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Bw Anga Among the Bemba

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 August 2012

R. J. B. Moore
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Extract

The conception of bwanga among the Bemba of Northern Rhodesia is very similar to that recorded by Edwin Smith among the Ila and by C. Doke among the Lamba. In collecting the following material I have, however, followed a slightly different method. The traditional method of studying this subject has been in the main categories of ‘Magic’, ‘Taboo’, ‘Omen’, and so on. While this has proved useful in collecting together many facts under their appropriate heads it has resulted in taking, as it were, a cross-section through native thought. The native does not think in these categories, he observes an object and knows certain facts about it; whether it is edible, fierce, or dangerous, whether if found in a certain way it constitutes an evil omen. The arrangement of my material, therefore, has been according to this latter method, i.e. taking one object at a time and recording as much about it as possible. The two methods are represented diagrammatically on a later page, the traditional method being equivalent to reading the columns vertically: the method here adopted reads them horizontally.

Résumé

LE BWANGA CHEZ LES BEMBA

L'auteur étudie chez les Bemba de la Rhodésie du Nord la notion de bwanga, déjà signalée par Edwin Smith chez les Ila et par C. Doke chez les Lamba. Elle est tres complexe puisqu'on en trouve des traces abondantes dans le folklore, dans la pharmacopée médicale et magique, dans les interdictions et dans les présages. L'article expose des faits typiques recueillis par l'auteur dans ces trois domaines et qu'il groupe autour de six personnages remarquables du folklore africain: le petit lièvre, le python, la tortue, la chouette, le caméléon, le fourmilier. La caractéristique folklorique du premier est sa ruse, qui lui permet de triompher de ses adversaires généralement beaucoup plus forts que lui. Ses excréments, son cœur, sa cervelle sont utilisés pour guérir la diarrhée, certaines maladies et surtout pour devenir rusé. Il est généralement frappé d'interdit pour les chasseurs. Lorsqu'on aperçoit son cadavre intact, c'est-à-dire avec la tête attachée au corps, on en tire certains présages. La tortue a de nombreux caractères communs avec le lièvre, en premier lieu la ruse, son écaille protège les maisons et les greniers, sa queue est un médicament contre la diarrhée, de plus elle procure la ruse. La tortue n'est soumise à aucun interdit. Quiconque la voit en se rendant en visite chez une autre personne peut redouter une querelle avec cette dernière. Le fourmilier, animal robuste, à cuir épais, donne la force, il est réputé aider les chasseurs de miel sauvage, c'est pourquoi son nom ne doit pas être prononcé à proximité des ruches. On tire certains présages de son apparition lorsque l'on mange du miel. L'auteur examine ensuite et conformément au même plan, les caractéristiques attribuées par les indigènes au lézard, à l'antilope duiker, au chat sauvage, d'une autre antilope le chisongo. Il observe ensuite que certains végétaux en possèdent d'analogues, de même un arbre frappé par la foudre, et le cadavre du suicidé. L'étude se termine par la description de plusieurs procédés de divination qui offrent une autre forme de bwanga.

Type
Research Article
Information
Africa , Volume 13 , Issue 3 , July 1940 , pp. 211 - 234
Copyright
Copyright © International African Institute 1940

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References

page 211 note 1 Throughout this paper limited use is made of material, particularly folk-lore, from neighbouring tribes where they reflect beliefs shared by the Bemba.

page 211 note 2 The Lambas of Northern Rhodesia, Doke, pp. 290 ff.Google Scholar

page 213 note 1 Smile, and Dale, , Ila-speaking People of Northern Rhodesia, pp. 382, 385, 387, 388, 398Google Scholar; cf. also , Bantu Folklore, p. 168Google Scholar, also , Lamba Folklore, pp. 26, 35, &c.Google Scholar

page 213 note 2 Smith and Dale, vol. ii, p. 377.

page 214 note 1 Smith and Dale, vol. ii, p. 366.

