Sacred Texts  Africa  Index  Previous  Next 

CONTENTS

CHAPTER I

CONSTITUTION OF NATIVE AFRICAN SOCIETY--SOCIOLOGY
I. The Country
II. The Family
Family Responsibility.--Family Headship.--Marital Relations.--Arrangements for Marriage.--Courtship and Wedding.--Dissolution of Marriage.--Illegitimate Marital Relations.--Domestic Life.
III. Succession to Property and Authority
IV. Political Organization
V. Servants
VI. Kingship
VII. Fetich Doctors
VIII. Hospitality
IX. Judicial System
Courts--Punishment--Blood-Atonement and Fines.--Punishable Acts.
X. Territorial Relations
Tenure.--Rights in Movables.
XI. Exchange Relations
XII. Religion

CHAPTER II

THE IDEA OF GOD--RELIGION
Theology, Religion, Creed, Worship.--Source of the Knowledge of God; outside of us; comes from God; Evolution of Physical Species.--Materialism; Knowledge of God not evolved.--Superstition in all Religions.--Dominant in African Religion.--No People without a Knowledge of at least the Name of God.--Testimony of Travellers and Others.

CHAPTER III

POLYTHEISM--IDOLATRY
Religion and Civilization.--Worship of Natural Objects.--Polytheism.--Idolatry.--Worship of Ancestors.--Fetichism.

CHAPTER IV

SPIRITUAL BEINGS IN AFRICAN RELIGION
I. Origin
Coterminous with the Creator.--Created.--Spirits of Deceased Human Beings; in Unity, Duality, Trinity, or Quadruplicity.
II. Number
III. Locality
IV. Characteristics

CHAPTER V

SPIRITUAL BEINGS IN AFRICA--THEIR CLASSES AND FUNCTIONS
1. Classes and Functions
Inina.--Ibambo.--Oinbwiri.--Nkinda.--Mondi.
II. Special Manifestations
Human Soul in a Lower Animal; the Leopard Fiend.--Uvengwa, Ghost.--Family Guardian-Spirit.

CHAPTER VI

FETICHISM--ITS PHILOSOPHY--A PHYSICAL SALVATION--CHARMS AND AMULETS
Monotheism.--Polytheism.--Animism.--Fetichism.
The Salvation Sought: its Kind, Physical; its Source, Spirits; its Reason, Fear.
The Means used: Prayer, Sacrifices, Charms; Vocal, Ritual, Material, Fetiches.
Articles used in the Fetich.--Mode of Preparation: A Fitness in the Quality of the Object for the End desired; Efficiency depends on the Localized Spirit; Misuse of the Word "Medicine "; Native "Doctors"; Connection of Fetich with Witchcraft.

CHAPTER VII

THE FETICH--A WORSHIP
I. Sacrifice and Offerings
Small Votive Gifts.--Consecrated Plants; Idols and Gifts of Food.-Blood Sacrifices.--Human Sacrifices.
II. Prayer
III. The Use of Charms or"Fetiches"

CHAPTER VIII

THE FETICH--WITCHCRAFT--A WHITE ART--SORCERY
A passively Defensive Art.--Professedly of the Nature of a Medicine.--Distinction between a Fetich Doctor and a Christian Physician.--Manner of Performance of the White Art.--The Medicinal Herbs used sometimes Valuable.--Strength of Native Faith in the System.

CHAPTER IX

THE FETICH--WITCHCRAFT--A BLACK ART-DEMONOLOGY
Distinction as to the Object aimed at in the White Art and in the Black Art.--Black Art actively Offensive.--The Black Art distinctively "Witchcraft."--Witchcraft Executions; claimed to be Judicial Acts.--Hoodoo Worship.--Christian Faith and Fetich Faith Compared.--Deception by Fetich Magicians.--Clairvoyance.--Demoniacal Possession.

CHAPTER X

FETICHISM--A GOVERNMENT
Egbo, Ukuka, Yasi, and other Societies.--Their Power either to protect or oppress.--Contest with Ukuku at Benita, and with Yasi on the Ogowe.

CHAPTER XI

THE FETICH-ITS RELATION TO THE FAMILY
The Family the Unit in the African Community.--Respect for the Aged.-Worship of Ancestors.--Family Fetiches; Yâkâ, Ekongi, Mbati.

CHAPTER XII

THE FETICH--ITS RELATIONS TO DAILY WORK AND OCCUPATIONS AND TO THE NEEDS OF LIFE
Hunting.--Journeying.--Warring.--Trading; Okundu and Mbumbu.--Sickness.--Loving.--Fishing.--Planting.

CHAPTER XIII

THE FETICH--SUPERSTITION IN CUSTOMS
Rules of Pregnancy.--Omens on Journeys.--Leopard Fiends.--Luck.--Twins.--Customs of Speech.--Oaths.--Totem Worship.--Taboo; Orunda.--Baptism.--Spitting.--Notice of Children.

CHAPTER XIV

FETTCH--ITS RELATION TO THE FUTURE LIFE--CEREMONIES AT DEATHS AND FUNERALS
Sickness, Death, Burial, Modes of Burial.--Mourning, Treatment of Widows--Witchcraft Investigations.--Places of Burial.--Cannibalism.--Family Quarrel as to Precedence in the Burying.--Custom of "Lifting Up" of Mourners.--Ukuku Dance for Amusement.--Destination of the Dead.--Transmigration.

CHAPTER XV

FETICHISM--SOME OF ITS PRACTICAL EFFECTS
Depopulation.--Cannibalism.--Secret Societies (Ukuku, Yasi, Mwetyi, Bweti, Indâ, Njembe).--Poisoning for Revenge.-Distrust.--Jugglery.--Treatment of Lunatics.--The American Negro Hoodoo.--Folk-Lore.

 

CHAPTER XVI

TALES OF FETICH BASED ON FACT
I. A Witch Sweetheart
II. A Jealous Wife
III. Witchcraft Mothers
IV. The Wizard House-Breaker
V. The Wizard Murderer
VI. The Wizard and his Invisible Dog
VII. Spirit-Dancing
VIII. Asiki, or the Little Beings
IX. Okove
X. The Family Idols (Oka-si, Barbarity, The Right of Sanctuary)
XI. Unago and Ekela (A Proverb)
XII. Malanda--An Initiation into a Family Guardian-Spirit Company
XIII. Three-Things Came Back too Late

CHAPTER XVII

FETICH IN FOLK-LORE
I. Queen Ngwe-nkonde and her Manja
II. The Beautiful Daughter
III. The Husband that Came from an Animal
IV. The Fairy Wife
V. The Thieves and their Enchanted House
VI. Banga-of-the-five-faces
VII. The Two Brothers
VIII. Jeki and his Ozâzi

GLOSSARY


Next: Chapter I: Constitution of Native African Society--Sociology