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109 At the Back of the Black Man's Mind By R. E. Dennett
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 both
these are the names of BAKICI BANKONDI, or "household gods," they are also the words
used for thunder and lightning. NSACI (or NZACI), Antonio Lavadeiro told me some
years ago, on one occasion sent his 24 dogs and they killed one of his companions and
burnt a palm tree (Folklore of the Fjort, page 72.) At the time I wondered why there
should have been 24 dogs, but now I feel assured that these dogs simply represented
the 24 parts or pairs of intermediate nerves, which the natives attribute to the trunk of
his body.
There is no longer any doubt in my mind that this constantly recurring 6 by 4 is part of
the system of native philosophy.
Thus they believe there are three pairs of nerves and a fourth as the cause, six sets of
four pairs as that which goes between, and one and three pairs as the effect. Which
counting the joining fourth of the causative set and the joining one of the effective set as
one pair would make up the 31 pairs of nerves in the human body, according to the
native.
Putting all this on one side for the moment let me tell you what I know of their omens,
which are so nearly connected with their nervous system.
Thunder and lightning out of season portend the death of a prince and as such are a bad
sign; in season they are very welcome.
MBWA or MBULU is the dog. The MBULU must not cross one's path at the
commencement of a journey; if it does it must be taken as a sign of misfortune and the
traveller must put off his departure for a day or two. The meaning of the word BULU is a
valley, an animal, a being gifted with sensibility, a person without spirit or reason. BWA
is now used rather as an appellation for the tame dog which their stories tell us was first
sent to town to procure food for some of his friends, but enjoying the warmth of the fire
there, determined to remain as the companion of man.
A man met a beautiful dog on one occasion and was so pleased with its appearance that
he determined to take it home with him. As it was raining heavily he took it with him
inside his shimbec and lighting a fire proceeded to dry and warm his pet. Suddenly
there was an explosion and neither man, dog, nor shimbec were ever seen again. This
dog was NSACI, so Antonio told me.
BAKICI-BACI.
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