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46 At the Back of the Black Man's Mind By R. E. Dennett
No. 2 answers him, restating his case:-
No. I then sums up, and as it is getting late, cuts the palaver for the day; so that, if this "
tally" had been kept on stone or wood, the palaver, as far as it had gone, would appear
as under:-
The cutting of the line, or closing of the palaver, is done by drawing a double line with
the index and next finger across the dividing line.
Now, in counting, the Bavili mark the ground also, and all this they call "Bisona
bintawto," writing on the ground. In counting they make four strokes on the ground,
and the fifth they make by crossing the four upright strokes, thus:
No. 1 he marks with his index-finger; No. 2 with his second, covering the first mark with
the index-finger. No. He marks with his index-finger; No. 4 sometimes with his indexfinger
and sometimes with his second finger, running over No. 3 with his index-finger;
No. 5, as stated, by crossing the four strokes.
Sometimes he will count by tens. Then he marks two strokes with his index and second
fingers, and so on five times, and then he makes a stroke apart to show that he has
counted ten. Each ten are marked in this way, until the whole number of things are
counted. Then he will count the number of strokes and declare the number counted. But
when he counts on his fingers he begins by placing the index-finger of his right hand
upon the little finger of his left hand.
I found that both the Bavili (of Luango) and the BAKOTCHI of Kakongo had their
variants of the old nursery rime for fingers or toes. I will give them both, as they differ.
BAVILI.
1. Second Finger (no name)
Minu i kula i kula e fuana i munto Ko
2. Index-Finger (Luzala xiso anzo)
Minu xilandi Xiaku
3. Third Finger (no name)
Oho nu kulila ngolo ximbixi mibakaci?
4. Little Finger (Luzala lu sa)
Bene boso nu kulila minu unkuluntu inu?
5. Thumb (Luzala mbo mbo)
Buãu i mangina lu nãungu lu inu lu keli inu buãu i botokula mundonga inu.
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