Bttth Bam d ie t e x p resses th e same id ea
when she says so le nee and magic are techniques d ire c te d to the
m anipulation o f two inoom patlhle w orlds:
soianae t o th e m anl-
p u ls tio n o f n a tu ra l phenomena o p e ra tin g according to cause and
e f f e c t » magic tow ards a n o th e r worlds t h a t o f the supernatural#
o p e ra te d according to an o th er s e t or sequences.
T his d is tin c ­
t io n i s no doubt c o rre c t from our European point o f view h u t i t
I s d o h b tfu l whether th e n a tiv e th in k s in t h i s manner.
to M s
m agical cause and e f f e c t i s no d if f e r e n t from r e a l cane* and
e ffe c t.
To anyone accep tin g the g en eral conceptions o f 'h e a t *,
'shadow ' and o th e rs which run through lovedw society* i l l n e s s
r e s u l t s from in te rc o u rs e w ith a m enstruating woman* a s e p t i c Sere
from the b it* o f a le a b sc a (whose te e th have appeared in th *
wrong o r d e r ) , stomach tro u b le from bu khuma a s s u re ly a s a f a i l in g
tr e e h u r ts the persog I t f a l l s upon o r a 'sound fo llo w s an asseg ai
th ru s t.
A ll o p erate according to th e laws o f 'cau se and e ff e c t* .
TheLovcdu do rec o g n ise & 'd i f f e r e n t! world but I t does n o t
w holly correspond to our s u p e rn a tu ra l«
To the Lorvedu th e world
Which l a *psr excellence* d if f e r e n t from everyday th in g s i s the
w orld o f w itc h c r a f t.
The w itch works according t o p rin elp isw
which no o rd in ary man can u n d erstan d .
however* no su p e rn a tu ra l c h arac ter*
The b o n e-d lv in er has*
He a cq u ires h i s knowledge
and s k i l l through le a rn in g and i n i t i a t i o n and anyone e ls e can do
th e same.
He observes no taboos in a f t e r l i f e and stan d s in he
s p e c ia l r e l a ti o n to th e s p i r i t * .
While th e d is tin c tio n s between sc ie n c e , magic and r e lig io n
fo fA q latad by thoae e n th fo p o lg g le ts #bo have oontrlW tA d t o th *
gub j e e t have W ea lavalt*##** f a r o la rify lo g o a r l&aa# and have
l e d to a deeper understanding o f th e n ature o f prim itiv e r e lig io n
and magi** a l l a re th e r e a u l t o f an approach from th e p o in t Of
View-of th e European.
m
have in our own c u ltu re c e rta in die—
t l n c t i o n s , the conception o f magic &
e distinct from r e lig io n and
aoienoe bein g one o f them, and th ese have o fte n been p ro je c te d
upon p rim itiv e s o c ie ty *
Magic h as even been s a id t o be by
n a tu re w holly opposed to re lig io n * probably because European
r e l i g io n and science hove only j u s t emerged from # long andb i t t e r
stru g g le w ith magic in th e K iddie Ages.
S im ilarly * i t i s from
th e p o in t o f view o f th # European whose science h as made p o ssib le
a c l e a r d i s tin c tio n between n a tu ra l and su p e rn atu ral th a t magic
can be sa id t o d e a l w ith a world 'd if f e r e n t^ from th a t o f solanoe.
80 have In t h i s stu d y o f m edicine, magic and r e lig io n not
been concerned to d isc o v er th e answer to such problem s as what
I s magic o r ho* i t d i f f e r s from science o r r e l i g io n .
I t has
b een our aim to approach th e su b je c t from the p o in t 01 view o f
th e n a tiv e him self* rid d in g o u rse lv e s a s f a r a s p o ssib le c f #ay
preconceived id e a s , o r European c u ltu r a l b ia s ;
to see ho* th e
Lovedu man lo o k s upon th ese th in g s , the d is tin c tio n s o r genera.—
l l e a t i o n s be makes, what h i e id e a s a r e .
And we discovered th a t*
form ing th e background of Lovedu thought a re c e r t a i n general
c o n cep tio n s, th e prem ises w ith which th ey work* quit® fo re ig n to 1,
* e b u t e s s e n t ia l for any u nderstanding o fb o v ad u m edicine o r
re lig io n .
Be found t h a t th e m ag lco -ro ilg io n s la one and a h # t-
e v b r im portance we might a tta c h t o d is tin g u is h in g magic from
religion* moh dletlnotlona are Irrelevant from th# lovaa* pol&t
*f *&**.
3*sa r*iH**akiog, far fro* wing merely a *sgie*l
rl'le &t series &t rite s
la time of drought to give man eonfi-
4ene* *9d aeoorlty *ba* bis technical knowledge fails &
&
*,
emerges as the foeua of a whole system of values, praotloaa and
centre of continuous obeervaneea linked to many
other aspects of social and religious lie*,
nmess op* makes
# special attempt to look at these institutlone through, native
tyas* from the native point of view, there is grave danger sf
missing much that la not only valuable,bat essential for understending th eir true nature.
