A voice from the Congo : comprising stories, anecdotes, and descriptive notes . ve wandered awayfrom the sufferer. In these cases a search-party issometimes led by a charm-doctor, and branches, landshells, or stones are collected. The charm-doctorwill then perform a series of passes between thesick man and the collected articles. This ceremonyis called vutulanga moyo (the returning of thespirit). A common belief is prevalent (Lower Congo) tothe effect that a mans moyo (spirit) can be stolenfrom his body, and consumed by an enemy. In the event of a sick man dreaming twice of aparticular individ
A voice from the Congo : comprising stories, anecdotes, and descriptive notes . ve wandered awayfrom the sufferer. In these cases a search-party issometimes led by a charm-doctor, and branches, landshells, or stones are collected. The charm-doctorwill then perform a series of passes between thesick man and the collected articles. This ceremonyis called vutulanga moyo (the returning of thespirit). A common belief is prevalent (Lower Congo) tothe effect that a mans moyo (spirit) can be stolenfrom his body, and consumed by an enemy. In the event of a sick man dreaming twice of aparticular individual a suspicion is aroused, and theindividual who has figured in the ailing mans dreamsis liable to be accused of consuming his Moyo(Lower Congo). It is an evil omen for a man to point at anotherwith his finger; ill-fortune is said to be transmittedby so doing. It is customary for all Congo natives to believe inomens. Certain birds and animals are supposed torepresent good and evil influences. The owl, forexample, is known to the Babangi (Upper Congo)as the evil spirits The idol-maker From <i bronze statue by the Author SUPERSTITION 275 Throughout the Congo region the natives have asuperstitious objection to talk of a deceased the event of their doing so, it is customary to usethe past tense of the verb to live (widi) beforehis or her name. If this be omitted, the anger of thedeceaseds relations or friends is immediately a person dies and is buried in the ground, alldanger of the deceased being exposed to the capricesof this evil spirit are at an end; and even to mentionthe deceaseds name is considered an unkind action. Wooden images of human shape, are commonamong the Congo tribes, and more particularly amongthe inhabitants of the Lower Congo. These aregenerally carved in more or less fantastic shapes,by the charm-doctors, by whom they are sold, asrepresenting certain peculiar properties, and withpower to avert evil and misfortune. If the images
Size: 1231px × 2030px
Photo credit: © The Reading Room / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, bookpublishernewyo, bookyear1910