page 214 note 2 , Lamba Folklore, p. 209.Google Scholar

page 214 note 3 Smith and Dale, vol. ii, pp. 377, 388; also , Bantu Folklore, pp. 169, 174, 178Google Scholar, and , Lamba Folklore, pp. 26, 35, 70, 74, 76, 88, 100, 102, 116, 120, 130, 132, 156, 160, 162, 180, 228, 250, 268.Google Scholar

page 214 note 4 Or ulmshinsambo.

page 214 note 5 Possibly mupangrva, a hardwood which is borer-proof; day-old babies are washed in it.

page 215 note 1 Cf. Lambas of Northern Rhodesia, p. 214.

page 217 note 1 Smith and Dale, vol. ii, pp. 370, 374, 376, 390. Also Lamba Folklore, pp. 26, 31, 58, 60, 65, 91.

page 217 note 2 Smith and Dale, vol. ii, pp. 376, 390.

page 217 note 3 Ibid., p. 373.

page 217 note 4 Ibid., p. 370.

page 217 note 5 In the course of some of these investigations one of my informants thought I might like to see some of the objects we were talking about, so among other things he brought a small tortoise and said, ‘Here is a little gardener for you.’

page 217 note 6 Smith and Dale, vol. i, p. 261.

page 218 note 1 Ibid., p. 265.

page 218 note 2 Some say that this is not really mupamba, but agree that if someone is angry they say, ‘Oh, you have eaten fulwe’.

page 218 note 3 Flour always stands for success and joy.

page 219 note 1 Cf. Lamba Folklore, p. 60.

page 220 note 1 The owl is also known as Ntitimushi. Lammond's Bemba-English Vocabulary gives an alternative meaning to this: ‘anything which lasts out wonderfully well.’ This is obviously taken from the belief in the bwanga quality of the owl, and is never used in a good sense.

page 220 note 2 Lambas of Northern Rhodesia, p. 209.

page 221 note 1 Smith and Dale, vol. ii, p. 365.

page 222 note 1 Lambas of Northern Rhodesia, p. 214.

page 222 note 2 It is commonly conceived as taboo to bring together two things of the same nature, cf. taboo for bakasapo who may not eat rabbit when it is being used as medicine for them.

page 224 note 1 Ukwita—to call.

page 224 note 2 Chito also calls vegetables to the garden and causes them to appear in profusion. It is an important chishimba in calling animals of all sorts. It calls people too; the chief has some.

page 224 note 3 Lamba Folklore, p. 123.

page 225 note 1 Smith and Dale, vol. ii, p. 366.

page 225 note 2 Other spotted things taboo to lepers are barbel, zebra, guinea fowl; these things are spotted by nature and can pass that nature on. Lamba Folklore, p. 214.

page 228 note 1 Smith and Dale, vol. ii, pp. 381, 383; also Lamba Folklore, pp. 89, 163.

page 228 note 2 Ibid., p. 165.

page 228 note 3 Lamba Folklore, p. 161.

page 230 note 1 Lambas of Northern Rhodesia, p. 278.

page 230 note 2 Lambas of Northern Rhodesia, p. 271. The addition of information about the incision in the diviner's hand is slight but vital, changing the whole interpretation which can legitimately be put upon this method of divining.

page 231 note 1 Lambas of Northern Rhodesia, p. 281.

page 231 note 2 Smith and Dale, vol. i, p. 269.

page 232 note 1 Lambas of Northern Rhodesia, pp. 282 ff., etc.

page 232 note 2 The blind-worm is only seen in the rains, so if seen at any other time it is mupamba and means that the finder will quarrel with his wife.

page 233 note 1 I understand that this method is practised chiefly by the Batabwa.

page 233 note 2 My original informant said other fishimba were mutuki, i.e. earth from a newly filled-in grave, human brain, hair, &c, but a majority questioned later said that these fishimba are only used by witches and could not be included in a good medicine man's outfit.