%his approach will* we feel* pro—
Vida data with which mere satisfactory attempts at formulating
theories of magic and religion may be *#**, attempt* which
however* he fru itfu l only when sufficient comparative material
of this nature ha* bean collected not only from one, but ffom
many societies*
MiS*
PalpitatloBB o f th& heart* to r@liov» whlok medioiwe
s## a*9B*&1%a #p».
Dgaa*
%#rr&9*&.
(#&8* knewa *o lehatk&q lo ifasadl).
Oewghing U&a**# *0#-
$P#» iW #y##w ## w ith & w e # # *bo ba# &a@ a# db o ftiaa* .
Ggr## d i f f e r g r e a tly aoooraigg t o a i f f e m n t 4##$#y# Tmt # f W
portion of the abottlon Is nse<i.
Sometimes &root is insertM ■
in th e reotom and tv iA e d to 'ta k e ou t th e hleod*.
Stogkana.*
St roots
P it share.
Cared by
Intestinal parasite e.g., worms in #hll#en. To cure
are cooked and eaten in porridge.
Conjunctivitis or inflamed membrane of the aye.
scraping the membrane t i l l Hood flows &nd inserting
powder end w a te r.
Pltshweno (o r khinade) .
Gonvnlalons *r to o th in g tr c a b le i h
babies* syaptone o f which e re a s 'a t o b# p a ll o r , Whit# eyes end ;
narvoan tw itc h in g o f th e fin g e rs* sometimes accompanied o iso
b y d ia r r h e a s .
lh l6 i i l h e e s i s thought to be alm ost in o y ita b le
.In every c h ild 's l i f e ,
i t is oared by f . owing oat*.
^vrob^. Gonorrhoea called 'town* because it is contracted largely
when sway at work.
D
%
&
v&
*
garacho.
treated by pouring oil obtained fromplants
or medicinal water into the ear.
H
u phedtha, $o sprain the ankle or wrist*
Treatment Is eaarlfl-
cation and BoaetimsG splints are nsed.
K hivugo.
J lg g e r c *
m e n th e 'worm* r ip e n s and a b la c k s p o t I s
vWSl* # i8 *g*#@aea
OP ocpp*& vltb a 4KppW4*f*»
miwd#. %&v*p Woe*# th* ayaptwa* air *&#% are sal# W to
atabt&B# #&*#* l a
al@#»
'
mivl%e&
m y B**L&Wg ^ < # * 4 by ouppleg.
m ie p a a ^
Sor# j o i o t s Of e rm p , gom#tl*e* our#* by eaar&a* am *
@f %*#»pi9g*
t* aaefa *roea^@a*lB.
m id o b a .
so re f i n g e r from fomgaana* B aglo.
m iw a n e ^
gpaeptlc #%e*
People
a a b ja a t
to these must to
f s l t e *blte*(iem a) w ith meaiciwe th e f l r s t H g r e l t * '
o a re -
If ##?
f a l l l a a f i r e and g e t b u rn t aurlHg a f i t , the dleeaea i s
t&ou&bt to t e doubly d l f f i o s l t to o u rs.
% # *flr#* f& f#t %**
to he taken o u t o f th e body, v ery o fte n by th e a s* o f o s tr lo h
e g g - s h e ll.
% hldovp# kha khlkhuva,
In flu en z a c h a ra c te ris e d by headache sa d
o d d s h iv e r s , o ften p re lim in a ry , they say , to ohicken pa% o r
o th e r I l l n e s s .
T ro p ical u lo e r .
W#Sg&&
K h ik h n v a .
Very
prevalent.
Xeaeies.
j
A ny COUghlng Of OhOSt tfO U bl**
8&9B #&!& #
&# ###*&
by a b asin g th e b efk o f m r o la (a o le ro c a rry a d a f f r a ) o r th e I****#
Of m a # W l* { A f tb rlx la pbyilo o ld e s ) o r d rin k in g * a t* r *o$l#A
s i t h ro o ts o f th e pM la. t r e e .
Khikhuva k h i khihal%*__
Xhikhuva kba molgela.
m ile s o .
l o o p i n g cough.
0014 In the nose.
A t#rm in clu d in g In d ig estio n * weak lunge* tap#-**#*
**a supposed to be *eN t* by
j.
...
. '-r-
^
I: -
%# Ip tro d u o tlo n ^ f e * *
I
farelga a&staae*
* #*## af **&
%Into t&* ##&*&
by # * # * o f fa s * $$&#*,
Oare* b y sm#t&#a«
A
D&8aaw of b&b$*aloadlag to yomltlog at W *#
of eae or t*o m#Kb#*
It often w&lopa into
:
- aWk^ ;
B#ae tbonght to bo w*#* by violent tooting of th# fontmneilo^
Bbinvaaa.
Stya on tb# of*# sal4 to bo *@8806 by looking m
t th#
i&gT^Bvot# part* of a *eat#r sir the oppooite eaa - W*# #*
two toma aae* aooordlng to tbo sax of tba #ffe&teA person^
EhlnROlla *y khlnanlsis.
noartbnm or a^lglty#
#adn*6*.
