Appendix : * "At the Back of the Black Man's Mind", by Richard Edward Dennett, [1906], APPENDIX Extracts from "Yoruba Heathenism", by the Right Rev. Bishop JAMES JOHNSON, and "Astrological Geomancy in Africa", by Professor J. A. ABAYOMI COLE. [Transcription note: diacritics have been ignored...
Chapter 12. Sacred Lands And Rivers : * "At the Back of the Black Man's Mind", by Richard Edward Dennett, [1906], CHAPTER XII SACRED LANDS AND RIVERS Sonio.-Killing the King.-The Provinces.-The Formula.-Maluango's Lesson. I COULD not, if I would, give you an exact account of the meanings of the names of all the rivers and places...
Chapter 8. Ndongoism : * "At the Back of the Black Man's Mind", by Richard Edward Dennett, [1906], CHAPTER VIII NDONGOISM Fetishism and Religion.-The Zinkici. -Putting Life into the Image.-The Mpumbu. -Rites.-Ximbuka and other Zinkici. -Amulets. -Nail Fetishes. - How they are made. IT is commonly assumed by writers...
Chapter 11. Bibila, The Philosophy Of The Groves : * "At the Back of the Black Man's Mind", by Richard Edward Dennett, [1906], CHAPTER XI BIBILA, THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE GROVES The King as NKICI CI.-The Groves and their order.-Bakici Baci.-The Formula.-The Families of Groves. -Xikamaci and others. -Categories again.-Names of Groves.-The Devil. WE...
Chapter 14. The Omens : * "At the Back of the Black Man's Mind", by Richard Edward Dennett, [1906], CHAPTER XIV THE OMENS Bunzi.-The Nerves.-Omens: the dog, the frog, birds, snakes, colours.-Double meaning of words.-The formula. OMENS, ETC. IT is said that BUNZI the South wind brought NSACI and XIMBUKA with him. While...
Chapter 18. Benin Districts : * "At the Back of the Black Man's Mind", by Richard Edward Dennett, [1906], CHAPTER XVIII BENIN DISTRICTS QUARTERS. The Provinces. -Benin City.-The King's Compound. -Bronzes. -A Bini House. DISTRICTS. THE OBA'S central province was bound by the rivers OYISA, OKWO, OVIA, OLUKUN, AWREHOMO...
Chapter 13. Sacred Trees : * "At the Back of the Black Man's Mind", by Richard Edward Dennett, [1906], CHAPTER XIII SACRED TREES Nkasa trees.-Sacred trees and the Bakici Baci.-Muema and other trees.-Secret Societies.-The Formula. -Maluango's Lesson. SACRED TREES AND HERBS. I HAVE gathered sufficient evidence to convince...
Chapter 5. Law : * "At the Back of the Black Man's Mind", by Richard Edward Dennett, [1906], CHAPTER V LAW The Family. - Marriage.-Contracts. -Property. -Crimes and Punishments.-Judicial Procedure. NATIVE LAW THE subject of African Law is a fascinating one and I am tempted to enlarge on it, the more so as it is...
Chapter 6. Measures, Signs, And Symbols : * "At the Back of the Black Man's Mind", by Richard Edward Dennett, [1906], CHAPTER VI MEASURES, SIGNS, AND SYMBOLS Palavers. -Counting on the Hands.-The Fingers.-Lineal Measures.-The Shroud. -Duodecimal System. -Time. -Days and Months.-Sexual Matters. -The Seasons. -Praying for Rain. -Symbols...
Chapter 7. Bavili Psychology : * "At the Back of the Black Man's Mind", by Richard Edward Dennett, [1906], CHAPTER VII BAVILI PSYCHOLOGY The Soul. -Shadows. -Black Magic. -Ghosts. -The Future of the Soul.Witchcraft. THE SOUL. WHEN I read that according to the observation of Mr. So-and-So the same word is used among a cert...
Chapter 23. Conclusion : * "At the Back of the Black Man's Mind", by Richard Edward Dennett, [1906], CHAPTER XXIII CONCLUSION IT is said that the earliest traditions represent rulers as Gods or demigods. In times and among races less barbarous we find these beliefs a little modified, the monarch is conceived to be a m...
Chapter 1. Luango And The Bavili : * "At the Back of the Black Man's Mind", by Richard Edward Dennett, [1906], AT THE BACK OF THE BLACK MAN'S MIND CHAPTER I LUANGO AND THE BAVILI Discovery of the Kongo. -Subsequent History.-The Bavili. -Phonetics.- King of Luango. A FEW NOTES ON THE HISTORY OF LUANGO (NORTHERN PORTION OF KONGO...
Chapter 4. Courts Of Maluango And Mamboma : * "At the Back of the Black Man's Mind", by Richard Edward Dennett, [1906], CHAPTER IV COURTS OF MALUANGO AND MAMBOMA The Interregnum.-Maluango's Court. -Mamboma's Court. -Justice. -The Magic Mirror.-Some Fjort Sayings.-The Districts. WE now turn to the court Of MALUANGO or the Prince...
