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124 At the Back of the Black Man's Mind By R. E. Dennett
This class is called XINA XISALU.
6th Class. Each XIBILA has its XINA.
BUNZI hates unmarried women; XIKUMBI, the maiden, is therefore its XINA.
XIKANGA NXILUKA hate a noise; the goat NKOMBO is their XINA.
This class is called XINA XINKICICL
7th Class. When natives are sick and are undergoing treatment certain foods are XINA,
and as often as not the patient is ordered henceforth not to allow a companion to eat
certain flesh together with him.
This is called XINA XI BILONGO.
8th Class. Certain household fetishes, bracelets, etc., carry with their ownership certain
restrictions as to food. The wearer of the NGOFO bracelet may not eat the fish MPULI
with another person; he may not kill and eat an animal on the same day.
This is XINA BAKICI.
9th Class. Now, parts of some animals are found in the sacred grove. This summed-up
class is called XINA XI BIFUMBA.
These BINA of the BAVILI are as follows:
The skin of the leopard finds its way into the XIBILA only as part of the dress of the
individual. Neither the eel nor the cricket are found there, but the MPAKASA is the
greatest of all the symbols entering the XIBILA of the BAVILI and so we will commence
with it.
The wild ox in the stories of the Bavili is generally found acting as the servant or
ambassador of either the Leopard or some princely animal. As often as not it is
sacrificed while in the discharge of some duty. Thus when NZAMBI (NGO?) sent him for
the wagtail's drum he was killed by the followers of that bird.
The tail of the ox called MAWSO is the sign of office of all the Kongozovo among the
Bavili, thus the idea of obedience to the voice of one in authority is implied.
The wild ox is always on the alert for the slightest noise, it is peculiarly sensitive to
sound. The horns and head of this animal are found in the XIBILA.
BAFU = the saw fish, the snout of which the BADUNGU carry as their sign of office. This
snout is found in the XIBILA.
NKAKA = a kind of crocodile (opposed to the NGANDU or crocodile in the Kongo). This
reptile is eaten by the BAKUNI or woodmen of the MAYOMBE district to the east of
Malango's composite kingdom. It digs out its home underground in the banks of rivers.
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