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111 At the Back of the Black Man's Mind By R. E. Dennett
NDUMA is a black coloured snake (Python?), from about 6 to 8 feet in length, that is said
to lift itself on its tail and strike a person dead with its head if he attempts to pass it.
Men wearing the iron bracelet of NGOFO Must ask themselves the following questions
on meeting with it:-
Have we eaten the flesh of any animal that we have killed on the same day?
Have we pointed our knives at any one?
Did we know our wives on the day of rest, NSONA?
Have we looked upon women during their periods?
Have we eaten those long chili peppers instead of confining ourselves to the smaller
kinds?
This snake causes man to reflect and reason.
MBUMBA is a great snake found in wells; it loves moisture, and is allied to the BOMA.
Women are more especially afraid of MBUMBA, and after drawing the fish and water
out of a well, they will run away and leave their fish if they discover that MBUMBA has
been hidden in it after all. The word means moisture, secret, "to draw up the earth
round the roots of a plant" when the smell of the earth is said to impart some secret to
women. Nearly connected with MBUMBA is the plain copper bracelet of the NGANGA
MBUMBA, and the NLUNGA SONGO. This connects MBUMBA with marriage and smell.
MACI MA XILEMBE = green. The water in which the King has washed his hands is called
MACI MAXILEMBO or DEMBO. An ordinary man is said to wash his hands (SUKULA
MIOKO), but a prince (SUKULA NDEMBO) his fingers. MACI MA XILEMBE is the water
expressed from the five-fingered leaves of the MANIOC. 54 LEMBA means to touch
mentally.
NLAWLO = yellow. LAWLOKA is to over-look; hence to pardon. It is the word used after
a person has undergone the "hot knife" test and escaped unharmed signifying that he is
innocent, so that the yellow colour is connected with this kind of examination.
MUAMBA = orange. It is the juice or essence of the palm nut. As an exclamation it is used
to mean that what has been said, done, or seen, is very good; it therefore expresses
appreciation.
54 The early Portuguese residents affirm that when they arrived in Africa the natives fed on bananas, sesame,
and liico (by which perhaps they meant what we call Baku mushrooms), all which, they say, were indigenous.
After a severe famine had ravaged the land, they say that they introduced the mandioca, Indian corn and
sweet potatoes. This is possibly true. From the fact that the rnandioca, under the name of Mpanzi is sacred to
the South wind, Bunzi, and that in the name for the colour green we find a reference to the same plant, we
might, however, with reason doubt their having introduced it in the country north of the Kongo. But the leaves
of the mandioca are very like to those of the Nkondo, or Baobab tree; and we know that the natives do with
the leaves of this tree just what they do with those of the mandioca, i.e., boil and pound them in water to
prepare them as food, and maci maxilembe may as a colour be said to be the proper name for the waters of
both and may originally have been applied to the Baobab water only; "lembe" is not a name for mandioca
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