ABSTRA C T

Introduction,
The Sandawe of central Tanzania have a simpler material
culture than their neighbours, but oral art is important and
forms an indispensable part of their l ives. They are a nation
of singers rather than of poets; all poe t ry is minor verse but
it is found everywhere: in story-telling , in dance, and in
ritual. The study of oral literature provides historical
detail, knowledge of manners and customs, religion, social
values in the present and in the past; it helps to correct a
possibly distorted image of the tribe, to remove prejudice,
to give insight into different sets of values, and thereby to
create respect and understanding.

Chapter I, The land and the people.

The Sandawe live in a semi - arid country of roclcy hills
which is surrounded by dense bush, part of which is infested
by tsetse fly; this makes for isolation. Physically the Sandawe
differ to a degree from their neighbours, and Bushmanoid types
are no t uncommon. The surrounding peoples have traditions that
their countries have once been inhabited by small, lightcoloured
peoples, some ot which may perhaps be linked with the modern
Sandawe who would thus be a remnant of aboriginal hunting
peoples; other groups in the same general area were quite
different. Colonies of Bantu and other historical se ttl ers
have left their mark on the Sandawe, their cultu~e and their
oral art.
Descent is traced patrilineally, and the most important
structural unit of the tribe 1e the hill-clan which is not
strictly localized. Homesteads appear once to have consisted
ot small family groups who c laimed a waterhole as the centre
ot their hunting area. Hill clans are combined in larger units
baaed on ~ountrtee'; some ot these torm well-known sub-tribes
 ii

but these larger groups ar~ usually quite un-localized and

they are no longer corporate units . Together with clan-
af'filiations, neighbourliness forms the principal basis for
mutual aid and defence; the term for these groups is also used
for enemy corporate groups and for clans.
Although there have been chiefs since the turn or the
century, Sandavre society is essentially an esalitarian, chief-
less society. The claims to chietshi p by the Mung~ Alagi.va are
partly based on prestige derived f'rom their rain priests ,
partl.y' on German recognition. To some ext~nt this clan now
has the status of a priestly clan.
leadership has never been u.~ivereally recognized although one
0£ their headmen, Am4s ', had established a great reputation
as a war leader.
Traditional political l eadership i s not institutionalized,
but based on leaderahip in ritual and hunting. Clan elders
still practice t heir own rain-making and ch1etsh1p, which has
never t aken r oot among the Sand.awe , has completely disappeared
since the f ormal abolition of the chief' s political powers
after Tanganyika ' s independence.
Kinship relations are terminologically distinguished by
reference to sex; mother's brother - sister' s son and grand-
father - grandchild relationships, and in-law avoidances are
briefly discussed since they are common topics in Sand.awe oral
literat~e. The marriage ideal is monogamy but poly~ is
practiced; the choice of partners is free and women have every
right to refuse. Ritual abduction forms part of the marriag~
proce ~dings which are legalized by the transfer of bridewealth;
usually this consists of a number of named domestic animals,
but in the poor er parts beehives , arrows, etc. are still being
paid ins tead. Bridal virginity is prized, and adultery is
puni~hed but commoni i t i s not a ground for divorce .
I llegitimacy exists, but there are mechanisms for absorbing
1lleg1 t1mate children who are in no way sti gmatized.
 111

The economy i s a mixed one which ic based on cattle-

keeping and horticul ture , but a good deal o~ hunting and
collec ting , a still practiced; bee-keeping 1a important.
Erratic r ai nfall and recur1•(mt draught s affect livestock and
crops, and have been t he cause of consider able emigration.

Qhapte.r I I . Language and 1nterpretat2,on,

Compar ati ve studies based on i nadequate material have
linked Sandawe with Nama Hotten tot, but valuable linguistic
work has been done by Dempwol ff and van de Kimmenade.
Dialectical differences exis t, bu t Sandawe is a single, non-
Bantu, language. A tYP1cal phonological feature is the use ot
clicks, e ject i ves ,and later als , ol which the first-menti oned
can be syl labic. The l anguage is agglut inati ve , wi t h i ndi vidual
syllables re t aining meanings of t hei r own. Gender exists, but
this i s symbolic rather than r i gi dl y grammatical; the existence
of special f orms for t he plural i s less founded than has been
as sumed; case endings for nouns exist, but they do not f i t the
usual linguistic cat egories; many ver bs have diff er ent r oo ts
for the singular and the plural; bas i c word order f oll ows
Dempwoltf's rule that regeng seguitur rectum; the genitive is
formed by simple apposition; proper t ense particles are absent
and other constructions replace the pass i ve voice. Ver ba have
aspects rather than tenses and, similarly, nouns have aspec t s
rather than grammatical cases.
In the second half of this chapt er oral literature is
:i-e-detined by using Lerner's criteria, and tradi t i onal literar y
c&tegories based on western concepts are rejected for application
to the Sandawe case, it is found that the onl.y valid categories
are the vernacular ones. The Sandawe do make a basic
distinction between that which is spoken, that which is danced,
and that which is sung, but primary categories are formed of the
term t4P,tabule which covers all narrative as well as riddles,
and song categories based on the distinctions made between
 iv.

~:rpec or dan~e . Categories o:f ninstrel sy arc determined by

type of i natrwnent played, but a single term may be used to
cover all minstrelsy .
Serioue pr esentation~ or oral literature must include
vernacular texts, showing repetitions and exclamatory items ,
also variants 1~ possible. To present only fables is to
thE"t picture since non- narrative may be cons iderably more
important than stories. Translation must be literal rather
than fluent in order to reproduce a maximum or the or i ginal
atmosphere, but it cun never be equal to the vernacular:
del icate shades or meaning tend to be lost while obscure
meaning is clari:ficd. The Sandawe language uses a large
or expedients to convey meaning, and this makes for vagueness;
repetition is one or the methods used to rectify this. The
chapter concludes with a brief discus sion of tone, stress and
vowel leng th in Sandawe , and eome unfamiliar sounds.

Chapter III. Narrat1ve; animal fables and oom1ca1 tales,

This chapter presents t he first half
which torma part of the Sandawe category of t4ntabule; it
consists of ten generally simple texts of which the first
are •pure• animal fables, while the following three introduce
the human element. Footnotes which generally confine
themselves to word analysis have so far been found adequate
to clarify eome points. In the last three texts human
characters act together with animals as the chief actors.

Ohapte~ iv, Miraculoyg stories, histo,n,, and m.yth,

In this chapter t he heroes tend to be e1 ther mol"e tragic
or more heroic than in the previous one; they are human, and
when animals are principal actors they act as symbols rather
than as human CEWicatures. The first seven stories are what
may be loosely termed mi raculous stories. They are reore
symbolically significant than the atoriee of the previous
 v.

chapte~, and investigation shows that a variety of beliefs

f ind their reflection in these tales. The last three stories
are historical and mythical ones which contain no songs.

Chap t.er Y, RiudJ.es and w·,1,,'ers.

Riddles belong t o t l .~ cate.Jory or Mntapule, and therefore
they are dis cusse d be~or e pra~er e which ~orm a category of their
own. Play.lng r iddl es is !lt::>ictl.r pr()hibi ted
season, and ther'3 cust be ideological reasons f or such a taboo.
Investigations into t he nature of the challenge and the reply
for~ulae show that riddles are assoc iated with various kinds of
b irc.s which eat ne \vl y planted s eed and. also attack the ripening
crops. The complete procedure i ncludes a special bird- riddle
which all children are suppoEed to know. This riddle shows how
the riddle-bird is orawn to the east and
when t he light of the appreaching dry season with its ripening
crops, beckons the bi~ds to come out and eat their f ill. The
bird i s a ssociated with f emininity , but al so with the bat which
is op; osed to life-gi ving sunlight, ano therefore allied with
de struction and death. It lives in a tree which is pa?"aa1t1c
and thererore destruc tive in its own right. To play riddles
during the pl anting season is to call up the birds and to
invite dieas ter.
After the two procedural texts a collection of riddles
is presented which has been arranged according to subject.
Prayers are also spoken i n the ordinary voice,
but they are not t 4lltabule• There i s a special type of prayer
which is inaudibl e and more like a spell. Presented are
weddi ng blessi ngs , rain and hill prayers , and a sample of
Chr isti an prayer used in traditional rites. Two t ypes of rain
and hill pre.yers r eflect the status of the social groups to
which t hey belong. The rainmakers of the priestly Alagwa clan
address a more general divinity t han the clan spi1•i ta to whom
the cl an e l der s direct their prayers.
 vi.

<-.:han ,er ''1, Poetry nrtnc i pal,J,y associa tcd with r.t tual,
Thi s and the fol l owing chapter describe dance son;;s.
The f i rst dance , the aimb6 re~resents a possession cult in
r1hi ch t he par ticipants dissociate; sac:t>i:f'icos are :nade and t he
object i s t o cl ear the country of wit~hcraft. The rite-
descri ptive s onga can be arranged in an order which allows us
to follow the proceedines . Lion and bird symbolism is
promine~t i n the rites. Tree s, and a rock with a cleft at its
t op , are phal l i c and play a symbolic r ole in clearing the way
t o rene•:.red :fertility of the country. After this, eondi tions
will be ravourable for the r i tes of' cir cumcision.
In the s ongs or cir cumcision two principal types can be
distinguished, £cli1 and ktt.em ' ta, The former are rite-
descripti ve , and the l atter camp s ongs of the instruct ive type.
Af'ter a survey of t he ritual the r i te- descripti ve s ongs are
pr esente d :firs t, agai n arranged in such a way as to :form a
ritual sequenc e . Symbolism i s s imilar t o that or neighbouring
Bantu peoples; i t i e expressed i n ter ms o~ lions , hyenaa ,
hol'?llea0 cattle and donkeys , birds of pr ey , phallic hor ns and
clitoride ctomy knive s, and the baobab and l annea t r ee s ; a
remoto ocno of the i nterla cus trine cul t or Riangombe i s also
f ound. The s ongs o~ ~ suggest that men s houl d be
watchful hunters, that women have the right to be clothed by
their menfolk, that t he rituals of life should go on e ven in
times o~ famine, t hat women are free to go to dances
make sure that they are given beads by their lover s ; songs
also teach that phalluses, f i r e and amok& and t he ma1e
principle are r elated to f emale f er t ility and childbirth.
In the rites of phek'umo we encounte r an old Sandawe
fertility rite which is reminiscent or t he Bushman eland bull
dance , but the mirim§ is a secret women •s ritual or Bantu
origin which cel ebrates their proven f e rtility. The aanzoo.na
ie an essentially similar ritual of the southern borderland
 vit

in which a man functions as a phallus.

The rites of twin births, which are called~' are
marked by lightning and tree symbolism which becomes clear
when the tree is closely observed. The songs o f ~ refer
to the lightning-danger, t o the causes of excessive fertility,
and to phallic b irds which are also twins. The l ast dance of
th1s chapter, the nm~gnga, has l ost its significance but it
appears to have once been a rite ot i nitiation into male
el derhood.

Chaptel' 7II . Dance songs of' a ,ag.inlY topical charactez:,.

':'he wa.fµ' ga was 01:•iJi!lallJ a dance of elephant hun tcrs,
but i to scope has ·.videncd to celebrate co1;1mu:1al actions o'!:
a] mo3t any kind. NowadaJs it has become u beer-drink or even
social party organized on com .ercial lines . The subjects of
the s1mga reflect these ·1arious aspects of wa.yA' St;i~
The mang6a is a dance or post-initiates who hnve become
y oung herdsmen; one of th~ sor.ga depicts the dancers wriile
another is purely topical .
The ~4 is the gr eat harvest and courtship ~eat1val
o:f t he Sandawe; the dance has now become rare but the songs
have not been 1'orgotten. \lhile the dance symbolizes man's
progress thI>ough 11:fe the songs deocribe memorabl e episodes
in it. These songs are the mos t topical of all ~andawe danoe
songs , and many of them are o:f great historical interest.
The n! nd.Q is an equivalE::nt of the ~ f rom the southex>n
borders; it is not considered to be r eally a Sandawe dance .

Chavter VIXI, M1netrelsl,

The Sandav,e have no professional cl ass of mi ns trels, and
minstrelsy is very much a quiet, private form of art . The
s i nger acoompan1e$' himself, and his favouri t.e instrument is
the trough-zither or the mus ical bow. Other 1netruemnte are
also used but some of those are still thought of as fore i gn.
Two types of minstrel may be di stinguished, the epic and the
lyrical singer. The subjects of minstrelsy cover the whole
 vi ii

range of Sandawe life in a topical fashion , but the general

approach 1s a mor<:; 111 tiroa te one than i n the sor.1.e,s of ~ .

~~x. F2rm and styl~

Seemingly inexplicable, unconnected story endings can
be explained if we consider t he form or narrative. End-forms
also point to t he existence ot atory cycles which centre round
one particular hero.
Songs are of great i mportance i n stories: they mark
structural divisions , act as mnemonic aide, and are identified
with the protagonists to such an extent that the differences
between. them al'e clearly reflec ted in the forms of their songs .
Songs enhance audience participation and illustrate a tale in
much the eame way as pictures do in a book of fairy tales.
The motifs founc in Sandawe stories corr espond closely with
what is found among neighb ouring Bantu tribes , especially to
the north-west.
In l'iddles the giving-up pl'ocedure l'e:f'leo ts the cultural
environment, but the opening and posing techniques hardly do
this . Sand.awe riddles make extensive use or onomatopoeia and
special sounds. The t'un of' a pun i s a pI'ominent element in
the art of' playi ng Sandawe riddles , and puns add much to the
artistic value of the riodles .
In song the motifs, or topics, are largely determined by
the categories of' dance with which the songs correspond.
Di fferences 1n s t yle are also determined by these categories;
this is d11':t'erent in narrative where the7 are large].y determ1.neci
by the i ndivi due.l atorytellera. I mportant stylistic features
are repeti t ion, melody, rhythm, and instrumentation. In
several of these aspects Sandawe oral literature differ s
markedly f r om the literatures of neighbouring Bantu peoples.

CJ\apter x, ~:ymb911sm and meaning,

In Sandawe literature we can find equivalents for each
of Radin•s four Hero-cycles, which correspond with man's
 ix.

evolution in psychological development . The symbolic value of

animal repres ent ations varies : while s ome ani mal s are no more
than human caricatures others att~1n the value of simpl e
s ymbols, and yet o ther s may be f ully symbolic ror whol e sets
of i deas. The Tricka t ez•-motii' ie pl'omi nen1; i n Sandawe
narrat ive, but i ts chief cha?'acter , HE.re , dif.1·ers to a degree
f r om known Bantu representations. Lion COI'I'esponds closely
with i t s Lant u image, but Hyena as & !'oil and a witch may be a
recent acquisi t ion from the Bantu; the images of Elephant and
of fertile herbi vores may belong to t r aaitional Saniawe thought.
The phallic snake and. the womb- like goUI'd t:tre apt to merge in
r i tual, and the i r char a c terl::l include elements o.t' opposite
signi .t'icance. As di vine messengers bir ds dif!'er !'rom the
mantis, and t r ees and f'l ower s play the i r ovm roles in e,ymbol i o
expre ssion.
Uaines are or ~i mpl<:: si@lil'ic ancc: in s ome e tori es and i n

t op ioal s ong , bu t o!' dominant impoi•tance i n sto:r.1-aonge and 1n

ri tual poe try . !hei r !'unction s 7aI'J' aigni:t"i ca:ntly i n di1':t'er.•ent
categories o!' or a l l i teru Vure . In riddl es they 1'oro a be.sia
!'or puru1ing . ~itual names tend t o employ Bantu ter ms rather
than Sandawe t e rms wh ich describe physical ani mal s and ob jects.
Personal names tend to be circumstantial r a t her t han abs tract
idealisations.

conc1ua1or1t
Oral literature i s of great i mpor t ance to the Sandawe;
it educates and entertains, but it also providea soc i a l
cohesion. It is e7en used as a weapon in the applica t ion of
social sanctions. I ndividual ~erf ormers de rive prestige and
promine nce from it. Posa i~ly Sand.awe or al li terature is more
"poetic'' in chaI'actor than some Bantu 11 teratures which would
then be more "pl'osa1c•1 , but f'or lack o"f adequate comparative
material this is dif'ficult to prove at the present stage.
 f ~ / t

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SAN DAWE ORAL LIT ER ATURE

s t.Catherine's College

Theala preeented tor the degree ot Doctor ot Ph1loeopby,

ti\-<
Tl'1n1tT Tel'II, 1967.
Dr. Otto DoQpWOJ.t.t, tbe tathei, ot Sandawc et~dloe.

Repro<luctton tree z . • t naob. Spr., Vol.21, 1930/31,

p . 160, by ~2nd pcN01ee1on or the £4ltora a t the ~eminar
l'llr ati-Uc.antache Spraohen und r'ul turen, BambVl:h and
tho t>ubliehera, Kesors. n1eti-tch Reimer Verlag, .Berlin.
Uy' s peclal thank• a,:ee due to ~c,1'.Dr.K\U't He i nhard and
to DfleDieter Chr1ateneen, taatliche "1Utcan, )Juee-ux:. tt'l1'
V8lkerkunde, Berlin, ,or t heir klnd asot•tance ln
t'tn4t.ng ~e pbotosrapb ad 1n eecurSna the penleeton
~or 1 ta NpJH>duct1on.
 I Z
te 1 n/'dmueud
nl te1 n//okoXklme
 TABLE OF CO NTENTS

I NTRODUCTION 1
CHAPTER I - TUE LAND AUD THE PEOPLE
Pbyeical environment 6
Racial &.rf1n1t1ea and ethnic surroundings 8
Remnant peoples and epl1ntel'Sl'oupa o~ 11 t t le hunters 10
Neighbouring peoples,foreign colonies and populat ion movecents l3
Tl'ibal atX"uctUJte: the clans 19
Controversy ove r tribal leader ohi p 23
The emergence o~ the Alagwa chiefs 26
Somo kinship relationships 32
Marriage: monogamy and polyg.yny 37
AcquiX"ing a wife 39
Oo-betweene, br1doweal th, and se tting up home 42
The completion of the m81'r1age, divorce and adultery 47
Some aspects ot the economy 50
CHAPTER 11 - LANGUAGE Al~D I NTERPRETATION
Sandawe l1ngu1st1c atudiea 55
Dlalect1oal d1atinct1one 59
Oenel'al ohal"acte ris tice ot the language
(ll Gr8Jllllatical gender
( 2 Pormat1on ot the plUX"al
60
62
(3 Oaoe endinss for nouns
65
69
(4l
(5
Singular and plural verbs
Baelo word order 70
( 6 The genl ti ve 71
(7 The absence or tense part1clea 72
( 8 The absence o1' a pasa iVUm 72
80
The scope ot oral literature 82
Classifi cation o1: oral 11teratUl'e and vernacul81' categor i es 84
Sandawo li terary categories 89
Preeontation of vernacular tc,.xte, non-nart"at1ve , and variants 93
Principles and d1ff1cult1ee ot tranalat1on 97
Regis tration ot meaning and its interpre t a tion 1n Sanda we 1 01
The phonetic s ystem and orthography 1 06
CHAPTER III - NARRATI VE ; ANI MAL .FABL&S A.ND CO!UCAL TALES
The stories 113
Text No. l - The Lion and t he Zebl'a 115
Text lfo. 2 - The Hyena and the Stork 121
Text No • .} - The Hare and the Ostrich Made lt'rlendship 127
Text No. 4 - The O!z-at'.te, the lfare, and the Dove 137
Text No. 5 - The Pigeon and the Frog 140
Toxt No. 6 - The Cow and the Lion 146
Text No. 7- The Honey-badger and the Lion 154
Text No. 8 - The Abducted Child 160
Text No. 9 - The Adul tereae and the Hare 1 66
Text No. 10 - One-eye and the Frog 170
CHAPTER IV - NARRATIVE; MI RACULOUS STORI ES ; HISTORY, AND IIYTH
The stories
182
Text No. 11 - The Woman and the Snake 183
Text No. 1 2 - One-eye and the llany-headed Snake 195
Text No. 13 - The Woman Who Married a L ion- man 215
Text No. 14 - The Cripple Who Becue a Handsome Youth 229
Text No. 15 - The Chief Who Stole a Poor Man•e Wt~e 245
Text No. 16 - The Jealous Brother 263
Text No. 17 - tz'he Witch and the eire-oracle 270
Text No. 18 - The Wal' w1 th the llaasai 277
Text No. 19 - The Cl'eation Myth 290
Text No. 20 - The Origin or All the Tl'ibea 293
 Cl!APTER V - Rl DDL.~ A ID PRW~RS
~e procadure o~ playing riddloa
Texts
Texts
2.3- 27
26- 30
Texts .31- 45
(
(2
l
.;t.{li.loloc.Y ai.1d l\Ylllbolis.!l: t,11:. bird-riddle
I,e. tural phenomena
Thtt V<J~etai.,le wox-ld
( 3 'l'he animal r,orJd and hunting
295
299
310
312
313
•.rexto J-i6- 52
{4 Crops , !'ood, cto. 321
Texts 53- 63 (5) Tho body ana itB functions 324
Texts 64- G7 (6) Dogestic life , etc. 3_;1
Textu 68- 74 \7) Utensils and other objecte 332
Prayer& and ~pells
Texts 75- 77 \ieclding blersings 336
Texts 7a- 82 Rain a11d hill pra,.y-ers 339
Text 83 Christian pl'ayer 341
346

C~!A.PT!'.:;R VI - P0.3T.l'(Y l)RI NC! PALL'l illi OCl ATEl} '. T'l.'l RITIJAL
The material 349
A. The posaension cult 0£ eim'pO 350
The trees, the x•ook , an<'! the cleft 3::>4
Texts 84- 90 'l'he songs or @1nltd 356
B. CircW!leioion ritual: e.d.A ~~d k<t~em •ta j69
Texts 92- 104 The rit6-deacr 1pt1ve s ongo ot c1rcum-
c1eion: ~ 377
'l'exte 105-113 The 1net~uct1ve s ongs of circumcision:
terem·~~
c. The :fer tility i-1. tual 0£ nhek •µmg
398
417
Texte 114-120 The s ongs or Dh,c:k ':w.t\Q 419
D. The lion-giU'le, Ol'" the druice ot.' t he roe tun: the ia:..r1m4 426
Texts 121-123 The s ongs of nitima. 431
E. The dance ot tho phallic man: the sanzoona 435
Text 124 A s ong o~ 8!®?9®§. l•36
e. IU t ual at the birth of' twins: the ~ 438
Texte 125-127 Some eong~ or~ 442
o. A dance 0£ the elders: the mudanga 446
Text 128 A song of' il-lNM..'IA 447

CHA!>'l'SR Vll - DANCI!! SONGS 0»1 A l&AIN1..Y TOPICAL CHARAC'l'ER

tJ!he matex-1al 448
A. A celebra~ton of the aucceee of mutual aid: the waY4•ga 449
Texts 129-135 The songs of ffW 1 f'A 4.50
B. 1'hu dance of t he young herdsmen: the mqng§a 459
~exts 136-137 Songs 0£ mang41 460
c. A harveat and. coUl'tship dance: the land,S 464
1.'exto 138-150 The eouge ot lan44 470
D. A harves t and courtship dance or the aouthoJ"n border:
the n!ndo 491
Text 151 A song o~ t he Sandawe n:!ndo 492

CHAPTER VIII - MINSTRELSY

Tho inetl'Ulllenta 494
'..&.'.no mine trels 497
The eonge 498
Texto 152-160 Min~treley songs: bel 1e£e, nature, and
hun tins .500
'l'ezts 161-165 Peas ting and coUl'ting .514
Texts l6G- 172 Uarri~e , adultery and k1n•h1p 1'"elat1ona 518
Texts 173-176 Cult1vot1on and material poaseasione 527
~exts 178- 182 Di scovery and t he advent of government 536
 CHAPTER IX - FORM AND STYLE
Opening and closing formulae 1n narrative 544
The developmont and the conclusion of the p l ot 547
The cycle 548
The etoi-y-eong (t4tltabµJ.~} 549
Song and actor: the rol'm ot the song 551
The general character ot the story-song 555
Uotlfe ; the Af'r1can scene 557
OolDlllon Sandawe motifs and themes, and their occurrence
elsewhere 559
Ri ddles: f'orm ot prooedure and cultural background 566
Motif's and apec1al effects in riddle s 568
Categories and motifs in aong 572
Style 574
Uelod,y as a atylistic dt~~erentiator 575
Rh,ytbm 576
Inetl'ullentation 580
OBAPTER X • SYMBOLISM AND MEAHI NG
Symbols and interpretation 583
The hero- myth, and cycles ot tale s 585
Kotits and symbols 588
Animal caricatUl'es and the Tr1cketer-mot1t 589
The stapler animal symbols 592
The byena 597
The lion ae a C&l"icature and as a symbol 599
The lion-danger and sorcery 605
The anake and the gourd• and similar symbols 605
The aean1ng of' birds 611
Symbolism and the use ot names 615
The poetr y in names 616
Names in Sandawa narrative 617
Name- punning in riddles 621
Ritual names 624
Namee 1n non-ritual poetry, and a key to class1ti cat1on 627
The general Chal'actel' ot Sandawe names and eymbols 630
CONCLUSION 636
......._________
APPENDICES
I - Population 1
II - Livestock ii
III - famines and epidemics 111
IV - The inf'ormanta iv
V - Discovery vi
VI - Verba which change stems in the plural vu
VII - The phonological eyetea - the vowels v111
VIII - The phonological system - the clicka ix
IX - The phonological system - the other consonants x
X • The ortho81'apJ1¥ xi
XI - Glossary ot Sandawe literary categories and terms x111
XI I - The songs ot ctrcumc1e1on xvi
XIII - The inatruaente ot m1natreley xvii
XI V - The tape recoi-dinga xviii
PHOTOGRAPHS, PLATES , AND If.A.PS
Photoarapha xix
Platea
••»• xxvu
XU
BIBLIOGRAPHY
UXU1
 l

I NT R ODUC ~ I ON

La poUsie populere et purement naturelle a dee nalrvetez

et graces par otl elle se oomp8J'o it la princ i pal e beauM
de la po0r ie par£aicte selon l ' art •
. ONT~IONJ<; , Eesa1s , liv. I , chap.LI V.

The r andawe may perhaps be beat described as a p eople

or settl ed hunters who keep cattle and who are also hoe
cul t i vatore. The general l ~vel of materi a l culture remains
unaophist1cated but their small houses are neat nnd well kept
and t hey take good oare of thP ir cattle. The standard of their
horticulture l ags well behi nd that or the ir nei ghbours . Or a l
literature, and i n parti cular poetry i o their pr i nci pal cultural
achievoment . Thi s oral art i s of go.aeral i nterest to all
Sandawe and it for ms an i ndispensable par t or many aspects of
their lives.
The Sandawe are a nati on of singers I'ather than of poets.
All their poetry i s mi nor veroe but i t is mani fest every.mere:
in atoI'y-telli ng , in dances and in ritual . Approciation of
good poetry is general and oonge which have found I'ecogn1t 1on
may soon rind themselves the eom on property or large sections
of t he tri be. A good song, a meaningi'ul t ale or a wi tty I'iddle
ie t oken over and i mproved UJ;>on b.V many. It' , then, 1 t is true
that the Sendawe have a li terature which is worthwhile to
t hemsel ves , whot 1'1:e toI•s would justif'.Y its etudJ by outside?'s,
apart from more curiosity?
Boas' dictum that the mytholog~ and th~ tales or a pe >ple
conat1 tute "the autobiography of the tl"ibe 11 has become a t ruism,
 2

Herskovits claims. 1 Struyf' has more in mind than just the prose
aspect ot literature when he says:
"The well [tor a. thorough understanding ot their manners
and customs, religion and social concepts] ie safe and
secure; it bubbles up from the soil itself without being led
through strange channels or, as it happens f'ar too of'ten:
2
being misl~s.\·"
Historical and sociological motives tor t he study of' literature
are well stated in these quotations. But the limitations of
the usefulness of oral traditions tor historical purposes
be recognized. Its use appear s to be greater to
researches than tor establishing more or lees fixed chronologies
ot migrations, kingships, and battles. Beidelman shows in a
recent example how an appreciation of' social institut ions can
bo gleaned f'rom t'olk tales even when the cue tom i teel:f' is no
longer practlsed.3 An analogous example tor t he Sandawe is
contained in text No.18 of' t his thesis, which clearly
demonstrates how war medicines have once been used.
A sU?tprisingly clear pictUI'e ot discontinued r i tual emerges
from the study ot Sandawe songs. For in the songs references
to many of' these rites survive and associated beliefs linger
To understand these goes a long way t &ward the unders tandi ng
ot otherwise incomprehensible attitudes which may be encountered
in the behaviour ot the people in their ordinary daily lives.
L~vi-Strauee • argument tor t he usefulness ot studying
visual art applies also to oral art:

l 1958, 65. Boas• statement i s more careful than Herskovits•

quotation suggests. He says (1916, 39.3): "• •• [Oral.
literature] does not represent a systematic description
ot the ethnology ot the people, but it has the merit of
bringing out those points which are of interest ·to the
people themselves. They present in a way an autobiography
or the tribe."
2 1908, IX (translation mine).
3 l963a, describing blood covenant among the Kaguru.
 3

"Even 1t we know nothing about archaic Chi neoe Goo1ety, an

i nGpection of 1ts art would be sutrioient to enab o us to
recognize presti ge strug~le, rival ries between h1ertll'ch1ea,
and competition between social and e conomic privilegeo -
showing through t he functi on or maeka and the veneration of
lineaae", and: 11 • • • eooial st?'uctural and historical elements
also become apparent. 111
It oral art can furn i sh such historical ini'ormotion in greater
detail than visual art, it i s also much shallo~er i n t i me depth.
Studi es of oral and visual arts therefor e supplement one another
rather than compe te in the same field of investigation.
As tor the theoretical benefit which maJ be derived f rom
the etudy of oral al't, i t has been claimed that fol k literat ure
"givea us the basic ingl'edients to comparati ve s tudies, ana
thence to a general theory of myth, ot poetry, of riddles, of
li terature aid of human oral com un1cation i teel t . 112
To others , appreci ation or the natfyetez ~ kraco@ ot an exotic
li terature maJ be a suffici ent reward 1n itself.
Andrze j ewoki shows ua how knowledge ot oral art may help
to correct distorted i mages. According to existing h1otor1cal
documents the Ctalla were always very ruthl ess in war , but the
study of their literature shows tha t thi s is a one-aided
l'epresentation:
"such chivalrous customs as battle by arrangement, parl· ye ,
or occas ional meroy to thei enemy actually existed in practice."
Thus the Galla become much more human than they woul d appear
from non-li teral'y eourcee. 3 Litel'ature here porforms a valuable
complementary ael'vice to history..
It has often been necess ary to use folk literature for
disproving deep - rooted prejudices. Meinhor r elotoe that when
a collection or folktalee rrom the Cameroons wao published in
Germany i n 1808, many of the white people who had lived in dai ly

l 1963, 164.
2 I,erskc.wi ts, 1958, 84.
3 1962, 122.
 contact with tho natives ~or many Jears protested quite
vigorously and indignantly and insisted tl1at no Negt>o could
possibly have composed them. 1 OVer a hundred .vears ago Bl eek
wrote in the foreword to his hottontot tales:
"The fact ot such literary oapac1t.; among a nation whose
mental qual11'icat1ons it has been usual to eotlmate at tne
lowee t standard, 1a o-r the 3rea teat i mpoz>tance. u2
As late as 1953 Radin still round i t necess ary to explode such
theories as Hermann Baumann' e that the Negro ie devoid of tho
gift of true myth-making. 3
To show the fallacy or prejudice is one thing , but to
create understanding is anot 1er. Recently ~utwa haa written an
excellent work on traditional Bantu history in the rorm of e
collection of folk tales, tor this particular purpose. He
wrote the book "simply to lay the :foundation f'or better under-
standing between two di:f:ferent tyPes of human beings" , he
states.4 He \Vl'ites that
" ••• few 11h1 te people have even bothered to a tud..r the A.rrican
people caref,llll y - and by this I do not mean driving round
the At'r ioan villages taking photographs of dru1c1ng tribesmen
and women and asking a few gueetione, ana then going back
and writing a book - a useless book 1"ull or errors, wrong
impressions and jue t plain nonsense. Many o:f the books
wri tten by Europeans about Africans should be relegated to
t o dustbin. "5
liia prescri,ption t'o'Z' gaining a better understanding is not an
easy one, but he ahows cle8l'l.,y the role which a study o:f othe~
peopl e'e l iterature can play to overcome the barrier of
i gnorance about their lives:

1 1911, 10, as quoted by Radin (1952, 2).

2 1864, XII.
3 loc,cit . For baumann •s theory see p . l of h1e work ( 1936) .
4 1966, x.
5 132J..d.
 5

n1f any Black man w1 th a 11 ttle knowledge of 3nJlish, h•ench

or Portuguese wants to study the White man - as l have done -
al l he has to do is to go into the neareot town and become a
r egular customer or one o;C the eeconl. hand bookehops thero .
He muot bu,y end r~ad no les than twenty dirterent kinda of
books and magaz1nea a month for a period of no l ess tnan 10
Jear s . He must read claesica, philosophical \'\Orka ano even
cheap murder mysteries and science fiction. He must read
.iomer, Vi rgil, Aristotle, anc the ret t. He nu.e t turn the
pages o-£ Walter .:>Cott, !ol taire or Peter Chc.mey. i1e 111ust
read the newspapers with great care. vraduall.y, as the years
pass, he wil l gain moro or l ess a clear understanding of the
White man, hio way ot 1i1'e , hio hopes and ambitione. 111
It goes without saying that thia eloquent plea aleo applies to
a European who wishes to overcome hie ignorance of the way of
lite . hopes ana aspirations of an Af'rican people , and that he
wi ll have to read all he caui about to.eir t.n,ee ot literature.
Lven in the oaee ot a small people like the Sandawe t.t.ere are
mar.y or these , and th~y are quite di1erse .
The present thesis seek~ to inveeti~ate the forms and the
nature of tl1e oral art of the Sandawe, the place it takes in the
lite of tnft tri be and the role und the social poe1t1on o'£ its
pttr!'ormers. To ap_preciate how this 11 terature expresses tho
deeper feel i ngs of the peopl e end what occupi es their mi nds most.
we shall have to di rect our attention to the SJ'lllbol1em which io
involved i n i ts expreet i on. The material and soci al conditions
or t he Sandawe , by whi ch their oral literature is inspired, have
been tTeatl y 1ni'l uenced by conti nuous contacts with other peoples.
In f act, thei r whol e wa;/ or l i fe hae gradually been changed £r om
t he hunters ' and colloc tore' ex1stenco which it seems to have
once been , to the mixed e conomy ot t he present. fc shall
therefore fir st ha ve to gain s ome 1deo of thi s background and
consider their countr y , ex ternal 1n~luences, politi cal and
e conomi cal. conditions , and some aspects of the language.

l ~ . I X- X.
 6

C HA P TE R l

T HE LAND AND p OP L I!.

Ph.\!:&icnl environment.
The country of the Sandawe has ar. area of some 1800 square
miles , and it occupies the southwestern third of the
administrative district of Y. ondoa in certral Tanzania. It may
be broadly di vided into four distinct regions: the nortnern hills ,
the north- central plains, the central hills which form the core
of the country, and the aoutnern and western tlatl ande . 1 The
Bubu river, called~ in Sandawe, 1e the eeasonal main river
of the country; it runs along the foot ot a fault which traverses
the central hille. Together , this watercourse and tne escarpment
out oft the 3outheaotern part or the hillo from the rest and set
it apart. The average altitude of the inhabited areas in tho
hill compl ex is around 4000 teet, the h1~hest point being formed
by the top or~ hill a t 5608 t eet.
2 The northern hi lls are

higher; O!hlau r eaches 5707 teet.3 The lowest parts are round in
the southern plai ns wh~re t h e ~ river l eave& the c ountry at
Jus t under 2900 teet. 4 The whol e country forms part of an i nland
drainage 8¥Stem which empties into the Bah1 depression of
Oogoland.5
The general aspect of th~ central hills 1a that or a jumble
of low rocky hills, c overed by a vegetation of tangled thorny
bush. During the long, dry season which lasts from ..1ay until the
end of November the country gradually be comes more brown and

l See map Uo.2.

2 Aleo called l23.l.:£ll by some local inhab i tants of Ri mi(Bantu)atock.
3 Incorrectly named ~1:t:hAY on maps .
4 Altitudes from Tangan., 1ka, Land and Surveys, 1: 50,000 (1959) .
5 see Atlas of Tanganyika, 1956, map 6.
 7

barren• .Ra i nfall ie err>atic and amounts to an average of only

24•1 per annum, practically all o:f which :falls betwoen the end
o:f November and t he beginning of !ay, with a low in ~ebruary . 1
The northern hills are bet t.e:i• watered, greener and more
roll ing a nd covered with open woodland e.nd even tores t, 2 much
ot which is of the miombo tYPe but 1n1'eeted with tsetse tl~.3
Populati on here i s very scant, and Hassenstcin'e map re:t'ere to
the aI'ea ao "uninhab1 ted border wilde rne ss 11 . 4 In 1947 the tow
inhabi tants were expolled trom these parts and moved to the
central hills because of the occurrence o:f ol eeping s icxneee . 5
A :few people have now returne d but the rare person whom one may
encoun~r in the north is us ually a honey hunter who lives
:further to the south.
auch of the north-c~ntral plains lo deeolate black- cot ton
steppe land with gnarled, spiny t hornbush . This count r3 is an
effective barrier to the t se tee fly. At t i mes the fly ma.,
bypass this belt whe re it is lees efre ctive in the weet and
engulf the western plains, and reach even parts of t he central
6
hills. The centt>al hill complex contains t he bulk of the
population .
The southernmost part or tho country is the lowest (30' <>- 1

3500 ft. ) , flat and almost unbt>oken by relief. It is cove red

by dry bush, much of it of the dense 'I t igi bush' variety.
There i n no tsetse but t he al"ea i s parched and monotonous .
It is also the remotest and most backward part of the countr ~.

l Kondoa Di strict 3ook, n . d. Meteorological f1otes : average

meat:ured over 14 ,vears. Obst, 1923, 108, gi ves 560 mm ( 22")
and 580 mm (23") for 1910 and 1911.
2 Atlee of Tanganyika, 1956, map 9 giveB onl.1 the barest out-
l1nea. A .t'uller p i ct\U'e ie gi ven i n Swynrierton, 1936 (map) .
3 JJwl.
4 1898.
5 Da te f rom Kondos D1atr1ct Book.
6 J wJru1crton, op.cit . , w1 th mop r e ,roduc e a. :from "'ackeoi., 193., .
 a

Rock paintings are founa in many places in the north~rn

and central hill compl exes , but the inaccessibility or the
country as a whole is such t hat the existence or these began
to be reported only some time after some accountc had been
published of pai ntings in the neighbouring areas of Kondoa,
Bah1, Si ngida and Lkalama, which had aroused considerable
1nterest. 1

Racial arr1n1t1ea and etbnic surrouncUn,$s•

The people of this land, the Sandawe, show many physical
fe a tures which sug<$est that their origi ne difter at l east
partially from those of the surPounding tribes. These include
fine- bonedness and a sl i ght build, a typical skull for m which
is reminiscent or the Bushman type, an often light, almost
yellow complexion and a generally short stature which is well
below average 1n places . 2 ''Peppcl'eorn" hail', the ep1canth1e
rold, excess ive wrinkling of the skin at an advanced age , thin
lips and steatopygia all occur, but it i s rore tor many ot
these reatures to be combined in a single individual. The
general irnpt>es.·ion of t he people on the whole is that they
differ e1snit1cantly from moat surroundi ng peoples although
s imilar t y-pes may be tound over a wide area, in particular
towarde t he northwes t. Ki elmoyer describes the akins of the
Sandawe as light reddish brown anf the people themselves as

l Ykalama: Bagohawe, l923b . Kondoa : Nash, 1929. Hahi : Culwick ,

l93la and b . Sandawe country: Kohl-LBl'een investi ga ted a
dozen sites in 1935 (viz . tlohl-Lareen L. and ., 1938, 76-91 ,
and Kohl-Lar sen 1958, 110-35). Poabr ooke, 1950,
one sites which are all comparatively access i b le be ing close
to t he main tracks. J ulian, 1953, 42, claims to have seen
"Bushman drawinge 0 (.boojeomr.m-tekeningen) but he docs not
elaborate. Recently thl'ee new ai tea in wee tern .. ands.we
country have been descri bed by Fozzard (1966) .
2 Thie i s baaed on optical imp:re Lsiona only; I have taken no
meaau:rements.
 9

1
small and grace:ful. Bagshawe gives a s1m1lal' descl'1pt1on. 2
Virchow de&cribes two skulls but he refrains from making any
de.fin1 to stat.eme11t about IIottentot or 13ushman connec tions on
the strength of this very slender evidence.3 died concludes
from hie research that the Sandawc are coriparab le to liot teintot,
not Dushmen, cainly on ph,ye:\.cal ~ounds . 4 Obst, ac,.vs that
somatioall.y and linzuistlcally t he Sand.me sug6eat :relationship
with tho Hottentots. 5 Trevor concludes his nnthr>opometI"ical
r esearch by stati ng that
"the evidence ••• is cl early to the e:C:toct thnt the Uo ttentots
and the Sandawo are of tne same stock and do not mer e ly
poeeeaa at'fini ti es in language. 116
He also points out that the neighbouring ~yaturu show many
e1m1larit1ee.7 The latter ere the people who have intermarried
w1 th the Sandawe more than an:, of their other neighbours have
done and who have, as we shall see, contributed more than all¥
other people to the ritual practices of the Sandawo. They have
also i nfluenced their language and li terature most.

l 1897 , /S.
2 1924, 223.
3 1895 , 64-65.
4 1915, . 238.
5 1923, 207.
6 1947, 76.
7 The ~antu-apeaking western neighboui~e ot the Sundawe are
c a~ll ed VfA-bYoturu by the Swahili and by ot~er local peopl e .
They call themsel ves A-Rimi and we shall henceforth rerer to
them by t he ir own name , B1m1, without using the .Bantu p1•efixee
tor persons in the singular or t 1.e plural. It shoul~ be
noted that both TI"evor and Ried have carried out their
researches around the tribal headquarters at Kwa toro. This
area is heavily infil t rated by Ri mi , mos t or whom have now
become Sandawe. It s eems possible that measurements taken
more remote par ts o~ Sandawe country would Jiel d even more
dramatic results.
 10

Remnant 12ea12100 and splinter,n-gups of• Uttl~ huntero.

'l'he north-central highlands of Tanzania contain an
extraordinary variety of ~thnioally d1verce tribeo. !oat o~
these have t 1•ad! "tiom:1 or 11 ttle people who inhabited their
present territories in the past. According to Gray the lbugwe
nay that at the time of their arrival P/b-m:I hunters ro8llled
l
thc 1I' country. Obst records that in eaa tern Rimi• nccording
to local traditions, there had been omaJ.l people who lived among
the many rocko ot the area. 2 Clau1, mentions t he ,lagulimba,
dwarfs who are said to have dwellod in holoe 1n tl1e ground at
Neine in northern Jogoland. 3 Cul wick eaya that the ,,amia of'
Bahi were hunters who spoke a lanr~uage which the arriving ~antu-
speaking Gogo clano found irapors1ble to under stond.4 Schaegelen
writes that some type o'f "Bochimana, ano8trer:i au moins partials
des ,1asandawi" inhab 1 ted wee tern Gogo co'llll. try• 5 and Unyampala
gives a s imilar account of' the Gogo northwest. 6 The Hadza ot
lake Eyaa1 still are a hunting tr1be7 who are small both in
numbers and in statlU'e. 6

l 1955. 40.
2 1923, 199.
3 1911 , 64.
4 193la, 35.
5 1938, 2 00.
6 1954, 5ff.
7 Aleo 1'indlga , 'l'ind1ga, "'indega , Hadzap1 , I-'adzap1' ! or even
Kangeju. Baumann, 1894; and Kohl-Larsen, 1937; 19li3; prefer
Tindisa; Obet, 1912a and b; 1913; Reche, 1914; ..Jerger, 1943;
and Cooper, 1947, r efer to Kindiea. Ble( k, 1931, uees
Hadzo.p1 or Tindega; vtoodburn, 1958; 1962 calla them lladza or
Tindigo.; Olson,n. d. ( /S) eeye Hadzapi' t, and Bagehawe • 1923 I>;
1924/5 speaks ot the Kenge ju.
8 Summary survey 1n Hunti ngtord , 1953.
 ll

The Sandawo, t'1nall.v, say tnat in t he southeastox·n pa:rte

of their country there have been small, light colou:red nomadic
hunters whom they call !:i/in1 and 1ho ,vere "like the people or
Bae'ko and Hug6nika" in nppearance. .heee a1•e t,.o locations in
south- eastern Sanda e country where the people are particularly
l ight coloured. There ere also the Elewa and Bioa who in the
past spoke a somewhat dif.erent dialect but who are now oandawe
1
cl ans. Baumann refers to the hunting tribe or the Wanege o:r
Wat1nd1ga who were according to him closely r~lated to the
2
Sandawe. TheEe Wanege have been searched £or in vain oy
subsequent investigators. Even though Baumann•s mai> shows them
to i nllabi t a vast redon which includeo both -.;he Hadza ann the
Sand.awe tribal areas these people have never be~n found. Tne
term Tindiga 1s o~ten used to desienate the Hadza but the ,anego
have disappeared from the 11 terature since no one could be l"ound
to ,irhom the name applioo . Hovrever, a few Sandawe still recall
that some of their own kin as well ao others wel'e sometimes
rererrod to as nles£ or bushmen (from ~.R., bush); others say
that these people were mostly~. Th~ term n/es§ thus appears
to be a Sandawe term for any peopl e who lived in tho bush, lead1n8
a hunting existence, and the term would therefore include most
of tho little huntin• groups or which so many peoples or central
Tanzania appear to have tradi tiona. I f t h e s e ~ are the same
as Baumann•s iYA- ne.rut, which seems pr obable , then hie map would
merely acknowledge the fact that an extensive area contained, o:r
had contained, an assortment or 11
11 ttle huntet-e" . It ehould not
bo aA&UJlled that they torm~d anything like a single people or
e ven a clueter of groups which were all 0£ the same ethnic stock.

1 Trevoit, 1947 , 62. t hinks that the Elewa were "halt' Gogo" ana.
t hat the .,i aa spoke a l anguage akin to r,gomvic. Local people
say that they were ba s i cal ly Sandawe .
2 189l~, 191.
 12

The various accounts give little detail but the scant evidtnce
which we hove f a intly sug esta t hat the various groups had
dit'!'erant stages of deveJ o_pment and culture; lack o'f phys1cnl
un1forrti ty ie 1ndioat €d by the :fact that tne Hadza are not 11 ,ht
but dark ski nned a.11d appar';)J'ltly not at all uahmanoid :1.n
appearance.
The Ngomvia who call themselves ~~ are another
r emnant people who have now been absorbed by the Bantu- 3penk1ng
Ooso whose language a.~d customs they have taken over. ~"'hey do
not ~it i nto the pattern or ol d hunting populationc oven though
Clnus held theM for a r emnant or nn aboriginal people related
to the Sandawe. 1 The in~orrnation which h~ collected about the
or1 ;1nr o-r a hencmnn • s lineage is the Ot\meao the fat' more
detailed " tribal histo:ry" which Rii:;by collected in 1962. 2
I n this hioto?'y the Ngomv1a claim that the y are Burunge ; t his
ia s upported by 1 einhot•r 11nmif:--1io comparison of 19l0. 3
Considerabl e "llixing w1 th Pal'd.awe clans r.eemn to have occurred.
One of the three Ngomvia clans i o callco ~ete~; 4 this may
be the SBJ!le as the Sandawe Biaa olan which hae alPeady been
mer. t1oncd. Some of: the Sandawe Hi sa of tlle urunge border
area actually call t hemselves ~Qt.Qato, just ae their Ugomvia
oppos1 te number-a . Another Sandawe clan in l..he eame general
area , the A8!1AU' 22, claims Ngomvia descent.

l 1910, 489 .
2 ~/$ dated 13- 2-1963 •
.3 1910, 494.
4 Own 1nqu1r1ea, 1962.
 ... he t1•ibes who~~ cou:1tr1 ~ er contig,.1ou, to that or the
8.nd::.we are , .t'rom tnn north , c:l,">ckwi1;;I": the arabi> i "t> ,
E .. nrt 1'1~

the t t.nl!i, the urunge , tLe o~o, arid tht'l ·-11m1. 1 '"'he nrnbair;a
ale v. r. a togu tr1b( ,vho ~uea'k a t.1lo- ·1am1 tic language of thE'
2
~andi tyne . To most peopl~ they are known as ~n:A!.1 or
J r,r•at 1, a term i:hi c h hae · en l1er1 Vt"d t'1 om th, ,aa::.a1 and
means 1
encII1Y • , hut thC' Sant1awe call •heir. ~ r3 the 11tcr~ture
u&ue.11.r r r 1.'erc to them a e 1ot.oga. 4 The ar tu- :-p("o.kL g 'Rani-1 are
clooely akin to t h~ bugwe who live f1ll"ther to thP. north;' the
J urunge otiain ar6 nor.-Bau ta and li:1c.<,uir ti call:, all i ed to the
Al awa or ffao i, the (}oro,m or ' iome , and tnt'! Iraqw or ulu •
.... r o~nberg callo these peopl ee Cur-hi t1c 6 but thia claa 1f'1cnt1on
is fc.r !'ror., gt1ncra lly accepted. 7 The term. Iraqw- clustr-r oeom~
the oat'est one for t h io i roup, at. loae t for t:1e t i me being. The
Kwa •adzo or Ngomv1a and the dii,tant lbugu or Ucarnbaa in noPth-

eastern Tanzania may also c long to thi n group. 8 The logo and
the u1m1 are both Lantu pfoplc~; t he lat ter are ca lled Taw~AQ
oy t he Sandawe . 9

l :oo map 1 .
2 ,U loon, 195'> , 34, c1 ting Hunt1ngt'or d.
3 "'he n m'le Ta t.u;cu 1r ge>nerallJ aoplied t:, ell t he emall .uato0 a
groups scattered further eoutn and west, eepociallJ by rlnn tu
peopl es , or. l ilson, go, cit,, bO.
4 Uroesa o , 1966 , 176 , po1nti3 out that t .,1t i e incorrect; they
vocal i ze initial oonnonants and their name is ~U!·
5 ~r ay , £mt.ill•
6 1955 , 55.
7 Tuck4tr a nc r t>.tan, 1956 ; IVhitel ey, l ,?8.
8 etnhor, on, 91~•• se al so Gr oen, 1963.
9 Dempwolt':f, 1916, !,2. The Sandawe naraes t'or the other tribe s
are ea s ily rec ot n 1zed, but t hey usually c a l l the .1yamwezi
•onongo, af' t er the name of a ~yamwez1 s ub- t ribe , and t hey
r efer to t he Hehe a s fat ori . The Mansa1 ar e c a lled ~ f
(eoe next p a . e) .
 14

Further to tlle north- west and to the west we .f'ind the Irambn,
I aanzu. Sukuma, and Nyamwezi , allot whom opeak Bantu lan~ut4;ee.
The Sandawe have borr-owed from their l~guageo, and they all
havo !'eaturca in c.he1r 11 tera1;Ul'ee which lend t:1.em&olvee to
comparison wi th items or Sandawe oral li terature.
W1 t.hin and around tho Sandawe tribnl arc:a there are r.ian.v
small groups and ecttlemente which have le:f't an imprint on
Sandawe literature. Scattered over the thinly populated
eastern, southern and woete1•n parte of the countr.v there c:1z>e
occar ional 3a:raguyu homestoade. These people apco.k a aaeu1
dialect ( 'iilo-Hami tic), a nd also i n other respects tho.Y 1•eoeoole
the · a ~~ai proper . Both peoplee are 1nd1scr1m1natel.Y callod
GwabS, oy the Sandavre. 1 At leeke 1n the no~th-oentre.l plain
there 1s a Rimbu settlement o.r several homestead 1ich has been
there f'or at least three generations. 2 Bagshawe recoI'de that
tho Nyamwcz1 1nhabitanto ot a place called kora near the
northern tribal bounaury had been i.iothci c•d by pigc and moV{Jd

further south to Handa well ,,1 thin Sanclnw<, cour.. tr.v . 3 The
Sandawe tri bal headquarters at Kwa Utoro COtLtaina ea ma.."lY
aliens as Sand.awe: Rangi, N;ramwezi , Chagga. Arab6 and o ther
non-Oandawe generally termed ' Swa hili' . Hasacns tein' e map ot'
1898 Fhows uo that not all foreign coloniea are JU6t a post-
p ac11'1cat1on T;>honomenon. It already mentione 1
Kwa To\"1ere• as
a colony of coastal people (4Ys t~nl,euto) ;4 ' K1pilip1li' a

l cf'. the term K!mxJ. which is ua~d f>lsewhere ; see Beidel man
1960 and Tanganyika, Dept.or Lands and i nes , 1952.
2 ''Proper' Sandawe say ~ · I seke i e a P1m1 name ot a type
ot landscape; it meane ' whi te sandy eo11', er. Schneider,
1966, 256.
3 1919 ( M/S} . Entry dated 10- 7.
4 'caning 'At Towera'a'(Swahili t orm) . Towera wab one of the
first German-apyo1nted headmen in Sandawe country; allegdedly
s ,r1ga e
ho was a Nyamwezi settl er who had become rich.
were often
and ·Oisel, 19l5a, 117, point out that places
ravan porters.
named af'ter h~aainen by ( ~yamwez 1 ) ca
 15

village• is described as a Nyamwezi settlement; 1 another

Nyamwezi colony ia shown in the area which the Sandewe know as
Uanase and whioh lies a few mi les to the YJest of: Kwa toro; 2
;;rct another is marked on the map in the !1go1r.via area just south

of' tho tribal borders. Kiobu t'ishermer. are reported by Claus

to be t'1shing in the lowP-r reacheo of the .J..&§.,y river•;:; he
oJ.oo mentions the :presrmce 01' Indians , .... udunese 8Jld AJ:•aba in
rondoa , 4 but tnat settlement, v1hich is nol'..' the Dis trict head-
quarters , doee not appear to be very ancielnt. •osbrooke writes
that until the latte r half' of the nineteent!' century t.he place
had been covered with thick forest; then two Rang1 tribesmen
~ade the t'1rst clearing~ They were noon followed by Arab i vory
tN\ders nnd Makua elephant hun tera. 5 Tho date of: the arr1 val of
the Arabs can be more or lees firmly eR tabl1ohed. .... tuhlmann
must have passed there in 18 1. and he states that the Arabs had
beon settled at rondoa for> somethiug l1ko nineteen years ; this
~ould put the d~te of the establishemnt of the trading post at
1872. 6

Kiro in his history of the Zigua refers to the trek of a

group of' "takondongo 0 r,ho lef't Uzi gua and went to 'Iabora. Uzi gua
lies some 180 miles to the east of Sandawe countr~ , and Tabora
180 miles to the west, and the S8ndawe are situated right in the
mi( dl.e of' their route. ~iro alp,o says that the tig-ua themselves

1 Obst, 1923 , 196, says tnat "the do~cend~mts of the !{yaru.wezi

who once settled in Sant'lawa country as feared robbers in the
neighbourhood of ,.ipilipili and Kwa ..t oro," hav( now become
acceptor ae ,..... al r.andtme.
2 ChaJ>iehte , 1901, 902 , a.1f"o pointf out that these are I1yamwezi
eettlemente.
3 1911, 2 .
4 J..12ll.
5 1952, 50.
6 1892, 186.
 16

had le£t the Kondoa ~rcn eevcral gsneratione ago; 1 Kondna is

c1 tuated juot north of tho Sanclawe tribal 'houndarieo. Ntcmo
tells un thnt the l !,'Ul.U hnv~ t'ollo,·od a eim1:!..ar route, 2 and
in the '1\u:ibakooc a1•eu of south-eao te:r-n Gandawo refcrcnceo to
a Z1guo pre{'m1cc in the paat may 1ndeeG. be hes:rd. hehe

fro,1 the south have l'aide:! as for north as Kondori which they
Sf\oked somethie oo!'orfl 1893 einco tt.o.t !o the year in which
heinec'·o reports the sacking. 3 Obst hae reported a Hehe colony
in north-~astern Snndawe countt-Y, hidden owm, near the ~
river. L. El ~mente o'f other oouther•n tribes have moved even
f'urther noz>th. AccordlnE:; to Obst there are nkua omong the
tbugy,e • 5 end Eagehawe 1den ti!'i(rn Kikol"a 1n Coro\Ta ooun t r y as a
6
l:akua settlement. .•onck also mentions tho .Presence of these
elephruit hunters in Oo:t>owa, 7 and Konnenb{'r..! s ays that .·uhodsa
in urur.ge is a !4akun elor;>hant huntey,s ' village. 8 The Sendawe
know the Makua well ao <.'!lephnnt hunter; and charm ooctors, and
the t e r m ~ has become accepted in their• language as a word
i'ol' •stronget>'; thie usage i s oft;en tound in 3an(awe oral
l1 terature.9

l<'urther to the wee t ther•e have bt,en movemcn tf' or Da to&a

clana who trckk6d south f'l'om 1,,ioun t Hana11g t o the I tigi region

1 1953, 72.
2 1956, 1 5:t'f.
3 1893, 213.
4 192..3, 203.
5 ~~• • 225.
6 1920 (M/f:. ), cntr>y dated 7-2.

7 1894, 294. He uGee the name l<'1om& i'or the Gorowa.

8 190, 152.
9 Instancee arc ohown i n texts 135, 139, and 176.
 17

past or perhaps through w~o tr.rn 8£,ndawe coun tr• 1 , 1 and eoll'te
Cog o ~roups may hav~ fol lowed partly t 1,e l?S..roe route. 2 Last
but net lEia!lt thore haf been a stea(y 1nf1l trat1on. or Rir:ii
.t'rom the west and oo:ne Datoga have ent.ert•d ,)cndl:lwe country to

stay: :nan:, people around the t!'11:><1l headquartez•s at r:wa - toro

and aroun-' the cent:'..11 l'lj :>:Jion at .urio are of , i tai ori gin

~.1~<1 the ch1ei' • s clan, the Alagwa , clu1m Datoga deccen t .

It n ad not be a!' oumed tnu t all tht":sc movements of pPople
have actual l;; passed tru·ougi.1 tribal terri to:'.:r; quite a f'ev, of
them may perhaps only have ek1rt~d tlw fi1•er1o ¥et a good numoer
of bandawe placenam.<1s sug eat tt.e Pojourn of aliens in the past t
Tht•re is aloo nn accotmt of a group of , sndawe cln.ns who were
chaee<! out 01.· their country into Oogol and b.:, i nvading Datoga;
they s tayca there for nomE.1 time hetoro they ra turned. 4 J.r evor
Sf.lYS that the Sandawe have e1.tc1•ed their pret.ent haoi tat !'rorn
th~ south,:>" but Obat has spoculated that tlle Sandawe are of
n()r t h~rn origin~ but !DOVed oouth i nto ,loioland , turned about
wllen they ran i nto resistance and oc cupif'd the hills where they
live now, dr iving out others in t he procesa . 6 Many Sandawe
clano do 1nde~d cla i m foreign origins , but everywhere there are
trad1 t i ona to be found ,hat t hex•e we1•e other $ andawe clans in
occ upation boror& the p resent one~ moved in. The suggestion
that the whol e tribe has 'beton involvod in euch rooV'~t1ents seems
higly i mprobable. Obot apuears to have r ~ized thi s , for he

1 ~) ileon, 1952.
2 Culvlick, l93la, .35.
3 Tenraa, 1966a.
4 Robinson, l957b.
5 1947, 62.
6 1913, 197 and 200.
 18

qu1e t l .Y dropped his t heory; at l (>aS t he does not r ef'er to 1 t

again i n h 1s :t'1nal acc ou..11 t or the al"ea . 1

Al though t here have been plenty 0£ upheavals the countr y

o1' the Sandawe must not be eeen ao a caUldron in which W'ltQld

nUl!lbers of tribes hav~ battled one another t hl'ough. the ages .

It has rather been an arou of rc!'uge and 1 t 1.; t!1e vory
1naccos~ibi11 t:r o'f the countr.:r which haa saen t<> 1 t that the
Sandawe have preserved an 1 den ti ty o:f.' the ir own. f.,o.umann t.iQ¥

well have been right when he eaid t hat thos€: .. uohman-like

hun tevs ( the wanege) must be regarded ac thP. abori g inal
popul ati on of the countr.', and that a branch of them has
Gettled down to become the Sandawc. 2 It 1a ou1te impossible,
0£ course , to reconstruct theoe events but 1 t ·:1111 be clear

the ethnic situation is complex and thct :nany peoples have

contributed to the crAatloi~ of the modern "a.ndaw~. \'Ye shall
therefore :neet with points o~ cor.parison among a diversi ty of
ncighbourinz peoples which m~r hel p to explain certain points
of Gandawe oral literature .

l l92J .
2 1894, 194. A ~andawe myth of origin i3ug.,;ests thP. s a!!le. In
t<.',ct .,o. 20 t he 1mp11oa tion is that the ~ a~da~-e have always
been where th~y are ( note 6 under tho text) . i'her e are a l s o
indications which point to norther n origi n~ in the remote
past. .;anda·,vc ~aJ t•ia t ct:rcUr.tambula ti ons ai~o made to the nor th
a t burialo because that i s ~here the people have originally
c ome :Crom, and tlle ghotsta ot' the deceaeecl are seen off to
the iJ.• ori ginal home-e . At a dance which :N preeants the
prog~e~a of life t ho men are oriented to t1e north because,
1 t 1::i oaici, thi ,. ie whe?'e their origina lie ( sea Ohop t:er VII ,
C, the ~ . The dance t1a:, no t. be z,e~nr ded an a r•oliable
poi nter becaue6 1 t may be or 'Ri1ni ot•i s 1n, and the death r1 tes
may nl~o have heen b~ou,Jht i n by a r:ect1on of tho population
which came trou. th~ north. It i s i nter~sting to note that
Coon corcludes on phyeical grow1ds th~t all oapoi d pcopl ce ,
1nelud1nb 1, 1e '-.,.mdawc , a1~e ul t1matol y or nort'lo:rn (Saharan)
oriiL:t ( Coon , 1963, 6,36-li9 ).
 19

Tr1ba1 structure: the c11na.

Accordi ng to the 0( ni,us of .L9.:, 7 ther>e were 26 , 309 Uundawe ,
0£ whom 20 , 031 lived. w1 tnin the tribal area; here tncir number.;;
have slightly decreased oince 19jl because of emi~-ration. ~any

have l e:f't for the sisal estates around Arueha and " 1losa and
mar...y others live in Arushu town. 1
ThE· most i mportant atruct.ural unit of the tribe is tne
hill clan, whicll usually takes 1 ts na e 1.~rom a aill (.wl:a!l).
i'ho pe ople who belong to the same hill consider thc..:iselv~e to
be r elatod by deoc .nt thL·o~h the male line , and hill clans ar::
th~rel'ore strictly exog&m.ous . 'l'hoy are non.-tot<3mic; there are

n~i ther <.:lan toteue nor . orsonal avo1dance objects. ?· Hi ll clans

ar~ tne principal ritual units but there are no geographical
lirni ts wl1ich de.t'ine t;h~1r 1~1 tual areas , n.1d the cla'1S are llot
s tr'ic Uy localized. re t clan lands are recognized and clusters

of clansmen are common be causo s ::>nf' u:;uall7 !:>Uild their homea

near• tne 1>arental home. i.very hill-clan ~l'oup has 1 ts own
sacrificial hill \There under l eadership of clan elders
sacrifices are made to ances t1~a1 epi ri ts and pra,'fors are said
for rain and f6rtility . 3 na shawe ea.ya that s uch a hill
i s "o really big occ-a~ion where a nhole f'aMil,I or clan ma.v- 'be
required to be pros en t 11 • 4 He puts t11u nux::ber of clans at
twent.7 1'1 ve5 '!)ut ':r:revor oay3 that thc:ro al~e t'ifty, and he g ives
the ~ord ~ as t he term for 'clan 1 , 6 This discrepancy c3n

l Appendix I g ives a aurn a~y or censuses and estimates.

2 Lack of totemi~m 1a x-ecC'rded b;y De1npwolff, 1916, 146 , who
hae aleo .llnde a etudy of totemisin among otner tribes ( 1909) ,
3 I r efer to ,'lill-clan £I'Q12:P§ °l'ecauce mnn.:r l'ind t'1eu1selves too
far away to sacrifice at thnir original clan hills; s ome
have spli t up into aub-clans , each with thtir own hill .
4 1925 , 328 . Texts 80 and 81 are such hill ~rayers; a hill-clans
rain pr8.Y'er 1e presented in text 79•
5 1925 , 219.
6 1947, 62.
 20

be readily explained. l though the uu•m ~ is of~en used t'or

a c l an i ts roort p .."ecise moani ng is a dozct-n't sroup 01· an.v size ,
end i n parti cular a lineaue , i:or the 11 tt•ral mEn.minp; o:f' the
1
¥Jord i s • seed' . The loose UEH,,.ie of thi:: \1ord in apparent from
van de him:·enade , who a urns up 1 ts meani•,gs as 'seed, ue1;,cent,
raco , tt>ibe. 12 'l'he lineage is come t i llies ah,o r<·lcrred to as
•tr,~ collt,cti vity ot' fatuers' Ca..Lu) , 3 but thh term mlily
equallJ well be op~l1eu to 'anaeitry' and 'anco~tral &p1r1ts•.
vinct. tile hill-clnn (..:;w) i e a group which belon0 i::i together
by virtm• 01~ putntive co.-:-.r.on :leFce:1t tni;~ terti'l for ',1111-clan'

may also be used to :rienn clan anceetozu, and even ancestors in

aeneral.
'l'he wo.rc. for 1.'nnily iP- ~ '!'lhkh literally Deans 'house ',
end the roln t1on be tv,etm t < lari;er fa,. ;il!· A.nd i ·:~ ~mallc-s t
sc :n1 r tn mo:, be expre~· ~ ,1 b.:, 1::l tanm1, the ter::l f or e 'door ' •
B'.lt another tnm. !'or the fsu'ljly ie ~JU. thP<se ar~ the members
01• the horncn Load in the sen!:•' cl' em intirute l:P-'"'UP o~ tl"UOted

relati voe, and the f'amil:,r in. tho naProwor· eenae e.a opposeu to
the lar(!er circle of relc.ti vea •;1th v.hom rel ... t iona are less
1nt1~ato. !i ne:npwolft' notes the distinction betY1een thi s ter m

fll'd the worn ~ which 1£' UPed for the wider g:roup; ~ which

11 tcrally rieana ·~ldet> e ibling' iA nleo used for any rel ative
but eE1pAci««lly for- 1'eltJt1voe of.' the oar:~ gf'lnera ... 1on. 5 '.!'hi~

term h : a l ::>o used. as a honor11'1c ti t l f' !'or pt~ople who aro r t'al ly
no relativeP at all .
• o~e ' i e. called ~J11, which ir the wbole homestead

l Prom the Bantu ~ , seE:d. Den,pwol1'f' , 1916, 43 , ea.ya tha t

~ ic, •seed, o1''1'spr1ng ( of e1the1• plan to o.t:' peopl e ) •.
2 19 54 , 36.
3 cf . Dempwolf1', O""• c.1, t.. , text 1 2 on !). 115.
4 Aleo lmX.Jl, "rora the r oot lUi which moans i'riendah 1p , love .
5 QD, 2,U.• , 5.3. ~ oorreeponds with the F,antu ,n- clue:Y i n the
srune mean1.~.
 21

including the houses of married eons; originall y th1e means O

watering ~lace, ct . t g'1&, •water •. It has already been said
that sons who marr¥ usually build their houses close to their
:tather•a house , e. g . a hun<hted. yards away. The actual. water ing
place may be at a considerable distance . The term finds 1ta
origin in the hab1t o~ the old Sandawo hunting tam111es to
claim a waterhole as the centre of their hunting grounds. <.rhey
never live at that place themselves so aa not to d1aturb the
game. Modem Sandawe who cultivate their t i olde and who keep
cattle still build away from the waterhole tor the eame reasons.
There are larger s tructUl'al u.n ts than the h1ll-clen, tor
several hill-clans may eometimee belong to one •country •(l.!..JlmA}.
Tb.i s may either mean the land i n which their ori gi nal clan hills
&l'e s aid to be located { anoeatral area), OJ> the general area 1n
wh1cb several unrelat ed clan-hill groups have been l1v1ng
together for a long t i me eo t hat they have oom ~on ties with 1t
(:f'atherland or home land). Several o-r the bet tor known large
Sonclawc clans are not hill-clana bu t s uch homeland clan-
agglomePattonaJ often t hey have once been single exogamous
clane,but they have split up and become aeparate hill-clans.
These clan.-~ lomerat ione are no longe~ oxogamous and they ma,y
t here~ore be called eub-tl'1bes rather than clans. 1 The various
seetlona do retain their com~on name , however, i n addi:M.on to
their own hill names, and al though mal"riagee between the member
hil l - clans are allowed an extra payment 10 added t o the bride-
wealth payments in those cases t'or the 'shame• (Jilk.A) .

1 GoYernment ot'!'1o1ale uee the Swahili term ~ ( clan) ror

either bill- clan or homeland-clan. In English they use 'clan'
f or both. M•p 3 ahowe a nUDlber 01' clan homelands; all the
' cl an' nfllllea ahown on it are in reality the nal:lea or aub-
t ribea. The Alagwa are d,1v1ded into the l!m.i4, AilnU, /'ek'4,
fattm1, and Lu olans, the Elewa into the //•eg'a, Js1nggap,
KhpgarocJa, l)mensJ4, and ¥991'1 clana , the War1mba into the
l&ttt ' U, Kd1pkp10, Hw 1vr4, Il.d.r.Sl and /f'Oe:itd clan.a, and
ao on.
 22

'the hoi;elen4-olan4 01" aub-trib•• are in aeneral quite un-

locallaed. Bagshaw otatea that "the clan.a" are now co.11pl e tely
1ntera1nglecl and t.hat olan membel'ship baa lost much o£ its
s i an1~1oance and that "only in religious mattera ••• the olan
ie ot any moment at a11. • 1 On t he eubject o~ aeogi-aphioal
apl'ead Baaehawe appeal'• to be r eferring to the aubtrlbee which
eiq once have been clan•, while on the aub.jeot o~ :relialoua
importance he le reterP1ng to th~ hlll-cl anawithout realizing
that tho two are 41tterent entitles. ~ t he •ub-tribea ther.
are about twen'T 1"1ve, just ae Bagehawo ea,ys, but ot t he hill
clan• there are even cone1derabl.y more than the ttrty which
~Tor g1vea •• their nuabor, but s ome ot t be11 are very aaall.
ThHe hill clana ban not lost their alani-ficance. The clan
pr1no1ple o~ exoaamy 1• everywhere etrlct].y adhered to, and
t nero are no elgna t hat thh 1a chans tna. The r1 tual function
of the clan haa no doub t declined with t ne

and the clan•• eol1dar1 ty { 1n war) has ob vtousl.y als o 41'1Wohe 4

eince paoit'1cat1on, but lt r emains the principal e t ructval unit
o£ the tribe. The •ub-tri bee do not poaae es tb1e import ance
at all.
The Sandan have yet another tera which ls u.aed t'o'I- the
olan. Peopl.e who belong to the eame homeland are expected to
proTide autual eupport in wal'. In practico t h l e applies in the
t'll"et place to olanet'ellon or t he same neighbourhood, but also
to t'rtendl.¥ nelahboure who belong to c11tr erent clan.a. Such
det'ene1Ye groups baeed on nelghbourltneee are called nf/4kg, a
wor4 wh1ob deecrlbee a ooPpo~te group. It 1e a cl an ln the
••nee or a corporate aroup, but aleo a aroup or neighbours, or
u a oomblnat1on or the two, the people ot' a reaeonablY •mall
geopapb1cal area. It ta al•o applied to enea., corporate group•

l 1925, 220.
 23

and it ie theretore tne common word tor •enemy•; ror •raiding•

l
or 'war• the eame term is used.
Clan leadership ie generall.y limited to ritual leadership•
but 'Particularly brave or succeet'ul hunters soruetb.ee acquii•e
some dominance ovc~ their fcllowa. This leaoerahip ie based on
personal qualities only and as a l"Ule it 1s not iaeetricted to
clanstellowe but 1 t extend• over a neighbourhood. ki tual
leadership ls much more important; it concern& aot1v1t1ea like
c1rcumc1sion, hill eacr1~1cee, anu (in the past) oracles. but it

18 not inati tuttonalized. It 16 eomet1.ruee acquired through

inheritance, sometimes tlu-ough div1neroh1p, and sometimes merely
by to~ee ot character. There are no age sets and no military
regiments. and no inet1tut1onal war leaders. Tho only exception
to this egal1 tartan state ot at":f'a1re 16 t'ound among the Alagwa
eub-tribe who have a line of rain pr1eets and a line of ~a1n
priestesses. both of which are hered1tal'y. 2

Cpntrotorsr QX§t tpibal. 1eo4ersh1p.

The Alagwa sub- tribe euppl1ea the ¢hie-ta to tho tribe , but
i n how far chi8teh1p 1a a traditional feature of Sandawe l1~e
ie a matter a-£ eontl"oversy which requires some clearlna up.
Ir we belieTe Deapwoirt•a 1n.to»mant llabun1 the powe.ll' o£

l Dempwolr~. 1916. 40. lieta the following words ana meaninge:

Lii,,a.. plUl'al LhiaJcp. •warrior. enemy•• and ljrut, plural
//n4Iw. •fellow t-ribeama.n, kinsman• ; Lmap, ' brother of a
woman•. Van de Ktmmenade, 1954, 67, 111$nt1one: n//'41so,
nelpbour. fellow trtbeeman'; n//cl,kgyo. 'enemy'; n(/c:4400, •war•,
tmd n//cadhle,'brother ot a •oman•. liTom this one gains t he
10Jpreea1on that there are quite ditterent tel'"u :for enelll1'•
neighbour, clansman. and eo on, With d1t'1"erent tonal values,
but varlatlons ln tone appear to follow contextual d1tt'er-
enttat1on. and lnt'ormanta 1na1et that "the words are the sameti
Puiotb.er details on the .a pi,uent dl eagreement ot the quoted
aoui-cea are glYen in note 5 under text No. l a. For the
clitt'e•en.oea in orthogl"aphy° aee Appendix V.
2 'l'he KllDld. olan. •~ply the prieate. the .lllnl.t. the prieetess•••
 24

the Alapa na great: they were Judge,, ktnge and mag1c1ana.

When the head of the Al.aa,ra wore a strip or hide around hle.,..
the people t'eared hi11 greatly. 'I'hey cue to hi• ror Jm-1ad1ct1cm,
he d1apenaed tavoura, ano he received r1nea fop manalaughter.
Rwtawa,ya eousht hta protection b7 knocking a splinter or-r hi•
etool. Dy tyina a atrlp ot hide ai,ound the arm ot t he £ugit1ve
ho extended hie protection but at the aaae time he made h1a hie
alave. 1 Baaehawe etateo that the Alaswa had brouaht with them
the t1rst cattle owned by the tribe and that b:, virtue or thie
they had probablY eetabliahed an immediate aeoend.ancT over th.e
nomadic hunters. He al•o ea.ya that "f'or generot1ona ( the Alagwa]
have been tho ruling clan and trom them wee oeleoted the tiret
tribal cbie~ whoee direct descend.ant la aoknowledge4 as oh1ct'
to-day. " 2 Dempwolt't" addtl to this th& t "rain is aade by rain
aaatc, tho secret, ot wtJ.oh and the execution~ which are the
privilegee ot' the ch1et'e", 3 and eleewhorc he at voe ue the text
or a eon.a 1n which the Alapa chief's are exhorted to produce
ratn. 4 ll'rom th1• one would aaln the impres s ion that aomothing
like a ta1r1Y atrong chiet'ehip had become a traditional feature
ot the political aoene . Bagahawe was en adm1n1etrat1ve ot't'1oer
1Jl charge or Xondoa district, and he aay have received much of'
h1a 1nt'ol"JDat1on t'rom the Alagwa ~o~ the sovernment had
r.ooantzed their ch1et'ah1p over the Sandawe ever etnce ita own
eatabliahment. Dempwolrf appoare to have ha4 h1e doubts about
about the in1'luenc• of' the ohleta. He tentatlvel,y conclu4ed
that the •royal houre• or the Alagwa owed it• ·~~ectlve miaht

l .Deapwolt'r, 1916, 112 {text 10).

2 1925, 220.
3 1916, 142.
4 ihi,Au 166.
 25

to r ainnc.!".ins end thet they were pr1ee t.-k1ngs 0 euch as also

occUl"N,d &long tho nearby lfnmi tee", 1 but thet 1 t waa not, k-notm
hov 1.'er tJieir torr1 t.or1al author! ty went. !Te elso noticed that
Habuni , boing a ~ollowor of the Al.agwa headman Sonao, did n~t
reoogni :te any otheJ.> llo&dmen o~ equal otanding er,d he reoall~d
t hat nmong th~ gove~rt documents nt K1 li~atinde2 ther6 wee
a papei.. dated 24- 1-1904 i n which a non- Alagvm by the name o~
19
Bara•UJ'l«:U wae 11enticne-ci who 0:nce wae t he sole ohie!' o.f all
Ueandawe. "' In ••t tern an~ southern Sanc24lwe the nmnes ot
Darasungu and oi.' his ally Sol4 are etill held i n hono\11" as
doiui nan t heawn«m and h 1llpries ts . Th.e1t> int'l\to nee 1e even
r ecognized i n Rol>1nson•& account of' the Ala~~a oh1e:fe . Thia is
a hbto.ry of the exploits o~ their heudmen derived f't>om Alazwa
1
eouroeo. i .RobinBon etreeees tho :taot that because of' this
the account 1e l ikely to be soaewhat glorU'1ed. Eve.n .fl"om this
e tor.v 1 t beco1.1es olear thftt tcho prt-l&t1&e of the Aloawa e& a
p ol i t ica l t'o~co i s largel.1 d.er iv3d ~Pom the stat~ or one man,
the i r heod.lZlan Amas'.
The t lrat Gera ana a:ppelll'ed on the s cene when Amas' second
s on and s uccessor was .:llready an old man . 5 The 1•1ret Furopoan
to give a t'1ra t-hsn4 account o-r the Band.awe , Bau!lalm, aJ'l"ived

l J.12J,.4., 115.