Chapter 22. The Philosophy At The Back : * "At the Back of the Black Man's Mind", by Richard Edward Dennett, [1906], CHAPTER XXII THE PHILOSOPHY AT THE BACK OF THE BLACK MAN'S MIND IN TABLE FORM ON page 169 of Great Benin you will find a photograph taken by Mr. C. Punch in March 1892, of a Bini house in course of construction. In this...
Chapter 21. Traces Of Nkici Ism Among The Bini : * "At the Back of the Black Man's Mind", by Richard Edward Dennett, [1906], CHAPTER XXI TRACES OF NKICI-ISM AMONG THE BINI TheWeek.-The Year.-The Seasons.-The Rivers.-A Temple.-Wells.Trees. -Omens. -Animals. THE BINI SEASONS. THE Bini have now eight days in their week, but the part of jujuism...
Preface : * "At the Back of the Black Man's Mind", by Richard Edward Dennett, [1906], AT THE BACK OF THE BLACK MAN'S MIND OR NOTES ON THE KINGLY OFFICE IN WEST AFRICA R. E. DENNETT [1906] PREFACE THE object of this little work is twofold. In the first place I wish to show that, concurrent with fetishism...
Chapter 15. Sacred Animals : * "At the Back of the Black Man's Mind", by Richard Edward Dennett, [1906], CHAPTER XV SACRED ANIMALS. The Leopard. -Witchcraft, -Story of Ngo as an Old Woman. -Xina. -Classes of Bina.-Tabu Animals.-The Formula.-Bavili Laws and Lessons. XINA. THE King as NTINU LUKENE or the one who advises his...
Chapter 2. Election Of A King In The Kongo : * "At the Back of the Black Man's Mind", by Richard Edward Dennett, [1906], CHAPTER II ELECTION OF A KING IN THE KONGO My Residence in West Africa. -journey to Lubu.-The numbu- tree. -Meeting with Maniluemba.-His fetishes. -Return journey. -Election of Maluango. IT is now necessary for me to say...
Chapter 20. More Customs : * "At the Back of the Black Man's Mind", by Richard Edward Dennett, [1906], CHAPTER XX MORE CUSTOMS Bini Dances.-Making Father.-The Rites.-Women's Dance.-Egugu DanceOvia Dance. BINI DANCES IN the afternoon of February 2nd, 1903, after rather a long march, we entered UREZEN, a town not far from UDO...
Chapter 19. Bini Customs : * "At the Back of the Black Man's Mind", by Richard Edward Dennett, [1906], CHAPTER XIX BINI CUSTOMS Some Bini Fetishes or Jujus.-EMATON. -The Phallic Pillar, God and the Devil. - Marriage Customs.-Secret Societies. THE Bini call a wizard AZE but the Jakri word is OLOTCHO which is not very...
Chapter 16. Nzambi , The Word Nkici : * "At the Back of the Black Man's Mind", by Richard Edward Dennett, [1906], CHAPTER XVI NZAMBI (GOD), THE WORD NKICI, AND THE BAKICI BACI HAVE the Bavili a conception of a divinity or God? You ask me, and I, immediately, am overcome by an almost irresistible wish to evade your question, not...
Chapter 9. Nkici Ism : * "At the Back of the Black Man's Mind", by Richard Edward Dennett, [1906], CHAPTER IX NKICI-ISM Xibila. -Drought. -Inside the Grove.-The Nganga.-Visit to a Grove. NKICI-ISM as opposed to Ndongoism is connected with sacred groves and the Kingly office. The sacred grove is called XIBILA the plural...
Chapter 3. Coronation Of A King In The Kongo : * "At the Back of the Black Man's Mind", by Richard Edward Dennett, [1906], CHAPTER III CORONATION OF A KING IN THE KONGO The Bacilongo Ceremony. -Festival. -The Dancers.-Effigy of the Deceased King.-The Dance. -Processions. A CORONATION CEREMONY WHEN the time came for Maluango to be crowned he...
Chapter 10. Bavili Philosophy : * "At the Back of the Black Man's Mind", by Richard Edward Dennett, [1906], CHAPTER X BAVILI PHILOSOPHY Sacred Symbols. -Compound Names. -The Sun and Moon. -General Scheme of Bavili Ideas. -Cosmological Ideas. -Ternporal Ideas.-The Year.-The Seasons. -Genetic Relations.-The Categories. THE King...
Chapter 17. The Bini : * "At the Back of the Black Man's Mind", by Richard Edward Dennett, [1906], CHAPTER XVII THE BINI King and Constitution. -Native Ideas.-The Queen Mother and the King-His Attendants. -Viceroys. -The War Chief. -Officers. -Titles of the OB.A. ALL have heard of the massacre of Consul Philips and his...
