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66 At the Back of the Black Man's Mind By R. E. Dennett
acts as a strong purge, when the culprit is set upon and killed, the body burnt, and the
ashes scattered to the wind. No burial was granted to this temple of "Ndongo."
This witchcraft or fetishism (I use the word in the sense given to this part of BAVILI
philosophy by the Portuguese sailors and missionaries of old) is just the evil
counterpart of Nkicism (in the ancient acceptation of the word).
The BAVILI thus to this day describe themselves as BANTU NZAMBI, men of God, or
BANTU A NDONGO, men of the black art; but all who think themselves Bantu nzambi are
not necessarily such, for while among the Bantu a ndongo there are people who are
aware that the evil power is in them (and these are those that are burnt, after death),
there are others, on the other hand, who have lived with ndongo in their stomachs all
their lives without knowing it. In fact, the painful truth is only brought to light after
death, when the ndongo, who hates the idea of being tightly wrapped up and buried
deep in the bowels of Mother Earth (or Bulunji), makes its appearance. For, say the
Bavili, when the corpse has been wrapped up in folds of cloth,ndongo fights his way out
of the stomach with a fearful explosion, burning a hole through the wrappings. As
the ndongo is no longer in the stomach of the corpse, and as when alive the man had
lived a decent life, the corpse is buried; but no loving relation will pick up a handful of
earth from the grave to keep until required for the purpose of depositing it in
the Likaula or nkobi, those little zinkici so necessary to the sick relation who would
commune with the "voice" or "nkulu" of the departed.
LU MUÉNO OR MIRROR.
It is "Xina" (a thing forbidden) to throw the light reflected from a mirror upon a person,
and when the light passes across the face of an individual he cries out: "Leave me alone.
I have ndudu medicine in my body." It is not a crime, but more of the nature of an insult,
to throw this light upon a person. Bits of looking-glass are to be found fixed in trees, and
in the eyes and stomach of many fetishes. The light thus thrown is called "ntenia lu
muéno."
PHOTOGRAPHY.
When one wanders about the native village with a camera and points it at people with
the intention of taking their photographs, they invariably at first run away. They say
that they are afraid that the photographer wishes to take away their life or "Monio."
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