F b ith a v i
Stabbing p a in in shoulder o r r i b s .
Pim ples a o a ta in ln g m atter* ooaaaonly found on tk #
ll#bs or ears of ohlldroa,
%e disease o@n be Internal #&»_
e e p a d la liy whan on* coughs slim e and blood*
The term 1* T&gB# ;
and Is applied also to s p e llin g s .
E d ito r* ,
C e rta in k ind o f so fa under th e f o o t .
Khskha. Big stomach (a swelling of the ntomaoh to aeyefal #m&8,
i t s normal elae). Cured by means of the khakha melon.
S h in ts w * Ite h y eerbunole o r b o ll*
Lovova«
Blsease caused by a t h ic k h a i r s a id to be found S.S th e
.
private parts of sees people.
L edadl,
&#fa^
M a laria.
A large g oitre—
l i h s sw ellin g found on the rtsok o r Tssik ,
*f many people.
It 1* out open and cupped but ie never @uf#d* -
l^flba or ^adl-e le^'hw^.
Consumption.
lehavoa. Hysterie In g ir ls —a n&# Introduction as yet not oomr
Don end caused by witchcraft of & lover*
;&&&&&*#* Giddiness In tbs head, cured by snaking burning chip#
#r by tying a rmbblt ta ll found tb# uadk.
r
m
r-'i
W AMt
r
:
#*# fa@3»W $* $b# dW w eb
by aiim # m %&# I
#%#&#*
? •
S w illin g o f th e g l o t t l e to touch th e
b resth lG g *1#%#*%%*
##& ##
■
sm *tlm *e Alt becomes so W g * jit I s *a&&^
t h a t Aik i s p o e slb le t o hook i t w ith an awl and o a t * # th e ##&* !
$A #K *
Veriooae v e la o r s tra in e d eia***
# cu re i s to p lac e
m g& honey mixed, w ith grownd ro o ta on th e end o f * s t i o k oaf gpa&
0
> 9 :9
sh e e t t h i s on to th e a ffe c te d p a rt and a lio * to f a l l on th e gro ^
A,e^ala,
Sickness oaoslng d eath o f a p a tie n t I f th e l o v e r o f h i # !
o r h e r aponsa p asse s o r e n te r s th e hot*
Kadi* *Bl*dd*,
& ride term covering many diseases In&l&di&g
?
p a lh e i n sh o u ld e r, Back o r cheat*
vf: '
JBef&*
■
sw e llin g o f whole body oaucmd by having in te rc o u rs e w ith
i
th e deceased b ro th e r* s wife before being p u r i f ie d .
:%&ga&*& f a i n In c e n tre o f c h e st o r sh o rtn e ss o f b re a th a f t e r
walking.
Kekhnvone *
Raw c h e st common to c h ild re n ,
:
stomach tro u b le c o n s is tin g o f pains* a * fu il* f e e lin g
winds o r vom iting,
# a la .
|-
Caused by (d e file m e n t'(hn khuma) *
A ll k in d s o f stomach p a in s * .o b la fiy o f a b itin g kind*
O o n a tlp a tlo n (mala a s ehuma ha v o tse ) i s cu red In v a rio u s ways*- =
(1) B rlhklng o d d In fu sio n o f h a lf th e bulb o f Khivalavadimo
'
(S) I^ ih k ln g two dro p s o f th e m ilk o f mukbde. euphorbium In e a t e r
(3)D rlnklng in fu sio n o f a sm all p ie c e of ground seed o f th a b s-me t se (Aloe s p .)
(4)
C o n stip atio n i n new-bom c h ild re n I s ^m etim e# c u rs d by
smoking th e * i n bu rn in g h a ir o f khigobo* % brown r a b b i t
9’
.
-;-t6aSKM0KlMS-^3^
which i s b e lie v e d t o r e l i e v e i t s e l f onco a y e a r o n ly .
iI
•
:
: '.'i ■V
I—
i^—
jl
X
L
J
MM'S*
th e
a ^Isaaae A rm nMoh m@#t-
W l4 m ) a # # 4 f,
W a W page*
#M*P b l W * r * ,
.
ag%&*
A g e w r a l term f a r #%1 *9* q@a#aW &*
% aw e*
Mumpa#
S # 2 f ***%,
W?%A
W tb a e b * .
SB*** i e &
a a ie b &# &Bee#e& t a
*a%* th a t o o th r a t a#a give a * f u r th a r tm al& e*
l a a t # month# j
t e * y e a r l i t t l e o r n o th in g l a l e f t o f th e to o th *
la m e y .
C e rta in typoe air h i i a t o r e w a w a e tW a a le e
# a m #P# th o u g h t t * he Axe t * ^ v ito h *bim;ing*tb& a R h s te *
^
(
p a r t a t n ig h t.
r
iWnya-redi.
a k in a o f eogoma.
s a l* t o be th e r e m i t o f W & W ^
l a th e dew when th e eaa 1st agon I t .
