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
Ra-Marânge showed him the way to Ogula-y'-impazya-vazya's place. He went,
and had not gone far when he found it. Going to the magician, Osongo said,
"I'm in trouble, and have come to you." As soon as he had said this,
Ogula-y'-impazya-vazya made his magic fire, and stepped into it. Osongo
was frightened, thinking, "I've come to this man, and he is about to kill
himself for me"; and he ran away. But he had not gone far, when he heard
the magician's nkendo (a witchcraft bell) ringing, and his voice calling
to him, "If you have come for medicine, come back; but if for anything
else, then run away." So Osongo returned quickly, and found that the old
magician had emerged from his fire and was waiting for him. Osongo told
his story of his brother's death, and said he wanted direction what to do.
Ogula-y'-impazya-vazya gave him medicine for a certain purpose, and told
him what to do and how to do it.
When Osongo came back with the medicine, he entered his father's house,
into the room where his brother's corpse was lying, and ordered every one
to leave him alone for a while. They all left the room. He closed the
door, and following the directions given him by Ogula-y'-impazya-vazya, he
brought Oběngi to life again.
Now came a question what was to be done with Ngwe-nkonde, the attempted
murderess. It was demanded that her throat should be cut, and that her
body, weighted with stones, should be flung into the river. "For," said
Osongo, "I will not own such a mother; she is very bad. Oběngi's mother
shall be my mother." It was decided so. And Ra-Mborakinda said to
Ngwe-vazya, "You step up to the queen's seat with your two sons" (meaning
Osongo and Oběngi).
And Ngwe-vazya became head-wife, and was very kind and attentive to both
sons.
And the matter ended.
VIII. JĔKI AND HIS OZÂZI.
Ra-Mborakinda had his town where he lived with his wives, his sons, his
daughters, and his glory.
Lord Mborakinda had his loved head-wife, Ngwe-nkonde, and the unloved one,
Ngwe-lěgě. Both of these, with other of his wives, had sons and
daughters. Ngwe-nkonde's first son was Nkombe, and she had two others.
Ngwe-lěgě also had three sons, but the eldest of these, Jěki, was
a thief. He stole everything he came across,--food, fish, and all. This
became so notorious that when people saw him approach their houses they
would begin to hide their food and goods, saying, "There comes that
thief!"
Jěki's grandfather, the father of his mother, was dead. One night, in a
dream, that grandfather came to him, and said to him, "Jěki, my son,
when will you leave off that stealing, and try to work and do other things
as others do? To-morrow morning come to me early; I have a word to say to
you." Jěki replied, "But where do you live, and how can I know the way
to that town?" He answered, "You just start at your town entrance, and go
on, and you will see the way to my place before you reach it."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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