2 'the m1l 1tar7 poet \lnder which the Sandawe had 1ni ti8ll.Y'
i-eeorted.
3 Deirrpwoltf doubted t he val.1d1 ty ot th18 s t atement oo. the
8l'Ounde tba t • Seuungu • 1:_eans • our t'11"s t on•.' and 1 t
uwould not aee11 to be a pr ope~ namct. " Su t liaseena tei n' s map
or 1898 ahowe ''Ba.roaun~ ' o oountr.v" and Bob1neon, 19!>7,
recogntzee him under t he oomewhat gvble d name Baraganzo.
4 1957 ( U/0) .
5 Ria eldeat eon Lim~ had been killed in a ba t t le wi th the
Uaaaat (see te~t No.18).
 26

in Saudawe country at the end of 1892. lie 1n1'orms ue that the

Sandawe had no real pol1tioal leaders but that the nw1tohdootors
( Z , ~ ) who al8 o made l'ain " w"3r~ h ,• ld i n h i gh l'"' ga\"d. l

Von tueohan cont'1?'1.lled ia few year e late!' that not o.nl y was tho:i>e
no general l"ulei-, but he alAo s o.td t hat ther~ "es n,.,t a s1nele
powerful headman in the country . 2 He ad<\ed thflt in 'aaumann's
time tho lf;rat1we~i ooloniets we re, t he r ~al 'Pul era of the ooun•.:ry
and that in th.o eountr;ire1do the? l eaderehip v,as i n the hanc1s o£
the diviners, the med1o:lne men , an,1 the r ai nmakers .3 Thtmo oen
we?>e not ;ju..~t t he Al agl1a l e adevs . Al though t he Al ag11n oortat:nly
a t tempted to ffionopoli~e all Sand.aw~ r a1runakins. ae ~hey s till do,
th~ mere t'ac t t h at non-Ala.gwa hill p:ra~r(lr a f'or rain and. t'e i>t1l1 ty
can ~t1ll be collected e ven to-day shows us that t hey have b~en
only partiolly ~uocest'ul. in t ~e ir effo~ts.4

De emergence Rt tbe 4J..@mm phl,et:1•

Ir then we may conclude that not even .Am4s • had been a
Chief of the San<iawe but at beet a ver,y 1nt'luent1al clan ileadman,
how had the Alaswa manoeuvered themselves into the position ot
a oh1er's clan at ~mpwoltt •a t 1~e?5
By virtue ot the lea(1ereh1p qualities ot individual
and the prestige o~ d1v1n er sh1p and priesthood some clans were

1 1894, 193. Ptsc:her may bave been the t1ra t to v1ai t tile
counti,o;,, viz. K1epe~t, 1893, who ahows hi s route; eeo alao
tsxt No.178 ~or tho Sandawe aid« ot the p1otUt"e. Appendix V
aivea a br1•t aununar7 ot ea.J.9ly aoUPcee and d1acover¥•
2 1898, 342.
3 The aoat powert'ul. NyaJ1we~1 colonist was Htoro who had been
adm1 t ted by Am'8 • •
4 See texta 79 and 80.
5 Aa pointed out bei'ore , the Alagwa are not ett>ictly epeaktng
a olon. The ol:1ef''• clan ue the 1Aun"4, one or the Alagwa
olana.
 27

not entirely acephaloua. The e1r..e and prestige ot the dU'f'erent

olana ::apparentl.y Vlll'ied a sreat doal in the past. aa it atill
doe~ to-da,y. Some o~ the larger one• are divided 1nto several
sub-d1v1a1one and have 1n ~act bBoome sub-tribes wh1oh consist
ot a number ot no lnnger cohering. b,tt neparate cl&\n&; in othezo
oasea teel1ngs ot relationship may otill bo strong enough to
allow tozo an intluential leader or one hill-clan to enjoy
coneide»able pl'est1go among the other h1ll-cluna of the aub-
+,i-ibe. Thi a 18 e•pec1all7 t ruo tor the A1apa where the me11bera
ot all the h1ll-olana take considerable pr1do in being Alagwa.
The Alapa olana are aet• apart f'rom tile other Sandawe clans,
too, by tho t'aet that they are uncommonly coneoiouv ot their
co11. on Datoga orta1na. Aaia• waa able to muater •upport tl'"om
not only hie tellow lfunal clanamen, but aleo irom the othel'
Ala,w:s clans and netgnboU1'1ng non-Alapa clansmen.
Aput trom the principle ot exogamy a.."ld a common name. the
members of a h1ll-c1an ooopel'ate in euoh Qatters aa tho payment
ot debta , the raialng ot bridewoalth cattle fox> th0ir sons whan
the; aarr7, and mutual aid 1n war . Clansmen ta-a out their
cattle over the herda ot their fellows as an insurance against
total loea at the hande ot raiders or diseaae. ~lan eld.el'• Who
~n~oy »re~t1se aleo in t he stater clans 0£ their su1>tr1be
obvioual.7 have a wider intluenoe aa councillors , hill eacriticer-
rain auel'"a, and magician• than do th• elders o~ small and
ieolated buah clana wno have :ew cat.t.le. 1 o.1olllo o~ these are
little more than di•per••d groups ot only a tew 1nd1v14uala
wbo ba?e been eesi-nomadic until rec~ntl,y. 2 I n tae larger
cattle clana thare 1a more &cope tor individual people to show
lead.Br•hi~ in...,. or protic1snoy aa aa.c1ciana or ~rieete,
"h•naa in the 'buah claAa' wax>l'&l'$ doGa not eubstantiall.7

l Called conto-.ptuousl.T LA~ D/OJ16to, 'Polioge-peopl•'•

2 nagshmr• • 1925. 336.
 28

ditt"ezo hom hunting and leadel'ship 1e based. on buahcraf't and

hunt1~ magic. Among tho cattle olana leadel'Bh1p in wal" demands
the ability and courage to etand up ae:atnet suob f'ormidable
~oee ae the Datoga. Because 0£ their cattle they are
vulnerable tal'gets tor raiding invadel'a whereas all the bush
people have to do ls to hide themselves in the h1lla.
Habun1 etatea that a hero ts a man who has killed a
.Datoga warrtor. 1 So respected were t hese war leaders that on
their death they were burled 1n a special way and with special
ritual. 2 'l'hey wore 1 vor,y U'Dl rings and it anyone ot thee was
k1lle4 by the ene1DY hie death had to be avenged.3 It se~ms that
these manifea tations or a developiz,g hel'o cult were particul.u
to the Al.agw-a and eome of their Wartmba alliee. Ot tho lvge
cattle olane t~ey were the moet expoee1 to th6 incUl'aiona of
the Datoga t"rorn tho north• .end botng :t.n the f'nnt line t hey
p.t'Oba\>ly developed the g1•eatest reaistanoe to them. 4 'l'he

pPaotice ot wearing 1ns1sn1a and the d1ff ePent1al burial P1teo

are stated by eome Sandawe to have been confined to theae
groups, in part.lcsule.r to the Alapa. 5
It should not be •Ul".Pr1e1ng that when the qualities of a

l Demi,woltt", 1916. 97.

2 J,.W., 141.
3 l.b.14·, 114 ( text 12 ). Itton r1'"• were also worn, ot.
..:issanawo, 1925, 2~.:,.
LJ. Uou 11ap 3•

5 s:'hci~ nortneY"U (Datoga) ox-i~ine lll\Y aooount :for the i-1.nsa

,mtch al:'S t'cund auong mnny nor":.he-rn tribeB a~ f'ar as the
Sude.n, c~. Sehft1nf'tU"th, 1875,Il,6 and 7 (D1nka, Nuer, D;vooi-,
Shtlluk), but. ho eays that they also ocouv in South Ai'zt1oa.
Czekanowaki, 1958, l09 (~ig.d) ahowa a n1lot1c iron ring
which iB i de11tioal w1 th tne AJ.ngwa type. tieighbouring
peop'l.ea aleo l"..ave thea, ot. itsnnenbarg, 1900, 150 (RiJDih
DeI11P1Joltt, 1914...5, 242 (l1'"aaba).
 tradt tional bill chief' and those ot a Nncr.med war l.eader uo
unit.ed in on& peitso.n, h1e int'l.uence aey Sl"OW boyond the usual
11111 ts 1n Ganden society. 'l'he Alagwa headman Am4a • was euoh
a pereon. 1 Even Bagehawe believed that ttthe Sandaw1 appeat'Od
to haTe had no cbie ~ unt11 the clan• un1t$d under Am.as"; 2 he
ha4 the reputation ot being o great >.-ainmaker- end he managed
to rtsht a deo1e1ve victory over the Oatoga who at the time ot
hie pan41"atJuu" bad 41-iYen the Ala.s;wa out ot Sand.awe countpy53
he euppoi-ted the people ot ltanpa•t.t in cen.tral Sanda-we againet
the a ttacke or t.he1r late' as' t 4 ne1ghboura; he t'ough t tb.e
11aasa1 and be kept APab slaw raiditre at ba:, who had at the time
just be;un to make an appearance. 4 When he died at an advanced
ago the i-eputatt.on ot h1a ol.lm the Muna', and o~ the Alagwa 1n

general, woo sroat. Hie ini'luenoe had been telt over much ot

the central parts o~ the tribal area but the eaatem end
eouthem leaders Sol4, 1ial"enga end Baranungu were dominant 1n
thelP own ueae.~ At'tor hia death AQ, s• prestige was great
enough ~OP him t o bo thought ot as tho moat 1m,portant Sand.awe by
tbe O.raans ot K111mattnde who atts,lbuted the same kt.Portanco
to h18 8UCC0680P8 e

'the UyaJ1wozl tradei- Utoro soon uee6 the Ge!>Jaan pi-eeenoe

6
at Japwapwa to utend bis inf'luence b.Y makinB 1t eppeu that

l He wae alao humane and retui-n.4 cattle to the deteat$4

natoaa •o thel' would not etarve (Robineon, 012,g1t,).
2 1925, 334.
3 Accord11l8 to Bagab.aw th& Datoga had at the time been muoh
"akem,d by llaasat rat4a.
4 Robtneon, 1957~ 'rho Ma.aoal ma;, actually have been ..Juagu.vu.
5 Baraa\mg\l's er•• 1• eson marked aa a separate political
entity on SpPiga4o and 'oiael'• aap o~ 1904.
6 ~t'on hilimatinde na opened. Kolon1aloa Jahl'buch, 1890,
191, liata Mpl,ftl)Wa as the t'arthoet inlanct atatlon.
 30

he had th•il' f'ull backing as their repNsentative. He had

tallen out w1 th the 8an4atte, t"led to fipwapwa and returned w1 th

Cle-Jtman help. Hie cbuee of powel' soon resulted in t'urtb.er
reabtance by the Sande.we and in Get>man tnvolvemnt in peo1fy1ng
the oountl'Y'• 'l'bia was not completed until several Oerman
punitive expeditione :ti-om R1limatlnde and even one f'r>om Mwenza
had put down a success ion or Sandawe revolta by force . The
couni.Py waa Pavagcd 1n the coUl'ee of theee oventa, one or the
worst •P't&ode• beina the murder of' the people of Sanzan
1
about 1897. A p1>1ne1pal leader in the redetance had been
X&hll ki the eon 0£ Am4e'. After hie death hie eon Songo made
peace with the GeJtmans at Kil1mat1n4e and got himeolt reoognized
as ohier of the Sandawe. Since then the Oa.ndawo have had chiefs
and the ch1e£shlp remained in hie lineage until 1 t was aboliehed
aftel' 'tansanyika•a national 1n4ependenca . The lnstitutiou of
Sandawe chiet&btp ie theret'oN to a lat'ge extent the :product
~ the European occupiers who needed a eystem of representatives
through whom the31 could govern.
The Germane tq>po1nted a great number of.' aki daa (village
headmen) under jumbea (su:b-ohiet'a) all of." whom, including the
Alapa chiet", n:re Neponeible to the German seraeant-majoi-
(hl,dwebe:&i} who built e :tort at Kwa lltoi-o and stayed t o c ommand
1 t. Thts wu the t"amed l3ana Ringe or Sandawe ol'al 11 tera ture
who &ained S'Nat ucendancy ovei- the Sandawe end who became
their et't"ectual chte:t. 2 'l'he poa t came to reeort under Kondoa

l Genum vi tere aeea to avoid the aubjeet. Von Luschan, 1898,

342, only reports that two membel"e o:t hie expedition were
ht t and killed by Sandawe potaoned arrows.
2 ~ event• following Mtoro•e fi1ght are recottded by Bagshaw,
1925, 222, aup:pol'ted by vuious entries in the Kondoa Dletriot
Book and cont1l"llle4 by Sand.awe Sneol'"man ta. • Bana lUnge • •
'Ur.Linke•.
 31

where a g overnment stat ion had t:een op~ned in 1897 . 1 'fhe post
at Kwn t?ro wae closed down before the militar1 adminit tration
,>
waL converted to a c1v111an on~ 1n 1911-13. D~~ini, tn6 first
·orl n war the ti.?'1 t i ah replaced the .. or ian!'3 111 .ay 1()16; .:> und0:r

thei r• :nore 1n<!1r~c t e;ra tern of govern·:ie it tne c 11efs gained uch
1~ i 'l\portance because greater a~in1:'!trat1vP. rcopo1.eib111ties
were devolved upon the 1. 1e t chi efe ~ip ,1er r 1cv lopod it. t.o a

I'eell:,, well-f:>Undod 1nst1 tuti,-,n ar!long t ,e ... i,naawc . The <~1ilo1's

the.nselw?a d:id much to roin1:a1ze t.1"' e:.: ct of thci.r gre11tf'l'

aut.hor1 by &quandtu•1ng the ,~n l th ot t'l~ f'air.ilJ . h

Ynen the ~overnment or 'f~an.,1ke; utr1poc- c.\ all tho chiefs

in th~ co ntr., ot their t c po1.. al 1;>ow<!?' i n 1962 this raiaed no
prot,,.ot a'!long the ... endawo. . 1c lAot chief has ~cun l'etainod
as a l ocal :nsghtratc until 1964 ; after that ho eca,11e the
ehairroan of the local cooperativ~ . He is well like~ but he i s
no longer e ven called a cniet, ond there is lit t le or no
r 1er.if1cnnce a t toc~'lcd to be i ng a me. O( r oJ.' th~ chiefly clan
nnd little political p,·~stige o ,anatef.\ fro it. 5

1 ~ooorook~ , 195~; ngehawe, 19 :., , 12~ .

2 Probao l.; 1:. 13~. 'l'.1e last <lfi'lohl .aenti on of ttic post in
i n Jnhr4"s.-,ericnt 1909 , 7 ~· I n J a :.uary 191 0 , ~..1_pwolt'f :uct
Sg t. t.1nke wno •~ ~ toe oor:: ander of th•. .3a 1da,·1< ,,oe t
for s ·.-,,~· yeare" ( ital ics ine} . -·ew.:,woli'!', ~u.,
l.
3 In that ,:io th the f it•t ~ mil 1 tar :1 a dminis tre tor,
t' 1 ti~h r.
,or nt> , arrived at " ondoa l.<Ondoa Diet.rio t o~k, Lit;t of
AdJail.iu tra ti ve ()ff'icero).

4 ba~shawe. 19?5, }j~, eoeska ot ~the eo~ewhat notorious Sul tan

l:eleman" who 0 d1ecr e'11 ted [ th• na ,e ot' tho ra. 11.>") in t,ne
tru,(: . " TlliG 10 th~ ,a • t1 ( h1E. >tmda,,e Nlrnc) of text~ 1.38
and l 7.

5 ho at tun tion 1 qui tn d1t'f'crell t ar.on~ the ,Jo"o ,there ch1ef'-

Sh1y;> i e t rad itional. Al t•,ough tte ch1efo huv~ ol€"o t here
b~~n shorn of their t~mnor al ,o~ere th~· r e~at n hono~red as
Chier& and ex~rciee th~lr ritual leadcrnhi p.
 .32

SQm~ ~1n~hip t!lA,.'U.!m.,~hipl-&,

We have seen that descent i s traced agnatically and that
the terms for ' seea ' ( ~ ) and 'collective fa thers• (! ~)
may be uned ~or '11neaae'. ~ may repr oeen t the ascending
line .father - grandfather - gr e at- ;rrandfn tner a nd s o on , ,:,t
also the collectivity of all t he ' f ather c ' an<'I their br others,
living or dea d . The un ~t .1 of' a1l t e ngna teG i n a c t1 gP-r•. r ation
i s eymbol ized by the use of' t ne s ar:ie wor <l r or t .et1 : fa tncr • s
orothcrr. are ' fa t ht;rs ' (..tJuiL) , grandf'ather 1 r b7'o t hera are
•gr andfathers• ( ~ ) , and i n the same way tather ' P brotn;.,ra '
sons are called ' brothers • ( ~Qta • ~). Kinship t e r :::o a:r•e thus
clas o1r1oftt~ry, but ~e ~pwolfr thought of t he SAndawe syetem
that "it is not rite1dly so'' hffcmtse father's and mother•s
steters are called by t he 3ame nam~ and becaua~ conoequently
the children of both tho o~ cntegorie6 aro d~r.1gnat~d by the
terms which are also used tor full e i blings . l . ut the
t ermi nology i s less deaigned to clneairy p~ople accor~ing to the
position they ocr.upJ i n r ospec t or t hP. li neage than to
dete~mine whether the~ bel ong to grou90 who3e women may be
mar1 ied.

hi nehip roles are ter ,lnolo~icallJ d1&t1ngu1ahed oy

refe:-enc e to se;t. A m1,111 calls llio oro thei• lsv t.o ' '1, an.i a .. o..,an
calla her sister tot:.' 9riy; thene ter s may be transl a tea as
' s i milar eihling, male • and •01 11ar e1bl1ng 1 f emale •. 2

1 1916 . l 2b.
2 Aleo .tots• §U
or :t~un ' nu for •sister ' , cf . van de 11:l:iena de ,
1954, 56. E t ymol ogically tQ- ~ {brotheP) may be: "c ome(a)-
out - ao sclr - h e who" , i . o . one who is b.!>!'n o...tt of the
eame litoage and who i s bi ologically 01 . nar. Xsi- !io' - e-,m
(sieter) would i nd1ca , e th(.t she 1B b iologically the s atue
ee the speaker ( - 1m i t 11 !'e1:dnine su1'"1'1Y) .
A man calla h1s e1a ter h118u, and a woman calles her 'brother
nltlhl,e, 1n tranelation theee terms vould then become
'd1ssim1lai- sibling, t'emale' and 'd1esimilal" sibling, male'.l
Bothe father's sisters and mother •e sisters are called
by the same name , as Dc,mpwol:f'f' tells ues both categories ere
•mothers• {Jl4ill or J.IA). 2 we have eeen that father•e brothora
are •tathe~e• {.11.lt), but the mother's brothers are called
;g;e. 3 His children a1'e also set apart: unlike the father's
bl'other6' ohildl-en who are 'brotherB' and 'sisters•
uncle • e children are called Jl2l1I. ( for the male) and ql;s» ( the
temale), irrespective of the eex ot the speaker. This group
1'orme a marriageable category, which the ttz,st men tioned ette

not. A man may mal'rY his oh1egu

(matl"ilateral c:roee-coua1n)4
but not his bU,lll { 'sister• or parallel couetn). 5

1 Dempwoi.tt', op.cit., 125, calls him //nap (n//ahl1 in our

orthography}. A Z1nal a le sometimes ueed.
2 Ulll 1a a term of Ni.-eJ11enoe only; ~ le also a term or
add.reua • .Another term for 'father' (tat4) 1s bQ1@'e which
1s only used t'or l'Ct'ere:nce, of. van de K1D e:nade, 1954, 41,
'.I.SUl. ll.k.c. 11.\&1'. Dem»wolft', PP•<rit• • 45, onlY lista l).ets•o
in the meaning or 'head of a cl:an'.
3 Ven de ltimnenade, 1954,46.writee JIIUl4. {d1t.fepent tonal value).
4 Dempwolf.t, lgc;,cit.; van 4e Kl mmenade, 1936, 440. Although
crosa-coua1n marriages are pert'eetl.y 1n order they ere not
preferential., oven though the ter~in olouJ' may pe~baps
auggeet that they al'e. In a4d1 tton to the norlllal bl'ide-
woal.th el9pp has to be paid 1n such WU'riagee. Dempwolt':t',
1916, 44, tranelate& thte term a& 'Oiihne' (atonement,
expiation); van de K1m.'l!Onadc zoendere it ae •protanation,
eaor1lege •.
5 Acoo1>ding to an int"ol'mant bJ..1-m mq be 'drops ~f - ahe( who)•
1.e. a membel" or the line~c lfho dr<>pa out by mvt•iage;
ct. text lfo. 59.
 The oateao~y •motheP'a brotbttr• t"or-ms the connecting
link With the 11uu•riageable collateral lino. It is the pivot
around whicb the good relations r evolve which exlet with it
by vtrtue ot the mother'a eiblingehip With that category; it
ie the generation o~ the mothcr•e ram1ly with the closes t ties
w1 th one•s own sibling ~ oup. The mothcr•e bl'other tende to
lllaintain a ~a1rl.Y eont'idential l"elationsh1p with his eister•s
children, but they ca nnot addreoa him 1n a t.'ree 0.19 Joking
m.annez> f1lJ4 they- must show respect. Ve.PY eorl'ect behaviour ta
1n fact demanded• tlnd I would therefore not characterize the
Sandawe aotber•s brother as a sort ot 'me.le mother' as baa
been suggested t.'or othe~ soc1et1ea. 1 He belongs to a ~tfr erent
lineaae and he does not try- to exercise autho~i ty ovel) hi•
a1ste~•a child but he act& ae a ha.Yenof ret'uge in case or
troubl$. In thlB way he competes with th.e father in popul&l'it}'.
He may help hie eister•s eon by lending b~idewealth. but he
wUl not give 1 t einee he belong• to a cUtferent clan• and it
be borrows cattle ~rom his e1eter•e aon he will have to :NJtUl'ft

it. Property l~tt in the hands of a tather•a brother, on the

cont:raey, 1s not in 'f'ore1sn• hands and will not cause streasee
between clana. 2
The ten .uomt is Mciprooali 1 t le oleo the designation
~or a eister•s s(')Jl.J Radcl1t.fe- Brown remarke that euch
u ••• eyum1etrical tet>minology $tiggeate thet the eoolal relation
may aleo be symmeti-1oal", but he ooncedes that in the ca•e he
ha-a undez> review this may not be l'eally so. 4 In the case ot

1 lladoli!'f'a-Brown. 1962, 25; also 19a4.

2 Tsxt 172 4eeer1bes dit"t'ioult1es withe mother's brother.
3 aa the Nandi J:mm&
'l'ho Sandawe tera 10 obviousl.y the eamo
Which ie alao reciprocal, via. Radcl1f'f'e-brown, 1962, 34.
4 JJU4.
 35

the Sandawe complete eym~etrJ' el.iats, 1:n. the ,•ee1proeal tez>ma

ot addroee as well a.a in the te1•ms of' re.f'ez·,~mce . 1 1•ut 1.r a
senior menibet' o-r a •01nan' a lineage allowG a Jun.10.r member ':Jr
her hueband'e:s line~e to reciprocate his grf:eting 1n t ~e saoe
te~me, thie is not a procl~aation o~ eq-aa11t7. rt 10 a show
o~ goodw!ll rather t han that it a~ounta to an acltnowl e.dgowont
of a auppoaed 8Yf41!).0t~1cal re1ationeh1p.
Seniority 1a no obstacle i n tne r~lationahi p between
gl>andobilo.Pa.n !i.\ld t lleb e.rm1dp~eute . Th1 s: ta1na on a d istinct
r1avour o~ 1~~evorend e quality s.nd t~e jok1n 6 nature or it
allo•e the formGr at tl~ea to be positively ru1e . 2 ~oth the
!'atheP'a &nd the lllother •e parents share in this attitude and
gz,andparente ue called bi' the $ume tex-me which the:, use t o
adCll'ese tneh' grsndohildren, ~ f'or • l l'aridfather' and JUm.4
£or •grancl.mother'.3 These tarms are t herefor~ quite reciprocal,
like llll!\Wt, but in the grandpar~nt-~endchild relationehlp there
6l'e also terms of rererence which are not en tirely reciproc&l.
A gra.ndehild is :re.t"errecl to as ~ . l l {•ae.lo) o:r 'bdrtkUa31
(female} but t~u.?se terms are not used ror ' ~attdfather ' or
'grandmother • in ord.1narY rererences , only~ tarms of addreas.4
Her$ we have• caae of an ae,111l~etrical termi noloa7 for a
aymmetr1cal N lat1omshi p .

1 Ano tt1er tera 1 & IM2AAt cf. Dsmpwolff, sm« ~tt•, .50. This ie
a te!'m ot acidr')&s 0.01.Y, s.nd ueed. re-eiprocally. A third term
i s ~ . also a tjltrm o:r lld~rees and nltio reciprocal.
2 See r16..1lc texte 28 and J.i.8 •
.3 tiu (with high tone on the :t'1.,..st syllable) D"eans 'gx-eet-
attandJaother' J van d$ Klowenade, 195b, 48, writes ma ror
•g,,andllother• but this 1e a ~ia t ake.
4 ~spwolff m$nt1on~ on1y the meaning of •gr.andohild' but
vofi Ge Kirulll.f>naoe , 1954, 35, also a1ves the reciprocal
ho~eYer without mentioning the limitation of its use.
 3(

Van cie ¥1m.t>nade telle Ul'I thet 11

a 11an ca1"e.f'11ll y avoitle
the wifo 0£ h i s con, the sister' a $On favoids] the wi~e o~ his
unole, a..'l<! t ho oon-1n-l~w his !-'other-in-law. ,.l J..tothel'-1n-la"
avoi dance ie e trollg efllOilfJ the SQn~awe, but j t weal's o!"f l'l1 th
time and EU't!>1• the b i r>th of somti ch1lc1ren 1 t ma.v be l1f'ted
altogether; thia now and £ref3 state of a:f'f'a:1ra baa ·then to be
2
expiated w1 t i.'\ 11. saortfioi,. 'l'hP- tel'm ~or i n- laws 1a l.!..:i~;
this i s a term or rofereno~ onl y since they do not address one
another, and it is reo1p~oeal: it QBODA 'parente-in-law• as
\~el l as 'chil dr-en-in-la'lf' .3 The stl'engtb ot this avoidance ta
we11 illu.stretet by van ~e K1nur.enade when he l'et)QFte that
children covsr their ~ace& upon entering a classroom 'When they
notice thet one o~ th81r ~ 1s alre~dy inside. He a1eo tells
Wc, that p~ople ~~re ill st ease wh~r h~ ~uri ed a man next to
the E;I"ave o~ h i s mothev-tn-lew. 4 Avoiaence is stronge st bet'ffflen
in- laws of di t't'erent gene~at1ons who ~iffer 1n se~. A s on-in-
l aw will ~tep off the p~th an~ faoP away if he happens to
motlt hiv mothor-tn-law, ana he '11111 k~eJ'I q'lli tJ t an<.'\ nevei- even
l ook at her, l:lt'tl' e :rather-in- law dtmandl\ only N)spect:f'ul
s i lence fl'ota hie aon-in- law; only for the dul'et1on of the
wedd:inz oer emon, ee t hey will eta.1 out of eigh t rvom one
another.

l van de id.mmcn ado, 1936, 404 ( translntion iiii u~) .

2 De~pwolff, gp.~~~. , p.126. Wotl1er-1r.-law avoidance 1s sung
about in text 171 0: this ·t.hee ia.
3 Sin.t5u.lar and plul'al forms are th~ eam~ in Senda wo . The
aasc uline .toFm 1e .t..!.Ant, the .f'ar.ninir.G L'mjsu, cf. DeJW-
wol.f't , QJ2,9il•, 41. V.-.n de Kiooenado i nolu<les ·the sieter-
:ln.-law i n tiicJ o"tegor,y or .t:..au.G.., bu·~ this is !.acorr e o t ;
she iS ca lled ?.JtM:S:10JM'R and tshe doea not 'belong t o the
c::ategor,- o£ people ~ne haa t o avoid ; van de h1mmenade,
1936, 404.
4 199.glt.
 37

The bT'othe r - in-12.w, tYh"I belnnr.-s to the came gener ation ,

1s 11ot the objt:.ct or tmch J>er·trn:lnt, nor 1e his wii'e. He is
oal:J.t,d ~ , ant' thh very torm illustratoo elearl., that with
this iMmbei- nf tlie c;rune gonvrntion relations are M la:xed, ror
1 tr:, meane tone who one ~a.:, ope rut to• • 1

Van de K1mmenade states t uat the tribe of the Sandawe 1e

Donogatl\ous, end tha t the Sandawe themselves ~oy that polygaJQY
la bad beoauee the husband woul~ constantly have to watch the
oct1v1t1e& or hie yo~ wives, esp~o1all.Y if he n~s grown-up
eons f'rom ht.a t1:rst ma!'r1age; t hat the insUtution causes tllllnY
dtsputes and that polygyny is consequent ly rai>e. :;> .But wmp-
wou.r•s informant llabun1 assures us t h at uwi t.h us pol.ygyny is
t'requent, the Rimi have 1ntrod11ceu. 1 t. u3 l'11e lattei- port ot•
his statement ahowa that he doee not think tAat pol.ygyn.y i s
o~iginally a 3~dawe 1net1t~tion and iv eugs oete that he dooe
not conaidel" 1 t to be an ideal one. lror he add.a: 11
\when you
marpY a second w1te. you must build~ new house, clear u new
r1eld, also provide new cattle, and goats, hoes, axes. adzee,
1n short, all goods you must provtde anew • ., 4 Von Lusohan also

l Bo-mt. 11 t.: •speak - one who does•. 'lhe term or addreae ie

ko,Pli:i which. hru, t"lc s™ meaning e1nee 1 t 1$ 00I!tpo11~d o~ the
elements 3tQ (urteine..,), ~ (e:peak ), anr• ~ (i ~.. ). DL"exel,
1929, 52 , ee~km to explain tho eeoond syllable }a ae a
Qaeculine ~ol'V!ativ~ e le~ent which L do not believe to be a
tonnblo interpretation. In Chap t e1> II, Ol"am,natical gender,
wo 13hall ee e that muon of hia theoi-y is inva11a.
2 1936, 398·
.3 n.lll,)wolfi', ruc I ill•., l.:!7 <teJt t 31).
4 ~ . fabunt•a :ather had a legal wi~¢ D.nd t~o mistresses
to p~ov1de ro~; ~'21.t.·,l}l end aleo De~pwolf~'e tables
XIIIe and t, ~.130.
 38

states that polygyny ls common but that a man seldom mai-.ri ea

moN t han two w1ves , 1 but it ehould be noted t hat as a member
ot erther•e expedition he visited the northwestern quadrant
or the country which is heavily in~iltrated by Ri mi, rich 1n

cattle, and a-typical. tor t he Sandawe. 2 Bagshawe sa,ys that

"the Sandawt may marry ae many wives as they like , but I think
that pol7gwniats are 1n a minority"' and: "each wife should have
a eepaz,ate houae , and a polygamis t must not cohabit with one
wife longer than three d.aye. "4 Dempwol.1'£ concludes from his
genealoa1ee that out ot the ninety IIUll'riagee which are shown
in them e1ShtY are seemi ngly monogamous and ten po!ygynoue.5
Since these tables ehow a predominance ot prominent families
who are rich 1n cattle and can at'f ord more wives, the percentage
ot poly~oue houeeholde f or the whole tribe would be consider-
ably lowe~ than hie f'1guresouggest. Even for the prominent
tam1liea alone the ~1gu.re would probabJ..v havo to ~e reouced,
~or the data do not show whether more than one w1~e had been
married to one husband at the same t i me or in auccesei on.
?lei t her do th~clearl.y distinguish between wivea and concubines,
as hie genealogy o~ Habuni shows ue. 6 It should be borne in
mind alao that in eocl9t1ee where polygam.,y is a desirable goal,

l 1898, 342.
2 See Appe~x v.
3 1925, 337.
4 J.3a14. , 338.
5 Op,91t., 133· Included are genealogies ot Alagwa cbie~e.
ot the leader• ot the Xa ta• as ' td clans, ot Habuni 'e own
cattle-owning Warlmba clan and other lineages which can
be 14ent1t1ed as comparatively rich ones.
6 See note 4, p.37.
 39

the actual p rcentage or composite houaeholde 1s uauall.1 not

bigh. 1 Dempwol~f's mator1al doe& not exclude the poee i b1lity
that the overall peroenta0e ot 6endawe polygynous houeeholds
wae aotuall.y very low when ho collected his data. ~o-da;r this
ccrta1nl3 apl)eo.re to oe the caee; t he oprcaa of Cbrie t i ani t.r
111e.y have added t"ul-theJ> weight to the bandawe i deal or monogamy. 2

Aoau1r1ng, Jrlto,
The Sandawe marry comparatively late. Van de K1mmenade
pute the ages of the men at between 20 and 30 yea?"&, but he
add.a that thle pattern tends to dieappeaJ> because of 1nter-
m&rr1age with the Ri mi who marry very youne, .3 Another account
cont'1rma that Sandaw girl• do not ge t married until they are
se vonteen or eo, and that there are no child marr1ages4 whereas
Rimi gtrla r.iay be married off at very tender ages indeed. '
Sandawe girl s aro married fol" their beaut.v and tor their
character, and they mu.at not be quarrelsome or lazy. 6 A light

l Dor~ahn, 1959. RiSb.Y, 1964, cont'irme that the tigure for

Oogo, who prize po1¥aa:11.1, varies between 10 and 15 °/o.
2 According t o mles1on tlguree over 70 O/o ~ the Sand.awe are
now at leaat nomtnall.Y Catholics. or t he aen named 1n
Appendix IV only No.6 and No.15 have had more than one wife
at the time•• tar•• I know, and both are Alagwa chieta and
nominal ualime.
3 1936, 399.
4 Anon. , 1957.
5 Van de Kimmenade , 109,c1t,
6 The lasy w1te 1e a oommon subject ot aoorn 1n poetry, viz.
teJta 168 and 169. Reterenoea to the dosirabilit.Y ot a
beaut1tul girl are equally co on, ct. t.ext• 74 and 162 ,
and 164 abouth loYelorn youths.
 40

e omgl e xi on 10 prized but popnercor n hair ie not. 1 Parente aud

eld~re exerci se c ontrol ovor the detail s or the mal'riage
agreement ana cake arrangements f'or the r i tuals , but t hey have
l1 t tle oa,y 1n tho choi ce of' a partner except i n the eelU'e that
they eould theoret1ca1ly re1'1li>e to provi de bridewealth 1r a
g i r l i ts though t to b ent1reJ.y unt:'ui tabl e . They would prevent
i t i t t he matc h w~uld olaeh wi t h marri age t aboo&. Ctirls are
t r ee to re j ect eui t ors they do not wan~,and they acti vely
lnt"luence a youth' o choice, ee~eciallY at dances. 2 Hagehase
commen t s that in theory a gir l ma,y have no i ntercourse before
marri ag but that i n pr actice li ttle atten t i on ie paid to what
ehe doea; howevei-, an ox l e to be pai d by t he man who det"lowers
her. 3 11er vi r t ue as a wi t e l i oe i n tert111t.1 rat her than in
t i delity; many~ the text• i n thi s thee i a teati ty to t he
sreat t r eedom which the Sandawe woman all ows hereel t . J.tarri age
i s a woman• e ultimate duty and r el uctance to enter i nto i t
i nvite• mockJ.ng acorn. 4
The t i ce t or courtshi p and marri age le the dry seaoon
when t he harvee ta are in, rood i e abundant and there i e 11 t tle
work t o do. Van de Ki m enade deecribee the a tmosphere in t he
t'ollow1nt, ten• :
0
The herds are j oi ned t ogether and t hey go t'o.r afi eld 1n
search ot gl"asintu each of t he men guarde them 1n t urns o£

l A tood taboo determines that children mu t not ea t t he

part• ot cattle and a oat e tomache which h aTe a granulated
inner eUl'tace which lookalike peppercorn hair. Maaic ot
etmUari t1' would cause t he11" own hair to develop that way
1t they eat 1 t .
2 I n part1culu the lane 4. dee Cb@ ter VII , aect1on c .
3 1925, 338. Tb1a has more t o do with the right t o her
rertil1~ than wi th virginity, ye t v1ra 1n1ty 1• pr iaed.
4 Tezta 140 and 165 expreae th1e.
 41

~oUl' days . At thie tiae ·the youths think ot <lancinu. The

dance ot the young, of the youths and the girls, is called
llnsl4; it takes place during the evening until midni ght at
some distance from the homes teads around a large .fire. In
these cirowustancee the youth selects a girl who pleasea
him: he gives her a little cl~t, usually a string ot beads,
and if she accepts this is regarded ae her coneent to
marriage."1
Bagehawe tells us that the ;outh will then carry her oft with
the help or his female relative& and that the tamily o~ the girl
will raid his home in mock ~etaliat ion for the abduction and
carry oft as many goats as they csn. 2 Another account simply
&$3'8 that the youth carries oft the airl from the dance.3
Van Oe Ki ml!lenadc adds that ehe 16 taken to the youth• a home
by hie 'sisters' and that she stays there 1n the girls' hut
without beins allowed contact with her t innc~.4 Jut int'ormat1on
aupplied by Dempwoltt•a inform&At Habun1 shows ue that we do
not have to do llere w1 th &D¥ real abduction on the &p\U' of tho
ffloment, that usual].y the youth and the a irl have talked things
over aa they mQ¥ be expected to have done, and that their
parents kl\ow ot the romanoe.5 Thus t he abduction i s mope like
a ritual ot tormal onaagement than a proper marriage by
captUl'&.

l 1936, 399, translation mine) . The number of days in each

toUP or auardienahlp is not rigidly fixed; eome clans prefer
tours ot a1x days . The roster ot duties is tixed by cldera
to suit the oi roumstanoes. The danoea may be held neait
cattle camps ot near t he homesteads, there le no reau].ar
tranahumanoe a nd usually the combined cattle are driven to
the homestead ot one ot the owners each night. The bead
•nbolism will be discussed later.
2 1925, 337-38.
3 Anon. , 1957.
4 19.36, 400.
5 1916, 77 ( tex t 30) .
 h2

It has been &1J8geeted that abduction i s the second or

two aia tlnct f orms of marriage, the first bei ng the negotiated
type. 1 It is indeed not at ell necessary that a gi rl is ~aken
into ber confinement from a dance. She may well go there from
her own home or from the fields , but even then she ie taken up
by her fianc~• e ts1etera • and esoorte~ to their hut, nn 1n the
case of the dance abduction. She 1e eXl)ected to put up a show
of reeistance, but thi s she also does when ebe ie taken ~rom
the dance . Raiding in retaliation must be aetin as a show of:
surprise and protest :fvom the part ot t he girl's !'amil.7 when
the engagement hae come off rather too suddenly in a whirlwind
romance, and all the peo~le concerned have not been properly
int'ormed. It then looks as i f she has been •stol en• and the
suitoP'& fam11¥ are made to agree to an additional payment
to the br1deweal th whi ch will be re tained from the raided goats.

G:Q:betwetPle br14ewea1th. and setting up bomn·

Once the girl has le:f't her parental home the f'amiJ.y will
make 1nquir 1ee ae to where she haa gone even though normall y
t hey know ver y well where she 10. By doing so they make it
known that there are marriage palavers in the ott i ng. To make
the inquiries and to conduct the subsequen t negotiat i ons for
them they appoint a go- between (mutumf ) who 1a usual ly an
unrelated but trusted ne1ghbour. 2 Members of t he household
may accompflll1' him, aa well aa any o~her interes ted nei ghbour,
but not the »arenta.3 'l'hey ostenaibl y go to fetch the girl
back but upon arrival a t t ho aui tor•e home they will be told

l Anon., OJl,gJi.
2 Alao alt21a (van de K1mmenade , 1ac,c1t.), motoma (van de
Ki mmenade, 1954, 49), and u;twpp (Dempwolt't', 1916, 49) ..
Ther e may be more than one go-between { same term in the
plural)_
3 Aa prospeot1ve pal"enta-1n-law they retain t he ir deoorwn by
etay1ng awaT (avoidance).
 43

that ehe hae been taken to s t ay Wher e she 1e with a view t o

marriaae. Uhctn t he vbi t or s do not obj e ct t o thi s i n :pr inci ple
t hey will demand 1'rom the s u1tor•e f runi lY a goa t called the
' goat of the t'lour • (.ll!mt alu) to compensa te t •1em f or the
s irl' e ab sence, for s he cannot now do her usual chor es a t home
and her mother has to do all the ~loui• grinding 1netead . 1
The go- betweens and t he vi s i t i ng party are rewarded with a goat
which is called 'the one who lights the f ire ' (LL.!J. ni!J:,); thi s
anima l ts s laughte red on the spot and ea ten all present t o
by

witnes s t he suocest'ul concl usi on of the negot1a t 1one. 2

The br1dewea 1 th includes an •excis ion goat • ( ~ hl.wa,)
whi ch is gi ven t o t he woman who has excised her cl 1tor1B a t her
i n i t i a t i on r1 tes , 3 and a goat called 'the necklaces of the
house•{~ 111.ftlanda) wh i ch i s given to her mot her. 4 An ox tor
t he girl' s v1re;1nitJ i s promi aec! by- the t.ui tor' s r epr eeon tatives
i f the gi r l pr ovea t o be a virgi n . Thi s ox 1s called mJ.Ji (the
ent~y ) or kund! ( tne t i st); either t er m r et ere to t he openi ng
of her womb. !':> The t er m mil& a l so means ' v1rg1n1 ty • and

1 Van de Ki nunenade , 1936 , 400. apeaks of J1m.st 4Jlla; l1ml. i s a

print i ng mi s t ake. In Dempwolt~• s text No.30, Q:Q, cit.,p.135,
t he g irl 1 8 f ather demands: 11 OtWlftkO hiay sun
11
{br i ng U8 tlour
2 Also calle d • the one t hat makee the t'1re t'lame • {LL!l. lheg1 ).
ae mentioned b y van de Ki mmenade . loc,cit.{he does not give
the meani ng). He poi nt s out tha t 1t 1B g1ven t() t he go-
be tweena because they have t o oat well at'ter their etrorts .
} See Ohapter 6, eect 1on D.
4 1.ib,g,g,- n ~ may be explained ae • the ~ dance whi ch
l eads t o t he [ new] howse•; van de Kt mmenade , 1936 , 400 ,
des cribes t hi s animal as •oelle des danees • . Perhaps better
1e the trans lation ' the hous e' s necklaces • ae suggested by
a local mag1etrate. At h e p coming out ot' conf i nement the
bride 1a covered in necklaces (m1land1}. More than one
explanation o'E Sandawo symbolic t erminology is ot'ton pOilSfble.
5 Van de h111Dlenade. 1954, 48. d1at1nsu1.ehes between JA1l..&, the
Pooa ot t he hou.ee where the t'1re burne, or entrance room,
and 8'1&. byJ&en or v1rg1n1ty. Dempwoltt',op,cit,.48. lists
all& ae virginity or a t i ne t or deflowering. The t'iet s tande
tor eoaeth1na oloaed which 1e opened.
 44

i t repreoenta here the tranefe~ o~ the r i ghts to the bride•~

tert1litsr to t he lineage other huoband. Sandawe say that the
p$,Yment of the animal se1•veo • to open tho d.oo.t>• (k1.iftnd
nJgwekVr.14); the ter ~ ueed for •tb~ door• (~1tans4) ia also wsed
to 1nd1na to a ~ami lY ore lineage segment ..,,_ieh trncea its

origin to a particular 'door • . 1 It the bri de turne out to be

not a virgin sbc must name the man who det'lowel'ed her so that
her f'am1ly can demand the mil.A pa.ymen t trom him 1ne tead of from
the huaband.

~\nother head ot cattle. the 'hoe handle' (k2lJi .t ~ ie

paid to recompense the bride's family for the loss other labour
in tlll9 f'1eld; 2 the ' gitt• (u' oQ} i s paid to eetablitJh good
l'Clatione between the two e1dee;3 and two t~thor cowe are
tranet'er:r·ed which at>e called 't.,he light' {ll1mk!) and • tne
duughter of t he light• (nanki nLtosn). The tormor repreoents
the c omi ng-out of the bride fro~ he~ dark confinement into th~
open and her r ebirt h 1nto the husband' s home whereae the l atter
etanda ror t he expected birth o~ he~ baby into that home. 4
To th~~e br1dewealth trano~ere another heifer 1s someti mes
added, the one f or 'the ehame• {llll1£st}, 1~ some 1rregula~1ty
exi sts i n the mar~i age. If eome taboo ie broken which demands
propitiati on the •expiati on• (flemo) muo t be paldJ this happens ,
f or e~aUtPle, when a marri~ 1e hel d dUl'ing the period of

1 See 1>- 20.

2 Von de Kt mmenado , l 936 t l go,91t . ('~ Jiitll.' ).

3 In the claao1c functi on of a1tt- a1v1ng. See Uause, 1954.
4 The tranei t1on 1'.roi:i d~k t o light 18 to be taken li torall:r.
Sandawe housey ~ very dal'k i nside. Obvi ousl y this e.vmbo1-
1zea 1nte~rat1on after the ri te o~ separation b¥ abduotlon
and the ritual. tr ana1tion in con1'1nement, aa 1nterp,..eto4 by
van Oennep, 1960, 116-ts. The i dea of rebti-th i s veJty real
t oo, dui-ina a oonf'innent a Sandawre said: 11Now aho 1e i n the
womb" (spau SlJbgitaaa. m,). De~pwoltt. 1916. 49, lists
t he lllean1ng o~ J2ADk1 on17 aa •atabl e ' .
 45

moui-ning for some member of e ither family. A ' heifer which

goes ahead'{l ' l ' ena .Q.mna) may be t rans~•rred 11" more bridewealth
is dcmonded than usual J t h ie term may also be a9J,lied to the
head of cattle which goes ahead o~ the othei, bridewealth cattle
i n any iuarriase, especially if long dela,ye are expected. At an
important marriage an extr8 ox called •meat•{~) mall' be
provided for eating by the guests, but t his may also be just
another name tor ' the one who lights the !'ire•. Bridewealth
term1nolow 1e not l'1e;1dl.y unttot>m everywhere and r.ome payments
are k:no\,n under dif~erent name~.
A rure but 1::iportant rite ia the transfer and sacrifice
of tho animal called •eh~ through whom the umbilical cord is
cut• (fhm1k~ nlen/ft'IgA) it' there exista a closer relationship
between the gx,oom and his b~ide than can be atoned for by the
payment or •shame', for example, 1r 1t ia discovered t nat they
are parrallel cousins or howcve~ remote a degree. 1 'l'h1s cute
the "umbilical c oJ.Od" which ties the two in a blood relationehip. 2
Bridewealth hae been diecuseed in terms of cattle and
goats but 1t needs to be stressed t hat many Sandawe hove little
or no catt le,3 and that in t he poorer parts beehives, honey,
lll'rowbeads, beads, and a few goats may s till be given 1netead. 4
It has aleo to be pointed out that bri dewealth 1a rare ly pa i d
at once, but ideally everythi ng should have been trans:f'erred at
the time the f i rst children have been born.
8 ome days af'tcr 'the one who lights the :tire• hae been
elaughte\'ed an1 eaten the husband takes bis b!'1de to hie paronte•
home in a procesc1on which he heade in triuaph. The throng is

l Thie ha~pened recently when it was realiz~d that a bride•s

t"nthor had been adopted, ha ving been a clansman of the groom.
'-" --coup~,.,
A1though unrelated now through adoption, thcf\ made certain
of their unrelatednese by 'cutt i ng the cor~.
2 or. 1noeat-outt1ng aacrif1ces aa described for the Nuer by
Evana-Pr1tchard, 1956, 184-5.
3 Bagahawe, 1925, 338.
4 In text No.15 the poor man paye only two goats.
 46

orten stopped by fr1enao . neighbours and relatives of the

brid-0 who expect th.t. groom to a i ve them small pre~ente. cuter
a~rival the husband ' s s i ster asperses the newly-weo.a with cold
water and pronounces a blessing. 1 A oeriee of cerenon1cs then
f'ollow to aanct1fy the wedding at t •1e pater nal homo: tho bri de
i s u1ven a ceremonial meal of porridge and honey by h6r nev
relativea, duri ng which she i e hand-fed like an unweaned ch1la
(ts'int1) ; 2 ehe ie anointed with fat and gi ven beads; the next
day her brothers and Bisters will arrive to hand over preoonte
t o t he husband a t a greeting ceremony duri ng wnioh thoy adch-eos
h i m as their brother-in-law (1UU14) , and f i nal ly he t akes bie
wire into bis hut at his ~ather•o homestcaa. 3
Du.ring tho f'irs t J&al' the newly-we de will stay at the
hooe of both pax>ente several times, helping t nem. During th.io
period the husband ie expected to bU!ld a house or hi s own.
When this is !"eaey a new f 1N J'lUS t be 11 t in 1 t w1 th a t"ire
dl'ill (henw) which is t hen treated with medicines and
bUl"ied 1n front of the door. This 1s thought t o protect the
houee { ~ mirig','house medicino) .4

l Text Noa.75, 76 and 77. For the gifts, see Text ~o.151.
2 Thi a ropreo~nts the el'owi ng up ot t he bri de i n her new home
like a newborn 1ntan t . ,Ve have seen that the ~ { • the
l1ght') eYJQbolizod her bi~tb.
3 Dempwolff,1916, 137. According to Habun1 he hides hie head
under cloth.
4 Rigby describes similar pl"oceduree tor the Oogo (1964, 179).
Ethnographic material on the ritual uae o'f £1re is ext ensive
and ite symbolic i mpor tance 1s univeroal. As in ancient
\lreece the heuth, 'urtor{"y ( • that whicl1 ie near the hearth' )
may hors be token ao a o.vmbol o1' the n,lllat1o tamily, ct.
~•tel de Coul.angea, 1882, 72. In teits 173 and 174 of this
theaia the 8.l"rival ot ~ore1an olane is described in terms
ot their tirea which are seen in the distance. The Sand.awe
wor411l1J.a-js means •at the fireplace• but aleo ' home tire •
and 'mai-1 tal h•11e • •
 47

':I.he 22aniS:Uon ot: t~J.oet, 4ixoroe....Jm4.~Uerxs

Tne first child should be born in the house of th~ w1fe•s
uiother. The child ' s t'atller is not allo111ocl. to oett 1 t until tbe
umbil ical cord has dropped oft; he 1e then shown hie child for
tho ~irat time and the na~ing c~ve~ony can then be held. 1
\"fhen the child has been 9eaned the husband tuee hie wit'e and
child to tne house which be has built. When the .tiN> has been
rituall.y lit and the protection of tne houae hae been secured
by medicines it has become the pePmanent home :for tne wif'e, and
2
the ~Ell'~iage is co~pleto. There are no hard and ~ast rulee
about the time when the ¥oung fauilY should move in to their new
h<)Iae; 1:iuch dopende on the energy with which the husbartd l)reparee
it. Even after movi ng in the wife will continue to pay t'requent
visits to her old hone. Marriage cermnon1ee do not i n themselves
c oncluao the \7edd1ng, tl1ey only befiin 1 t and .form a eignit'1can t
stage in the gradual procese Q~ tre.nai Uon wh1ch t.noy eymb?lh;e.
In a eenee the ney home does not Qark the end of thi s process
yot, and the x>eal completion or a 11:al"riege may be setm in the
Wite•e initiation i nto elderhood after the birth o~ two
children. 3
Ad.Ultery 1a trequont and ret'erence to it is cont" Oll in
Sandawc oral li terature.4 't'ermo ror an adul. ter~w or a lover are
JlW ( t•em. !'lmtfau, 'f'riend' ) , ~ , or IHtllU the lat ·tei- term 1a
most used 1n e ongn. 5 It 1e assumed that every woman has a lover
but she mua·t; not be round out l est she be beaten repeatedl;v on
t he lesa and .feet and kep't tied to a houoe post tor all to see. 6

1 Ven de Kl mmenade, 1936, 401.

2 Children ere woaned oarlT• ot•ten atter only six monthe or ao.
3 See Chapter vi. section D, M
1£1m6.
4 Van de K1mmenade, op.01t •• 415, eays •very f requent"•
5 ~ 1e Bantu, ct'. Gogo ~ ·
6 Dempwolt'r, op.91t.,123.
 46

The obJeot is to :punish by hut11l1at1on and no b l ood should bo

drawn in such puni~hen.nts, ~or th1° would reoult i n the husband

being t'1ned by the w1t'o • 1 f'a•11l,y . 1 ut if caugh t ~~
~ an adul tt~rer ,,ay be killed , anc' !'ines o.re alwn:1 s :p8}''\ol e ;
Ba~shuvm o.ent1om~ that t h~ fi ne for adu l tt. ry 1e an o>. a ,.a t,,o
2
gon t~ . K1llinef' ar e now r11t cou.raeed b:, he en.:'orceite:u t ot' the

lin, but they still occUJ' occaeionully; !'abun1 det critit!r n

t'!a tch wi th arrovro by a W'ro.nged hurbond. 3 , dul tery is not
for divorce , but laztn~eo , quarrelsomeness and l)arrn1.11ess
beati11{,.o which r e-:eul t i n the clrawinr; of blood prov1do a
j ueti!'iobl e reason f or a wife t o leave hor husband. 4 In divorce
t h~ b r1t'!ew~al tll i s cla1rned beck r>y t ht• hurband , but f'o.r each

child wh ich haa been born tt e w1.fe' a f'a H y i s entitled to keep

parts o~ 1 t , and bnt ti nts az-o aleo t'1nod b.:, t he l'tl LeuUoii , t'
br1c1eweslth acc ording to the clrc metancee . 5 uuc <.., th<' cUvorce

eettled the woman bas tho r i ght to l'e- t.urr .(. '.:'nt: uan ay take a

_______ ____
new wife without waj ting for tlie r etw11 of' th~ bridewe al th i f he
,,

1 ?eating on t c hody muc.t alEo te avoidtc . '1hc 'and.a.,· ueed t o

per.form au topoios on their dead to eatublioh the caurt• of'
doa t h . Ji.fly lesion found on tne body whic h could b~ trace d to
a bea ting w, uld be cona idored tn~ ultimat~ ca ·ce o~ death , no
matter how lo:.g ago t he wound 1Htd llt:en 1n:t'l1cted , a nd full
mansla\lf'htcr fine c would t hen be payable.
2 1925, 339. he c~ucial fi ne i a the ' elephant ' s bedspread'
(nLw V • 1'16.) , 1 . 0 . t e fine for adul t e r.v ili ths ouon , the
real • of the elc .,.... t. en t! ~n :>£ thi s f' ir.e is "Jade uJ vun de
Kimren nd1ot, 1036, 41 5 ; s·r.pwolff , 1916, l 2j (text 19); ~ . ,
121 ( t.t,-t 2 0} ; and 12 ~ ( t ~xts 21 and 22) ; a nd also b.Y dam1:i.
1962 , 181. The f irst two Wl'iters mcrel.r g ive the tranalat1on
or tJ.C f i ne ; Harip guesses 1te meaning .
3 De tpwoltr, 1916, 113.
1
4 / an de Ki t.. ..cnade , l ~.}6, 402- 3 , but .he illakes no re!'er ence to
t lie drawi ng o f 'blood.

5 Van de ~1m.:ienade , ~ g.U.; 1~agshaw~ , l oc,ott .

 49

can af.ford 1 t.

'.lie tianda .e belie ve that conception b closely relatUJ to

tr,enstruat.ion and tnat i ntt-rcourae during th1~ period roeul ts in
pregnancy ; a g il•l who takee e lovcx• will tnorc!'ore waX"n h11.12
a bout her oond1 tion which 1s called I t he illness or titt: toooo •
1
( ~ .h.' «a• Q) • t!eually n youth will u,arry the g irl 1.f

preg.na1.t. Ir an un!llarriod woman ueare a child and tne .fa ther

r e.1'uoee to marr·.;· nor , t,1cn UJ.e 01,other ot the child' a mother is
to p rovide for 1 to maintenance i !'or this hu ?Jill demand f'rom the
geni tor a CO\'I which is oalled ' the educator o.t.' t.he wombt ' s 1aaue] 1
2
(aia.lU! a_l!'1tU.) . Tho cl11ld will then be abuot•bed into t.ne br othe r• s
1'8ll11ly. l t will arow up as a t'u.11 tievio~r of his lineage and
cla.u, a ....d it will not be t he victb, o ...· an.I stt~ma • .3

1e t i llt:>~1 timac.)" e,;1a tts anu tne Ganuawe nave a wor•d for
1lleu1ti ~ate children or baa tards; rnQncawi. A br owier may
to accept hie eieter' a childr~n 1r she ie n vitcb (tl'W§B.Q or
J.!li@Abd~) or a pr ootitute (Jtindtfty or .iJ.i.iJ which 1n some ca~es
l·
ta alruoe t &e baC. a o being a w1 tch. • I. p.ro ti tu te is de:fined as
someone ' who does not chose', as a result ot which ehe will be
unabl~ to point out her child's genitor and the collection of
f i nes will then become 1mpost'1tle . tor cuch a woman it mey
beoom~ e:a treoe ly d 1t'.t'1c ul t to be l'!la!:'rieu. within the tri be.
ir ehe f1ndo a man who would be w1ll1np to ~ nrry her, h!e ramily
may r ot'uae to help hir. w1 th the bridcweal th. Jlle g i t i macy ie
there~ore lens the r esult 0£ extra-marital relations ~hioh may
be p rivately condemned, than of i nd1ocrim1nato indulgence which
1e soci ally rejected.

l Van ~e F.immenaoe , 193,;, hl5. !i2J!:.l2. i s from the ,antu .l!mJJ!;.2,

•taboo•. Text 'lo.166 deal e w1 th th1o proh1b1 t1on.
2 Dempwolf!', 1916, 122. Qub.gmeans •woc.b• but aluo •roetua• .
3 A roan \'tho ilau children by a concubine usually makoa payi:ienta
tor t ner.i to he:r ta.':11.Y, the ehild.r~:i. ar0 then l eg6lll,r hie .
4 i/an de Kimmenade , loc, cit., eaye that to be called a prosti-
tute is onl;r j u s t ohort ot being aceueed of witchcraft.
 50

~smu,...)1~pects....at.: the e('Qnorn'i•

~agshuwe sa.:,s of tne Sandawe thnt "thoy a'J"e 1u1 tc at hooe
in the bush, upon the produc ts of which the~ still l i ve and
t'et when other tri l>E-9 are starving. 111 ,;1)1lc 1 t 1:.1ay be tx-u.o that
tl1e;r are l ese a!'f'ected ·oy the e.£'i'1'ct, o-r dl•ought than some of
the, aur t'oundi ng tribes , eepeciall/ the Gogo 1 the oandawe do
sutter when the crops fail. J om~ severe rami naa have even caused
a oona l dcrabl e exodu~ of ~eople to other par t o where they c ould
erpec t a ,oor e secure exiateno~. 2 Outs t anding 1n t 'h1s ree:peot
have been the fa' 1neo of 18~6 and 1919 whi ch a~o named nt'ter
the countri es t o whi ch 8andawe then e1dgrate(\. 3 »la ilure of the
r ai ns 1e th~ ~oat i reportont 1ngle cause or subs i stence
d1t'fi cUlt1es, but l oeue t a , c a tarp1l l ar pe$ts, and cattle
al oo ror~ severe t hrea ts . Not all of these setbacks az,e
enough to be ne rree. bu t those Which have been named provide a
workable scale by which h1e to:r1oal events oan be dat~d ancJ t he
agee of 1ndiv1du~l peopl e esti roated. Conl y of one ne i ghbouring
t ribe, t he .Jogo, i e a detail ed ram1ne ealendar availabl e , and
al though r ai n ~ailur&u are often hi ghly localized i t shows a
J:"emarkable agreemen t with t he Sandawe oal endar. 4 Jevere f mninee
provide £ome striking aempl ea or poetry i n Sandaw6 li~rature,
an~ even good 1~ars may be sung ab out. 5
The n ut,:i:-1 t ional poe1 t i on or t he tribe may be called good

l 1925, 2~4.
2 The Ri mi and t he ~ang1 enjoy b e tte~ r a infall, the Oogo
sut~er rrom more errct1c re1n1'all than the Sandaw@. Being
r ore agr1c,1ltu-ral, t heee peoplee are aleo more vulnerable.
Gogoland 1e the duetbowl of central Tanzania; Pouthern
Sandawe aherea i n th1e char act.erietic. Appendix I ehowa some
popUlation loasee.
3 The Rang! t'amtne ( alansS naragu) and t he Fiome t'amine ( ~
n4rom>.
4 Oogos Ri ~ , 1964, 21; Sandawe: Appendi x III.
5
.l?am1ne: Text• 108 , 13.3, and 145. Proaper,. .J ty: Text 147 •
 51

in co.npe.rirJon w1 th thei ourround:lng peopler:. r.ef1c1flncy

dieea~en like ,cwas'lio~kor which appeal"£. to be rii'e nuo"g the
Him1 do ·1ot ee cm to occ•ir nn•on.J the ... 1.m<la, c. T e·1·e il u.
d11'.'er'ctno<' in the e moun t of' Vt'[,'t.. T!ible r""li~·t. { ~ ) 1P1<! eH t

{ n.'i) which the&nda e oat w1 th thei1' porridge (w.b!,,) • and what

neighbouring trioce con&ur;ie.
1
~ eg~ hawe Gays tne t t:1<. ,:.a.~dawt:
ki 11 a er~a t d.~al -,r garr.e, a:i.d in t 1e more ~o ,u1a tR.d aru,e
people do t onetimeo cor:::plain abo1.1t a shorta~c or gare f<.,r huid.. ing.
Bsg&hawe ahJo stat6G that t he 8 sndav1€ are src&t !''!.shc;r.:nC"n a 1d

honey hunters a nd t.het t hry do a lat•te trace i n i:ccswax. 2

The f1ohina i ndun t z-v "'il' <'fJ:tl<' aa a sur~riee, 9 or Vlt" c c .in tr·.1
has hardly any pcrnaner,t wat4'r. 'i'he principal t'1~h in ca U'iah

{ pv.x.d) which ou,..rows 1n tho cud to ''hibet>nate" whon the? aearonal

ri Vt re dr.;• up. uch of 1 t ifl eY.pf)rt••cl to t.'H'J r.nrJrnt oi' · o,tioa

ht're as earl.f flS 1912 ten t:~oneanrl 1'iah ,t're oold in a year. 3
~or.t of the tieh at Hondoa in said to c o .e from Gan~~w~
The 3nnda ·f!! hav-. te w gcncT'al t'nod tahno,,, , and unl1kt· EO!'lti

ric1e;l1bouring t1•ibee thc.t l ike egg~ nnd t'ieh. J,.;,ven python and
h,.1onas are eaid. to have bt en eaten in r.he paet out tho cel1Gt'

l Amoz..g t11e eurr<:>u.n0i ng trihes perhaps only t no diet or tne

meat-eating and t!tilk-and- blood- drinklng Bara.baige is at1
balanced ao th a t o-t: U1c ~)andaw~, al though qui tc ditrerent.
1~0 detailed c.tudy hoe evcl' bflfm made to my knowledge , and

theee imprt'teaions have been gained :f'rom par sona.l ohrerve.tiona

and d iacu,;~·tons w1 th admtn1strat1vP and l!ledicsl ot'f1 c ers in
the aren. Bftr g~r , 1951, 972, seys that a gr~ater conewnptton
of ve~etables an~ rat by the Sandaw~ would be an adv,ntage.
'1"111,.. Q8J be true for• somo or the bet ter dsveloped parts '71 th
c omparativelv much ho~ticulture.
2 1~25, 224.
3 A1atl1ches J'a!ll"eaber1cht 1912/.3, 1i8.
4 Local i nt'ox>111a t ion.
 52

that the"3e nre connected with wi tchor&t't hao beco 1c ,zenera1

and .:he1~ato1•e they 2,;ro now avoid~ c- . 1
~ht, principal cl'ops az•e oor-.~tt.,"llO, mil l e ts , and eleua inc;
the collcct1v<1 term f'oz• nll thoAe is ~ { ' 7.'a1nfl ' ) • Thoy fWe
phcmoaQ. (~D,dt',JD&m,gll i9X:S:bum), the redcioh riorghum which is

aornevrhat rera1n10c ent of' a bunot. of grapes and the principal

2
ingredient for beer brewing; lalang~, which is the main basis
f'or :porricge i'lo\.i.rr3 ~ (~§~tWll npaUsau:r.), al. r o called
bullruah mlllet , widoh 1& porhapo the 1110&'1; drOl.l(:;ht-r eQ istant

o! the gl"ain c1•ops and which :i.G US()d for beer ma1(!1,g as well as

to~ rood; 4 dQfQmb4 (fl~~iil2A ~ ) ; 5 ane ~~eiqo, 'ringe~

1 6
m1llot • ~ ai£6 (n/inj) i e alao gz,o~n; th i ~ is c a l l e d ~
in the south- eas t7 aud lllflml>&tll,'o ll.n the e out.ht.r n pla1..a . 8
Small quanti tioa o!' oess9va ( mwlPBQ , t'rom the ~.wallili) ar.1.d
sw et potatoea (pbo~d) ~re erovm. Other c~ops ar~ kalane(
{groundnuts) , ~2Z1S4 ( ~amDara nuts) and 1YlUlk2 (tobacco).
'the principal cash crop i s castor s eed (Atl!J,\); the cultivation

l Some Goe<> still eey that the Sandawe eat enake (P1gby,pr1vate
comt1.); some Ri mi ssy that t he Sandawe used. to eat hyena.
One clan 10 called al4mptt', f ro~ the q1rn, :Eflla-moit~,
'hyena-eaters'.
2 Ri i ~@al>A (016on, private cowm.) or KQQmba (von ~iok,1915,
18) ; Oogo Yllfi!~& (vlaue 1911, 11), also ~mbeoemba (~i gby,
1964, 28).
3 ~101 •6DS1lan.a:A (von Giok,l0~.01t . ); Oogo J.nv.W!Ji (Olaua,
R1eby, both •9Pe91.'£•)
4 Rimi llUJl { Olaon) or .2!f!t ( von Sick) ; Go.so ~ ( Clsuo) or
Jl\lllele (Rigby) •
5 Ri mi ~ ( Olr on); Oogo ( '? )m9boni ( Clnuc).
6 P.imi ...Js.l1!u.. ( Olsort) or ~ ( von .. i ck) . 1,ror tLcse comparioo
and the deecri p t..1oue gi ,ron by the.se wri tere tlle Sandawe
e~ain crop& oould be 1dentit1ed.
1 o:r. HgomVia JblA (Claus, 1910, 492).
8 !!.famrul-~-.a: • the r~t1lea come out•, a re.ference to the
phall1o ahape o~ an ear or maize, thought to be obscenely
tunrcy by other Sandawe.
 53

of t h is j ::: much enc.:nwag.cd by t'1e gove:rnrr:ent a.nd 1'1 1962 the

Sa tda we Coo'9era t1ve was oooned at wa !Hc:ro wit t1-e purpose

of marketi ng it. i'.s e. ci::.sh c:srop i ·t now t•xceeo ~ tho :rn1uc of

t,r1bo are arden t bee- ke~oero, but · oe t of the ho1:f'J 1~ u2od to

n1ake hm.~1- becr (.l:.r..1:.l k.!am~) tor 1nmortant occac i ons .. J~ Jor ge
verie ty or gour d plan to, cucu.""1'crr; , pum')ki nEi , and me lens e.re
g1•owh in 11 ttlE ,:ard.en plots an~ on ~ung heaps by the ~ousos .
"here w:•e aloo ,,.any .fW'tline nropo, the seeds ot' C( r·tai n graGs oa
whicl1 are th:reched out in timos of' t'oro i ne . '.i'he ve.rtety ol'
w11c, :frui te, kernol e ano. nuts end bu:L°hol.W .t>oots v:hich ro-c eaten

1e al or.i considerab l e . Apo.rt ·('r-on tl c i ,t> f'ood vnlue,. the goUl'd

plants a z>o of grAat i mpor·tance .for roaki :n,c;; d1~inlti ng ve,u c l:?, 0

r,od dishes , pots, snuf't' boxes az 1 vaz>iouR c<'ntainers., and aleo

are also symbolicall.! 1,t·'>ot-tant.

The Sand.awe now have a limited money e cono.oy. ~-part

produoe they sell livP.stock at the cattl e markets ( 1iuG~'i,
Sw~hili ) to p a:, t11<"1r taxes and to obtain ruom:.iy fot• var i ous
cash needa . The val ue of livestock i n cash terms ia et1ll
quite separate t r o~ thoi ~ e xchange val ue i n th~ traditi onal
t r aneect i ona ot briocwealth and diapute eettlem.onts.
Tne l• 1m1 nnd the r0go heve been character1 .zed a.s • cattle -
holdint1 peoples • as opposed to real •cattl e t l"1bes •
1
Mnasai. Thie i e alao appl icabl e to t'e Sandawe. Obst tel l s
'Wtt.h.at "the t..anda.wo have a £1urplua o~ cattle rath er than or
produce ot the t'1e l.do. u 2 '.they ke ep cattle, goats , sheep a,1.a
donke:ra . '!'ho nm1be:re of' 1 tv<>atock are cubjcct to conoi ~erab le

l herskovita , n . d. , 37.
2 Obot, 1923, 259.
 f luc tuntio11e ; feta11c o1' tho ...o a~o 1$tv~m 1•• AI\ emlix I! , but
~verage t'ig,1.i..,ea cf' 60, \,0 ca:-tlc , Li5, 0 8:>a·i;r me" 9, o r :C•~op
~rne1n to .,_e a r.'.'ason~bl ' usti!'late. Accorl>i .g t, t e • ut!vt

Cattle Ceno\la o.' 19~9 t n&re wore '2, 7!JO li voa t\ick ownc:rs ; thj s
:pu to t!1e nuniber ot cattle :pv1.• owne'? at nr
and pc:c- hoad oJ' the :popnl,t+ io,'l at ·n·i:• P .
1 Jnnunwa c:.ntlo ur•e

oh,.wt- ho.n,ed , humI,ocl and 1'airl.r omall . i.;a ttlt! , ~!oats und
ar•e 1•a.cl.;ly elaug~1 tored with :>ut tht r< be 1. •E a ouc:i.. ,H'icinl
j •Jo ti4'ication fol' i"t, but 1 1Are ar~ enough o t.hooc 0ccueious

to keep tl1e people i n a reasor able nuppl;y of' 11iout.. Thil1 ia

aupnlc:r2(;~1tcd by fowls and by tho l"ll t 01• (!Ml< c wi,:ials. .

Th~ d.onlceye. o f t he s,rnoawe arc h al1' Y!:l.ld. '1''1ey art> only

u~ed !:o"I" oece.nional dutieH as PRCk a m., Pl~ on ho-:-,.t"'J- coLlec · i :ng
Cll:pcdi tf ono aP<l :fol' tak 1t ~ prnc:uc<· f'or tl ~ auctj ons 1n -toun. 2

?heir ment is no'f- ee. fon ; thir- is not l•eceu1,e 0 1' a t~'bo{, but
because 1 t io rot liked. 3 Dogo arc k 4 -pt. for- l erding ttnd
hunting rat11.e:r than as watcbdoge and s r,-me p t! oplo look after
them bettor than would be usual e lsewhere. !~ Bau.i:iann and von

L uech~.n h ave bott. com.u1en tod upon the t:1an:, and 'beaut iful

chi ckens ~,hieh 1,hc Sando\'i'c keep ; both the mea t. and the cega

prized au .f'ood. They are olaughterad for sacrii.'1cee but also

to regele honourGd :uoete.

l ~on~oa District fi~ok, 1959 .

2 ~extP 148 nnd 160.
3 The OJo eacr1:t'1c"' tho ea!l'..e animn1.s ae tho Sandawe (ai gby,
1964, 62) an~ ~or t he same ~~s on~. Don~~ye are not sacr1-
1'1c:fal animals.
4 '.iext lfo.157.
 CH APT~ R II

Li NOUl'. . G ~ AND I ' '.1 ?. P , .. "t • '.:. I c., .L,

,t nuruth•r of fl,t)CC •lat i or,.. ha 'l'C bec.n ira.<'.e on the li r.guir.. tic
af ....' i n1 tea or . a?1Ja1,<t hut 1 t cm... ot b'-'J 3t-1 u t •at the lar.g'.?S...<re is

adcquSttol;r kno:,n1 :,et t o lln,iUists . 'i'he first speec!1 sa ;,lee

weve pub1 1,hed by BaUI~ann ; re djd nQt a:t~t :i ";ruish ':>et.ween the

oi.f' ~erent cli ck Jhoneines ano for t i s N a:.;:-n aloHe h i s u11at<::rio.l

is quite innclequate. 1 igman.n .~1 ve2 ut t'h.e .first short
vocubularJ li st; he nctlces tl1at se·, eral ' t.ir.,at ana cliol«:
. .,
eou.nde ' are often s.,ll ~b i c . .. On the s tr•1?:..1g th o'!' th:le a till
1nsut•1c1e~t mete~i al Tro~oetti a ttemptea to o&tao11sh t ho
ral11 tionahip betw~...,1. S~ndo.we aud li~ma- o~t(Hl~o't, i nclud1nis both
in a ..ami to- ~emi t i c lan.Ju,we fanil:, which ":fl l)('lieved t o extend
th.t>ou~h Africa in a souti1e:t·n directi on as far a s t'le Ca;i., or
Cvod .:ope. 3 ....eriou£ l14u1st1c work on Rnda"'t- wa:i i'iPst u;1der-
taken by u~mpwoltr whose ado.1rabl~ book is of l a3tin6 ~alue not
only to t~e lingu1s t but also to the social an thz•opo!.ogis t ; it
is wholly based on a. fircat rumbcr- oi' texts c ol lected by him i n
th~ vernacular. These include descr iptions by Sandawe of the ir
own laws and oust~rns as well as a cons 1aerabl~ amount of oral
li tera ture : !'ive r.torif"~ and uo leeE ttian fifty e-ongs of
kinds . The first port of the work 1e rormed b7 a lintiu1 ltic
analJ&ie and vocnbularits . 4

1 18S4, 368-9.
2 1909 , 127.
3 1910. He believes thet all languages , including t hio family,
a~e ulti~atel.{ of A81at1o origin.
4 Op,c:u., 1916 , deecribed as e. ••pamphlet" (ll.Ql..) by .Bagehawe,
1924, 30.
 efoi'e hl:n, chc colJ cction of' Baw'i~w, vocc.l ulti:r ,r !'.:a ter.i.al ht1.d
1 2
beon ad"'P.d tr) b:J tletniJ.o ~uppl iod t,y von I nochw und ucha.
In 1' )8 • ht'> 1'1.r~;; 1 j j on ·wm~ OJ)fC t>ts:1.I at urJ o b,T r •..e• 1:1€

who 1n'1d6 n s t uc'y o~ t. e 1 a.nC"U~e ro,• t i: i>l'ac 'teal purp •t::u or

:,isc i onar:,r wo~1'•• 3 i.i:: no'.eu, . h1ch are oa1 d l,o ·a, 1 e n

dettt ilcd and c or,prehrne iYP, Y1•• r e le• t. a.1.1rjr.g tne mn" of l9]l,-l8 .

weJ.>e pu;.:ilir-nE' 1 b; th la tter 11 192.:> , 4 alr·o vrc '<'l'Vt u:re a

~

o wrt pcncil -'l'Vr::. tten mal'.uscriyt::, a::i<l arac ntical ol e, cl1

6
b trneu. on t h i s rimnuecr1rt, i n tb<> ondoel .H~tri,• t ook . is

1 oin aurv1 ving \V"'rk i s a catcc:d& wr1 ttF>n 1n tl e t a.ndt\ •e

l:.\11.gue . { • 7

,\. further co1:1pa.re t tvo :2tu 1;, , 01· t "' ;ie:; gt :ici l' Lt a1 dawe
tine 1n u •a •1ot~entot , wns made b.i 1r c7c l wh0 - unlike
8
'lrombetti - c-,u.ld us e !'18mpwol f ' ::- :£>cl1a1:>le. wor }· as o aE<1s.
Copland' o p r pe1· c oo t ut·ct\'ill:r cla1:'1f'1oc ·onr d.if!'iculties 1:1
Dempwolfl"' J pn,,r,ol'lg'J. 9 .. topa, 1Y'I a Ecrim; oi' paul'Jrs , i:::: n,al n-

1:, co~cerned wi tP the evoluti on ot injectivcs (clicKs) tv

1 Di· Werther , 189& (ver n.o.ct1lar names of c ollec t ed obje,cta) .

2 1907 (eome plant na~~e) .

