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107 At the Back of the Black Man's Mind By R. E. Dennett
NSANDA. XILOLO.
XIFILO.
NKONDO. MAVUKA.
MATONDI.
NFUMA.
NLOMBA.
MBOTA.
In this case it will be hard for the Europeans to connect the six groups with the six
categories because it is a case of comparing spirit to matter, which, of course, can only
be done by analogy. It can most easily be done by first taking, as before, Maluango's
lesson, and then tracing in it the ideas connected with the categories.
We have already seen what Maluango said with regard to the lands and rivers. I now
give his lessons drawn from the sacred trees.
NKONDO. The sisters of Maluango are allowed to choose a man each from any part
of the country as their husbands. The man thus chosen becomes virtually
the slave of his royal wife, and must have no other wife or concubine.
When Maluango, is finally crowned king he also must marry a princess of
Ngoio and put away his wives or concubines that he may have lived with
while he reigned as Nganga Nvumba. The princesses must live in Kondi
and here on the death of a Maluango, Mamboma and the other princes
must repair to choose a successor.
MATONDI. Not only must the ruler-elect be beloved by the people, but he must be a
perfect man capable
MAVUKA. of procreating, or, as we should say,
MBOTA. excellent, enduring and good man. That is in every way a noble man.
NKUMBI. He is led to the Nkumbi tree to meet the people and is encouraged by
Mamboma to fight any one who has any pretension to the crown. Strong
in the knowledge of the purity
XILIKA. of his birth and that which has fallen
NKANDIKA. on him, and is within him from above, he looks upon himself as
MUAMBA. the essence of all virtue. In this physical nature he is surrounded
NSANDA. by his courtiers as the market tree is by the people beneath its shade.
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