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103 At the Back of the Black Man's Mind By R. E. Dennett and there appeared upon its trunk a great oblong patch devoid of bark. I wanted to take a sample of the bark, but I broke the blade of my knife in trying to cut some of it off; it was far harder than I had imagined. Tired and weary, but satisfied that I had added one more sacred tree to my collection, I arrived at Mambuku's town too late to even think of returning to Luango that night. Mambuku having returned and informed himself of the object of our visit turned to the fool, and, patting him on the head, said, "So you knew where the Nkasa-tree was?" and the fool said, "Yes, he knew where all the medicine-trees were." In conversation with some of my followers I had already discovered that the nkasa-tree was not a sacred tree; it was not Nkicici, but like all other trees that grow unplanted in the "sacred ground," if it happened to find its home there, in that sense it might be said to be Nkici. I did not trust my friends, so I now asked Mambuku, who replied, "No, it is not Nkicici," but merely a tree which supplied them with the poisonous bark in Nkasa palaver. MUEMA is the mangrove tree. As you know, the heavy trunk of this tree rests on a trellis-like mass of roots that appear to do all they can to keep its body from being in any way brought into contact with the filthy swampy matter at its base. The seeds of this tree also germinate in the air, and it is only when the plant is of a certain age that it drops from its parent stem into the soft mud below. The word might be translated as the essence or kernel in being. The verb EMA or OMA meaning to become dry, while ENA or ONA means he, who. Connected with the protecting NKICICI LUNGULULUBU and ideas of wind, we can understand that this tree gives the Bavili a very spiritual symbol. THE TWENTY-FOUR BAKICI-BACI WITHIN THE FORMULA. XILIKA. This is a large tree having a small fruit which when it falls to the ground and dries separates into two parts This seed enters into the medicine MBUMBA. NKANDIKA is also a great tree that bears a large fruit containing twenty-four seeds which enter into many medicines. The word has the meaning "to enclose." A man closes his house and places a few leaves of manioc, banana, or palm tree, about the latch and that means that no woman may enter therein. This custom is called LU KANDU BA KANDIKILA. BI SULA BI NKANDI. The husks and shells of the palm fruit used in the smoking of dead bodies. BIUMU. A string plant giving a bitter tasting fruit from which an ointment is made for drying up wounds. NKALA is a bushy tree something like a willow that is planted over graves and from the wood of which the posts of the entrance gate to the towns called MABILI are made. www.globalgrey.co.uk
104 At the Back of the Black Man's Mind By R. E. Dennett MISAKASAKA is a string plant which they wind round the NKALA posts Of MABILL SAKA is to chase, while SAKASAKA "a little chasing," gives us the idea of the quick little waves of the sea following one after the other. MIKWICI is a cane-like plant, planted close to the NKALA poles. MACISA is also a cane-like plant growing at the foot of the NKALA poles. XILAWLO is the wild "Cœur de boeuf" known as the LAWLO NTANDU or the wayside "pawpaw." Its fruit is of a yellow colour and it is eaten by weary travellers on the march. It is one of those shrubs whose growth does not appear to be affected by the yearly prairie fires. It is burnt and scorched each year, but its blackened branches sprout and bear their yearly crop as if the fire had merely purged them of their dead matter and given them new life. XIFILO is a bushy tree whose fruit is of a ruddy colour, and the leaves of which, together with those of the XILAWLO enter into the medicines connected with MBUMBA. MAVUKA is a string plant used in binding the tooth of the Hippo (VUBU or NGUVU). This plant and the tooth is called MBUMBA XIDONGO and it is brought out by the prince on (Sundays) the fourth day SONA. Having chewed some KOLA nut, he spits the mass upon the part of the tooth that is bound by the MAVUKA to give him the power to overcome the wiles of the witches who would prevent his propagating his image. MATONDI is the truffle found in the ground in the woods and eaten by the natives. MUAMBA is a large tree producing a soft yellow wood of which the natives make figures (ZINKAWCI). It is the word used for the juice or broth made from the fruit of the palm tree. NKANA is a lofty tree from the bark of which bracelets and anklets are made. Its small fruit enters into the MBUMBA medicines and MBUMBA is the smell of the earth. The wood of this tree must not be burnt in any town where the MBUMBA medicine exists. MBUBU is the tree representing respectful fear (VUMI). BUBA (the spider) also means an assembly of many things wrapped up as in a parcel. The spider is said to have made a ladder up to heaven to fetch down fire.' NTETE is a very high tree and serves as a mark or sign that the land on which it stands is near the headquarters of the King. This tree is now a very rare one, in Luango I only know of one and that is situated just on the BUALI side of the river LUBENDO which divides that province from LUANJILL The wood is used to make the handles of axes, hoes, etc. The meaning of the word is "First, principal." NKAKI NTETE chief and first wife. www.globalgrey.co.uk
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