3 Bagshawe , 1925, 353. ':.'he origital mi ssion belonp;ed to the
Romon Ct.tholic Ordtr of tt1c holJ vb.oat; in 193!> they handed
ove.r to the t a s .. 1on1st . a toer c !'rou 1 t ul,1 .
4 I~ Bagen.awe, 1925, J4J-7 •
5 n.a.. , .larkwa l..h eion.
6 1936, 1noer ted by ~udge .
7 .,,o.ndnuo Katck1s:1.r4u, 1926. 'l'he only pub.11cat1on in Srmdawc.

a 1929.
9 Hi s treatmrnt or thf'l plosive c,,neonnnta k,P,Y• and ot the
lat~rnlr a~d ~jectivee have greatly helped me to overcome
aoJne or the 1ntl'1cac1ee or tlleee soWld8. D1tficul t1eo o~
et~eas, tone and vowel l ength have not been tackled by him.
(1cJ38)
e1:ploi:1ivc "'i:>unds 1n ~uohr.tAn/rrottontot lirnguo1ea a..~d tn Lanctawe . 1
'!he i:HH,t 1 :po1.>tant contt-ihutor to Sura,imo stmUes n!'te:r
D! JApv,oli'' ia va•, de , i,11 onodo. Hio f'trot, l'Hmor ( lfl36) 1.a
e, thno •ra 1>hic ond on 1.1" )"P-iv.n nent on 'Rn~flh~ve ( 1q,,5) and 1 t eYcn

coi. to.ins detail A of te·~,d "lolog;'" which can11ot h~ t'ound in

De::ipwo1rr. ·r1e second work (1q54) h.u n ot been published; tt
ir,cludee e gra'!ll atioal sketch which is ri1ore deta1lecJ. than what
1"' le.t't of' !,emol1' s notes , e..."ld t\ voct\,mlarY which conriideraol,y

e:rceeds Dempwolff ' e i11 e:xton• . But wnaroaa Denpwol:f"f analya<'te the
linguistic elements of h i s 8endawe texts. van d..e Kim11enade tries
to ~rgan1zo c gram ar according to th~ traditional categories
ot tur,pean gra~ ars. r.empwvl~:•e ~ork thet'efore gives us a
octter> i'lBi~ht into the ctruoture o~ tJ1e lar~·1age. 2 KUhlor-
ayer co~~ents upon s~me apparent discrepancies between
Dempwoltr•s anC, Vl'l,l de f.1n enade ' s materi al .,;

Pape1•s b;, JaokAon and I oveY>i<lge 4 and SWJl'merton!> contai n

lists ot t he vernacu lar names of game animals; Creenway- adds
some items on animal oieeaAee and anatol'!\,v, 0 and two papers b7

l 1958 , l 96C..
Acoord1ng 1.0 hiui nesalizeu clicks ara the
pX'incipal en talys t ln t ,e g.rt\tl.ual dlt e.f.,9t ar ance "f il'. Je c:. ti vee
lclicks). 1.f this <'levP.lopme ,t ttar be aoouned to have
occurred the voiced clicks seem to be nore activo oatalyata
in bnl dawe then th<" naanlizcd on«:o , ct' . nous unner text tto .
174. .. t0_pa attrit>'.ltf n tl;c ct.use ,)!' t' i:'! l upp6sc1 e-v?lution
to the: 111 ..,uJ.tnneou(• use ot several muscles and two cU:f'f'eren t
soun1 chambe-ro in the produo t1on ot the ol lck s owid. l'ho
attgumt"nt which he adduc es for the nasalizea clicks ,.ould
equally a 1 I>l:I to tue 'ioicf'd click::.
2 Alt.nou"',4 not published in print. v~u>. d6 ,..im "nadc ' s paper 1s
a·1a1l abl e in mic-ro:rilm: !.PA 1954.
3 1954.
4 1936,
5 1946, A d1rfer ent and lee$ c ollll)l ete vereton exis ts in the
Xondoa Di strict Book (1/8 ) 9 1945•
6 1947.
 ~8

Ten l"aa men t i on na~s ot musj c al i ns t,l:"U.'T.t'ln is . l Pieldr1t:>tos b.r

2
t..thric nnve beon oo.e. use o.t' t>y mstphal in ~ticker and . !·Y .. n ' s
'a:
l 1rgu1atic survey• .., .,.ulien has al~o ~om,~ muter1&l but tLia it.i
prjmaril.r cMccrned with p 1 yi--:ical i•eat.ures of the::. 3arniowe . '•
, 1. th reg ard to t he position or S&ndawc in te1 mt· of'

lingui 6 tic cln" t>ifico tion such author! tiee as Dr-impwol.re ( 19 16) • ·
D1·e;(el \1929) , Jrcenberg U95:.:>; 1963) ana estphal (19.,t,) .huve
c laim.ed 1. .at links exiet v,1 th :otLcnto t lau;;ua._t}a, ftl)u t'!V~ll

w.1 th tiadza ( .:t>eeubergt 195)) but ,cotphal has re<-ently ')Ecmnc

t:iore cautiou3 and now a-sertE that th'9 mnte1•it.l at -pr·e~ent

a vallol:>le "does not. lloJ.d ont any pro. i~c of '00i ng able to
a i::i~ocia tc the:1c l.mb,1.a~:' t 8ondam:; a.."1d &dza) with onJ or om•

Southern A1'1•icnn click lan usccs by rcgulnr antl renerall;y

a ccented l inguistic procC'd\ll"c . "5

Althougn s:>•.o :.i.1larit1e6 bet'h'Ccr..... ancla-;;e a 11n. Hotwnt(lt

mcy be s tri kinr; (-phonol ogy, ac::t sender , ..ioi.;c 1 torr.G o ..." vocnliulary )
our acsumption will thcref·o:re be that 1:t' any rol€1ticnch1p does
e~1et, it ~u~t be a l'E'!.~te one . 6

1 1963; 1961,.
2 n. ct. C- I ).
3 1956.
4 1947 (t /S) ; th€ author r.opes to pul,lish thle material in due
cour 3e (:pr ivate com unicatt on) • .Al:ao un9ub1ielled is my o.rn
S~t1nrm ...Eni!,lish di cti onary (appPox . 12, t~Q ent~ies) .

5 1963 , 2112 . l am i r..dcibted t.<> Dr. J . ood1:>urn -ror o rawi ng my

in ..en t ion to thi a ( p.d va te comn.u.>1ica tion) .
6 Even 1
ot tf'n tot:- ,w;hmen sirailari ties ru.•e only f.'up1:rr.icial
( ,f:~·.t.1) ol , l~.Ju, 166) cm<l t h~~ heir.en cluct<"I' ( ""<"rn uaecl by
Schnpera, out coi~ed by Schul t2e , 1928 , 3) Wf.V c ons is t of
eevaral unre l ,, t e<l 11ngui s t ic -rnrn111ec; ( ,7ortphal, 1962a,b), lladza
a1)p~ar c to he <J.U1 te twr«-lnt.ed to f'roid a w~ ( estphnl , ;i.956),
Da, ,.,..ann has 1>-ror t.ed c-11ck f' cmong t he San;e of Y.e1.ya ( 1950) b ut
he wt eel/ retrains f ~om Qaki ng undue apecula t iona on poea i olc
relst1oneh1ps. K6hlcr , 196J, num io~i ze e s ome t ~e o~ies and
prociucPe new ar g-u.rne, te f'ol" aorno docr"e of i nterrelati on.
 ;;9

,eotpl nl f'tfi•ec;; i n •1ie- 11 . u:tstl<.: tHtrve:r t"ot 'it i l:>t

kno ,n whe-:;hcr· th~ lrm :i.i.egt· i s u.n1:f'()rr.t or 'f. cth r tterr ur

oiuloct1c£:l di v1 ,•ono . " 1 'he 1'1:t•fJt thi1,.. ,,c lO.\'f> to do 1e

t t eret'orc to Cf' tahllflh the un!ty or th"'.) Ian ua e . ro.u .Llppend tx

r ru~d 'np o . 2 it will bn eec~ t1·at t 1e inf'ormar.-tn ::ho •.ave

wo:rked out and checked. wl th the 3id of 1':ntl" :;;ri11ci;,al 1 elper>i> ,

t 1:•o of whoru are ... ro I t ~ cc t - en h·cl 'i8.r t of t 'e cou tr.1 1 o.n!
t "o fro.a the 'outh- ast. ont of' t
r ~ corded , ec~ tt-C' tap~s w.re u~ed i n t W?I'k of' t"'El'lSCI'ihing
and trenr lath.3 them • Thi s vor.k hat'! to e done b.7 c iscuo ion
i n tho ver·naculc:r because :ndawc i s not uae.i 88 Ei VW1 t•c·n

l r.nguage a nc nono of: t e 1n:.torma ts had CVJI' 8e!•;>. uaJ t:i:•iet:'.l to

,
wri t,· i ....
... i n the 6chooJ s wahil1 16 tau Jlt A8 t. 1e l i tt1rate
one:: of' tt o 1•ou~ evez, e:xper:tenoed w1y difficul ties

of' u nder standing t.h.r'ough d.ialoct1cal d i ffc1•ences . '.i'lletw e1•e

only sl i ght • but t.he lanfnla ,e cn·1 t>e ,uv1c1ea h•to ce.1tiial-
wes te,-n S&ndawc ancl aou th-E?Un te1•n ..,nndaw al thoueh the over all
wii ty .in remarkeble . 'Lh~I·e i s no clea,:• line of dinl ecticnl
divir. ion an<l the trnnn1tior 1 a gradual, but if'. a line hns to be
dY'aw-f) it coult'l. he cll•awn on tho roar e 1~c\1 milss to the ••"rt ,:,;;.~
the .vudu 1•i ve1•. Tl1P. aoutheas torn diulcct 1s die tinguishecl :t'l.'om

2 .:>l'mhili 1s now widely known but only i n an elementtll'Y way

and ae e checking m~dium it h~s t.o be uE<etl wit}, caut.102.1.
Since l!l8ny 1:>ongo have meanings which are iot known to all and
sur,dl-.1, t~:e ir :.oaninus hnvc bten d1scusaed. with tho
per.i.'or.nex•s irtll t,d1a t,,1y a.i'tet• rc<.:ortli11t, , wt.e11.evur ,ot3lb la.
Mn .J 0.1. t. t'l!l t c npcc1ttlly the oltlcr ones who h ave., e on , z>ibuted
the 1:1ost n 1gn1.r1cant texts , k.:iow VO't''f lit.t.lc Swahili il' WV,
ant.. to use t hut language as a r.ied1wa for otta1n1r~H tt.e
mean1nen o:t' obacUl•e ll&san.ges wou.ld ot'ten have been worse than
uaeleoo.
 0(1

c entral Lanti.a wc i n t. r c l'C'apcc t!J :

1. fll~'lfflet:s of enunci ation; eomhi nee wi th tht".' n1,:xt ff oturo Lh is

p roduces t ho e f'.f'ect ot a • ctra\'/l 1;
2 t no :i.'inal uns t r e:; e el vo ;al t end to . c r e tid •.eu. :1 ero i t ts
1
d r oppe d i n ct :ntral 0a.1ciawe , an~ $ 1t ,ilm'lY , ar. 1, oric1.i me a

pr ecedes a n i ni t i a l conoouunt wh i ch i s not ,. .e c aLc i n

ccnt r nl s~nclnwe ; 2
3 ri me 'locabi.l a r y d i f ~·ercnc os . 3

.r a tyv i cal phonol 0 i cal reuture o

tio t1cea. t ho s..rl l at, j c ua t m ·e of: E '" :<" •11 le -l i c lt con:::onu::ts4

and J oogcr nr, oi,e o f' tl e ' t'ot• :v dav e cJ.1.u•ac teri ~ ti c eyl lD.bl e -

r or r. 1ng conuonnr.tn t ol:Qw"'<l by ii e t ott!ll stop. • 5 '..Lhc: moc t

typical i opr e,;E; i on v:hich t i:• l anpinge l e e ve s on the unaccus ti)med
ear is 1ndaed t ~1~1t 1 t seems t o br.1 eu t; 1.12 i r- t i) au t o!.o~oua
S.it"llab las; i t, ao'..l.•1ds t he oppo- i t o o1' f l u·~l t . ~ !is j ::.pre::: ..,ion

is no c1oub t i ll tm e U?if'd b N the fr~qucm t occm-I'e i.cc

1 The"e ~orcJ s a:re u"•lal l.,r 0f· .fo.l'C ian 01•1 ,in. -· x umpleo :
h§dtfll I'or centl"al Sandal'le ~ -' 1 ato~y• , froth SWahil:1~;
lliti for .:t11.i!., •'Jlack cow' , .~r oru Rimi ..U.:U, er. ac:>0 0 :u.,thithli~
n.U.u 1·01• n1.a.!. or n1a.!., 'lisnt g ..~c.1 oow, l'.:.'Olll Kimi n.:t.Ua1,
Ba1Jaba1ga nya~;!eh;
~ ror !:lk.!., 'a brindle-colou:rc ct anii..al • er. Barnbaii ·a
~ (or 1lf!.:B.S21 acc. to flilson, 1952,36), 21mi ~ . JOgo
1.U:::.t.rum.
2 I:xumple~ : J.L1 for L.t 'to co110,{t>i, .2"..tlP.:r ver't)';
1!i!l.ul ()J.> ~ f'or .!hhs2 or> .!.2.Sl • to &peal. '.

3 Examples: Ui. .,,,§v ..~oJw rol' tlJMP.!A • to r,c~ carried on

~ for ~ ' 'the rocl behind or a bab ion• ;(111 weatern
Sandawe ~ ...oa.,e a bloodcilot lt ;'t in a ~ oman • s body nf'ter
childbiz>tr ) ; ~~ fnr ~ . hoeing ( t c secono e.Towth).
4 1909 , 127 (rererrcd to on p. 55) .
5 1911, 110.
 61

ejectivP-~ , otoppod con:-onnnte 011cl oto_pou vowels. 80111e people

enunci u te in u more ' top l ca• . a.,· tl1a1 o t .ere, but \fi th
ex e1•1encc 1 t ia not d11' 'icul t to ioola te the ~Yl lauic elernc
'l'hc featuz•cr1 wi ich h&ve eo far been ~n tio ea. aa t:tpicel !or
· antlarc ure &11 outwarC::.c 6lt,11s . The most aietinct .t{·uture oi:
all raoy be one Utich has ,wt st, far be-.:n isolated 1r. the

litc~aturo. A few ex~ ~lea h~ve aireaCy been c1ven ot ~o~e

lcinFhip ttirr.21c of which thc; ra0aning could he ea tahl13.i1Cd b~'

looking at tht;.ir• com_ponen t vai te . Ir. the wor1e ot' pz opllr

Zn."l.dawe origiP ( 1. e . not i n :;,untu ati11 ot~er borrowin.,_.o) uach
syllable nos bnsic&l1/ a ..eat ing o.t' 1 ts :nm, al ~11ough uu o.t'ten

us not thit.> ,1iCaning is extremely vt:..Juc and aome'tlmtts di1'.L'icul t

eylla'bles , an1. unlike ncithb()uri:r-3 larigua.~oo ~,anda\,e it, e highly

ac.:lutinative lanei.:.::ise. .c ...r11'<;. thL, in mina \'I@ shall Side thet
anal,yefa ox· the •..ear~in£1.i of' 1mU.v1dual :.iyllabl3a will in ::imv-

cases r.el:p uo to es tabJ.ish ~~e mcmiiuzu 01· .:,t.aerwisc ooscurc:

te:r•.1.u; in Sandai;re literature, espooiall.r in _poe:,tr~r.
As g::>tVJlr.lflticr..lly t:,picu:t i'eatu1"es o1' ..:.anda,;e .larnvr has
BUI:lmcd up tne 1'ollow1nL: ll) t l0 p1•onen~e of ;;:va.'ll ,at1cal

( 2) ew:':t'ixes for .f.ornlng the pl\wal; U) oaeo endin ·s for nouns ;

(4) dif-'el"ent verbs ror the cingular and 1,JlC plnral.

She adda that ( ,) th<.> basic word '>rder is subject- object- verb
nnd tha.t, 1•t1gardint{ the conet!'ucti on of' the gen1tiva, (6) t he
pocf:!esuoI' p1•eccdcs the th,ng pN:! eeoe:d. 2

l lt cc ms p1·ot1teblE tn t,ear in rl:l?'ld Jakobron and llnlle ' n

def'1n1.tion of' a !'.Yllable, which 1t "an tJlctr.cntary phonetic
frame e stablit"ha~ by d1ff'uee stape in which "1 te ira:dmal
r eduction 1D thP enerc.¥ output of~erE the closest a ppr oach to
silenco." ( 1956. 37).
2 1955.
 62

Werner•e short and ge1.eral article does not pretend to be a

critical evaluation ot the language but thie brief list which it
gives ot a few eal1ent featur es provides a ueef"ul basis tor
discussion. Greenberg turther r · m&l'ks that "the most consp1cuoue
ditt'erenoe [t'rom Bushman] is the abaence ot tense particles in
Sandawe, 1 whereas Stopa remarks that, like Buah~an., Sandawe has
no paaeivum. 2 These characteristics require some qualification
aid some must be correcteda discussion ot them may help us later
to clarify some of the peculiari ties which we shall meet with in
tho Sandawe texts.

<1> Q:rammat1cai aendft•

It 1s generally agreed that the feminine form-element~
corresponds with the -A- element ot Nama Hottento.t,.3 Drexel has
attempted also to isolate a Sandawe male gender eut.fix
in analoa with s1m11~ Nauta eut1'ixes but the lllajority ot the
example& which he adducee appear to be invalid.4 Dempwoltf saye
that only the feminine can be put 1n parallel, 5 but as Greenberg

l 1955, 89.
2 1936, 19.
3 Thie -a.- element is one ot the main features which led Meinhot
to believe that t neee languages are Ha.~itic;
with the Hamitic i'orm-e lee nt .1 ( 1912).
4 The -12.& 1n komqa (addreaa tor 'brother-in-law•) is not a male
gender eut'f1x, vtz. p.37, note lt ypmboi (addrees r or 'father')
is, according to intormante, wa-mbo-1 (~hinge sayer•, 1.e. he
who hae the authority); k'amba (•male domestic animal•) le a
borrowed term, ct. Burunge gaghamba, Iraqw za'amba, Rimi ·
n:taghpba, Gogo kamb4kJU mstkf-bai C•orphan') la Bantu, c~.
S~ahil1 m-ki•a (•one who has been abandoned•) . The two
remaining eumples m1ml2& ( 'corpse' ) and moboabo ( ' widower' )
a lao look like borrowinge .
5 1916, 67.
 63

.po1nto out. "the I!laacu11nc singular a!'t'1x - Im ••• ( 111) hi.a ' he •
may be plausibly compared t o the -~ r~ascul 1no ot: Hottentot and
Nuon." 1 In respect or t he feminine sex gender -AU Dempwolrf'
recar ke that Sandawe words for female th i ngs do not neccssaztily
show a fe minine gram.atioal form and t hat there are also words
ending in-~ which do not designate t hings which are fe male.
As examples or the f'ormer he quo tea andcl1 ( co-wi:f'e) and muta1•a
{second wire) and of' the lat terlc'.'. ' akagu { sw1) and tQ ' MAil\1
(girarre ), to which moy be added L/atsu (li on ). 2 But it appears
tha t these terms do not belong t o the ordinary cat egory of words
which have been ma de feminine by the atfixat1on of -illl· The
word //•atasu (sun) may be a contraction of' a circumlooutory
t erm//•akiwaisu which means •she who r epeatedly goes down•, from
a verb //•akS, •to go down•; i n t he cont racted form which now has
become the usual word ror •sun• t l1e -& e lement i s no l onger aeon
ae a detachabl e affix. The ~o~d ts'm0,9au i s a borrowed one which
looks deceptively l ike a feminine grammatical f orm.3 The word
1/atau (lion) is s aid to be //a-tsh~, which means ' a followi ng
(or chasing) animaJ. 1 .4 The 'remtntna tanta' which Dempwolrf
mentions on page 28 of hie work appear to be really verbal forms. 5

l 1955, 88.
2 19"16, 29 .
3 ll'l>om language of the Iraqw-cluster, cf. Iraqw tp4Jni§1, pl.
ts(m&i, ( Whiteley 1953, 11) and Buruna• ta4J9asl ( own notes).
4 Van de Ki mmenade, 1954, 65, lis ts the word for 'lion' with a
high tone diacritic on the oecond syllable: //ats4; the wor d
is indeed often so heard. .I11bJ1 means animal.
5 or. van de K1mmenade, 1954, 25. Forms like gubaausu !llld
n//gsusu which Dempwolff r efers to as •remtnina tan t a' which
end in -IJl.lU are translated by h:1:m ae ' pregnant• and •woman
with ohild 1 • Li terally the¥ mean •she who has a womb (or
roetue)• and 'she who has a child' but translation with an
ad3eottve o~ a noun 1a or t en t he only pr acticable me thod.
 64

The pooition now appears to be that Swidawe 1ndood posaeosoo

a feminine sex gender which does not necessarily have t o be
applied gramnatically to all wor de which deeignate female be i ngs ,
but all the wordo with a genUine -.W. sufi'ix do doocribe female

beings. 1'heoe n l ed not be phys ically femal e. Tho eun is

' !'eMale ' after all, but there is nothi ng s trange about this even
t hough the sun 1& more nale than tlle moon , a cording t o
in:t'ormante , and the na ,e of the moon (l.Aw.u2 or labiro ) is not
obviously a :feminine 1'ora. 1 Ob j ects 1n the ek3 are gener ally
treated as female beings. Birds are nor mally •rewale ' except
when t hey are large birds of prey. 2 '!'here i s no c lear-cut
dichotomy , which is not at all ext raordinary. Iechoye , the sun
of t he lla.<.1za, is male i n one tale "hero ho marries a woman called
Haine but i u another story Iechoko , whoso name ie stated to t)e

the s ame at. Ieehoye (perhaps the 'feoale sun'·, ), 1aarr1es liaine
who 1s then mal e . 3 Coomal'aswam.y der11ons t x-a tea the ~la ti vi ty of
sex i n I ndian philosophy when it is attributed to personified
natural objects or ideQlog1oal concepts; they may be male or
female according to the contexts i n whi ch they oocUl' or
which the.rare given. Thus tl'l.e sun le male i n r elation to t ho
a)q and t he eky i s male i n relation to t he earth. jue t as the
King ie female in r e lation to the Priest but male in r e lation

1 A f emal e eun a.~d a male moon must not be r ul ed out as an

impoes1b1lity, et. only the oer man ~ ~ a n d ~ ~·
But the Sandawe name of the moon r.oay also be construed as a
contraction ot a fem i nine circumlocutory term: !4-o-susU
means ' ehe has the condition of brightness• and !4- oi-suaQ ie
' ehe hae t he action of brightness• .
2 See t~xt No.22t line 7.
3 Kohl-~areeu, 19?6n
 65

hie own real.m. 1 Si milar symbolic oppos1t1one emerge from

Sandawe oral 11 tera ture bu t , as i n ·the case or Indian symbolic
dualiom and liadza mythology, no simple l i near arrangement can be
construed in which all the •male ' concepts are neatl y lined up
on one s ide and all the ' fe1nale' one e on the other. Sa.nda r.e
grm,u.1atical usage may s eem inconsistent because Gex gender is
not rigidly applied t o nouns . The Sanda,·ie use.a the .femi n ine
form-element when he attributes a certain feminine quali t;v t o
the thing he is talking about. Smallnecs , weakness, and
inferiority are such qualities, ·out these qualities need not
always be associated with t he eamtt objects in the speaker's mind.
Pots and gourde are usually :femin ine, being s.vmbol.13 ot the womb ,
but they oan also be mascul i ne . In text ?~o.46 oue po t is given
the name ot a woman and another i s spoken or as her daughter,
but the speaking goUI'd of text No.ll is nal e even though it
symbolically represents a womb which swallows up a girl; it is
male because it is large, aggresai ve, unsuperable as an •All-
BevoUJ>er •. 2 The uee ot sex gender thus gives an indication of
the symbolism involved. Sandawe sex gender is symbolic ra t her
than rigidly grammatical. as in lndo-EUI'opean languages.

£2) Formation of the n1ura1.

Two plUI'al noun suff ixes have been used to compare
Sandawe with other click languaaee; these are -kg, tor the
masculine and -.11 for the teminino. 3 Aotually they a1~ s o

l 1942, 49-50.
2 Sandawe symbolism is discussed in chapter x.
3 Dempwolf~, op.cit.,67, compares -ksU Greenberg 1955, 88,
compares both -kg. and -.U.·
 66

thnt they mu' t be .:·cgsrded u ; e..1:ceptior.s to the 1•1.:le t at. in

ot.tndawe tne plural oi' the oun iti th 8'11 #3 a the a i n ular
,:,ithout any chariges or a td ltionc. . ~m.lv t r•, e ,or·ds .. i th - t..2
plurals ha ve been reported and t,wo "1 t -ti p lW"ol •
/l!i,)So (ch ildren) , /ln~J:"o (tri bes.r~n ) and L/i,',r1: 2 (wanio.!•o), a .,d
..u.mJ..Ull or .t,<':lllj:is,1 ( o..:en) and L'Lr,,.Ql:~.Pt,R:j, ( 1rla). 1 ueotion i:-i..,
oz' i nt'orman tc hae not yiel ded a n:,, rnor a eYc61)t tt1~ plural r;,._' the

1ntcrr og tive pronoun bg_ Whici, io ~ . !1' t O OCCl.ll'l'wI C of

separate 1"or!'le for the plur al i s o.a rar•e an th t onf': oy
1.-,"1 t1'11ately wonde-r whethe1• th~y til"e not r~ lly form. which hove

or1e 1nully had imo t e1• ..ca!}i ni, l'fl t <"r than that. t he.,· uy be
r emnante of a once generall;; uee ct plur o l cotiB 1,ruc t1011 .

tQ. exprtts,itse anx i ety, and ~ may therefore al£10 .ean an

nnx1ouo ttwho?" i n the si!; .,.ul ar. 'i.'he. element ~ coul 6 be r<ludered
i n tranelation a a ' then' : ttwho the:n?". Uncer tainty about tJ,e
nature or nu".!lber ot t he peopl e or thi ngs inquired after D.&.'/ well
cause the questione r to a ssume n plural J.deutity !'or i t , h<no•
the plural :::eani mr. or ~ . r'ettpwol t'f euppl1ee a vernacubz•
with translat ion in which ti1e co nmon l y plural t~z·m LLnok!J
{children) has a eingular meani~. 2 l t i s t nez,e!'or e not
unr easonabl e to assume t hat Sand.awe has no original-~ plural.
Doub t may also be caet upon tho ex i s t e nce or a plural c a t~gor y
ending i n ·U, bec aus e the t wo - IJ.. eudi ugs i n t he vando"t.e t erms
for •women • and ' gi~le' a ppnar t o be di ffer en t. !ntor ~ants say
tha t it ia otr eoeed end has a r n iscJ t one i n ' u i r l s ' (L,LnQkQ&d),
whereee it is Wlntre esed t o t ~e poi .it of d ieap pea r ance i n ' woi:.en •
(1amete1) , tor 1ta variants are tornasl or e ven .1@m.ru:.!.·

l De ~pwolti" , QP ,91tu 30 -31 . , 1e ort ho,:raphy hae been qttoted

het>tt. Van de K1rnE.enade men tion s t he eame pl..wala.

2 l ext No.17 of tilie t hes ieJ s ee note l under t hat t 0xt.

 67

The -.GJ. endi ng i n thi s wor d may be of qui to a d1f£erent nature:

an 1n~(')rl!l3"lt c:p~cuJat"'3 th,t t e ~r· fo"' , ,.,() en ' 1'hich i o.:.•ton
pron need v,1 th an enp r t .. d t ( .1:'l!l.l.!.!:..t.f:1) l ~ c~ "k ·1 c • or
JJ:l.L\-tt- ll..!..-.1, ' t o~~ +" "h~ • ~ne r-:.m;:,' .
1
·i-,c cecond t picul
feature of the rcndawt" lt., .guarre in erne.t> ' ... 1121t '":a:7 well be n,;
abte~ce ratlier tht.n a presence: o!" r-uttlxe3 fnr t c p.!.m· 1 .
Th i e d1~cueQlon has ao ro~ been coccerned with ·~crrnal'
pl-ut>al f'or·na 1one onl,:,. Sunda we has :,~veral wo.;,n o~ forming
plurals ,1hich &l"e not plUl"'l.lle in the uou.nl sen,,e . Clost:ls t to a
norm.al plural f orfla ti vc coo.0 -x.£ a .d -rut• 'nia t:or er ex;,reesos
collect1vi ty, the lat t~r .r.•epc-ti t1on bot!1 in t 1 .e and in nu1.1lH!r. 2

l Literally •run-ror- eel~-~··

2 '.i.1.1.e :Corms ot•
-x.A are - x, -~ and -xf.· Dot: pwolfr', 1916 , 32,
gives o.n .J -:x. huii:n .Lor...... a pl·.U'.. l <: ten turu !'cl t.101' th..u-... a
l}l lll"al: .lUJl~ ( t' A t he rs a 11 e·•v;;e. to!'o ) , n!l£X. ( <Ail , =-- all
t\n:rn) , .lih<n.:. ( 1"or ... o t -· all t..:i, oo); tlie lot taro exu.lpl~ h tw a
lon.,: A ruui reacts 1l:.i.U1.'x. in ou:r O!'t.hogra];;hy. any exn:tiplee may
bi n:'ided , e . g. ah \ the .hol e cou. tr.r "" all. tao tJue.n),
!U.Ql'l~f!2:X (ht1 0.'"'1t., .. all -he ~cc>ple ) . '!ho lo\.Cr t.o ...erals show
the 8a~e endi ng; ~..!!..:.. (on~) ia composod of .t.l\!. (eclf), -~
, 1.11at wni ch) , ano -x. (all o.t) , 1.e.. •all of eelf' or I j uot
eel..''• •.n, \'iord. ~ ("t.t-:>) consists o.. U
1.al c.. ), - ru2 ,t.1ey
~Nt) Md x. ( a l of), i . c. 'there art, ju... t two 01' t11eu' • 'l'ne
numet'ele thr ee and f'<:>ur are b orrowi ngs whi ch G.t'O given tne
ea e ending: 'three• ie oo,' tt-x (Ju~w thr oe); 'rour' io
~ l (just roUl').
-a torms a re-el col lecti vt plural , ct·. van do :u....enede,19!>4,
16, e . g. ~ ~ ~ (etne) . Dompwol~f does not me~ tion thie
fo:>a: t,ut i t 1l!l com"!!o1: ~ :: he:,d of eat le , h'Wl'Jl':Ul.$1 = all
U·,e ca ttl e to~e t.hel'J J1//ols,g "' ch1l<1rant DL:LQ~ = all t he
c h i l dren oolloc t ive l j . dore w~ hav~ what ~8.Y eelm to ~~ a
doubl e plurc.l (~ plus x.g,). ~l'ho com ;ion p l ura l 1e ocnve r ted
i n to a colle ctive p l ural by the a~l'l1 tion ot' the col lective
out'f'1x.
'l'n~ t ,;1rz...1 -u ii! -~ plul." nasal 1aat 1o•. J the naeal1Gat.1on
r ·pre ~ents en i eolati ve (ee~ bel ow) .
-u is a r ep~ t itive el ement i n verbs ( t o .. exar:iple a see
Appendi x 11) e nd aloo i n nouna ( i n conj unc t i on with t he
t orm- element - ru;u a ee bel ow) .
 68

'· c• af.f'j x - tul ror Ms the plurul o1.' f'?t:lt' nouns which en' in -n.t.

1 aEial izotion ?f t,,,.. t':1 ··• l

th ref ore reall; verb l sur1:·1 v z .
vowel hae a. sel ctive, :1roloting tieanine in rotb. t. ~ f.li:1=1lar

the plural end 1 t cum tl1et'eforP ht1rdl·1 be called s plural

forrnat:t.Te el.eikvnt at all. 2 y focucing the e' te-nt1on on thP

nnun to rhich it 1,s attach<:d it inten!"i.fi~· it, att'.! i f the total

utterance has a pl\\rul 11e$.ni ug thiril nasalization will s trem.i 1 to

l )0•3pwo1rr , ~ ~.w. ,31 , gives thi, e:r.lWl)len il:.2.llleJl.f. (r\tn) , pl.

Liu>.mruuu .s,n™ (Rimi tt>ibesme.i.) , pl. ~sii~.§.~· A 1otnc•r
oa tegory o'f no uns nlso ueee - J.U2 tor plural torn.a ti on, i . e .
l'tor J... wl'I ich end 1r -1, e.g. lll)Y!Ul!ll:i (do- er, t'rom tLtt or u&
to do, - a r epet,1 t1Vt- S('t.101 , •.md -J. which indicatei· the
nc-;01) , vJ... Q/W;tJmi &o 1.uoe1•1i1 t 1 . 6 . t t.JG6 '-'l•O llnve act,ion) ;
~Ul (e,;c:>rc1.E> , .la!:os , fro t:J.:.........1, e:xo1•cbing dance, f.ee
··t'· ~-.,,,~.:,··~
ch&.f>.wl ),f"tl..Jirl('il \,bl ackEmitil, 1 . 1'. a hi~ er , t'i>O".l .cJ..~r.:1..{, t o
hi t ;:1etal wi 1.h El clangi • ~ ound) , ~l. nl Men-VJ.r_9.. I t 111 be
no t.1ClJ<l tha t t.he c l eU1ent litA U>lurcl or repetitive action) 1e
l.lleo u,o 1 n thin plUl'-1 .for11u t.ior.. Wl 1r.c!.1cate~ t.hc
pluI"a U. t y 0£ thf' actn, .nn. tl'e pluruli t;f of the ac tr,rs . 'l'hie
i s t ho moa t oom ,on use or -.aA as a pl ui> l element in nouns,
i . e . i i.. cohjunc tio ith a p l ul" l ver b- elei..e. ... t . Dei.:,pv:olf...
menti on• the .c>cpeti t1on-1nd1c t i ng ~ c t i on 0£ - im. in ve r bs
(..m.~ , ,39 ) a;1d van de i.i mn.enadc g i vee an exam;.>le o:t' tni e
f unction 1n nouns: .ltQka. (chicken ) , pl . tQisPW• I t .i.uat be
streaBed t hat the word r or 'chicken' doco not r equire -.no. to
t or m itn p lUl"al, bccaueo ~ ~uano ' chicken• aa well ae
'cl,1okene 1 • he1. - D 10 a d<ied the word s uggeate: a nul t i t,ude
ot' oh 1oke nG who r.aill arouno ; we t.ave here wha t "'a:! bt termed
a •repetitive - nuuoer a pl~ral' 1n e:.~loiY with t he ' repe titive
-action pturnl' whioh - mi rcr~s ln th~ e xalllpl eo olroaf7
q uoi.ed . A collect1vi t.:, of chickens would be exprcaoed as
k.okO:XO•
2 n. 1~ ~empwolt: •r o~thopraphy, gp,c1ti.,31. Lembl 6 o t t~1butee
a plurel oean1ng t o nosftlizat1on ( 1/ 6 , n . d.) but t he exampl e
he r.1vee 13 the -x.l ylural ri:cn t1one~ on t he prcv1oue page.
 69

plural1 t.Y. 'there ure 6oa.e othei• e.l'f1xet:1 which may somo timeP

bring about an er ect 0£ 1'11.1l'ali ty hJ U!lde.t"lin1.1g the e.xte11 t.,

the in tenai t:, or the cont.1 iuation .-,J..' a tni ,lg. The element -.zM
e:iq,>1•fmJGe 1·~meneity or distance, 1ntens1ty of' e!'t'o1•t , 01• len~th
o t' duration ; -u co. ve.fs an cncou1•agei::eut to action ox• ..wverr.ent ,
i n partlcula,• t uarde the epeakcr ; ~na - .i& ou~geb ta hal:ii tuol or
l
continuous action . '..heoe word- t:l, U1e ta aro more often al' ri,<e<.l
to verb a than to noun a , a ..d the ~lUr>!:ill tJ which t. ,ey lllfl.Y <.:onvey
l a only incidental.

he word-eler:er:ts which f'i t boot the a scriptio•, 'caeo

c ndin...,s I aI'e i end 1e.:.· .Lhc t'ir..;t is an ir.stn.;.,Jentcl1s 2 anll the

s~oond ~Locative , ,~ ~ .he latter doec not quit~ c~rrec,ond wi~~

the locativce 01· 1>st u.ropean l.mgu1:a .,,.,. . As Der.rpwolff oi n ts
out, i t is a loca. ti vc of :>l'igin rat er than of place. 3

l l1ei'lpWolft' could ::1ot d2t.ermi ne the meaning,1 o.f' theee nftixea

which ar~ indeed vague . or -~ and -l.tt t.here are numerout
e.xemples 11' the texts o1 th1s tnea ie; -u is l ess oom1~1on but
occurs more o:t'ten as a coir.ponen'ti o:t' verb stem~.
2 Dempwolt.f'. op. cit., 34.
3 Qrl, c,1. t . , 38. '£he !'1rst two ot.' the :t'oLow1r4' examples are Dez.:p
woltt•s; I co~~are them with aomc other exumpl es tor contrast:
lsUone;ato 'A ~.L/.wM;.. ' he stood at the entrance• .
selegi,l."ki tatr •a Ja.l..!.., 1 he rot out 01' the beooa'b tree' , 1. _...
rrom out or the tree•a ine1de• o~ hollow trunk. ~he ~
element which pi·Ecedeo .:t§.!. ueane ' i nsi de ' anct is 1J1 tsc11' a
locative ( der1 ved 1"rom t.lle !3an tu kiU!, \vi t n vowel trans-
p oe1 t1o . • Ito 1.ndopenacnt Sun<lo.wo 1'or>m-~qu1valcnt 1o ~ .
'm1dule • ) .
A locat1vu or di rection i s -w.; tt.ia ca..I ot bo used as a
l oce. t i ve ot p l aco : ' h& wen t .t,.a. the baobab tree • is a l §sclonaa
bJk!. ( the final & is the J r d por oon s i ngul ar ) aud ' he went
( entered) ~ the b aob ab t ree • 1s gelegolekitanaa .aLLAi, Th i e
doee not exhaue t t he poee1b 1l1t1e s fo~ r ender i ng t he l oca t i ve ;
some other f ormn may be uee d i n speci al caee e.
 I

A11oth<r ...·orrm t:i.v4' elucqJt ·.• hich t1a:; :fu... ct1o.• at' r. l ocRth iu
- J&; it 11,,· i o,i tea 1,la<:u a nd 1,1 "' 1n a va ae ,ruy , a .i! alr:.o

c nur-tH, t r; tvague i nuic~t.ive • h• porha.pe t 'n,; be. t t,,r1n to

Ufa,, ct·ibe it. Dei.1pwol1'1' t, tatt>s t u t. t'lis -.!:!: i t: ,1 ually idc
with t .e irnlcpendontl y UBt!< .t:.s.t, 1
oo c '. 1
.....e~1pwol!'t' t:i Vef a lonr; liu t of 1' >ri.a ti V( af1'ixee; i.,:l: v<."1•ul
or t heee coul<J be raore or lt ae suoceo:.,1'ully co1..pa1·ed y;i-tL caoe
e ndings, but as a on tcgor:; tnu e io l i t:tl, : :U f'! e roncc b$ tHeen
1
t."lnse tc::ise e nci1nga and thu t plu.ral t'Qrmative s' wh1<"h httV('

already been d1soun, ed. 2 .10th dety atteL1p-;s at arranging them in

oo';,prehens1ve claese P. which arc baaed on European 11r.0 uistic
oat5gt>r1er . 'fh.e:, e.re nll at'"t'ixe.,. which a dd ao"\e qual1 t :r to the
words ti') which they are att,ached and a s ot' tcn aa not they are
not even ~pe~ifi~ noun a~fi xv~ or verb atf1xes. but both.
Dempwol:f.'t" divided t r·e111 into "sut'I'i:n:s \"hich x•cco0112abl.; rolato
t o rraea, aticl:ll pex-eons 1 and othel's vmich do not, ai.d left 1 t at
t hat. The statement that Sandawe hae case ~nc1nga to~ noun~ !s
not an untruth but it do~s not I"Oflect th<"" true :90E1 tion either.

The U6e of d11fcrcnt verbs ~or ! ne o1ngular and £or the

pl~al i s a re'llarkable fea tu.re o~ the langu.age . The number or
verbs wllich ohange their e t.eme i e not very large but t he.,-
describe basic actions a."ld are often used. Derepwolff gives a
l 1et o.f ni.ae such verbs3 and van do Ki?:Unenade liat.s f!f'teen, 4
but. t .ere a:-e 12ore t han thece. Bocause the/ are e"lco,mtered
e verywhere in the texts a new eun ary i s given in Appen<'.1 1Jt Vl .

l 012, Q~ :t• , 38.

2 QR,c1i., 32-39· In the next psges a ~ew ar ·1xee o.re mentioned
which ha-.e not .rct been recorded.
3 ~.u., 20-21 .
4 1954, 23.
 It wll:1. ue vo iced t 1t. a i....ouble <J ichotor.zy '"' 1 ..a . o..1 0.

'orci orde~ in t nndav.·c 1~ b tH,' :! e1.,1 •:,· eub j~c t - obj<,c t - vel'b,
but r9quireme.1ts of' erepharia er.cl then ed t~ d.rav.· attention to

& pa.rtlcu1a1• part ot the ec11t,~ .. ce :a.f odi..'y tn1 1:1 . '!'his hap:r.,ens
q..t1te :f'r tiquontl,,' . Acco:r•ding t o t ~~(l :rule a , andawe would aa,y the
sentence ·•aoa e1•oa ted tn0 world" in t he :followir,~ order: ' vod -
the wor lti - crested ' ( 'lpron :JW I 'll ai IV311' 16J. Jnstea<1
usually oa;, ' the world - c od - crce.ted • (l!.ilr.ln .::.Drw,~11 WJU...~.ut)
because t hi n d:rm1t- attention to the a.ct or ct'f.' at.ion h.y J~g..
Dt.mpwolt't' P-ecs such constr1Jctione Ge a r.:ia t.ter <>1: style , wn1ch no

doubt i t is, bu t i t i s perhaps ~os siblo to Etay t.1-Jat t 11c" e .. ay be

a syntnc ttc :rul o 'Nhich deranue t he gron~ing tr>_.othe z• c1' ·.rords

wh i ch r ~pr1>scnt O'le co 1;.l· x "f' ideas (' ')u. crea ted ' ) wi tt1! n whi c h
t he rulE stil l hol ds t ~ue ; this verb- complex then ~till £ollo~~
t lltt ob J <ec t or 1 t i n t~c corrttct oNier object verb co~l c.x.
Dcci~wol ~i' ' s t'ormulu \.ion ot.~ t he word- or c..e r rule now seEJmo mor e
ae tiet'&"tor y t ha n t he 0 1w qur>t· cl a bove, s i nce- 1 t l aavee 1110 ! e .ro o14

to t'1 t i n tho 0 0::ipl e:1: hypothec10 . Jie says :

"The vari ous r Ule. a wltich have been f'cw1d £ or tr.<> wor d order ,
t hnt a ub Jec t , oo J " ct, a ttr i bute hllC. de:;>endeJ,t reute"'co are
placed in f'ront , aiay bo 1'1 tte d i n t o 01 e general torumla wh i ch ,
a s 1 t wer e , xpl'eecee tlw governi lld" i uea wi.ic.h under l ies a ll
@en temcf' c ons, ructi on 1r1 ...,nuda .fe: wher e a p s ycnolog 1cal
1n te ·dopendenee- o1' i dt as e x i eto t n i a ie 1n<11cfited by ~lac i ng
the dependent complex o~ i dea" i n :t•ron t ; 1n o t her worcJ.e:
• t>egcru, eequ1 tur rec tu· •. ,.l

l QI>,c1i., 20 (translat i on mine ).

 7-

iiL-:11~ f'MlliYJt•
nesnp 1olf.f' s 1"orm11lat1or, of the ·t.Qrd .:>rdor ia also . i1U -

f ac·t, "':/ because it cov~rs !"lle cone t.ruction or the cni t1 vc, aa

i n eppoti tion the 9t•inci,>·.1l nou:~ 1f1 preceded by its at.tr>1bute,

i.e. thf' noun which repre"tmto i tu pocsosoor. 'i'hc po· e~ or
prec edec the poseease 1. uandawc sa.,y ' the cow• o hea<1' • tl')t

'the head or. t he cow' •

, rt.e,1barg states that '' the riost conop,.cu-,ua diff'tlrence

f be tween :3anda•:Ye, r.nd Nar on and oth~r 1.hoinnn la gi1a.;cs 1 in tho

aboonce of' tense port1clen in ...iandn w •. 111 J ro.i,)el' tem.1c pnrtlclee

a ?'e indeed absent in tt,e Gan::ia,.e ,,cr l. . The ,::·,stem of suf,., ixet,

"hich it useo is not in h~ f1.!'n~ olnce U 'lle- d1otinct1WJ but i t

oonveye a sense of ti e as u a6conJ,;.r:, produc... '.!.'ico 1:, i n t:ic
firi;t place exprogeed by a rnetllod of pos 1t1.on1ng the per&on-
1nc.'!1cot1nt. ,slem'"'rte: ti1ette may be ouff1xcc!. to the principal verb

or to a preceding word. .:.>ince no t ..e or/ ot the Sanda,:<. .;oro

,Y'f\t hcen advs.mcod a brief' outline wil l her~ be g iven of what

appenrn to l'>e the w,<lerly inc p rincipl e .

Three categori 8 o~ euf,1xoe provide what ~e..y loose ly be
oalled tf:neeei : ( a} 1'orm ~lemente which in<licat.c r:;r~1 nat1cal
person ; (b) non-personal at't'i:xes of tht> ge11eral type wh ich are
alt o arp11ed to nours. anc (c) douc le- v<r•b conf'tr·uct1ons in
which one ve~b is placed in a dependent position to ano~ier.
The poei t.ion 11> t "lc r·r.t•ort> rf;l tNn•Jrabl.y nualogoll$ to ttte tr•eatmen t

of nouns.

1 195? • 89. Ye t there are eategoriesi whioh closel y r tliemblc

teuao particle5, vi~. t he one discussed undor (b) below.
 wl lch Ya!l de :i.c .cnude lurn at""e 1ptcd 1o o~· a i. i u • c 1,• a ot
ten·· "l ich, al tl.ough uoe..:·u1, is aluo ieleadin; nince i tC\
catog.>ri• G <!t> not car-respond w1 th tl1e pr1nc19lee ol' ..3a1 dnve
1
verbal 5tructnr<.. ;mda:neata.ll;r t re a.re two r:eta of .r~rb
fo:- nt.t7~s whiclt 111~icute gra ntical p1"rtJon ; uei t iJr oi' them
is i n tt.~ !'1r•ht r;l oce t11e-1n,uont1ve, nw'l the cur <::r oncoa

ber.we n the two oet$ l)nly help t o 1>,dicat.J ti"<' a! a by-) .-,duct
ot' thci~ I~iret t'ur.c tioris . 1'.h~ one set itH'l~.cs.tec puPpoce...."ul
a cti o \'/hile th~ other i !'l<licute~ existlng fact which c.:1:c. be
obocr ved a:1d t~k(·• t':".>r· c,rantcd. Tlie i'i>r.!er is in :f'uct a

ot' e !phet.ic torr":& while th" latter 1ri non-emphatic. 2 '?he

e:-:pha Mc form i s nornal ,:; sut"t'i.Yed to tne pri ncipal v,•rb an<'i 1 tE
nction tten tak~n place in tne prc!'ent o:• i n t e t'utur e . '.the
non-c.:ph.:.tic i'orm 1e unually r.,..t 1:rcd to a word which precedes
t11e pri ncip a l verb enc the ac t io1 t" ( n tnke«. place i n tr.e present
or in the p a~t . It ie understood that this is a
only ; it fo ver:, ell posciblc ror a Sruide. ·e to make an '!mphatic
o tat eme n t about e ometh i ng 11hich happened i n t he ps e t , by ,.oi n~
aff1 r r.tativos . 'Ihc by- "r oduc t of t he er.iphnt1c/non- e111pnn ttt c verb

disti nct.i on 1s a va,;ue zrf P? v· <l1st1nct1on i r time 1n whi ch the

d1v1s1 on 'bt'!tween r ·..it ,2re and past rune more or l e s, thr ough t ho
pr e a4'nt.

l 19.,4, 24- 26.

2 1 owe this d1et1ncti on t o a a t atnnent oJ ~r . Lyi no ( 1n~orMant
1,o. 28, Appond i x tV) who Aaid t hat: •• .1b <'IP ~·ou s ay ~ru.
(you l ove ) y ou ea.v that a person ju.et l o ves S•:>ll!eone , hut i t
YO\l s ay Clt'! OlUUl.Q you t e ll h1r.) tha t .rou are oerta 1n tha t he
\Jil l l :,ve that \101:1.8 '- • rn tin y ou e ay ni ~ ru\ ( ,Yott l ov+- ) .rou
say that ~ve :r>~one knows t hat ,,'ou lov<.• her , for 1 t ha £' been
t hat way f'or SOLi~ t 1 110 . ''
per )nal pronou,.., ... 1c · i ven t i .rr t in Ol"dt,r to ehow thnt the
"' 19hatio V<.?l'bal f'ryr·i1s a:rc 1n f11r.t the oa:rne aa the prcno inal

.for11·s . Thoy arc t hez,efore n(')t ,just. verbal t'ormr. out m()r !' than
that, tne.r or~ gnneral pernon- ~c·noti n · elcreen~ a . 1 <."or t'u.r•thfJr
co11\poriP.on the eg.uivelcnt i n ter·ro ativc .rorma s ,.e added, aria
als o ti...e form~ which the per son-denot1·1g element£! as s~·· in the
r ol e nr verbal objecte . 2

l er.:.ono t 1•at.ive elements wl.ich f orr: tl:..e :t1rrit syllables ot

-,c reonal pronoune have bee a aepar>a ted .t'rot!I t t1c pt'L'Son- dPnot.ing
\,le. ,:mts l1y hi ht.:nR . It is se n at a glanc<'. th~t o.11 the
emphati c forms of the verb ere ti..e same a~ the p:t-onominal
!'ora.s, .except "tne .3rn person sing nltlr .,&sci..lh,e. let. ~ver:
thb is tnt, smr.c: . The par son- <~enc t.1.n.g ~.).{' 1;1.r:t or the p'onoun
(-MJ 1a adc up r;f -w. calir.e a e:r. ger.uer) s.ru'1 - .1
(r.1t1
det oti r~ el~mon t). The co .plete ~or~ or. th~ 9ronour. ,
may actually t.4 till be heara., alt 1ouz!~ oul.l z·aroly.
2 Van de t, i ,cmenaue's paral'l i gm of.' the Uran.:.atie ver b (19!1!.,
showt, ,.,•iat o.t .r11.~01; sight may loo!: like 11 th1rc act 01' ptrson~
denoting elemcrte. Hie •nan.i ns.rr at1~ ' contains t~o forrno
LU., 121., :!2.A, ~ i''>r the R1ngular and RQ., Wt, M '1"or t he
plural. the , preosde the ve~b and l ook like inde~ende, t
words. Actually t he.,. are nothing but the non-ea:iphatic .forms
aJ., 1, A, 1.2.c. (singular) and~'~, .A! (plUI'al) of our table ,
which are attached to the preceding word A~ in t h~ normal
mnnner. Ell in a colloquial anacruo1o and means •and••• • at
the oeg1ru,1ng ot a son u ,uoc. 01. Dcmpwolt'1' • Q.U, ca, ts, 19 ; he
tcrlll.a i t an 'Aut'tokt'.
'orme like - .9.l. ~ {and I loved), -R1 l!l!!QJll\ ( ant'! :,ou loved)
etc., do indood co:rr~e~ond ent1roly with a •pm, ..·~ norratif',
but thin hes no; been brought about by the 'decleneion forms •
\ tn.e pereon dono't.ill!S. elements) but by the uee of the particl e
Z2lL wh1ch p~r r¢~me here the f'Unctio n or a tenBo pnrt1ole.
So~ aloo note l on p.72 and the discu3~1on undor (b ) below.
 75

PJ::HSOltAL $ U ,i J C T l S UBJ E C ! 0 BJ f C T 2
PRON Om ( atf1r ,e. t i ve) ( 1n tf'!rro ga ti v e)
-.r,-emph . .... ·~" tiC' ') _ ... "'!->. I :,}·"' t 1 c . 1:nple ''repol'!··
"paa t- "t'u tu!'l!t-· ')ast- 1
1'ut·a·e- 1tioncl

,l
pr• ~nt tt ore nt~
·----~~-------~~~
pre,"'nt •t pre• ~t t"
-s' n -n<'- -x.ce-
!YOU ha- ,111 -i - o-nc - no-
'. he he - wt': -a -! - na -!-ne - <>- -kwe-
I

she he- a ~ - ::~ -f"U -1-e J.-re -cu- - ~eu-

we c- -o - r,U -x~n-
YOU !'J -c - ne - si- - xF; i-
tbe7 ho- "'6 -a' - n:..' -Bo-ne -1-(-1-) - kwi-

Pe ttern!" of cori•espondence sh~uld oe sut'f'lc i cn tly c l ear 1'eoi:i

thi "' din ;rar" to be evtoent. w1 thout <ieteUfJrl an6ly,,1s . 'foe

principle· or the :no~i ti()njrig or the non-~mpha tic and the

e:siphv. tic forms lr,: 'he lov-,:"l' c ~·.u {h~'l'I{-~) !:lS"' ·DA, but • he

doot- 1-:>ve• or 'he will lov~' - nntt 1n~~nft-i·

l Dempwolff ,op 1 cit•, 30, thin.~s thut there 1e al.oo a f orm for
the 3rd person plural t'eminine , e..• u hE. c:;1 ·1ce an e:<ulllple i
.!..1.Y.nX. t~!MD ~!UJ.: ' all the nrthere ht,ve <lied'. However, the
1'or111 1!UJl-U cr.ay b e explained f'ro.:i ..mu (all) plu.e ~ ( 1av1.ng
or being) plus - l!.!. {see table) .

2 Tho 3rd per~on ~lural etr1kes a d1ecordant note. Al thoueh

t he usual form tor the o bject is - lu?1- th~re exiots an
eir.p!'.atlc e~,dvalcht - ~ 1n t1..0 aouth-eaa tern p&rto.
'!'he element -x- t'orms the prcpoo 1 t i ono.l .f'orm of the vGrb .
~-x.-122-a.', 'I am telling ( unto J :tou', of. ruumA-lU.\-C.•
'l love you• • It 1aola tfls the goal to111,1Jrd which the ac t1on
ot· the verb 1e d1recte"·· V&n de ~ i rarr,cnade epeakG of
'compll toent !n'11r.. ct', Dempwolfi' or ' da ti VUF. ethictts '.
'l'ho t'orns -m- and -.t:11.- have obviouii;ly t-een f"or~4'd wi tn
the same -x.- 001..ponent, from -ilil-1. and -tl!U-1·
. e.,a ,,iv, .. or., ere . _
a. tion, 1m·>of H1b1 l1 t, ). 'or•
e. 1~.pl , r.!!_~-llll.-.1!::&.il I unr-: '! cl n . . t :"'ve yo,J. ', but.
-....:Jll!-.Q.Q.-~ i. 1
I do ·iot l w Jou nt au ( the po a1htli ty ia

c::::x.clPclerlJ; also •1 ciumot love :,on• and 'I ~r1all not lo·.re you •.
The ~ oi· ~o1r g e.:rnm. lc-s oh:>w that in v r nl af"'ixe,: the nt jcict

J2.!:<'cede13 t.he :mb jec t. .

(b) l, on-peroor '\l ·1r!'ix<•s which a:re not p:ropt,rl:r sp~al 1',g
te•.3e p3rticle-& ay have a tenne-rorm1 'e: efr·~c:t ao a :,,7-prod1.2ot
of t.hs i r z-01:1.l .::cani 1gs . De::opwolf: re dere the meaning o:t' - S§.

a "'~ I ·· _.~111' t 1 a~ (1 van oe

L,te:-;,rctc.tio c ay . ~ c ,1•1•eot up to o point, but they onl::,

Uf ": ('I scicor dr r ecni ng ,f - E.!1• l ta oao i~ tune tion 1e t<>
o.'1" ..
~ . . ...1 ......
, .. lwn a girl i ~.r "'C• after norn" dltwdl1n on her part ,
to bo t.o the . ell und de) t er job ,,"" <lPa\"in 111ter, ~he \!'lould

r epl y : .!'M.. k!l-!!.!.-i.m", ' 1 !Y!!. goine • (hut I .am. !\l.t.~~ goinu&).
J i nee tt~e verb -.as already 'bee:1 provided with a pert on- J~noting

elome-.it (-ci , -a 18 only a st,cond af.fi'lf. It i :3 -.,laced after

tllc per~on element ; th1~ 1e its emphatic ( •ruture • ) pos ition.

~hen it i o Dlaced befor~ th8 person, after tae p reco~ i ng verb,

:1 t acq_u!:re~ n non- emphatic ( • paat 1 ) t.eani ng. ln v&n de K1mrnen-
nc.e 'e ~xa~.l,)les ~...&l...!i.!. ( I lovf'6.), ~=8::.1 ( rou loved)
tl '!" - Em , 1e ,ent hae only a weflk a1':t'1rlllative enning, as in
'I uid love ',' y ou did l ove' 6t(h , r.1 t hout nnJ t:rupbasie on
111'i +,h an obje c t tnece fox-m.fl become ~-I.W.-.'.m.-~ ( l do or <:.id
love you) and ~-!!:.!,··L!.-.s&. (I anall indeed love ~ ou1Qr I d o
1ndoad love yo u). e se e once t.'lor"' t hat the necond &£fix is
placed al."te,· tho p~l·nou f'or emphao1o, and after the verb-

l 1916, .;2.
2 1~54, 24.
 77

object olue ter which precedee tt. if t her e 1a to be no emphasis.

The fact that the primai>y meaning o~ -a& 10 af't1rmat1on and not
tenee ie a ttoeted by the example : l2ll LAedn-.EtA odr:QrA, ' then [your]
e~e will turn rotten green • ; ii' -BA were a tense particle the
oentence would have to be translated i n the past tense , e i nce
-EU! precedeo the verb s6r9l"ll {to be or become mottl ed- green} .
The text from which t he exampl e hae been taken obviously does
not allow th1a. 1
The affix -kt i ndicates an action which i s under wa:,. 2
In COQb1nat1on with another affix, -t!l which expreseee urgency
or anxiety it £orme what could be oolled an urgent conditional
perfe ct t enee: hlate-kt-~-1"l., •we would have diedl' or •we woul d
be dead: 13 Together with -JlAll which is a durative- arti r mative
the tenee of the verb geta even moro £1r ml y lodged in the p ast: 4

2 Dempwolft, op.git., 34, t erms th1e a 'denominative • and sives

the ~ollowi ng examples: L.!JJl = snake , t•1ntt ; to sti ng;
.lttn • tongue , ! kenke c to sharpen; L.n1D. = mea t , LnintG = to
bite.
3 H1al.t ie a plural verb which meane • t o die' (eee Appendix VI},
and ~-kt indicates the action o~ d.Ying which ie under way.
Tho -2- i e the lat person plural, non- emphatic, but euft'ixed
to the verb hlate-kt rather t hen precedi ng it; it precedes
t he element 1',Q which l e emphasized and hos taken up a position
corresponding to that o~ a final verb. The agglutinative
nat~ o~ the Sandawe l anguage allows virtually any smell
speech element to take up a position ot central importance .
The element-~ haa been described ae an i mper ative (vm_;ae
K1m~enade , 1954, 25; Lembll, Y/S ; Dempwolt~, 1916, 24) but
1ta bas ic tunct1on 18 to expr ess urgency or anxiety ( Demp-
wolft ,oq,cit.,35 has hinted at this).
4 The -.ko,,,-kQ and -kt,,,naa-ko nor the naa-ko combi nations
have eo rar been repo•ted but they are not unco aon . The
•leaent -D.11. 1e poss ibly r elated to the directive -wi {page
69., note ;) .
 78

~-l!.t-a-~-k.12 means •we would have bc~n long dead! '

'nl ie eorres1onda with t he oonditionnl paet preterite, but since
the speech e lemen ts whi ch contri bute to this c onstr uction are
not i n t he first place tense particles thi s need not always be
the case. 1
Another a££1x , -.1s2., i ndicates the state whi ch r~oults from
com~leted acti on; it ehowe f i nished achievement. Cons~quently
it is suitable t o convey t he perfect te nee : ~ .ib.lJ.!:1§.-~-~
means •the door 1~ not l ocked ' or 'the door has not been l ocked• ?
(c) Double verb cona tructione ~ay a l so be ueed to c onstrue
good equivalents of preeent and perfect tenses ; one of the two
verbs may of'ten be us~d i n much the same way as the auxiliary
verbs • to have• and ' to be ' i n English. The Sandawe uee 1:lm.
(plural~) which means • to be 1n a place • or ' t o r e~a1n' , and
~ . ' to fin i sh'. ~or exa mple , ' he ts waiting in t he house •
i s in Sondawe ib.oQta ~ m. (i n the house - wat ta ne - 1e).

l The girl who i s urged to draw wate~ coul d hove r epli ed, afte r
eome moro 1ne1etence : h1t!.1-il!.-waa-iut, whi ch ie an annoyed
' but I u goi ng! (cani.ot you see that I amf )', or •1 have been
on my way for a l ong time!'
A sentence 1n t he mi ddl e o~ text No.12 roaoe: ~ honohonowa
.&l1.!. k'itl'ekdnaako tphgea nzf'wakwei, t he t ranslation of whi ch
1e: 'and t hen he slithered out 1a A~~ because of t he
neads which had been cut off'. D1esect1on of ~·1i1 •s-.td.-nwt-
&2 givee us : •to bo t'urioUD - ac t ion - durat1on/att1rmation -
anxiety', 1.e. 1n a very gr eat fury. Tr anslation in t he form
ot a -pre terite t enae cakes no sense here , and it i s much more
aat1etactor y to om1 t &?l.Y r eference to time .
2 I/and..., Kimmenade ment.ione -~ on p . 26 of hie grammatical sketc
(op.cit. ) Ho ota tee that 1t ~orrne the 'par t ic1pe pasel' when
added to a verb, e. g • .nLJt-a-m, •cut• (said of treea): nLs2.
meana •to cut•, - ltll ohowa t he plurality
the treee, and -.tst r epresents f i nality.
 79

(in the house - waited be - finish). Ye t it remains doubtful

whe t her the term 'aux1li819Y verb • ehould be uoed, for thie uaoge
amounte to nothing more than t he com..;on Wf!¥ 1n which two or nore
verba may stand in apposi t i on. To take an example from text
No.l: ..a1. .ax. /'4M;i-g' gU '§ L1 (I - Jue t - wao above - hurry -
come ) means • 1 have just arrived flyi ng i n t he oky with gr~at
speed'. Double verb oonetructione are c omc1on, especially when
actions like going, etaying, running etc. arc described, e. g.:
b.1a b.a!1 nLLu when h6 went[and) arrived;
.tu !bu mA!J. t hUB he ran (and) circled around.
Also 00J11pare:

AX. ot• ,too and t.hey went and w,mt1

and: AX, nil. l}! I .V00 and t ho:, went on goi ng and goi ng. 2

I t we compare the pos i tion of D&A i n thie example with the

position o f ~ i n ' he 1e waiting i n the house ' we se~ how a
change in t he word eequence alters a ver b ' s position rrom on or
dominance t o dopendence; this i s i n accordance with Dempwol~f ' s
rule ror the word order. It f ollows thot wor d ord\!r i nfluences
meaning. 1<hopto m. ma = t n the ho1l8e he i s wai ting ( or: i n
t he house he i s [an~wa1te), i. e . he has been doing Bo tor eomo
t1~e and 1e et1ll waiting; but khoota .diJ!.a J.:at # in the house
waiting he is (or: in the houee he wa1ta[and]rema1ns), i.e. he
1a there and goes on waiting. In the tirst example the tense ot
!:at. ( to bP. or to remain ) is preaen t/-paa t but in the second 1 t is
preoent/tuture. Tb1& is entirely i n agreement with what hae been
said about the erreot which tho poa i t 1on of non- emphatic and
empnatio person- denoting t'orme has on tenee.

l - ~ is a euff ix which, it hae been seen, conveys a meani ng

or 1mmens1t~ ot d1otance, errort, or duration (ct. p. 69) .
2 nil and n1!. are plural v~rbe (of.Appendix VI). The eingular
!l. nt•z20 1• lU!X.. b1k'yoo; of ax~ n!'yoo it i s ~ .1Z4
hik',roo.
 80

Genuine auxiliary verbs cannot become mnin verbs by merely

changing posi tione with t r em, as 11'1 f)andowe. This chowG that
the Sandawe cow1terpart or th~ auxiliary verb ie not r eally an
aux111ar.r verb at all, but rather BP independent ve:rb in n
subordinate position.

,a} Tbg absence of a naes1vu.m....

Sandawe hae no category of structural e le~en te whi ch have
the sole purpos e of eT.preee i ng the pas o1ve voice, but there are
several wayr. ot mak1ng cloee ap~rox1m&tione to it. Wherca& i n
western languages a ~aeeivu~ i ndicate~ t hat a person or objoct
unde~8910 an action (it tekee place without their active
participa t ion), i n Sanaawe the action occurg J!1l1l ~ . Whereas
the European pa~e i vum 1a a negation o~ active participati on and
1e seen ae the opposite or it, t he Sandawe equivalent is
OOQplomentary to it. A com~on way to e~presa 1t i s by the use
ot the eutt'ix -~ which X'!eane • having' • Pol' e,cample , • the coat
hae been holed ' is rendered as 'the coat ie hole- having ' (sitl'd
~-a.n,). In this ease the assumption ia that the hole
there by wear or by accident, 1.e . without much act1v~ inducemen~
'file af't'ir ma ti v~ rur1'1x -o may also be used. ' 'the gourd baa
been hol ed' iG ~ /hut)1n- gn (the gourd, perroration - it does
have), 1.e . it hae had a bole carved into it with a knife in
order to pr ovi de an opening eo that jt car he filled with water.
Here the assumption 1e that t he existence ot tho hole hao been
ac~1voly induced, but not b¥ the gourd. One may aloo uee the
J:>eflex1ve torm ot t he verb , .lA!J..• In text No.5 t he Sandawe
version or ' all the t r ece wer e complete ly rilled (with birds] •
readt11 : .thu .tw tfh1a • ho Jon-tg ' 1 ( t he treee - all - they have
completel~ - filled t hemselve~ ). 'the ass umption i s this t i me
that t he t r eoe have become filled with birds becaUBe they did
 81

not resiet them. Yot ano~he~ was ot expl'esging the pasalvtm is

to use the elo~ent -~ which, ne we have oeen, indicates
completed action and •h1ch there.ol'e pl'ov1dee a su1tabl o means
~or rendel'ing the perrect tense. On page 78 we have used the
example l1.IA .UllJm§-~ -.la.!.t. which m~ans 'the door has not been
locked'• Apart from telling us that the door lJAi. been left
unlooked ( pert'eo t tense) 1 t oleo tells us that the door has
J1.sum le:t't unlocked ( pasaivu.v:i). The aesump'tion 18 here now,
that the door has reached its t1nal state of being unlocked
by eomeone•e om1aa1on to lock it. Whe ther t hl o has happened
actively Ol' passively 1a not the point; it 1s the re~Ult which
counts.
\llth· reE:,al'd to the nature of the Sandawe ;pase1vum we r1ay

oay t~en, that Sandaw~ linguistic ueage is concerned with the

oboervable state which results t.-rom a verbal action, not with
the queotion whether the resul 1 hae boen ob tained by aoce
' active • or ' paeaive• method whtoh tinde 1te origin in tho
eubJect. The reeult 1& 1:::portant, not the cause. In . anuawe
is the nmAf1V§ aspec~ ot the verb which rPplaces the .D1\,s1vr
~ in lndo-Furopean languages ( and in Ban tu), juo t ae the
vorb tenaon i n theoe laneuagce aro oubotituted by vGroal ................_
in Sandawe. Even case end1Ilf;o nro novn -~epecta rather than
gram 1nt1cal ~ ·
This d1souao1on ot some salient grammatical points may
have shown that knowledge o~ tho Snndawo lanruage hao until now
not been en tiroly ndoquato; some il1qu1rioe have 1.l1erc.f'ore been
neceoaary before we oan begin to discuss Sandewe oral literature.
A tew turther points ar1P1ng t'l-om ite presentetion will be
d1ocuased i n the remaining eectione o~ this chapter.
 82

'.i'he &CQJ.H! Ql' '.2XQ.l U t _ e ~ .

on pege one I pout tl,i t6d that t. e Se.nda\\'e h·· v~ a l'lot·tn-
1'fh1le oral li uratu.re . '.Lhe i'ir•i:,t ouestion '1h1ch a~ir-ef, t.hen is,
wnat 16 li teraturc. '!he Shorte:- Oxi'ol'd - iotionary define~ 1 t. as
" ••• 11t--1•ai-y productiono as e whole, or , lctrn widf'l>'t
wri ·•1ngs ePteemed :tor beauty of' t'orm or emot1or.ul ef'lc.ct. 111

:.u::i ir obviouel:r not verJ helpful when applic~ to th~ fan<lnwe

context or cvE;n to the wider conteYt of' Jdrtcan o.rul 11 t.c·rature
o.e a iv.nol a , but it oecc.s a useful poiu .. o ..: do~ur vure fo"J.· o
d1t,CUS6ion. ,,n1 t,c.::lt\Y POih ta Oll t t.1a t 't,liC doi'ini .. 10.. ,lU:.l ll

descriptlvo ar.'-'- a uo1•i..ut!vo clde {U.d .,ht:t ti.<.. la ttur ncoua

)
cu1.•o.tul e l auoration. Ii.. o ..'.·erl> !:.ne dii'.icul t .i,,wool.el.l .;f what

constit:lteJ;3 litel'atw·e anu 1at dot,2 1 ~i. im uf u1c ..iou t

11
tw• guesti,.m foet ie .ul.te.•u1.ur~·. ct.u,,
A.ll anew re to l

ou..~ost , >e rf" meed to three:

I 1 ] t11a t 1 t iE knowle(1ge :
[2] that it is the expression of enotion ; and that
(3] it it. thf" arouein~ 01' e..iot1on 111 tmt r eader- . •3
In our case of oral literature 'lis teuer·' would 01.• course nave
to e subs ti tutt'td ror • ru,cer ' ..
xe ~. u'-d'ul a (:. this o.etinl tion ..lay bu , it C()Vers onl.;

of the probl em :01• it leaves one question of' ,jhii.elLy•u w.1.-

''It one to regard th ver<iict of eld rs i n coui--tca$e.; a6

cor..:,ti tutir..~ li 1.crati r~, or thti str .:..ctur 2

1

c.ur1ng the 11.1 t la tio;• ceremon1ee'i'''4

2 tni t~leJ, 1964, 4-:i; elao Le1•ner, 1960, p.;.5.

3 :torn.er, 1960, 2 { HU 1bl'>r1ng ond cpaciug rd:r.e: ) .

4 ,111 tele~, J.ac,c1t.

 8j

In ordc...• to flettle ~ir•iler problems of definition 1~or written

littJrature, Lerner argueu:
" ,hen we transfer to th~ en tegory 01• li tc1:>at1~re a. book 1Thich
wn!> written as a spec11~en of' aome- otht-r eatci;ory, ,e are usi ng
tho normative criterion. A gooa philo~opher ~ay be praised
ror be i ng a aood poet . Ilo ph1lo8o:>her, as lor·g as he ie doing
philoaophy, cnn be condemned for being a had ~o~t. A work
suet. as the ;it;oµbll..Q. can tnere.fore be includ('d in th,~ list
without c au~ing us to doubt whether ljte~ature and pc.ilosophy
are d11't'erent th1nge- . 111

This nor1:1at1ve argumEint seems qui tf'i adequate f'or deciding what
constitutes (\'ll'itten) literature and what doeE not. ut in our
ox•al context the que stion 01· the courtcaeee and the
r emains unanswered. rlhy t hen is Lerner• s argument uot adequa te
ror defining the oordcre of oral literature?
ne settles which writinR§ constitute literature and which
writine~ do not. The question of whether r1ne speech woul d
qual1.t'y aa 11 torature docs 11ot arise becaune 1 t is not vrrt t ten .
In oral li tera ture the equival er,ta o.!' the wz•it1ngs o:t' written
11 t e rature arc all vocal , just like everyday speech. ,lhoreaa in
wri tten 11 teraturc f i ne apC"ech does not quali:t'y as 11 t ~rature by

i ts very nature, the question i s l ef't open in oral li terature.

Therefore , in or der to include or exclud~ an item by definition
we have to employ an additional descripti ve cri terion.
that for oral 11tcratui•c the following criterion be added to
Lerner' s defi nition of literature:
[4 ) Literatur~ 1e a form of expres~ion which ia accepted as
t:radi t i onal.
This excludes pron2uncemtm ts .Qn traditional i ns titu t 1ons , as made
i n cour t dec i eions. It aloo excludes i nst:ruction about t hese
ineti~utione to i ni tiates as far as t hey are couched in ord1n8.I'y
spee ch, but teachings cou ched 1n traditional s ong would be

l Lerner, op.cit., 4.
 84

included. Topical song a nd minstrelsy which de s cr1bee some

a ctuali t.f is a l so i ncluded since it is de sti ned to be taken over
by other s and become traditional. ~1ea1ca ard custo~ary prayers
are i ncl uded, but not &§. ~ pex•sonal ornyers. ?rov·rba would
have to be i ncluded but they are not px•ef' ente d in thi e thesis
because t he Sandawe have n o p1•or,er ,;>roverbs ; the same i e t he

case with tongue-twisters.

Cl.ifi sii'i cattou 2t 2raJ. J.iteratur~ s.nd ¥£ \ naculer sa~t~goricr.

Having thus defined the scope of oral lite rature, its
broad categ or·1cs have now to be dec idod upon. Du1•ton c l a ssifi e s
Yanya oral literature into that wl:ich is spoken or recited and
that v:h1c, ·1s Gung. 1 ,ihi teley po i n ts out tha t a prose/verse

distinction 1:1eets with E:Ome ,11r:·1culties . Dht. i nction on a

metr ical basis i s d ifficult "r,ince a great deal , perhape most ,
of Af'ricari verse • • • i u non- metrical" and even the E-pokeu/sung
dis t1nct1on off'ers prot l en.s , e . g . ''many folk-tales ev,i tch
2
unconcernedl r fro1 npeech to Goi;g a h<l vie versa . ·• The Jwahil i
1 1 terator Shaaban rtob~rt dis tin&,uiahe s poctr:, as follo\'ls:
11.,es idea being t he art of rh:rn,ing , poetry cxpree see lucidity
anc1 prccisenese of' sty le. 'lou may at:.k, Ylhi t is B BOt..1 , a poem
or an heroi c verse-narrative~ A s ong 1e a emall poem; a poem
io a b ig song ; a nd her oic verse is the peak of poe t r .1 . 113
A quick glance at any aar:iple of Sandawe poetry (wh ich is all
mi nor verne) will be sui'ficient to show how great the gulf is
b etween the snphi sticatcd wor ld of vWahili p oetry and ~an dawe

1 1943, 92 .
2 2 ') .cit., 2 - 3 .
3 L1 1,., ndon darriea t 1962 , 273 .
t'clk vei•ae . 1 A ci)01•act.-,ri1:1ntio1, o1: the le. tter v1oula rel.id ocl

aln:oet exactly the oppot1te o~ Sha:Jban Ro cr+. ' o d"f'initiou.

~ihi tel<>Y, in h i e die cu( a i on of tlw na t· re. ol' . 1'r·ic~n ottal
literature in ge:r.erl:ll , pre!'~1·e to see the prcse/Vl~r:-·c ciie t1nction
•·1n ter:is of poir. Lo on a oinzl~ r..cale o~ • pattcru1ng 1 , w1 th
metrical v~r-ne lit one ~nd snd ( ver., <:c.,i• crieech tow&rds the
othc-r-. 112

oratory together with t11xetl for1.1ulat1 Emch as riodlt-s, nrovt'rbe ,

!ind tongue- twi tcre . pr,Ptr y would thE•n occ\lpy t11e otl c1• end of

th :::cale.
m, ecf:l that concent~ overlap and that 1 t 1e dU'f1cul t to

£ t> t up "Ot"r:>rohttnei ve ca tegor~ eti which are gene r nlly ve l id.

l n or ....c.c to. charocteri~e the d.ii'fe1•ent ~ of prose a1.d poe tx-:,

var ious sub-cotego-ries have hee·1 propoe"'fl:
1. ~ · Cha tclAin dio ting11J.sheR betw, en t'icti tioufl t nleo
(including nn1nal r.toriee) , n.r~-etivee t:::.·en i:o 1,e recoi>d of
e·,rents , and hl otorictil t2~aditiona, and h(' u"ran..:;<lB h i e t!lat.erial
aoc ordins l.1.3 Bert\! holds t hat a "f1rat a nd e,•ric:rall :, valid

6ichotow woul.1 'he between f"1.cti!l>'l'll a nd non·-t'ictional

narrn't1 vt, . ,,4 no.~!in :!'ollowe n n1 ..'1'ercnt r.:ethod. He clau:::i1'iee
narrative oy subjactt thu un1vnrue und its beginniugo , the
aniliml and his wovld. t he r1'alm or man, and min t:t.nd hil'l fate
( i. • tule:::i whi ch describe 111811 in llh hel >leseneoo ll1!. ~ ~

l bwah111 folk vernc otande much closer t.o its Sandawc counter-
part. 1·ne1·e 1e an e:.<tensive literature on~... ''li t~rnryn
rorms ot Swahili t,oetry bu t good l'tX&mpl ea oi' fol k veree are
t'luch h~rder t o come by. Velten (1907) and :t.aohe ll899) are
two earl7 writers whose ma terial 18 valuable in thie ro~pec t .

2 ~h1 tcl e y, ~gc,oit .