Tbi* 1# o ared
by oBe*s orosB -eoualn who he# t o n r l n a t e l a a p o tsh e rd l a which 4
b<cuLo
s+rii ,f o s t r i q b eg g -a h ell^ h a s been placed and o a rry I t t e & pathway.
s?lth t h i s * # n e he woehee th e whole body o f th e p & tle at axel
p lac o e the beads b a n d o lie r s ty lo a c ro ss h i s e b e s t where Ills 1#
worn SOLI day.
mn^aW .W -m khnvldw .
B lib a ra ia o r b ladder tr o s b l* abaeaaterl*#&
by blood in th e Brine*
am^abn w m ee ^a .
ney tr o n b le .
probably gonorrhoea and o th e r b la d d e r o r *&#*»
symptom* a re
nrlne* d e a ire to p*@a w ater
# & th e tim e end & fh o tf f e e lin g in tb * etomaoh.
% l e i# fe*-
eegnleed a# * #e**@& die*##* and I t 1* s a id i f & woman * 8 # e r *
from i t *b$ w i n be n n ab le to have # c h ild t i l l tured*
r
Jfl
m #W W
. 1.
•
w
-
,
th o u g h t to Mv»
IE
&*-
. . , .
gahakhlhdu.
IE
$60ompa«W4 %y te itQ h ln g Of
af* M @ & * * W W * * 8 $ y * 9 8 d # ar*
*Dhm y s kbalM.
##&
s ta a w x tfOOhl# ao^ompanled by m oh vomit&ag.
-
N^h. VO t 8 g ^ ,
s w
1" d y s ^ t o r y vhom whit* a llm t 1* fo w * i#
*
/A'-AAVV;
A:' '
tb» a to o ls .
;V -
©
^::V :
Zftal#,
Stomach tro u b le rea& tiB G from o a tla g m e t Of an W W
A-^'A
k l l l o 4 w ith o u t p o in tin g In fo u r a iro o tlo a a o r hy porBona w ith
;
m rld l*
:»
Kvakwale o r p@a*.
v /•l>
'
,
- 's - S A l l
#& #&
m >W *
!
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r
1
B&A m onetrual p a ln a xm4' womb tro u b le p fev W " i
t i n g uonooptlon .thought to bo due to th e *#*#kuf o f * woai#$ &$&%"*' ^
tlttg o u t blood o r oova rin g up i t s mouth and 'refusing t o abrupt >
.
th e a**#a.
' - - A
T reated by a o a rify in g kuuokiee end d rin k in g w d lb ln
j;
f h iy o .
M dney tr o u b le .
Tnleswe.
- 5
G landular ewelllngG or aoras on j o i n t s * eapeel a l l y
-A .
■'vA
AVyA
A
/:.'.'K
:. ,v: '.A
Ly4
th e t h i g h ,
% b a la . Sind o f b o l l u h leh b u rs t a njpen lea v in g a hole* # e * # f w
A . ' A= , A : ,
Ell
-
a n o th e r appears j u s t n e^t to i t .
3&9&BS*
%' r
T reated by steaming*
H lboups.
zerenm m ,
m a k in g p a ls y ,
*a4&*h*»
Thoeole. g y p h i ll i s ,
Big lumps ap p earin g under t h e w%e o r #*
A
:
:
i;A/A
!
private parts nr pimples turning into open sores W led eleo
by th is tern*
Twane,
Bingwom,
^ A b a o r K h iu ^ m v a n e^
■
m e lip o k .
:
■:*
AAv,m
r~ i
i
L
i.-v.
,;::,A:E a:,A;.
■:'AavA:,
AAAA,-';
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S^:
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262
'
ssx
v-r\
s * e k $ t# * ,
Osraa i n a v erlA ty o f * a y a it ::.
is-.
ills ! m#
0 ) # * d @86 W % #
w
:
!
# # WW0»
*#4
to W +
s : !m: ! ! ' - -
i:
3%m TfmSaMf 1* # 8 b*aS im e o la ie l^ *a W a& *W *% # &
.#&*& # * * ? W *
-- ?:::
M i i 'i
g a t % » w t @z # & m # * *od w
(6) 8*@k m t W
it*
pQiao# * i t h * o o p p W bom *
ZmlBO.Vmme to rn o o v w ln g it v a r io ty o f # s g a .# ln t* #@#&8t*fteB*
t y p lB # y* iktd&y awelilAge*
!s:;
Vary *%%#* I t l o * eatl# e » 3 * 1 #
'I l l :
%8#di I s BRa&l Im p # o r plm ploe s&iab l td # ***& I f aars&aM#
s.#s-::sss%:s^
opon a* n o t r e a a i l y b e d l,
I
Z siso m W o r e its; ao re W * * t»
# % ::!!
.............................................
’
:/s s s ! ! ! m
.
:.sf-s.;fsa a®
S # #
•
5
:
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-
: !
l
S .;V:y;r":
!•
/v e y S S ’- 'i '
r n m m y
f;
.
Ii
*
■'y,v
ssssrs
llll
Ill
r;S"'r,
n
.3?
