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28 At the Back of the Black Man's Mind By R. E. Dennett
Father or mother-in-law Nkwekici.
Son or daughter-in-law Nkwekici.
Uncle of mother Xikweci.
Uncle of father Xikweci.
When you ask a native to what family he belongs he will answer you by giving you the
name of his mother's family.
On the death of the father his brother takes care of the children; but the wife remains
with her children sorrowing for her husband for at least twenty-four months, when she
may marry again. These children are called bana bana ba bika nkulu. (The little children
left by the spirit.)
A man may not marry any of his mother's family or relations whom he terms Mama. If
the Xina of the girl the man wishes to marry is that of his mother he cannot marry her.
He may not marry the children of his father's brothers, but those of his father's sisters
are not forbidden to him.
The family forms a part of the higher organisation of the tribe. Each individual belongs
to a family; each family is under a chief called Kongo Zovo, and this chief is under the
prince of the province containing these families, who is called by the name of his
province preceded by the prefix Ma, short for Manifamu. Seven of these provinces hold
the people of Luango, called the Bavili. The Bavili, under their king Maluango, form a
third part of the kingdom of Kongo, or the Fjort people, who are a section of the Bantu
race. My head man Tati for example is of the family of Yanga of the royal province Buali
of the Bavili of the KONGO kingdom of the Bantu race.
An individual may not leave his town without the permission of his father or of the
Kongo Zovo, and upon his return he must present himself before him, to give an account
of himself and show the proceeds of his fishing, hunting, or trading. He must obey and
respect his chief, who may tie him up, chastise him, deprive him of food, but has no
power of life and death over him-this right belonging in law only to the King Maluango.
The Kongo Zovo can also requisition the services of all his family.
Section II.-Marriage.
We find the highest form of marriage to be that of Monogamy. That is to say Princesses
whose offspring may become the future rulers of the kingdom, may not have more than
one husband, whom she has the right to choose. He may be already married or not, but
once selected he must put away his other wives and become the slave of the princess,
who has the power of life and death over him. But when she dies this man inherits all
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