Fetichism in West Africa; forty years' observation of native customs and superstitions (1904) (14760107616)

Identifier: fetichisminwesta00nass (find matches)
Title: Fetichism in West Africa; forty years' observation of native customs and superstitions
Year: 1904 (1900s)
Authors: Nassau, Robert Hamill, 1835-1921
Subjects: Fetishism -- Africa, West Ethnology -- Africa, West
Publisher:
Contributing Library: Princeton Theological Seminary Library
Digitizing Sponsor: MSN



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be directress tokeep the spectators in order. But, being drunk, she couldnot do so; she only made disorder. In attempting to makematters straight she only made them crooked. Antyandeasked her to get out of her way. Many, also, of the spec-tators begged the woman to cease interfering; but she wouldnot, and finally she vexed Antyande by spoiling her move-ments in getting too close in front of her. Antyandes patiencewas exhausted, and she suddenly revealed a secret that as-tonished many even of her intimate acquaintances, sa3dng, Whoever is related to this drunken woman, please tell herto get out of my way while I am dancing, because my danceis not a mere gymnastic exercise. I have leopards and bush-cats about me, and if she comes too near me, and the tailsof these animals should twist around her legs, then she willget a sickness: and if that happens, her people must not holdme responsible for it, for I have given you this warning.This surprised many of the people; for they had supposed
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Ekope of the Ivanga Dance. — Gabun. TALES OF FETICH BASED ON FACT 297 she was nothing more than an unusually graceful dancer,and that her success was purely physical. Now, publicly,she admitted that the power in her limbs and body causingher graceful undulations was a supernatural one. So someof the women laid hold of the drunken woman, and inducedher to get out of the way. While dancing, Antyande wears a wide belt called ekope,which is made with white and red stripes, and adorned withfringes of small bells in bands like sleigh-bells. It is knownthat her ekope has been heard and seen moving as if in therhythm of a dance in her own room when she was not visiblythere. Those who heard the sound of its bells would thinkshe was there practising the dance; but when they went tolook, they saw it moving, but did not see her. A few monthsafterward, a report came at night to the villages that Antyandewas very much excited and could not sleep; that she had goneto her room for the ekope, and th