" 4 --'■■.••’
II
' : 0 'S
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118
llll:
,.:11
a sa a i&ABTS a s a ) IN l a m m m pioiK s.A im .m ei**,
($&&8 l i e t d@*& R*% W3&3# o v a r a bundraA *aaitiO B #l #%*#%*
a f m&d&s&sai g # <dK#*@i*a %r j*9*Brlg#)
(X) Used to
(ohasQ away) lig h tn in g ;
th© haW
%e tm ra t a* t h a t til* amok* * ay a rlv a w a y
9%
th© h°ot
atom *
(#) Alaa twe& lit a m ixture w ith a f@* Qxi@a ISO eon*
(5) The hark of the root pounded and used as a remedy again#
<hlood*(madi)
(4) Tb& foot is wsed to make dltseng (chips) whlobt alx#4 with
ooluma noma fGassia sP*) is smoked in & pip* for
(pains @11 over th e ohsst, espeolBliy)
xu„ai »T- lA tn M - m ta faaOTla m m i l s i a l
5S_Eaa. - *= «'tBlS
S tm oge.1 to tl® up toad neay for W i a l .
oorat dm<B, a plooe o f m a to K
p r e w r t i t s ta in s la r o t torn w - t i i .
«hea vlliaK® *«
I s M a t w l» other a W tt «
«*» » " « a m im t f d t h m e t e
or lo a ra s o f nuaty miaaKha C Syoysto cordatau) « e braised,
sons m to r poured over then ond o o » o f t w extract drank;
the ro o ts oro tw n pressed (be Hata)on a ll j o ia t s o f tho body
o f a person t e ta g in it ia t e d into tho c u lt o f possession aaS
repeated each y e a r.
Psod a lso in ra in cerem onial,
Xhexha foucumio on.)
The fru it »ao used by Bildad for hi* baby
so foU ow i- The boby was suffering from 'big stomach'(consti­
pation eoBood by premature interoourse and pregnancy of the
mother), into the fru it too attoK ase_thoniE<teS£iMat>
to steam i t over water in o pot. the juios wee tbor. drunk.
■
JT':-
-
r
.
a 64.
■
?,
<*
Kh t l n ^ a r i o r Mokhova fPombeva r* tu n d lfo lia)_ . (1) i# a * r t#x%
etfaB Sa 4b#**4 #PF h a a f tta r a * (8 ) S tia k a e f khllW arA am# *ae&
by t#*2&kra9$ 1* # * olrcqmolelop kehool, mark#* lik e $M peal*
Gl^oumeised* (S) Boots o f
W 'z l m r & r l ,
m alalanteana (H?phaeBa ap*-
mod nmkbalo (ZigypbuB a i a r a n a t a l ere *#@4 fo r s t e r i l i t y *
th e y
a re p o t i a l i g h t b e e r eaa k#ed f o r th re e weeks by th e M abaad,
(Bhakbl b o s h ).
Leaves pomnaea #a@ p a t lh w ater
whleb 1@ a p p lie d to wounds o r so re s o f donkeys a s a r e p e lls o t
Q
to m aggots.
tm*4fwbijm (Ganthlum nrandtlana).
o f v i ll a g e s o r s e t t l e k r a a ls ;
Stems used a s th e p ro te c tiv e page
a lso f o r th e pegs h o ld in g the
grasp w ith which m oalie p i t s a re pomotlmes lin ed *
E h lr a le ,
(1 ) Root potmdod and mixed w ith a s b e s to s , w ater I s
added and th e m ixture drunk to euro epilepsy*
f o r t i f y v illa g e fen c es a g a in st w itches;
(i5)Stem Used to
hence i t i s taboo %
ume I t as firew ood a s I t w ill revoa]|tba dlthumola*
(8) I f »
herdboy c u ts a branch and t a i l s another to ask him whan th ey
A ptar th e v i lla g e what he wqs th ih k lh g Of whan he o u t i t * i t i a
^
t h a t he w ill always f o r g e t fo r k h ir a le causes f o rg e tih lh a s s .
^ ^ ru g n iw (Eaam ofsria ) .
(1) The bulb i s chewed to re lie v o
stomach ache and cramp, both in a d u lts and in b a b ie s
(8) I t
c o u n te ra c ts e v il a s s o c ia te d w ith im purity* (3)The stem i s chewed
by d o c to rs W fo r d iv in in g .
KhiiMhvmMa .
stem (Ad le a v e s a re b o ile d in w a te r, th e n M W #
(pressed) tin any g e l l i n g caused by kS&MiEl&l"
m ivuvu
* d iw ita la ) .
B a rk s s e d f o r smoking a baby when
i t i s tak en o u t o f th e h u t f o r the f i r s t time*
I t may a ls o be
s t i r r e d In to th e p o rrid g e made f o r th e c h ild and I t I s l e f t i&
tb s w ater used f o r b a th in g th e baby »
9a# 4 f t h i s p la n t I s
\
L
1
N
aofe eomKB* In the TMaUuegr cauaGry than among the tovedu *ho
lit© m
th e h i l l s who u se t e s g t s h e (C ussonia s u lc a t a ) , a s h h l -
vgyu makes bables^fat
EadTana lA it^io rh la a b /)
A fk* drops added t o w ater a re ta k e s fie
a d r s e tlo p u rg a tiv e e s p e c ia lly gor dlndbaga ( i n t e a t l s a l worm#)
I f taken l e a la r g o dose i t may eaas* d e ath an* i s regard s* *#
a v i r u le n t poloo#. (8) She l a t e x l a a p p lied to open mourn** o f
o a t t l o to keep away as* k i l l maggots.
