Fetichism in West Africa : $b forty years' observation of native customs and superstitionsNassau, Robert Hamill
Philosophy
Fetichism in West Africa : $b forty years' observation of native customs and superstitions
Nassau, Robert Hamill
Ethnology -- Africa, West; Fetishism -- Africa, West
When all was arranged, the Loango man said, "Now let us go back to town."
So they turned back. But when they had gone half of the way, he said to
himself, "This Gabun man now knows everything, and where the idols are,
and which is the real one. It is his sister who wishes to receive the
power; he will go and tell her everything, and she will make no mistake,
not by reason of her possessing power, but by his private information." So
the Loango said, "Go you to the town, await me there; I will come soon."
And he turned back into the forest by himself, took up the two idols from
where he had laid them down, went in another direction and hid them there,
and then returned to town.
He then gave the power to the woman, and said, "Go and bring the olâgâ."
She started, went with only a little power, and was going at random; but
before she had gone half-way, she came under the full power. Then she
turned her face right and left, and gave an olâgâ yell, seeking to know
which way the power would lead her. At once then she knew which was the
way; and she went running and shouting frantically, under the influence of
this power, to the precise spot, and took up the real idol, making no
mistake about the imitation one. Holding it aloft, she returned, shouting
and dancing, under the Delphic frenzy. She entered the town singing and
dancing in the street, and then laid the idol at the feet of the Loango
man. He took it, and knew it was the right one. He then went to the forest
and brought also the other, the duplicate. When he returned, he went with
it and the real one to the ogwěrina (backyard) to show to the Gabun man
the slight difference in the two (which he knew by a private mark). In
doing this he had to take off the little mirrors and show the difference
between the medicines and the charcoal. And he again closed the mirrors.
Then, just to test the woman, the magician said to her, "Go and bring me
the idol I have left in the ogwěrina." She went there, still under the
power, and with a frenzied scream seized the right one and brought it to
him. He was half glad and half disappointed; for had she mistaken, he
would have received more money.
Then the townspeople held a great dance, and the Loango taught them
special songs for the olâgâ. The female of the pair of idols had also been
made about the same time as the male, but with no special ceremony.
All being finished, the magician named his fee for his services, was paid,
and went back to Loango.
This idol was intended as a family fetich, to protect the family at night,
and to kill any one who would attempt to injure any of the members. The
name of this male of the pair was Okâsi.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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