3 1894 , VII .
4 1 961 . 11.
superneturlil f<>.c>ces etc. ) 1 .,e;r•n r seto up ner cntt~sorimJ
a(?cordi ng to t h ,il• r.;01•ul c-n,tent ;
"As " rule on, dnes no I. go to fail"Y tel . 6 for hign morel
tcac hi :ng; t .•1eJ at't the i,Ha 1grou d of i r"'~"$p,-,ns1 le i:c. CJ , and
~e do not l ook tv~ closel' into t~e c~.1co of Jack t.e :ont -
,e ·~~~, o' a '?re o~ lc~o
r e li gious charac ter, arc a <11.t' \" l't , t .u.tt~r, tU1d l tae] stox>y
of the. .:.waJ.1 o 1 "It one ter ma:, l)t.: tnkcm as co ~ing under Lha t
description . ll(.re ie anothel' type of !"! t.orJ e bo~,11,1g a d~'l9

feel!ng ot right and ','il'01 1g, in wnict. th opiri t ~.' a .. -2..:•d ...•ed
pez•son hsunts tho r;layer in the f·m~o of " bird , and at lewt
bri ~go ni ro to juet1oc . " 2
!Ict>S1{CV1 tr cori:i.ders eatce;:,ri s ,t my th:

" ::,th, for f. x1uJpl"' , 'le treated aa the lltatcroer t of u.>1truth,

as rit er a rationalLation or D validat.1on of a beli"1'• ae
a d r1 ··" tion of x·1 tual ; Bf' on expr2. sio of theolo ,'.: , 0r an
a r.-:anifee t etion c-f the unconec1on~ dnaires ot a group , 11 .:S
e-.nil he nr o:,osee a c!ichotom.v hetwe:en sacrea :r.;,rtha ( whi c-h s'1ow

variation bae ad on f·ect:-ri.,m t)r recionul ~1:>h11sit) anc1 '!lYth

chrontol ee ( Hhic.:h Lwolvc tne deba t ~~d t()p1ce ot" what r·om onent
of 01,al hie ory is va lid nie tory) . In te.et t nis is a .ain s

f1cti on/non-t'iction dichoto""Y• 4 Struyt' uoN1 a ccherre. whi ch

oombtnel!! eonsi derationq of' f~t'ffl .an" function : tmi r.2al :fab lE·:--,
npol otJ J Cei ( 11 whlch people ano nn1.-,vls act toge •h,·r; • 'H e have
"a clearl./ tr.ora.11at1 c purpose'), co1dc 1 tal es ( tno..e ,mere the
oenee of the r1<Uculoue come«- 001. oeot) , a nd a cateaol'y which
he calls :n'lVf'<llen ~ .. short stories, 1. e . r.!aterial wnich ~aa, ot
easily be place in t ne ot er categories) , mythical &tories
(donl11:g with div:tn1t:r and the spiritual T.orld) , histor ica l

1 19!)2 , Xlv.
2 19.>), 24.
3 l95d, 1,.5.
4 ~ ., 1 8 .
 1
tale , d.1dact1c tdt", ai < tnlr e etiovt daH.v life.
'or non-nf.t1'l'l.1tivt too, 1:. vorit ty of clu• H'icnt1oo.s

naA 'bten l'l.dVC·UCed . Tucker, i n hi$ d1LC\lf;f'10ll of the danc<r Of

the hi l uk, c1ieti!1eu~. he:. betw en or.iiir or J t oc lul donco ano
de.re*' eomectod Tii th 1oportant occa fionr. , t-uch at. c:esth,
m1u•rih8f! £,nd eacr ifict- . 2 f·r ietzt, howev~r eeeks to claei- 1i'y tho
'l.

songs of' ot•nu ucc:or<.!.ing to or161H, pr>6een totion a1.d content • ..;)
} ori tocho1wr \ later ictLOTm e.s Co1•y) clo f H'ieo "ooner. or duncf a
w';1e1•c tune and dnnce play th(: ~ain pHrt 1• ac-coN ing to the c.ocial
f un c tionc. at \Thich the,y are p• r t.'or•1ct.'1.: war eono , "l.'lonr,i'I in
coppetitioo.11 , hunt ~r n ' dttr.cce otc., c nciinr: t."'t'! l1at with "f.onge
of' general churactcr 11 . 4 Anotllr,x• 1nvtstigato1• · ho wor·l{oct. in an
~djoinlng a r a has clac a11'ied hyam,ffczi oongs accot-d:in~: to the
druit uoat whi ch nccompani~e t he dance~: wr.r c~lls, songn nt
deQth , a t work , at marrtogee, a1 c t hose ure<i for c r eeti 11g all
e,aploy dit'ferent rhythI:lu. ? no if"r c lai :nf.l that ht.> can recog1~ize
6
styl es ("<:Loo•acte.r1et1cs ot' i!UlP-r .form") . :31!rr·y - no cm1bt
ji.mtly - cri tic.:1ze.a thlL clai m, poi11tine o,•t that :,tyle i s far·
<,oo r- i i'I'1c ult a thi ne to bandlu ac Uu; ~r'!:6ent stage for

, la&{ 1!'1oatory :pu.rposea \at leu~t for• 1t1ost At't-ioan 11teratureo)

unlee , o1' c ouroe , c tyl~a at-e narned in thEt vernacular. 7

l 1<;08 , xrv.
2 193.3 , 2 .
3 1914 , 141; '>Ut he r oco;-n17.ee the v al u"° of vernaoula:r
cat egor1ee trh 1ch ave the il• o,m m:mee ( p.142) .
4 1937. l t 1& c lrt icu.l t to ee-, what p1•1no 1p l c underlies t?iiis
olas £1!'1eet1on.
5 Anon., 1901 , 61 . I euepec t t hat tn~ wri ter i n uahl who a t
t if 1i me had be gun hie ~ant a 11ngu1.et 1c t t udiee which were
to bee ~e eo r enowned later-.
6 19 59 , 9- 11.
7 1961, 23.
Thie 1s ,ha t 1-~nelola 01akes u se of i n h i s con cise enum,•l'ati on or

8 I '10 tJpea in .oru.:,a poetx·y. .e uiE tin Ult.hes et J.ea~1t St::ltm

t Y!)(H which art.J clHu•&cteriz.od Ly dH·..:or~woeo in the occasioua on

which the,1 a re aung ua U<'h as by nt.:,le . 1

a t t emptea to <11v1.d~ or. l art ttH6. 1 ta oubt.livi1;;ior,e. into neat

c ,i1 go11e~ . In ct·oee-cultur•\l co ;iu1>i1>ons and in cencraJ

or J.t'ric· 1 l i terutui>e it

a pply ar-;11·1c1 ully ere a ted uio tine tion .• u t trher we consider a

s ingle i tcrntut·c it will be N:rnsrkn lo indeed it' thece

by th, e ople ,-w~1oac 11 teraturc we arc diacuc st1 f;. "i'hi toley

tP-lle \JO T.JiBt

"among t 10 i· u b or ton ra , t'01• <-'xaruplo , tnc -i;wo a:l.n

d1v1oi one [ot' pr>o£oJ O.l't'l into r-toI'icc wn1~h ere en eut1ally
i l!t!)robaole (ri!)an.2), a ld sto:r-iflo . hie co 1ta1n sn cl~mt'\nt 01'
truth (!lfilUZI!). Amo,,e Qme so.::ietioa :,f t. Ca,u-roonG 1 JY
c ~,trast , • • •• ;eopl dint1ngu1sh betw~cn ·~or talk',
1 pu.~pone .... 1 . c: . ol'.'a tor:, , and 'at· t.tul talk 1 , 1 . e .
11 tal k 1 ,
?
r>:-ose, t!le last be i ng r hythmi c but not stmg; -
le hin·e seen that th'J subdh·i .r1ons of poet?'.{ 1n Yoruba are no!i.e d.
~uch <li~tincti ont n~t u•all,v havo m ani ng an.<'.1. l)'..l!'po~e , and "'ince
1 t 1. o l y the vernticulor d i t' Unctions whi ch can 1 v~ m an i dea
v·nat v~riot:, of •..1nde rlying 1dt"ns cl?Pl 1ee to thet'IJ , 1 t is obvi ous
tha t we have to uee t'lcae dis tinc t 2.one 1n our d i a c ueniori of a
t ribal or 1 11 t.e ratu.re . '.!hti ve r nacul a ca t ot.or 1ec ::ay tc.en be
arranged i n a log ical s equenc e . Cnly when there o.re no f'ur t !ler
vernaculai• eubdivi s ions i n Sandawe or al li ter ature 6hsll l ~eel
aut horized to ~ak~ ~ub- d1&ti nc t 1ons ot mJ own.

1 1963, 1 85.
 89

'i'h<' first. di vieioa ,h1c'1 tho t:nd& e make j s a tl,rt::d' lrl

one: that w'\.1c"' io spoon (_g.) , -:.•1at wMch 1~ der,c<."

th~t 1'1''~ich io sw1c:; (L.hJ..r;Q). "'twee ca.tcgori::. nvcrlap :p'11•tl:; , t'Ol"

01w .:.anther t?,U:\ ei th< r of' U:et~ i::: to n r ... tive !:2J • to t 1 t we

may a;.,cal-: :,t' a haoic dichoto:n;J' be~ ,,, n thnt which 1 apuk i.

("l.arrstivc) and thnt nnic•, iG • :mg ox• d1mced t >l)t t.r., 1 • '..'h1~

he our nooie d1v1uio1 111 ... a .•da~e oral li'tc1•s.~1a•o: t,ut \tnich is
sp-:>ken ·r.111 be preaen't"d .'lrnt tna, rat1ve, todethc:, ..,i th ricl les

and ,1•, Jt'ro), then 't,1 • 't)uet1• of dune~ oon ~ ( f:tr>at tlw ritual
a :>11 t• , .ncl the, the topical vur1et1cs) , .a nd fi ,wlly that which

io enn~ w1t:lwut dancing ( inot1~ .iJY) . rhe cnte nr:\.1•1· ot' t11at
wh i ch i s clnnced e.nd that :M ch is 3U!1~ ar,, ~-:>th on~ ca t""<;o!'i t: e
( oetl'.t) , ,>ut the firet cate.aor,1 is not one whion connte,a

cxcl usi\l'(rl.Y of -proee becaute song for1nc an i ripor'tant i ngred1e11t

t prone'. The ter •poetry ' meet£ wi t11 1-:s:; o:,ject~on tllan ' proee •
u1nce all p~e~r. cttr, ins tantl$ oe rec~gnlzed oy rhy n~1c chant
or s ong , conctnene f.19 o~ text, a ,1d e oei•tain r e ..~ular1t.Y i n
s t1•uc ture. 1
T.ne ~1un a.we- h~ve a large •1ar1e t.f :,t• 11 tt'lrn:.•J t~rms to cover
the d ift'ert'nt t:,pcu of or al art; alno•· t ever.)" cntecc,ry ii.ea 1 ttl
own nane .
l. ti:P.t~i:!UY~ · The Snnda .e -::runolatio11 fQr thif1l tert~ it ~ ' a
word which als o rneano 'worda • . •eavings•, a nd even • speech' and
'language •. I t nsy describe the lit~ra~y a~p~ct of narrative ao
2
well ae. tt1e non-11 tt;rnr:, t'ox•rae of opecch. The non-11 te:-ary

l These 1'entur"e arc d 1s ou, eed 1n chaptc:ro I X and X.

2 Ae d1st 1ngu1ahed on pas es 82 an d a.;.
 90

i'orm:;., fll'6 cov re~ c t e ... andav.e teir• .6 ~ ' ' -.i..f course' , 'n~ wo' ,
or • otor:r ' (E:.speciallY that w!1icn ,:ol.towe mu1,ual fi;~eet11,isS v,h.en
'People me t) 1 nna. ~~~t.Q, • oon11t'1·5ation' 01• 'idlo tel,.'
\ ~&peciallY of: the pleasa,.1. t ltinc.. which pt.ople cond.uo t. to wh1le

toe time av1ay). 2 J.'ho 11 te.t.·ar.t t-, rmf\ .!'01• 'nar1.·a ti ve' ure !&.,
'bad:u!, and li~ t nb:w& lln'1:u..!.· 'Ihe pril.c ipiil u:eun!1.6 a

or' cl have al1•efH\Y b E:n g ivf'ln b ut ft mor~, a-pecil.'1c \Uf:an1ng of ~

uia,y elno be I e !or.r'. 3 'l'he 'trndit ional nrn1 awe wor<'l r•o '* a fable
or a:Mf atory oi' t he trad1 Uonal lnd ls .Jc.•!i,ta•. u,le, n t,e1·1;; \'ll1icn

aleo eans 'rld~le '. '-' A ,.oo.crn tcri::, fol' ,.1 t.raul t,1:m...1 .; torJ ,
or 1.·or.• a s tor.r 01 any kind , i s ~»L@ ~; t,,1. 1- a i..;0£ r o .•·1n~ from

l !3ol'I•o,t;Qd £ro..1 t;ne .Bar1abai ga ./on illauning, l 'J0.5 , 1.33, gi ves

!i~;~jl) ~ !;_Q,l.1.lil 86 0 g r oting :i.'Ol' the ~!'lO lO dl:I ! a.
1 JtP SC'Y.6$ t

in ·;tngati ( {orabaisa). 'The , ,md av. also uc e the word t'nr

• r tine- ', but especittlli as a ,e. ' t gx-ee tinE, . ;'b('n men
mf':et a ootn Ol\ srt:.~ti i P' _'ot'iaula iio fti£9o6i , ' ( wh.at] :a.ewe
th reply to which ii& ~~, • u. all right '.

2 .1\&.ciUt ( en· Ja.,t!..&,J

'i.'ex t lh, lin.-' 19 cl.o~i; how tu.a term
for conversation or idle t· 11--. Ca~nell, ! 955 , 3 0 , d I nes
11
o;o ·:iydo!Q af' "the convt r•eat1on ar".>um, the evening :nea1 •
Thi s 1e exactl y w'hat the Sanrlaw~ l.!.}J!jUt alao D'.ei.ma. ' Stor ,Y-
telling ' 01 'conv"'rq i tr' ifl tur>'A.t1, and the )lace .wh~r·e
tltor•ic:.:. nre tola, iu i. ror.t of thf. door a.no. unc~r the eaves of
t.he roof, is called :tiar:l1Hi, ' c?uver,:ation [olace)'. A re
houeee have a vera~dah; thio i e also called .t.Y~·
3 See text 11, line 12u. 'fhe :F,;i.1•kwa Ciolt•c t. useo the v~rinnta
~ e..~a ~ (or !J3..:.1} on w~ll as~, er. p.60 , notr ?.
A derived fort"l JL".ill 1e aleo in une, cf. text 13, line- 128
o.u.d text 15, line 135· Thia ie composed of. 1lli ( t.'ne "orda)
and - k1 (-:.1 th O'l.t, a.-.othor). In a non-11 t.orar :ir tienao ~ 1&
uee,1 for ';>slav-.,r ' or 'd1ecuPbiOn' or •negoti ation', but
copec1elly fo~ ' quar~el'.
4 T~nraa, l~( r.p 3q2. n~~~wolr~, 1116, ~l, givee ita meaning
oa ' a s t ory , t a l ~' .
 91

ihe S r.nhi l i ,.h1c11 can, o t bo used in t.H eaniu£,, of' • r-idc.1c,. 1

'.l'he term t~fotnoule h§g:la ' ia a c<) 111 tion or tne t,•n<li tl.ollal
-,andawe and. t11e moder·u owahil i te1".e n l, 1e t\O ,etimez u .... ed to
:.. tr>eae -,he t1•adi t i oncl ~,1arac \.er· of a tale , so .., tlui,~,
that t..11c ti:.le contai ns so.uge . .i.he tPadi t.ionul ciar.daw~ stor,1 is
buil t around a Bong, :;.u it were . a11d the enigma tic no,1g 1'01~·us
~uch ~n int 1;;er.ol pnrt of t.hc I' tor 7 thn t the w1.o:!.t: o tot\!f" if,

ref'~rr ed to b,'{ the :1at:c terA .1!1:u..'i!!k\lJ.£., 1

cn1gme.' or •ctory-s1.>r1:,' .'
... ,.e oar.da~.e ~lno ~iniing doh octv,(Cll. f i ction , ll'tQ,.Q) and
rnc l ( ,ILJJ;:f._ «! ~ nf )le !.!...!_, • ha pc.ned in olden day-1, • ) but tht:

u l atJ..1c ti o1:. is 11 va. ue onn sir.ce !1app, s1i1 y 1t the pus! ~ is

co1!l only att.i'it. u ted to ~v.}n lh" mo t fictionQl fit:>ri cL.~ :1.his

di6 tir,e: tior, ii; t1·,erefor>e not ver y r ui teblc to eerve as a 'basi s
!'or Ol'b&11i o i n our 1i.o.tcrl al .
f royer s !'orm & .-epnl'&tf ca tot or·y ; tucrt: nre oeve1 al te:rJJia
t'or tilem \Jhl c h a r c d i acu~asd i n the a.ppx·opl'•ic. te chll.pt(;r. 4 .... ince

l,)£'8.Jt.1•0 &r e tnol-:en a.rd t1.ot tsung or !!hai.tod, une. al.:io oecaueo

poetry. tney a r ei disc us sed at Uw end of the s ec t ion i n t h i s

i:.hes i s v1h1ch deul. wi tn nat>r a tiVf", b <f o t"e w '9 b~[;in to disc 1 1r:;e

poetr~· ·

l t1'rom the A.re, - . wa hili ha,lUbi.· Johuson 19~1 gi ves i te Swcilili

rc.C L\lli ng ar : '' otor , talo , account, repo1• t , h1fltor;:r, legen<l,
fic t ion." "he SwahU1 a ~hl .lil, ton ly a l!ltory' (mere
f iction ) i a r endered in Sandawe by tl' ol~ (ace below ).
'or c xa 'lpltrn or the u11tr or h:l.di12.!. in t , (' •eeni21g o:t' ' s tor.:t '
s c t e!Y t " , lin!! 1-!h n nd t e'{t 7, line 20 . !4n.!£'1n!J& 1s used
1n th~ aame i1eani n g in t~J<;t 11, line 83.
2 '!'he b:rnic 111£ "lni'18 of tl1e t e r m i e d 1s cusatid in chap tel' I/.

3 Por t he I'ea~on i e .. C'h .,r. t ~r IX , op~. '1.118 ft!l<l closir.g !'m•,11ulae.

Dempwolf'.t', 191 6 , 53, rt1v.. e tne m'lon i nJ! of t1 •,ia as •:_~rch~_!)_,
~aget .
4 Che,ter v, eeetion. on ~ l'&ye rs.
2. Ps>etr.y of clJ.meL. rnn ,' (//in.). A glance ot choptere r ond
VII ::.r. t c, tnblf' or cor ter +s n t t e b im in~ of th1: thcuic
nhon, us that there 1" a cor.21dcn•flblf' varietJ or cute ~rif.:t 1r.
t.~ifl flC":Ct1or:, c ach y•j. tt 1 tr orn air.c. (r( ic LO ,~ed t~ repeat

diecur-. ed !n t.hc uppropr1n'tc cect o.... t: the ho cha. 't rE> on

fla:--.cc r on; r- . uc1'1 a prof'u ion r;f 1 it !'f.T'Y t~rrnFi in ur C·ci, ·rd

r:it. t .•c c::neLClY 01· circmcieio ro:rs that it har: lt<>d'. t'ound
1
u!!ei'ul to C')1lect trcm in a f'epBT'nt~ a• tnd iJ<.

the ones o!' n111etr<•lsv, a re di&tin~ ui:::ihea in Sll awe t."'r.t1nology

by the im:itrUI!!en""' on "Jh1ch t.i'e "'ingers accompar.y tne 1;,elv

• hue e: h~v,. tr·ough- zl the1• cnng ( ~ f ..t.1.ne) , 1;,us:.cal-bor. ong

{.r:.l!Iil!?..t2..t>11m~ Lb.!.!ll~), rt1ck-l N' c P-6 (Zcl!':,.fl L!"tA.L.!: ,r ~ ~) ,
2

fiu. le !'!~·. " ( ~or:9 •• Q ,? .LWJJ!!) 1 &ml h ne- piuno *o i. (1.9.llr.J.l hv Lu.11.:!.tt) •
~hf'! moe t co 1 on ins trt. cnt u ed 1.i. ~t ..l" trels:v ir, tht• ti•ou.gh
zi the"' ( to 1.,2) , and +ne whole cu te~opy of' 1 iw, t rch,:.:r ~a.: be

ret,.,rr u to as ' trnu .....h-zi 'her eoug' (1"_ta, Lh.i.m.,Q). 'l'hr !'C are no

CJtec;oriee or 011..s-:r•ele;:r which ought t? b<. ploye<'l on an.1

~articale.r ius .i·u~, nt and a m.inat?·cl is co p l euly ,:re~ to
a ny i netr,Jmqnt, f'or> any song. Since r:inetl"P.lny hac tne:c-~!.'or·e no
oub-cat.() "t!' ie s ':>i' son~ 'lirtich ar~ d i stinguir.hod by a fixed nwi:e,

:r: ht,Ye arrant,"ed tne- i ti.' tz•; lti,:r conee by auoject .

The~e are e few c~tc ·or1es of song whlch do not bel ong to
any ,:,f thf':~C !!lai• cat~g,..,rie"', a n<'I tor obvi olls re-aeons the,'{ are
not vr"'eentcd in th1E' tae!lie: The n1 j,l'i :1U1 /him~, ' ·~<.'licine

Eiudibly and it, 1r t'll c1'!cret of thti- Aingrr . ~ Pc>ano • h1aa1ng'

l Arptnd.1::r. "I!.
2 ihe l tte~ term i e pre~orre d in th~ aoutb- uaetcrn dialect o~
1<'a rkwa.
 93

anci 1 t 1. thil to?•Jil - ori ,01•c,letrn h11rn1n ttme, whicr1 ,eo.1•lc

b l ow b h er~ the ir tc U1 ,, e 1 LiH Glfl at l'IOl'kj it 11'-' 1.ue

frnndn\.o equivalent o;: hu in . .:.,.~ Lb.J..!:.,~ 1 RlEO 0. I

WO?'l{ing

;)J~· , but v!' ..,. d1fI e.,•en t ki, d • t1cm people ..i.o hoavy 710:C'K 1u

eroupr: , a_ at thrc h1ng pQrt1e .. , thq er.coul'age one another by

producirlt, rhyth,:,;lc grunts in u.niGl)n , nnd i:iometine Liley : 1ng
d1ttie6 of v•rtuully ~a in leae ~yllablew. 1

In lw94 Jh!\t<":lnin coreplaii cd tna t the books \1h1ch hud

b en ,r1 t te11 un~ll t1 en on :\f~it.. 11 1: tc.r·utw.•e had 'be(;n v1or. c
tl1nn u, t'l"' ~ , r., ev~n pc!..1 ti 'h l;r it .Lcudi! 6 • • is ri.1.. 1.ncipal

obJ'"ction .,a: that the reader could goi.n ha1•,#ly 1,my i pror,1 ton

o~ hat t c longaage$ ure reoll.Y like becawst 01' t 1e abt1e .. cc or

vernacular te.xts , for without t.1c t:: there 1fl no way of telling

J.n how !'12-r t.ne tranela tion i;~ aitcura te or evan \The thf r the
nglia.-h V-N,ion is aey trunslatio~ at all . It 13 bE<ter,
ncco1·~11 b to Cna ..t.J.aln , to have, a t1•an:.la t ion which 1fii l i t~:ral
to the po int ot be1ng <Hf ioult to road than to havo a t'r•oe
re- tell i n. o.l' t11e stoI·Y whiC'L iu1s3oa . uch of the POi 'lt and all
ot tbe a ,;oo~r,hez•c . 11
'.l'he oc1cat1;'1c roade:r will aT>!)l't:Clotc th,
local 00.1.oUl'ill.S 01' the l~ tor~l veH•sioil iind the p1•00!' o~

genuineneli!s g iven b'/3 addi ng the original text", he seya , and

he &oes on 'l:o poi1.t out that '' ow it ,,111 'be rcalizocl t.ha~ this
is i.-h6 b na 16 , a 1d even t at tht> t.1·am::la t1on io an aoai tion
')
rath~r th&n vtce-verca. "~

l '?hecc ,·or' i ng songr; w111 not be :rurth6r c'tiecueeod otnce there

1s no 11tcrotur e i nvo-v('d. It "houid bf) notcd, howe-.•f!'1', 1,ha t
l.he .:>an<1awe eQuivalent ot t he l'uropean • ~ htlm.'tli ng a lee d i ffer s
!'ro~ t. (, pr&c t 1co vf vr~e ,>wah111 ru.d other t3ontu -peoples of
'a11.zw,in whl') sing guletly i n a h i gh t'aleetto voice, ae do the
L11e in ,est Atr1ca ~ct". i'i tte, 1906 , 66) .
2 1894, VII.
 ~ ... tclu i1 doer , horn::rc;r , ... c-k o, l c.;.sc the qua:it.,· of' c. on

!'er the ocier.ti!ic t::'t.l.!.f 01· •. ut.ive !\.f'1•:.i.cno 1' ·.1 1o onu
t ollu.o:·~", l a1.d r.e &l.o 1v L di! croc.1t ~> t. ' 1 .. ;ictW''J
l ir.guir ~s L .. ho: ha.. 1,r, u1,1·~ v... l t..•e t.ar.gleo of f rican I rt, ri.r
lP lc~icol o y he1JrL ~ol e ct1ng of autha~t!c not1v l 10 c~uld
2
bt ucce! ofnl l n t t.. r. t

r. t of' r Sf'arch:

"Tl.c er,rl1~1· perioc'. :,f col lee tin wa · u::h i .. ~ ut ce ~:!

h1etorjco-coopnrotivo 1Mt'lo!'·lf.'t: and rl 1 ...·u~ 1 onif t pt·e.oc_..upstions
i n tt·o1 ::- cr11 dec t l'orr•. Given euch vie\'1f:! 011.d auch prc-
u1i &oosi tion s , con t t .,1t 1t all; a oa!'e abliJ trG.ct of plot an<l
c.ra•.:ie tia iJ •rro1.ae r u1'!'1cc f . tt3

&i tl!Ut1on d 1<'1 not outstant1a:1.• i npr-ove . en•J goer. ou:

''Ur.happil y , the erk 6 at: 1n b i u the le~• 3 :c~r~ hts not Je d

\ a~ WA"" r""eoonabl e t o h"' e) to 1 pr"ved •c '1ll1qu<:'Fl ot'
col loc t i ng , but. to an al oe t t otal neglec t 01' the subje ct. u4
A rcw linee f'ur t.1-i~r do"''Tl he re- stetes Cha telai!: ' . point :
hav~ had altogether too much uanalation ( •. 1t•10ut the
" • • • "I.€

rresenteti(.)n o-r tr.~ vernacular or1g1nolo] end 1t 1t; cif' 1cult

to aee hotr, a t t h ifl ntag e , t ne recent p ..:v1 1cat1ons or, ea,.l
urrey , l!'ier , ar.d l:ler~kov1tg are t'> b~ justif1ed o t h1H' thu.i

l Callaway , 186b a>1d 1 870 . Cha t1•la1n, 2.!2&J1· , 17 , re:'cro t o

at. l.066 etdi t1on of Cnllaway ' e 'tiureer y 'fal eP of th~ -ul ue"
•h1ch 1 could not t race . Radi n ' n quotation i r- i n 1952, l .
2 r e spect o:r ant Afri ca he rrnntio,o 1', r apf ,
OJ} . c,i t ., 1 6 . In
'cbir.u ,n auc1 St ere . re.pf' ' . f irst bra_ Ill' aatea fl'OD 16.>~),
Strer e, i f 70 , 165 pr""rnte pa!'t of a isble in t'1\'J vernacul ar ,
t ogether with tr9na1qt1on end annota t i ono .
3 1961 , l it .

4 ~·
 y n c 1.
it l' , 0 1i 11' \ttl oe 11 0 ecvere1:1 c.r•i tici~cu bJ
" 4

r-r.,r toe .ot precc1, ti11t, or•it:,;1...a l u::.x t.o . levels c1•i ticio of

r1, ... l te an ,th1:x• a tl1.t'1= at. L c •.... ual t,1pe ot pi•<: fl nt& Lion. of
Africa 11 t(;ra ttu·e . ·e l~O pla i ns th.at:

.. "r• • n elatione of f'ricu lit ruturl ~u·e in ..a1.:L

col e c t i0ne :>1' ytl s, 1 C'1' r sud t'nbl{ f . fhur t,he f'&lee
i prt-~ iOJl ia soi..cti1i.cr; <.;:•e .. tod i.hut At'-r-J.ca1 liter-ature
c om·1sts of n,,th1ng cut tl.l le at out tortoi:,t} tti.d rpiuer.
~r r•trnl1 t; ootr.1 1 1 'l' co -:,n 1 1· ,:· .tn

ucr. pootr-, ir .ur t o. da: cu and

r1 tu~l , "' d 11 ~e thi, cannot earilJ ,e laia. 0:1 a noriou:.:.

C )ll ciot• has to p·,r ticipn e nud upe1.d much tb.~ to'!.;; act:cpte1l .
But one, an ln1'0:i.·1 t.:.11 Ho cont"idc ce has been won t. 1e1· 1" uo
d 1f.f'icul t~· i n collc•c tir,~ c, oriee b:,r u in o.1c c..upe .l'eco.,..ding

af•cr · 1(' otllf'P or , 'fl in th past. , takin

d i etc ti mF. l d.o not ean t.o nin', ize the to·,nl c ·ror-:. put i n to

s uch coll.ec tio.,o : ..r2J1sc1• i_p tion a.'ld t?·ane l s ion o till ruq u11·e
mvch pati ent ar,d o!'ten di:t'f1cnlt work, l:>u t tt~ f.i?'flt hul"dle. of
gc. t i ng th n:n te;rial is ofttin un:ch ear d!er to t.nJ.e i.. u i n tit·
c a ee of L,Octry .3 Umubsten~ iatcd though ,eier ' £ 0
tat..cir,..rt "?

the c. '.)wL ....r.ce 01' po~ try Illa:., be (et lcn~ t s nrn,lied t.o At'r .!car.
li teraturt i n gene ral) , i t 11:: certaiv.1:r true for th St;nc:'i.a1>we .

l ~ · :Uerry •s alas valid cr1 t 1c1sn aJ>pears t o be dir ~cted at

ltaJel"'i and \)urrey, 1 9:>3 ; .eier, 1959 ; and Ferskovlts , 1Y5b.
2 19~9, V•

3 ,Vlt'H theoulk 01' Cr.a ..e l t.1n' e 111ater1al ia n nrra.tive , collected

fr o. u eint:;lc 11u·,.,1•r~a,n. (one Jerc...ia."l, c1·. Q.e,cl.t,,_, ~1j .
Jl'l rr.eper.t of' Rae t fries..."\ col lections Kohl-L,ir£:en descr,·es
pel"hap e nori- cri t1c1e• than "loe t. tle conflietentl,r oai ts
vernacular t~xts, 11111 ts himself' t.o e tor·ies, ar d what 1s worse,
q_uj t«- obvi ouslJ 6oee not eve-n collcc t in tne vernacular
languaaee (Iaenzu, Hedza, Burunge , and I re.qw) but i n s wah111,
ct. ~ohl- Laraen 19 37a, 19 38, 1956a and b, 196 6.
 96

Anoth11Jr matter whi ch deserves sQJr.r attention i s the

pro rcmta1;1on or variant .• vnns-1 r1 tctun•d wri t<ls tnat

"lt 1a, 01' c::>u:ree , ell no.cm that there 1o r.lUO h variation
in t1t t•l_i..g 01 .,,c ~"'.c .ol -t 1
;1 t • )t 1ch ~£' •, b 1:. i: a i " o t i t-: '> i c ~ t) l' pe c t of
111
Af:->1cen "r>l' - talet. Us11aJly t.he eet voriun• l ?Ubll"hed.

r n hlE cnalysia of i { a tr· c 1 ,r•al ., t u '1 ol ;; rth lv1- trausz

ea7::; that ·•1r a myth i r. ace up of all 1 t.• va't'ia .ts , structural
a nalyoie should take all of th<~' into acco t. ,.d Cbviou ly this
1 P- not only true for a ptudy or Ve structure ot .yth but fol"
1
any tyre of' '>t•el litfl'ature . 11 Tl'ere is no flingl~ tr·uot vcr<11on
ot' TJhich all the 01.1,ors al'e t-ut cop1eE ot· d is Lort,1C1ne" , he says .3

I n tet•mf or fur c t ion t•a:: vnrio. t i om or l 1 t crury 1 tu1t1 a-> be

likened 10 r opct1t1on 1•1 lan 1age. A.e -lvi - , truuss pcinto out .
re-peti tion hclpf t, ~how up ~tructure.h Ihe co~parison or
vari en tt1 nay oe u ct ul e.l so in the considcra tion or t' tJle , or
h .. s to.rical vulini ty . Ve.x•i ante prtsented in this theaie ehow that

t hf'l ndvan ti cee are di vcree: the:, · tt show a eomuara t i vel;r rigid

adhflrence to t~x te in pee tr./> but dH' ... erenee in the e, tyles or
i ndividual pe!'fcrmers; 6 a ve1•1ety of i nforna .ts me.1 1• oult. lr,
7
t ne 1 .provfl ent c!' i nforinatio coll cted; t.111.d di1ferencc&
p e r taining to similar texte lllaY t•ven leed to the ciiEcover,; that
the ri tuul ,1hich t:he., r e .fl€'C t ·oelong to d!..t't'eN n t eoci al

ca teg-,riea. 8 Fublicotionr of variants ere otill ~carce , but

l l961~a , 103.
2 1963, 217 .
3 Thut·' 21s.
4 ~bid. $ 229.

5 ':'e>. t& Jll and 112.

6 "l'exta 173 and 174.
7 '.i'ext& 90 and 91.
8 Text.a 78 and 79, and 80 and 81.
 7

E1rans- p1 t c h ard llevoton r-t ·thol 9 pane:r to t~e pre entat1 'n ,;f

:Jt. :10 t

~our ott;ento"t V"'f'8ionr)'" th'-' or1~1. n of de1th, t')...,.-"h 1+h

2
a ulu vei>,,i()lt wnich ohow., uch l'•H.:o blnnce . •'ro t, e
advuntafXt:B of collec.:tin~ varin, t e it fol o.ts thnt 1t 1a al o
1 p·.,rtant to use n variety ;.r i n "or '\ 1t:; , tho lur ~r t c v.u•:tt> ty
the be t.t,f'~ . 5

hope- to t:rans it l ocal col,.,ur (y:t,.. p . 9.,) . ..>truJf , 11 t.1c

p.:>cf;en • s tion of the Ot'ttl · rt of th<• ako n,;o , couchet tho trnu,e

conviction l~ i i r er~ t t,rrs : 'if toe Dutch su:~r· its

a eientil"ic value can -:>nly increase . 114

1 op. cl. t..

:? 1 8~!1 , h~-75, aleo ~.14.
3 .Radin , 1952, 11, c o. plaint that up~r·t _·r,.
e .• :nrut:'ick.r..t
varie•y of 1. f'or:nt.ir.to , !'ew et1ta a r c: usuell, give..-. be,ond a
i;tat",aent wl•• tner tht.:Y are gon~idered good or bo.cl .
,'hi tc.le1t l'.Jt> • plea<!n t hot "~e shoulc! 11, f;...turc col l oc t tons
of' .:'1•ican ~t.x 1,S re cog,! ize the i.'ldi v id.uol pc:rt'::,r er ac, :a.r a s
1,)08 ible, e ve!1 t.o the ~.xte1t of 1e2ul nL acc::>r:1pan:ring re-c-,rds
as sutiplec1entary rnaterial ." In d"tf'erencc to t.'l1s T>les r. tape
r ecoi•,Ung accorapan 1Nl this tn, sis ( c1' . tq ,en d1x XI:) .
1 hflve aV o t1•ied to preecnt a aterial i.'rorn a r easo1.11ble
Va'l"i e ty of !nformtrn te who are g<'o .,rap:t11callY wall spread .
A.,pen~.1:x IV' givefl a 11st of.' the forty f'ive info~11ants •vho
contributed the .aate1•1al, and oap ,, .2 showc where, they al'e
from . ~ot all the forty five &t"e personally well known to me
ant !n some casoc I (\o not ev~n ltnow \Thero tne.1 11 -.;•e. Indeed
t ometimea I r1at> luck,r to obtain only the naoe of the leading

pt rfcrnere ir• eoi.1<.. aance r1 tea. ..he11t thf"1r domicile 1• not

}fnown the place~ of recording are indicat<1cl.
4 1908. XVI .
 9t

tmd Ourrey ' G ~·nrn1 a -ahmt tb< dr.np:eNi or •r•ar "lat1im into

smooth nglioh :
".,..ol),: tales, of couro~, slwu1<1 be t ld i n t ,eir vc.rnnc\·lar
idiom. Told in the·e tra slations, the,r lobe two il.1pot>umt
t.hlr.&a : tney looo ...ar~ o.t no jo,~c. a,,c t.l.( pu1w , a.11.. .1.e
ru n" twis te of lte,guac-;e U1e t t'ie 11 < t 1.Jner•· Ol'i g'l.nallJ
enjc:,r d , and ~mi~\,; i gt ,·lJ 1.. 01 ·1h r the c .. l-r.:10 .n otory
wan t,egun. 'fhey l•): ~, too, the l ')ecial f'onre th1tt aC'e oo
ort ~ J&rt of. th~ .
1

... he lo .., o:t' t.1e to .~s in pnr ticularl,f .-:ex· iot:n >eca 1~., oftu1

they play f! central :i:·ole in 6 tory-t l l i t. • l.1 anda.w~ t•).ri a

2
the- son.:s can c ven oe c ome qui tc d:>:r:i<.u.· t .

~hi tele: 1 polnts 'J-t t:hct t.I•arn:ila t i .,i.s a:!lo ... d ba tlir ct

and tt,H t tr·ar.sla tio:1 Viu a:iother Ln , t.~o l!lUGt b( l'l ject.ed. j

This t'l.>Unds obvioue , OU I, 1 t 1 0 ?;)erhapo l es .l.'l·cq.ier. tl/ re lit.Cd

'thut ti)(; :.wgcncy ")f this po lic.1 clso a lin& t;o re~ca::oct.ors ln.
the fie>ld . ·\. t1·nnelat10,1 'II ·ic 1 is aae wit
lungutw~ wh ich t1 c ve1 n!.lC'..llnr- speaker ant'! tl,t l'C. car•chE:ir ho
to have in cor· on , may lead to odd rosul tE • n a .enc text

?Ubli<>hed by \'el ten the word i EMQb& t f'ish) it trans lo. ted no

' shark ' ( ·aifisch}. 4 It 1.· < ae; ~o iu1aginc ro

"'lhv knew ~or.ic Sv.oh111, obligingly tn,nsln"ed 1i:>Qmb4 for ~,1 t1m

into -~··ah111 ae !l!tQA {cl-ark} . Unfortur.atel:, the .ene ore a

highland peonle 1ho live no leAe ttan 300 rnilea .from t.llc cea.
Jt may now be t:8rt ed tlrnt tr:.nslnti onn l'hould 1.)c 'both

l1 tor a l a x..d direct. 'Int:: ma1x~ <.iit'•. icult:r with t'ond3v:e llt'S 1n
thu i'act that it 1a an agglutinative l onguet7.e in wnich omall
word- clm::ionts :retain a ce:rtain 1nl!epende1,ce , end are chur·tod

l < i teley , l9 Q4, 9 , trou ItQJ~~i and Gurre¥ , Qp,c1t.

2 c1.'. text .io . 1 2 , 1oteo 14 and 1~ •

.3 :IQsxUr•, 11 .
4 1899 , 211.
 99

with meaning even though t his may be extremel y vague. In other

languages such di£f icult1ee with meani ng may also occur, .for the
li terature on African folk-lore abounds 1n remarks that certain
songo or s ayings .,have no meaning". It would not be surprising
if this were the principal reason whY so many t ranslations ot
Af'r1oan :folk tales simply omit any reference to the aonge , i n
particular those that do not bothe r to present the vernacular.
Thoee t h at do of ten leave the songs Wltr ans l ated because they
may be very dit'.ficul t to undere tand, even to speakers ot: the
vernacular. Thie 1e often t he caee i n Sandawe aonse, ye t the
argumen t tor off ering no traneletion appcare to be only partly
valid. Research is usually abl e to discover th6 meani ng even
it ie unknown to informants or too vague for t hem to explain.
The difficul t y may be due to several oau~ea:
1. lb! di(tueion of mAoning. A concept may i nclude a wide r ange
ot images or values. We ma.y recosnize a term a e covering only
a tew aspects of t hat range, and we are in trouble ae soon ae
we come across a context where one of the unrecognized aspects
ts meant. I~ even 1n:tormants who may be considered specialis ts
ot~er no explanation a verdict ot "no meaning" may be returned.
But a categorical statement that the meaning i s thle or that
may be equally misleading. Evens-Pritchard, on the subject of
Zande proverbs, etatea t hat
"It may be an obvious point to make , but only t oo often in
the literature on .Af'r1can peoples we are given a s i ngle
meaning, aometlmes 1n the form ot an English, or even a Latin,
proverb to which a native proverb eeome to correspond, though
the oorreepondence can never be mor e than a more-or-leas
one."1
2. The part1a1 lose of meaning. Archaic verse and songe which
have been taken ovel" tl"otn other peoples may cauee the meaning

l l963a, 6.
 1 00

ot a literary i tem to be unclear or conf'used. To the Pennn of

Borneo worde which have no mea111ng 1n every-day speech are
•spirit-language• . l Research i nto the ori gins ot t he text may
then help. One me thod i s etymology, the other 1s r egoarch into
the language and insti tutions or another people trom whom the
obscure lite rftl"Y item may have been acqui red. Oocae1onal lY a
single key- wor d ma.r do the tri ck ror a whole text. aeodham
mentione an 1nvosat1on in ,,h1cll one wor d onl y g1vco a clue
about i ts meaning. 2 uutmann leaves those oongs vhich he cannot
transl ate in the ve rnacular, but Dempwoltr tries to translate
ea much as possible of an unclear pass age , leaving open whet haa
no meaning to h1m. 3 This occlll'S in one of De mpwolff ' s texts
which has been incorporated i n this thesis, but progress made
in the understanding or some key words makea it now pos s i ble to
complete hi s tranalation. 4
J. Genuine lack Qf-IMAA1QS• vood e,i.ar,iplet ot th1e may be found
in oh1ldren•e di tties, e. g. 0£ the ki nd which Ol son r enders as
"hi, d1ddle-d1ddl e~ . 5 The threshi ng-party songs which have been
mentioned on page 93 are another example. These eounds have in
common wi th yells of pa1n or angu1&h that they are not ut tered
tor the purpose ot coUL~un1oat1ng eo~eth1ng; they are no t
eymbolic. 6
No clear division can be aade between t hese categories,

l ~eedham, 1964, 139.

3 Gutmann, 1914; Dempwolff, 1916.

4 Deurpwolff, on.cit., 175-6, text 98; text 89 in this thesis.
Text 91 1e one 1n which Dempwolff's t r anslation has been
altered tor t he same reason.
5 19 61 (Rimi eonga ).
6 Schaller, 1965, counts 21 distinct vooalteations in tree-
living gorill••· Theee cannot be translated s i nce they are
not aymbolic.
 101

but i n the case of the ~1r~t two categor ies where t here 1a.
meani ng, however rudi mentary or oo~used, an error t Ghoul d be
made t o i s olate i t becauae o~ its s ignificance t o t he under-
standi ng ot a claee or literature or r i t ual. The problems wh1oh
eoerge t"rom the toregoing may be eummarized ae fol l ows :
1. !{eani ng di t (uaa: Tr anel a t 1on i e diff icult and apor oxi mate
only t or lack ot ter l118 which correspond with the vernacular.
2. Keu1ns rudiment~ ; Ti-anel ati on is a r eoonetruc t1on of
meaning ae well ao a t r ansposit i on~ l anguage. The obvious
dis advantage ie that euooeee i n i nterpr etation causes t he
t ext t o be clearer i n transla t i on th.an i t wae t o the
vernacular speaker i n hie own language. It loeea its
m;yetical vaguenees.
3. 1tean1ng absent: ~ranelation Rhould not be at t emp t ed.

U1e tes11trat1gn or meaning and i ts ~nl42.1:P~ ~1t1on 1n sanda,e.

I t vagueneee of aeantns compllcatee understanding, s o doee
t he fact that the Sandave have to distingui sh between at l eas t
nine expedients b y which meaning i s d i tter entiated. Stl"Oeo ,
tone variation and vowel length are colllmon expedi ents 1n the
surrounding Bantu l angu_agea. To this may be added s topping ,
aspiration and naea11zat1on, 1 but also vowel mod1t ication,

l E3ect1on is an expedient which eeeme to be allied to otoppins.

Similarly, the formation ot af fricates must be included 1n
this category.
Ploe1ve sounds (called halt-voiced coneonanta b y Dempwoltt )
are the result ot the abaence ot aapiration. Poeeibl:f there
18 some overlapping here with the results ot •topping, tor
some plosive cons onants may be the products ot e t oppage.
Nualized syllables may eeea to end 1n m. {bet'ore syllabl es
beginning with labial consonants), n {before oyllables
beginning with other consonants) or~ (in final position).
 102

agglutination ( the combination of' syllal>lE':E; into wor<'!e) nnd

pos1t1ou111g (of eylltttlo: vdthif, th.e wovo., an<'l or ,.orde 1n the
r en tence) rJa.f co te1 mint, t e i, 11 n il'iconce or ... wor•d. ot'ten a
combination o:f..' these ene"'.ie"'"'·f' i• ueec . A Vl')wel lt!AY be

lengthened in con;1unc t1on 1th e treso • Of' thll! len& t.hene<1 part

may he ra1scr1 in tone ann at tho t'itl"'C' t1111! naanliZP.u and

atress~d . 1 Th r 1 •ason for tt,1s con;plicitted e 3 atem is not
dit'fiou.l t to sn· . Thf! t:1.utono.my of ?Yllo.:>JP.c as n:eaningful uni ts

1c con~ 1 c'lerahl e 1 fl.'r.d ,,1 tho~1t 1 t1.. hir,r~ c:cg1•ec o'!.. agE{lutination
8«mc1awo n:ight 'he thought or ae a be.cically rnonor.:,llab ic l anguage. 2
Since thC"J r... x1n.um ro1:•r.1ul& t'or a fanr.n,;.c mrlli.bl('; is only

cone or.ant follov,ed by n c 1nflc vo\,el tl1e nu .ter of b asic

1 Conr;tder , ·ror cxw~l :

(oC) ~Gndnwcst we are Sandl\we
( so.) bru1dawt:Puii but ;;e urc: : ar.drn:e ( cc :rou know)
( cil) fio.ndaw~n1u vii th ue 6s.r du,,e
A\1 t andt,,~dl we, Wf: are Sent'l.awe
auti Oanan,,(r.{l 1 t ii:; we, t~,,...
~,an< nvm
e'1U 8 tmd auhi ti w., ure L ru-ic &t.c ( you e:re nc t,)
eO. tianna,vt!rlieu ",e T1ho ure tinn<lawo
st\ f)andawJ o..•u!
we who t\l't! Snndtt•»e (ua you out·ht to kno!')
r;i th us, who arc nan.a.awe
• any mo1•t• vru·1unto or, tt,1El thrnc, are poociblt .
2 Thie a vpli•s only to what ro&y b£ Cblle~ laric ~m~ ewe 1n
analorry with l seic 1: 1,clioh. l t doee not appl! tr b orrowings.
1'hc r:ajori ty of' wo1'<m ehown in venp ,oJ.ff' ' e anc ve.1 de
Yi r.i ....<'nadu ' e vocabnlories art hotrowir.p;f' hut the rste of
oocurr-euc(.. o~ 8aaic Sande.we wor<Jo :l n ordina.I'y F.pu ch 1a much
h1Chf>t.' ; even e curt1ory tltmce at a Bemde.re prose t ext ( see
ror o>:a...1ple text "o• 1 of: this thesi s) will show th is.
It me.:, be te~pting to speculate that Lanaawe ht.a once been a
r.oJ'lloPyl lnl ic ler 1.,:e.~o in the ro1 otfi r,ost. tuc.1 evolutionary
conjcct\lr e if' ~anr<"rouP t'or lael· of pro(')f, bu· alt- o 1ll og1cal ,
tor we would have 'to concludt, that af+.er t?,e ol1mtnat1on ot
all. torroVt1ne:s anc.. c..oi r1u away w1 th agglutiMi.t:i.ou, the language
tnuot hnvti l'ecm r,o 1 1 , .1 ted an to bt qui tc, 1nac.equt..i o. The
avail nblfl nuiibr.r ~r word ,. tcm~ mn11a br 11' c.raJ.1.:,· dec1ma ted.
 1 03

oust be l h1 ·ted. 1 It' there:tore other languages w1 t h dyes.1llabic

r oots ( Bantu), triconsonantal roots ( Sereitic) or other compl ex
eyatema (Indo-: uropean) have a ouf'riciently large reservoir of
word r oote wh ich ma:, be a1rterent1ated by eound qual ity alone,
Sandewe has to rely on a hoet ot di fferentiati ng ex,ediente. 2
We may expect two r~eul te trom this s ituation:
1. Ne may expec t to f i nd that u tterances have to be
roepeated mor e often before underetancHng is achieved. Coinparieon
s uggeste t hat thb i e i ndeed t he caee. ,'i'h ereas Ban tu texts are
more repetiti ve than Furopean texts, generallYt Sandawe repeats
even mo:re.3 Some ot the texts i n 'the tollowlng chapters roay

l Some syllabl es consist ot a singl e vowel or a e1ngle consonant

(including clicks, ae Nigmann and Jaeger had not iced).
At'rr1catee and aopirated sounda are s i ngle consonants ror t he
pUl'pos e ot this deri nition.
2 Vost Bantu lanf:i\lages 11ue tone &Et; an Adc'li ttonal expedient, and
Ruropean languages uee str ess. 1Vhat uiatter e 1e t hat the
number ot expedi ents i s small.
3 One would expect thie aloo t o be true tor DUehman. Bl eek and
Lloyd, 1911, 261, show i n a nushman text that i t i e:
1
'And the child • a mother s aid: "Yoo , m:, c hild, hadst thou not
i n thio manneJ> set the lion on tire we sllould have died. Hor
thou didst set t he lion on tire for us , t or ( ) we should
have died , hadst thou not set the lion on t'ire 1:or us . Ther e-
~oee i t t o, that we will br eak tor thee an ostrich eggshell
or "Bu~hman r ioe" , t'or , thou haet made us live; we should
have been dead, we should have died, hadst thou not, i n this
manner, set the lion on r 1r e tor ue, we ehould have died."
Such extNtme r epetition may also be round in Sandawo speech.
The fol l owing 1e the translation of a recorr ing I made inn
Sandawe household. A mother 1netructe her chil dren:
"Children, I shall be goi ng out. Tereeia, cook eome porridge
ror your rather, s o when they (he and hie eone) will come
home they may eat. I ehall t hen r eturn at 4 o ' clock. I shall
go to wo:rk. Now when Mary comes baok and returns , hel p each
{ ~ . nu.1~]
 104

give a European the 1mpresc1on that the Sandawe are rather

overdoing i t . Yet repetition 1e o~ 1ntrine1c literary value to
the Sandawe, and much ot the beauty ot narrative and aleo of
poetry may actually be derived ~rom repetition. Slight change€
are continually made so that the listener 1B given a better
nudial ' depth'. Repetition i mproves understanding, just aa a
good look at a V1$Ual object 1mprovee vtsual perception and a
good look ~rom different angles 1mprov~e it still more.
2 . ne may also expect to find that the Sandawe have a well
developed sense ot interpretation; this is r,hown by their
readiness to etymolosize. reveral example ~ have already been
given of how vordo are diecected by t \1em. It is only naturnl
that this ~ab1t 10 aleo practieed on words which are not of
Sandawe origin. Ftymol ogie~ may be quite wrong in euoh canes,
but they are interesting all the eame because they throw light
on how the Onndawe mind works, nnd what aeaning ie perceived as
a re sul t. The example quoted under text No.12, note 16 ohowe
how a Sandawe se ks to prove that • to emphasize' is a pure
Sand.awe WCl"d. As 1 t happens the meanings of the Englioh an<t the
Sandnwe •original' coincide ta1rl7 well.

[Qont1nuat1on Slt ~rev1QU8 l2.a£A]

other , together with her, to do all th1nge toge ther with her.
When I r eturn porri dge will be r eady so we r::1ay eat. fuen I
come back you will have prepared it alrcadg. Lusiana too will
have gone to school. ,lhen she comes back let her eat. Lucas
too, goes to work. Joseph himoel~ too, goes to work out there.
When he comes back and r eturns let them eat poeridge together.
Then you l eave aome tor ee- , s o when I come back 1 may eat. "
This is not oral 11 tcrature but com..on speech. The repetition
employed most by oral l iterature is repetition or themes rather
than sentences.
 1 05

There are in Sandawe many emall word elementa (eingle

syllabl es ) of which the meaning ie di tfuee, partially lost, or
3ua t vague. Especially in songs combinations ot these are often
ueed as exclamator y worde which ar e not entirely meaningless ,
anc it is therefore advantageous to a t tempt translation. One
feature or the language i s particularly helpful i n this attempt ;
t hi s 1e the tact t hat eowe s1gni f1canoe of meani ng can be
a ttribut ed to vowels . It we cons i der the examples
h!.-!.ll there-she
hst-U hez•e- ehe
-t.A invitation towards the speaker (fr om there , more urgent)
-~ 1nv1tati on t owards the speaker (ac t ion takes place
already here, urgency no longer there)
-1!.1 i nvi tation towards t he speaker (action in process )
we discer n certain corr espondences i n the ohan~eo o~ meani ng
which, although· extremely eubtl e and di f f icult to pi n down
precis~l Y, ar e ~1gn1t 1cant. By compari ng the word elements
(syllables) from many combi nations (words) the general i deas
refle cted i n t he use of par t icular vowels can be more or l ees
i sol ated. We find that :
& i mplies 'there •, some t hing ~h i ch can be pointed out, r emote-
ness and urgency.
~ i mplies 'here•, aomethtng taken tor granted, presence and
steadiness or c on tinuity .
J. i mplies a general condition ; Dempwol ff recognizes i ts nature
and describe• it as the Lati n ~ ·
jl 1mpl1ee a condition ae t he result ot ·an action, or the act
i teelt'.
ll is the vaguest o~ all. lt 5eeme to i mply vagueness or
generality ot place, purp~eo or condi tion.
~'heae vowel values may b~ found to apply to almos t 8n¥ vowel in
 106

purel y Sandawe words. They play little role 1n the gram~at1cal

function of wordo becauee there 1a little f'unda:mental difterence
between verbs , nouns, nnd other categories in Sand.awe ; the
.tunct1on of wordo is largely <1etert1ined by placement in the
1
o.t•der, and by affixes which give them their 'aRpewts• .
In the followin chapt~rs cruoial words are explained in
footnotes; eomet1mes these give the baaic meanings of component
e~l lables but o~ten these are too vague to be accurately
p1npo1nted. 2 In conjunction with the consonantal meani ngs of
the syllabl es, conaiderations of their vowel valuee may thon
help to eolve the problem.3

lbe QhonetiQ aJ@tam and ortbocranhY,

It is 1ell known that Sandawe is a t one l anguoge in t he
sense that tone alone can distinguish between meanings.
Examples arc round i n the tollow1na paire1

~ t1&h ('!QA female breast

~ aphrod1~ 1ac /'ina 8011, eand
Vowel l ength i e equally i mportant:

l In hie reeearch i nto t ho languages ot the Iraqw cluster

fflliteley, 1958, 2, d1st1ngu1alles between 1tome and elements.
Items are the minimal meaning-earrying units whi ch ocoUl' in
1aolat1on. Elements cannot occur in 1aolat1on. Beoauee the
highly independent Sandawe minimal uni ts may eupply t he
roundat1one tor words ot virtuall.Y any grammatical oategor~
we need not be concerned with this distinction in Sandawe,
and the term elements w1ll do tor> both.
2 Text l, notes 3,6,and 8; text 2, notes 3 and 4; text 6, note
11., e tc.
3 Text 8, notea 2, 4, and 6; text 9, note 7; text 12, note 6,
etc.
4 Al.eo heard ae .W (dove) and J..!.Al {pond), 1.e. with high
and low tonee tnetead or descending and rieing tones .
 lv/

LLsJ.!.. thore then'/ to burn

Li.!J.D. l"Oad dura ti Vf.l at":Cix1 that one

On the subject ot: ntreee Kahler-1!0.7e!" mentions that "in Sondawe

it SP.ems to provide dis tine tion be tween wordo" . 2 An e n~;,le
may ehow that thie is indeed the case:

LL~ to follow up (oct1vely, to follow 1th pU?"poce)

ll•@@t tollow~d (noutro active etate}

~o gen~ral rul ee for tonal behaviour have ye~ been iuolnted for
Sandawc. The U6c o~ tone d1acrit1or in the texts of this thesis
is expl ained in Appendix x. Ao t:or vowel length,
di~ect correlation between length and meaning.3 Lonr; vowels at"e
indicated by doubling the vowel signs (aa, ee, etc. ). btreos
appeare to be often acPociatod with a slightl y raised tone but
heavy a trees mny lower t he t one ; thic r:ia t tcr remain& fff.r from
clear. 1lle influence of otreeo on weaning ia considerabl e and
perhaps ot greater sienificai,oe than may have been suspocted;
there appeara to be a direct oorrelation between emphasis 1n
meaning en<'. s treos in speech. 4 notw1 ths tand1ng this, stress ts
rarely i ndicated 1n the texts a1nce the use or a tone d1acr1t1c
is ueually eut"t'1c1ent ~or readabili ty.
Another problem i s provided by asp1rat1on. In the ir
d1ecuse1on or a spiration 1n Swahili, Tucker and Ashton state
that 1 t t ... 1• a d if'f 1cul t phenomenon to determine, because 1 t
1e governed by the deeree of aspiration 1n their unvoiced
oonsonante",5 and bocauee of the "ten~ency to aspirate unvoiced
explos ives in atreeee~ syllables and not to aspirate them in

1 er. p.77.
2 1947, 293.
3 A good example ia L?.a, •pond', and ~ or l!.Q.14., ' large
pond, l ake• J na and DAI. may al s o be connec ted.
4 Ct t •xt No. 2, note 7 ; text No.12, note 12; text No.15, note
14; and text No. 48.
5 1942, 87.
 108

1
umi tros11ed ayllab le~ ." Thi s i s precise l r thf' dif,."1cult.17 v,h1ch

a oo1ra tion a1so prosc n te in ,3andawe , and i t t!lakeG it u1f1'icul t

t o decidt· upon an orthography wh ich can wi tt ;:;tand cr1 tical
exmn1nat1on. ':'he probl c;ra i s wht t her an ~'n gl i f,h a-ord l1Jr~ ' pint'

would have to '?°'e writ ton ~ ( ,1ith a p l-:>Gi ve 12,) , JU...!J.1 (explosi ve
u} or :2bJ.ll.:t. (a"ti11•stcd ;.1.). .-,orae d 1ctinc t1on mur;t hn 1,1u1lc because
in Sr.:n.tiar:e dif ..'crcnce~ in ae.,:l.r ation may eonve:, dif'l'et>,:mces 1~

van de l.f.n ·enac1c chow£ tha.t thny llo 1ot alwo.yG a~ ree on thr

a:1p1rntional valueA or consonantc. ':"he pr oblrini is what ,Ja'\robson

a."lf! }'.o.ll e refer to ac the qu<.•n tion or overl Rpping phon.ern~~. 2

Copl ~d reduces the nUI!lb~r o~ aopirat i onul tyy,eo of $andawe con-

aonanto to two: aopirct e ,1 anrl unaorira t ed; he also ri,duoeo the
syo t en of.' la-teral soundo to a oi npler one. I t hao been :found
pN3siblo to ado~)t these s 1mrl1t'ioat 1on£ in this thesis. 3
! n Sande.111e s t t"Onf.: a npil•o +:!or. me.y be the .rentl t of fl trear ,
aa in Sn8h111 , b u t heavy f'tr osa on unvoiced ploo i vo com·on ants
may onuoe tl'1eo ~o oocooc vo iced. Such enphas :J.a is an aapoo t o-r
style which crcotea apoo i al ct':'t•o ts to ot!nuls.te tr.'3 lio tor,er•s
i ntc~eat nnd ~h1ch has thereror o litornry value. t1h6re this ie

clearl y tho ca£e i t ~ill have to be com~entod upon and the

erteote ot ruch sound cha~ges will have to be di ecuoood. 1'heee
condi ti ons are per haps bent exempli fied in texts Nos . 173 end
174 . L1Jre tone, leusth an~ f't:reoe , otrong aspiration has an
cttect on meani ng; since i t 1G th6 reoult or etreee this 1e what
shoUld be exp~cted. 4

l ~ . 88.
2 1956, 14-15.
3 Op,olt• 11nor modi t 1cat1one t o Copland ' e claae1t1cat1on or
consonants are made 1n Appendi x I X.
4 er. text Mo. 55.
 109

An out.~ t.ar.ding ft? t u rc or S;,nd a we ! s t " P.Yt.em:;ive 'I.toe ot

clicks. These a~~ i njecti<r< e wblch nave neen de~cri bed ne

''C'Uek eoneoran t a , ••• , li kfll 1 ropl o!'1vee, ax·~ '3otmrls of' a

yloll1Vd nature iradc wltt. the breftt h uoingit' 1nO't"n! of out.
Tht" :peculiar emaok1n.g sound 1e due to theiio l'l'Pe<.:ial
:nt;.1.•" are iiil'l'IU:f. i\lO poii. ts 01 ar t iculat ion, oi.e o. ..,1t1m
'?>~1;,r, the ve lar ,. top ( th }$.-pr· 1 l1 np) , tnri t 1e ott.ei- made by
some other part of t h e tongue oi- b y t he lips. 1'he air
between the eo two poi nts of contact h rarefied. by euctit•m:
t llt\ 111orc. form.rd 1.n.op i s r e l uaseu un th ail• t't.bll< f. 1n t~rom
the ~ute 1d~ to r111 tr1& rnr~fied spac~. The k-~loeure is
released 1m· cd1ately after the front closure and gener&llY
quietly, eo that one does not as a rule hear any k-eound.
'.I.he roll owii'-6 vo-wel is made on the ou tgoing 01•etl t.h and the1•e
h , no p re~ ,tibh paus bf:t een the c lick and this vowel.
The t.o:v-µc i s tense during the i;>roduc tion ot t h<" rou nd. 111
Thia is the baeic, unet.opped or i utt'l@l"al click, or which thf!re

ere three i n Sandawe: thP dental click (L), the lateral click
(Li.) and the r etrof lex cl tck ( J.). 2 "<' o.ch of theee cl icks c ay

occur i n five f orms : the baoic or simple form described, aa well

aa stopped, aspirated, nasalized , an~ voiced, making fif t een
d1t1'eNnt click phonemes 1n all. Th~ method of' wr1 ting t h Pm 1e
shown 1~ Ap~endix x.
Since the occul'rence ot' theae s ounds is 11m1 tad to
eouthern and eaotern Africa they have formed the basis tor
epeculatione that they charaoteri z~ one linguistic fare11Y, a
vlew which 18 now held to be of doubtful val1~1ty. Cuts ide the
.South African groupe of eo-called oliok-languages wi tl1 which
Sandawe hae been associate~ t~gether with Hadza, click sounds

l 1033 , 98. lllust~ated i n Appendix V!II .

2 Many Sa.ndawe ue~ an alveolar click Cr) 1no toad,but eince
there 1s in Send.awe no tihouellliC dif..'eren.ce 'between the
a.lveolo.r nnd the x-etrot"lcx click, a s i ngl e aign (J) lll&Y be
ueed tor both.
 110

occur in euch southern Bantu languages as Zulu , Xhosa and Sotho,

and sporadically they also occur further to the nor th. 1
Ejecti ve sounds a~ aleo common i n bandawe and one of
the lateral e jective {Zl.!,.) mar s ound so deceptively similar to
a lateral click that Lembl6 speaks of ' pseudo cl icks'. The
lateral t'r1cat1ve (llJ.) has also given r iee to some d1:ff'1cult1es.
'.!.'h is sound is usually enunc1.ated rouctl like A. later al affricate
( wi th a ' hard rel eai:. e' ) , and dittertn t 1~epreeon t a t 1ona in
2
writing ha11e been tnc r csul t . Stop~ abound 111 Sandawe , and
the general i mpres1:; ion ot the l anisuage is one of a eeriee of
sounds which does not flow smoothly, but i s sharply divide d into
monoaJlle.o1c e let'lents. Thi s tendency appears to be particularly

~ronowlce d 1n woman epeakcro aince the~ usual lJ articulate

better t han· men.
The vowel s.:,stem pN•scnta some problor,s or 'Which
naoali zat1on, lo~t.h, tone , und E>tross m we alread,Y been
upon. P1f1'e!"'enceo in vov.cl qual1 ty are a&rkcd in the .§. and the
~ ( open£ and closed t;., open¥ and closed st) but they occur
1n tne ot.i1er vowel s . Phonemically tlle.Y d.o not appear to be

dis tinctive, at l eas~ not aa an i solated reature . Copland

notee theuo d11'ferencea 1n vo.vel quall ty, bu t he uecides on a

1 Schultze, 1928, 3, i ntroduced t he term ¥h o1 - ~a.~ for the

peoples with c l ick-languagee {from Bushman and ffot tentot
words me8ll1ng ' 1>eople'); t hi s tern wao given wide c1I'culat1on
bJ Ccha,cra (c•• p. ;o , note 6 ). ~1I'~eronces i n olicke occur.
BeI'ger, 1943 , 100 , says that i t 1e remarkable t hat the lateral
click of the ~1Ad i ga i e not rormed as with the s andawe, but
y,,,,
as with the Narna Hottentot. ;()as s ian dpi ee , 1904, 273rr.,
r eport$ an alveolax• c.11ck i n l.1' ,oni and • 1 uto in southern
Tanzania (related to t ulu) .
?okken, 1905, b7 und 93 , r epor ts a ~ingl e clic~ word in
K1a1ha, a Chagga d1nlect of ~1liruanJaro. The occurrence of
clicks in Sanye hss slre ady been 111cnt1cned on p .58 (note 6) .
2 er. Appendix x.
 111

1
f'ive -vowel eyetem.
The texts of t he tol lowins chaptera contain a few sound&
wh1ch are not used i n ordi~&ry spe~ch. Th~y ~~e :
?
1. A bilabieJ. elick (0 ); thb ou ~u1•a i n on:!' one instance.,.
2. A smacking sound whi ch tt might be temp ting ~o oall a mono-
lab ial cli ck. The tip of the tongue 1e rla1tened a&ainst the
1naide of the lcw\",r J.1p !md the tips ot' t he lower incisors.
~·enBioning o~ tta, blade raref'1es the air wHlt r it and the
rim of th~ lip ie cuc~~cd into ~ho mo,,ta . t•lense occurs while
the mouth remaino open. ':.'hio oounct c1oo no, q1..1 te f'1 t into
the de:f1n1 t1on of a click, pernapn , bccauue th<' release 18

not rande between th~ rron~al poin~ ?t' n~ icula~ion and the
t posi t1on wi.11ch Illa~ be abot:n t. 4'or tbis liounc' the lower
half ot the s1gn for a bilabial click io used (1.!t); just ae
the latter it is rarc.3
j • • ~ scra-ping sound ((I. v oi co< glottal 1'ricat1vc) which may
oorresponcl with what .,ura!' calls a 'deep wir.c'pipe suttural'
of th<. aoraua. 14 It i s not uncooi::,orily uoNi by oome 11ins trele
to ~i ll the pouoe between two stanzas; lt ~e.y bo extended to
t'orm a sort or bl-eathy 1•e1·ra1n, quit~ p:t>olongeu smd r epetitive
a t di f£erent tone l evelo. J Ml eek and Lloyu ahow that Buabmen
make ouch \l8e of th~oat sounds , and the1~ eign t o represent
6
1 t i s there fore taken over in thi s thesi s { Y ) •

l ur. Appendix vu.

2 Text ?io.174.
3 Texts , oo •.H and j4.
4 1920, &.
5 C£. tape r e cording. side 2 , text ..:o.1)8 {nee; A';>)endix XIV).
6 1911 , viii. 'l'he:, deecribo it aA a etroug croaking sound. i n
tho throat. A textual e ,lruplP. ts in m2.:..£:.U, ,t-• 220. The Cat•e
~· ong.
 112

A schema or t he phonological system of ganda we i o

pres ented i n Appendices nr (vowel s), VIII (clicko) a nd I X
(other conson1mto) . .Append1~ v!'TI il la::itrute"' .:>oth varieties
ot.' the alve,l &r/retrotlex cl ick , s i nce 'loth aI'o collll11only used. 1
Append1~ X shows the orthos r aphJ' used ln this thec is. In order
to fac111 tate t he• read.i ns of quota t ions :f'ro:n :Je.npwolf'f , Lcmbl~
and 1an do , ir:u:ienacc t.>i ei r ort hu1Zr£Aphicn are ulao l ietod for
coll\pa rieon. 2

l Johnston, 1921~ , 26 , speaks of 0 the t hroo .QJ:. mY1! ' clicks'

u~od i n ,iandawi '' ( i tul l es rr.i nc ).
2 )cn.pwolf'.i' e r.iploJe .~eps iuo' alp.1-a oct (le., 3 . -'!> ...ud 208 ) a s
modi f 1Nl'by ll<'in.ho:f (191~ , 5 ); T~ribV t'~lln"f::i nntu ( Zulu)
ortho~raph 1cal ueiaee ; van de i muensde r e tul'nG to the
stan(.at..u click £1gl\a . .,~i s orthography and tne one used in
117
this ...l,os i s dit~.cr onlY .nt nor uet. ....11 . .. t 1 f'•)l t t hat the
e1mplit'1cat1ons made irnnrnv~ the c~r tem ; th<' ali:>habet adop ted
i'ollowa closely tho recolll c.,nda tions ot the J 1fr1ca Al phabe t
or,d t b.«- eepo.rate -publ1cet1on oL' t he _ntorna Jionul African
:r.1u itute , cf . ,.J.'ricis , 1<)~3 ·
 113

C 11 A P T E R I l!

~ A R R A T I VE
J\NIM/,L Ji'ABL'?S AND C O I "':AL "CAL ::S

X.ll.Ltloriet,
Thie chapter a.~c the next contain 3e1cct1on~ ot ten
Gtor ics e~ch; the 31Jn ha.eo 11cen to nake the!:\ a:- representative
nc poss~ble both ~or t:,pc and ~or nUL'\bor. The t ir~t eeven
otorios ar e •pure ' ru1.i~el fables , 1.~. taleG i n which all t he
prin cipal ?>oles arc t;>la.ve.e. l::J a.r i onla . 'Ihiiu 1s o vory common
typ<. in 3s.n.dav:e ~ral 11 tt ::-"ature, lll16. 1 t tend~ to be also the
'I'he remair:ing thI"''e ctor1~- of Uiie chapter are
r1ost a i ni-ple .
1
or tt.e type whieh S truyt' claseifiee as apolo.-;ue!' • They are
tu1 £ i n wl".1ch ani s.1~ anll pt: op::.e act to.;e t.icr· anO , according
Struyr , these have a clearly ,orali~tic purp~~e; ~1 t h the eame
right, however, thi ~ can alEO be sai c or Fo~c oC t.he •pure '
animal ta'bl ce. Accoroint- to nn i nf'C'r!'t'nnt t.!1~ c ar-dnwe preter to
&~e ~tor1o£ with a mixed catt not at ooralistic but as comical
talel' , and te:xto • os. 9 und 10 would cortnin:t.v quo:i tr:, as such.
At tmY re.to 1 t would be Mfficul t to orao 'l cl< ar Une ot
di vision hct\11ocn i;uch cutcgoricG.
Jn t h 1G r.election al'c included co:-c tcrto whi ch have been
oollect6u b~· :Cempwolff' 1n 1910 ao that ~or c-,1r~ar1ron also older
'Illa ter1 al no.,r le r,rcsentetl vi ic~- hu.'l ~;, b t:t n c ....1 1 rcted by myael:f•
r "v appe&rs that tho ~1fty ye arc whi ch !'>a•re pa: t:ed ince
coll ~c~d hi~ t c7.ts hav~ not v1r.1blY etfect~d the r tyle and the

1908 , xr.v.
 ll4

language of Sanda~e story telling, e ven though th1a span of t1$e

comprise s t he better part of the p e riod or cont~ct with European
and modern Swahili influences .
This chapter contn1na one of Deropwolff's texte. ot theee
t e.,xts t he ver naot1la1• is not. prese1r. tecl nfain ::01 ,~e thie would be
a need.let~ duplication. '!'he 1,ew English tranelat1one I have
m~~e rrom Decpwol r~ • e pr~oentat i on~ of th~ vernacular, no t from
h1a Cerman 1.ran~lati ons . 1 t 1 • , 1•c.tifyin:;: to :::.?e that the new
trarii.,lationa are i n close at,"'.reeme~1t .f1 th pom:pwolt't''e .Jerman
vers ions . In t~e few ir-.. tar..c.!, ~llcr~ t ••1 1., n :>t the caee the
l'eueono for the d1fferet1Ci:; art~ e:x.plaii.~ - ir. ..-. foot ote .
All t::.~ ori gi nal story rt& terial ls }'t'e~en t.e,, w1 th t h e

vernacular te:xta fac1ne; t he tt>~nale.tit:>ns, 'i'h1c11. •. ave b een made

on a 11ne- 1\.>r-l1ne baeis . !n a fe•1. 1110 tan.cel1l c:rl')~~-overe
be t ween lines 1t'.!c u1•; ln p lac s t 1ey ai~e ncce,. o.r:1 i n order to

acht e;,re a .r c:ndab le. tran<>l .1t11'P . Th·~Y ':&v{ t~:P. i ke9t to a

ruir.imum , and ar,ronc who Ghoul a ~ieh to uz,e :'it, ...e tnxte '/:or
.t'urt:1ci- linguiatlc t~liua shoul d no1 fine. 1t dif,.'1cult to find
the correa!)ond1ns Sano.awe elern<mte by refe rence to t he trans-
l at1?n. ?or c ac1er rcfe:rcncc and co.1!.Jari ,ot~ the lines are
num'bt>r ed on coth s 1dcn . 'l"1e translotlons az•e li t~ral; 11' :fluent

EnE;ll ah hae •:, en achieved 1 'l 11lacer, t h ie 1~ a ~ap.9J coincidence.

,here 11 te1•i:1l ...rs.n&la l.iono u:t>e 1.n.:.,osoible bcct.iu. c ".Jt vagueneeo,
ao i n so,ne :J o gs , exv:anat:n~!>' notco a:c•t' ..c:1·.ren. ,;,!lpl etenees or
the teAtB i~ a pri ·a.ry ni!':l s i ne. thie io nec~ s•1t.u•.r 1.t' they are
to terve as a oaaia ror anal.,, le t :.md !.'le r.:ck or bome texts
becomi ng rat11er weari~ooo becauae or rspetii..i)n , i s there.tore
cli eregtu...ucd .
i\.l thou&h footnote g ive ex11lano.Lior.:s to th texts , a
!'uller nnal.-, s 1s •1111 not b given un:.:ll w<? t'each c"l.opter I X.
 1 Utaa 1~10 1/atsux d6l'0 "1 aa khongoma wa.lk i • paa
2.
2 d6ronf,n kn' : " .r:s i //atsuil1 oa ' Aata ' "• :i'ax. ka':

4 '1.'£h:! na)u1,s•1e•J n/! u11ah nrunoe.

5 Tei Oft I (h :!.13 1 , //a tSU //Wa 1 0 ke 'thl8tBipO't 0 • 4
6 Pax. k8 I : .J "i'e:!ko d.,Q,ro oa•, ie 1 I /~tsus' 11 •
.
11 >
7 pax ka 1 : ·1·a.!Ko ;/at~u ct6ros ' t.>a ' a e is'' .
8 Pa ka •: 11
.;,WO~ n:!a oa• 4a!p6I
9 //atsunga hapuxEiil hWlluwarucieU.
10 H! ki n lkav1t.tllki eUna•, • Pa ka':

11 " G!ribo h'1Dawantci s u 1

• ".t1w.ana't '
12 Pa ka 1 ; " '.1.'G I dana tankulveo1l" •

"-.aangas t nxe". 7
14 "Aaai>e, e e . " lsw~ //abunga:
"Doro kalalae 1' 4laln°
dorc ·u~:aluc kalalu
hi ea:
n t': nl', hi na: l-te.
S~era ~,§"'1'.'8 lcdlala'',
himott:9 "iltlala. "

1 The i of U ntfrni\ (lio.c.) ls an n Lt, nt1on-!'ocu oi ng

demone t r ati vc- , •renal.at f'O. ae a voe at i VC' ( '' o •) •
2 I .e. ' hiET "'r tnan >'OU • Th,. comparative is emphasi zed
by strees on bs ' ash, ', • l am .\U.z'.

3 nl1- w1-A!!. ~ · ~P-tf•ocue ~n thfl object.lit 1~ who '.

4 ' Name• equals •ra~~ · .
5 k.!l!. may bf'l trtmf' l a t ,..d 1'1 •!HlnV wayfl, naE'1cally 1 t rti!!'l.09
'to utt er' , hut also ' to say, to sing , to a~ 6 to a
previ ous re ~nrt , to go on F.'.l,./1ng , ~o r •pe at , t~ ~onrirm.
Cf'. line.a 6 (•to a'l•"') ai ..... 8 ( • to l""".?l .1 ') .
1
6 doro- e ~~ .!-s' : ..'hi s is o doubl e • t1•ne:e • 1~onc true t i on
which 14' co,,,.,.on i n f'P.ndawe . 'fhe f iret .....!.. ::eens
' I have •, the ec cond 'I shall '. The total ceant ng 1e
 116

!,oug ago a lion aw:1 a zeo~a were 1lnbat.ing t.ogather , a 1d the

1
2 zebra s a1J.: "I , o Lion, l a-n u:ig. 112 And l the lion] oa.1d.:

3 "Ali , you ~oora, wnat. , a c :.,ou olg; you are fJuot) :iea.t, ;/OU .

4 1 , 1 u~e .... t.o oat J'Ou,- l

' have eaten you 1r,decd in tne past.
I w::. O.:i.S!, , WlC u 1or, , .na,cr, ' t you n.etn•o. my nwi1c·, ,4
(:

Ano. he ~epe6te<.1: "" 11 '.i:t bi g , 1, tnc i..ion" ,

i :J 1 , ze;;ra, ~.no
6 Qlli

oilu ile a dd~a : ·, J. 1 ... ion, 1 am bii., er t:ian a Zf)br&. "

6
1
Ar,d l the ~e braJ r .,pl1ec.: '. ow t.,en , it' you &J.•c: bic_er·
9 t::ie11 I , .u1on , will COiiipn t.e v.1 u. y.:,u.

l J ,o•:1 "neu anall we competer," .,,116. he a.aaed:

11 "In ruru,ir.g ,u, a.uall 001 pc te." 11
,,here t o , t hen? '
12 l T...e z" ::;x·a) &1aid: lo the waiei-i ug place we 2nall run. ·• -

l .3 "'io t.ie ate..1•1ng place'i!t \.z."ea] , eu~ tar as !iangtle i n• . 117

14 ' ..i-.ll rign i. :;.. ~n. " - Ar.J slow t e lion [sang):

zebra come on t'1"':1, run , co -:>n, r.iov" t

How h{; pant~ : ht , -;>a1. to : he
<.:a .ve !":l.e t hen , g1 ve et~ the a good run",
nc roax>s ou t , 9 ''come on, n.oll'e 1 11

'I iut~c alwo:,a bi:•c-n o i g_er and r i;·hell r emain "IO in the
tut.ir~ 1 • ';.' c o1'vioul" tranelation is the pr,eae--it tenae , hut

then t he aubtl e i mplication of contem~t is los t .

7 This is the nae by which t he sandawe ueu~lly call their
t e ioaJ. headquarter s \fnic.tl in of,.'1cially knodn as Kwa ..1toro.
M ..~n!n' 1a deri vcd frou t:.ht' German , a,rnzi.i ( a tor e hous e)
hich J t . Li lllce bu i l t there .
8 ~l.f.UJl 1& n v~r 1J.a~r ech. ::.4 11. .t.d ( urg~.ne7 )
<! 1., ON' i r ..:iry
wit: vov e l ,.-slue~ (t.h..,ro) , pluv - J.c.-l!t (hk1J1 1;ual or purs1et-
ent a ction , repeattd, and with 1 C.i1Swu1t ' vow l value Jl) it
!'ol'Jlf.\ '•.e 1RH.lge 01' 'come l')O. tlum, run! '
9 ~ : cf . P.ar.tu 1lri!ll\, ' to e i ns '. tfo.ru)awe tends t o add an
i n i '11lul ll to sot16 .i...d!.tu bon.•oni x--.s , t. • tl• i~antu pdika, uandawe
bnn,UkA ' to wri te •. fil.mrul is also a ritual name i'or ' Lion'•
 117

l !> Pax ~ 1:ro' 1. A 'k a ' :

".ti iirJ,t.10 k ltlL ll!e ,d1 ! la", d.oro,
ka •: ''hi. a. hG , hi1 a: ht:.
$ ~era . 11, re. 1t6.i.ala 1 ,
ni ·b i 't.tl ,la.''
l6 Ay h~u / /f'. 'i J'.-!o t•· \~ l h,,..·1. Pu k s ':

"Dot·o k"l ilee ' •. lo

uor o Y~1alae ~ll,ls
n~ hi~a: h~ , hi a: h,.
o~~va edu~a Kd~ulu' ,
hi i k~: ·• :i\l ,ln. ''

17 Pax /,' \ +; ~··1·, ka I ! 11

"t!:
.
tJ. . :1 1 \I"' ,: t''1tt't, r )J'~,

k?. f: "h111~a : h~. h1 ma: hd.

st:~r a s6era ktHala '',
I
ni1.11.1e h.u.1.a.1.a.