Ledaha (oom m lina an)
S a id to oaose m aaslee in p ig s .
(R^^nanthua so)
(l) To remova the pain (not to our©)
in s p ra in s .d is lo c a tio n s end open wounds8 th e bulb s u ita b ly Out
open l a warmed by th e f i r e end ap p lied to th e a ffe o te d p a r t .
(8) For oonvulsions In b a b ie s th e bulb i s o u t In to two*
On®
p a r t i s f r i e d and ground to a powder which i s mixed w ith h a ir
and n a i l s Of baby and th e s e ar* b u rn t so th a t th e smoke pass**
*11
over th e ch ild *
Some o f the powder i s th e n smeape* along
two 'p a t h s ' shaved In th e form o f a c ro ss along th e tdup Of th *
head/and bark cockroaches made to walk along th e s e »
:
# .( 4 ) iKead in treatm en t f o r
removal of impurity after a death.
l/Ohuvule or Lefala.ja-aaru I s lehulu (Asparagus plumogls)»
'
(1 ) Boots boiled and used for removing Khileso i (8) Aont*
aye crush**, water added *&* the whole drunk for removing
wpps. (3 ) steal use* to draw rain; when rain clouds appear*
the stem is drawn a c ro ss tbs ground and the thorns *hook* things
on tbs road thus sweeping the cloud* along to where one is.
tefmiaia-m*ro is latnku {Asp&raeus viaaratus). (1) <%&* infusion
mad* of leaves la drunk to stop vomiting. (s)Doetor8 usetbe
#t#a* a#aieat*4% to
T.wkh*# (Atmaoohaas s o .)
$3$
olouds,
I
(l)$lanto4 Oft ahrinss*
(S) Btilt? 1$ol3.ad j
8$e& as an amotld.
t e l to la daa (Worsagkloiaia lotiglpoduHQulatal.
The era sed loaves
to Mhloh gold water is added era a sod for eafaoKe oemwd
v h itm h ln ld l. th e mWar* belhg %x)wed Into th e o e f .
Of%e# the
ear la gloggad with oottoh wool from legqdi ,(Ap;av@ emer,lo%.a)
a fter the medio In* baa hem poured in .
Tiaaedwa f r te r o io h r lo m e%osuml.
B oot i a pounded end p& edef jWh"
mrted into IndLalen* made rmnd Jointa auob the eihow ebiob
are a ffe o te d hy rheuaatlBm .
teao n v a (Sasamm iadloum ).
o f c h ild re n :
Heed f o r M leo (Pim ples on th e b o d y ).
th e seed la f r i e d end ground in to e powder which
l a smeared over the oblld** body*
fS a riso u s a n ^ .
Boots Of
^hd
(m h ls g jW E
are pounded and an Infusion drunk to procure abortion, a por*»
tlen Of a legate stem is inserted into the Vagina.
The hark Is boiled and drunk for colds*
(#)
&#ave»
crushed and plaoed near a sleeping child suffering from ^ * # 6
when i t is hot and restless so that it me? Inhale the smell*
Knvamabafl (Eentarrbinum Insloidam).
When a baby has Qonsstipa-
ticn, stem and leaves arc crushed and the sap given It to dfWk#
This has a mild laxative action and relieves winds by causing
the child to bode (bring up winds).
pnwidisa v*ai*a (TfM&odeaaa zeylanionm).
(le a v e s put Into
bmr to a s s i s t fermentation in cold weather.
(8 )
df
root chewed or pounded and applied to open wounds to alleviate
p a in .
**a& & W M #m elW e-eV *t*e)',
l&idMa*anl (Heilawe
For barronnosB* orqek ro o t #%d
1#*$& $# Gold w ater;
th en d rlhk th e iDfhslon#
SB# f@ at
;
'
th e ro o t i e fix e d ahove t h e doorway,
(Oombmtum su lu en se, a ls o Combretom holoBArlooam)« W a lts
fSfsaa fem ale t r e e a re ground to a powder and ap p lied to ear* eyea
* f S e ttle .
(8) In fq e lo n o f th e ro o t o f th e male tr e e need f o r
madl (*hlood*)* e a p e o la lly p a in s along a id e * o f th e body,
(3 ) Per dare t r o o ts o f m ntagoia sodi (suolea n a ta le n siB l and
madmra a re h e lle d to g e th e r and th e w ater drmak.
th e rootB ere d a ily put in l i g h t h e er t o he drunk*
T h ereafter
@ #e W f
frw a to p o f head l a ehavad end, a f t e r a o a rlfie a tlo R a eupplng
b o m i s a p p lie d .
F in a lly ch ip s from th e two r o o ts mixed
w ith p a t i e n t 's blood a r e mekWl In a pipe #*& o r W ee a d ay,
MUdntn f d e i t i a E ra u s s ls n a ).
