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181 At the Back of the Black Man's Mind By R. E. Dennett On your right, that is on OLUKUN'S left, there are figures of the son of OLUKUN with a nude wife on either side, a boy seated and holding a Kola box and a bottle of water. Strewn about are shells, chalk, a knife and a bell, while in front of all rises the bamboo pole with its end split and pushed out cup shape here called 'SA or OYISA. Next we come to a figure of OLUKUN'S IYASE who is wearing the ODIGBA and frontlet UDEHS1, collar, armlets and bracelets. Then opposite to the door at the end of the building we see a great figure of OLUKUN the teacher dressed as a king and figures of his two Nabori (arm upholders) and four naked boys or AMADA. An old priest sits at the feet of this figure near to an altar, half hidden by the long strings of cowries hanging in front of him from the roof. While I was there a man and two women came into this temple and going up to OLUKUN, knelt down and bowed their heads until they touched the step on which rested the feet of OLUKUN. The priest crushed some chalk and handed some of it to each petitioner, then they marked themselves and went out. On either side of these great central figures are two sons of OBIANIMI very old wooden figures (like those into which nails are driven in the Congo) covered with cowries, bits of cloth, knives, etc., and near to one of these is the figure of a leopard and to the other the skull of a cow and the shell of a tortoise. On the right in a cloister are the figures of the OLUKUN'S great war chief Ezomo (or OJUMO) wearing his ODIGBA and four necklaces, and his bugler. And neartothedooragain are the figures of EKIOLUKUN the grandson of OLUKUN wearing four necklaces, and his wife and AMADA. www.globalgrey.co.uk
182 At the Back of the Black Man's Mind By R. E. Dennett In the centre of the open space in this temple were three cow's heads surrounded by chalk marks. At IGO a town on the Gilly Gilly road there is a mound on which is an altar to OLUKUN with chalk cones and cowries on it all covered by a shed. They say that EHAIZAÃI, King of Benin, because it was unhappy in Benin City, sent it to IGO. They say they knew it was unhappy because of the sickness An altar to OLUKUN, under a little shed, with native pots on it. Chalk marks, as above, being made on the ground in front of it. it caused in the City. At UGWATON there is also a temple to this great spirit, or power, mentioned by Burton. 84 OLUKUN is said to have been one of the sons of God who married OHA. OHA is the river running from the town of OKHA past SILUKU into the Benin river, and forms the western and northern boundary of the Benin Kingdom dividing it from the intermediate province of ELAWWEY which is a kind of neutral province between the Benin and Yoruba Kingdoms. OHA drank AINYO and hiccoughed which vexed OLUKUN so she ran away from him. OLUKUN cried. This was when OLUKUN was very poor. Then OLUKUN married IGBAGON (the Jamieson river). Then OHA wished to return and prayed OLUKUN to forgive her. He was rich now, so he forgave her and said she might come back, but as the wood bearer to IGBAGON. 85 The meaning of the word OHA is fear, the bruiser. The river ALEDE runs into the OHA, and means the language of the concubine, while ALA is the white cloth, the abomination of the Gods. (It is a remarkable fact that while the slave tribe called the MUSSERONGO or BACILONGO, just north of the Congo were only allowed to wear white, in Benin City only the Chiefs may do so.) 84 Describing the temple sacred to OLUKUN, Burton says there is a figure of the king, &c. See Great Benin, p. 57. This is wrong; the figure represents OLUKUN dressed as a king. MALAKU=OMAOLUKUN. 85 IGBAGON=the Admittance of Poison www.globalgrey.co.uk
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AT THE BACK OF THE BLACK MAN'S MIND
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TABLE OF CONTENTS PREFACE CHAPTER I
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