18 Ah, do,·o Wcll'Ul\t,,Oti ; nJ.tH, 1 nn

12
19 W.du n/;e· &. , i>ax b\i.;&. ! I a t1,\1r.ga:
11 .10o1•0 i<Jlnlao 1 !1lo.l n
doro ldlaLJ:" !'ulaV
nn hi "la : I\~' hLua : ht.
S~ern ~~ .. ra 1r:Slala O
,

himba: 1
.r,dlala. ··
20 Ah , //a ts~ ~h~4ngea.
21 'i'l 'ump t1ko n/I eea. l'ax ta ' ok',
22 sw~a doronga;

lO Like l:l111W1i., lU.!J.QA :in a r1 tual n1::Uae 1'0:r ' Li on'. hot n
term& are d0rive d frora tn~ j&ntu ~ o~ ~ ·
'1:hc. etor.'!- t£ller l~te t h~ lion ar~"ogontl .r c a ll out
his own 1)l"t1'1e ne.r.e , to whi ch t~~ zt•,)ra conten:iptuou~ly
r ep l i ea w1 tn a var iant.
11 r,·he e toi~1-tellcI' ol1p3 up M.1 aays "and the 11:>n f.' a16 "
int tee.d of ·•tu-r the Zf''-r•..1 eai d." , but he c 1>l"r (lcts
h1111e e l f by .. 1 z i ~,g tht z-•br& ' s eon.g 1tt ed ~.at.el y 6fter.
 lk

l~ /,.."'Jc t he ,; 'r•· too , he ?t1.n~:

0 Lirm1 P co-r.e on tnen , run , COl!lfl on, "10.;f:'!" ?eht>~ (f,ai.<t)
8J i.ti a<tde d : "he pc.r: t i:, : hl , p a..n ,.t-; ht1.
u.1. ve Ille then, g 1 ven me: tt1en a food run,
Lion, couc. 01. , m:.ive!"
lG •'/ , t. i , l.io11, h~ 1·on :l'c 11:, .. ell . A..,.11 he :Jang :
II '
ra the;-: , !·un , com !!OVC !
--- ":)

~POJ'U COt"'I-'
0!1

t'len, r-in, c~,-r!" "'l , I! ".)Vf' !

O! t

'{OfY he
""h~ , pan tc: ht1
pnr. ·~ a:
Jive !!IE:' then , ~ive ,ue L,ten a ~00d run",
1
1.... l'OS.l'.' <')\.: .,, <,0 •• C 0 ., 1 '/(' ! '
11
17 .w,l the lion ssja.:
'' .• lon c ).uc ~n theh , "' ....1. , co,i.:e -:., .• , ?Vd ! ' .~ ··ra [ s aid]
ann eel ed: "l).e panto: h~ , pn,1tf: hl:1.
a1ve me then, give me t ~en n good run,
Lion, oor.,c on, move %"
l o Ah, the ze crn hae ~ot f ar away; precentl y then
19 he r eaoheu ¥ne uuau [.iv~r J , 12 and now the lion ( sang]:
"uobra come on t.,en, :run , cowc 01, , movo J
z c r~ co o.; OJl t} t ;) , !'UH , CO,~t. OI, , .,,oVf. 1
! w ;e pants: a ,tu : h ~ he,
·1 ve .<' then , 31 w: ite then a '!Cod run'',
hl.. roars 0 lt, "co1:ie on , movo! 1'
1

20 AA, tt1e lion has got far a way. Now then he haG :pansed
21 at Tl t Unlp' ,co hP has arri vt-d. And tne l zet>ra j l{O t up ,

22 an<\ now t he zebra l sang J:

12 'rhtt t"ou ..e can be .t'ollowed on !11.fl'P .,o. 2 .

'r'he ~tory-teller
11vva near :i•ark n a,1d .a<. le ta hie l\t>l'Ol"R run to Kwa t or o
al" 1, <t 1•ou t.e which is oleo foJ.1 l':IWClt by t .he modern road.
~ll his l16ten~ra know this rood which 1r the ~oo t i mportant
11nf: of con uni enti on in aouth- caati,rn Sanda'fe country,
and n:.et~bers of tlw outUence can thcr•e!',,:r<" el\oily :f'ollow
the vro.;rcea oi' tt.e ~oc:p~tit,,rr in their ir ogination.
The next place to ho r.ie:•t1onE'rl., Tl ' wriko , i LJ a h ill hal f -
way ,e tweftn Rengumft and 1wa toro (line 21) ; P6r o ttil l i s
or£ the r oad to the r i ght, but the area near the road 1s
also kuown as P6ro (line 24 ).
 "hltil8 : ·,~, h i t<:a ; he
St',.ra :(~•ro ~lr.l a tt,
ninou •. ~ ....~la.

24 ~ax
A >r>; ,l.i. .........o ;,~ala
a·ro i ·, ,1ae 'dl~lo
ns. hime.; h~, hir,a : lH• •
~cora slera ktlal~' ,

26 paa ;u I )K ....h ..i .

.,L..c:i4
11
Ka La1nc 4!1..i.lu'' t l.-.o ,
ko ': "'l\1•: hf* , hiH! '1~.

e~er a s~era k(lnla,

n i rnbti k ilala. ''
~ l•
27 Keka tindo h <ietl I :Ctha iri:.c : ... •

" Do1•0 kdldae jcdl~l tt

d c::o ,•.:"'ola1..;; ~l..1....la
na h i '1 • ' ,1 a: ht!..
st~ra f,~C.Nl kul.:-.la" ,
hi.aoa. 11
.KdltiJ.u. '
28 //atBlhlQ t4tara; d6ro 1/ ' anta n//eea
29 pax ka' :
".H1mb'1 ~alal ae kdlal a'', c'o:ro ,
k a': 'nlJtu: r,l , hi.. a : h ·.
Si:Ser'-' ~~~7'8 k, lola ,
n 1 b d kt l;·l-• I

30 Pa hew( ta ' ~t.~yoo tf; • :la.n tf' 'a, pa n//um:a,

31 pa / '6f"• '; j, :;,a / • -e / / 6' "r.: 1 5
" liimbi!. ...,iaiao k ~lala'' , o , ro,
ka • : ''hioc: h,: , h i .a: 1·. J .
e.Ju1.•a ~ 0:lu.l... ,
lt •1u1a. '

13 I . e ., he t',~,df! n ap~cial c,ffort. Com~on i dion.

14 The next s ong i s sung ao~tly to show the dietance.
 l..!O

"Lion co111e on then, l'un, come on , ttcve ! " Ze~ra (enid)

and achl:'3d : ,1e pa111.s; nf! , .9an t1 : h~.
av(' re thon, e tht,n n ~,:,c• 1un,
ivc,
i.ion. cone or:, mo v~!"
23 /,.."td the y,e' ra .vo~ cl.ore to d:r>1nk1ng fat th,.. waterholel ~

24 t u: ft.he lioul JmpP<i np . 13 PreEr•nt,l:, then hi! arriv~d nt

"l',ebra COf.lE.> on th~n, run, COC'{ on, move?
zebra come :m then , l'un , comt on , move l
••c.w h<. p", :s: ht, J)Wltt: nc ..
'iiV" ll)f'- t.hl"!l, ""1.'11' c th n a "'';),')Q 1•un",
ht" roar!'! out , ttco1:io on, nova! •1

25 Ah, it look. ao 1!' thP.' lj on i~ about. to arri ve ,

26 but the F.obra t hf'n got UfJ•
1'Lioa co'ne on then, run , comP on, ·1ov,· Z'' re·o r a f sai d]
an.\ adued: "hts 1)l\ntn : ht1 , pant s: h ~.
si ~·<., , .t, t .1;.;11 , t, :J. VQ 1<>\.. ;,hc.n U c.,;)Od run ,
Li on, eo•:-it on, uov( ! "
27 r~ p r·1.ct"ed nv ME· cars, an~ tht: rr' far away l tho
It
eb:ru on
C,)t!\C 'her,, '!"\'- t c () 1(' O! t ~ ove!
s~~ra ::o""' 1 on then, run , co <: 0.1, ,i~ve !
Jiow hi- ·oanta: h~ , pan ta : hf.
.... 1v~ ...e Lnu;:i , g.1.ve r:ie t,.e'.1 a ZOD<l l'Ul.'' ,
he roa:ro Ollt t 'CO:"\C ()T\,, L~'>\~( ! ,t

28 The licm thct. we& t1t>rd; the zobrc1 flt>riv a nt the \'ft'lll
29 llll{~ E aid:

''I,ton COi,.e on tbct , rur , come on:, -i,ove ! 1' ~ f'b r a t 11ai d)
and addc.J. : "he J;>an ta : hl , pnn ts : lu~.
0 1 ve ne t tlen , 1 vc e then a ge,od 1•ur.,
i i on , co. ,6 oi., ov !
30 hn~ hf: drt,1.i.k aAd dl•unk. 1.ci. the ""'I.er, a ::.... he s t->od up ,
31 ~u<i \"o& too., w iu h" lookt d i n t h~ dio tnnoe ;)
1 f mid e tmg a g ain]:

"Li on oor:ie ori t hen , run , oornt on, move ! •• "ebr a { sa i d }

and a dded : "he !)l\nts: h~ , '?ant,,:: 116.
n1 "' ,r,e then , gi VI" ,.... tJion n good rrm ,
Li on , corno on , rtove ?"

15 ~-DA* l.J..1• • to there •. The word Li.A.!., 'ther e • i o orten

uood fo~ 'di stanoo '.
 1 21

32 pax:
'-o~o kll•La~ k,lnla
doro t1~u1~c 11~ln
"a -..11"8 : ht , hin : h 4.
1 ·~epa f' -~~ra l,a lo.1 u . '

.33 H!a / ' ce uor.1 1 ! n.if4tioa i.nlt~t;:sui!

34 ka t : p\ik I p6_, t • II
el'te e•ve ne,,~ thlln ' ot.s ' i'
35 th4n • an· .J.·,ye t.. hi ,iox•o n, I.)$' ,
· 36 /&nts ipone·, J si t.ax I 1
8Il..Ci '

38 .l'a .t:a':
II
iml.>J i,,ulalue kalala", uoro ,
'fl I : · : l rn l : t · .; , 1.i u. : • id •
. /.era <:'1t·x•a ku.1.ola,
n i :nba k.~1 ,1u. 11

39 Po '{a•:
l.iO t~gie'

42 l6lot<"lhokH r1 r1· c'ltr ' ~ •; h! o M- k1 • :U,

43 hw:icts 1 !kaee.u
44 ' rnb6' o teb.eek:(ga. nee d1r o ba • tiel! , //ets'1
45 ts • <SU. Re , !'ok~gae• .

T§xt ~o. 2, 'fold by 'r. Paul Koto e gera at .//ateh&.

1
Utaa lolo h i nao l~leeloxa zengtlkiu //oota •a• l'ok!.
2 '!!a' l ' ol !'r '>El.8 t ~"-elcnga ·ze ngli te • a 'II.a • : 11 1.ar~,
3 kd • ina't ·1 r. & kn' : "·.6t,cna•, •
4 Pa ka': " .>l oa to' 1!
1
n/wa4 tlac. •. "
5 - "Swd tankul6l eo: ll/om~se t 4u n//eeae~
 "i,el ra co, e on tnt:n, 4•w1 , couo on , mo 'It !
~cl rs co.::l!I on .,. . , . .""ur-., C011f' on , move !
Eow h<. :;,ante: h(, ~Ur. t s: 1(
ave r.ie t en. give llH'l then a goorl run•',
ll<.; l'O..-r .. O,~t , • co ... '-'
1
on, ,c, 'le ! t

1
.1.101. co..1e on thcr:. , !•un, co.na o.: , 40 :...., ! " -c!:i.•a [ sai d]
• #
c;. '
Give me t)1en , ·1 ve .e thPn a good run ,
L1on , oor.,c on, :!love l "
59 Anu he so.id : 'You havo sung ror noti11ng. It ia I who

40 drank fi r e... fuo is big', I , Zcrnz-a , I am oig .

41 You c e!'.not run lb<.ctmo.e) you are he•v¥• I, i n t he paet ,

h2 ~irC!' lon..,. ago I have bf'en L'unning; when I am running ahead

43 l away 1"rou a pursuer], he 10 co1.\pletcl y beaten. " Now here

41.J. thf' stor y 18 1"1n1ohc d. ow the ze,! ra it: 1>1s, and the lion

4, 1~ e :1all. Ye3 , I hav<· t"in h.hed i ndeed.

l Lonij ~~o a cet"tain hycme 6116. a i. 1.ork met. ou 1.t,0 road.

11
2 lh•!n tho:r 1:1et tile hveno epokc to the e,tork: .L°' 'ri end,
3 ha.VG 3,'o..., heat'd'. " J.r,./' f t~e h.Vt-nU) ar.l:oci: 11
r'het then?"
11
4 An he N•pJ i ed: "At licl ".a ar. e l vpt.ont h tt::: died.
5 "How let u a run in comp3t1t1on: the pel'eon who .fi rst
10 kn': "// 5'k a ' o bara . " A' tl t 5 •

11 !'dr e •inf':a i:,,! t >1ea pa ztfogl1l•i / ' Ml- ' a

12 kobl • in trP. 1 P: U1aa: koL6wasl' ?,
13 kob6 t 1 m a i :,tl thsa •1 ""hatteP. ~ ele • pa :£,r a

14 /hime:
2 tal'ltSr, ·~ , tl\J' Jr,l"'e, 3
Cwnott tN-
,1faotf'hM· tantfaPo , +anfln~e,
: ....v tw-t:l ~
.t.: ;.I.U.l~l.():l t t....n ~..i.;6 .

15 Z~ngui.;1 I ' ;;r.;K t thautJc hew~lti :!~& I,

16 /him~. ,a r'"at:

, ~ng-ule , aifoe,ulee le, hol6a, 4

! ·o , 5 ~ · r"..,'-U {; ll"l, Hol ?f:'>.
1-:>16a, "' J .1·u1,"1c, tto1 6l'l.

17 ''H~u ;1ol6a 1' I 4v'·vi,lt tlao I ts ' ee" ,

18 l 'lhua tc ' n· /hJr.:e .

19 h!a /'.t k ' ~.t: ,,..1' I, t: .i\.elc n l1a

20 ht1tl' dlu' ! a iJP than' .
21 ka':

0wno tl h~~ tbntn ..~, tanC .go ,

G11mo!Ut' hie tanst'I ;~e , tanange ,
iJWltO tst,~o tamtnt;e , tan,c' e •

1 W• : runriiog on .11 .1i naes .

2 ~ re1·ez>e to toe a.1 r t ance they ax~ s till ~ .fi:gm
the carrio",. ,:~. p . 69 on the n~ ture or the eondav,e
locat ive .

3 !fm~ i ~ ncvo..:' hi-nr cl 1 nr,lin "'Y F"pt1ech . '"'h<'! co~-

pon~·1.tt arc j;~ {into), DA. (to,,ard), na s alization
(isolative) , 8§. \ati ir~ntivt) ; tnc streso on nCl strongly
euggeate a run~1ne ~ot1or..
 1 2!-.

6 he 11•ill take all the !'!~at, 0 [ the hyen,i t?aid] . And the etor k

8 in eor>p~t1t1on~ ocat m~·. 11 He replied: .,Oomplt tcl.y

9 ! ahul l bco t :,ou, y,.,u, \Iha t can y u do. y~u s tork1" i.t\Cl he
l (J ea1~ : "At oncn let ue sta.:-t. 1' They jumpfl d up. TJw h.vena

11 r:o!: rur:.n1ng on the land 0010 the s tort woe above •

3.2 flying on hio r.inua : .L sine<,- he hnd wings h~ was

13 flyi'lg 011 his w~.nga. The hyem.t wa~ running, an<'i thus .he

14 Bung:

'J.'o th~ cal"ricn2 let tnere be l'UDT11ns., be 1-unuing,.:,

'.LO t.no cai•rJ.on 1-.! ... w101•e tJ{. z•un .. i n.~, uu l'.Ul.l.dliJ.
r~n t 1e ~orrio let '( 'Jc r12.r. ing , t>c I'U nir1,{.

l_; A,-id ... tl)T'.,{ •uh il 1'1.,rin · nbove , ho too like• th.in

16 ll!"! e 1 . Ii. he 31.

~~.?.rer ,:, · "'l'lnes , wearer of ..anes l"UJ, on, L to} .!olda, 4

Oh , 5 we~r~r of maner ru..~ on , fto] "ol&a.
( To] Hol<Sa , y,earer ol' manee run on, [to ] ttolcSa .
17 ,.Thi~ Ho16a it is , the lace where t.het elephant has d ied" ,

18 sang t he one ~n t"'t rt•ounc1. And they went o:-i 1•unr.i ng [ ane ]

19 m<?n h<" cc ·1t" t" lnok bac1' the n.yena was th~re yonder ,
20 thero tar oehind he Wf\~ r unni ng. And 1."rom there he eang
21 and sai d:
mo th~ carrion let there be rUJ ing, be Punning,
'l'o tne carrion let there be l'uru ing, ~e running ,
To tl,c oar•.ri<m l et, there! bf:I runr i ns, be zaum1 1ng.

4 The coJlponent ports of :,,ngul~tlc) W'C ~ (D1anee} and

k-lr.. (habitual or eontit,uouo action, 1·e~e ated). enes o.re
at 'tributcn ot" lions and u mbolo o:f c.:>urage; the.Y a?'e worn as
e~blome ty dancer~ in rituals ot' witchcraft exorcism (nee
te:x t i o. 5) O.."ld 1n the 11on-eame or l!!-1~ ( see chapter VI,
ametion ;) .
~ ~ (1•othP-r!} ie, a c-o • on ~xcl r.mutton; whEln erunc1aUd \dthout
-ouch a+roaa , aR i n thi s caeo, 'oh ' ceome to be an adequate
r er.deri ng.
125

22 '-teng\1 pllX ~
H.t;C '• .,.,.,...nx '·."
r,.,. t :

st, u ~e, oJ.n u.lcele, ol ~t...,

1..;~, \l1=ele, !'l ~~.
ttol~o. ,~ 1e~le, t~ l6u.

23 li:!u I
/1.:. l
...... f' 01 •a
u
/o" . ..1a

25 pe //•aJd.•
26 /6, J , />'>it •. , >a 1//!(-. {'I .1/ ,1t~..,i1 tl • abisotruia ,

27 paa n:u titca tu'Ke. 7

28 T6kel~ dlu '!a haa thant~h~·; hia
29 thani', pa t•eeta ', 6Ptene /'ee
30 /'Wlk ' ne /'coi: z~ng~tr~~e.
31 Po& k6': 11
r1~ h6e, zengu a"' ~ magas • .
32 Hamb(i ht w~ i, ~·be~ ' !, h~k~a 1Y~ sw~ tr!n • '?
)3 Sft d6' e tu ' ·' X.' ::i a n/ in :e. '' Pa ma' aa, zen6u
34 n ! il 6'a / '1nk'e . !:ta tl:\ 1 ,•y•ne. / ':lnkci pax

38 "Ay, d6kwe, hou /' lnli:~eanld. " ia

39 tl' es6 I • 5. W.f' i, pa /t\e('I t4nke. ts 'ubU.
40 Pa zl n~-une:An tu', na ka': ''Tt!k~le, h :!ki hlak'~'2
41 Ri a ' k1sa' hUI1it1.).S~• /aumpo•.
42 ?11 kt ' tohi'ea /Uee k!"lf1wnxee .
4.3 Tsae.ge.f ' aa tl ' uxtma>.P, "ak' t<"">o 01m."
44 Had! et8 <.) 1 ga ts'>~ok:1'.. !hatlk 1 u cshec
45 t l' ttxtt. 9

6 '.ihe e lephant ln 't:o· ale• bc~auce it is deed und pm,;orl 0 l\s .

7 ·ecau• c lliuoe •.11. c t ugn, cai·1·i 1 - eutine oirde liko

1

vtlltur B auc. · iwabou ,·t.,rr·l: 11ktJ to uttaci. c-:.1':•(t'l th1•0.. gb

the anus, :pi exit a nu• th<' !'ae<.:ea and t.nar1ng out chunko
ot aea t fro~ the ineido.
 126

J2 1'he S t Ol'k thl1J :.La.ug ltlO al1d Sili<l :

1c-l\11 or 01 rnonen , \Y~at'e-z· 01· , lln(': r U\ on , 1 t o) t•ol6a ,

.,h . . 'e. • "' ::,f ruie~ 1• i >n , ~ t.,J ;l ~a.
! ' 0) ">l~n , Wf'. 1r· l" of' 'if.tnCC l'l'n ..., ' , L t. -, ) Ho l (~:l.

2.3 .'nc. he 1,okv.l 1'or.wa.?"d ol ~a ,:us ctting nna,•.

;'?h Vfj!')
6
the elC".>h ant, he ~ew '1er an 6. he fllNi ! hi,d r hiB Wings]

ho he ha"' nl l tud he peakc:<4 •

2~ p<n·~~eo., oeoxeu, and entererl ru .J. oa ·11! 1nt0 the

27 and onl y hi8 boaY emer~en. 7
2d -h.,• '.Y'9na. , .ro11der nt a rl i stanee h,. ·van r»mn i n ' ; a"\A. er· he
29 ran ho loo' eel back, and !V"Z'e he lo'lk11d a n:~ there hr looked
30 and UJ>\'l!ir d he lo nked f but] t he f tnrk was not t ere .
31 J\'l'\d h.e ea.id : ''H"h, heh , the fJ tork r hav"' now \',ea t en.
3~ hen~ u-~~.u i a ht , with h is ,, i r. s~ whP:r-c- to is he r..ow r unn ing?
33 o• J.e·:-, ~ oa-c alQne. '' riut ho11 ho gnt .1m.r t? he stor k ' s
,!1f n he took ht rirs t b 1 te • then
35 tht· ~ta!'k , ~o,.? pecl<ed hi in 1~:te e '(> • It r,Ul"At and he
11
36 c •j l"d : 0h no~. "r E nr, th.} e lcphtw t ' a fat h ao

51 r eul1y hurnt ,,.1;; . 11 Ay, t~e e.,e wu:-. totally broken.

j8 "A, , ,mi t , thio one ! ' ll rea lly hi tfl to pj e~es! " "''h en he
39 h it MCC r.1 )re , t. 10U [ also ] the O l:her 6:{e ,1aa de o t r oyed •
40 A.i<1 t:ia £\ t orif. on,e out , and !ai d : "yena, how 1e i t?
41 :Vhen I eai d ~ t.ha t J I'd neat J ou, do .1ou tH e 1t n o\1 [ what I
1i2 t1oont]? Anu :,ou $Oi<l [ that ] t h(• tat hes burnt your eye.
43 It i s 1 wh..> have brohm Jour e yes, you will su."'.'er nov,. "
44 The stoz,y 8 has t'ini ol'led here . 'l'h.8 monke.1 ' s hcac'I
l~5 1,ma c1•ac'k • : . 9
------·-------
8 llQd-*a1: ~ ll p . SO wt: ha~,e ~eon thf;.t t l'e t o.t'd for ' a t or y ' is
hllilli.!,. ae ~ l.t•eos 0 ·, t .e 1 as t. "'.J J.lsb 1 · .c•eft:r·~ to the e t ory
j un t i,old: ' ~ ctol"y '; it ~Q.,I>l'Oti ate~, th-_, t:u:•t 1c le 1n 1',:agl iob.
9 !A1le h u typical ly Jimdawe WIJ.Y of' :f1n 1st1i n& a e t or.:,. Ito
~1gn1f1ce,n.ce i o ex Jl a i ned i n chap t $r I X, clos i ng ~or mulae .
 "ol.! hy r. Ml.,..,~
... i,.1.., .... i
a,t • ol·(
u at .. i-1 .a .

1 Utaa l~lo tu O a J ti• e • cs.: w:6S 1. 'iu'

"La' 1:.: ,

4 ia

5 gdtl'ox: .. '

6 ow~ ~ .. i. ~,c,J(~·t~·· 'c, 'ir:'1"' 1 -t-· i 'U' ''>C

er r,._ ec . ·• -p, , l i 1 I •

! 1 oov.e. .' 1,, () (.

10 .?a i "

ll word tl' )/
12 h!k1. \\'?

13 / 1 60., oc• /t'ntehc .

.e ! 1 a1,as io'

18 / /1 6; 1
l) Q . if.tun<laid'. ts:! I1::ib01 'tt:· ' e ' e . ..
19 Al 111.or.,t: nl c hlo c hJ.ol",C pea
20 hlt:S 1..1' ouu1:n / / 1 ai ! . ':"l ' omi •a // ' ad // ' s.
21 111~ ,1raz: I I' 6 tl • )«L••

23 Pa ka ' : '' u:bda h~n~c' ·,·1

24 Tsh! utc blom6nuo' //'ok'po unk, tl ' oa.r,.zn // 1 61.

------------ ----------
l ~-: t () h<'l!.r, , :10 :ie
....

:, '" hoe .

2 J,,.U. : U...'lt1l it c,1~cred itse lf 1'1t.o <"i cht -=>'clock.

Counting or+ e houra i'ollowe Swahi li cuetom: peri ods
of twel ve hours begi n at eunsot and at eunri oe . Si x boure
 1 !..01~ e.go Ostrtc;h a nd .sre m11de 1·r1enl sh1p . .hen tho~ had

2 madG fr·ie,1dsh1r, then no r.µoke tlm? • th6 o trich : ,. dru>e ,

3 t.o- .11orN)W yo.i. r.!U$ t come, I n.y] f ,•t'!Jnd , to lt<!lp ir.e 1n

4 i...1<.1 r, ien t 1~ nar e l ,mn t io) aloep. ,hen lt dawned, then he

o ,,oh I won't 110e {in roy ,.nm 1'h:ld], l nm ; r,:tng tom~ f1•1end ' a
I to wlp . o 1,4 , i ndeeo . •· And he went. hE:n he

CJ uau uoue 11~ Cl~t tt,t· ovtr1ch. tAnd t..hen] the:,· w~re noe 1ng,
9 ,;41,j 'lO~l 00 Wl ... il l.\JO o' clock. - ' And a rain eloud came up .
J. lu1 llt: -POJ'..t: t!lU~ , t,,e nare t o t.,t. OS tI'ioh: N.011 now,

ll !';:•i,rnd , "tht; r•ttir. CJ..OUd nua &lrcaay come up. ,;ow

12 :.i. •• ~ t. s1,a1 .1. we do·: 'l'hc hut , why , ( t ho (J/10) I have b,..en

l) l ooh i 1or , l do not. nee l 1t). ,ow t hen, when it fallo,

14 u t wnat plac~ ,mall we eta:,•," But [ the oBt :ri ch] said:

15 ·1 t·ie1.d, 'lot. like th1a; yo,.1 [ jut: t] go on !:lo~ing, l know

16 [v,here) tns hut Li o ] . Res.Uy, i ndeed. All r i ght, you hoe
17 [and] do not aak t oo many 1ue~t1ons. 3 un iy ye~terday
lJ invited y~u . n<i ot' a hut I cannot talk l now J. 11
l~ And tno.1 \,ent on h oeing, and they hoed and hoed, nnd

20 preeently tne ~ain roll . The rain fell and how it rai nedl
21 1'lc.r. tne rain !'ell very much. An~ l the hare J spoke t hus:

22 11
,lhat now , l n:yJ f'ri,.'nd , about the hu t of uhicll you s poke',"
2.3 AJid , ~ht; or.trichJ replied, " 'h'h.Y then ~uet [ you hav(I!] e hut't

24 Yet. ·t('trday l 1nv1 ted Y'O f or hoeing t'\Ven i f the rain :t'allP..

25 Juat noe . ' The hare ran ( away ) and stood undel' a tret1.
26 And the rain nr;w .,.,o,1reC,. Pr esentl y it came Qlt o w:i. t..11 ¥11.nd.

have to . e a .ded 0 1• u::>ri t.i' , c u,.d fr oil t:,c t.1:ie in order to f i nd

1 !.e ....liuh I! .>l'l!.l~ t .
1rs two " ' cl ,>ok .
3 L..U · ~ do not/ r o:nain/ wordR/ ;,rotueion/ domandi ng.
129

27 .Di I SC?.it.: I , t tli:.i; l. r , ,,. t ' at , k', ' itJ. t ' ,.. t t ' •• •

28 - "K' ai:' . ~"' 'nu ko . "

25, "ttapu.'1...

30 te!nc o' !. , s1. u. , i !. a' u es' 1 •1 ~ 1I,0'1SL o

31 Jro l # ,L., iL t ,: 6t ' n

32 th!n'.
.
.... h fi tt ,_,(
hor·
.
• #
3..> tri.g,ro . l I (~

31.i ( ... ... ,h

J
- lit

5:> n//.j{, t• ;

36 pwnpt. ·' 5 kl
37 h(me I • ,• • l l \'

~o tl'o(. · l .~
.J9 e,nk4 \;(, I cU, I t • 1
40 //•t,, ,, • 1;;o i ) n te ·.' ::(, tl ' ,,:r1 ..,n.

h! a :;!>ll
.. i rw hJ (", h l v~' • rt' C':
'
4~ "b!m, w~ J; (
i.i..'.! ::n, ." ,~ 1.' 01 · ~p ).
6
43 h:U v 11".:{ ~I(';-, xaa.r- ;ote 10.Joo k'Mndo.. u

44 Paa Ka': '..:~h:! k\1.! la Sid', tsni wagonzid tl!-3 ' ,

45 nli~a• .
46 l mbo&ipo:ic~' Pa ku 1 : II al',.,.
47 1mb6B!~ · i •c; hii wt! 1 a ."
48 1ta•: tt • ~ hi,• Ko n6.n' t.,1me . a
49 k&': ,, ,HU.>~ : ! ! U:'.,!,,;: 1 i tex ta,vlt' 1. "e
------------·---·
l+ L'he r-tor.:r·· k 1
r
ade a r.:i16toke•; three wol•tbl have been
•

omitted he:rc .ror.> t!lt- r':lcor•led text .

5 'l'he. e,to:rytell t.r O"<eiluined later that Hai•e cros. e<l hiMo~l t".
The u,ril! ~~ ( i.. t.o ot':t: 1:1· a suc1•il1 ice) 1B user..! fot• <"Ven
t11,. amatleat ~oken 01' atonr·m~11t,, 1iuch a.a ~:,1t,i.'lit • ' To
moke thG . cien of th~ C:ro a I is a.ho celled Qll!JJI!Yt?V•
6 !{g,~o~· n 10:r,• wl11ch g vco tie aµ,ake r ttoe to collect
h i s tho1iRhtB , n~ an e);pre,..,sion ot: vagutm~sa; i t has
much the ta~c value ae En~lish ' eh •.
 1t h , "t' 1~ :: • t m"' •• , '1 r,ig .. ~on1 , cer."'>t
;ou t en, t at 'lllV"' ., ~
r. re·, Wl 'IP to ;jlf' •
., \J, d

.. h ... t ' lC r•an. ll<'n he l'!Jn, t •1 h.'1""'~ , tni,n th.r OF.'t,r ieh

33 ~<' 1a r tod A ()\ff! • At• '1"' hi:- it ,~o. l'j t"' · 'c'1e t h i ~ wt :ige ,

l ... ... ... )4 t "' "l!'\l't~ a"r>iV"'d

35 t ~ t J ~ 1B' ~1rg~ . And the~~~

.3,; •d ·i '"''l l l ) e ~~.:>it'io,.5 '3lld t'1"" :'It? tr>ich , t.oo ,

3c i n, t 11'>. r-a i n w«·nt m t':lP.i" •

f:il i . 1 SI

lil hen i't rad f1riel') .. d ('trie hare) t.on apri !,t~d ->ut . The h a.tte
'"'" r~a1o.] : ,, n, irr r) I"'ri ~nd , ( r,J J{!'>'l ·~r~ "t?"llly like t hnt !

1
il, .n · ( t e ostrich] 1•er1li d ! '' u T a•1 a :1Ut , I ai;1 the o'ffner ,

D'.V toen , have .rou

1Jo { any t hi ng) t o say~ ' And t.he har>e ] r eoli jt;& : 11
/ r t e nd ,
117 · l-,~7P. n"lthi nt +o s!ly ; wh t should I thE-n'i " A.".ld he

4o co.t11.ueu : '' cw got-, cootr ..,.,.getabl '!!a . 11

[-:,r ostric.a J
49 r eplied: "[ y] fr i t:nd , n.y po r 11ge too , i e alrea~y served • .,O

7 ,~ar™ .tl m11J a l e o ,J,. 1 ~ 1;c:r pr 1> t,. ,• at a r nc tori cal quest i on :
" i n .:t n·'lt rc a ll:,• s o , JUt it o 1) al a,o bt::. c o t ransl ated ,
c! . U.nc 51 . l t oh ill :1-.to th• t .;>at,6i'nc o1.' t one and
f'+r1 l'!O ::llly ohar er: Pvon j n e: uch c t e r ootyp<"~ c:xpresr1on~ at'
t111 .. ,.,nc , r>e r ttl tu1g i n fiUbt l c chan:;e R ot' eening.
& .!:.id.Uici.. ; ... w..h i l l f or· ' icacy '.
'.the oas lc !!'CP-1 1c a e. t i f'f
porl i <i...,e wr.tch i c r.iao.c O- m11J.t. t 1·1ou:- und F.e t?~one d wi th mea t,
sau-:,,e , ~r,d y. !·1.~~fJ vege. 1 !l l t, . J 11 thcee £taa 1 t.10:nE to the
. oi•r i< {!(' o.re col"r- ci.iv•ly ct'l""d p$,ni\ or• ~ , c f. P • ?l •
•re:xt o.l•6 ehowa how f'ot>d 1t: tcrvPd .
131

50 Hleeyoo n!'t o1 xoanti maA pa

.51 1mb6a tsh~ek!. Aarena ~~ • A eea'
52 n!'. H!a• n!I t a •4ald1a' h!a n//eei ,
53 pa sw~a sa'~ta tshaa n//unk~
54 xo4nt6kwe, n'1l'k1 e•,a
55 k1mba t h11me pa ew~a tehaa n//unk~
56 paa xoant,kwe, aa m4nteha // •at 4. 9
57 Paa b4ngaea n~~lO pa !xa:
58 "Yam66 warf! awal nceso hlom~ tl 'o4nk 1a
59 h5//'6wae~. rl£ sw~ phd delrako. 11
60 Lab4 nfente'i! 1/!ko n!' ko lduk'ae 12
61 o hlom~. Jtarena e. Lii'eo.
62 oa•~tate ' a l mb6o ewla n!• . 13
63 sw,• 4ara //•o. Phi h!a
64 n!ei sa'~ta he~ m1ndaat4 1y8 hlom, yoo.
65 K! eoXients• e~·~ta ew6a h!k'. "L4' e llte
66 / / '6k ' s§.Sa ts! wam6dea. S~ hi k '!a •
67 hlomoonas '. " N/t1musuk'maa l mb6. N/ltmueukia ke'~kwe
68 bae • paa e~a h1k 1 • II!a a1k'1
69 n// ~~1 //o'41 aa• ~ta1 aA hl'' hlomoona• ni•.
70 How~ e•,ea lab~. 14H4mbe m1nd4a eU'k1 n~~ hlom~wa

9 The storyteller repea ts himsel f . liantsh1 l/•atA is

' they ate [ un til] t hey fil led.'
10 ~ ; plural ver b used here tor a s ingle person to
describe hi e dawdling ( o~-mi ~s l.Y a plUl'al action).
11 On p.77 (note 3) we have ae$n that-~ hae been
generally deecribed as an i mperative. Here 1te basic
meani ng (urgency, anxiety , adhortation) 1e clear:
"how would i t be i f' you come t o stay w1 th me?" 1e
an invitation ra t her than an i mperative. The element
-~ which pr ecedes -ls.Q. ie a l ~thened form ot - I':&,
a very gentle adhortativo.
 132

50 And t hen t hey went on their '1183 and they cooked and
51 the argument was t'iniehed. Really, i ndeed. And now they
52 went. When they had gone [and) when t hey arrived [at hie
53 home ], then the ostrich placed the pot [on t he fire ]
54 and he cooked tor hi m, and i n a wbile tho vegetables
55 were i ndeed cooked and presently he p laced the pot [on the
56 1'1Pe ] and he cooked tor him, and they ate their till'. 9
51 And at [hie] depar ture [the hare ) waited10 and spoke thus:
58 flDear friend, now we have been hoei ng and the rain
59 has fallen much on ue. It now to-morrow you stayed wi t h meP.
60 Vihen the day atter to-mor row dawnc, come to help me12
61 ao we may hoe. So be 1 t i ndeed. 11
\lhen the hare
62 had spoken t o t he os t rich, then he went. 13
63 And then i ndeed he [went to) sleep. \fhen the morrow
64 dawned the ostrich stayed in hie own field ancl hoed on.
65 On t he s econd [day) the ostrich then went. 0 Hare hae
66 invited me yee terda,y, he who is my f riend. .NO W I am going
67 to hoe .fl He told his wite. And hie wife lis tened to him ,
68 well then, and now he went. When he had gone [and)
69 arrived there , the ostrich t hat ts, t hen they went t o hoe.
70 He went ver y ear1.y. 1 4 Ae bef'ore they were hoeing tho 1'1eld

12 Lit.: come ( ei ngular), come (plUJ.'al action), help me. The

middle ve rb is un tran&la tabl e 1n Engl1eh, bu t i n Sandawe 1 t
providee the eubtl e i mplication ot comi ng for an ex tended
stay, with much work to be done.

~~ 13 Int'or manta aay that D1!. ie a mistake here and t hat the verb
11111 hU! (s1ngulai-) should have been ueed •
111
•,,111
P 14 I.e. Hare, taking Oetr1oh along to h1s . ( Hare •a) f i el d. See
di
-' lfl'I note 16 on the · next pa.ge.
,, ,1
,rs~ ,0,
135

71 6ontshe1 5 dest\hti nta st•.

72 Lab4a hik ', pa h1k'i
73 m1nd4ata !' oowe 16 al n,, hlomloo ,
74 '1taeante• tl' o4Q k6s'a bnora.
75 "rlarl, tl ''dngu n1 ' aa''1tana.
n//eegla,"
76 Pa ka •: "Ah w81'166 meko 13! l mbo hap'1, 17 hlom6eU.
77 K~ dang, / 4ntshe war~," pa ka•:
78 "Ah mak,ata •e warl, k~da
79 hinge? Tei naa•ge k6os1e 'J
60 kt14nda hl4' la'adtfpoa•. 1 arena • • "
81 Sw~' a ' n~e hlom6 l t' ekia n~~ hlomdoo, 18
82 tl' o4nga /aa //' ak! kdsa:
/ /'8, / / ' 6, / / ' 6, //•o //•o //' o,
// •6, //' 6, //'6, //'o //•o //•r, .
83 K6s •a wekl n ' auke . Hlt'. h!a n/at1t
84 k6lonsa1 dl' se. "H1et
85 wam~d //d ' kwan." L,•ea /aa
86 k,kaa tinge' emal • wa. Sa''1ta n//umete •e
87 tlakt. 11
6ko we66 hewt1ne kiimda hapt?"
88 Pa ka ': "K6' W8l'I, kek&
89 e!' \hta i '6xex •se. 19 Hlka' hl ee e •dwa
90 toshlkal)o." Pa k4 ': "Vtari
91 k.Ske hew, tl'al4. Hik! t1•0.t-0 k'a'dsOngoa.•

15 Li t .: •aa according to OUl' custom i t 1&'· See note 19.

16 Not strictl y logical. They have alr eady mo t and gone to
hoe, but in th1o repeti tion theJ meet i n the :t"leld. In
t he next line i t begine to rain, but i n line 75 the
cloude are approach ing. Thia type or 1nconetetency 1•
comwon in ~andawo narrative . See chapter IX, individual
a tylea.

17 l.U• : Ah/ fi-1encV be not/ being/ epeak words/ you. The

correspondence or •words ' with •worry• or •trouble' le
 134

71 together, as i t ehould be done1 5 according to our custom.

72 Very early in the morning he went, and he went [ and ]
73 at the ~iel d he met h1m16 ana they remained [there] hoeing,
74 unti l l ike the last time the rain again began.
75 "J.t'r i end, the clouds are approaching", [ Hare &aid] to Ostrich.
76 And he added: "Ah , friend, don• t y ou worry, l7 let us hoe.
77 As tor the hut, I do not s ee 1 t, triend, u and he adde>d:
78 "Ah, [but] it does not matter [my] £riend, [for] a hut,
79 what [is 1t good] tor? For am I not here;
80 1n a moment I'll show you a hut. Renlly, ao it 1e. "
81 Now they were hoeing, and with the hare he remained hoet.ng , 18
82 and the rain came and r~ll again:
drop, drop , drop, drip drip dri p,
drop, drop , drop, drip dri p drip.
83 Agai n it caueed the winds [to blow]. Then, when they came
84 they troubled (the tr1ende] with ha1letonee , "Well then,
85 [my] i'r1end, try then," [ OS trich a aid] . The hare came [and]
86 he spread out hie ears. There wae no place £or Ostrich to
87 stand. 1
•oh real ly [my] tr1end, oo th1o 1e your hut?"
88 And [ the hare ] replied: ttcertainlY (my] triend, my eare
89 r eall.V A£A very oover1ng. 191 thought [that] now, at th1o ttme.
90 you would be eat1et1ed. '' But [ Ostrich] eaid: "l<"rl end,
91 these ears ue usel ess. Row, the rai n te drowning us: "

th~ words/troubl e analogy in 8wah111 where AWl maneno,' he

hae words ' means ' he causee troubl e (to others) •. I n Sandawe
the utter ance of many words may ei gnity personal t rouble.
18 'tho plural ver b ~ 1s used because Oetr1ch r emat ne with
liare, and the t wo of thea form a plurnl1ty. Sandawe uses
the plural whenever togethel'Jlese i s expressed, e . g. •you
and I toge ther• i a ll.L hapdx1Q, ' I and you ar e we•.
19 11!. 1e an emphatic • t o be •.
135

92 Pax ta•: "Meko wa•~. /da

93 tl, esfa 14 •ea / 4 kdlc11.ga;
94 l~at~ •{nga hlwa, f'!filenga kongo•a,.
95 sa •ttu n//umets• e l ~4. Heed tlelra
96 t r •e tlakt. 20 "Mm, wemcS6
97 wak 'apo1ge t&hte1•naako mak,I ts•egeyo1. s~ •na
98 te! hl e ' td k 'wfs • n//eeeUke i s' kob4tanas • hap,1 hi kfpo?"
99 Kwa ka': ".la w~ko, swt1 hew&
100 4tll'a tshea f/J4tate•. " Paa ew6a
101 kcSe•a sa•'1ta kob4a tengee,kwe, paa e~a
102 h~tl•a k6e•a !~&te •tte •a nt4a
103 paa owt1 tl'omiga //•rooo hiI d!'eenga kcSe • a
104 tshH k!. Bas• a ewt1a' .nU hl''
105 b:1:ringa 21 tcSts'Ukwe heedi ' a ' awt1a ' nt •
106 paa m1a ,c6dnt6kwe
107 pal m4n tsh6. - ttswtt h1k t !fs f • II - "Sw~t! \l&r61

108 h1k'ko." 22 Pa ka ': 0

.,oko war~ la'e
109 tl 'estS h&u max.a h,u t'm•!. Sw6 hc!u kek~nta
110 h~fo n/om~s4!• ct e • ntSetnawa. HcStso tleek4e•.
111 i •An p11 t ax k04ndako tl1nl." Pa ka ' :
112 "Eee. l!i k ' ko ward." H!a h1k '1 bas '
113 hlie hb hi)(' i howl
114 koeeaa t~a t• oowe. 23 -
o •e1• misho ga•.
115 TeM~k,.

20 ~ : she/ euco~ecV cannot/ in va1n. The sex ot t he

oetr1ch hao au!denly become r emale; t hi s may be a m1•-
tako but it 1e not neceaGar1l.y so. An 1nt'orma1.t ea.it
that in order to rtnd a plac& under H&?-e's ear• ostrich
muat b~ small and therotore tomale, juot as any small
object in the sky (including the eun and t he moon) and
ordi nary b1rda which are not part icularly reter-red to
ae large b1rda or prey. Another 1nrormant point ed out
t hat Ootrich was overcome, this obvtouRly i mplies the
tem1n1n1 t y ot weakness (cf. text No. 2, note 6 on p .125).
 136

92 But (Har e] eaid: .,Do not make [such] tumult. " He camo
93 once more, the her e , he came (and] tried hard;
94 he stretched his arms, [and] he opreat out [hie] olbowe.
95 [But] the ostrich had no ~lace to otand. He coul d not
96 f'it 1n at a11. 20 'Mm" [Oi"trich said], "fi>iend,
97 1 t will kill you; I tor myr.el:f , I have no worry. ,fow then,
98 1t' r now tuok in my neck into [av] wing,, what will you do?"
99 And [Hare] Peplied: "So it 1a, [ y ] t'ri<;nd, now thio
100 is r e. ally [where] 1 t 10 I who ar,1 mie taken. " And then
101 the oatrich stretched hie wings again, ona presen t l y ,
102 ther, again, [t~e hare] hel d fast in [Ontr1ch•n] armpits
103 and now ~10 r ain tell and fell, yes with hailitonos again
104 until it fini shed. ~ell, and thon they wont [and] now
105 they 1'1n1ehed the roma1n1n~ bed21 and then they want [ to
106 the hore'o house] and [Haro ] cooked him porridge
lu7 and they ate. - "t~ow I am going." - "How then, [TOY !'t>i end] ,
108 go. " 22 And [ Os trioh] said: ·' Don• t you, friend Har e , [ try ]
109 once more your clevorneee, t his t ~aud. Now in theee eare ,
110 such a big person ae I, can I 1'1 t,f ,tow do l f 1 t i n?
lll At tnat time ~ou did not even bu.ld a hut." And (Hare ]eaid:
112 "Yee. Oo thon, [ m.v] :tri end. " When he had gone , well,
113 then, when he had gone, t hie one ((Hare)] ha d [al ready]
2
114 got ao111e o ther 1dea. > Here 1e the end, indeed.
115 [The etoryJ 18 t'1n1ahed.

21 ~ : • eo.•. Bo1'ore beginning to h"e Sandawc set thecselvee

the taaka which t hey are to 1'1ni eh that da,r. To t hie end
the leader o!' the hoei ng part~ etakeo out a plot which io
marked with s ticks and ntones; euch plots may be called
'beds' .
22 This 1e the usual way of taking oneb leave and the r eply
to tt.
23 lJ,.1.: •enc ountered another though t ', 1.e . he thought ot
another Hare ' s trick. Har e ls the hero of many storiee .
 137

~~ t ; o, Li .. - ru....;"-~~ . toe HN"e , and the DQR.

Reoordod by Demp wol ft' , 25th tlay 191 o . Tr ane l a t ed :fr om Dearpwol tt•e
tex t 10.58 ( 1916, 162- 3) .

The hare and tt.e girai't'e made tr1end.sh1p . S i nce be wae

t1•1endl.1 with h1m , he wcr. t to the c1rat't'o • c home . \:.t1en ht. had
gone and arri ved, hE. wae i n l uck , [for ] t b.e g1rnt'.fe • e wite wae
c ooki ng por1•idge. hen 1 t waa rcncy [ the bore l said ti, her] :
"Col le.ct r elish.. 111 And tnen tl':.e giratt'e apok.e : "Do not Lbotner
to ] c ollect rc.lish , [ 1 t 1s not necec.£ar:,J. •· l The harc ) aeked:
11 .lhere do Jou take thl? relish [.f'roill)?'' [ The tirut!'e] rt:~lied:
" l'or> r clioh ~ lee i a there. .L>r1ng co the d i sh." {The ho.re ]
gave Ilia the di sll. - ''a.ave me [ LlY] axe . 11
And (Hare] gave h i m
t he .u.:o. When he stood up he pierced [his ] l eg, and the marrow
r an out i nto tho di sh; tne di eh ~1lleu up oompl ctel J • Illld they
ate and they f i ni ehed• [ a.~d they went ) to sleap. ,hen thoy ha d
s l ept the lu1r e sot up tt1t. next mor.n1n8• ~,llem the ha.re hnd got
up , he went h ome l tel l.iris t he ""ira!'..:e ): "."'ri e:id, v;u1 t un til the
0
eeoond da..,, [ then] uo [ a nd] c om'! [ to Clo ] and vi s 1 t me . And
[ t ho s1r af!'e] ea i d: "~11•1gh t . '' 1::h.on he na d wa i tcd, h ad wai ted

until t he second da.i, the g1rerre go t u:, and he ont, ond he

arr1T~d a t t he hare ' o houaa . ilhen (Hare ' &] w11'e cooked food
{ tne girat'.fe ) a oked : •• -:here i e the relish?" J\ud [Hare ) r epli e d:
" I a not my l eg t he rel1ehyn ,1.nd t he har~ s tre tched [hi s ] l ower
l eg. ffllen [ h i e wit's ) tool• out t he c oo!,1ng pot [he s aid] :
·''!fa i t until rJJJ l e g 18 pierced. " .lhen h e pierc ~d [hi s ] l o g
[ and] ~roke [his] l ee open there was no ma11 ow, not even a
11 t tle b i t . ( The g iraf.1... e spoke ]: °Fr1end, my l og hu a l arge

l The word use d i s n.6DA... whi oh aeane e1 t ne~ ve ge table r elish

( collected in t he bush or r rom gourd plant s grown by t he
house ) or meat. J a1•row aa a relial'i i s a gl'eat de licacy .
ohinbone (but] your Hhi nbono ie amall. Let another do t1at. "
A."\<! [their] fri"ndshi p hI>oke up.
oen the girat.•ro had gone the hftJ'e bundaged hi s lee [w.1d)
the leg roc~vere t'I.. Aut he woe bored, o.nd pro~ent y t.10 hure
ad~ fri (ndohi p with the dov~, 2 aid t1~n he ent to the ~ove ' o
.ho"'e • /hen ne waa there [ sn<l "'a:lc'! ] 11
~on ~ire you", t ho tho
do~e ' s wtte replied: "re i not in. ·' 3 - ''7lv•re has cy fz•iena.
gono~'"4 mu, s aid: ''Hi s body hae r e uined he:-e f bttt hia ] heae

.:a there.'' She added: "'le v.a gone tn his mother ' s hone ." -
''}las he gone the-2-e , hae h gone'/'' t'ho ouid: 11
le alwayn go ~or
a wnl like that. '' - u Ulfl ..; f'rie e gone walk1r.g like that?" -

She sa1d: "\le hcwc alwaya er.om: we.l .ir1e like that." Anfl th~y
chatt... d on. f Then ] th• bar ,.ent [ away] to cle~ecate. ihen he
0
1~... t urr ed , hi !'rien<'l • s head was the1·e. She then sai d : ~re has
arrtvc-1 , " nnd. [tr-.! dove] ~aid: 0
I have just oon.e." And they
stayed. [ wit.,11] ni~~ [ and thoy tJ1en went ] to slAep, a~1d it
da\'1ned. When [ 'thP hore) went, l the dove J satd: 0
hon two deys
have paoee n I ehnll come on the thir(,. 11 · :hen the hare had gone

2 I n Dempwol tf ' e s~ndawe text tl is bird 1e calle d ~~sµutJ, which

he tent~tivel7 translatee as ' dove • . Ac~ordin~ to an i nfor mant
the Ovahili nn::.e of t he b i l'~ 18 ll)l.amba; ac,. ording to Ar chbold
(19.>9 , 7th page ol' tlle A.ppt'nllix) t his to the Drongo b i rd
( DJ.cry.ruf' !~§2.mili§) . ~ i no~ th1E> 1c:1e"l.t11'1ca • i on llaa not been
corroborated b;r other evidence Derapwolf'£ ' e t1•analati on 1s
hcve f'ollowe d; f'or t he purpoce ot: tl.is story thi s 1e fe l t t o
be ~utt1c1ent. Von de . 1ttraiena~e~ 1954, 56. says t hat tias3'n,te
1s a ueorte de pigeon eauvoce".
J Such gr t~et1nr,a Are called outside the house . It 1e customar y
to announce one•e arrival 1n th~ courtyard; this elicits the
oeo~pant•s invitation to enter.
4 The Uandawe t e.x. t g i vee : h.4lw ( ·Nher e ) b1k!.1 ( went he) . The
table on P• 75 showo that thi s 1e the emphatic form which i s
often a eaoctateo with the future. Tenee ia only s econOary.
[homo) lle (Hare] spoke to his wife: '' ,hen two dayc have paoeed,
take the chopp1ng-kr.1te ard ahal'nen 1 t. Tis ten, m:J wit"e,
ur,derstand it well. ?i'hen Dove 1-iae CO"'C, tP-11 hi~ [lT/9 ] head has
go.ne ;ronder [but rzyJ ood.1 i" hM•e. Chop oft m:; head [and] throw
5 ·~11en h~ had made her undt,x•s tand t~OJ
i t into the eto1•age-bin.
wai tf'o. i'her. the eove comt', the hare lay down on the floor, hie
wife came , chopped oft his neck, and threw t he hend int, the
s torae;c-bin, ·rhe dove was there f and said]: " 'iow are you? ', and
[che] 0
a id: ''P.e i r not in.'' - "V" re ha~ l'llY fritmd gone?" - lnd
she eoid: nr Pis J ·cody has rcrnninerl here, ( hut ] hie head ha.o ~ono
t() hia ~·f)ther'F.i hone,'' (But the dove] exclaimed: ' oc- ! he rent,
he went bBdly; lilte tr.at [ onl.7] t""e go · Alking. 11 "ihen the dove

U atonE"d [ 1 t rum'hled] in the r- t(')rag~-b1n: .,tlun, tlun." - ""''hat

i s that t hen~·1 - She esid: ''A rat." And f Dove aakrJ]: 11

'Vhat'?

a rat·?' [ Rnd] ho wont on: "You haven• t cut of':' his ~(>ad'i"
"o, r1t i s] a rat.~ .And [ the dove] looked there and. hP saw:
" oe l h i s head has oeen t\U'own away. ,'hat havtt you !'>oth done?
l s it like that that you «cnt ~o~ a walk? I t~en, r1ght now
l 'll go ho ..e. " The hax>e \9as <'h'dd , The f'riendchip had destrOY"tld
him .

5 The Sandawe hcve l arge storo~e-bino in their houeeo ror

etor·1ng their grain; th1;·y nre nadc or
tt1e 1nrer bark of tho
llyoabo t r ee (Sand.:~) and ncaaUl'~ abo t 4 £ ~~t acroEs;
the depth 18 roughl y th(\ ea.no .

6 'Ihio text hue been dioouaoeel with lir. Degera ( int'or1::1ant 27 •

Appendix 1.V) who otated that he knew the ntory. Ho co1:1•ented
tho.t i te moral i s that to 1 1ita.t.e others io bad , a1d that it
i e no good trying to do what ~ b i gger fellow (giraf'te ) can do,
nor t o t ry what clever people can do l ike Dove who can tuck 1n
hie haed under hie winss . Haroo a:re stupid ana b irds are
clever, he s9¥s. Ani mal ropresentatione are diecussed in
chapter x.
140

Text IfQ1...2!.. 'l'ol (.l~ b y l'r

• • "al!
u • t ,.,p
... H.•.nua
0
c:, et "'arkwa .

2 Sax sa:
1 O'taa t•oror<Sn.
2 "Taht l' ororons• 00. 1 € 1a'• 11 [ l• ~u sax] 3 l 1 oror &n s ax
J ka': I lJ'. llpU l f 1s1p6o, h6s • ba' cfo1po .
4 TB! to• aa tas • i tn1a 6k oko hap\l
11
5 ts • 61ko. Z't1s 1po. fox l • or orfJ.
6 sax ka':4 11
1u! ko tc.'autae• !ewa ba'~sis' . i siko
7 tl ' M.., medm1es' td . ,a.pd. te 1 6 1 dr1 . Hapd tax
8 hlubo t4tera w4ntsha' t1tea d4apo , na•
1ilo111tSa 1pone
10 sw, bauu. 1·ei oa' ~B1f\ • ga. Tl' oanga h ia // ' 01
11 kwli n/om6sa• .hlom,waa kwa t1:1ia pona\Ya,
12 hax hepuki / 'waa hew6to 1 1 man t enawa.. 'lahi oa•ESs i es '.
13 H4h, t ar! hapu• ••

14 ••/•wa4nk1 / '11aipots •e . Tax hap\1 te•ata1 ve.

15 Ts ' o1 hapu • •• Sa ka', "..,wJ6 ha.Pu
16 n/omoeoko h~?av,a, ' ea : 6m1si1a sa. 5
17 SwtS• ! ' oror6ni;a sa ka': ""wtfo h1Hawako , hap,1
18 n/omoao. " .LJ8. l ' ~d hiaa ntingai•, sa•ea.

l .1.!li4. 13 the generic nume ror pigeons and doves , and in

particular 1 t ie t.he nan.e ~or a small blue pigeon
(GCUW!J'bfil~ ap. ) which 1 ~ a com on b i I>d 1r, JatAdawe c ountry.
n!a.tt~, r:t b ir~ mentioned i n the previous text, mny b e
the drongo (~1P£urua ~l!l.1&) ; it c ould conc~1vabl 1 be
m1atak~n for a ~eve , cf. , ~chbold 1959 , JO and 82. Ot her
dove naine£1 are ;';tOl'C' certain: &• aJ2§l.2 or : !_eb~U.2 1G uGed
tor the brown kinda or dove ( ,;urtq~ ep . ) ; l:IAt! l' ihg•2 i o
the long-tadled dove ( ~ ~ll~.o.) and t'ontn ' or!o i a
the ring-neck aove.
2
a' ' oro~~•
i a tho generic nam~ for !'rote and t oado , and more
i n per t1cular 1t is the name ~or a medium e ized r rog
which 1e t •Oll8h t to be n mes.. enger ot the spiri ta s i n ce
 l Long ago l there wae] a p1geon1 and a rrog. 2 [t'he frog ] na1d:
2 nr , who a&1 the fros, am h1i. [ • • • • • • l' And t he fioog
3 sai d: "iou p 1soon who are <1own.v- ha1rctd, what 8I'e you bi g!
4 1 , who 11 ve in the wa te:r, I am b ig. : ooh, yo,1 pigeon ,
5 you are only sm11111. tou are downy-haired. " And the t r og ,
6 she oa:t.d:4 "Ru t ! , who live 1n the wa t er, am bi g. ~or I
7 am the rai n chi ef, I . Yo~ are small. You j ust
8 eat gr aee seeds, on1y that you can do , and
9 [you can) only eat eomeone [eloe•sJ ui llet. Can' t you hoe ,
10 now, .rou1 I am the big one. 1 t 10 wheu the rain tall&
ll that the people al ways hoe and tnat al l vrill be saved,
12 bu t e ven then at that tioe you eat tno ~i lle t . l am bi g.
13 ttaJ you are a 11arl 0 - ('l'he pigeon s aid):
14 "You do not even know what millet is . iou just e1 t i n wa ter ,
1 :., you are sma l l, .:,ou1 '' And ehe added : ".•ow t hen, you
16 cal l all ~our people, 1
and she, the pi geon, hod epoken. J
17 Now t ha rrog , s he s aid: ''liOW then , call them all, yoUl'
18 pe ople. 11 .And when the p i geon few up , ehe eang:

i t announces the arr i val or "the rain. lt is u sed in tno

raln- muking rituals of rai n pri ests , c£. text No. 78. Other
typeB of fr og mi oe t hi s s i gnificance al t hough many ty pee are
r ec ognized by name: J.s2m1, a l arge edi b l e variety; x.~ , a
pois onous f'rog ; ~ . somewh,at smaller than t ho .former ,
iolamba, a bat- tood frog ; monsd~' , a ver y small f rog , and
kerekere, another amaJ.l rrog whi oh raves a deat'ening noise
1n ponds and oarehes af"ter :rai n haa fallen (also gfftre~• er,) .
3 The storyteller began 'tirhe pigeon aaid.. by ciis t ak.e .
4 Fr og 16 tomal e t hr oughout thi s t al e even though it i s a r a 1n-
ch1et, beca~se it i s onls a e~all animal . 'there re~eronce t o
.Pi ge<.n' e down 1e an 1neult s i n ce J.!Jl also t!eans pudenda hai r .
5 Pi geon 1e aleo :female th1·ouuhout the t a1e.
11+2

'.1u kuu r t , rr<'' ,,i-a, I UU km' stn1..,• 1•uka,

kt1u kuu e~ngerUka, k'1u kuu c6ngeruka,
I •Ma.roe s4ngeX'uka, kJu kuu sGngeruka,
ts•anK'( tt5 1,&ex-wta, .kdu kuli a<r11gor Uka ,
k l1U ku~ Nh ;C'ruka , k~U e~ntr*"ruka,
ku'-1
:•<S4Ayee e~nperuka, k'1u kuu s~ngerUka,
6
kor61:1ago stfngeruka, kl1.U kuu s6nJeruka,
thwi!y-eo ~<!r,.s"rwca, k~u kuu c~n~oruka.
19 Td th0' tr:.•t.ii:Ua ·v'a t:! . 'fhe~a ' ho1ont0•1.
20 - 'Hapi1 n/om6ao
21 deena·, ,, 7 . . ax ua: '••' 1:1 '118U. 11

22 "/him,ko . ..
.tuu lrnu scnge:ruku, .i...lu kuu aer.iueru.ka , -so,-
: ' ~~ayee renge:ruka, kt1u !cuu 1 4r I e 1•uka,
kl1u ku,\ st1n~rulta, k'1u 1tuu o~ngeruka, - 8a ;-
ts ' tHs ' e 0 ti ~ngP.rUka, kt1u s~ngeruka,
ltu~
t e ' a,.k •e (;~.16<. ruka , kuu kuli e~ngeruka,
l 1 ~(a:,ee fl(.1, :< ruka , Hu kuu t;(n~.eru.ka.
23 Sw~' na thP~ 2}
tahi :Ua t ~hla h&!ont,..•1.
24 T~hla hlru:n.i.sE> ts •. Sa'aa
25 ka ' : "Deena hapu. n/o 1so'i'" Sa
26 ka': "De~at. ua.r,. de~o ', "e, aw6
27 heu 6' hut:1.ai,Jpo tfl :( },,!\1 de~e·, EJ EI , 4.a.I'e. 11
11
28 ka ': /hinu;ko hapu"1a. '' Sa:
lrrrrrr, l 10 !hwee , J ' (\ l '0 ! IO l'o % IO,
4et-n kW'!!' :u.:-1, l ;1, Pu, !rrrr k d~m.
29 ,/ekhengana 1/i tl' o4mga hl~:
t'1k •. hluk, hluk, hluk , hl.uk, hluk.
30 Dt'sea // 'o hle:

6 KoJ:om@B2 in ft Whi te- bPeacted black bird with a red

beak, aloo oalled kor!mang4; a e iroilar but sma ' ler
bird 1a cal1~d ~~Jii. Both ~eee~blo, but arc smaller
than the pied c~ow which ia called XQX9r£.
7 I . e . "l>o :,ou call that .l1!.ln.1!?"
 lh3

coo, all l"'ly up,

... 4'0, coo, coo, all £ly up,
coo, coo, all i'l.Y uy, coo, coo, all r 1y up,
p1J~ol1,, t i.eu, all r:..r up, coo, coo, all !'lJ' up ,
guiflec !'owls, all 1·1y up, coo, coo, all fly up,
coo, coo, all f ly up, coo, coo, all !'l y up,
pigeons then, all f'ly up, coo, coo, all ~lJ up,
black'bi.rtts, 6 oll .i;'lJ up, c:>o, coo , all rlJ up,
all b 1r~A t hen, all fly up, c·~o, COt'), ol l fly u p .

19 The bir~n th~n, ell , all the h1rda one~. The treer
20 l with 1\r>rivjrn birc'··]. f?r og r.ni t'I J: '•Your people,
21 arP the:, mnny?"7 [Pireon ] rc·plied: 0
'f-;o, they ere not. • {.Frog
22 tnunt6d): t1s1ns then!" [And pireon went on s 1r,.g1ng) :
Coo, coo, all t'ly up, coo, coo, ell ~lY up, -~he sang;-
pigeons tnen, all .t'].y up, coo, coo, all 1'1y up ,
coo, coo, all fly up , coo, coo, all fly up , - she sang; -
vudan diocn, 8 all tlt up , coo , coo, all fly up,
&uinf..a f o'!lflE, all fly tl 'l t coo, coo, ell f l y up,
p1geons then, all ~l f up, coo, coo , all tly up.
23 ~ow t nen all, all the treee were completely ~1lled[with bird&>
24 They completely oollapeed l und.er their weight]. And [i'rog]
25 asked: 11
Al>t there f now) ma."l3' [ 01") 3'0Ul' people?tt [ Pi geon]
26 r eplied: "[ Tes] many inde-~d, many. i es, mnny. .uow
21 can ~ou beat me to this, this many, yes 1nde• d1" And she
28 added : "Sing t hen, 4 ou too." Ano { the t•rog s ang]:
Kvrrrer, :fill, ( water ]hole , till, f'Hl, till , fill , !'ill ,
really hurt [ them], c ool t hem , cool , cool, krrrr , hur t.
29 Th~ a ti,rm the.,. came, end 1 t rained now :

Co1ne out , drop, drop , drop , urop , drop .

30 1th haiistoneu it r ained now:

8 't§'et§•~ !a the uawe of the Sudan Dioch, a small bird with

a red beak of the size of a a,parrow; 1 t t·11e e in dense :f'locks
or sev6ral hundr ed~ aad it is a severe agricultural peet.
u-rei.t nuwbore are caught, 1a trape and fl'ie d and eaten minua
tn~ head. ~ is similai> but doce not have a r ~d beak.
144

: 6k', toz', l6k', !6k', •••

31 %' ~' 'i//oli.'> trhia tl ' '>aJ d!'E.enga wak ' wawat6.
32 J •oro:r6 n/om6a6, het,,• //'6n"J.:1yoo9
33 :•6f n/om6so t~•, ts1!a. Hle
34 t' M te •tfxeUa t!kina te • :t. I!l~ • n: 66a !ontehec
35 tdhla tax mogong6s•ea iye. Sw~ to•~xsa t'~d t {k1vats'c.
36 "Mamay6c //' Inko ~,~yoo t&r.,wa wnk' aeo. ••
37 swe•sn //' ! nsa hlomua hik'a. 10
38 Hi 'ea n!~aa 6•sa n//eei sax ~4lakd eax
39 te '.ta tanaea duu J, pax I 1 '!nga toh6.
40 s ax kwa hik', "t 'oro:r6ngec
41 //' tnko se. "
42 h6a•n1j. /h" Gax //'inoa 1.Ye, sax
43 h1k' nJ~aasa n//ee. Sax
4h k6a ' F.a rn4laku,. kwax //'inga tsh6.
45 "!~a / ,r.gi h!r•kte' t~! ba •~ !Gt~
46 Pi ki'ka': 1 1 oror6n to'61.
li7 ts!ltiaa n/61116eo tP!ae• ponawe. te'aa'ie' , t!: 'aaki
48 te • 1 te 'e.
49 humbul<! he,,t4 ta• a te • e~wafi. i akaa tr:!aeoki
50 he~,nge p6nawaa, hlubak1 hew,nga //anawa,
51 makaa tehi'.a. Tshi tl'o'nkime 11
ba 1 es!e1s•.
52 Ta:!r•ae • !'o& ke'1!'f Swd hapl' n/011~so hamb~ ' wall#
5J flW6 vor6mago tl ' ecS
54 wetahuyoo, 1112 : 'M kieoso aw~'oa x~·1 13

9 1. e. the ele~~nte .

10 Fire 1a carried by ?1~k1n~ u9 an ember on a pot~herd.

ll 1.&1L.: I run the one wno 1s t:."rettt over thf': ?-air1.

12 '§tth4~· aere tranelated aa 'all tho othere• . rt 1a

 145

clatter, clatier, clet t er, clatter, •••

31 The pigeons' nean,li nLs l'uid all been killed off by t he hn11-

32 ~ tor m. (Ae ror] the £rog•e peoplc, 9 they battered on unt il

35 the p i geon' e people wot•e :f'1nishcd, ll or t,,em. .iow
34 [ but) a a1ngle pigeon ret1aineu. .low the r1·1ei- was fill ed
35 completely to overi'lowir.g. Now l onlY) one p1 6 eon waa le.f t .
36 "Oh my t'r1<"nf , ~1 ve 11e t"ire, I am eyi ng i'rom c ol d'' , Lthe
)7 pigeon pleaood] . rresentl.Y she picked up tho :fire and went. 10
38 When she arri ved there by the river, she &lipped and she
.39 plopped into the vm te:r•, and the 1'1re was ex tinguished.
40 J,nc1. t.he wont again l to t he !'rog and asked]: "Oh F'l'og, please
hl give me .fire. " - ''Now you have p icked up .t'i l'f! some time ago,
42 vh,i then have you come\" And she gave her t'ire, end [the
43 p i geon) went and she arrived [again ] at the river. And
l~ one~ mor e she slipped, and tt.e fire want out. [The t'rog
45 called): ''Pigeon , have you seen l .now] how bi g I am?
46 An~ you had sai d: irog, ,10'1.l are emoll. llow just see

47 how I havli?l Gaved all the peopl e with water, th1a very water
48 which i a dr•.t.nk. Aud th~ -:;,eople ferm with i t,
h9 and tho cattlo ~ri nk from 1 t . And all t he cre~tures
50 azoe ee.ved by it, and the gra ss grows because or it,
51 everything. t fllli Lhe one who hae th< p ower ovf'r the rain . 11
52 It i s I, pigeon, di, you h~ar? r,iow your peovl e , whero are
53 thoy , now { wher·~ are] th~ blackb1I>ds , i n a<ldi t ion to
54 all the others , " 12 .And now, taking the euo p igeons1 3 ehe

an expr oee ion ~r vagu~n~ss : 'all the wba t - nots ' etc., c£.
t f::~t Uo. 3, note 6 .
l.} An 1naccuro.oy. :·rcv1ouoly there had bt en onlJ one bird left.
After•arde the e\oryteller dotended hie Gl1p by s~inS that
t•o pigeons were needed to~ re-procreat1:ns the speci ea.
 l 4G

55 h1k'i // 'i 'ca

56 x,xasa nd'e6 .
57 6•a• net ; f t 1 g{b ' wo106 , k!sox hewex4a
58 !' ~4 n/o~6so p6n~wa. Sw6 J'oror6n&u nea~ ba'6sue~.
59 Phaka d! 'menaak1 n/om6eo~1&~ m66na.
60 1'l.'o4'mo ba'eswsflsu hes~.
61 Teho k! ga owe 6'sants•.

I§:x;t 110.1....s.... Told by 112'. Tlalo o.Glti Sol4 at f'ar kwa.

l Utaa 1610 Hlt1xentu. Humbu bal&onu kese .

2 n1' su1 //,.Pon J::.aba. 1:lu
3 //att,1.k1 o' be6oa. A s ,,~~e //utslikia
4 1/ !, aa ht1!'lbulde roa~nki n! bal66na.
5 6• tsr.ewa wax•o.tina liri, et:, ...1,Utlec:o, 2

6 L4l' taxc 1 ne. • ni'. 3 I//c'n ' J1 ~ 1>aloowa;roo ,

7 //a tf:''tl n//\fekia ba'l paa h\lllbu n//11e-
8 k!a ba 1 l . .Iw..bu n//wekia ,1!a' ba'e1,
9 ewe h ..ullbu.&ilbl:l., h i 1Ja bik' i balo,~1 , h eeil h\_\tilbuoii
10 k1mba h!la~a he:wi'Ga hlanaa. 4 $a:
11 trJ~U ti//,)pO / 'uo hlaa. 11
•anake hia
12 ba'e1 ew~ m~euk1 k6aeg5
13 dinda t s ' 1. an~i·e h! s ' / ' ei hl aa !'\l hcs-o~uli

l The uoe o'f thr J;'iural verb n1!. implies :r&pc&tod

action: ehe had oftc11 gone.
2 tuaenc. 0':fshili. ,ot used 1r. propo1• Sandawe.
3 l,t11';ta i e in western Sandawe (see map .~0.2), 1 .e.
"very t'al' ' . 'l'he e tox>y was iol d 1n Fo.rkwa in the
s ou th- eaat.
55 wen t. ( homo) And rh,, rna~t.t fire
56 and !.t glowed and ehe .:lade it tlame.
57 'llher•e t·1oy \fer•o tee th- cha tterir,11 wl th cold• and thooo two
58 people of Pigeon reooverod. Now the :frog, she ie b i g.
59 Proa that tine until now she i s loved by t h~ peo~le.
60 She ie tr.e one who hafl l,>OWf'lr ovf·r t·~e Nlin.

61 [The Ptory] 1e indeed tin!ehod now, ftt thie opot.

Recorded July 1963.

l [It hnpvened) in days lone -ptla t. J co -wae herded to gl'aze ,

,
2 flhO Y.'On t ": UUQ thOI'~ f iL tho pao tUZ>8t;e j ehe col Ve<l. And a
3 lion was also near tnere. /.nd pJ:>ea~ntly 1,he lion, too.
4 ca c; and ronde !'ricndG w1 th the cow ( a11d] t.hey wont grazlng .

5 ,'1•om thero th$Y WQndered very fer , yea , let ue ea.v-.2

6 they wtmt es i'ae ae -'-'al' ta • .3 And tncro thuy wont on ara"ing
7 until t!le lion•a child booarJe big nnd the cow •e child
8 bec8L'le aL o big. Vihtm the oov, ' e child hnd also become big

9 tho,1 tlie cow. r,hen ohe went grazing. she , t he cow, had
10 indeed learned her (Lion •s) tricks . !~ And 6he { told her
ll child ); 0
:iou e.hild, le-c U£ watch him well. '' Because, now
12 lher child] had 'become b i &• the rnotheT' •e thoughts l1ad now
lJ becomt'I different. · :ecaur.e 1f I aeo it iiCll . their pel te

4 ~ : tic trick& - hers - ehe undeeatood . The lion is fe~ale

here; its aex is 1ncons1&tently treated in th1~ tale. h lion
i e a •rno.acul1ne• animal in Sandawo 'Jut the pt>eacmt use of' the
:tel 1n1no s<mdez, s:r.ows tt1a t we huvo hf.'lre to do with a r.iother
lion who hoa befri<nndtHl a c.oth<>r <:ow. In tt1ts rei:ia1nder ot
the cto~y Li on is t~eatcd as male.
148

r:
14 hlai.. .,.,i • tP.tl1e :> koo~ao t,•siso.

15 "Ama.oa
6 ~ ' aa
16 kotte f"":l to' AU ! '~\V~ t6usf.1. 1:
,;, b~(ba

18 bal oe ' • 11 A ~,·,6a ' thou' k' wale •w rnit • aoo.

19 Pen ""f~a. •.h~a'«'watr •ootc • n //at;-'1 hle
20 n//w~nga h!~ ~s ' oki a•~ de~a n//oe~ n lf~ to •o,
21 paa s~ • a ts ' 61l 1ora hl ·~~ tl • ! .nkhe.
22 /~~~~~•a tl'inkh~ ro~4ka 7 ~~e n.//waaxenga
i..- '~t i5t.ea • //a te•
n//ck,> ' lnFe. 8 //st"' "nga

26 xotl ' '>st:.

27 aa h, nga, hC"~ tn •asua !lW1' a.
2B //at,~1\lna i t:,una.uk,, hew~ hik ' 1
29 ft!n)o ~/o~er.01. Swee~ ~ i~

30 //6H.9hea hfo !'in~., 1/:!, n//6u

31 mimba. :Jw,;n / ft ea.
32 "Hi! owe hosu h .U11buail, kwnbtl
1
t1•ae i • hlaeo
33 uogo' :fo, 9 swt'i k11 ,t,i.(

34 aa ~st .rv/wea wliktwa girio~.

35 // •aa •tn•na.• 1 ·~~'~a // ' au':t
36 tax 1:,(- // ' au'i tax. //'ac, 1 r,._.56,
31 .lianga ix.' etin~ a t6u;
-----
5 The otorytollet>' obtie:trvation tha t their pel tD
did not go 111e11 to,ethe1• means t hat the,Y w i:>o no
longel' oeei:ia e.'fc to c:,e ~
6 ~wahil1 . but occaaio.na: ...1· used in Sar.dawe.
7 :wuh111 , but ~ 1£'1 now quite of't~11 he&:1rd.
8 ~ : a young cow, esp. a cow wh1oh haa not yet
lh did .1ot, eo well [ t ,getherJ •5 and t h eir thoughts wex-o different
6
l!> [':'h~ cow said]: ''1'er naps the.y ere d1r!'erent [ano. their]
16 thou.,;n ts [may] di fer [ and the:, L'l.8.Y'] plan t o t'inish ue . 11

ll [hc.r child ropl1ec1] : "P.s tor me , r woI1 1 t a o .t'ar. Near here

18 I shall 1::-azc. 11 t.nd tr.en 'tiley ·.vent r·wm1ng about , all
19 And pror:ently, dw•i ng t he rur.ni ng ubout , ther.1., when the
20 lion•, child jUl!lpe<i up in <>r'der to catch ihe cov• s child,
21 { the- latter] t hen etruck out , end t.hen he kicked h i m.
22 · c kicked l'!b i n the e·,ee unt 117both hooves
23 stuck out on t he other e1da at the back of the hGad,
2! that 1o, the [hooves of' the J hc1£or • s c h ild.$ And the Hon
2~ died there, and t hen he was t'i n1ehed of£ ther ~ , a.nd t ne calf ]
26 puah(:ll him aside . ~.nd now he rar1 to h1o mother to tell,
27 and t hey 'fboth] got u~ [ and] nrese. tly they fean] t o their
28 hor:1e . The lion tlwr. , ne he<! gone i"nr a1'1eld•
29 being n hunting person . t1ow t en , ,.~hem
30 he cOJ'lo ( back] rrom t "le huntine there , the ehilC,
31 was n corpec. /md. r..ow he 1'olloweci. [ the111] •
32 °0oh now this cow indeed! t'orme~ly y;o wore i n good
3.) r elat1onch1p w1 th each otl1er? (but] now i ndeed.
34 they l:o.vc- killed ny non [ r.,.ind) l"l.m a-.vr..y.
35 Shall :: not b .follolfiug them:•· And now he tol l owed the?!l,
36 anc he vine f:'lllow1rc them, Emd he went on following thorn,
37 ur: t 11 l. 1 :J had paoot. :i .tanea... ! x. ' ;

calved, a he1t'-r ; a pl'aire tex·m fo1• c othcr ':ow. The ter1:1

n//gkg (c.h1ldrcn, plural ) 1a a :l1otal:n; thv stot>ytoller may
hav~, rieont to ea:, n//os~' 1:,m.1 because on line 20 t;nw•e child
is r e1'e:rx•ed 1..o as a .f'emal, ch!ld {n//q§.A) .