A a tio k from t h i s tr e e l a pLaeed
a c ro ss th e entrance or along the fence of v illa g e s a s ti p ro te s—
t l o n { henoe i t s wood may n o t he brought In to th e v illa g e # sines
I t opens t h e way f o r w itc h e s .
Mnkhni a fzlzvnhus moOrcnats)^
Roots o f mukhale to g e th e r w ith
th o s e of mu&heva fPomheva fo tu n d i f o l i a ) , and m u la lan t,# m _ X # A g ^ ^
l e f t in l i g h t h e e r which I s d m # to cure s t e r i l i t y In m n .
(8 ) A p o u ltic e o f th e l e a f (which i s u s u a lly chewed end spat
on to th e p lac e a ffe c te d ) used f o r h o l la , carb u n cles end s e p tic (
sw ellin g s* (3) Deed t o draw round th e v illa g e in making the
fence wltohpfoof*
Bukode (Candelabra e u n h o rb la j. Af few drops o f th e late® in w ater
n e e d a a * v io le n t puggotlve* (8) A few drop* ap p lied t o draw
o u t deeply embedded th o rn a .
mxkhorohc fB auhlnle fassQ K lonsia) .
a f f e c tio n s :
B oots o f Btem h#ed f o r sp le e n
th e y are scraped# placed in f a t which I s hesfes end
a s a p o o ltio # .
I f o th e r mo W o e s ar@ ase4 th ey
®W eft©y
to th e a ffe c te d p a rt hy aeans e f tb a pod #p
ib & m tfe e ,
m k k o ro (BlolBuo e p .) * (1) le a v e s beat#* to w a te r a re p f e a W (b*
h a ta ) SB b r u is e s e p sv elliD g g . (8) o&i a m * the ***** *$ ****
a s e a r **41*1%#. (#) A s t r i n g o f mukhore W t l a t i e * above #a
iB ju ry an* below I t a s s e l l a s rouna th e neek t o a riv * * * # $%#.
#*1%.
i b i e *ay b* done e . g . , t o a s e re fy** in je d tio # a g a in a t
smallpox*
M ulalantsaya CHyphaene a n .? ^
Boot b o ile d w ith th e ro o t of
phorogo and njugo beans eh lo h are th e n e a te n a s a r e ^ d y a g a in s t
Gtu^abn (M lh a rb » ti).
Boots ased a s a remedy f o r s t e r i l i t y a*
d e scrib e d above under k h llo v a re .
M’Uphada (Lonchocarm s o a p sssa ) .
P e r c o ld s and coughs an In fu sio n
o f th e ro o t a I s drunk. (8) ITsed a ls o fo t cashing the d o cto r is
d id* e v ery month.
Mnnhanhn (B ry th rin s l a t l s s l m a ) »
She bark i s used w ith sev era l
e th e r s to su re madness f o r stooh a black sheep i s a ls o k i l l e d .
( 8 ) % r g e n eral d e b i l i t y and a lso p e r s is te n t he*daeb*s th e #*%#*
o f munhauha &muth a awa (pousolgia hvuoleuca) and makheuha er-©
used in th e bapour bath tre a tm e n t.
Mobvanl o r muvobyanl ( i anna a soul i s ) .
To cure white m a tte r in
th e eye* they a r e washed w ith w *ter in «&iloh th e cruahed leav e*
o f t h i s p la n t have been l e f t .
In th e ja s e o f In fa n t* , th * gluey
sap 1* placed on th e tongue o f th e m other o r grandmother vW
l i c k s away th e w hite m a tte r.
abrade (Acacia s o ,)
The f r u i t i s b u rn t to ash which i s mneaved
t h e head t o su re ringworm o r a c a b le a on tb# head*
I s chewed t o p rev en t makhma.
Th* b e rk
-.-f . - x . ' . - . .
.................................................................V ,/.
. . . . _____.z>
.
}
_r:
261
KaT@ao (P te rw ap p u e angpiopBls)
ih » ye* sap i s gae# f a r *)&##&* [
(8 ) YWBg br^.mbea me# Bosatlmas plaoe# roimd # io tw a a
t o p r* t# g t Contam ination by * pregnant voman paaglng - wbloh
# 1 1 c p o ll th e t a s t e o f th e toboooo.
aWodo* # e quinine b e rr y ((<»Dhalanthu8 Nat&Lenslo).
3 t r W L w la
mad bie<& *ater f e v e r I t s bark to g e th e r w ith the h ark o f am aita
^ou l a h o H ed In e a t e r o f # l o h ehout h a l f $ p i n t i * drunk*
MOfodOlodi (Paooea o ao o n sls)
Soot Of t h i s and o f maedl b o ile d
In e a t e r h as t o be drW k ovary morning and evening t o mare
u r e t h r i t i s thought t o r e s u lt from inter& oure* w ith a m enatrqa^ ,
t i n g woman*
Sbruda (Strvehnoe snlnoBaD.
An
In fu sio n o f th e r o o t i s give#
to b a b ie s s u ffe rin g from d ia rrh o e a ,
Nurullwa (Solanum ao u leastru m ).