9 I.w..:t.a.: ' tar.iily r elationnhip- with - condition ot•(~-iJ..-s~.);

~ 1e a t erm !'ot' • relati·1e • and n nonor·i f'ic titl e fov a
triend ( c~. p . 20).
1 50

38 tax ura'a he s6ki nee gir i be. Swe 'a hfa•

39 n/atr Dudusets 'a' h i~a n//eei hia n/at! Zoz5tena

n//eei Zozcits ' a /'utsukuu n/at!,
41 6'nte Mu duruna 'a i. 10 Pax //6 '
42 i me; a' hlee' Msokia /hima baara.
43 Mesus'kia / hi mesa baara:
Sarm1leeda, s a miHeeda 11
were wer e tumboo. 12
Maamekina 13 tl'ala tl'ala
were tumboo , maame,
oowe were were turnboo .
44 Pax //atsukia !xa !mbo , ka ':
Phi1ngee phu , k11r11rU ku//u14
phungee phu , k'urllrU ku//u
4') Sax k:!s 'sa:
Sami11Mda, sami'lleeda
were we r e tumboo.
r ~amekina tl ' ala tl'ala
were tumboo , maa me,
6owe wer e were t umboo.
46 Pax //atsi1kia:

10 The whole route can be followed on map No. 2 .

11 Sami'lleeda: A ritual name for Lion , cf. text No. 95.
From a little-used verb s a mu,'to grunt', cf. Dempwolff,
1916 , 50 and his tex t 109 on p .178 ; -~ indicates
hab itual action, leng t hened to _.l ee to show dura t ion;
- da s ugpcs t s ' doer' , cf . the verb gt, ' to be able ' and
da a ,' to have power, to overcome '. In c ircumcision
songs the name Sami11e,da signifies latent danger, as
of the lion who stalks around, head down , followi ng
the spoor of' t he fugitive cows of t his story. The
name appears to be unconnecte d with eamu, a tawny-
coloured animal, from Nandi and Datoga fil!!!lQ.1, a
br indle-c oloured animal, cf . Wilson, 1952, 36.
12 tumb2o(tumb 2), from tumbu,'to tilt ', 'to bend down ' ,
 l ~l

;8 b ut. they to > ;,e~·..~ 1·uw11n~ very (hal"d1 . Now when they came ,
j9 [ a11d] ~n tf.'!l"Pc\ tl\e Du6.'11 are a, "Hhen t he:, ~BT!le to the iozo
4) [ t:md) e,1tt"..ed i t, thf,Y ce.me pa<>n i.rg t hrough the t.ozo
10
41 [ anul they ,1ere on t hie a i de here . And t.nere [ the Lion)
l-12 roarud; a nd then they too l Cow a nd ht;r son) began to s i ng.
1.d .And ahf' who ,a~ t.no mother ue gan t o s 1ng:
·e fuo .Al wsya run ts , 'fe rho Al ways ,run ts, 11
12
rur.A about wi th h1s re&u lowered
'io our uncle [ v,e run ) 13 in vain, in vuin ,
he 1• .1:is w1 th h i t' head l o·,er ed , 0h \IDCl~ ,
woe , he rune about i th his head lowered.
LJL1 .A,,d the l j on too , he spoke thus, EHl,Yi ng :
1
Charge on, c nax-ec , stalk [ and) catch: 4
chRrgt:. on, charge , f.i talk l fmdJ catch!

45 And en~ ·again su1d:

T!f ,lho Al wayq 1r\mt::> , Ha flho Al ways &.I'unta ,
r unt 1-iuout with nie head l•),1er~d.
'I'o our uncl e l ffe r\U"] ! n vain, i n vain ,
he rwu- i th a i E. heJd lowered, oh (l..."lcle ,
won , hfl run,-+ about w1 t~1 h 1 s helld l'::mered.

46 .\nd t he li~n a gain:

also ~ , • to til t' . ~ is~ co~,on ver b which meane

t o lrl:'lY a~out. Pe duplieation ind i cates atal~i~g about .
13 ~ 1a the rnat..-rnnl uncle, or the ci,tf!'gory of brothers
ot: moth~r Cow to whom ohe runo for protection. The action
i s tYl)1.~al fol' women in t'! is t rese; t h~.; run to their town
peopl e t, cf. PP • 33-4 and 49.
14 of IU.lllru!, cf. :im: • to bea t up, beat
;pt.\m.{ee: s 1,t'e' e{;~ f o"'
Violentlyt ( v an CG i rni:enade, 1954 , 52} ; ,CrulllS.,I 18 not
founa i n or<'inar:, speech . A cordi ng to tht- a torytel ler
~hyn;~e I2h.i\ alao au ests the sound~~ tne heavy paws of
the pur8u1n~ lion . ~ wat ~1~1ckeo as tho movement of
an agile animal which moves up rait toward its victia, then
stops dead i n it& tracks, crouches a nd slinks up ror the
kill. Aleo this tcr•m i s not l.: ard in co ion speech.
 1 52

Phil.nr:eo p'"i.U, ;,1rtt.... u K"J/ /u

"?hlii1gee pl:fi, k-:S.r·lr-ft kuiI u
41 - •
sem~l{~ua , se ~le(da
·,7t1re
..,,,,,e tumboo.
,Jaa.aekil~El t l I ~ht 1,l 11;:lfi
W~!·"' tunbno, ,~,•1<:,,
00\V(' v;( t'C' .rel e tu "'CO.

48 8«6''la o~("ata' heao khoo t,6~hak1t.

49 A& swle 1 : hes6 t.lil I aEJkwa' //o 'a':
50 n1uie t1,we.ra kE 'k~ tine . 6 tsoe;,;aane
51 hlee ·A ' uta~iie t n/ornesi1£ 115
,2 llta hlakaeuo ' ... ~·i' /hime 1/!. It
..,3 Pax //atal1 ka':
PhMgce phU, knrtt.rti ku//tl
phuugee phu, kut>t1ru ku//il
54 Sexes k'l':
So•6l o~da, eamUl~ld3
,,(. ,. W(' ~ tt:.!~~}OO •

••6a>l!~~il'l& t l I Blfi t l I Ell#'J

w..:rc tJ..~boo , m~:.'im<- 1
&o~, w,r~ w~rc tumboo .
55 Fax ks':
Phungee phU, ku//fi ... 16
''AA n/o ~f:U t~ ' ettt& 'e '6

57 t6r la h("'s' :m. / i . ·oo. Ah J.aola

58 nt oowc,kwel~' kwe,100 wul.' ~aklre ,
59 ntoowckwe.
samQlt~da , ca~nlf.~da
w~~6 w~rc tu noo .
",if JJekina tl ' olP tl ' aJ.a
,16re t.u?:1boo , • E!1 t..,
h..-e \\ON? wlre tu ~boo .

15 lli•: t'C>male per oon, 1.e. tht> co?.•

 1 !;3

.~rg or , z1·r c , stalk [ a nd] c atch11 4

c htlr ~{ "In, char gt: , c td k [and ] ct:.. tch !
h7 [ i-nt'l the oov; c2•1.ou ] :
e ,'ho Al wa;rfl ·r·unts , ll,. "ho Al wa yt> ruotr: ,
>.•une about vrj Ul hj_ p he od lowerf'cl.
'•> '>'ll' Un~ll [ Vi'C l'Ull) 1n Vain , i n val n ,
hf r·1.1s with }' 1 e hea d lowerGd , oh '.l.ncl e ,
,ne , he r,.ms ab out wi th his hecc. l owor~d .
40 h ow t .cy have come ucur , they h ave com~ v er y n6ar t heir home .

h9 And not1, th$Y there ftile ir r e ln tiv · ) at thoir home [ said]:

50 °A tte n t ion, p r i ck up ynur c are . !.<'or "ilhnt re·aeon,"
51 t ey now Anj d , 'had the~ woruan or long a~o1 J
'.12 e o t. l oe t i.n t e p aE't? [Now she] i e e 1l1gi ng and comi ng. ''

:.>3 nut tn<' lion tHu i.g i

Chor t:e N ., vhar,e , rta l k [ and] eatchl

ch r c on , c hr, r f' . ~ talk l ~nrlj cu Leh!
Ano. [ t ne cowJ s a ng :
He '1•w, t s , he 'ho Al ways runte ,
110 Al w&y s
rune a b out w1 th hie '1ttud l owe r ed.
1'o our uncle twe rWl] i n vain, in va in,
he rune ,r1-t>- his h f". nd lo,;or(,d, oh. uncl e ,
woe , he rune about wi th hi £ hen~ l owcr~d .
~, And (the lion ] threa t ened:
\,hal'1;e on , char•ge , e t alk [and) c at ch! ... 16
;6 And l the r e latives ) s &1d : " Ah , 1 t i s not a nother per Aon ,

57 1t 1 E1 r eal ly tihe whn h8s come . Oh deal',

~8 unra ~t ~n [t ~ do or) ten t or h~r l es l she b~ killed ,

59 un!'as t ~n 1 t fo r her." And 8a!01n f t ho cow) ~ang1

: e ~o filY1a:i,' t r u.-n t ,f" , He \"#ho Al v,ays r ,mts,

r ahou t with hifl head lowt r ed.
;..r1B
?o our uncle fw~ ~un] i n vain , in vein ,
he runR with ni ~ hoo<'i lowere d , oh uncle ,
,, oe , he .:-uue ab'lu t wi th his heacl lowered.

16 The s tor:, teller <:\I"run.atlzee t he m.1apenec by b reaki ng ott

the s 6ng.
60 Ta)( ta. ':
Ph Ul.6 ee phu , k1rtr:l ~//U
ph~nget:' phU, Y.U.t'U!•6. hl//!l

61
Sn ,ttllif:da, s~Ull~da
were w~ro tunboo.
~Gd.ekina tl'ala tl'alu
w1~e tu=:b~c, luffi~,
6o'9c wurc 1.e e tumboo .

62 lel!' na ' n!o~va, ca

63 n~ ktma' cf ye. / /(;.

64 !'ae 1·1mu'!11ga &iull hlee t1r:c .

65 i"o k .t': "Rao• bahuti ha1 !," lra':
65 "pooni. ''
67 tlcega bat' .

!l'o;&t • 01 ZL 'l', le! tiy l!r-. Clfo Enco at Dal' ea Sdaom.

l Utan l.Slo z1r'ba ha //at.vu au oaibo.' n/111 ' 1rtt. l

2 dfa c.n 1 all1 r!c t !a ax n!' n/e~ana' ,
3 kwax z!r ' "'.>aki o•nte.
4 Hi ke. ' pa kn': " L.wJc hi
5 n/!ngt wek •wa1 tl'eckwankoo'i'' Pa
6 ka':
!a n !ani pa ka ': "Z!r•n1.1J~~·1
7 pa ka': "H6. 11 ,,/!ko ri/in/1.roo . 11 Ax ka ':
11
8 AaN!I d~'c: /.!."
9 z!1·• oa he (l.·1 1!a tshinga

17 The &ate which h.ie h<'cn opened is the one in tbe

thorn fence which •urround6 the cat tlt y,u·d.
18 Pi nal ad~1ea1on or defeat. Jueh ending• of s tories
er~ discussed in ch apter Di., c l oe1ne tor.uul ae .
60 And [ the li on] sang:
Chore-e on , ~har ge . stalk 1. and] catch!
cl1a1•gts r.m , charge , otalk [and] catch?

61 [Ar,d th~ cow a a1n] 1

~ WlLO .Aly;.•Qyo Gr•unt9 , h,.. ahC' Alwayt:; .runt ,
runs about with his hr.act lowered.
14'0 our •lncl~ [ w~ run) in vuin , 1r, vain,
he 1·11ns with hi~ E;r.a lowort:.c., h u.nc e, ,
wo .. , .br- runn o'bo1Jt with njG ':l.car. lo.,e:od.
1
62 Ano now t ne;;· have open2e u:p, and she ruah11:d. i z":. to th<S. ysrd 7

63 and t.be took a mortar [ !ind) threw 1 t ( at t, t.• 11 .,n].

18
fl4 Atld he took thi:tt .1ortar and thr n ho Si"nllowed 1 t .

6, t.e said: 11 ,'..lright, the good l1Jck i~1 roul"s , " he Raid ,

66 "you l\eve eecnped. "

67 ie f1n1Shed, onough!

f<ecorded 'n.r,ch 1Gb3.

1
l Long 9eo a honey- b adger en~ a lion mnde tr 1en~sh 1p .
2 In the usual can~ they 1,ent evt·ry day 1rno the buoh,
3 and the lion went round thie way , and the badger t.hnt wey.
4 And tnen he said, ( the badger] sa to: 11
~.0\f the!l, 1f .<{OU

5 kill .m anittal , a;.>e we g~1na ,.o share ::\. t?'' Jmu l the lion.]
0
6 said: "Y ~." ,hen he ca".l'!;ht l game] lt(-; called: !>odger! "

7 and he reo;,liea: '.,na t',., - "Come to oat meatl"

8 11 Alright, l et 'r.le comee. '' And he t ,hon went and they ate
9 and the b adgnr, he too, wl ttn[ over] lm col lee t.od honey
---------
l 'J.he 'R a tel ot' 11oney-ba1,e-er ( ~ glUvoi~a .s:.LY!s naic;) 1s a small
but powex•f ,tl e.nc co r .. goouG tniuel an~ a seriouo menace t o
the beeh i ves or the Sandawe , cf'. te:.ct 1-<o . 152.
 156

10 hon41: "//ate'1we 0 , pax ka • :

11 ul.6 1
, '/! k'o , '' man tsha;r,~6 teal: .
12 Nt !tT.'3 9fUi 1a'e.i1 kc'~.
13 "Ah, h~xwcna 116 taokoa .,.4' o• a •
14 n: e tsi&'( ur 1
ken' sid'.""a'lci , d6'o n! ':t
15 k' ' e. '' raa /!JDQ l~'..!a.

16 / /ootr • a 61a //oatt ' .

17 6 •ntev //atr,,~ h(':-e ma '~, z!I''bs.'·1 o ' nte ,
18 !<a Mr f.J?! ke~,.~ t!n..- .
19 /;e.tf'lla hia n/!nga wak'wal k,iax .1,Hh: If ,1.t•'uuyce" ,
20 k-11a la •ea kate3 k'1.'; tt; 1 13?''
21 '
1
/ :Cko man+.Phny~ n/i . .. Ka ': "lt.h t n/inko
?2 hapu !111n ~or•a 1. " ' :fl.a''?'' Y.wa
23 ka ': 'll/inko hap'1 hlint:Snts'." - 11
1U.tt.t ina
24 hlee !xi 'LlbO'f" .. ,,.., t 11
2~ hapda te• txt tax heTr~xt>. " 0 na
26 k ' itl'~ paa lhJ;..u; ~!l:' 1 /.ta t atM .
27 t-.We. '?.:!1•''t akia -:S •nt.cn tsh:!ng,1 "lo "'~a.
26 "//ntm1e., ho , /!1(-, cmtaha., 6 tah1'. .
,,

30 P6a n!e t !a m4nttiha.wa hapu i:;t:nants ' 'i • - "yl1 , h6una

31 h i lra1a 1.yt'i, per n/o.m~r:e ' !x1 • r.nbo'?"
32 ''An," k ' 1 tl • 6' in3a.
35 \d ' t- o'an hnt.;a ' 1~,1:1'1.\ 1 e.
34 Hi k ' Q. hlc 'a: ft :tn., , 6t·1e /,1i.8e• "
35 - ''P&r.aa n!e te!a
36 hl ~a m~ntr?Mi m t .,! ' tar: ....,.1 'ft ,~ . , t1.xnc •
37 m4u tr.ht-t hi&i C)l,i I I t /~a n/1 ,s o•· ' • ,.2

2 Ult,. : J 1 av"" to J ,1se :i nr.,:,:>11•1i ty I to eat I w~en

10 h (; "L Vo'·~. 1 t~ _; (>" liI l "'"
,: «u•, C""' ~' d]'•
... ...._ .I.
11
.u.J. ,., •'
• "'''
1
' t and he replio<'h

11 " 'ha U '' - " 'orac to e c. t'; and t.hen Lhe:r & te honey.

12 ut one day the has."< l,oiir·d 1,i.e:tn. t ne ca:..d to h1m6elf'] i

11.i evory day? ':'hey arc fa.r t)o :t'rienclly , wait , 1<,t ur. g o

1, to hear l t.hern J. \nc~ he c 6W·' then• thr- l'lnr-::,

16 and he1•e, on t ~ wr,y, ne hid .l. Ul3e11' .

17 l'be lion we:nt round this 'lf&.Y , a.r.a the badger tr.at ttay,

lB a nd he f the harf1 J was i11 the midclle pr1ckinb up his cart1 .

1·.1 fllen t ae lion ha.d kiJ.le;<l an animal, ht> oaJ.le<'l: '' .,ndgerl 11 ,
20 a,.d Ulc iwre 1..1 t.nc n:idcile :iald: "n1~t ~·ien'!''

21 nvo~,e t ,en to «mt r,catl" And i Here] !"'aid: ••th , JOU eat

~~ y-our tend.o e your•cal f?" - ttllhat <'!o vou r,,a.y~ 11 J\n<.l [ t~(i hare]
23 ro•ieatcl'1: lf f'>U eat :,01u• t~nclor1s .vourHnlft" - t,'hy then
1

f'IOlll
2l~ do rou tspn,k'v li e tilat~" - f ·.na the hare said] : .. No ,
25 1 t ii a~ ·;ou hR'IEt hear d , so 1 t t s . 11 ~nd I thr lion]

26 became un.Gr:.• Md k~pt quiet ; Ile did not, go to see .

27 An~ the bMdg~r , 01 th~ ot~6r ,ide, took down hon~y trrom a
28 tt't"O]: "TJion, h~! [he- cal ls) , come t.o eut hone:r!"
29 An~ { t'1e he.re] ~aid: "'Cr>u r t'.Ji'f yoiJl'Celf' o:n your wax.
30 ho ,,-oul d P,ut y0ur ·Nnx: every ,"!a,;n" - " n, th1s,
31 h ow 1e th1e •10•.1 that t'h1G pel"'son ~p< :f'.c;1 11!<~ that?"

32 [ Bad.ge:r vi ondercd 1• "llh," he ee ic1 angril:J.

33 The :1.arr "llil" i n tr.· mi dl~ and N' aincd r nent.

3~ :. ~l':c ad er) tnr

_;_, [ '.':."\O h.... re mmle,l): " ,'h:{ do t.hey , verJ d"l..Y'
36 eo T'oun1 eati ng well . I ~;o 't'O\m~ t u fall·l1~. I have trouble

37 1'1ndirif; i'ood ,1h n 1 so ab:mt , r ( Jui.. tJ g• t some little leavee.1~

--------------
I
t~ere ieabout,/ leaveo' I
Going chilu~cn I fg~tJ .
158

36 Yoo pnx / 1at:'l1k ie //~ ' u n!Ae

39 r:/1nr-a, hfa ha!u't po.x •mt,o:

40 "'l'hl1.k '1':o ha~11 hl1nt6nt~' ." Ah, k '1tl.'~t aheena

41 z:h· ! ba . 3 • •' hl!I. ! ncr:2. I/~• tshoa

},
42 ~~ ' ';'a '.< hew6 r w:li • a hin/'a.wa.~
43 //oots •i,• ! 'Ok!. Au m6kol9war.k1 teh~a'
44 k'! tl'6'in(!a !'\!I• ile. n/omeee hewt'

45 r
k , i1 , o, 11 ga. i-.11 ' 1 ,;.,. . ikh. hfa n:£' ! ltamt ta 'a n//eei
l.6 tax n/ )1,tf n,~111 ' .. j ~ i eOEl //"' , ·•-s.tr. ,, il'.\'':?.X.
47 Mukia ht·w~ mh :!,pa //e , UU f' • I! 1.i tt
46 /r /wacv,oa ' ttwe' r w6 1 rr~o k 'i tl 'a
49 h:ukt ria / ' ei wo'mc k ' itl ' a
.,o ' llhoga uarau ~WUX ka t: 'Ah , -\61<<> //aKtlt~ '.li! s 1 . "

51 "Ha;;,,mo. hoot~ ' i

52 ixi ' tbo·?"
53 11
11(.iz' 'moo. 1

54 '!hu.K' ko hap'1 t,C:nsn ta 1 • 11 "Ue.,~s-apaa ka' :

56 tf.' ! n4 I OU$ t 'cibo •., " .h , 'llew1

57 ,ra:r~, haa whlo n/wi 1 1::ra. 5
58 dap\l k.nm a ts1' ne,...,~x{ •i kosq;ea :na ' l!'i
59 raa• nl, teia n/ia'kwe: mak'c
60 :pii th'1k'. ~~ tsi -c1.· • ! ixi ' .-:i:. o.
61 Ah sr.c bai ' tlcu , •· J.l: he et tlce'

61' Ah, /;atsil hi&. / 11I1gi n ! a 'a ta • otshce

3 ~~ (badg,,r ) ehml a be LL:u.rm ( 1:i cn} in the text .

4 .u..e~, l..U,.: 'potohe:t.·ds' , of-teh uocd ~or 'utono ils' .
.:.,o It no.1., li.ntil t,; lioH c.1121.,:1t therc.J

3:: en aoiwJ. , lanu] when itt. Cb.I.led n".!t . tu, lhar"] fmid:

~
41 t ~e lion • .J I ,1 w~" co,;a:>letE:tl::, di!-·111.isioru d . And f:ror.i thel'<,

~2 they [ hctn the b~dger• and tl'~c lion] picke up t'1cir tninuah

I3 l SI! • nC!', t] • n tht' ,'f~ t i.GJ l,)1. t. o wi tl.o 1t d'rPetinu one

e.ch P" iv.son of tht:..i, t?1e.r

45 we1'!.t 1h ar1ger. Ugh , wl1cn tn.c:, ht'lll gone nnr arrived in onnp ,
46 then tllls perf!>on thrEm do..,vn hio .bundle: ''·h'f ', and
I. 7 t h" other too thi•ew u() :m h:l r, i.iundl"' : ' '-fr'. 'h~n [ the one ]

119 -,;he~ th<' ntlHH' :>&w his fellow [he ,:,aw that) he too was angry.
50 1hen he cpokP. , i>eaJ.l.•r,' and he aald : "kht wni t , ! ehall aak

;l h1n. " [ Ar.~ h~ asltcd) · ''You th"'n , t.o v.l"ol!1 'do you thi nk ]
J2 jOU ~"C •,lk f ng lik~ that~» - f~hr other r~pli<d):
::3 " l':ow, I tE.lk lilctJ t1..,at•.''
)4 •·nu etuif' .'io•.1r···«.l1" on ynnl" wax . " - " 3,it it i s you who said:
:.,':; ~012 r, tu!.'1' your~el r on :.r:ml" teu,1one . " - 11. , you a!"t't n nd,
11

5t, whcr~ rav- I co.1c. tha.t! '' - • .11, now y n Y.ill 'be t d one ] right,
~7 f11<"ncl, t'or . n~w m· hevc C') pl•ttl.Y vt•ok.,.n wi th i,ne onother .
5

5/'j 1ou , rel.lll!', de, :rou s:o t11Jout. t.h1uk1m; that I am like that •,
->'-' It ir ! lvho every oa/ -pr0vjde :v ou vri t h mel;i t with rrea·t trouble,
60 nn<.. .;rot. :-tu.rr :yourE:elf . o\Ji y,)u talk lil<o thi e to me , rne l

61 JJ! , l'O"T i t ie cnow~h , !'1nichc,<J.J" ih , th< ot~.er then,

62 :.he 1: n,'lp:er, [ l et h 11~.ael1') ..'.'(Ill FL.'ld dro-pr,cd on n 1a back

63 soolcUllg abuoe. e ,-:ac holding out h i R claws shat"ply po:!ntl3d.

6h 11h, ,he"'• thv lion uc-nt ro1• him l.l'!f'N1 woe 11owhere to c atch

-----------··-----
:> IJ..L_; tllll~ I now/ ,-.1uat•l'eli:n1, with 011~ :mother· I we havo
co :.i)le te~ I done .
160

65 ,;!r'ba. "/,•k•, /l1k 11t l<O ' , 1ya

66 th,tci tha.
6 K'fm 1 n wa
67 aa:!t•alm' 1a / ' 4wa.

old by r•s • .!Crtt, K tJlc et N//atf:1u.

l !,/ Ot ,~' U .a/'') 5~a 'lAb~;~e • " !.l 1, I a•a

') 1 I.

2 t'\\'b n'!:l ' n~ 1 <{ ,&. !a 1/~ fl 'nr' r ~.;1111

3 fl//(' fJ.. ht·~ ))a f. ! h l ee h-ta
Ii hl0· ~no' . , 'a, lyf: nn ' r..n ' rJo

6 we h t' ' :..::. k1 • :

7 1,//(a H na.y,o , n// ~

--------..·---------
6 Thi"' vivid <leec1•iJ,>~ion or the . ttdBerts defe,1-cc
&._ ..inc t t), lion' r a t~ck apJH.ar~ to bf? nn 8C<'U'.Ni!te
ac court <>f' tl10 f:lgh't:ir~ tactics ot thftet· a ,1mal s .
It i e said tnut ho1L.;r- ..d,.: r3 a,;-e 1.:0 f'.:.or ce t ··at
tn.eJ u·~uu 17 manar,t.. t> infll~t coits idoraLle
clarnage o _ !:lU<'h 1 ,r e't• op ,.wen · e: anu to te t a~ay
unsc atharl .

7 ~.!!..:.. f:r.-om •wahil:f ~ - ttrid ·n,..11eh eam-o; c. term

ueed b.y the Sru dawo fo1• a u-mpornry camr. uooe by
hun~rc . 'l'11c ..,anc.awe Ho:rd 1s ~'W.W.11, now m~stl.:, used
~or 1n'.lt.int i c, campP. Be;e 'fl <.' , 1:,25, 3 ..J.5-6 i~H~r1 es
auch c ampo .,J' the 01 d ~ .... , 1- 1· ome~10 rn.:nc: 1ri& ~ ,indo1r9
 Hl

o.:> the budi;er . ''.,n:.,p , sn£-p'' l U.e 1 1 :>.,] ~aiC., S>;a he wae
6 And t her·e
bo i•unn!r.g about f t he bnc."'ez,} .
67 t.he i r friondship hro1<.1c . ,ad thi" one , :-.~
68 t;.:,t)k hie t.,(!l ongings &1,u r,P-flt , an< thnt l}n~ ., t, c lion too,

took hi3 , elongiY1gs ancl ,e.1t, ere t;hen

7c tt:c;:r le.ft t,.t> can1>- 7 ·en, m:; .• t~i·y °l'lac en~cc hel"e.

ecox-3,.d ,T\.l.f 1 96.3 .

l A woman g~ve b irtr to a child. Ind the child was

1
2 tak(•r. caNl o.f' by o. bir•a . ','hil*-' l the l1ir<:.] l'ai:: car1ng

.3 t h e ch:Uo. urew b 1t £. N' iU,o u i gF:;er la.r.11 l -.he m-:>ment ] when

4 they went out t o cultivate. io was still caring tor it
, un,;1 Lt hen] he took 1t &ud 11ent awn.,. J.nd ne cent 1 t, to
6 a certain pen d colle(i Gwcun•e, oot c d io tunce a ay.
I And the/ ses.u•ch~d r. uci1 i'or tl •) cl:1ld lout) i;nc child '.Vaa

5 no-t ti:e!•e, ancl th ·:, tol lmved th"' 'b ird land] Gang:

ao tvpee- like shelters. n rerer~ i.o thom as-~~.

l :t ie not clear ,1hlch is tho Aabjcct of t'\e ve"b h~re: the

b ir'1 or thi, onil<l. 'l'he eeutt;,nce may alao be tc•A.nelated s.s :
•while h¢ [ tlh caild] ,;,as ta, cm cer·e oi.'' . ?,o i:e:r. 1a
1nc11catt.a.. ,e .,a.r(1 su n tnr.t. b.1.t•da urc u:·uall;r treatt"d as
femal~ ul t.'\-,u,..h lar~ birds -:,f p rey arc J:tole . 'fbt> c,'lild 1e
f'Pl"lel<" in ti11~ $tory i 11.!,os l ? t, d 20 , but r.) ijOX is
1nrlicat-ed in 11noa 1 , .; , 7, and 111. Tne child 9 e f'ea;:1n1n1tY
appears to uc more 1r.c;1c,.l1,: .e ot m.1a.1.1n~:.:(' e.11,. helplceeness
than of nctual fe-alf r..oe" . Tr. bi:rd a-p~ea.r t.o bo thought 0

0"' aJ · ole tr 11 ... .,. ,. , 5 , snd l!i, no i.oubt 1>l cause 1 ta r ole
in reepeot or the~chil d iB tha t or an a £:;areesor.
 ,. 2 3
,i,,.a1.•c; .t>fl.'1 0.£3.} 00

w&r •riyoo 4 · 5
~Haa.
r ;1•1 ·nouayoo
$-..,l wurt::ri:,oo
I
,
()ne.r i ,iOO,b
s ... c .,ar~r.i · o r, U .
A 6nar 100.

m·,c:1a :!r. _·e r·i.ut,<! •

P j .r:a.,
8
ko, ! r .,,,1."' .c r,tr!

---- ··-- . ·--------

2 ~ !l'..t., th<. na e )f thP .cl , dt )~1 Vi 1 t'rr,:il the
verb P..!iil, ' t:> coax, tn e g on by nt l"e u&si on ' , o f.' .,
tt.xt • 1 ~7 , aud -.ct:. ,thi h ih e:a ~n tiv o:: the
?lace to ""'1ch t .. 1, ?w :reavcd n '>-ol e ar-, bo i nP" lure~
in t hf ir dt;..,pera tfl soaroh 1.'or tne- cn ild . The choice
or tho nar,,.e adcl2 €ree. tly to the &1~·l1.f'1ca.uce o: tht?
song . ,h-.: t. tlHl.,. 111~ od - ~ E.lce also no tc t, bclo;1.
J ,2.!tiM: o;,.~lu i,1,:,1 ae ' ..o c 1rcl<3 -r-•oun,1' o::.> • to wni-:>J.
r our.c lil(i' lqwc s caught 1n a t1h1rl \,lncl, ':"1h 1ch are
1'1rst f' wept alo .:; tne. grnund e. d t he:o up, at great
ap~ea . t, u • •en vm1rlw1nde ar, com o?'I duC"1•ig the drv
season ; from ol ti·ol-lt any vantage ')Oint ovE>rl:>oki :1g
tht :p.t.ei!lG or,e ·119,y nee coverul <iuc r. duo tridePs ~t
t h~ time on a h~t u~,. Th0y c~rry ~P ~U $t ~o a sreat
hight, l n ~p1raL,. .h y arc call~..!d icilll.~· ·1he
tcrlil p!I'11. o 1. aloo -t(jou. in tho s ong of tu. t; o . l.:, .
4 dll4ti.-uQ: 'circun:clzcd e1•u\,n; or 'o.dul t
f1•011 ~ .
C O panio?J ~ rl -J:..1 ( i nvl tnt;l. :'>Il '"".7n" .1t ttlG epf>akcr,
1

action alr~.ud; 1n nr·orsr~ca) ; -J.oo !Jtv>•reo in t(mei t,y ot'

a c+;1on or +;hr l eri."'th of 1 tL ()n"'t tion, cf. \'.> • 69 . · he
="'1lbfl i '\g'a or - :!..;!.. -~ and - c1. ll!lVC' ,}I ~n ~ iOCUl:'!3Cd •) ll P•
l C!;.. -P.J'.i~ A.· thue the ~<1ul t, :,,r'liJJOi1A:l.b1c. .)f'"'c'Ollc
who hav,, l-~@en oe1•snt,<"ed t"· t.ak o por t 111 !.ht! search ,
n t>c.d1ng only li tt.l.o ncrs•1t'r.ion .

5 mA: Int'orna n t llo. 27 (Anpoll01x 'IV) wi th wl1-:>m the song

wa:, diecuesed, eeee 111 ~ an ab i-ev.L&tiou 01' tlle name
11m.~ which in a !J~nfl::) it is . he verl, .llll.Wlt' 'i,o coax•
1s here t~anslated a & an anxioue •so on and on •. !ta
 163

[ To J Swaarc 2 all swirl around un<l &.1•0unuJ

.,o a , all rJea~chers1~ EI'> en e nc on.'>
all ow:t rl ai.. c,,1 ~ an , o:..•1nnd
now, all ~earchr.rs g o on an<.'! on.
Tr·r all your v~r.r .> t t rnn ,
6
Now, all sea~~h~rs g~ on nn on.
'"ry 1111 your ror·r cat t11en ,
Now , t1ll searchers go o r. and on.
The oarry ini-skin, 7 bri ng it out
tG take it rouud 11r.g~·1n~c,
8
0:1! 't? ta.lee it ro'U!.<l 'ti 1 ·cri 1r,a ,
oh l t 11cy to">k it r und, rou."ld Ri r ·(''"'L':'lgc .

occm~i•t ll\; O h<•r ill l o >ltt tion hcl:)~ t'.> u.:-in ! out i.UlOther
aope<!t of: t he na P. •..;.'.,l.~: t 1 narce ">r any
ie ri:>t th11

part1on1 ... r place, bn t rather 1 t df'sc1•ibe6 any :Place where the

u'bd.:.c tor 'C:l./ !1a ri.; r. i en the child ( 0 1' . alno lim~a 11 arul 12),
L e . any place which sccue a eu.i tuhle 011e for the pax•ty to
aearch , wi 1. ,o..it be i nt: clcarl:, defi ned. ':r·1c sc:irchere see
i.ian.f po~:...lble hiding nlacoo and tney go :t'l'om ond to tlie next
as it' tho:; wez,e purouing R .._"'a ta iaorgana .
6 ~!.V'..1: a2 (atte~pt) -l.l.l! (di~ection to)-~ (action in r,~o-
prc11a <t, I\ reoult o1' pnr>r uo."ion) . J,11~; unothor wo1•d clement
with a vague n:~an1:1~t wh.ich can beet be isolated b :, compar1t:on.
T!1e v ..r l>- t•ndi1Q - rul s 1 >g~ns ts act~,,e .ln,luction. iempwol £f',
1916, 35, descr1bco it no an ito~a tive F.lu:t'fix whicll aive e the
ve1•0 t0 .-mich it ~.., u ttached a vai•ic t;.i o1' i n ten i tics: J.l.Ul
'to take a..f&J t , ~ ' to lead awtV' ; n:.rui ' to take in tho
hands, catch ' , n.lt!P.llQ. ' to .1.'01•ge ' "r ' to s tri "°f" wi th a clang ' •
. ti.en t'lo ~ is re'Olnoed by nn _g, then we >itwA r.hf' c1ction of
ind\lotion, or inton e, er. p . 105, tho valu e ol' VO\tel s . The
tsr'1t .!1!2;'lWYOo, wit.n - XilQ. 1nd1crit1ng the 1ntenl"1ty or t he
ac t1on, ma,r now 'be ti•:.uisle tad aa ' tr.v (ye , all) .(our ve l'Y
best then ' • .1.he t; tres~ed t orr.>. of ~ ( m.Q. or 1o,d) r:ieans • s oul ' ;
t,e1i:l is also heard aa ia;.1!;t ' th(1' which actn 1-i~(" '!~ly•.

7 liwl.:'. : 'l ltaro:::n, U:"lCd by r.iot'v,rn ... :1 cnr"":I a chi ld on the bo.ck ,
ef. note 3 on V• 196.
8 Thi e name eug ·e sts n ot an aimlf'loe sw1r11n~ to,,ar l s some
indl)i'l.\1 i>C ,Joul , 1>uc.. "oing around aor:i->t 1111- dc.t'inabl e, like
th•• b )Wl.l.'\ai-ieo o1' ::. field . ~ m..J.!..: "" • ~o .;o ...i-ound aome-
thin~ •. '!~i o turno out t.) 'b~ the plac .,ii •'" t, onild 1e t'o und.
 9 Ax ,,1' ) . ~x n.i 'n'
10 : 'c:Sna tt' to ' e ' 1~//N., . :Ca' n:!' 1:
11 11
8 ¥11:lUi'O • • • , ~•ni,; '1n1' 6 wo.a l'e 't " • l:I } ke ':

12 11
:-".)\1an:re tflht' II
t t' JllU hi k I, 1 ! ]l.Ler i uk,Cl1b

13 hik' ... Ax pnzy!: 'l

b~A~T·t· :)!.x>i m<>nl".ync

e,d gr~!"i '":-> a-l, A
~~, ......
p :Cr1·· ryn·-i:700
p ii~ wai.•(:riJoo G,v~:t
inl\ri oo
Sit~t 18J'~!" \.'<'.>O 8'1ii ll
onsr1 ., ,o
:.:v1t! Wa.t:'f:T'iyo-:, :., #US

' · ..r l:i l n: n//fo ar s wa ro?'

15 •X ·~·: ".i · ~ tyo n,' ~ ")r'U hu•u ' I n_~. ··
16 ,d': 1 Jo'5, p}• J·a 1i n;~ri·1·.. te 1 a 1 ·,/ /:, · . ' is.
17 r.iI ~"i }JU ·t~ ee , t i tt l i i.H.
16 - :
..
...:cut r·" i r i ~. "'\Q

r..,u• if8!'" :r1 • ')0 ~w A

..,wau,·(_ p i i•iwo .aJv')
8W(. ,;af'l:r 1Jl?O i!,Wt;i ~
• \Jlla.[' J.~ 0
f ,c ilar(r 1.No SW l
6mu•l.roo
bWJ AA.1'~~1Jno ~W8~
fa\)t; t:i.K' ~,, , AO
,.wan i:! r ...,:.-1ngo pi r:£
1,<' , m~a~ : .. ,..;tiri :i.qe piJ i
ko , ma 'a ~! »gcrinae p ir!.

20 hewt!t1:. ' n' 11 : aa;1e. 110,netl.u t'l1'ke,'fee,

21 e.• ~ ! J<!' n/at.:£ .
22 61 a ae lc,•.
------- ----
9 .!!.rla.r.1: ~~om !l.l-~-r..1,tan~ - tney - in11tqt1on wt~h
~e&ultine action ol~eady i n p~cgresa ) with s t re ~B on
 " t l ·cr.t on an ,H.

10 they entered into onot, r.r r>('nd . l.r t~cy mmt [ the,y- naked):
11 " we::iro ••• , ie -:. ;•f! fw-2: ..) ·ata•c 'i", 81H1 i h"Y aa 1c:. :

12 1 • nere 1 no .;,Wt.t l'e, ·, anc u.e.r went ah~f.'l<, to l ingerL'lt e

:!.j they we t . Ancl tl cy eot 11µ and "'" n1 on, I dn1;ing):
[' o] .._·wact't.' ~ill e~11l•l ;.!t'')t!n< <>nc. l\~0 1 ).nd,

No.:, ::ilj ,es.:-ch{"r~ -o ()•, ".n~ on.

I 'f'?] $vrt,cre al 1 ov•irl around anc around
.. o\li, all oe:u•cnrrs &o on and on.
Try nll /r:> r> vtr·· 'tlt•st ther.,
ov.-, all fearr.ht rt" ~o on ::rr.< on.
~1·:r., "'11 ,ll"PJ.r very 1:>t'P t ~hen,
i,o ,, all icar·:t.i.-.:c•f-1 g o or, ..:. d 0:1.

l~ . nd t .•c, 1 -:> t. u~. " ,ow, ls ':. c: e .u....: • ·.war~ with a child'? *'
Ut • .., i O 01 , ,'/.\ t !\C_!', '\'Ii tn tt,e (mild. II

,ben

17 th!"', .tm t th ... rt~ re V('r ,"n:t b 1•dc, 9.ll ~ !;ypss o.t'] birds .

t.1(' .If a au.; 1:

1 .. o) - .• a....:•e ..11 ewi:c·l tu',)Ur, a .. , aroa:-t(l
o ,, all search.-rr~ v,~ .., , f:>-nc on.
l .1.0) .. ·,YuUI't. a1l &wh·1 acl)\Ui<i. &.nd t.r:und
1,ow, all sca:x-ch~l'G so o a.id on.
'Iz•.., ull y~u ,1-.;,1·:1 eG t tl'er. ,
. ow, a l:.. f!..!aronl'tl"S -,o m anci on.
t'~ al: .rour v1.1r., l>Cc , t ,c•r.,

Cl,, ell "'ee ·ch('<'r. g,:, or a 1<\ o.

·r1h corr,linG-ukin, ,,rint:. ·' ~ ,.1t
t,o ~nk 1 t round 1l1n .,.. ... in~"
oh! to take 1 t r ou.ud J~i r,t•t;rin~ ,
ohl they 1.ook 1 t rou1)d , T'()U11d .'11 /('2~11,ce .

19 And then , then t.ht.Y !;:aic: "l-<ere 1 t 1s th~ child],

~o and the: caught it. And they took ov. t the child ( rrom
21 tho re J, tVltl they took it anc.l ca1'lle> ( hone \':'i t!l 1 t) •

22 !ere it 1a ~ndcd.

-1:.1 hocom~o th~ verb ~ , ' to go on nnC on• ; also ' to get up
and ~o on anew 6.1'.'ter a r e~t•.
 1 N/onit'H e n/ ~r:mcuk i.

2 hin we.~?ona h1lr'5. 1·oa n:,ow...

3 r Cca nOC\' ! ' '

~ .•
i1 I t':tl ifaune.
Ji kimc~ ht u taJ ·~e: l + ' "'· " 1'ik'a
5 Pe :hweco n/ /ur.~· : '0 t ti { T(~ •

6 $f~ ; 1 i '"'
11. (' l 1J,~'11.1. ... ~
·M i:.1ko r•,i I n,. t 113
7 "Pax t ,;. ' . ,,x n!f. , a".<J.y ,o4 i>'iX

g ,,ax x~a
x'* hik'.
9 hlz. ' ' !n, {fln hi "li '1
10 'X~tm~~i. fa 1c. i,<,aa ,:r• .. ,, .a ka':
11 91
,J~UllU m1'" h<'ie 1 ! 1 \i e a k!s '~e.
12 Kil I! 'n ta., h )i.l
. ,//ok > ..• i·u 1 .. ¥!ii h!a
13 oa' alt.'t /Ju:S.: .... o' u //'llunki /1 1t 1ki
I /uru;ki, ,.
c.!.'V

15 !nunt. u ? I\~ ti e t
vl';~nt<'. ' ',\C,)."f> ...

16 l!I>'' M!, 'l, k ait ! 'ok&.

"
17 Plu! h fa ll~ei •
.. ,J.G. 'Lui oax n ow. •
le IfoOW..! /0'> 8il'X

19 hcel1 we.. oe I I ' e1 e.ev xea ik' :

'·r~~ • i, ~ ro ' b" tt ri

vl )u ,a, i,;.~. nt:
r,5~ I ' ko f'O'lJet0 1 1

1 lolor)J!n:••o tiouhle, dare, r:haJ.ler,ee' . 'l'he -~ 1G thet

vocative.
2 ~: .. ~, c, pm·i:.011 with .1.aewe rd lJler.i,,nt.; th.ie
word can., ') t o• (•. :!.a1n,,, ut ,.ache , 1699, IJ, reports
th~ 'lAlrlO t.~ ..m 1n a Swahili r,ong CY\~ tranalates 1~ as
~ ~gtuagur ~ . er. a l so t ext 121: l.:lAz4, •c ~1tu~ • .
 1 1

l r 'l:h~l',. w!u1 J n r:1m s.n,· [ t i P-] wi re . She• who wan his nite,

3 To 11 ... he :u1d _·1nlchc.:<l :1•1n..:i1 r:hc went to h r love!',

· h ... •,en• a nd

; ntoo d ~t th<: nn-th111 hole , h"' l~v·'d in the anthill .

o Ar,tl r.he &&."lg :

1 2
m::,v1'"""'" n . . . "- ~r.. •, r<.-'l""'Y one ~
Oh wh~t ror-r,ia ~:i -:•or~~ I uh•r. _;

7 An d ht {'a me out. .Aho. 'they enp:i:•oncnt•u one nn..,the:/i. , and .o.e

H took [ h1mneH' ] u~ 1mC'. v,en-r . Anct eho "Gcor; l n~rselI) up

10 to co ,k. nt u rn. !" r~ur ·f. r.d ce .c • • • , he l ui d:

11 " n1 pcirr1c.ce t er. , wh,;· 1. it full c,1' ! ur'r" A c che t h.on

13 ro:.:.1 o. tt-cr. plf\Y to 1et.htn • tht.i,; pluy h( Nr , µ l eJ ['there ),

11• pla¥ { e •reryv,h~,,...~] an s o

l? J cr>okt d th13 x'l our ·a1th tio1•e chi<~ken down'' - '.(ally ', 11
1

"Yee , ''
17 ,'hen 'the ne;r.t. mor n i ng awnod he went out ond e h.e ground
l& t fl our~ . . .d :?he r~tU.d , a o I th,.n.) che
19 v;en t to take i t to 11 r lovl'.'"!'' [ E:.nd che snt>.ts):

•• ,10.,.<'t '!d one , nmdy o::.e !

Oh ..h a . 1J ~ ... en .~ or I Ut r•
rnhol c~1 o( l)J'II'!' r•e-.11f.,, one &
Ch wha t t or :,i d ...cn 'IO"'dS I '1.1.t 1 r.

3 ~,61<0 : t'x•o:l' UH:> Swahili ~ . t~boo ; ~-t$_- ,tJL'..,J.: vo1c::e or

u t ..e-rancc - ac t ivity - r ec i p t'C')C& te form oi' 1if;1 , I .
!.~ce~ t h --·- r t.:: i'or!7l • or< o ! u .. ter ' •
23 Doko,,:oo ! • i.1(;6 / a .lt!O(l: . I

24 llloc • pa

25 noo\\ ones~~ ~ hlec

26 :>UI',1 r.i iJ( •

2.7 ! ' uJ..~ • J.o · • ria x.e. 5

is s ax hik · ~ 1 ' ce n/ uq•:
010 1, 50.C iJJ ya.c
J 1 () (.) l'l\ I l 1 I 1

30 - ..
Kol6ngae iya:,uc
L66 ~~ 0 r 6 ' bVtf 'i
.3l Pa ul I t, 1,! e 1 ·tt.. ....a

.32 x e t: t, / 1, >i;!.;,u /i
3j x !,i n tt:1. " ji;ht" ixi ll/~,, WQ' ~ a ,h,
.34 hapu thl. 11 //'r,r,f vee h i \,, I I n ! r:i if" .fa
J5 pee ut s •wak1 pa l hu;:ie he.v•t ', a
36 ma' al~. ' o•oc, n ! a41yev
37 ha n'. 1no1, ! h1;; ,(- ; l wie ..).

5 '.J.'h ~ woma n'fl tnkic,g .flour to H1u.d e i 11,11fi oa a r egular

I
loviJ.ro ralu io is , i ii; ni',e te(..Jfl hltu . Thi-, l a culled
.t!.,-;..~ ..!ll!Jl~.l .).Kl~, ' t:.o <.:ondi Uo, ~t bclnu ll)lfer~ to ,me
a n otr e r• . Another -ter la b ~ 'IU!fl,nl'~, t'ro::i 1'.h"' . 0 0 0
~ . 'regul nr lovt>r •, c1·. Ri •by, 1964. .ex t.G , ')fh
lll un d 112 ul with t 1 i :, relc, tio1 il1Iip .

6 \3 :)c1'or•c ah,., md tt ,wn porr· i 1 E t o .t.. re , ru1d

1•eturnt l. +:, ! () (ct·. lint-s
ll and 21) . rhe V10rd us1td !'or •1•u:r•, J.!.Ji, ol~o mear13
 169

20 And from insi de the anthill he emerged, and he approached her

21 and she went [ home] carrying some ~UZ" [on her], and she
22 cooked. - "Ay, with thie woman, what ts wrong with h~r?
23 Juet wait till I track her down that l may see lterl n
24 Then he stood behind the wall. I/hen she
25 wae at the beginning or her grinding (duty], he then
26 r emai ned at the wall. She went on grindlng until ehe ha d
27 t'1n1ehed. Once again she took [some t'lour] to t he an.thill . 3
28 And she went [and] there she stood [and sang):
Emboldened one, rand;/ one:
Ch what forbidden words I utt er
29 Thia time her husband, on his part, wao watching.
30 (And she sang on]:
Emboldened one, randy onot
Oh what forbidden words I utter
31, And [ the hare] came out and they- appr-,ached [ one another].
32 came [home ] carrying [some f'ur) 6 and when ahe had arrived
33 ehe cooked. - "Indeed, you carry on like that't Behold,
34 you take it to your compan1on,7 you go every day
35 ancl you approach one another,and beoeuee of that the t'lOUZ" 18
36 in that state ! " And he!'e he caught her,

37 and this ia also the 1"1nieh f of' the s to:ry]; it ends here. 8

pubic hair, cf. p. 141, note Lt . Sandawe audiences del ight

i n r ecognizing s uch double meani ngs.
7 !h4JD&,•compan1on', from .ihafl,'to run (to) ' and -ma, which
indicates a purpos eful action towards a distant goal , cf.
P• 105, the value or vowele , and P• 163, note 6. 111 th vowel
change to -at. the i dea ot a remote compan1oneh1p ie abandoned;
with the reminine at'fix -Ill the word Jihtl-B.-U t hen beoomos
the com:llon term tor •woman•.
8 For t he punishment or an adulterous woman eee P• 48.
l',ut b2, lQ, Told h.Y u.rs • .Jorta Kwele at U//ate1l4.

1 H!eok1 ma' alttt , uu~m , hen t 13 ' :

khoo
2 e~amik!eo, /tieo ts•ixcnga hokd't. 1
2
3 Al te •4ikttsana n!•wa. //'al
4 !tha itha 6 1 tsh~~ki'a. H:!a• ni ' ,
5 oaa ! •oror6nga kumbaure ma'alt! /'ank'sa 1ye ,
6 dt /'ank•sa.3 R~u /dee h1!unga kes~.
7 H!a humba kead h1k' hfa
8 hik'! //'sa 6•a b~~bawak41, pa
9 ka':

Iraobo ere s ! •ra dadngu,4

aei ntSene,
Ufl4na Ring1ro, 5 m4a DU d.66. 6
lk4 ni mukuati~e Iyange, 7
ni m\b-11-e, Iyango,
Si nga Mar~de. 8

1 The stor3teller begins 1n this ooaewhat cryptic manne~

at'ter meabere o~ the ~amily have been clamow:-1ng t or
thie particular tale. One-eyo ta the t r aditional
Li ttle Runt of the Candawe, the handicapped, tnc
undordog vho in the end proves his worth b y s ucceeding
where bis big brothers have ~ail ed. Here he 1e the
;roungest of t"oui- brothers. ,ta•a14• : o-r. M'l'.6.a,•ao-
and- eo• , an un1aent1f1ed person or obj ect. The verbal
rorm of the text means •to do somethi ng unidentif ied,
potter about, go about one ' & buatneaa. •
2 They go to water the cattle. i@ 'aaku also means home,
or homestead , 01•. p . 20. liel"e the wol'd is used 1n 1 ta
ori g i nal meaning ot 1 wateri ng place ', f rom 11.!.1&, ' water•.
In line 12 it occurs in the gener al meaning o~ 'home•.
3 Frog ie gram.~at1call y femini ne 1n lines 5, 6, 22, 55,
56, 61, and 67, but manoul t ne in l ine• 8 and 51. In line
55 : • oror~-& ie • oho- t l'og •. F(.~m1n1ne gender 1e onl.V
appl ied when the epeako~• a mind conceiTee a subject ..
temtnine , er. p. 65.
 171

1 And the others vent about their bue1noeet mmm, at that house:
l
2 there were three ot them, One-eye ~e1ng the fourth.
2
3 An~ they wore so1ng to the wat~ring place$ ~he well
!~ was somewhat far :f'ro!ll here [ tbe homestead]. When they went,
5 then a ~rog, indee d, was otaying on top o:f' eoue object,
6 on top or a etone.3 'lhe one with tho good eyoe herded
7 ( the cattle). Ae he went hording t he cat t le and when ,
8 while going, he got there closet~ t he well, he [the rrog]
9 eanga
This pond 1s not of ~a~.4
it 1e ~or me,
Child of .Rt ngire ,5 jll{tJl mu. 46.6,. 6
l a1 t, till I oa teh h1:n, Iyanse.7
let m~ eat h1n, IYa.nQ'e,
8
[I], the Lord of the Clouds.

4 Thio eong is in a Rimi dialect ( Bantu) wb1ch means little

to the Sandawe; even the otorytelle~ could not help much to
expla1n it. Only at'tcr 11 ooneidere.ble Qlllount ot research
Gong Rimi- speaking Sand.awe heo the meaning graduall.'.7' emerged.
lrM1?9- "' t,1apbg, 1 l ake' or •pond' ; MtMIN 1a the ruune 0£ the
father o~ the £our brothere.
5 R!nat£e te thought to be th~ same ae the Sandaw~ name
atnp;nt;\..n.8§., cf. text ·o. 8, note 8 (p. 163}, 1.e. the target
or each b~other•o ~ournoy. the well. The ' Child ot R1ngire'
1s the bUllf'roe; who liver:' in the pon~ oall(;d ~ . . Its
loud oroak frightens or.e~ye•e brothers.
6 mda ,SS~ has dor1od tranolat1on.
7 hYJHl'lSl io thought to be the name or
the eldest brother. In
hie song the trog thrcatena to catch one or hi e cattle.
8 ''!'ho Lord of t~c Cloud&' is allusion to t~e f~t that
4ln
?rog 1a the J.!aeter of the Rain (eee to~t u o • .5, esp. note 2
on p,141). Line 5 of the text shows that ~rog 1a a
! 1 2ror6n, • ratn-f:rog. "Let me eat bim" auggeeta the
••orltice of a black atee:r to the Rain Spirits.
172

10 Pax kw4'eea
11 tank1 humbutata tank{ii pa
12 h1k'a te•aaktt.3 n//eewaka. H1a
13 hik'!! n//eewak41':
14 1
'HE1'wina huobu x~'w! /1 ?"

15 - "Tahuda 1me ••• , a!i n/60."

9 hap'1k1
16 - "Ah, h6tso tch'111a.n a i e1e.
17 6' / / •ant4• pi n/oo nil
18 humbu kwam•edwa xf•wa /1,
19 t4i-o•t." Ph~ h!a nle1
20 p ax t4nga nl oowe, pax kes,.
21 Kem& hik'iyoo, h!a h1k'1
22 / /' anga bldb aye1' , sax /biJlle:

Irarnt o ere s i•ra Ma~gu,

aei n6ene,
U~thla R!ng1~e, m4a mu 446.
Ik4 ni muttwatfye, lyange,
ni .cn1r1re • Iyange,
81nga Mar~dc.

23 2ax kwa•e6a tank!.

2!~ 'rank!yoo pax h1k • a
25 to•aakwa n//eewaka. - .. Ts•aa'kwa•ni'l"
26 - "A• a • ., - "H<Ss' 'l.. Ka•: ''Tehwt k~s' a i;rl
27 ime //•ant4. 11 - "i•~I."
0
28 - N!t h! kina t,hee
29 h'Ulllbu n~lkwamee pa•
30 ts•aa gw4bo'I n~i hlatf."
31 Pa hlee h4u s6amik!~nga nloowe
32 ph~e. Pa keel, kee, hik'tyoo

9 2:th:4)1a,n1 ( 'animal-then• ): the raised tone ebon

 173

10 And ( t he brother w1 th the good eyes] leapt back and

11 he herded the cattle ahead and he herded the~ ~aet end he

12 went and made them enter the hooestead. When he
13 had gone and made them onter, [the people at home asked]:
14 '' i'Ol' what reaeon have you cone bri nging the cottle [back]?"

15 - •An animal makes a sound••• , that is why.I am a~rai~."

16 - ".Ah, wbat sort o~ •animal' was making a aouna,9 and you,
17 there in t he well, you were afraid and then
18 you tUl'ned all the cattle about, onf you came bringing them
19 [home]l You 118.l'.u When the next morning dawned
20 then another untae tened [ the gate ] , and herded.
21 And he herded and h(' v,ent on, ( and) ns lte went he
22 came close to the well, and [ tho f'rog] sang:

Thia pond ls not of M8'ngu,

it i s £or me,
Child of R1ng1Pe, m4!. .& MA·
Wait, till I catch him, Iyange,
let ~e oat him, Iyange,
[I), the Lord or t he Clouds .

23 And he leapt back and (herded the cattle] ahead.

24 And he drove them ahead, ano he went and
25 he made them go into the homestead. - "Have you watered them'itt
26 - "No.tt ••miat?tt He saith "The an1l!lal 1a again
27 making a noise in the well." .,\Yell, welll.,
28 - "And then bow 1e it that you, on the next (second) day,
29 have driven back the onttle, for
30 the~ are dying ot thirst ~o~ water."
31 And then, this one who was the third unlocked { the gate ]
32 the next day. And he herded, and he went on and on herding

<lis.bel1e:f'.
174

33 humbulc!na hlee b al6wGsa ~m~wa ya&.

34 Kee: hik'yoo pa h1k'a n//ee\7aka //•ante•a.

Iraubo ere ef• ra !adngu,

aoi n~onf:i,
ti1Mna Pf ng1~. a44 JIIU d66.
Ik4 n1 muk.wat!ye, Iyange,
ni mllrire , IJange ,
Singe arn.nde .

35 r ax kwa's~. Tanki h1k'

36 pa h1k'a n//eewaka. t •, hets ~e
37 n//ink'na. 't'.lh, hcStao n/om6soet •na nee
38 humbu kwa'kwa'ed paa humbu
39 ix1 gtindawa. IbH."
40 Pax t\1' /1iee te •~xenga:
!11 "H{ye n1 '1 hax hum.bu pex kwa•m•e4wa
4'- h6tso tshu6ana hlee• //' anM 6' i ye
h3 pe! humbu nee kwa ' m• e4? 0 A' ka •:
11
h4 600 , hap\1e1' x~'wako h1k' tl ' aU.. UH h le'
45 hi k 't // 'ants '1 n//eew4ka1• 1~ pa /~efnga
46 e4riu'~ll pi kwa' m' s~a
47 t 4nka /1 anktlkf
48 {metehets •1. //•o pa n!e
49 ph~ paa ~~ · was
50 - :

10 In river beds waterholee are dug out wide enouab

tor the cattle to enter and di-ink.
11 The Little Runt ot Sandawe tolkl ore t a ueually
presented ae a fellow with one eye, or with one bad
or ehriveled eye. Eye d1eoasee are common i n central
Tanzania, and not uncomton among tho Sandawe. In eoae
diseasee the cornea discolours and become• opaquoi
this condition is called e6r9rl· It is a word ~or a
 175

33 and the cattle are now even unable to graze.

34 ne went on he r ding and he went to make tbPm enter the well .

Thie p?nd i s not or ~a4ngu,

it ie for me ,
Child of R!ngire, m.44 Q ~ .
Wait, till I catch him, Iyange,
let me oat him, Iyange,
[ I], the 1,ord of the Clouds.

35 And he l eapt baok. He went [ chasing the cattle ] ahead

36 and he ,,ent on and made them go i n. Oh: wasn't hi& rather
37 ~1oua. - "Oh, what aol't ot people are you that you are
38 tuPning the cattle about so that the cattle
39 have become so thin. •'ioe: .,
40 And then he went out, tho One-eye. [He aeked hie brothers]:
41 "ihen e ach time you went and when you turned the cattle
42 about, what eort o~ aninal then wee staying there in the
l.t3 10 that you wout on turnfog t hem about?" They replied:
44 "Pooh, you, you take them and go i n vain: Once you
o5 go and !U&ke them enter the weli, 10 t hen [your] ev~ ~111
46 turn rotten greenll and you wil l turn on YOU!' heels and
47 come [back, driving the cattle] ahead even before
48 [the 8lli11al] makes 1te no!ee." They elept and it dawned
49 and the next day he colleoted (the cattle and horded them
50 to the well]:

green1ah colour with an unpleasant connotation. Disagreeable

oubetancee ot a slimy natUl"e are deecr1be4 by it, such aa
spittle and phleSl!l, and moiet l1ohene under a wet atone. The
brothere tell One-eye that hie e~e will tll1"n rotten green
toi- tea:r. The storyteller atreeeee the ineult by enunciating
•'rDrA ae a •hrill ~ Her hand movemen ts mimick the
~tartling ~ush ot a f1•turbed paI"tridge which suddenly tliee
up t"rom • buah in ~ront o~ an unauapecting traveller.
176

r ra~bo ere e!'ra Ma,ingu,

asi ndenc ,
...ta4na n!ngire, m4a ~u d66.
!k4 n1 ~ukwat!yo, tJange,
n1 m~rire, Iyango,
Stnga ~arwu1e.

51 Pax ltee~e
A t a •tt•
~ w• P"X
~ k ..
~ . ..

Irambo ere ei 1 ra a,ns~,

asi ntfone,
i~~,na Rtng1re • m4a mu edo.
Ik4 n1 mulcYati ye , Iyange,
ni m11r1re , Iyange,
"ange Mar~de .
52 ttumbu hlee h!n// aka // •ant4 pa ts•~etwa.
53 Jfumbu n~! te ' le •wa psx. iye ~1k'
5~ hew4ki tcx 1Yf h1k'1yoo hl e ' pe
55 S'orordnsu 6'a n//ee t>a F!• su pa
56 humbu tl,nano ~~au, 4ture tl4nana. l2
57 Sa hlc' 6' aa iye, pa humbu te•,e 1 a• %'6kawa

58 k~ 'ke, pa
59 lees#. Te 'aan4 kee§ hik'iy,o,
11
60 hia h 1k • ,: khoo4 b,A>eye • i' pax ka' : /hi9ko ,"
61 !'oror6nl\&uta•a. Sax k!sa:

Irambo ere oi'ra ~a4ngu,

aa1 n,ene,
l't14na R! ngire, m&a mu dcS6.
I1.t4 n1 muk.wat:tye, Iynnge ,
ni N'drire, lyonge,
S 1ngo. 'lartlr de •

12 ~~Yr!! is a castrated ~teor, here the leading animal.

the ox which carries the cow- bell. The tfoa io given
• plaa, ot honour by being plaottd on its horr.a. Apart
 177

Thie pond 1e not of ,aangu,

1 t ia -ror ri:.e ,
Child or R1ngir e , W
&m ~ .
Wait. t i ll l catch h11n, lyange ,
let ue eat him, lyall,be ,
[l ], t ho Lord o~ the l lowla .

51 ~ut he just h~rded on. ,nd [ the animal] went on:

'lbis pond i s not or .,,a.t.ngu.

it is '!:oP me ,
Child ot rting'!re, rmA m& ~ ·
,\lait, t ill I catch him, !yange,
l et me eat him, Iyange ,
[I), t he Lord of t he Cl ouds .
52 Now ho prodded on the cat t le, i nto the well, and they drank.
!>3 'i'he catt le went on drinking and he- went on going [ in}
54 himeelr, ano he went on goi ng, and pre ently he
55 ent ered there '!>y the trog, and be took he:r and h.e
56 placed her on a cow• e horns, on an ox•o horns . 12
57 She then etayed there , and the cattle drank and finished
58 ldr1nk1ng) and climbed up [out or the wel l ], and ~~
59 her ded them. He went on hordi tlg t hem home,
60 and a.£ he nnt and appi-oached t he houao he aaid: "Si ng..
61 to t he frog. And she sang:

This pond 1a not ot Ma4ngu,

i t 1s for me,
Ohild ot R! ngire t D.U tm ~ .
Wait, till I catch hi =, Iyange,
let me eat him, I7ange,
[ I], tbe Lor d of the Cloud&.

62 At home then, et thi e t i me . t hey wero [all] gathered

t ro:n bo1ng territ'y,.ng , the .trog• e eong had to the brothers

no doubt seemed a threat to t hi s animal, tne pride ot the
herd.
178

ta!aso heeo '1.tetai lres&s6e8k( nt

63
het,i~&,c8a ok! n&euxki teta.a(>. Ka':
64
"lh4m'kwera, l h'1u•nera." tttt6teona?"
65
66 Al lhltmt1. Pa ka' : "/himeko, /himeko."

67 Sa /him4:
Trambo ore s!•ra .a&l u,
as1 n4!ene,
J1htna Rfngire, maa mu d66.
1k4 ~1 mukwa t!ye , Iyange,
ni m'1r1re, IJange,
Singa Ma~ttnde.

68 J<a • : stJ.? ,. "H:!st

69 ta4x.e1 // '&ltoye , // 1 4ntaye .
70 Tehuti / ! • ts • e •na h\lmbunga t f &t1a. ,It
71 n/omeeek1 hfa /ti.et! ts • ~x.enke 1 • • ·, Hle •e hle • e •• •
72 ~hla bd«!ba, b~6eba n//eclaa'kl\mal.
73 Ka •: 11
/h1meko."

I ra111bo ore J.'l !•ra MeMgu,

a~i n~ene•
1411dna .R! ngir e • m4a 't'lU doc5.
I ka n1 mukwat{ye , Iyange,
ni m~1re , Iyenge ,
Si nga 14ar~de.

74 Alt x'1 •tti k.h,:,ona . nexwaa

75 b!r• tsh1n4tana hin//ak1, l3 e'1k:Un4watshe ka •:
76 "p t t l) t f p t• nl4 • 1t:£,yow•e tlaCiS t :(00e It

77 • "/h1mcko , /hir.1oko, /bitteko. 11 Iiad6' ta:

78 - :

13 ~ (or ~ ) ; th(' l t-.rge Sanl'!avie bf'd made of poles .

The fam1l7 alec~s on t op and t he ch1okene sleep under
1t. The ~rightened people r1d1culouel.y behave like
a tlook of terrified oh1ckene.
 179

6.3 together, all thoee who h&d horded bo1'ol"e, aa wc,11 aa

64 all their !'a·there and all their mothers . [ One o!' them] oa1d:
65 "Be gu1et then, be quiet thont" - "ffl'lat is the ma t ter?"
66 And they kept quiet. And [One-eyo] satd.: "8tng, sing: ''
67 And she sang:

This ~ond is not of Ha4ngu,

it ie -ror me,
Child o-r P.1ng1re, mil fit.U s6.,d.
ia1 t , tUl l cetoh htm, Iyange ,
let me oat him, IJango,
[I], the Lord of the Clouds.

68 They ( e. t home ] sai<H .. Oh 'f" [ 't'he bi-othero cried]: "Now ,you

69 f~l!ows, [it is] the one or the well, the one or the well.
70 Ian• t tho an1nal ooming to awallow the cattle. All because
71 ot that p~reon, rince he is one-c.:,od! 11 And no\T, and now•••
72 tno~ ar~ ver$ uear, ver/ very near, on th~ point
1, [And One-o:rc] oa1d: ,.Sing."

~his pond is not or da4ngu,

1 t 1s ror iae,
Child o'f' R!n~ire, a.a.11 ml M.§..
Wait, till I catch h1Jll., Iyange,
let mo eat him, !yang ,
[I), the ~ord of t~e Cloudn .

71.+ [ In panic] they surged i n to the houeo. 8ome of' them

75 Bijueozed under tho bod, 13and ~arting all th$ t 1me they d1d:
76 "p, p , pJ "l4 - uoh mot er, .I am f'1n1shedl " ( ,hey cried,
77 One-eye •aid): "t,1ng, sing, e1ng. " In the court.;rar d
78 ( ttie rrog sang] ,

14 'Ibe Sandawe lc;,ve uo.ina tla'tulcnoe ror- doacr:lption• of

boundless fear. The image or plllliokY em1oa1ons oi! wind
~om the anus is also conoidored oxtremely f'UrU'lJ'•
180

Irallibo ere si'r& adngu,

ae1 ncfone ,
Kadna 11i nu1re, ma& mu d66.
lk4 ni mukv;utiye, ly&nge ,
n1 mdrire, Jyange ,
$1nga L'ai-imde .

79 " !yo, taM, tlt1e1s ':,oo. " Ka ': "I:,oo

80 t l4sis ' yoo ... Ka ' ; 11
.L.f':>OWJ ~ ••• ,1f, ••• pit , •••
81 pif, ••• 0
82 te44gos ' aa /ikv.e.
83 ph! nd.130 ' 01"
8l1 Swdd ' tleega tdntabU1e mi eonk! 1'.
 181.

Thie poud is no~ o:f' Uadngu,

it is !'or ce,
Child of Rf ngire, o_~ mu S1ru1-
\Veu. t, till l ca teh hJ.l'l, I.ranae,
let me eut him, Iyar.lg6 ,
[ I) , the Lo~d ot' tne ~l oudo.

79 ''llo t.'ler , :f'ather, I rur. t'inishedl II they or1ed, 11

.liother ob ,
ao I am dying!" and they cried: "Oh mother, ••• ~ai-t , ••• :f'art, ••
81 tnrt, •• • 0 Ant! [ On('!-&:,e} so.id: °Come out [ ot thttre ] ,
82 it i c l wh~ have co~o to Jou. hnt is a l l t hi s farting
83 trouble about?"
84 l O\i then it 1& 1·1n1ehed, tne talc has ended herE- .
 CHAPTl<R IV

N A R R A 'l' I V E
MIHACTJL,)US S'l'ORIEJ t nlS'l'ORY t AND llYTH

illL.§ t!itJ...t~.

The storieo or the ~1rst cha~ ter have generally been

rather simple end lighthoarted, but tnn taleo which fol l ow in
t?-1s oeoond oha:>ter tend to be aore oerious. !?he heroeo are
either movo tragic or more heroic, and the stor i es th~mselvee
tend to be longer and more complioated. The ~rinoipal horoee
arc human beings; when animuli:i oor>ur in principal. i:• olee they
do eo 813 e:,,nb ,le r.a ther t han as simple animal oharaeter s which
make t"un o-£ human +.:,pee. The riany-headed snake of text no. 12

is an all·1~vouring monster rathe~ than a mere snRke, and the

snake o~ text 110. 11 and t.he lion or toxt No. l.3 are aleo
e:rmbola rather -:.han juE't an1.,,ale; the lion 1e really a human
be ing Who turno i nto an an1Qal in or er to portray th~ animal
•~poet ot hie cha~ac tcr, and it is th~refot'C quite dir~erent
~rom the ~or e nnive ~ind ot animal repreecn~at1one which we
have enoountered i n the prcvioue cha»ter . In to~t No. 17 there
1e a hyena i n a prinoiual ~ole, but also this an1oal symbol1zes
an aspec t of t'lle humen character• w1 tchcrat't 1n this caao,
and 1 t mn:, actually be identified with the h •.iman t'ather of the
stor~ts trag1csl horotne.
The f1ret a~ven otorieo bAlong to the eateaory Which I
have 1oosel y called li1raouloua Storiee. The eighth is an
hiator1oal tale ot which tho main theme 1a an episode which
has actually hap~ened. 'l'he chapter t hen concludes with two
m.vths or ol'igln which are oxplanatol'Y rather than historical.
183

a:s,xt l:jo, 14 '.Cold by ·r. :; • flan~ Ans,1 at BUJc!r..ika.

l Utaa n./om1fru. n/ox1ulau hldwe th,ati, \h>' sa

2 hlawf n//ok6te11e. IV/ok6toua 8Wtfo h4toka 'o

:Cs' sa 1yij
3 a~ 1mbosa 1..1! is' et\e.
4 ! s •ai' , 1 egda

5 wa •l'.lnx.lda tc•ao ' na n! ' . Hin nM

6 n1. '1o1 ' paa//'anta 1ye.

/ '1nga B49 1 ,
2
7 hee'w~ hleo' n//dkote•a• ht a l'ok41', k,ko thee
8 k,ke tn 'xlfoa hlee k,ke theesa tl • a a

9 h1 n// 6ko t s '1. nf a k tta t 1:hoa k~i '

lO hl ts•aanga hf'wa1, hloe h i s ei '
ll / 1 phin! •1.
12 /'!//'a koke t.~eexe sa'aa:
3
13 °Sd'wako. " d/omtfouo' //~ank1 Mirigt.
Pax. ke.' :h

15 "PcS•wao•te•e. 11
16 ka' : "Irdllnko eo n Sii ' tnne. kh'1'se."
17 Saa hew, hb' ea hnai • pa I •!nga
18 n l~tana ta 1 6k'a kwul S. 5 Hlee '

20 "Hi , ooei' /' 1.akepos 1 • 6 Saw!

21 oa h1k '1yoo n!• hes~ ts ' aak~aa n//ee .
22 - "B! 1 hl6e' n\1&1 ~4.nteho1 t l' ahi &dta / ' 1nkepoa• ."
23 ~aa 11aanteha tshua //'o.

l m,r retueal to get uiarried io etrenaed. 1n repetition.

It ie coneiderod norm8l., EU1d tho duty of a gi r l, to g•t
marri ed and bear chil~ven. Thia girl 1e very a t tractive
and her b ehavi our raisee mru1Y ejcoi·owfi. Te x ts ?~os. 140
and 165 especial l.Y deal with euoh behaviour .
2 Ear loben are perror ated and •oo~en pl ugs a1'f) ins erted
ea beauti ficution3 . Among the ~an6awe t hi e cu.atom 1• ~ar
tro~ general. ~ .1htl, 1a literally •ear-wood(e) •.
 l Lon&; ago [ ther~ wa~ ] a wo~an, e heautitul woman, a very
2 pretty girl. ProGontly l n man oa!'lle] to take the g1i,l away,
3 but ahe was sa.rin.£ th.at ehe re.fused. She went on r~t'uaing
4 1
[alE>o other eui tora] and she refueed, and now she
5 fiont vith her companions to the waterl hole]. Wb.on they wel"e
6 going thero a Emake stayed i n the well. ,Ve cl then,
7 vhen ahe tt.cn had f inished washing herself, her ear plugs2
8 were still i n her ears and t hen ehe took out her ear plugs
9 and waoho~ them. \1hon ehe h ad cl1~bed up .trom inside
10 [the well ) she drl'!W water l .t'ro:m it] and then ahe
11 turnt; d a bout and cee [ back to pick up tho plugs].
12 Since the earplugo {were, l-y ing) near the onake ehe said:
13 °01 ve tnem to me. 11 ~his wot\ar1 had t he name Uir1g1. 3
14 "ll1ve them to t,e . "' Ant [ tne ene:ike] said: 4
15 "I won • t gi vc t hem to ,you. ' - 11
1vo t hem t o me. '' And he
16 oaid: "Ge.pe, so I me:, throw t nezn into your mouth.''
17 And he t hen, while ehe gaped, t ho enake -t nen
18 jumped up, throwing hir~aolf into hor mouth. ;, And then
19 ahe went on her wa:,. He ote,yod i n he1• bolJ.y and s ·a 1d:
20 "If you make a noil'lc I shall bi te you. ,, 6 .!fe w~nt wt th hel'
21 and ahe went on ane1 they wont ana ahe arrived at her home.
2'2 - "11" :,ou now ea t po.r•ridze I ohBll sting you in y-ouio belly. n
23 She [wont to] s loep without having eaten porr10ge.

3 io aasculine. Fem1n1n1t.r would be illogical because

'i'hf! aualte
ot its phallic natu~e;. 1nt'ormants eay 1t 1s like a ~enis .
4 Int'ormanta say t h at heJ" namP •.a 1'1r1p;S.( ' edicino'} becauoe
1a adm1nietered medicine for her b ad behaviour in this story.
5 An alluo!on to the anak.~- pha1lu~ taking eexunl poeaesaion of~
11.Svolly
6 ,•1nttvmeans •to ettn~• (like an 1noeot), not 'to bite', but 1t
18 used ~or the oite o~ a snake, ct. Dompwolff, 1916, 40. The
verb has aleo a se,rual connotation in Sandawe.
1 85

24 Ph~·
25 .11r!g1?" Dax ea: uy, •waw.Se•.t1 A~ hlle' n/om&ao
26 hets •ex. mt§aux h.c,ml nw1\1xkia tedaed.
27 tli'a' :n1nda 1 tana n:!•. H//!neea hl~e

28 khootaaa. 'i:hwnpake:,oo.
29 P6ro.7 Saa sw~sn /wa!'8a tl 'aue
30 e6koral dl' naea8 tl'4nk'at~ noowe •
.31 ix.ea /h1mo:
l,1<>x,a u1kCSf"t9
hbb e!t ro~be~ 0
e{ rocibe, ~ir1~'yoo sii vombe.
a.t4x.a wakbse,
hoo P!! rombOt
c! ro"l.bo, irig ' yoo eU ro•nbo.
~at4xA wakboe~1
hbb sit rombe,
st ropbe , Mtris•yoo s i! rombe.
32 fxsa 1.1e noowe /h111m. Hf a golol~ei '

33 noowo•onki f ' ok4sa, pa ke ' i

d1r (gi haanko,

1:r1g1 h&enko,
!d1l"f g1 haankoo

34 Sa rutankwa /4a k114le, sax hi k•a n//1ne.

35 lifa hl ee • h~ts •ex.a mdsux_k1a n/at1 •• ka':
36 "!l6ana .rfrigi heu noowe'. t' sax aa:
37 "Toh,a noowe." - "'O,i~1 e •t!ek1:

7 ~ : (the f1old) is aeoolute.