Soots o u t up end w ogad In #
pipe fo r coughs r e s u ltin g from a c o ld .
babies*
(8) As a la x a tiv e for ;
m other chews a piece o f the ro o t and B p its i t W o th e
baby^e mouth;
C h ild t o d rin k .
o r r o o t may be b o ile d in w ater and giyen t o th e
(5) For so re eyes* f r u i t of m urullea i s a n t
up and pounded* w e tte d , placed in a ra g and squeezed in to th e ey#,
Mas’aalafehwal 1 ( A n ti# ama vanosum).
For nyakhw&l i
i ‘d
women i . e . , when the ‘snake’ o f a woman I s n o t r ig h t (barrenness
d i f f i c u l t m e n s tru a tio n ), tak e ro o t end claws o f th e kh w alj b ir d
( f r a n c o lln ) , h in d them to g e th e r w ith s t r i n g o f p u ts w ir ir i (8aur»
h in ia G a lp ln l) bark
end place thorn in l i g h t b e e r ,
be drunk f o r th r e e successive days;
% i s must
or th e bundle i s b o ile d in
w a te r end*dru which i s drunk,
i awuMt. (peitophorum a f r lc a n m ) .
i t * le a v e s e re used to ^ sp rin k le
m edicine end f o r o o n e tip a tio n o r in d ig e s tio n i t s le a v e s e r e
b o ile d end th e w ater drunk.
(Oaasanla a n la a ta X
R oots af* p*aM*A a H A la ft *B # a
# a t* r #8*4 f o r bathiD g h a M ts .
T his makes th e *M 14 stro n g
*#@ f a t taoa#** t h a r a o t s *f* tb lo k sn& *#%*
i*p.**a*a f ia a is o f e r a t r i a t o l d a s ? ! .
For dyaontory th* b ark o f
th e r o o t i s stamps S to g e th e r w ith .mufohg. (a le s s i no) and. a tif f a d
l a t e s o f t p*rri&g* which i s a a ta n .
#8*4 w ith muroao f o r fa v a r (#e@ abevs)*
Mnsuso (T erm inalla s a r t o s a ) * To prevent 41arrh o sa a f t e r e a tin g
te rm ite s , the le a v e s o f mususu a re Qbe#e&.
B etei
* & * * # # # .,
e t a r t a blossom ing te r m ite s begin t o come o # t and a re oaaght,
Boots used f a r broke# lim b#
by bein g b e re t t o ash*#, mixed w ith sa rap ip g s o f a dog*e b o #
and in s e r te d in to s c a r i f i c a ti o n s af&and th e a ffa e te d p e rt#
(6) a# in fu s io n o f i t s b ru ise d le a v e s ased f o r b a th in g eyes
In ju re d by a blow ,
Hgtpml (Adenla sierooephala) =
fleoes of bark* 'after being b o iled
o r heated* e re b i tt e n between th e t e e t h t o r e lie v e tootb&Obs.
V nisds (aneans ooriaom al*
;
The le a v e s b u rn t to ashes a re a p p lie d :
t o open wounds,
Obtain (Boiesanthwa .aaoiosas?). The frnlt 1* pounded #ltb
mnehe bark* left to dry an* applied .as &poison to arrows#
BlBleb-g?#*** eaml-translaoent **%*& of pipe* (idteotloal
V ltb TWW*
midKlka.
M .m d l * 't»& as o f th e
2k#*11da* (im ita tio n l a p i e la * u il)»
to *?*%*» oaees o r pip** ( i d e n t ic a l with venAa mafz% v a r ie ty
of a M m m J w m a i)'
Koe^a la g*ana
m a ll, *hlt* ape#* owe* (Adoatioel oith mw%* :
B aal a a m a a a s a .
sm all b la c k opagno wmes (?*&** m M J .
#**
d ark *r**8 opaque oeo*3*
Thaha *a m ahoai.
l^ th o d i*
3**11, p a il* * *P*S** ***** (V*B&* # # & & '
3**11 b r ig h t green Opaque oanee (# # * ila r t o V&Ad*
*a lesweta.
3**11 lBdl*B red oaoas on tranel*#**#
g ree n c o re s (Vanda mukuvhlbvn)
Tbaaabae*
;
i
t ig h t * tra n a ln o e n t blue oanea (unldeB tlfled)&
lA tsd** 1* VuKbalaga,
g
:
la rg e * fo o e tte d and tra n e lu o e a t fo y s l #*#}
%**&g;gnal bead# on aaxe-blne* c y lin d r ic a l c o re s (Vend*
*r m*to*ba), galled by t&* «*** name are large op****
oBlatea la elate, poedar^bin* and dark bln*, thee* are par*
bet found in did rains,
*a*ad«a a m tm . targe bi** *awi*r t*****
^akhara of m a M A i
& # * * & "bit* aemi-transluOant fe spaqn*
bead# of varying abspee and alsee*
aom# pentagonal*
some ar@ cylindrical*
^
i
Author Krige E
Name of thesis Medicine Magic and Religion of the Lovedu 1940
PUBLISHER:
University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
©2013
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