8 OJ'ain is sroun<l on e. large ..,r1u1 to11t; (,U) by
ru'bbine; et11a1l atones { dj, n/(Ql:c:g, • tht. atono •e
children') ove~ it, er. Tenrca, 19660 .
 1&6

24 'lhe next mol'111ng (her t°OM1l;r aoked]: "ilhat i s t he matter,

25 l11r1g1 V" Shf:' r epl1E'd: "I t'eel 111 . " Uld then her poople ,
26 all her ~athe~s one mo t her~ tJ.nd also all hor YOUI1£er sisters
27 wen~ out end went to t he rield . And she t hen lay down
28 in the house . And ( the snake] then jumped out of her.
29 There woe nobod:, aroune . 7 ' hf' then bro~ht. grain
30 tor grind ing on t1'e griudstone 8 antl ohc stnrted to Sl'ind.
31 She sang thus:

All my -nothere have left me9

oh, tnis 1s my laraent, 10
my lament, poor l.1r1g1, this is iuy lamt:nt.
All my elder siblint£S have auandoned me,
oh, th1o 1a my lat1ent,
my l~ent, poor M1r1g1, this 1a my lament.

All my fathers have abandoned a-.e, 11

oh. this is my laMent,
i?tY lament, poor 1rigi, this ie my lament •

.32 Tbuo ohe wao singi:1g while she ground. When evenina cace
33 she ~1n1shc d grinding, and [the make] said:

!!irigi, gape,
lir1p:1, ga:?e ,
Uil'1 g1, ga,,e.

34 ~he gaped and he came and s lid in, end sho went to lie down.
35 hhon then he:r t'athers and mothers had eo"le, ti1ey askedi
36 "\',ho then, 1r1g1, hoo grou."1.d thio (flour)?" And. she eald:
37 "It is! w!10 have ground 1t.u - "~ow wcren•t you saying:

9 l,J.l.1 all 1:17 colleetiv@ mothero. Fur categori es see P• 32.

10 ro,,1?1: 1'.rom d (vole•) a.nil - ~ (activ1ty) . W ~ : ·~
(et~es~od) - [Gad] uttcranc6•· '
ll ~ .: all my collect ive f a t hers.
187

ra.x sa: ''} •onko 1"11 t 91

38 k•nw~s•?''
39 h4nga. noowe. 1' G6lobr. nu,• x!>ante

40 eax sa: "Mruitshae' te ' e ' ~ , '' AX //•6.

41 .Ph~ h!a 1dndnna.• Il!i. sax k6e •aa

42 t'1a baa. Xwax iye t'11' :,oo

4.3 kWClX k6ti:,ts•a n//ine. 12 ~ax hos'11 1<:do' ae.

44 noowesanasa n//e(,. !xsa /h.11:10:

Iyox.l wa!,l:se,
yoo o!! ro~b~,
e! rombe, ~iris' Joo st1 ro~be.
Tat4x.a se,
wale
hoo ei! rombe,

':lay4x.a mik~oe,
yoo s tf ro~be,
e{ roabe, U1rig'yoo si! rombe.

45 Hl~o b!a golob41' k6e'sa hets'6xSnGo n/ati.

46 Pa ka':

V,1rig1, haanko,
t~i1•!&1, huanko ,
M1~!g1, h~anko.

47 Sax k&n •aa h4i pax /4 kwelij t l'ab1so tGlla.

48 Sax khoonaea n//eea hew~ n//1ne. ~/at!.
49 ... 11
ff! kana 1ye ir!s i, hik1 hlaapone.'l"
50 Sa'ea:
51 m1a x~ante: "M'1\tahana. " sa•ea:
52 "»~ntehao•ts•e•8.,. Iy aw htts•eu "A'I ew8?"
53 lh§eukia imbokvrMki. "l&wJI
54 p~1 · ~ n::!nd,makwe n! •s t... OIS'k e, kwa awl
55 adnkoe P! ye . !hengdto

12 ta!s2.: tho pole-and,,.tho~n ~tnoe which enclosca tho

 188

38 ram oick'i'" She replied: "Not at al:!... I waA mistaken

39 to g<, t up and grind. '' In tho even l "lg tl:l y c ')Ok "d ':>o .•. 1dge
liO ancl she ~1ni d: '! won• t cnt. " i'..nd th():r [ .1e!, t J "':> sleep.
lil '.i'ne next uay, when they hai, gone t('I trse l'it'tld, ahe again
42 gaped t.t'or hio] to ·ot ouc.. J',nd he wan l.hcm corr.in~ out
1;,
a.:id he la::r down on the :t'enco . · Sha then, once a r;a1n ahe
44 began to g-::-1nd. .A nd che aa.'1g taus:

All inyinotaers a·.re aoano.:meci. ",

th.lo the-n is my lsrne..,~ ,
ray lament, 'OO.)r ir1g1 , tti s tr- •1y la'clo1t.
All !:lY :fa thel'"s huve abnndono,! me,
oh, t 1e in m::; lament,
my lament, _poor .Ji.r1a 1, t ,,1 i.l i s my la~nt.

All my elder c1bJ1ngn have !aft ~o,

thi., the 1e my lacent ,
my la aent, pnor 1Z'ig1 , this i s , la.~ent.

lu tow , 1.1cn t .e e1re1..ing t'c.:.l all her eliitn,.., cui:ie , home ] again.
46 And [ the snake J 0,11<1:

Mit>izi , gar>~ ,
. i2•\gi • g upe ,
.Urigi, gc.;e.

47 • n,l aJa1n shti ga_)•Jd and he ca110 t1:1tl -111,1 1nt'.'l nor stomach.
l ~8 ,3ho e,1 te1•ad in to t he. houno and nhc l tV do\r.. :'hey came
h9 (and a,ke~]: ''Hnn 1 1t ~ en, 1
1t•igi. :t1-:,n nro .:ou
50 80t tin 1 on?'• :Jhe anid: 111 nm ter•r1bl y 111.
,, md they
51 COO >\O i 1)0.t'l'idp,c land catd I: "Plen~e c 1 t.
,, Sh l"eplied:
.5-~ •
1
n.,t r 01.:ln t t Of\ t. 11
.; :, non h··r l' ther ~c ,id]: ')h , what now?"
53 Anl\ he con.f'ei•reci 1,1 th l1cr m:1ther, on1 said : ,..tfow then,
ai t ~ ~">r now

Yai-d (l'l.4..<!Q.). Snakes are o~ten fou nd 1n the~e fence .

169

1
56 r..lawecuke, £ax :!:x.ea //ak4 t, •a: H&ngena,
57 tat4, aenko'i''' Pa ka •:
5b "Ah m1n~ata ;/6' n/~otn'a ' koae ,
59 /' i .nda '. P:h' h:ta
13
60 //'okwal n &ei', paa tit' t Ma ttl• •
61 fJ wl kumbn r!n oouto' het ll

62 // •o 1xaa n//ine. Pe r ! npoa 1/ a

63 hdr,a 1/ ~9 h,rda htk' a
64 gul'4ana111 1/ ~n
65 k1t6nJea her ek4n i 3e.
66 Aa hew~ mds~:x.~' ~a t ~a ~!'. Ta!eeaA n!•.
67 .!U.ee heev4 n//ine.

10 Sa kda•aa h4a. P~ t~' • Fu

71 k6tots•a n// 1n'.\ , na "ZV/eea 11".lowe:

l yoxa 19ak~ae,
yoo ,; U rombe,
d ror.ibe, lltri~ ' yoo d ! ror4be.
'l'at4x.._ wakese,
:,oo G:!! rombe,
&:! rombe• Mirig' :,oo a:t! ro,'2be.
Ya ntxl uik •ne,
h~i o:!! rombe,
s 1 rombe, Uirtg•yoo a! ! rombe.
N//ahl4xa wak~ee,
yoo at! rombe,
ho, s1 ;ro:abe, L!ir1E:'.Yoo eH ror:ibe.

72 nots •e hlee ' gur4ate•a iye 1' ' ee. I/1

13 ! hwe'Inga hia s&x115

13 l.S).t: at night. ;tt1~t1)4: &till a littlo dark.

14 Sand.awe houeeo usually have two M ouis: th~ t'ron t
l"ooa by the doo~ which contains the .t1Hplace (JllUa)
 190

5.S ( and] r.iao.e 1 t good, and she i nquil•ed thus i "~,hat for then,
57 father, (do you take] th5 chopJing-knifc~' lie replied:
;8 ''Ah , there tn the f'ielcl there is [t. job] to do,

59 I '11 be I'oot1n6 out (trees] . ' ..:he next morning, v,nen they
1

60 hail slept and i t dawned, he ~ent out be:for~ daybreak. 1 3

61 1~ow indeed, while he vres e;oing r ound she was
6'2 still lying aslce...,. l'.na. he alu;1k around, he c&lll.a ,

63 went round, c rune [again), and went on hi& ~ound

64 ana. came [back.) into tt1e beclroom1 4 and he
65 circled J.>O'.m<l the storage b in and stayed ( tht:ro behind it) .
66 And then her mothers 't?Cnt all out. They s.11 went [to the
67 field]. •ow ehe la.r [there] alone. And now
6e she took tho grain which her nother had threshed bcrore ,
69 an d ehe went o'.ltside and l:lto::>c'!. there and there wa£1 nobody.

70 And again 3he cap~d. l\lld Lt~1e snake J cn.ue out . And he

71 lay down on the rence , ~no she began to grind, [oinging) :

All 1JlY not.t1ers he-vc aonndoned me ,

this then is my lament ,
my laner.t , poor !1rig1 , thi~ i s my lax.len t .

All ny :t'eth('rs llave abandoned ~e,

this then i s my lament ,
my lareent , poo:i.• ~.lr:i.g1• thi a is my lament.

All my elder s i blings have left me ,

~h, t 111s 1e nr:.r lament,
my lament, poor t ir1~1 , thio i s my lament.

All r.;;r b~othc~s have abandoned me ,

this then is my lament,
oh, my lament, poor •tirigi , this is my l ament.

72 Her father was now cryi nf' in the 1.n"'er rooill . lie came
73 ( to the wall) and whrn he peeped throv.t,h the 1::py- hole

and the inner room which contains t he beds and the storage
bins. Thia room is c al l e d ~.
191

74 /'! lt',eheri' k 1a n//i nc 1~oto ts ' a. 15 P.'lee

Hoti'1 /a.."'1.ts •wan 1.ye noowe.
75 l' al'~'a 1/!yoo.
76 P~"ba hl.e 1ye . moe ht1 °t'l • e
he ,,t kototsht!a tho:
77 111ndeteno n/ata', pa
~irigi, hJank'J,
~1:ri e1 , h4anko,
.-.1r i&1 , .n,a."lko •

78 Hlee pae h! a •~a //6 't~h a th4nl ' ,

79 pa n// cSsunswa dlo'!na x~tl'ot~a / '!nsa tl'axume ,
88 eenk6' In~a tl'ax.uttl-~o p~ tdu.
81 Hl~ oA //6 ' 1-ahal n/at!, p e.
82 ka' : ''Ta! r../I os ~ ,ak ' '189& ~

83 hap~xcU r,//ostt wak'weo~. AA s\Td •a •

81.t cS• a• ka': •!tew4 liik! te ' e~tt Ali ka':
85 t //'! 'kwe nti'ii",
1
o 1hewd."
86 //•f•a• n4'erui h~tl'a tl 6k•ata'eJ&6 th,~a'
87 k!tana /16 , pa n!,tn '1yoo
88 kwa•w4aaa. ~,rea neewayoi'
89 t1 •a&-iga //•oi • a~ hl6 ~4to boya' tl'oxob.
90 P&a h6w.; ma to t1.1' a :ri/ia. · ".! a
91 n/f ai' aw~a ne~oc mat6t
92 f' oxe. SwG senko aapt'sa a1yf
93 h! k'f !wer 'J w~rx.sl • • • , 1wer ' kw•rx .
94 - i

.t ao ~,t5 h~u d• nt ea
6 ' nte tur' tui·~e .

95 Pan he11~kia o at5kia ka • :

fil g o tl '4t a tl'du tl'o'ntea t l' untt,

tl' ~' nt6 tl'ur ' tl''1ruge.

15 Tho windowo or Sandawe hou.es oons iat of aaall ~ound

hole& the e i ze of a r tat wh1oh a~o call e d ~.llm4,
 192

74 a siant ~n&ke was ly1ng on t·r. f$noe . 15 Then he

75 came and oame , sneaking up. She we.e grind i ng w1 t hr.n1t
76 hi m. Anc.'l then he i:~a VflI'/1 near. '!hen her ()ldera
77 carJo !'roll, tno !'ield, and l the Gnake] jumped otr the tenoe.

Ur1g1 , gape,
11•1::i, gape ,
l.:ir1Et,1, gape.

78 And thnn , the moment [the snake] aped f'l'om there (to enter
79 her :.iou th] h~ pus he~ her back nnd. he cut d.own t h.e snake ,

80 and he cut hi~ up with hie choppinJ-knite, end he f1n1ahed

81 him 01.~i'. ho·., the:, ( t he :f'l1l'ii l:; ] oal'le trom ther<" and
82 [th6 t'athet-1 aaid: ' 1It wa:;; he who w&a killing m:, daughter,
83 who wa.e killing :,0•1r aad re;, daughter . " An<'.l. then t hey,

84 here they ea1d: " b ow Yhet to do•, 0 and they adde d :

e5 11
Ll ght a r1ro oo that we may have t'lamc,s . ''
86 The.r 11 t a tlre a 1d ther e , into 1 t , theJ scat tered wood
87 which they b!'ought :from 1ne1de , and then [the snake ] burned
88 until he wae t'1n1shf'd. And now, ·•hUet they wer e there,
89 the rai n fell and then they scat tered pumpkin se4ds.
90 And the pumpkin caQc U? and bor " frui t . 'i'i'hen 1 t had

91 borne fruit it rema i ned and the PtUnDkin

92 ripened. :ow she ft t r1g1 ) took a chop~1ng- kn1re handle
93 and -.,ent to knock, knock it ••• , knock, knock.
94 [ She e8id]:

~ell, th1o pun.pk1n i s ri~e on one gide,

th<> other aide i o etill gre€ln.

95 And tn1e one then, the p u~pkin then , eohoAd:

Lwell, t h11s plumpkl1n 1e l i pe on one slide ,

thle othler slide 1a $tl1ll gleen.

l..1,1.: , joking hol,;.e • or • converao tion holes'. The 'Lext

;)u. t r;e,. ti one JJlw4, ' hole • •
 193

96 SQa J.- 'wa1.1, .,, ea:

k.1. "A~
a 1,•7
,..1.
':~u
-

97 m4to :!.yoo, '1m'b6gea h ~u." Sax sa:

98 "H! k6ana 1r:ibo'a" Su-x f.:.a:
99 "Ai 1/:!ko, sa ~~au.a 1/!.
100 ma •~ :wer'xfwerx ' se e~ n1ko."
101 '' attn ca'g ! wer'xZwerx,•ec:

IIdgo 6'ntea /'unl1,

o•nte tur•t,truwe //o6x' .
102 kwa !h~rou.

103 '*li:ko hnp'1kiaa.

104 - "Xare fari? 11
105 sa•ea: 11
3cS'1iaako.
106 i werdx' :

Hf$O mat.6 6 1 nt<.a i ' uut1

H~t<O d' nte tur' t J.rur1e .

1 07 sa•ea: "/ant,sipo'i0
108 1/t, sa ko~'Gu la ' ao~ . ! wcr6x • 1wer~x •
109 - :
~ ~~o m4to h~u 6' 1tea. / ' un11,
o'nte tur'turuge.

110 -

B~{:o tl•nto t l' ~u t l'6' ntea tl'1n11,

tl 'o 'vto tl'u~'tl'4ru.ge.

111 Paa k6e ' a hdts ' ea adnkoa oie

112 tl'4xUJll~ h le m~tonc& h le' //' ek'a td•
113 mat~ntat~he .
114 ttela~alas~ hl~ //'ek ' a 1y~ mo~omcSgo.
115 H!a k' ~tof i aa n//cScu
116 /' i ndtanaEia u//ce hik • • • , / 'indtanas a n//ee
117 hik' •• , n' hlee m6'a n l anntan
 l9L~

96 Ahe was f'ri <tht.ened , and ohe s aid: :, ~,, whn t then•, Thia
97 purJp~1n, rnoth~r, i t sp~ake!" fHc~ mother ) s aid :
98 "What aI'9 J'OU telling me now?" .An4 s he replied:
99 11
Come q ui ckl y ~" anO her m~ther came. "Well Jou then
100 go vonnd to knock it , take thi s handl e t hen . 11
101 The mother we11t i-ound and knocked it [and oaid):

'/ell , on -:>ne oide 1 t h riTe,

the o ther conti nues t() be quite gr een.

102 but [ the pm.pk.in) rcIN,dncd quiet . he Said!

l 03 "Now, 1 1" ten you! ~Jell t•1en, t here ! '' [ And she knocked
104 a ~ain , but no reply) . - 11
?4':lrhaps you are l ying';·"
105 [U1r 18'1 ] t her.. fla!d: "Give i t to .e tht:n. '' And she knocked,
106 knocked, [and s aid}:

Well, the ~u.mpkin is ripe ou one side ,

ell , thf' othe!' e1d~ in quite green.

l "'7 And she nnked : ''Don ' t .,rou sac'i" And now also her t'other
1 r18 oatr.e , and once mo1,e she sbowed 1 t . };nook , knock, l and
109 s he s aid ] :

/ell, th1 c pumpkin 16 ripe on one Gi de ,

the other side i a s till ercen.

110 {The pumpki n e choad):

Lwe ll, t h lis plur..pklin 1s l1pe on one o lide ,

t hl o otl1le r s lide 1 2 otlill glcen.

lll And egain t he father t ook the chopping-knife and

112 tt,en he backed int o t h e pumpkin and t hen blood came out
113 of the pumpkin . An d he hacked and hacked int o the pump1cin.

114 ~e hacked it to pieoea and now the blood ran in stre ams .
115 ilhen he looked back, his d.auehter
116 b< 5an to eink i nto tht' e a rth •• • eh e went sinking into the
117 earth •• , 8Ild then t hey took h~ld o~ her fast,
195

118 0 •ea n/om6soa ' g1rib~nank1 n l aanlaa,

119 n//e,oosa /'1n4tanaea, teh~ ki.
120 Das ' , mteonki' o•, lnbo tehH•k!, ~.

Itxt il2 • J.2a 'l'old by •r. Paul 'LY113o et apurii.

1 Ut aa ldlo n/om~eeo thrunets~a s 4cau, alat'~

2 al neewayoo naa t1•abis63a
3 !' oowe . 1 s a tiiameteua• hfoa lyewa;rooi '

4 ea hab4 tham~s• n//osu&a . !aa habl !'6kai'

5 ea' !x.sa ka': "Ts:! ka •, kelembti hall / ' i.
6 bah4r'ta !yes~ nokaxae ~singi. 2 Hatft n//o hdu
7 tik~e •ta' e • e, wal~ zanz'1lru1-1 ' ts' e. 113 1'as • 11 aa
8 n/om&so hia k:lkiB~nki a ka ': "Swt.1 l11k1 te •e•,
9 heeu D/omt!auet\ tax iyosa k'e?" K1 4wasa tax tilef

l W•: her bell;r she :.'11 ...t.d.

2 R@b4r', from wwatu li 12.ibiWt.,

tht'. :JCti. The G!m(lawe do not
know the oee end tro~· have no word of their orm fo:r 1 t,
but coactnl people (I.UTJ!6. ~QkQ.,'the coaat's cbilc:.ren •)
have been known f'or a l..>ng l,i rae . ~ ie l"rou1 J W\\- hil1.
1'he pr oent e~orytcll~r 1~ widely travelled, h~ knows t h~
coast v.c1ll and he livee at oresent in '.)u~ es fel .. nt.• He
uaes macy 8 ah.Hi borrowings, e . g . illC. or u.W, i n line•
1, 11, 1 1.i , 21 , an<! 69 (Hwahili halat'g, afterwerda ) J lllk.!.
o r ~ 1n linee 78, 91, and 102 (Swahili ~-lU!lU., to be
left over-); W&e.!. 111. l'l•1er 7, J9, J.i5 , and 127 (r·,nhili
ll!l1, 1 t ic enoush, very well. 7:hie wr rd is now alll'o&t
cone1~ered 'proper• banoawe, and ie eo~monly ueed)J ~
in lines 6, lO, 44, and 46 ( ...wah111 11.W i n tht;· ••ens~ o'l:
not ev~n, ev~n, at all); llllb4r ' in lino 25 (Swab111
Habar2,, news ); lrnUk@ 1n 11ne tt6 Cr~, j ~etae , among) ;
ma•artta 1n l1ne ~o (v,1ah1li f'"OfU'.@, plnn) . W!.ilfl in
 196

118 and .f'ro~ ever JWhere people r en toaether and took hold o,r
119 he~, but she entered int? the earth until ehe was ~1n1ahed.
120 ~ell, tho ond is h~re, the tale is fi~1Ehe~ h~re .

Qno::fYO ang W iap.y- heudcd ~dl~ R~c"r ~t"d 'ctober 1962.

1 Long ago a man took a woman [ac hie w1:f'o], and sfter that
2 t hey lived for a long time rtottet hor) o.nrl ahe became
3 pro{;Ilant. 1 And af'ter she had wai ttid a long t i me t."'le voman
4 b or e a temale child. 'he.l'l shE" had i'1n1ehed bearing 1 t

5 s he spoke thus: "I say , the skin oi' that snake

6 whi ch l ives in the sea, please hring 1 t to me . 2 I won' t even
7 cal'rY the child on the h i p nor even on the back . u3 fell then
8 when the pnool~ had gnthor.ed thG/ oei d : ' f ow what t o d o?
9 Thi s wor:ian, must ahe b~ cr,Y'ing'r" She juet c r ied all a i ght

lino 128 ( vWahil1 mQi§ha, 11:f'E:o) j ~ l i n lite 96 ( - Wahili

~ , roroe) ; ~ i llne 91 ( Nor111 .!~, hol ~); ~
i n line 1~4 (Swahili .tl).-~, to r~ceivP) ; pJn.Era i n l ine&
11, 27 , and ;3 (bW&h111 l2.i.'&Ul&t the rwah1li-type cutting-knife.
'.he ..:landawe u.ee "ne t.;,pc l.'.1ich is cnr. o:i :i.n t ,e centr:>al.
hi i:thl ands , wt:iict they call ilikQ) ; ~ ol'" z1lm 1n l1nee 17
and 30 ( owahi l ! li"JJ.- J.ihll, to replv) .

3 The mother is der:.ancUng a e_pecial tce.ross 1'o:r he~ child .

I n t he ~ast Sandawe ch11<L.·~n we~e c~rrie1 on their mot hers•
backa i n eheepsk1:n karos Eoa 'lh1ch are called ll.A24, er . note
7 on p.16::S J 81mple k.aroseoe wi tnout rattle- st1cka are shown
by von Lus chan, 1898, 3~e, and ~emy.,wolft, 1916, 87; karosees
with rattle- oti~ka ~or keop1ne the chi ld haPvY are described
in T3nnaa, 1963, 4} and 1964, 94. ,h$n carried about ror a
short wh1le children arc u~uall7 p.acod on the hips , thei~
lesn •tr o~dling the mot ..,r's uaist.
197

10 hat4 k'imot~k1; //'~ki //'ds'to•e•e.

11 Al4t'ti n/omd:aa' kil:ioonk.i p4.nga tl ' sa\'"ln
12 zumbe zumbva4 na'l' hew!sts'a' ni' l,
13 baht1r' na. :'! a n!'n'
l l+ tilel /' ~nk' 1le. k~. l,Uiu. el t lnlnro. /hicc

15 hoot1aa iye /h!nex~':

16 ,'\. ka':

iok!a m1ambana.,
flUl ~<.t..1b e surdka k~longa naa matelilbe . 5

17 Kwa //fJ' /'1'.nga bahdr' ta dbok't?e•!; k-:10

18 ke.t:

Tdr:t tsh~t~ mt a neane,

6
mate:hibe sur't1¥a kdlongo naa r;:a -;ei.,be.

19 >y tl'es4a /hirae:

Zokta m:tar.ibana,
mat~mbe aurdlca k6lo"lga na matorube .

20 Kwa ka':

Tsir:! tr.M~ m:!e. nuane,

mat4mbo sur\ika. k6longa nan ma torr.be.

21 Ala!'' k~a hewlita ' a /' f nga t~ •. <fao hon·,a

4 ~ : ' aub-ch1e1" ' 1n l!OVC rrur.cn t usage ( .:Elh111 ..iYUIJ2!J ,

but the Sandawe use the term to deAcrib6 anyone wbo 1s
soo1 all;/ pl'o1.11nent, .t'roia fa?.UilY ~ldcre to the chio.t and
even ar·ea co...mi,101011.ers.
5 A trco translati on , oince e 11 teral one ::;cema 1m:rn•actica'ble.
11')--ie s ong eleme11ts Bl'B: ~ .fr•om the Bar.tu ..1Qka., a. large
snakea as.&-ah.-.AllA: Bantu, 'ho who h as a hu.mlrea ' or
' hm dred.s 1 ; t,a:te1t112A: Ban t.u for ..·i nt- roofed houaos ; pur·.w-'l
t'ro~ ~ : 3audawe t'o!' ' wnll' ; :J.Jf'lll'A' • to challcuge t; w.uL
rrom n4.!.&: ' he bu1•ns •. The ws.lla ond hou.;ee stand tor
 l.!. Al' tor t.1a t tnf'.I i><'01)l, g:.11,. ..n'o,l c:o 'Jinc Q~1.. t.: nin.J- kr.1 ves ,
12 irnd all t.no nca~tmon
4 went, ani' tlloJ w~.1~ un their way,

1.3 ... o tnc; roa.

. ..:t'<.>l' t.,.at t u;/ ,csun to sing

1.5 und ;~w t 1.10 ha I l' '.,ain~ t ut ho ic) v,m, al o singing like this:
16 ,Uld t'1.oy oon p

i ou sn11ke, hundP,,c - ~fld(•u one,

the ohal l.o!)f;f'r of ·•h:11 v1.laf,r.~ t~nd Vw ourno;,;r o.t' houses )>

17 And the1•0 ,he ~ 1nkr. in +, P. r,1,a iuo a11<, vn1·:1!, · • ,,,m, ,u.d he
113 ropli,,J:

Hnvt>n' t I c1£;h t hundrc J. heu<1 a,

th<> c hallP-1 f;er o'f' , i•Oll ·,11:, es and ti.( rur•r( r o-r nouses .

19 .'md ,1n ain tt:o:, uang:

fou f'llOke, hund1•cc1 -h .idec1 o:.e,

the C' a l<.,n{)t r or."' \Thole vilh.1r,w; ::l,11. t.ric..: 0 1 \rnf r of houeee .

20 And hf repJ.1c.d:

Hav('n ' t r c1,.t1t hu ,d,.ed h< no,

the cha 1;..Pn or of' whol vi• , ai c u.1: ,ht; LUr>Ht 1• of: houses.

21 And th<•n h{, the uru,t (; , ctclllr 'mt. • li ... ~f'l'.in. i.1. lightning

22 t,pcoc! h<' cut tlovn tht: p< plt • Hl• b,1t 01u• r.nn [ only] in 1,he

whole villar:er. and all that. is in them. Athou~h tho monsto1'

of this fl(l?\g d<H t.t'OYS villH~ E:O by .L'ire 1 t 18 Clt;ai•ly
identified wich the J\ll- c11..vou1•cn• l).1.' t,•11t rent ot' the tale .
The :fire mete.phoricall./ C.evot•.rs itf· vict"'...n, jul.lt a a it
con ,_,nly doee in i uropt fin il'.nrery.
6 'i'h( cnal'f" ' o Gone t'ollowe U•e c ) elJ.t,ng<>re ' , or:g 1r the second
line . Tho elcr.1e?ltf of the .first 11rn a.ro: XU, •:::• ; -ti,
the self'- or..co•.ireg1~•g -c.a with -J.. vo,ml valt:.c; .ifill~, •head s•;
!:l.,ll\: Gtnh:lli !''.)r 'c. hu11~1~ec'I. '; nnrlrul,.~: 'i·,ahili - ~ , 'e!{tht'.
Sa!'dav.\'! ar:d Rt. n tu f'll<m~n+,~ a:r~ t'rool.y oixed in both eones .
 199

23 lrna hew(!ts't' '"l:lktHa 'e kwa

24 hflwdto ' a n/, t~c kwalntnyoo I/or a.. Kwaa hi"'•

2.5 ts 'aakwa hnb,ra +(,'kexk~ 'i. A~ n/o &oo tl 'fM~ t
26 kikis•nki h'In 'IA z ~bea' ' ae. y
~

'n 'Ua ' ~lot: '!"'4nga tl • a.arra a· n1' ,. . ..~· l(i.

28 Bas ' !i, nt•i 11//c..,ei' nx

29 th-.16 / '~k'na ke, ax /hi e:

1.iokta niar.i'oana •
.!l\t\ t •11\bC sur\1 ra k6l01 l'. naa atembe •

J) ,.wax //J'n /•in0 a zibl1, k ax kn ';

i'sir:! tshf:t1 I.a naane,

mot~f'lhO surl1kn k,11onga nna mote be.

31 AX tl. fll'l~:l' /hi te:

7ok!a liU. ba Ht,

:.1a"'~ 1bl" eur.lka k61o a naa t.te111be.

32 Pax ks':

Tcir! th~'lt<~ !ti naeno,

matlillbe eur\1k~ k\~lc,r a naa at mbe.

33 Kwn h('lt1 •-1.,. 'a h6no honoi n tii I e

3lt k6s'a n/011dco tdu tl':txtlma kwax n/-, ·da~ ta• ,!,;.a
35 m1k~ t.o • e kua hi i<' a • cbo hle 'na. n/ " (~, ti
JG t~hln tch k! //d •.
37 ta•: "Sw~ h:!k1 tfl 'e ? 1
ka' ':
38 ttf'wdl t6 • t;:; ' i;\1 kwa' kv;e; th4mo te,
39 tr , 1i.E>ts1n.'d kw,.• nf'1'. zarlbua. as'
40 h! n h4nga n!•t n//~ei //o•wn1
41 a~ th~~ /'tn.k'na ke .
t.01..! u r.:ia;.. bar ""'
rna1~mbe aurt ., k6lon.ga naa mat nbe.
 ?. (

2.., eaz , ari-.. thL 01 E .. ~ l th( cr.ly one) le.t' 1. vtr , &u,d
24 tll:he ~a e mt.11 rt:n ft st to tl ere { his to eJ . nt he v,cnt;
2:, to t!iv~ them th~ 1 (~fl at hor,e . .;u1<.. tl,t -people• ouco 1:io.re

l< ( .. d

.:: 7 o-t t n. L1·o~li" l t1~e ~1 ) e :.a: !.11 t<.-kl.1 Ha n,H1 11<"'n t to the sea.
26 ,,O.i.-

29 cli,. 'uco ,l.!J :1 n to the t1•• e and um

'{ou s:u kt , hw1dri c -1 eaclt"d one,

t .e challo go· 01' wholt vi 1 r, a=< t, c ·;,.,m, r o-:' houona.

:/J And th~rf t e1. t t'"' sr...1 l.f' rt lie , u1 d ·ii < :

haven I t I t i ~h t ht.uid.re<l h• ac s,
thr chul_< , ,,. ">1' h:>le vil u e an t ,c htn•1 €r o-r houses .

Iou Sllflk ·, 1 ·nd'l'ed-'1 a e d one ,

ti,c ch.ol.lP.:n ·or nr rMole Yilla en u.1.i t .t. ,urn,.r ot houoce.
32 f..nd he rep· ied:

Ha van ' ·, I ei r • t hnnd..?•ed heads,

th~ c.ht~llengf'lr or 1vhole villa e1J n 1 • t ... .i.rne1• of houaee.

3.5 And th1 ; [ r.,1<:l c, j th1m cl 1 ~ML ed o.it wi t!1 lightning "pt!ed
31+ and a ain he e •111 t e .1--ople nnd ut 0 man
5? rcca.lnod nn:i n 11... nt to tr,11. ' 113 tir.ie tnll] the peoj.)le
36 ·,1ore ~ompletel; :t'iniehcd th ·... e . l '1 h ?'"'maini , l d 1'ol k
57 and t.10 Yornen) uaid: ",o ,1ha'!'; to i.)," ~,' tnEJ said:

J8 ''Nov, t!le . , ,11,u ia tera , ..,..w1 b:.,ck and go vo try. lo l l tnen ,

39 ev~n all tho woGen run bock anrl ao to tr·. ' ell then ,
40 wnen t teJ had ':'lt :.lP and r.:oa an"! art>1 v•Jd all t •6rO ,

41 t ilen cney climoed U? i nl-o the trc:e . And gai n thoy e tlng ,

You cna;te, hunlr~d-headed on~ .

t ~e chnlle" er ,r .,,._,1 Vill ·es 8 ·'1 tle bur e~ of housee.
201

h2 Pax. lrn • :

1e1~ f tr~6( ~ia naono ,

ma1Aobn aru•'lika !rolonga no:i t1nt.onbe.

Zokia miat1bana,
oat~.':..! 15Ut''1kll l,..'ilouc,a naa .. a tembe .

44 ,wa tu' !l 1 , n/OIU~ OO ts!a ~l'axllila hata ts •~x.k1

45 mik~tshc. Bart nti. SW~ nee I /6' ;cnoot~'

46 /•eeyoo ll.at4 n/'lm~ee kW4,!•tehee. 'Kat!ka7

47 ht1u ma' lt$ n/omer.e

48 n/'dmususe th6ta 'e x:£8,ta t'.tl,

49 h~oo tho te ' e t6hla ll'!i1it,ho to ' i:,e, gandaganua

50 /fiee zanga. 8 new~ kumhe ma ' ar!ra n/~eewa9

10
51 zokh4ta i y~ ti,a tlinewn.
52 'i'laa me,ea tl1uge //6'tehca /fia hmvlts'a
53 ptinga tl' an' wa lhens!·1a hcwd hunga .
54 Alika': "Aa hapSfii'yoo
55 /tiee 2:wigi.i.- ip6mpo, h o tao hik' ! n/i:1!' 1.Yaapo?
56 N/om6uo /tie{' vraee:,aa l!! t hla 1 to
I
tt'tk tis• k<> ta!,

7 Jill the- ta.blc-bod1ed people .hove pe:ri Rhe(l. '.l.'hoee who

reuob:. !lt'c significanLly d ocribed oy t 1e •·tor rteller
as ' r elatives'(~) in his com~ent. Being neighbours
t;"l.ey £hare 111 relatives• duties of m1Jtua1 oup;:,ort, and
ae au.c.1 •. e.,7 are 'x·~lativc::. 1 • The 1roportanc~ o.t' beiri.e
a 'relat111e• alro elllereco fl'OJ. line l ~h·
8 ~sut ~ : 'green eyo' , 1.e . with a a·r.J.:rnl.Y' opaque,
diacolo~ation ot tt.c co1·nea due to e.n eyo eiaeaec, ct.
+.e.x.t •• o. lO , not~ 11 . p . 17!1,. The Scn dawe 1'oll.-hex•o
One- cyo i o not 01 lJ ~ 'lyn!cally 1an1icapped by hto eyo
vut he is aloo thin anall. Lin~ 49 er.owe that ho
ati.c'l

i s aleo the Sen3am1n ot: t he family .

 Haven • t 1 eiP,h t nw.dre<1 hearls ,
the ch,1.1..1.e1igel' ' wt,olL. v'.~l - ,,_ei n t!tc- burner Jf ,iousee .

43 And t,,1ey sang :

Yon nnalco , hwidred-.heai'ed. one ,

the cha.i ...c~ (Ser 0.1. wnole vil l agtls and t .e ournor of hous e s .

114 .nd h<" cauo out tt?I' sle.,, all the J)t:?".lle , not ev~n one
r o,:iainr-•ct . \Oll then , tnc:1 who now rt,nnincd t hc:r•c at hone;, ,
ihc:, !"" 8W .. ot t',VOll :mo p~rsoi. \fho 1~0 "j\.il' .od. lll0l46 l th<..
romair.i11ct 1•cla ti v<."s) 7 t . . iu Ct'l' ain man, 'Nil() waa
a br nhcr ...... Ollt o.l.' the' wo1on , r>ema1n~u i'rom among all of·
49 t tem , bci 1!g t c ir VOl' • lact l ,\'Ollill}'lE! t] b1•oth<"r , n thin, ish
50 t'nl to., ;d th a gre in eye . 8 0 i ndo~.u , r.:aclo u clever• plan9
:;l fth11,~ ho w~r in the tmoh to hL.Lild u wicker dno:;:>. 10

52 • vcr;: large wicker door• nu hu11 t 1 nm. t:rom t!\e1•e he camA

:>J car.!'yinr; a elashint;;··,.;11:f'c , aud he .vc.1t ou: t() rharpen it.

% And l r.he re1•.a i r. 1ng people j .·ai<l: ''Ah , so !. t is you,

5:> you v;ho !:ave the had eye, what arn JOU G<>in; 1,o c'\o then?
56 ziaven ' t t~e people with l ,{ooo l ,. 100 long wm~ a 1d d ied

57 beoauee o~ thi a't" And he 8poke , saying: ''l a,11 c ertai nly
58 g oing, do not be i n dou·ot. '' Ana he go t u;1 a nd *ent,

9 The clevex-uee::; of: tho plan it M.ntud at b;r tlu- use of a

;.>lu.ra.l objfct 1'or tl, ve:i:·'b ' to i,~ke a p:i.mi]• (1V!\~e- \lD.) ,
1.c. •o . ~k~ c plan which rcqu'ros nany t.hou;·~ts .
10 SJ..u: a wicJro " ~oor; the shut~.€r or n ~oo:r iade or w1ck~r
work. 8andawc doorc; nr-r1 nlid1nt$ doorn \Vh1ch are he l d 1n
place by a pair at posto boh1nd t he ~ oor l'rnme proper•.
'i'hc door i u lliOVed b1: i;tvnm ti,eau pos to a 1n the wall i n to
which tho dom· 1·rru ,o 1 n bull t . Jne- , ,;c uae.; t.uch a door
a a a eh1e l d .,.., .fe 110 o .. 4 thl.3 at u ..c. i nlS t1r,ake .
203

59 th1.M /' ~'na kGa ttae.."lga ht ' / 'vawa

60 hltia hsld'.ts'
61 //6 ' no. t~hla /"JI. (l\43 / '~f.lllk~

62 bac~r! t4,na kwa b&6t"a /him~:

:01 ! 1.1 oiambana,

znu ~.~rnbe c urt1ko k~longa nna ma teinbe.

63 Pax }~Q I ;

Tr-1ri t•hM mia natl~~,

met~-nbc aw:-uJrn ~rl .. cnea !lClO !!In ternbe. .

64 Kwa tl 1 C;e~a :

Zot-ia miaubano ,
matlmbe aur'\11',a t 6longa nan ~atcmbe .

6.5 //6i tohen /'inea faJa 1 i:SD. t!,a ts'a

66 tl4'. R:ta iy<J kw~'t kW&. c..tfh~~

67 1daxt·ngC1. x6' oo. Kna Ill~ ' m! a f uba

60 t!tengn kwaa•. /'I
69 ta 'aatena 1aw6 alw.' 1 kllO. tl'(.;s, 1:Ya
70 /h1md, kwa ka' :

Zok!a miar '!>a."la,

mat~mbe sur\\ka k &lo,.1. o :la.a r..o. terJbo •

71 Kwax ka';

'l?i:r! te1,6~ "'f a ns. :t.'1.e ,

maMmbe £ u.r,ika :i,-~ onee n&e matomoe.

72 7.wax:

Z.61.ia r..1ruabana,
1tatlmue surulra }·6lc,nga naa mo tcmbf".

1.; Kvax ka ':

Tail'! t&h~~ 11ia .laa.ne,
natJr.ibo lllur'1ks. l:Slonga mu o atemb e.
 204

;>., tlt. <.llwLe~.....~ 1.,vO " C t I 'd... i:..,.d ht' ..l.t.., t1,f- ,liCl tl' door t'a a t,
bv tmci r.e u .. t 11i1 ~t:-l.1.' -ii·:n.1...1 una
61 he n,ao{' 1.15 C;/\! look tuOl'CJUt),l.t if1 1,hl.i.., C.ir• ction ,

fou snake, hund:red- heaooct one ,

... 1 a..,t:i nr.c1• t u :.;ur ,{.r 01' ho ...aes.

tiavv1 1 t : ei~Pt h ,ndrec heuds,

th<: cha J.e1 l:)61" 01' \ h , £ vj .a, e m cl tht

{t1't n 1ke, h tn< l"f'<1 -hcR<lo~ one,

the chal .cngcr oi' wh'll~ vi l :i :e. ~no. t· c burm r of houses .

6·J And 1•pom tnol'o tne sr ..: e ~nMe, hluni 1g, untl h*' cr62hed 1u t o

66 t'w clr>or . hilt' 1 v, r'- ·oilL1g t Jn -· J~]

o7 chor>pe<.i 01.'f' a ·11holtl hur.dred l l.cuda]. .lu.l n n1 sevnn h1mdr•cd

68 only ro turnP l l ·,vi th thf'l anilke 111 to t. o $t>a 1• he tmah:e

69 t,..,.11 in to t•1e vntcr nncl at'tor thu1 rGne-,•ye] uas a~ain

70 e1ng1nc, a~~ h~ san~:

f()u e.10.<e , nu 1c1rel- he•J•.cd one ,

t~C Chtl1 1.~ng,..l' ".)f' ""hOll': V1.ll3 es :\.:'l ~,t, bu1••1er f')f h C'lSeSo

11 ~u1d l t ,e ,H,a..<e J 1·~ pl 1c-4 :

Ilaven' t I e 1gh t hundr•eu heads ,

the on~l le.1~e1• o .. wl.J.h .,-11 la ·e an 1 tn~ burn,•!• >i' houses .

72 And LOne - eye] sang:

'fou s1,ake , llundt•ed- 1\1. s. e d ,r1c ,

tne cbal.lcnge,r of whole '1i>lla.ges a.1d t he burner of houses.

Haven 't I i,i,f t b,mdred heai,,a ,

the challenger of whola v111agee aad t.he burnei- or h ouaca.
20!;)

74 Kwax. ho110 io.a(')wa t\1' kt 1tl 'ukcenanko

75 teh1U e. n/'1 • wakwe i • , ln'm / na

!o. 1 r{! KW{Hli I

c hll'
78 r,..! a k~e.1W1a d.m·,·1 t~'tx. ,ll t:t l"tats'1 bak1wa.
79 .wa 1<.n': "'-:!', .(una h:i.k! kea ko' hfoi iye~ ''
80 Kwa tl'e~~a /himl"' h~u /l'.te~ Z&n£a:

Zokia ~1a ~"~a ,

r.ia.Mr.1be ~ur\1 :a t6J.onga nna r:iotem'he .

81 l~a t:

TAir! tah~~ oia naane

rJa tdl.'lbe surt1ka k6longo. nai.: ma tombe .

82 Kwa //cS•tP.he tl ' cc~a ; 1f • a hloomau

83 /aa tldts•a tia'. lda kwnl 1y(J
84 h!k ' 1 lora tr>l1~.! mfa h ! n1•exa
o.5 hE'IJ.8exli' ka k'dBo hle' !'l!a k~a'dna t !tea t {kinats '1.
86 "ii,tt k'.va ka': "I:.ledm, .nduna swdei Jtooweklits•e ts•t,nes ' 'l 11
87 l.wa tl'ea4 1Ya /.nim.e:
Zok!a mia:nbana,
matdmbe eur\lka ~6longa nua mate be.

86 Ii ,,ax ka ' :

T31r! t sh~~ ~!n naane,

ma tdmbe eurlllta kdlonga naa mn tero.~e .

89 'l'l'el'!~e. /6•4•1 2 tla tla't:J' a

90 kwa hev;~ kwti' 1yl:ip;1 lmn he,...,~
91 x6 ' ao tl!\h~4 '1~n..:;t1·x~·l a hloc ni1fl'al!l

11 k?SA ' W ~ lo'C:x; : f'1vf3 and another ouo. The Sendawe

une a quinUl'y s,rt:.ter:l or uuuel•ale: they ommt the t'lve
i'ingtin.•s ot one hand 9.nd. the numhar" beyond arc f'i Yc-ane-
ono, :f'1v<"-a"ld-t.wo etc. Poyoncl. thh•ty the oystem beco::ies
 206

74 And w1 th 11gl\ t.'11n speect he 011 the.1:od out, i n a grellt f u:t!J

75 'becou<,e of t"-e headE: which had f'en. cut oft, and h cau,e

76 and he r-.1.•8::hed i11to the <5oor . h n h<> ...s rccoili,.g

77 [ On~-e.';" J lo.,> >f::d o::r ar..o thoz· hm d.r·ed b.< odo . And 1,ow
78 r~nly] r1x hu 1 l' 1'a.i 1ed lt)ft over. 11
79 And h6 aa16. : ";.y, thie one , how corrf' tr.c1 t be ie l1l:e W1a t ? ''
80 And once t.)rt> eane '1e wi th the had eye :

You 11U}:~, hundrea- h eadt::d one ,

tho chtJllE:·-icr or w•i()le villt:t eH and the burner or houses .

81 [ Tbe snake) r evlie<.1 :

Haven •t I e i ght hu.ndr ~ head~,

tho cha.lle: e~t- of v.hole villog~a nn<• thr. ,urner ot h-:, ueee.

82 And f2•,rr. thi,'re, once ore , a~_;a in hr: p1ckeo. l hi.mae l :fJ up
83 and c a e cru:,,hing into tne door . 1,ldle ll1'3 l$a& l'ecoi ling

84 an~ co1ng , Uu."n l Or.e - eye) loppod oi'f' ,:mother ~o many

85 ad11t1or.al hundrvu hoave , and nov, 01 lJ five hur.d.rcd r t:,un1ned .

11
66 "Oh! 'le\ ne :!lai d: ",The. t ie tl.1c thf:n now what ha6 met me ? "
,,..

87 And nga i n l >ne- e.1e) wan sin.i;ing:

You snake , hundred- hAaded one,
t he ohallenger of w .ole vill&gete and the but>ner of housea .

88 And (the s nake] eotUlto re d:

ilaven I t I e 1g. t hund:r·ed h" ads,

the challenger of who1o vil lape and the burner of houee e.

89 And aauin he camo f trongly, 12 nnn cNrnhcc". into the door

90 and whe;. he -..:a.. t"ll"'n :m h 1!.'1 1•.,.turn, t 1l s o:1e l Gno- eye ]

91 cho,>pcd IJ~f anot!lor co ,an:, hea11l" and n ow [ cul:r] halt'

';Ul!'l>ereotne to uoe tt11d 'wah111 rumurals arc e.raploye<1.

12 L4!.A!..: This 1a LA, ' he oomo ' wi th a heaviJ.y atr~osed vow6l

eJe;tion ai·ter a £ 1 , t tal r, top. Th,' st e~c 1a re.t'l eote d in
0

t ne mcen1ng.
2 17

92 b.tk'. ' ..,. ' . "It,H, hiuna h! '1 n/ou:..dee h~u

..le ' tu' •e..11.1
, 1•1,.y ,1u
94 //'f:k'a i.it"'. Kva .-.u: · -
95 n/...,o tg'i__,(e awe . ·• ;r.Lc !

t.ol ia u,iauthana,
ma t(;c.:l>c ew•uha }.cilo ga na rat~mbe .

tinkn. l"'
~
· Kwa n"'uvu' tr gu I hiu c:

Y..g,kia miamo am1.,

na ..6ir,be ourul:a kolouga naa e:a te1:11>e .

97 ¥.wax ka' :14

'l'e11•{ t."1.shec! m!a ntHme,

~at~m'be euruka k6lon~a naa ll'tat;;:.obe .

98 Kwa /hime tl'csea:

~ok!a miambana ,
~at~mOO ~UY.'Uka ' olOl 10 naa awn "='•

99 twax ka':

111etlmbe uur.1ka k 5lo. ga naa a tew>Je .

100 //6'tehea fi ! 11 /4a ', tl4' k~aa'

101 ten<S6 m!ax.c h1'13¢Xenka k'oao. f'.wo.' 1.
1 02 s6m'kix ti t<!a' bak' -"fl· Y.m, ka': 11
.. &mb<!kina
l.03 ewea1'1 .:h n/00•1.s'eela. tt I/• clt' a t:.l 'a hlce
104 ta'4t1 tlee. Y.lf&X ku ': ".A:{Wt::6,
105 h~una sv,esi' t.;hla l'lfoots• igla, '' ' r.:.t>o heu,
106 '"£ehellA:iges' • •t l:<.wax /hi~e hal.l ,n<:Je zan.,;a:

Zok!a m1a11bana,
mat~mbe eurtika ~6longa naa roatemoe .

13 W•: ' the country [wa.) cool'. ,)and~ ~e i cUo,~ t'Cl'I"

dead e1lenco .
 2 6

92 1•E>:::1:tined. .tl.IlO. he .. r.1-: 11

•• oc ! wr..st sor•t o! a parson i s
9.3 t!'lh t.1en VILO T
~ :t.v. ,e ct l i th9.t." .. ow even the wator
94 \ltU3 only blood. f1 l uid; II
Yt t 1 n .t ~
95 <,;.Uite: 1.'r l t.. ~ tcni .•g r.v .v. ' Jld [ O!..t.i-eJe ) t,f;.ng:

Yo\, snake • n w1dred- neaded one •

the cl.s.11~:.ocr 01· T,r..olo villa .,.e and t lf' bi;rner of nouoea .

96 And 1 t roc:R1ucd c ile.n t . 13 And \'1'1 th force [Ono-eye] aa ne :

ou Pnake l hundred- headed on<i,

the chall.e118er• ot' wllole v1llage£i an, th~ bu1·ner of houses.

97 And L tne ancke ] r epl i td : 1 4

Haven ' t I eight hu.'i<1r•ed nende,

the challenger oi~ wholf• village ann t he ourner of housos .

98 And l 0ne.:.eye] {,aug once mo1•e:

:ou s,Rke, hunc!Ped-.~aded one ,

~..1e ch, llci:.ger of ,,hole vill es an, t e !mrne:ri of houeee .

9Y And ( t ho e nakP-) repli e d [ so:i.'tl;r] :

Have11 ' t I c.ight hund-c>ed h e ads ,

the. chnl u .•,;,cr of' w, ;)} t' vill o 100 And UH• bur!ler 0 £ house&.

1 00 irot:1 there , hisoing he c:wne , cNushod, awi l'eCr;il.ed

10~ on.LJ t hi-co l JlUUdl•e d] 1.>emainea. .And h•, asked: 1

\'lh1Jre i e h e
103 tne11 now'/ .i::h, 1 t doea .,o.T.'rY we . '' The b l<>od now
1 04 t'1lled [ i,11 ... ) l...t nate;;, . A.Au tr_e o a~e criad: "Oh woe !
105 1.;.o.• t 1.his 11ow altog,. ther f~·ightening , " eu1d he ,
1 06 *'I am i'i u iahcd. ·' Ano he ban,:; , that on~ w1 th the b ud e:,e :

You snake , hundred- heeded one ,

t he challenger of whole villages nod " e burner or h()us~e .

l li The :mak~ ' n non· i s r £-neercd s).owly tllld softly t o s how ite
dimin i shed strength .
 Zo.1da iamba1.a,
!llti<'l b"' ?urllka k'5lo ga NU! mat~ be.

~sir! the~, m!a n98l\O,

tir. .. ~mcu sur\ika k J.ongo naa mate. bo.

110 Tl'erea /hiue:

Zokia r;i&mbana,
:tatt:-te lhur'ika h~lo.lga Mlfl rr.uternbe .

111 1.wa ko•: 15

TE>ir:! t, he~ mia na ne ,
m0t!mb, eur~ka kol~n ~ noe oat~rnbe .

Z.ok!a i.:liar ,c.nt- ,

ma t~t:ibe r, ui·t11:e koJ. nngs naa ma tombe .

113 1'.wa ka ':

'J't.1r{ t;eh{~ ,:!&. u ... ne ,

i::attrbe tiuruka kol '.mga naa nater.be .

114 //6 'tr.hr.a f6aa / ~a tl&t. 'a

115 tlda. Kwa tl:'l ~.!y,r hcnfex6ku h ~e

15 'Che so:r.g 1:a eu..."lg in a quiverins vo1c • Thf• snl'llte's

song £e ts gradually weaker a~ One-eye •e eong i s cung
711 th ever t,orc 1'orc:;} to induce the aneko to cs.rrJ on
with the atru.ggfo till tt end, t thie a·~ali! of the
tale the clttJ in·r.; of: tn0. !'lon··e l-as bl"'co " l'lll- 1:rpo"'tAl't;
it 1e the principal meana to convey the l ~~g t h and the
bi tternseo of ,he strug le. Re-petition of tl.'!' sonsa
i:n.cr(. aS f': One-e.1e has to repont i io singing chall~nge
to make the ,make iV> on. Th~ ~unction ot' the tr.,::t hae
beoome virtually secondar:, ~o th~ mode of deli very and
repe t i t ion.
 21C'

107 - ''CoTJe outl", but it remained quiet., and ho nong (more

108 "-,r•cf'tf'\111:,]:

{r.m f..n,doo , hu.r,d1,f'd- ea ~ed ,nc,

the challengP-r or whol~ viJlageA an~ the bu~ne~ ~t houees .

lOS And he , Lthe tmuc], r lie~ tWAax:ly];

Haven ' t l e1g.11 t hund.l•cd hoau1:1 ,

the ch:.llt"1ger of wnul vi D.a es and th~ burncz· of h ouse& .

110 Ouce raorc l One- eye J sang [ VCI'Y forcei'tlll:>1 J:

You ~nake , hundl'P.1.- t.eadeo. one,

the cha .. lc ger of Vihole iJ la eA and th liurneJ> of hous ee .

lll Aod [ tno enuke] rAp.1.iecl rin a oui ve1•:S.ng V'OiOt']: l5

IulYen ' t l eight hundred heads ,

the c::iallec ger 01' 1·hol~ v1llagt t au<l t"1e bvrner of l1ouaes .

112 And het added once mox-e to tnis with emphae iei lG

You snake , hund.l•ed- headed one,

the c aller.ger cf: wl':.ol e v• llag""o ana t)'"' burner of' houeec.

113 \nd [the onako] replied:

1 .-.11en 1 t I e i ght llUl1c!.red heo.d!:i $

the;. c 1sllengcr or ,hol vil ageie anrl i.ho 'burner of t1ouees.

114 And fl'om there he co:-e, l': 1sa1ng, 9.! d n0 craohed i nto the
ll.:> door . J,lld ,dlOt!".et• [ hu.."'.dred] hCOUC. We.c'O carried ofr and now

16 ~m'fasnt§': The ~toryteller thoueht that t,ie waa a goo~

8andawo wor d , and he P-et out to ~rove it. '.::he component
pa~te aro: ~ , 'to agree ' as i n !.Ul·~, ' to agree' ond i n
Ct).1 1 ti9, to say ; .t.l:l,.' to !.take nn u ttcz'nnce witll unpl easant
i m iE L:e11ce ', a& in t o hi ~r a. f'nakt , { c ...•• lin@ 65) , and in
tru:.d., 'to lie •; M, hnving ; I., thnt b.:r rutana o!' w!iJ.ch St ls
1 1

had; and -c., the t'iret pt:rE'lon einguler (e e t,he tabl e o£

:pcrson- dtnoting ele,entE' on !?•/;,). 'i, ut t,e word rea,le
t., • rn,,<I~' r ~ er L 1m ,.._ • l §.r:J.L ...!.., a 1e. 1 te 11en,tiria wo~ld be
'to 1rr 1at i n a no-.,..ni-..at u.oplenuant 'J11:1.;,r . ' Otl1er inf.ovmunte,
however. agx>ee tba't thia 1• not a pro_per 61:t.'ldawe wOl"d.
211

...:!a r..1.so,. t i aa t.1.i 1 ,la t~c ' .i... .-.11<..

.. "'X •~ • •
"•" • ,,$h.
"' u,.,,,.na
........
116
111 x~c l:i / 1
r, ' . ( i • !' )t • !&cs• . "

118 Kwax /h. · .c:

...o}:!a •,1a:nbana,

119 AW'iX I • ,h19. tin Kn . K'Rax tl 'em!a /hi1.1c:

Zokia raiambana,
..1at1hbe t...i ..•1.\.ta k&longa naa .iutc _ne .

rs iri
1
ta hid w:!a navne •
..att llibe suri.!Ka Ko..ongc nan r.:atembe.

121 -:

:ok.ia tniarnbann,
:a ti.Cmbe ou1~'1kra kjlonga nau m:i ter.i\:>e.

122 -:

:!a naenc ,
111a t~!'lbc ouruka k6longn naa n:a tenbe .

1 23 Kwa fi:!i /~t'. t14al' tlu ':t1.;' a , kvm

124 tahcl m!a'tngex,nka' to'Ll 1 JYA .
125 ttle' tr'~x~ m!a tax ; h ~~a

126 w:- 1 ka' I hew~ , kwa nia /11

127 to•ts'u' kw41 bas' zldkea heTI6
1.28 mdshalti. /.himc tl' estfa , /t'.leo l.S 'Jxe:

t oki ' m1ar:1b•na,

1it1a t ('lmbe eu.ruka k6.l.oriza nae ua toc:bo .

129 l ' dn,a tinka.

Z.Q)t!a miambana ,
Qetembe auruk~ kolonga nae 1ate~be .

130 ••• phika Lal / ' u.tshukll.

 212

116 ar..e ·>nlJ two hum.- ,d rC?m!:\ 11eu, un·.: ho auid; ''Ehl •OW Ulie
117 1£ T""nll:, bad !'01• cf", · e , -nke. Nov, i run .r:·et:lly

fou emllco , hundz•ed- .hea""eJ. one ,

t} e c"lO le i' :, v'l.l"' e 011a the burner of houses.

119 hut it .t•cr.1a1ned eil~ nt. u,, re pea-i:ed;

You unnke , .nundt·eo.- hcaued one,

the chall n <r 01.' th)lf, v llages and t.,e burner of houaes .

120 And ( the enw.o] r·eplied:

haven't l eight hundred hcaua ,

the challengn• ')1' ·hole Vil ~ -:•s snd th~ hnrner ot: h·•uses.

1.2l. [ One"; more O:le- eye r-ang]:

You fln~ke , hundr d- hnade<! one ,

the challengtr 01· whole villa3as and the bur ner ot houses.

122 l 'ihe 1'011 t 1•uply came a.;ainJ:

Haven • t I e1r,..1t h ndred he11da ,

the chnllenge~ or whole v111ag~8 and the burner of houaee.

123 And he hissed, cc.ue , 9."'lC. c1~as~od i n to t,1c door, and

124 c arrying o!'.:..' anott.c l· ht1:1.drecl heads , f'1u i she<l l1im .

l .?5 tfow thcro wer"' only one '!UJH1red ; on Viat [ hunered]

1:6 he nor, dt.::pondec. ve1·y much, but when he ca ,c
1 ;.7 to be .'inisl,.cd 01'.f, well thell, he was s ay!)Cd o~
128 lif'c . fie then cru,g or.cc mo1...e , One- c:,e :

You oria ke , hund.t> d- headetl one ,

t.ho c all€.1.gc.::- o.· whole village. and Ulc bui•ne:t> o~ houses.

129 It r emai ned et.ill.

You unakc ! hundred- 1~~at.1cc5. one ,

t he ohail enger of wn~le Yil i~e ano the vurne~

130 ••• unt.11 the hou-:.•£' pa%ed. '.fhen [ tM snake)

213

131 te • o6n .. :> • t •o ka':

'".:.J..l .i'i tc,'1~; wia naeri.c ,

mat ' :I' . k •lo a n
A ~

132 :,i a ' ka:

Zolda rn1a,Jballa ,
;;i.utJr:ioc Gllf'Uktl i<olon a .att a tOii .> •

1J, -
T:Jit>! tsh~l rofo 11asne .
rnvt~mbe eur\1ka Jtolongc !: u roat.e ,be.

136 '1zo1JOO hap~ ri/ /w • 17 • ! c ~~<o // ' Pere. "

137 r wa tl4anga hcw~ts I a 1~ ·ull ta tac 'wu.
l J6 ,'/ 'aktia hik ' a xo,,1n n;- t.. 1a,
139 /16'"'., 'i o /b.?. , hlawesuk <"' •
l ~O / •t tanCanna / '! tl 'e.S.kl • ••
141 ... ph"1ta kwa &•a ri!ets • o . '.ut •;1ga ! 1 0 1'.a
142 ta •watt r;a r,/eea
ll.3 hewd tB'a h4u, n/ ) .6r- O(lnoko h1a • • t e-r..e
'wa hcwl
145 n/omdao hew«:1 t oti:, 1 t x4'c:~:::'oto ' a b:\,U'a tl • ai:,~ .
146 - ".Aa, ht!ngako h:tka 1ye?" P/on~fle h!a kai',
147 kwax kn': "AT , 11., // ' kr <t''nt. •1
148 n:ta kai ' kwax ku ' : "Ay, 1.r •
149 //'dkc>ne~·»~. 11
150 pht1ke n/ ">r.~f'O tE>!a trh"' 1 f. RewtH.~•a•
151 /•!ngli n!.~n // ' f'.l 'owa:,aa
152 lR
hewcSta •a' bF l~ito 1ga n/i\ia,

l7 'l'h.:ii ul ti::1a tc abuoe o~ t he d,yi ng . ncJ~e. e s t!'onr,e& t

ineuJ. to or t.h<J v nndo.lle ar() 'bu:i~d on wi tchcrat't
accueat1ona.
131 replied with a tln,Y voice:

Lave.n •t r eieh .. 11un~red .aeads,

•.h... challN1£<1• of ih ,1., villn,,c, and tn, bm•ncr or houeee .

iou anaite , hund~ed- he ed orie,

tl,e ch3llcnc.cr o. wnoJ.e ;,ri:J.la e~ anci the burner or houses.

13.3 - :

Havon • t I eight hundred he "lrl~ ,

t.!ie chnllenger ot' ~ holtr v11 Lc.ce~ an<l. the burner o:f h ouees .

134 He c&~e hi ine , anJ he crashed, arid the ~ema1n1ng heada

135 wei:•e .t'1uiche. oJ'f and [ the snaAe] cf.li : ''You !.re real ly

136 extrell,ely powe1·1 ul , ;rou 2011 ol' a ,•·i tch. 1 7 'akt' me and s kin
137 mo . n /md he then , [One- eye] , got U!> t1> un1'act{;n the door .
l.38 !ie cli.nbec. do\\n and v.ent l aua~ ] to cut a hook , and
139 I'rom thetlc he came , hn .t'ns tenec1 ( the wooden hook] p1•oper l.v,
140 ancl he begm1 t o pull the cnake ont [oJ' the wnter ], the snake,

141 • •. un t:11 i t t'1~n oogan to daon . H'e t'inirhed p ull i ng 1 t out

142 and he then cut 1 te tail,
143 and he went t o all th~ p~opl e who h&d diect [and who) were
144 l;:ring eve.l'Jwhere , nll the bodice . <'t he then,

145 he begau to heot all thoae peopl~ who wor e his )~n brothers.
146 - ''Aa, wa ke ,1p , how ie 1-i'i''' i'lheneve r a cI"eon got up ,
147 [ t llat per aon) sai d : "Ay , ow! How de:epl:, asleep l raus t have
ll,8 bP.en. " mien la.nothE,r] cot, up, he aaid: "A:.!, ow!
149 1-1011 deeply- asleep I m'.l:it nave boen." l J\n:.l he worked]
l ~O until he had f i nished [~nkin~ up] ull t he poople . Then they
1.1\l go'!; up. Then they t ook the ~nak~ llnd r,k :t.·1~('d 1 t,

152 and ~hey took the nkin , end t i~· fqeh1oned a corr~i~g-Dling

18 ~elek,g, Uh~) 'tlU.l'~'JSQ , 80 ,CtiCl"B U9 C ti for Q kar".>SS (Cf' • note

3, p . 19 (i) • tror.i t o \l,ah 1...... be;ren ,<h ' r .i 11 wny c1..rr1ase • and
Dutch ~leSin, t<> br·iob•
153 heW~ l,w r (1 I I.! I~
l!::4 iycosu n/, o 1;ovil. Su ~i.e·,t(so
155 n l E!cP I' sa pohtfa. iyu i.c "'. ti n; /ooou

157 h11a he~;titr ·~ C..o o. tr~a

158 ri~w~lM3a •. atiagt.t.tl • i'ngo tlaxtl tlaxr.. , n he1.Jsa
159 hau ma'alln.ukia 1. oli a oiya
160 magr.{lanr;v. r:/omo nioiao kwa hemH.fi ' n , ·tL,!ke. 1 9

161 Tsh~Akd.

i:1xt HQJ l-3.t. Told by t 1•. nra!"e ~,on~oJ o at 'l's 'wink!r• r,e .

l i•/OJ!l~E,U maxsso. 1.,re vmkl.

?. ~o t~l·nlw ru10. 1.i' ~ "'l/ot:r ••. c·nx
3 !:re wu' ~, tnx c'.t ~t,•a .
n1v•
~

n/utlt!lc

h humba' t'l1lm e1a,: 1.:;ti 1,;9} ·t!- .

5 Hls.l. t,ikn ";.a'" !:re- y,a' ,~.

6 Pht1ca ·, ·1Yu iiax 1..yc skt. ~

7 n •; 1
•Lwd hnl'.'~t 111 :C·ev.1!1.fo~i ' , ii.6
8 lab! dpo1 thaf'O'c 14 l

1I
:J
9 !}a• :1urn n/o~~sd : ohcn ta tE;hott 1,2. l:.tna
---
19 Li nes 156-9 al'e a for.nal encalng of tho tal~. ''he
1i:inge of the !'inally crushed onukc ir conoc,l.~.cl.a tqd
b:r t:l< u.se o:..' rn1otl,e1• i nf e in vmich obj-:>ctr· ,,re
1 ...•,.•vvocobly ...hatt.arecl . Seo chAptc1• !Y , fioction 1.
l We have aeen tta t. n wo'llon • a c.,.ns ie tent ,:,c,,.-'\!1->11tl to
get mirr!o<l i e considt•ri?cl. al omaloue (er . text ,o. ll,
note l o o. 183; nl:.io t.e:, t 0" . 140 ano. 1 6b) •
~hfr . t orv hri1 ~ ),,o ~ ... t'"o fact · !mt, o\loh behaviour
will bri ng dirt" ro::-'Ul te. '?~~ r, f.'er e:1c~ to
 216

'l.,3 t.1' ,r ";he cU.l.nj e:_d then th<\/ went. on tl,c11• ·;,ay

154 r.nf -t,y U\'C'' i"' Lo r.cr, ti.< chilu ' t1 mct1,o.r. And s he
l~ 5 m ?'Cc iv n .i Ii lnUE; ir· lV, an t~Hm ~ho cu:.•1 it<t her
!5t, on tl1~ 'bncl:.

l., 7 ...?Id th( llC,, .~ ~1r1:1 i.nd. he beat t. e

158 "'birton o · ~··u,- n~ ~"' pi cc:-. '1d .,he then,

1 60 oo>:-i're his ~1,inbor"' t, i(!)ct·~ a.n<3 the•i he too -.vae

161 It ir f1~1eh a.

1 J.. wouo.n wu, i>d'uf.it,c l +.o Mai. ra] a Jhl$val1<.::.

~ 'i'h~y [ thf' Mf'l'I} kept co...i g 1"01• hex• to carry ho.r 01·~ , b u-:.

3 r1en t on r·~ i '· w j.ng, nnd. r,iw;1y f 8ui tor•s] v,1· J'E• ~Otni !:g f: or· her

4 an<", the:, b1•:.1u....,ht C<?.'li'tl( but, she wn t. on ref'uo.lng !.hem ( a l l] .

5 'l"i1ey 0,.1 ered goutl! bu~; che t:o1,t :rel."uP1,.g.

6 'they of!~red ,o <"'i' t,ut c'.'l<>. ! €pt ret'.u,ing..

7 aai d : 111,ow it Jon go 0,1 otayiuc. :..i1w th1!! , w!"w will
8 in tho lonr t•m gi vo "',>u i h t<., tic•le.t. 'I 113

9 J..nct r e ally, a ma n cn!:1~ 1'ro.m &om'lwli, Nl, .2 p~.rhape.3

--- - ---- - ---· ..

:>cp roducti•rt: 01•gun_. !, Jot u mBuc.u mi, tbcrll 10 nothing

obt?ccne about 1 t.. ,., h,j 1 r t;X[)l'e r- :l ono ar•n ueE'rl ~lso aJnong
othn• people.?; Lienhnrdt , 1963 , 67 , r:n)Wl:l ua how tho !>i nka
npeak or ' b ring us y o~~ v~ginas 1 •
2 ~ l.l.!r,: " tcr•m to 1 M1ic u to '-' fal' - ... ,il:;r pJ.act• t.hti wt\ere··
ubouto 01· t1hi ch £'.re vngue.
217

10 ':i r00S1l ! t ,1 ...!tetl \ea

0

i/i. ·-
-1 .l.i.

f
ll h l ct n//( e ll/ ~so '
, 1/C.

12 // ' dI,"',m1 hlC:. ( 'I,

..u n..tt
n!, • !-;n'.
, 11 ·cu1
,.
l .3
14 !hllnf.~O ,100 l t.. :i ? } no

1.5 '11r 11~ :f U a.

.
• <
.,
id .ix
16 noo·vo : ur,(. • l't. h,' ua 1 [ t.

17 // •t,//' ?j zali ·1(

18 I / ',I/
o •c.. L'! ~ I \,c. ::.uknuta.

19 Kho1kf ! ' ct'·,! r .., te • e • .., , 'l!''t

20 zak i tR n//i ei. "'a=- t"•.a.eJ
2l b a ll.JS htu n/om ~ ~ E>. fe ut,, :ai 1 , pa }; ':
I-law! r /1 ,,ge, he,;e b"kes' '?
Liaw& n/ i:nge , hawc hi '<:ca. • ,
hawe- n/i ...;e , !'lc1we bike t ~

22 ixa 1ye n/\11Si,.Jfl,YOO hh n l oi pax r!/o~e"Pa

24 !/' oots ' <! l un; ~ t< bl.', !wt• . n lra' :

I. l c>e ' hew ' xet: ' u'

------ --
4 ~~: the town ot l loe(I in Us _gara on t.1P. ~en t ral
railva.v. '!'her e are 1an 'I c, aul r:, to re"' n" oun t':e town ;
eevo~al of tlh se .ua 1e a rau le l ~s.nd.~.h .e em:l. runt
l abourt re . K:ilosa i s ' ..·ar awe..v ' out t; c name i s ~ull
known bcca ;,e o,: t 1e e 'l t'ant • • ad l)th> le' uou31 l :,
have ...r 1~ u ri g1.nc ar:icr lbed to such t'11r- 8wa y 'l') laceo .
Hav1n ii r cjt1cte d ir,any g.,od lvc ol }eople t he g:l i·l 1!' ~•ooh
t o 1!1~covcr thu t the t"tr'mger whom she! ha~ :f'i m ,11:r
i'lar .:-ted tr- a b:1d c,1at-1:1c er.

5 'l'he a tr~nRer •"' JJC- 'i:>P. t.weeno hat" !)l'opcrl r arr n"!.ge d t.he
marriage an d b !'ought br-i clcweal ti~ .
 218

10 ;·. c:0:11, J:r0, ~o owl cr>e in 1h lan, a1•01m(i l'ilnaa. !~ lls ct\D\O ,

11 UN' th~r t:h~ riru· nrri 'ff.it 1mtl •cok her . 11.ni f h1a people J
12 , 0 • tle . t' pc1•l e l• idcv.u ,. th f'>'f' r"'x· , u::ia t "1 re tu.med
;)
J3 an~ cnt. Al1C: he snit~ rt, · , r]: ' 1 •,.. l e".i 1 go [ to ::v J hoi.:e ,
) f'J··,.. ff'" ,1,, •,
] , m:; ' .om"

19 'ut f h1° J hmu~e tlr:, d1d not P.ncounter . Jlnd now t;·,ey wEtnt

20 and en t'1•cd 8 f'11:>e1; t . Al1(~ at n.ir,b t. rwhile f.lh( slcp t l he

2l got up, thi~ u '• h n he ot u·o, he caid:
vnic'i Oll(:.' &hall m,c rhdl I J.e~we?
I eat , Wl11Ch
.;"hich one i=:hall I eat, which one ehul l 1 lCf\V'e~
ihich or.o ~hull l ec,.t , ut.1~h ones ::-tinll l le f>Ve'i'

2:?. ~~'l~~ he ... ,]: t 0.1 v.o!r••• ~ ~.] • r n i t UU':'ll~(; •• h~ t u.rm.d 1:uto
t,?' d t: ff:,.{ t ')

26 h<? ·i,ool. t:~~ b-;,rr., ".ent ;n10 t .! btl.6h anc:l kil l ed anil\o.l o,

.n t. c:n a ll ot' tne:n,

7 S,.r~s n f'ou r - r 'll ] or t1:r. , t'·c ··ar..!i !"~, er> e rc:ial t;1 ~& in
which fu::-1 ·:>1.Le ar6 ool::i . 'l11c captjT tim: are. muct1 in demand
ar. hou1:1chold container,e .
{; Tt,EI husbr:.nt'. . onc.(':re wh..... t~itr h~ ~h,ul~ i>at, hil! wi.!"P. 01.• her
bro t h{!r . 1•c · 11:.e 29 1 t bee · o cl l'lr that ,wi- br.:>t.tler
a oc o1,par.i<"'\ the n~wl·r~· edr: . ·m,.awc cut,terr, c.c nundr- that a
brothel' (a.'1.d. i f ri•>6 , .._,.a.e sl~o a :: ii:: t .....· ) g~ to the bri J.cg.room's
home to r,. et h ie 1~o.m1l y enc t·, ha~d ,v r prec snt.o at a
gre-,t:sn cere-.-,ny , er. p . 1.E .
9 At n i ght n wae a 1192 .
28 tax n/:fnf n!' tax y.s~. ,..,~ hlE>e
. .10 "~w,• h,u n/oneee~ '"t:hU ko
29 n//eolcrrr.M 1 mco .

.30 n/om~AE' t~ t I" • ~~,r~,. ~

'' u "'"'lt '" '
/H
~
a' hH '?''

31 Pa lra' : "'f5! ,a .~ t i,e I

I ' ,,.. '. ,,
3'2 - " Y:a!!i~a:"'1' n
,. 1'1~( ,, '
Pc kr' · "
te •e ,.,,.,, roo /~·.,..,t.ii
l!... ,• 1 .,...,.,~ t .• !,

hf/ 1 akv.e: 11
3.3 // 'de'." q'3Q

34 " Swei tle' hfa tlJ.r,gr.,?! •

If
.35 / '~ict1pM· ' pH / ' nnge-~.~o . 3olohas i

36 //hf1.~l'.1Mf'. Jr~.1 ' ::'"' t ' '! P:.,.i O 1,f/ 1 ai;irne.

37 H{sa t•ii ' ..w'.rwe i' • ::;!e. tue

38 hangn,7CC· .. il1:1.ta iyeii:

!!:1wl: I'./i,1 ·e, ha¥.c bi e I'

Hawe r./i,\ (! t hawa

ut11'1e r/~ C' f 'U'i'IC 1n

39 8a lol nt .,·a '!1// o.i :tenga / ' el.

1,0 hl('.11• l ,ngo • ('Ila! ; 1 n.+ u... 1;~ .c1.~ 1 lr:o..
~ , 1?
Pnn n! tn::;a • • .aa. &t h1 "e '
42 lrnaa n //inc :-,ex .., : e.,.

47 Pa ku ':
hO "1 It kn ,~r i' k! tu.'1&. "

'rlineyoo p:...
50 tleeflt1, :9he n .tv ,re.roo 6 h1 ' i

10 Her· brothel• t1ov1.ller. v,jth thevi , t:C::e note 6 Libvv 1• •

ll TheM 81'."6 -any haJ'k tmd f1br-e mo. tt rial& in the 011sh
:from v,h::.ch i:·01,es e;- - be- t, 1, .Ai cne cc..n q_utcldY
fabricate as d l r ,Lh o otri
 ~20 •

10
29 tol(! t,~"t" b:r~ther: 1
·r~or. tilis l,'l'.'1'"cn i f:i an an:bral ,

30 h,• if" 1·ot h' n." Rov«' "" :...tchr l.i" 'i.Ulctly ot night?"

32 - •·n~n • t r-u }•.-,,~.," - i-,.._ r11pcute~: ''! io nn, know , I wa.s

.3.3 €.iflN•p. •• • ow "he f'ashione o f. tr·1n 0 ane tic(! it to h:t.t• leg}l

3l: [ nnC, che told hor b rot' er 1: 11
',o\. t en , w~en he g eta U!h

35 ! f'hall wake 7011 so that you :iii.y aef." !r, t he e vening

.% :·'he fa~l·i :>ne t.'ie • t!•l 1g tu Js 1~~u antl tir d it !'a.st.

37 "fhen she had ;,ied i ,; i'as t, lihen at n1g!1-c [ 1er hurbund]

38 eot up a,1d s tayf.d •>1

... J the l'irer,lnce . rre ::ia1u]:

,Met.. ,>.UC S!l :tll C, t , r.hich O lt3 ~hnll ] 1~EH7f"~'

hich one zhn •. 1 .l C"at , w.,ich Ol>( nhuH ! leave'!
hich Oill.l , tnl..). T
;. ,,at, hie ur... t:.hdl I l"t1V6'i

39 ,ii"l( tu.; t:,1,tl l u t, t! e r tring] a."1 h(r b ,·o t' 1t.ll' woke Ul)o When
40 then h r"1eed hi hc.od J .. ~ .1 · .. •Cl'( ,,a an n..>r,,ous lior.•
,,1 And h" c au -~. t !.i~ out·! ~ iJ "r:i si· t). 12 n t !'ien he
It~ l ay !>nck a,:,ain and !\" d.e.mied . n . t• (";: n xt 6.a;f 1.h@ aniinnl
! 3 ,:ent t :, hunt : .. ~ ('- 1·c t. er) ... kc enc:. ou id: 11
t:ow then I shall
~I~ build e e:~e . ' t ''l.~ a h~d]: '7hnt 1'or t hnn'l 11 - 14 0h , l. know,
4.> 1 '11 j1..1.. t h ~lcl a cc "O • ' Preacn tl/ tho 'boy

ho built n OttEr',.. bu 1 t a ca£i>e , I.Us til !11& orot':ler -in-law c ame .

>q - " ,l:at fo.:- t h~n 10 this case'," Ar.cl he sai dt

J-"8 " o i,halJ .PU t. th !108. t L wh i ch yo I hn vc ln.u. ~ c] ir to 1 t • .--,

ut- t ,\u ca. e was vcr • b i •• le y:ent on l:>ui.!.d1,ig and h e

50 t'ir.i ohee. it, and 1 , xt aay whe. >-,< ;l("nt for hie wal .~,

12 The con o n Ocndn,,e get tu.:>c. 04• t'r l E,h t i e to b .."1.ns the ri ~!lt
.tuw.d over the tt"u t. , cn_1,t,~ 'l, f.S it' to hold or.o 's breath ,
e tay motionleafJ . 'fh:to ie cnr:.eu ' to c ,tch tme ' n mouth.•
221

51 pa ka': "Yay4 aw, n:!'eil lcwaa ts•,an4,

52 htfa t'1ndu'l•" - "H1k1 nf•su

53 h,u tt1ndu'tf" Pa ka' i "Ts ! aanaefs• ...

54 Pa hlee• n//owea tdndutana n//ee. Hfa n//eei•
13
ma•,, pa /hime,
55 pa hlee• dcSola tax fxa th44
56 ka':
P!rimo na ye4e~ p!rimo,
p1r1mo na ye4e~ pfrimo, 14
tdndu pfrimo, eogdr1l5 tflaare t'1ndu. 16

13 The storyteller indicates with hie t1nger the way

in whioh the boy rune around 1n the cage, anti-olookwiee.
14 For the meaning of p!Pimo cf'. text 8 , note 3 (p. 162).
The cage te moving like a whirlwind which rises up
corkecrew-wtee. The eong ie not juet a fantasy which
happens to occur in t11io tale• 1 t ha.a 1 ts base in the
widespread SWldawe be11et' that the duetr1ders or
funnel-shaped small tornadoes are instrumental in
causing people to disappear 1r a male spirit called
li4l2J& i o met in the bush. The:, wander about in these
duet tol'"nadoes, and they are malicious apirlta who
kill and bring dleaster. There ia also a ~emale li4wl
who is beneticial. She protects t'l'om danger and beetowe
riches provided eacr1~1ooe are made to her every dry
season. These eacrificea coneiet o~ seeds which ~ust
not be red, for the 1l4R& gives in retUl"n ~ertility to
the seed& from which the crc,pa ot the next rainy aeaeon
aro to aprout , and ehe protects aga1net danger and the
spilling ot blood. The 1nclue1on ~ even one red aeed
in a sacr1t1ce to her would cause d1saeter. The name
114l2.& has obvious connotations with tertil1ty: tho verb
h4l2& meane to give birth. we may now aeo that the viaual
manifestation of thie ep1r1t, the duet tornado (kJSrambe)
has two distinct qualities: aggressive and destructive
(male), and protective and fertile (temale). The cage
which the boy has built can be identified with the
temale tornado which protects ita inmates against the
danger of the lion in the rorm ot a womb, 1.e. in the
identity or the ll4ll.& who givee birth etymoloa1oall.y.
Van de Kl m,~enade, 1954, 61, deecrtbee the ep1r1te
 .??2

51 h e ._ 1 it: ''"irt<•r, r.ot· v,.-: fl! a11 f'O "EH'Y. hol'lti,

52 t y rr!'"IH, of th::I r r•n ~ . 'I

I ·· 1•r,pl io": "J 'lrnnw h,-,w . "

56 S8f i "l :

S·d r 1 \lp
..
v t"·1 , . l /1-. \I. , . 1,1 u~,
a viirl up 1.·1~:1 t Me~ up, "'Virl up . 11,
.:1:0 e , :irl up lU:,... (' J, fi 'f, l...1 c ..r:r7 Ul tt.~n, Ct i;:.t~ .
16

-- ------ ------- ---

cell · c\ ..J:l.ii! ac a lu.... inou::i 11g:1t whicl1 .!"'r~a1•a ~t. night ( the
lllalo:! tmiri t) en a l so ar a wo:nan Y1ho 1:o corI'Y1n., n c hild
{ tt(:' fr;, ule Fn1r lt} . I 11'0.,. ,an ts confin·:: t:ifl t these are t he
dlapec in which. t < ~ ep:lrite ari.~ st the selves , 01• a t
lea ~ L 1., .' os t co ?n to1•10fl in \\'nich th~.r ar·-.. e ....en, t:or
a.-e ali>o other for1 'l • 'l'hf 11,~~ t t')J.'nurio r 1wc r to an
1nctrw:1c, tor a v~hicle of th~ epirit£ rather than t he
opiri t6 ,t , lt:'Cl v
ne "'n1.r·it~ a:;:,,.tl" at n ii~ht at any place i n tJ,e but>b, awl
duri ng th r "".r i 1: dust torn&cc-en . 'l'hec;e l.& re 1n C'>111lllOn wi th
the, noctur-r.::-1 ')u3h t"·at it ia ' dark ' i n thein: one hao to shut
th<' e:;ec to oro t~c t tt.e:n t"rm, tlie ~·\ ir·l in~ du~ t • and the
Sandel." a c t-1ally sa:, thut i ~ ia {.,. ·l'K i nside . Tht ht.1'068 0£
the tal E u.~c the ... 1 c ... ,c d Jii •u the ·1a1 ,.o flc f'rort th~ l ion 'B
reach. t night they slctrc in itt pr•ott~ <:ti VP vomb on top ot
n "aol:lob trl"e, t :'le unclir.1bahle t1•<>e or, -nhi c h the c age t.hen
eel.tl el<' clo;vn like a roost11g t',irc . :the \'1ororo, 1 s husband first
beei ns to ch..:-. c intc, a lion a t ;1.if;h t; le. t~.t· he becomeG a
lier- all ~he time (cf . l:tM 76) . j_n "' 1in fo1•1:1 h~ if the
very embo6.1nc 1 t of Dr,nr,:er (cf . chapter X, the l ior.. as a
eynit>C'1 ) . The Cn!'C \T1ti'l1r, the t'rouc t ivc duot t or>na do t<tande
J.'c.,r t.no 1-........ ulc _p1•ot~ c _lvc ,,omt {aleo ,:1~cu1<1;ec in ct.apter r } .
15 . o;:§r:1: t~~ erurc wore. ac t.2}r~ ( 1i th ?le.,• i ve t) , ' to thresh •.
c f . text "• 12, line 68, ir. nhich t,l-Jf> 1'inal vowel has
cha-in a. to j.; th'\o ir the ·, .,el vnlue or 1.hc La tin ~ · cf.
p. 7~. yogor~ o~ ~o~ th1e mao~s a general condition or
t 1u-eah i ng > wr,cu the chat'- b lo,,o up high in tt"' wi nd .

16 ~a9 i•o: c.r. Stmh111 ~ (~ ) , ' to csrr:r a,"a.r ' •

223 ·

57 sax ea :
P i:"imo 113 ff" E' ry -f f' i o ,

p:!rimo ne. ye~ ee ry{ ri·•o,

tWJ.dU p i r i mo , sogori t !laare t undu.

58 HJ.ee ' tc'\')( o' a t.ax coJA 1 ,r6 <)"), Fl // ' ak!1'"a.
59 Pa /11 ' tshee. :l/1 t .

60 Pa ka ' : "Swe n/t kawasu. ti Pe.

61 ka ' : "Kaw~su. Phe ke.wiisil. "

62 H! a // '6 paa n!th, l' ia

63 l 'inoona hik ' i aa al6' t u dutana n//ee , hes 6 .

64 Hia n//eci' pa /hi rue , n//ahle , pa ka ' :

?i rimo na
ye~ee p irimo ,
pirimo na :,re{ ee p:(.i.•imo ,
tunau piri o, sol,6ri 1,ttaare t ' du.

65 Sax sa:

Pi 2:·imo na yci ec p ! rii..10 '

pfrilJlO na yelee p ir i~o ,
timdu p :Crimo , no.;ori t ilaare t imdu .

66 Hlee'na ma ' ~sa iye .

67 tl ' u.nguea n//Pe ,
68 t e • aan~ kwa ' hlee . Kita' a '
69 nee /hime ; ~ax ka ' :

Pirimo na Je~d. p:Crimo ,

pirimo na ye~e e pirino ,
timdu pir1mo , sogor•i t-!Saa.l'e t.undu.

70 sax sa:

P:!rimo ne. ,feeee -pir imo ,

p:Cr~.mo na ye~e ~ pi.rimo ,
timd u p irimo , sogori tuaare t lS.'1.dU.•
71 Tax yM aa n/atit nelena
72 //' ~kime aa 6' a // •6. 11fo1<ina hlee
 ->Wl1'1 up t .et, hif, u~ , ,3;vi,•l up ,
f:\ irl l' t ,1.:n , l i t. , irl up ,
C8tf0 , cv;'.i r>l np l1K< ch ~·. ca~r , u~ then, c~ e .

'l, t t \ , y n .. .. ,1 rour... , c..irl J , ,util th,., Cf,mc do1>V11.

5. :.z.d ~ +t., l 4 or.] Ct e' fro ', l 't [ ' I pr>

Gu And he i, id: ow O a le :111 ., t t ,.-- ea i· i r. 1 t. " ( 1'ho br'>ther ]

61 rep::. i ed: • ,e chnll 1r t 1 t .i • ,..o- 01·1•ow tvP ehaJ l put 1 t in. "
6Z i1'hH ;t '.:1 nc. -1.nt a.Hd it it\< en ned [n.ud) -11h..I1 he l th~

61i .h n tha/ nad en!.( r0d the rot.1('r sa1:g , ano l'.c s oid;

Sv;:t , l "'i' tl!tn , hi h ,, i •1 lo.[) ,

s;-.L•l vp t)11 hi h U") , ow.irl u , ,

'
c·..~o , o, ·irl up lir.e c nf , C<lI ';/ us thcx. , Cb1, •

6:i And :::ho e~ng :

~v il•l 1tp thr, . , ,., ~sh up , m l ~·J U:? ,

s ll'l u) tu<.1. , i , ap , ":11·1 up,
ca.~e , 8Wil·l u1• 11.·~ chuf'f , ~ar·1•y ur> tl1c,11 , cs , o.

1;6 f O\'i tne:r: Ml " ... 1rni r UL • he ju• t went 0 ' 1~1,1ng
'-
Of Ur> t '. J. oh~ I tt:t ca p. Je d i llt:> tl-ic fJKY • ,, :') rhe went

68 l>AO~ {l ' ) tn< n . Jv t i n.e 1 thtY

'
69 -,.t"?rP f i ~i· j a •t' l ... 01 ng:

,Wil"l U:) tat :t, r, i..,h up, 11•1 11p ,

c,'f. 1!'1 up th:,n , hi h un . Yli!'l t:lJ '
C..ll , 6i,1I'l up l:i k G.,l:lf'f • Cd! '!"J u h •n , ca f .

7 he a l'!e<l :

vWirl Up then , h 1 0 Ul, :_,.. .., u. . ,

t:P.irl \':P thtn, !°118'\ m- . f il•l ur ,
cac , ~ it•l up like c af .· , <'!<..l' r J u2 the:n, cay,e .

71 n~ t 1cy [ !'lvn] on 0.1 """ u 1i , 1 care to alight Oil a

72 bnol',nl:> tx-ee, and thot•fl t: 111~~1 elep t . ~·Jt tt1 o t iftr· one tt.en
 ;/i..t.~~ 1 Cf' .1 iyua .:,/ J.,_. I
13 n;oet .. ' a
74 : • u;.1a ..,~ 'u • l.t1 •
(..I\ 4t.,
. t ti

/5 //'aki•.C nU.i '

J:'~A !l(\.lki~

76 tshimh.tu. //' (;. UlUUfl h · ~,u< tB I

a tax
I' , . 1 iltc he. f.& 'x .t.
, .. . r.
77
78
/ l:lvCUh

1Jt ..... ll{t"' lf" • c. 1' . , ', 1

. O~t

79
,l/01.:6(;0i.:t:.

t.ax r,J. tl ' co. but I :! t, hu .

u. ax
80 /hin.e ll,i /Ml.:

I .:r11~0 na ;rcuc p.i.1•j o ,

pfr.i.rao ua y ~ • ;t,.,1 ... '
t·ti.n. u pfri o, ...,ogor1 t,t'la ll'C t~du •

81 unx sa;

• :. r·i 0 l : ·c(c? ;ir1 o,

pfr.i tr:0 t)(\rof et 1 p!ri i),
t.u:idu pfri o, ~<>g h·i tflUlll'O tt'mdu .

82 "'ax 666, fl), /I I H"'ll lL

t3 J (lt'na ' .. .., ~1' t' r/ f n

t!4 n//ee //
1
a-"-
..., ";I'! # h:i:a // ' akur·~t
6!;> 1)tX h<:'V.tkiH n;/ce . • f.X. k.tt8 IO iy~
fl6 hax I ~.tml he wit (. • <~ "L . i

<>7 iyl§ t • , t.!a

//
1
u1! 1 I t ['
' II ' ''0
83 nfoi Kokoa itlt'\'ifli vt.1. 1 t'a bUtl I i"l.t

89 a:( .O~l .17.1:\o . . .::~x •< /hi1 ngn:

• ·' 1·imo nH ,j'( • t., .
oir1 , ) ,
:1,1i1•inw :r u J• (~"t pfri o,
t 111.:'lu p rr1 ,o , ) nri tl'la l"t:l tu,):1U .

~o -:ax ,a:

.1. ! 1'1mn l'6 ~·I.let c p 'ii.•l mo p

.>il'i 0 ... r • P. - . i.C •i () t
-,1n<'i11 ,irirno, 8 1) • •1 trta r,:, t11 cu.
 I ..i wa• tu:>nir "li"'l···el' i lt a 11.on, and 'he:1 ~e WU~ ru.nn1ng
7 fe,f •i• +'h .I 0'1 t .. (~ m•.:iun.:l . h n t '0.f ,:.G l:JJhled on uu,

·1., t!' ') th t h.i • \l 1 :·,he e ], and he

'lb I t}lO 11 -:>r!] Gl "lt at it f '.) l. c \.aL . n'·' ) just opt•nl.r
T( n l ' ;')U, ' vno 'li~ l v l )t)f r·' no l'1-.iobar ::. . [ Oths r]
·1 :3 on <>'1 ha' '.:, n r fue1n" :( 01' 'il • ht l.1 t11e c >eke c1•0 1 ed.
79 ond the f ~r .. t y]lght 01..C8(<' t·t a tl!!", got up . .t\ncl he

f.,O aan-, tl t' :>"'Ot 1, r:

vWil'.L up t,lC1l , ,,itfh UD, n il"l up,

n irl up ther., hi th up ' f:Ylil'l up ,
cu n , , .. ·irl U;? lil<c c'ho ~ (' ll'I' ,I u ti,cn, ca ;e.
'
i'S l t,n<, she f alf'o 1 t'On ;:

,i,.•] 10 'tE. n , hirl U'O t e' i1•l u

'
swirl Ui} thr.n, high up , I! .iz•l u.o ,
Cl<{ C' I t i:r•l up 1 Le chs.ff', cax·r·.r Uf". (; 'Pl'), c.me~.
c2 . .:1c ':.ucJ .1'lot] ou a:!i on , urtil t10., len ea. -:>n LOHother]
b~ oaooab tr~e . ~htY came tot
f;L. n:r""i vod nnn landed. [ on 1 t] , n.. tu J.9, ded at n i ght,

b., ts,(.n r.e l thf lion) to) ar iv-..a.. ..1.nd h ~1nyed 1'1,e:ht at Lits
ub !'oot) tmd lie wan n lion a+ :,hat tim '• (' jnr ·,
1:,7 ;rent ,n 1'ollot 11
66 lt dawndi nnc the ('OCke cl"> ed nn6. t 1e da reak 1•eiiuer.ed,
89 t.he.t got; U':J . !l:'i l t ,e b?'other•} b g a n to s ing :

:1ir-l 11p t I n , hie,

1 l up , up , ~

,irl up tllt n , liigh .1p , t:n:il'l up ,

c.ige, swirl 1.1p like cl101.'.t' , cnt'l'Y ue then , ca ·e.

Hwi:rl up then , h1gr un , s. i rl up ,

i wlt>l u_p then , h.i. h un , !lwirl up ,
cAec, c;, irl U!J lH chai't', cat>:y us then , cnee •
227

,1
,, ~

91 tx1.100 ax g~lt1na //'ak1me.

,, Co
92 H!a' // 'akumei' pax hew&kia
,, ¢1"
93 n//e1 kid.•a, llax
da!ts•e•e. ll ~1 l
94 a•.! //ats\1 hel'I~ hax k&ea
jj I.Ii~
95 Pax d'a // •6 ax 6'a //'6 hes6k1a,
ph&

96 ax h4nga. lflee'yoo tax /hime how&:

P!rimo na ye~e~ p!rimo,
p1r1!'!lo na ye~et, p!rimo,
tdndu p!rimo, sog6r1 tttaare p!rimo.

97 eax ea:

Pirimo lla p!rimo,

ye~e~
piri mo na ye~e~ p!rimo,
t\indu p!rimo, sogc5r1 t llaare p!rin10.

98 eax ea:

P!rimo na ye~eb p!rimo,

p!rimo na 1e~e~ pir1mo,
t\1ndu p!rimo, sog6r1 tttaare p!rimo.

99 -
P!rimo na ye,e! p{r1mo,
pirimo na ,1ede! p!ri mo,
tlindu p!ri~o, s ogdri t~aare pirimo.

100 Tax yc5c56 hl,e' ts•aa1ttt k\hlbuts•.

101 Pa hlee • zokh4ta h!a 1/1 n//eei
102 pa n/wets• n/omfeea. A ka•:
103 "Jh4m'kwera. M6te•aa //'akf. kumbute • ? 0
104 H!a t'1'yoo1 blee• n/omdeo ut4a,c.e
105 hew&xea • ne~ al h1,e
106 l 1 dmana // 'akUl'lle. H!a //'akWlle1', -
107 "Hde•na hlee pee ix n/at!?" A'
106 ka': "Ah• !htlm'k'ffe. u
109 Paa hewlkia n//ee; hlee•
 226

91 Thua t hey [went] on and l anded ( once more) on a baobab.

92 ffhen they ha d landed, then thia one [ t he lion] too

93 arrived and eat right at [ the tre e• a ] ~oot, and he wae

94 that lion as before, but he was unable to climb up.
95 And here he slept and here they slept too, and the next day
96 they go t up. ,\nd now again, then he [ t he brother] sang:

Swirl up then, hi gh up, ewirl up,

swirl up then, high up, swirl up ,
cage , ewiI"l up like c.ha1't, corr:, ue then, cage .

97 and ehe repeated:

Swirl up then, hi gh up , swirl up,

swirl up t hen, high up, swirl up,
o~e, ewirl up like chaf r, carr~ ua then , cage.

98 and she went on:

Swirl up then, hi gh up, swi r l up .

8"11'1 up then, h i gh up, swirl up,
cage , swirl u~ like onatr , carry ue t hen , cage.

99 [And they went on s i nging]:

Swirl up t hen , high u,p, ew1rl up,

ewirl up then, high up , swirl up ,
cage, swirl up like chaff, carr~ us t hen, cage.

100 Until f i nally now { they arz>ived] at home on the r oof.

101 And then, when he [ the lion] oame to t ho forest and entered 1 t,
1 02 he turned int o a man. [ At home the relat1vee ] sai d:
103 "Bo qui et t hen. What t hen has landed on t he roo'£?"
104 \7hen they went out, the1t those people who had been
105 [ lost] long ago, they •ore both there, and t hen the,1
106 got down unto the ground. When they had got down [tlle »eopl e
107 asked] : "Why then have you now then come like th1af" And t hey
108 aa1d: "Ah, be quiet, it [ and they listened to what ha1,pened
109 outeide]. For he too, [the lion-husband ] had arrivedJ now he
229

110 n/omee~a n/mSto•a. A ka' : "li//eokot ll//eeko",

111 pa he~k1a khoon4 n//ee. s~ hle ' g6lobaa1
112 badi e!t hew~xe a b6xonga / / •4• valyoo i
113 11,1/or.1t!eo hdu k 1mba x.4' se n aa k i mb 4 //ate\1,
114 n/om,ae / /ateda n/wets• t. x,en
115 hi k'it ka' :

H6 n/ inge , h6 b ik~G' ?
II6 n/inge, h6 'b1kt5s ' ?

116 pa ew~ n// 004 makawtt • i y! t l.tndua k1meyoo

117 po en t dndu hewd• t ngo n/a t ! 6 n// ee.
118 Ute hewdto •e •wa•4a hla t6k~onaako."
119 - "B4e ', " aA sw~•na:
120 "llik!eU'/ 11 A' ka • : "Sw&t
121 !'wa'kwe meh~m 1 ke t tt44, ph~r e t 1'1w4akwe
122 muk&xki." Aa aw&a t• wal tt'laaydc5 •
1 2) .rtU aw~ m4nt eha n/in/da nfl cS•a
124 muk.Ska hemit. 17 Paa 6'na i / 1 hewfkia,
125 muktf 'kana haki'sal s ' i pa he~ t umbukta hle e.
126 6•a tl' on gumtf ta • •
127 B6 tahMk!' S' kt 6•. Hew6 n/omt1se tliiaa4.
128 Hlef 6•a b6nkia tshi~k:t.

Tt xt ho, lLL. Tol d b¥ »r. 1'14lo r.td4k1 Sol 4 at ll,ark.wa.

l Ut aa 16106, n/om,oe n/um,aUa e ie. nta a1&1'

2 ea ew4a nllwayoo oaa tl' abt soea loowe.
3 H!aa tl' ab1e6oa ! • oowet • ea ariea tyewayoo
4 Hab6 nSee 'i sae tsh'2l tere•ea habia. Pax he9'
5 t ehi~k1. Ax n~& / /•aa, sax

17 m.ukf'kac s wabl.l.1 l)k@ka. a platted 1:1at. Sanclaft tradition-

 230

110 had turned into a human. And they eaid: "Come i n , come 1n,"
111 and he too, entered i nto the house. Now then in t he
112 they [ were all told] the story and they t'ollowed 1 ts words:
113 "Thie person was in faot bad and indeed he wae a lion,
114 a human who tume into a lion. he took us away and
115 on the journey he ea1d:

m1om eh&ll I eat, whom shall l l eavef

flhom shall I cat, whom shall I l eave?

116 and then t he boy, as a matter ot tact, was maki ng a cage ,

117 and now we have come in that cage and arrived here.
118 Had it not been tor t hat , we would have perished long ago. "
11
119 li'ell then," they [ the relativee] oa1d then:
120 ''What shall we do?" They s aid: '1J-l"Ow then,
121 dis out an enormous hole , and pr ees down pointed pegs
122 [ 1n 1 ts t l '>ol"] and also spears." And then they dug t he hole.
123 And t hen they prepared tood and t hen , [ over) that place they
1
124 spread a mat. 7 And he t hen, ( the lion] came there to [ the
125 food] and as he eat on the mat , then he sank i n.
126 There he pierc~d hi mself [on the s takes 1n the pit].
127 Thu tal e i s aleo here ending, hero. Thi s person died.
128 Thon here the d1acussion ends.

llio ci:1pp1e JPho bpcamc a ttonOftome :{outh, Recorded J uly 1963.

1 Long ago, a man took a wife. When h~ had taken her ,

2 then they ata,Yed ror eome t i me end ehe became pregnant.
3 When ehe bad become presna n t, oho t hen steyed ror a time.
'-"
4 On the dflY' or giving birth she bore a potsherd. And that
5 pe~tehed. And they t ollowed on waiting, and she

all.7 uae hides; pit-traps aN, used ~or cntohtng large an1mele
like l1one.
231

6 tl'ab ! s os a i• oowe. Ydo •• , sax k~rom•eangaaa hab4a.

7 r ,rer.i•sanga hab,fa ax. ne~wa,

8 nM··.va 2ax k6e ' t l ' ab!soaa l' oowe eom'k:!ensa.
l
9 Rax how6 hlak ' aoti, eax d! n//okos a habda.
10 A,t t4 na~ h!a
ll n~ yo hdkai ene1' k6a' tl' ab1sosa !' oowe.
12 Tl• ab! s o hewd h! sa J' !'>owt!1 ', kumbt1 hewd
13 n/o~~se k6n • hab4a. ~/o~se hewd h!sa
14 hab41' mak4va' //hat4ee to• c.
15 mi •4n.k1 t she ' wa, //hat4nk1 tlakfe
/ / 6•a
17 kh6o'~'a b6~a tax hlec h!a d6ola ba 'f ba'&i
18 6•a werd maen4ke teng~ xo•a
19 tex b~~ba. s w,a n~~ tur•t,wa tur •t&wa
20 tur•~wa nar4gi1 n i2,2 e~
21 nar4et1ee hlak' e %1 l.1rna. Paa nlwatt4i
22 !'ox8 h1k'1yoo kh'1rux.ea
23 pan t h6nga :•oowe.3 Th8nta
24 h!e k'eetn'i paa swla lal4nga4
25 theea [/~'wa] .5 lllce lal4ng& hewex~to •a nlwam4 h!k'1Yo
26 paa lal4nga a 1ye . H!a
27 lal.4nganga D/o' onai paa he't78x.~•tnga

l ;tl'abbQ-U l' J2P\'l~P l,i.1. : •a stomach she got • . The

eucoees1on or etrange objecte to which t he woman gave
b1rth eervoa to convey the image ot a woman who hes
tr oubl e 1n bearing ch1ldron. Each object describes a
different abortion. The potsherd le broken and useless.
The watermelon e1gn1f'1oe an e111pty womb. S tones are
barren and lifel ess. 'l'he eerienese or tho deeor1pt1on
atz-onsly surgesta that the mother lllUSt na ve been
bew1tohod. Suoceseive et1l lb1rths and abortions are
certainly asorib<'d to w1tobcJ:Oaf't: there IIU8t be •o.me
r eason or another t or them t o occua-.
 232

6 became [ again] pregnant. Until ••• she bore a watermelon.

7 ~he gnve birth to the watermelon and then they stayed.
8 they etayed and once more she became pvcgnant ror t he t hird
9 time. /illd l1ke t ha t she wa& , an~ she gave b i r th to grlnd-
1
10 atonee. And then they stayed anotne~ t1me and as they
ll waited onoe agai n £or the ~ouz-th t1me she became pr egnant .
12 ~1lcn she had got t1lis p regnancy, indeed, this [woman]
13 at last gave bi rth to a human being. When ahe had borne
14 thi e hw:ian being, a e a matter o-£ t'aot, he had no l egs.
15 And aleo hauda he di d not have , and hi s l ega -were absent
16 and he moved about on his ches t. There t hen, here
17 ne~ the h ouse he then, when he hod slowl y grown a bit,
18 moved about here, that is to eay, like a tortoi se
19 and only nearby. Presently they were i dling and idling
20 and idling [ dur i ng] the daye o~ t'am1ne 2 and now

21 t he oountvy was in a tami ohed condition. And he just crept,

22 he went shut't·l ing along on his buttocks like a tor toise
23 and he found hi s way to the blacit-eoil plain. 3 In ti,.e plain.
24 when he turned hie head, be now s aw [some ] white sorghum4
25 plants . 5 Then he went on creeping towards those eor ghwn
26 ( plan ta ] and he took the sor ghum. 'ihen he
27 rubbed the sorghum fine then thero were ot all those

I tMr't4, or turQtdt t o paes t he time talking. Since there ie

a ~at:11ne on t here i a no harves ting t o be done .
3 In t he recorded text the storyt eller says tn{S'ta berore he
correct& 1 t to thoo.g1.
4 La4ansa (whi te sorghum ) l e t he principal. food s taple , ct. P•
52. The few e ar& ot so~ghum which the cripple had round are
a treaeured possession because ot t he tam1ne.
5 [L.A!D.) has bE>en added to the r ecorded text on the authority
ot the stor y teller ('he aaw', plural object) .
28 l alane;nxenki aomtk!x. 6 Ew~ h! a tya h i k'1

29 pea //•1ngc :• Qowe. T&'~dna gwab,.

30 Sw~ ~./or6eo tPtaxo
:n ti. • aa rea too • kdkwa d n:£ • •
32 Thametsu t~•su k!ta t~eue~ ka' hl4wet hes ue•.
35 Soc hca~ ka' ~/om6eooa wu!ll"6~a nl!t ts!a.
34 N/om~Pue~ hesn //&, th4~eteua~ //~a: S1 t aw4lume . 7
35 A t>wt d. nMoi e.-:6 h!a hee11 wi' masal
36 k~kv,a.1•, te•la matoa h!a •
37 tehd~na' kaa k~1 • , a~ eW,a hee~ dlu•!a a
38 mat6 6!ye, aa t xa w4 ' maaoa
.39 lmbo: 11
, w~ te •4ako haw~ 1ti' k8
sa•ra ka';
41 "'t s! ts•4a haw~a•te•e•e, eekfr•ko h~t 1• ... / /'64 hew!
42 ka' : Kal'l1nkaka. 8 A~ kn':
4J "beklr'ko," ka•: "Kal dnkaka• 'lit!~ 6' kn ' b~ana. "
44 l ' d'i 1/!. - " ~e! ka ' : ~aw61cwee ' te ' e , "
45 aa ka': "HawtSko !ye n/om6fle."
46 se•oa: " Po,;"e ' t s •~• s1 h6teome
47 ha..rekwatshI?" Paa ewi a I/' e.kf..
48 Hl ee hee'1k1a matoaa s1y8 t ah&,nasa
49 pe~, ee kumba pna //• ttana h:tn // 'aki
50 pa swda ts ' ~~. H! a t~ ' l-~yd6

6 He ru Jbed the grai nP out of some ot t he eat's ot eo~ghum

and ate t hem; after that, t~er e wer e th.l'ee l ert.
7 Sita14l'Ql!l0 or sita'J£4lYIIC ' f rom t he Bantu titaki ( I do
not want} walurac (mAn, or husbands ).
6 Ka13'nkak4: 1,0 reliable- e t,1Bol os:, has bt. en found, but the
n 8llle han bt en describfld as • He is like an J.nft.l. ngngo10•,
 234 .

6
28 sorehum [ e talks) jue t three. ! en,• wh-"11 he went on go:Lng
29 he b~pened to [come to] the well. He thi rsted tor water.
30 Now all the people [who ha~ b€en drawing water there]
31 pulled up their water JOurds and went [Gway] .
32 Among them there •ae a woman, say, a beautiful ono.
33 And she, they say, she ro~used men [ sui tor s] e very day.
34 Thi e parson ' s name , thi o woman's Pame wae: Sitaw4lume.7
35 And then, ao they waited, now when her eoopanions climbed
36 up (out of the well t o go home) , when they placed their
37 gourds '.)n tr.eir heads , they then l eft her behind
36 while she took her goUl'd [to fill 1t], and her companions
.39 spoke thus [ to her] : " .i.'fo\J ~ou go and draw water and
40 s i ve Laome ] to this person.~ She, she said [to the cripple] :
41 "I won't draw m1 ter, you move over there. " ilis n ame was,
42 they say, t al"Wlkaka. 8 The~ [the others now also] &aid:
43 " :Jove up, n they oa1d, ''tal"Wlkaka, do not come neal' hel'e •.11
44 But he catDe approach1 ,,g [her]. - 0
1 eay I •tfon' t draw him
45 [weter ], 0 but [ the other s ] oa1d: "Draw and give it the man."
46 But she sai d: "I won ' t draw [water], why don 't ;rou
47 draw i t tor him'l" And now he deecend.ed ( into the well].
48 Then ehe , on her part, took her gourd and placed it
49 on her head, yes indeed, and when he had descended
50 into the well , then he dI'ank. \Vhen he had drunk hie fill
51 he str&ighte.ncd hi msel f up with ditl'iculty. She then, t his

which i s a wood-ool'ing grub. J.oss1bl.y kalt1nkaka 1e a hYbrid

ot ka1i1ea ( int ee t1nal worra ) and kalapkok..Q ( a small, tla t
be~tle, about halr an inch i n iongtb which movod about
rather j ork117 and pl a:,s dead when t ouched. For t his reason
children uee it as a plaything. There appeare to be no
aniaal or obJect which 1e called ka;I.J1nkAKA like the name o~
the cripple.
235

9
52 Sitawllumesu eae
53 1~1ttnga oo~' k!x xi•eo tl ' na,
54 m1nz6den 1ye. ~we hf a ~{ tatshea bllnga1
55 l ol4ngn t& D/om~ to
56 hlu htxwo tl'a4na pa ka•:
57 "Lol~a tf'\:! 1 wn1 hdktt'l 11 A' $W&Q w4•maoa:
58 "ice6 l) i t aw4111llle, a ' t1 h! ona !mboi'
59 h& • wi tol'ld • Me lalfnga tl • re "f To • tta haw&' 8k 1
60 t e •kftegi swl h6 ' w1 tl'fto? Pa ka,
61 1•,;,n! lal.4nga hf!u ta • ~x~nk1 n Zaas •ts ' e, h~u
62 kt a0')(.enk1 tl ' aako . 10 Sea h! k '
63 hee6 ts •aanaea pax 6•a /hime //' aa :

Tdndo za kutoola,
tsh4 walwne, teh4 walurne.

64 ka 1 :

I.\tngu taha.."1.gu,
tsha1 waluro, t '14 waluoe.
T6ndo za kut~ola,
tsh4 wal umo, toh~ walume.

65 Ax ka • : "Eee 81 tawUume, /4ntei pone f

66 sw, a •d hto ~mbo1': h1k1 swd

9 Rltll'f&lUOS>- AJll the femi ni ne - w,. sut'f 1x in the Sendawe

toxt caruiot be :rende:red i n t r ans l a tion ; it &hows that
the name i s undo~etood as ' Uhc who refuses men • . The ~act
that t he Bantu A.Ut&(U) mea."l& 1 1 do not want• (t'1ret
per son s1ngule:r ) doee no t dieturb the Sando.we to lfhon. the
ni ce ties or Bentu gr anmar are qui te meaningleoa.
10 Th~ point ie that Sitaw41UIT:e has taken a pr ecious t hing
ofr him. rrcr rr1enda eee tbie as ber a i cept ance ot a
sift, and the:, make t hie cl•or i n lines 59 end 60. When
a girl accepts a gift f rom a man and th1B becomes public
knowledge, it is expla ined aa her aesent to marriage , or.
p. ~1. Ra1'1nkaka thua eetabltehea hi e ola1~ on h~r.
52 S1tawt11UJne, 9 :!.ndHd she took all these three ( ears of']
53 sorghuia, she took them o.nd ca1>ried [them of~], and
.54 she ,,ent on her way. Now wher, sh!:) emerged fr om ins i de f the
5; well] the other aorghumo which had been eru£hod [were t here] ,
56 but the remaining ones ahe had tak~n and ho asked:
57 '' Th.~re:: ar•e my e,,rghume'?" And tnen her ooupanions anid:
38 "Ooh Si taw~ u:n(", this one ,1hom t'IC spoke to be.foN ,
59 wh;f hnve y~u taken tne sorghum rr~m h1m? To draw water ~or
60 hiu you re:fused, now why have you taken 1t?tt And he s aid:
61 ''I won ' t oven takback one of these sor ghums, these
62 other two , tako them t oo. 10 She [Sitawslume ] went to
63 hE>r homo e?td he , singing, he f'ol lov.red her t here:

'.1.'he f'rU1 t e which llave been given are

or :,our. husband, 01· your husb,,nd.

64 Ue went on:

The ear of sorghum i s mi ne ,

of ~our hu~band , or your husband.
The tru1ts which have been given ore
of' your hueband, of' your husband. 11

65 And [her fr iends ] said: "Ooh, S1tawt1lwna , oan• t you eee?

66 how, alroady ir. the past we have s aid: how 1s i t , do you

ll 'Iba song i s made up entirely of situ e lemen t s . Sandawe

d1sregerd ror nantu claae prefixes shows up clearl y.
~ ; ~ . JOijo lulugu ( c~. Cl aus, 1911, 17 ) • lalanga,
White sorghum.
tah4Pg-,,.: ct. Jwah1l1 Ch&Oro.b 'mine'. The posoessi ve proJ.oun
-~ 71th Ju.-clase pretix k1-an.Bll ,gbangu. =
,1p..h4: o:r. n ah111 smt.,., ' ot'. This is -.1., ' of•, with .ti-class
prer1x ls.1::Jil =~
.wa1;um~: :rro12 Bantu - Wll.§. or -lmllst, ' ".tale ' with pl ural D-
1>refix.
~ a W12su..1u cf. Swahili II.A- ~ u 1gi-tpCl)a, 'the
:t'rutte for taking out•, i.e. the tru1 t a which have been
a1ven.
 /thlge, paa ~u ew ma•ale //'aApogaJ hew~•na
67
68 ')(~O·" A,c. tax nM~ nt•,
69 xa /M.roe //•aa •t:

T1nclo Sa kutoola,
tohd walumo, tehft walume.
Lungu tehingu,
tt.u! \f8lUt..e t tsh4 walur..c.
'.i:6ndo Zl:l kutoola,
teh4 Wl'!.lUJlle, tsh! walum"•

70 Ax w~' me ka': " S i tavu1lume /§n te iponeko?

71 Swt1 t. • ~ h!o ~r11boi ' iewtPna

72 SW~ 11~bceo. Xl ekwa hik' hewd n/om~se er te•dana.

73 Pax ka':
T6ndo za kutoola,
teha walum.e , tsh4 walurno.
Lungu tshfngu,
tsh4 walume 1 tshA walume.
'16ndo za kutoolo.,
taha walumo, teh4 walu-e.
12
74 phAkasa 8itawalUL1e b(;;e6 ta' a~kiisa lV'/ee, pax hew4k1a
75 d'a n//~e. Eloo txa n~~ n/wek1 :
76 67 a 1.re suruta /M.me, a ka' : 1' ~!11

77 US1tawalume ! yeko • .Lal4nga hU tl'aai' n•i1~,

78 hi' kwi k~th .,l3 ?a ka • i 1 4 la ttit
79 "LMle h4ku tl'aos'ko?" ~ 'l,
80 nTd lal6n8& a•~ e!otoh~lgas' . 6•oe• / / 1 e.ntt10 1 ~ •1 1~
14
81 b ik1me.ff Pax 1ye sUt>~ta pax ka'. 11
11,11
Tdndo za kutoola,
tsh4 wallltle, t~h4 wolume.

12 1J..1a.: their hofile, 1. e . o~ ~1taw4lu.t:1e and her tamily .

Tho term hrui,A (their) no
doubt aleo retere to eo:ne o~
her colllpanione. Water-drawi ng :le a •oci a l occ aeion
where women of eeveral houaeholdo meet to exchange
goss ip. The women and g irls or one home•tead go there
together, t or many goUJtds have t o be tilled. All so,
 236,

67 see now, and now thio what-not i s t'ollo,~1.ng you; t his nne
68 you will have to take." And they wont on going l on their
69 way home], and he sang, following all the t i me:

7he t'r111 tr which hPVE' b er. e,1 ven are

of' your husband, of you1· h1.1aband.
The ear 0£ eozoghwn i s mine,
of your huaoand , or .1our husband.
\'ht: f'rui 1 \•th 1ch have bf'en L1Vt•n are
of your husband, of tour hueband.

7C And ht-r co:ipanions said: "31 taw~luroe, haven• t you seen t hen?
71 Ifo"' , ne we ~nw ~aid in th~ paut, aad now then,
1
72 r..01r here r.e 1c. 0 and take him, ttiie pe:r•aon, to Jour home.
73 And [tne c~ipple ] .ent on:

'.1.he f'1•ui te which have been gi ve1j are

of youp hneband, of you1• hueband.
The ear or sozoghum i s mi ne,
o: yo-ur huebanu, or your huauand.
':he fruit~ which have b(>on given a!'e
or your husband. ot your huebnna.

74 until ehe, ~itawilume, arr1vecl at hez• homc 12 and he too

7~ entered thel'e. 1'hcn ti1e.1 went on acting like thi s.
76 There b;.r t!.1.e wall ho remained, s i nging, and they [ all] s aid;,

77 "f>itawal ume , give him [ h ie due] • \ihen you took the e orghum,
78 where di d ;vou put 1 t?''l3 An ddle said: 1 4
79 "Oh dear, where shall I tllen take him?ff {Ami then s he added]:
80 "I did not take that sorghum. There at the well
81 I left 1 t 1'01' him. " But he stood b$ t he wall and r epeated:

The fruits whioh have been given are

of yow.• husband, of your hueband.

tor no-one would l ike to miaa thi E sooial oontaot with

13 vitawalwne has eaten t he aor ghWll. In ooi ng eo ehe has
irrevocably accepted it.
14 13. kl.!. 1a a mistake; t he storyteller should have said .tlA!.I.&
oio a.ax u ('and ahe e aid' ). £& Ju&!. is 'he s aid'.
2J9

l.U.'1H\l tshdn.;,'"'l1.
tsh6 walume, ts'1~ waluroe.
'1'6ndo za kUtoola
tahd walwoo , tshi walume.

82 Ax hleo • r.a6suxl': "Tshtlv,alume f' wako, 15

83 hewd ma•a1&.
84 wt\k ' apo pii teh4'me lal4nea tl' aa,
85 nil 2!tr,tshewa ~ii e,d v1~1~o?
86 H~U hlalt 1 ~~ hdkfl x.! hi k ' -po'l"
87 A~ l al4nga n! ' a n// wd ' wa soml k! xa
88 n/atda i' iwa,
89 w6 ' 4 n//ume hi1r416 pa ka • :

TonJo za ltutoola
teh4 walume, tsh6 walume .
l.ungu tah'-neu,
tan& waluiAc. • t shd 11alurie.
l'6ndo za 1(ut oola
tsh6 walumo , teh4 wal w:1e.

91 "Tshdwalume ewe • h1k!s~a?1 7 M1ei

92 laldnge hewexe~go n//we•~~n !'wa paa t o •.
93 tyo, ~w6 hik!te'e? ew~na n~
94 ut!atshe~po hi 1yf wak'6yo1•
95 hew~na :ko ow, hfu hap4a m~~nai
96 hew~naako ewe hap'\1 nutx.aeci l.ikf eUna?"
97 lilee n/attla khoona n//ee tax
98 &•a 1y4 /hi~e. txa 1ya surdte 1 a
99 ph4ka eaa hes~ dart aonasa hik•, 18 pax ta
15 'Ihe ..,other onlla hall1nkaka ''l'shdwalUJ:MJ • after hie eong.
Ir the 1'1ret sylla1:. l e i s Laken to be .lW14&, the Sands.we
'it 1P l who(oe)•, the weaning beoor.io• 'i t io I whose
husband he 1e• , 1 . 6 . the mother t e lls S1taw4l ume that
&he i a i ndeed his, whet her she l i koa it or not.
 240

~he ear ot sorghum i c. ~·inu ,

or 7our husbun~ , or your husband.
The fruits which have been given are
or your husband. of your husband.
82 And then her mot her ::iaidi "Oive 'l'eh4walwne hie t h1ngo , 15
83 this what- not. Uow then, what sort 0£ hunger hae
84 killod youf r eonso ] eo t hat you take sorghum from
85 ~omeone , and you eat it, and now Vlhat will you do?
86 Since it is 11ke th1$, where are you going to take him? "
87 ..'\nd ( other t:tcmbere of the tamily ) wen t to cut three oars
88 o~ sorghum and t hey came and gave them to him,
89 but ho stood t noro, and shrugged hie ehoulder16 and said:
90 "I won•t be tried [by them ], I won't. " [And he insisted]:

The fruit~ which have been given a~e

of your husband, ot yout> husband.
~he car of r.orghum is !lino,
or .row husband, or Jour hu~band.
•:'he rui ta ,.,hich ha-w boen give n &PO
ot your husband, of your husband.

91 "'l'shtl\'1&1umo, what &hall we do now?17 Now t hen wo have

92 cut of!' tnesc aor gb.ur.1e and given them to him but he re:fusea.
93 ;'other I what to do now? No•, 1a 1 t not like th1e,

94 s i nce you have been ro:t'us!ng [suitor s] s ince l ong,

95 that t hi s ono here now, he whom 1t i s t hat you l eve,
96 1sn ' t he then now to be .rour husband? llha t shall we do?"
97 Thon they came to t he hotWe emd entered, but he just
98 remaine~ t here oinging. Like that he wai ted by the woll
18
99 until the hour when she went t o ~er bedroom, at that manent

16 8an~we shrug one shoulder only.

17 Thie 1e not cleftl'. Pore1bly the etor~te ller meaner ffAbout
Tah,walur.ic , what sha1l we do now'/ '
18 49,r!mg: the hut of the unmarried girls.
100 /hio~ //'ae 1'a. S11 •nlfasa 1ye19

101 po.x !r' • Pax ka 1 :

T6ndo za kutool a
t eht1 walu,11> , toh wal ume .
Ll.1n u trih~J YU,
tah t1 walume, tehi walume.
Tc5ndo z a .im toolu
t.sL1 1 ;.lw:i.e , +,shG walume .

102 rJlet! 1 JOO phdlca sau Tond.walume

1 03 khoonioa n//e;;e aa nua x.~anttSa

20
104 tshdn teretc •a :!' • a, pa
105 tshtin terots'o m4nteha. a //•a. ?a

1 06 tax iy& /h1me:

L'1ngu tshdnsu,
t sha walU1Je, t&ht1 waluiae.
'l6ndo zn ,...ut, ,ola
tahit walume, toh4 walwoe,
1 07 lsnne nJst ldso,ro t:3h& •kt, oom ' k !~nte 1 1 •
108 Teh4walumena ew6 ku~ba gdlobae1 tn&o1• hi& h4rtga1'
109 kumbo k'4tl' a kwa4t~ •e pax hew~ swd s fyaa
110 howt! habi•tnea k ' waak' wa. · l'!a k'waak '41 '
111 hle~•na k' are hlawok~tshoc •e. 21 1Ueena

19 'l''h1e i o all 1nsul t., for tcl!J1A 1e a soall bido for &1 tting
on; to small fo~ sleepi ng. A sloop1ng hide is called
l ~·
20 'th1" 1s anothet> 1noul t . A man 18 given a p1•oper bowl
of porridge toge ther with a e~all dich for vegetables.
21 ~ho ~an wae born deformed because of w1tc~cra~t or
eorcttrJ' , er. not.e l (p.229). Sorcere~'o medicine i e
otten t.hought to be h1dAen in the roo~. The ~lat roots
ot Sandawo houses aro the mor t likoly hiding places:
t h~ "nc1n beams are overlaid cJ:>oAewiae with many parallel
rat'~r poleG and theee are OV$rla1cl with a dense row of
batt ..nn which ut•e coverad wt ~h i:-t"ani:. Tcro1 te earth
cover& 1 t all. From an ol d root b its ot bark, grasa
and earth co·nt" <'!own ri,gul.arl,y. At timeo o~ inlotortune
100 he l'ollowed he1• there , Si.ngin!!,. _,he gave him
101 {to s leep on] bu t he retused. 1 9 He e aid :

The fruits which have been 6 ivcn are

ot JOU?" hueband, or your husband.
M.he car ot' orahum 1n 1'J1tie ,
ot ,1our husband , ':)f Jou:c> huoband.
The rruite which have been g iven are
of your husband• of :,ov.r huobsnd.

102 And t hen afterwards ohc anc Tsh,walume

103 entered the house and the¥ cooked porri dge,
104 and she gave hiQ [hi e food) on a poteherd, 20 and he
105 nte from the poteherd. /.ne. he (went to] sleep. But he
106 Juat went on a1ng1r,g:

The ear. or ao!'ghum is mine,

of your hueband , of ~our husband.
The .fruits which have been given are
or your husband, of your huijband.

107 l ow then TJhen tuo dayo had p assed , then on the third,
l J8 indeed durine the l ong n i ght , 'tsh4walUll\e then , he got up ,
109 and i ndeed l'Ubbis~ ~oll on him , and pveoently be took
110 h is covering akin and threw 1 t ot·r. nten he had thrown 1 t
lll orr he became at onoe c handso~ :,outh. 21 And now

some o~ this may be recocnized as aorcerers' medi cine which must

have been hidden there by en ill-wisher. I n this s tory simil ar
rubbi sh with med1c1nal powers ralls on Kal6nkaka; it breake the
spell which nnd b~~itched hi m and mado him a crippl e .
In tales, not onl y Son6.awe, ugl y features orten peel off like
enake RkinA (cf. chapter IX) . Her c the ' ugly ek1n ' is r eferred
to a a ~ . thin 1s the cki n i n which babies are carried on their
mothers' backs. The llab..t11A therefore a teruporary garment which
a ohild will grow out ot eventuall,r. Y.al,1nkaka 18 hex>e shedding
h1B 'ugly akin' juet as a child shed.a its birth-skin, t h e ~ .
He emerges from 1t as a handsome youth , free f~om the ugliness
which had covered him s o ~ar. In l 1nes 149 and 150 the girl's
relatives oon:t'irm this when they say that the ~oung man had until
then been going about covered in rul ..h1s h.
243

,~ t
112 Si tar;dluc;e u.i( \:it" a.. li.lft ph<!

tho' 6st1k~.a: ''M,a1u1,

11.3 tho•euk~a l mbo ,
114 1/:t.t•o ta 'aokt'.l 1/' 6. " clweoa tho 'ootla 1/!.

115 tilee /11.!:ne: i na war.i.'.e:. ..,ga

116 blee' n/ om.Sstn ts ' a' l1 i /'ee1.

117 Aa tn.Ja. ,111.'o tho'osllkt'lltg,aa 1mbo al k.umbe

118 he t-. • ~x I r;i.! o., n//~hlJx.• mea l cbo , atl

119 oan'a' tuiayo . an ' 1:nc~ bll '~ art //' ! 1 a :hcwo.v66,
120 //• t 'a' tleeel. .... -.v~ g6lo1>aaS:. hl eo•
121 t~~e ht a• khoon&' n//,e //' ~snna1'
122 /'dewas i ~at t.~6'Juki n~iyo? , n a! a'
123 howJ hab~'e x~ //•!•na.
124 //'!:r.ga hlcc ' l h -1, ! ho, Hib. }llee ~fa
125 k!tatune•a tB ' oki aa h.lJ ntaa
126 paa '!.Jl! k' ak ' ae ·~d
127 humba n/wl.': tc • . I~ n l ! nkb , pat.

128 dfnga n/wdto'. Aa n!4nk'o pao

129 thdcfo n/w~•-- • • A' n Unk' o vo.a
130 ldtongca n/w~ta' t a• t~l 4nk' 0

131 paa twi a n/wlts' a' nZMk'o

132 'P8& n/11Jad. ti/v,cSts' an nldnk 1 o.
133 rllee' ix n: aa.' wueb ' 1 • b ~s •

134 po }'at: 0
hn, 8WO bas' tlda. off
135 teh~t~4. 3w~ tl 'os& b6 1 a!~•ts•a .
136 Jw~ b a s ' h!a hlok t~1 owe'na
137 t sh~ika. ~lda sw~ w6ezaae;
136 b,s' s·.,~ tsh~~ktt.
22

139 A ew~a hle buwits'a g1tl'o ! ye !'dnda;

22 Tho ot.oryulln:• states that h11d the young men not

bo_n caui ht by the othere , he would h8V$ ju.oped
into t he t'1ro. lU~tcr his skin , or elao be would
 24),j

11::? Si+ .. ·, lurw l ovec! hi~ . ell tl1c11, tlm ne,:t day <>he
113 told hor o1stc.r , anc'i to he:r ietox> [ehe snid): 11 .,':r>ier.d,
114 cor.:.e to rleep s.t n,y 0110. i ml now the EJie'te:r cauo.
115 And then the ~ong had ended [as tho mnn had gone to sleap]
116 a."ld then thes· vem hied looking et the man .
117 li.nc. !lO\\', t 11cH they told thei:t> cis teru and 1udeecl.
118 sll theh• fatho::-s , they t.old all thefr brothe1•0, and they
119 cug a co~~ pit. hen th pit became larg~ they lit a t i re
120 ( in 1 t], and tl1ey readied the !..ire. l,ow in the

121 at night , ~hen they entered th~ house ane went to s leep,
122 they rc1.1ained a~ake wi t'1 their sister , and they took
123 hio covcvine okin and car.·ie:1 :1 t into the fit>e .
124 'l'he £ire th~n crack, crack, crackled. Then, when he
125 ,1umJ;;ed up from 1:n.£ 1de then tnc.: ca'U&h t him
126 but he 1'1..)nt on aski ng l about his old akin] ond
127 ht turned into a co,. ~ey caug~t him firmly, bQt he
128 turned ir.to a eto e . They caught him t i rml;r, but he
129 turnoC. in to a t1·e~. They cat1Rl:t him firmly but he

130 turned 1nto a s~o~a,c;e bi n, ana they caught him ~i rmly,

lJl but ho tui•ned into a o1nd and th~Y caught him tir:ily
l.32 but he turned ir.to an elephant, and they caught him firml y .
lJ) Then , ae they were holding him like thi s , well then,
134 h~ ea1d: "Ah, now it 1e enough , t'1n1shcd. how it
1)5 1e all over. Now !tis enough and r have nothing {more]
1.36 to eay. lfow, well then, 1:f' 1 t ia like that , thon now 1 t
137 is all finished. Enough, now [you) have overcome me;
1 38 well then , now it ia t'inished." 22
139 11.lld .n,:,w then he , hit: fathe1•-i n-law gave h im n cloth;

l'..nve ea caped. ll'or thio wouJ.c! have been the reeul t o-r the
med1c1ne •s acti,>n h ad it b een allowed to oornplete Wldia-
turbed tho changea which 1 t had set 1n motion.
21. 5

11.;.0 ! • an! u a 1 'o ·:wa i i;1 •: d l'j -~-

l l+l 1/na 1je.

142 Y..hout& tsh~ t'1' tBht: ·i

143 6:~o. +~Jce pa tl ' u.nga lo ' ad( 't•

11..4 a' .. ~kc pea h~ : • oD. la• ac16 • t,

146 i,akan~ tui.-,~e li:' uM' 1,

147 baa' a• , ... •: ".w .. tl~n.
148 sti l 't'.m!po. 2 3 umba. iv om1~t1epo l 4aa

149 hlAa~o p:£1 kt :i t l t8 I ! in ...i

1 )0 we1.•.; ma •~. ,. F~ 'tn ' : w VI~ r,~dzaee

151 tl~n.
1 52 6•a t .. '1 ~··.:t.

fut l'o, ~/2• Told by r. Fam! e' Haganga at Farkt'la.

l Utaa n//oo th4mes• n//ostt hl,weaanki, a~

2 m4sux~1a // •4ana n!•wa to•dana.
3 J,my4ngale n/ll!nucu. 1 I /~4 u1yangale //M.a
4 th~4 ahlt16 . Hny4ngale r./wnusu, ewe!
5 n/wnuoUe' ¥1d~lo ~nyangale, ahl4, . 2
6 Swd6 n/ocdse hew~ hlawesank1 k'a~,, pa

23 The young 1ium' o re:f uool tc cone out 1e a ehow of

reluc tance to marr.r tile gi!'l who had at first despi sed
hi~ and t r euted him badly. i ia honour ie bought ofr
b., the giftu ot cattle, and followed l>J liia t;radual
emergence.
l t31nco eh& 1tent to the ..,ell with he,• mot her aho waa
etill stayir,£{ at her parental h oi::e . !Zal'2.~1ed women d o
thi e before childbirth, ct. p. 46.
l/,iO they 'al1 t">ld h i ~ fnthor-i•1-lew vnr. hP. ~:>ugh t him a cloth

1141 and lle ca!!:e a nd t:ave it to hi.... ( t ut the .:roung man]

142 tli~ n'lt c ome out. of the house, nnd [ t'l)e famil:,]

143 protuced a he!~er and he nhowod t heD a hana, anO t hey

ll.µ. p'.l'nduced [nnotl1er head ot cattle] e.nd he showed them his
14~ :f'a<:e , and t 1ey prod.uccd fo1• him onG :nol'f'! heifer , and he
lh6 cu o out ca f'ar ni h:lt chec t and ct.owed :I. t to t heu ,
lh7 wt3 '· t t hen , t.m<'I th<'Y ode: ''tow 1 t 1c ~nough . you will be
11,8 our fal"n- in-le. i. 23 f;'eally you wer·c a v~ry hande.orne per 1>on,
11.9 even 1~ t he past, but you ,,ere Joi ne ab,.,ut l cov{'red)
1.50 i r, rub. l t 'h . " l.nfi he s aid., " 1 ow (Jou] h aVf" ?Vl':"r c o:::e me,

l !Jl 1 t 11:J enough . •·

152 Here ( t'1e l't0·r>.r] ic.1 rtni ehed.

l Once t here was a young woman, a very prctt ~ girl, and she
2 went w1 th her mo tucr to t he well t or wat er. ,)he was
3 t he w1~e of Mriyangale. 1 The na!ilo •.m.14.ngnle i o the na~.e o~
4 tne c andel abra tree , lm.y4ngsl e 's wit'e , now sbo who was
5 h is wife was K1d6l o Mn.y4ngal e, the oaudelabra tree . 2
6 Now t hen, th1a man [U:ny4nga.l e] wao a handsome .vouth , ond

2 Abl.4t 1s ~he ' andawe name ror the Candel abra Eupborb1a; this
t1•ee i s cal led ~ in .:,an1V1ezi, a .na.:"le ~h1eh i s
i d~nt1 f:'ied. oy Bur tt. , 1936 ( ,o. l}j) , as ·~unhorj.>ia ~119ou1ar1a
o?' t!'>e rca ter Euphox> !a. 0,,ru-.e;all is aloo llvar d t thie
va1•iant i u \:O.uuci att;d a ... 4 ,n.£(!.o,•a,lf b.r the pro ent otory-
tel ler.
~~~ 1~ al so Bentu, ct. r wah111 ~ . f i nger. the
branch~& o~ the candol abr a tree point up l 1ko f i naora .
21.7

7 aw~a / 1 01 t6r. !a
8 "
ts•t~~~ n~'1 pa sw ' ~ m:'t-1.,
- ~=,I a 1....
~•,.ce
~- •
9 ' :!i hni Jna h·S n/u.musupo'i"' .:: a kll 1 ~

10 ' Mn.,,11~Q
• lA n/·.. "'USU~- I . . .
• ..._... - n \h .,

11 mak!!ase t. · ' ~, e;a~ ' k:Cr ' n ~6. !ri / '~ka n//inewa

':.Lt:'> / ' l.nk' n; / f ne:po ,

l~ th:faC,(.pO, pi ..ian ..rha, 11/ingi towt ,

16 hl dai n//l ne. - .(",1 ll1k ' i n//1ne Songa
17 tl 1 11.,a • ~w.... Joo . ''ar~' .Es1.,.:ic.a 1/1
18 to ' , a ...a. '.h, hewlkinn awe n/omcfoe'i'"

19 .:.ax ca : '.\h, l. o ~ia ax&i td

J·
20 mtlx.e , ts! ko n.i' su. ... ax ta ' 4asa ha,~tS

21 aax. h 1k' • Fh~y66 stta heed n/at!ta'onts '

22 we tshayo~ . ~~fl s ! tt. ' ' "'!a• n/at! '
23 hax }:63' koooe . - ' ,/u.11,. _: upo hap\! m>' g1
24 hlaw<> . • tS. ts ' d.ane. " eax aa:
25 "U1k ' i'" ' ts 'eko . 11
26 Tshf t dr1~• hl aw~.
27 TP! tR ',akl\ki bure ma~,a m~tshak1.
28 111$! n!'.,~ml\oc '. Hl&a n//1ncpo tnx." Sw~a hl~ '
29 d er.ti. Hlsu :ny4nt<alt 1aiia xd
30 hi k ' 1Joo l~! ttSmcnga. . 'ewtt ts ' IS.atktla n//eeka.
31
32 Saa hdkita•r aA sw4'a '

3 lUd or lUJ:.!.. i e tue wa,d. tioilal bed mada ot pole•,

or. note 13 on P• 176. the conatrJcti on i e e i mpl e i
two or· three. pairs of upri~1t poles with !'ork.s at
the top 1\.n•n the legs; two main beawe are laid t o
reet i n t he torYs, and. the joists called 11Ui1Ctnto
are l aid ac~oao t.heeo main beams. Some hi des serve
 248

7 n "' h h:.:d ~m·!":!.c~ her. ..r.en ttH .Y ( all tho women, including
8 h it 'l:i.t'e) wen t to the WfAter hole , then the hel\dman saw hf"r.
9 - ''l!e;,, you then, whose wi fe are .vou'i '' She eaio:
10 HT E.ilil ·.ny&n.,ule ' u w11"e . ·, l)Ar, t h i n ln.YMgale
11 hon no wealth, 1e 16 u bare pau.Per. ite tpeepe on a pole
12 oii rough j oistc. 3 OYI ic he t.hen [ ll Ulan) to l ove?
13 Le t ue ~o to lllY ho1ro . t ou , 11111e down on a pillow, [ lie )
14 on n ~a . ...i•ccs , c1.riuk tee. , t here .. ill be t>read , and rice
lj ! ohnll ocok ror Jou, ond you will eat, have meat ae rel1eh,
16 uuu you will sl oei, wen. rt .rou ~o to him to .aleep your ribe
17 \iill juo t be {lore. :Cou '17111 come wi ~'l morkinge ( all over
18 your body ] to the water nole . Ah , now 1o he then a nan~"
lQ She replied: Ah , althou~h he may be impcvteot, he 1e my
20 hUSbllllt;.t I.Ji.~3t ftv ;1.0 ."•!i .And ahc drt:'N ther] wate1~
21 and went. T'ae next day, at the t i me when they usualli come,
22 t.ell 1 .. t u .. c;s.:, , ot t;velve o 'clock, when t hey came
23 he wa., again pr~ceni.. [ He s,~1d): 11 ,ou wor11an, you o.re very
24 bcautif"-11 . Let uE. g o ho:.ie . " r:ut eh,: aaid:"
11
25 1 r eally won ' t go. " "Thi s very i ne.dequo.te man,
26 i e 1 t he w110 :mar1•ied you? r am Vf;ry handsotle .
27 Aleo , 3 t 1~ ho.a:e [all] things are free, and f.lO i s t'ood.
28 I ar:i the chi ef . You will juet sleep well." And now then
~9 he took her . Thi a ~ny4ngal e•e wife , he carried her otr
30 and h" ,,ent, the chief. He already entered h i s hoce .
31 And now , when he had en tere~ he put ~own a stool for hor,
.'32 he put down a stool tor hor. dhe eat down , and now they

ao a mattress . ti1noe the jo1ets are rough ~oles the com~ort

ta not great. I n a majoritJ o~ households the Swahili £itandap
a ~ope-sprung rram6 oed, has ftow replaced the ~ •h1ch is
atill r ound in the poorer homes.
4 n1.!Jl.U, J.11.:'we are going •. The plural ta ~oaet1Ees used
af'ter -~ (Ul'gency), showing a multiplicity or reaeons for
going.
33 k~~a• t.~ t ~, k a h1~ra tun~1e dlome! ,
5
311 b1 ,l-l.r·' clo:r.t • , t. h6: _:a / .. 'ta ....
3.'.i a• n/ ~ •awa.:, x~l\l t ~~·:wee, mtn sbaa.,
36 ., ,. j •(,.! )0

37 } V16 I , '.-: ~. i1a ,n.t.

38 / ' t!6or- te;hl u

39 kwn //' ak6t u t\V.

... f
.~.
r (u n/orufotto' htku?"
40 //' ~ paa ll ! • 'a
41 1:1okdnucts'a //'aey?" //'W1ta hik ' tt :1//a.
h2 H!a hlk'i n//e

44 hik'i~" .~-J.i !'JOk6ndo ts I il //' ahoo

4:> mtWmn ts'~eltti. - "Al' , nina 6 • tsi n/'11mau
46 13i1t~mu I !ts u. 11

47 11 Ah, hap11 il6s' tha111e tsusipo

48 xi·,ep,2!'ipok! ' o. 11 - "Ha~·~kina Rwe n/-,m~s~T>o?

,o .~ihd, th&etsu th~"letou thdmetsu n.e r • ge?

31 'l'sn.4a ~·iy! 1/1. !Ji.' kokl.a
,)0 1 Vla. 6
;>2 hs.p\i n:oiufo Han~x'1na
53 t~a hunta.&'? Te ' ~xe-nto.x ht:u hl:!a
54 /~e~ a ltnt;a hew,·, H:e 1f!' o haa //''!.
55 n4•enki tlar.ta ts •lx.e .S.taa inzl:1,
56 hewt1 • J6'kwe ts:!
57 po'o, 7
., '·ueko. hal!to
ne·N6kif
''
'H 't

5& Hl a4:/a ! Je /t.e, zttr.ge.ngo

59 inz, tlan, ts'exer.ga i1ta wi ' u

5 These are 1U7.UI"Y goode availabl e in the shops at the

trading centre~. ~nions are not grown by the Sandawe.
llinznr~ 1e a ,lI"ound condiment , a yelloll nowder toI"
eeaeonir~ aaucee . ~ i a ghee (boiled or clar1ried
butter) . These may be the mul t i ple ~easone rerer red
to in line 20 ( c t:. not e h ab ove ).
 25c

~J slau........o.•t:.c. a cn~ckc.n , ar.a he 17....:it and to-1glrt onions, Md

,;;4 he bouent 0111~eri , and he b1'ou t.t back boil.eel. butter5

~) ahl the J friud :l.t, und ~lie cooked .. oI· .h1::i, and thCJ" ate

y now her h·...mbar..d ::ac looking [tor lier ,

..,s a.mi. .ho vms loo: ir.g l fox· hc;r , but j she \7t-S uot t.1ere ,
..,9 '4:• ",ll ... u: s u.r. ..,, t. 'f.h , this v.11·e , where: 1s ohe·,tt

40 HO l a nt .. oJ , 18~1), &lld it, dawnf.d. re ... cmtl.7 he

41 i. ol .1..uw<;d .Ll(... .J.Ooi,S ..... p::; , a . •'-. ... o g dnu ho ax·i: ii.Ted at tt!.e ,1ell •
1,.~c.u .,e .l~r:.:.. ~o:.u.;; auc.l ..,..rrived l t 1ere] the water gourds

L,4
1t,e.1:e ., i,11:i

c:..oa.o-, 11 ..u1d
the1·t •

i>.O , ile J.
-·'
II
tliii-, wi1'e, ,herEJ llao she
ollowod the trncko ao fa.I' aa
J,J i.,nu chief'~ llon:.es. "Ah, ir> it here then \11"..Y my n11'o
1i6 bae not come, the c::iie1'i 11 [Aue. he addl•osveu the chie.1'] ~
•7 '"Ah, u:mt are Jou, haven' t you a ·,d!'o , .;ou who
'And ¥OU t}icn, no-.. , aro .1ou a eani
!9 .ot.. ..i10 huv1.. .. \ll.. i,.... (,ye..,.
1 _.h, be good and go away.

50 Vhat 1u ti11o i. crying) ·~ wi:fe , 111.Y -uire, my wife , she

51 It if:! I who took her and (made her] coi:"ie . You just go,
;;12 I 1:i:hall gi·,re yo-. yout> belongingG . 6 l,o,;r much then navo you
;;1) pa1<l at th.at tl.!!lu'? Only that one goat ,

~4 t.l\at one wi t11 tile green eye? And that one too, which 11 t
J5 t he 1"1re, tha t sheep o~ the pas t with the one horn,

;)O t.ll.at one , a.t'e you pt-oud ot tlu\t ')ne'i ,Juet apeak up

.> 7 ao I ma.:, g1 ve ~hem to you. 7 Tako them. ,.

::,o And Lthe ch1erJ gave him a !?Oat which had a l>ed eye
59 a n d a sh.eop w1. th one ho:r-n which 1 t had once broken

6 ~ho br1.de*ealth which Y.n/an~ale na~ paid ror hi s wi f e .

7 D:; of.t'cri r.g t o CO:j?em:a te !:L'l.;{angd6 -£01• hie br1deweal t h
t ho eh1sr pr~potes to ~arr y hiB wi re legally. For the one
who l ights the f ire, et . p. 43.
60 // ' :;l"i•' () •1/ ', J'Afl [> "t'J·• tl t 'l'

61 h!k' . !•,. •s . .,,, ~·kr1s ,,.f/U. I!a

G3 tr! n/t"li sa!l •·'lx ,.. f ,..., ~aro? // ', o~' O"~• '' rwtta
6!~ h~r.gf! lJi' l- n·' • "0"' •cvr.fa

65 n//t,t ~av ,# " '..,1 .f t .... ':

linJ Jngt4.1.~ Jy-:,. T'..J &nt~oL: ,

un "11n:c., ,,~ r , · .. t ,, i· , ' t.
:lioe z.:fai ydne;u, 1•n:,Angt'lle,
?!ipe r!zi ,YWlgu, n :ttm(;ale,
8
.C,t,.' ht , ....rJ...; a ·~ale.

66 Go. t haweteile •wa / hime khoots 1 ea 1 ,,ri

67 k it! /• ank •an:

D,1"6 t66J.e Tem\H:,,

Dy6d t 66lt" 'l'el"lbO mfoe,
Mgoi,1 ¥/al'lf,
D".;66 1.<ic~J c irenbo. 9

69 H~u i·.!zi nki . Ho tao 1rt.:1no?

·- ----- --- ...

8 The hu ·bi:md' n li')nr- 1e ont:tr elv r1acl11 up or Ban t u

eleaen ts . ; .~ nu.Jressos his wi!'e no lln;n1ngale whi oh
1s p?Fnibly sh:,:rt :t'or ncMl o J.:nY~ngale ( eee l ino .5);
a l thOUt;,ll 1-h u 6 i1)rytvll..,1· uao tol.d un that her hu~bar,d • o
nl.U:~ i n Ml.iy~n~ale t~ie in real y the name or t he wite,
aud t irn husbnnd ' r• nru;1c i f> Tel!:hc Y1hioh ~ca.11s ' El ephan t' •
After he 'o.d t'inished h 1f' r.tor:, 1,he otm•Jtel lor n;;:reed
thot t.e m1&ht have h d h is r.ru:cs mixed up at the begin•
n i ug bofox"' he arr1·.red at the i,nrt v,!l~re 'i:h,. tongs 9re
sung. ':'he dfe ' s hlenti ty ae Uny4ngale bocomer, oleur
lat e r when ehc turnc 11.to a candel abra t r e e . f"roJI the
next ~on · , ... hd f1· 0·. line 74 we ~ee thnt the hu3band 1 ~,
nm.:ie i s 'l'e~bo and n.>t Uri.yroi:fale .
Ru1. ( or J.~, at" i n line 69) is prot.oct!ve
medicine ot the ki~d which 1a ottcn w~rn on bead atrtnga,
El nn l ·n t:. e '•" i: l1lt1l he 11rr:i,..ell et home . mum he
6'.? ho"' u ... "':1.r u :le thou·•ht a."" til.,.,ur,;ht: " ~o th1P ch1e~

'i3 hr!r r ·11·, t •kc-m ..,,., \,it'e? 'nh! ju:;t wa1 t . •• And now
'h ·,,, '16- •0 tt1·~..,. ··ry and '1e ,Te1•t a..,d r1Jt11rned [ to the chie:t' 'e
r:3 1-,;.,.~J , ht• ar-10 i·.r'c! •·d eat · "wn outside. [ 'e then oang]:

t,i V<' me m.•1 wnlle t, Ucy111pal'},

~1ve roe my ~mu.let, Mn.1111itale ,
~vQ~ on, ~1.1w.sule. 8

66 And ehe, the wire , eana while sne waa in the houee
67 Bi tting on a st~ol:

Ci,me and get 1t, "~l t>':'.>h o.n t.

Come and gp t 1 t , ro:, Elephent,
.1.,.riend of mine ,
"orr•e ~T d et 1 t, Eleuhe.. t. 9

11
63 - • t.L, [ tho:; chic!' asid j, wt,ai kind of pro:,ertJ· has he?
69 'li.1e a'I.ule t [ hu1· 1nea s ]: hat Gort of ~mulet ts i t then?
70 Go ol.t.t tl.en e.nd giv-e it to him. I 'll ,;ivc1 you muoh ('?I.ore ]
/l of 1 t . " ut 1:hc ,,as ellent. .Ana. [her h,:eb1md} sang:
-----·-----------
bangJ.as,
in blcp11ant-hair or in necklacee, ct. Swahili
htci.U, •charm, amulet ' (Joanaon, 1951, 134). The usual
Ssndawe t~rm ~or medicine is IDJ.rifiL
9 Tl ~ .. ii'~' a r.0113 ia also en tiz•c ly an tu. .it:I.2Q. 1£' e.
cor1•u:p t ion of the Swah11 i ~ . • co na ' • 'l'n~, • talte i:,ut •
or ' give • 1" :t'rorn tu-•.Q(J..h, cf. note 11 011 P• 236. ~~.
' ~lephant' ,s Bnntu but com~only und~r~tooa by the Bandawe;
it i s tl.! ·1snal ri tutl nCJ11'- fo:- an e lopha."l. t . S i nce 1 t 1s not
uet•d ae e. pro:>..r namo but ol~or1y un~orstood as ' Flephant•,
t?!c .va •e has be, n to translated in tho song. l:!&1.u te t?'ana;-
la ted as ' :t'r1end ' ">)ecaueo th1<· ir- the !'leaning \Tfhieh the
st(lr:rteller atti•ibut;ea to it. owewir, o-r. Swe.h!.11 ~ ,
•a bad omen, bad luck ' (Jol~nson 1951, 287); considering the
end of• the e tory thie oe1ming would f1 t the ei tuatton
rathet' well.
 -UJ w.uu.:.i..:.,.., , Ml••Ju.........,i;a...J..t) f

·{. lf ~ . J
* .11 •c ,
, jne t.'1n"' o q~,: .,., • ny:."nr;al~,
.:.,1pe t l1nda .rlln{."U, .~Mi,;ule,

-~· au• , •·••..'{.:.IIL.,.d.C:: •

72
:ir~o t-Ble 'f'el! l>''J,
.)Jo6 tMle -el!.DO wAI.t.,
-Gv:':>1 ·u ...4v ,

•5 ~ ti'., :"
'c. o.

I:> "si::,;oi:: l wane" k&. t; hcau ,nax~, n 11

74 cnux.e 1/~l:1 1ea 1 '.1:eait,o. l'

7) "Ah, ! • ,..ako. .... w~•nn hambl)

76 u4 'o~ ' vMic.a t~.n.\!.asa t.uke , ~a

77 l..1e, .. i;,e ·-;u:.ndanga, paa .ntlt '1ndat ana

1
78 pet. . ia /n:1.t.10:

1...iv~ngulMye, 1"'nydn.F,sl e ,
.l.1.h.frul&U.!.t
. J.; ~ 1 n;rdur;~l~c ,
,U~io t.(u-.aa -y dng-..1, n.r~ngele,
.ape rhi ;rilneu, ~nrm1Jale ,
sa• h~ . ~nyangale.

79 Sw~ ' g&-"tl : "!.'.i 'e t11'1.c.a !;)0'.V~

80 hax h6 tt9~ t '1nua'ier l'r.x ka ' :12

DJ ~o t$:5le Te ·~v, •
UyM McSJ.e Te,~bo v1~ne ,
Mgosi w4ne,
DyocS tool..: '.fet:100.

------·- --
10 Al t hougt1 the unnd~we a:rc ~u't' ounded b y oo~e largo
Ban tu i ribt<G. , Ean tu wo r•da i n a 011ge are o.t' um not
undel'ij tood . Ao t\ Ni.le the 1.i tt r a l !'!le e.nir..g ~f' e t ory
eon.go 1a T1c+, perct.iive<1 l>y t1•e a,1d i e nce when t he
&lementa e.ra Bii.ntu. HerA t he s t ory t..eller tit~.ao 1 t
n e coes ary to (.>,JCPlain (rat11er t mn tra:nelate) ~
mst, a i.d to t e ll h is a udieneo that ~ 18 a msn•e
name; withou~ this ex~lanation they might e•e in their
i magina tion a phy-1cal elephant.
 ,
. .,; ... J.. , .:d,.
1,,1' ,;.J.l\ '
Give n~ ·~ r he~d"' t 1 ·r•11 'ilP,
Jive m.e my 'head8 1 ir..y,1ngale •
l;Q,1.j(. on, .i.J.Jra.,._..,01~ .

72 (And sr.e r pl1ad]:

G,,:nc anJ ~(1t t t, lt>1}hf1· t,

Co.::ie a nu r;et 1 t., r.:, :1c.pban t ,
.c.:!euu OJ. II.inc.
<.'t .:t, 1

7J '..-1•ielld of mine" , tliey say, ia. ht'r husband, and

,4 t.no huoob.id' i:. :r1atuc, they say, it. Elupban t. lO [ ~he chi.et'

·1'.> eu1ll]: ''Ah, gi'le him hb l th1ngu] . lio t..hen, 1,1he1•e ai·e
'Iv those t:.hinc>o, 11 va& theu took uut. the oeads and sho
ti ga"e tllera to llin, , he cook the oeade .auG put them i nto [his]
·1u oox. 11 And h~ w....r...g:

Oh i.:11Y,ngale , witnrale,
vh .. n.;;ui.t;ule , J,1'ah«;ale ,
.i vo m 1 'be adc, u .. ttru.;a le,
,i ve r.ie my am\2i_o t, }!nJiingal~ ,
Come~~, i.!n7dr.gale.

7(} She th0 n on1d: "I have alrf:P.<l.r ; 1v t'n y-ou y l')ur bes.ids,

~o ao wni1 t bea<to I do J'OU want now]?" B'u t s he sang , 1 2

C'lmt'l am ,·~t l t, lUepha.t,

r.ome ar!.d gt" t 1 t, rr.y •lephru: t ,
Friend of mine ,
Come~ and get it , Elepnant.

---- --·- --
11 ' .!'lo ,>ande.we t:.ol:e cylir.drlcal boxes x·or pert.onal bolongi r.gs
out of. tree bai'l:. 'inc join te are i; ti tched together wi th
thlr, e tri p£ of' bs.rk .t'ibre and ru:.;r ~"e11.~ 1r 1ng ua:rr,ow openings
ar <i plae , re{\ ()Ver w1 tr.. termite clay raixed with fat .
12 flU. lu\,!. ( :1r cnnlJ) 1n the vornucular text 1e a in1c take of
the 1ncr .1teller; thi s ahould read ~ u (6he e ong ).
25;

81 _ It.AX,, t•wako l,tH.:\1 :.,ak44. 13

82 i!<Stsona pii mn 'alo mak 'l 1 0, t.1' E1ako

..
. ..., •t •wa. 11 Pax ! h :Sm'li.

84 -:
»n.y~n n:il ~(, I"! , ) rt ' "'ale,

,tn1~nt~alo • lt:':' , n.rt .nt,alc ,

.Ni ne r t ni y~n11u, Mn.ydngale,
NiT>e ,..!y.j. .r~n tu, Mny,ngale ,
Ha' htS, ;n nfa;ra J.o.

8!) - :

DJod to61~ Tembo~

lJ:, 66 t.661- Tei:,1, o .v~Je,
!'.gos 1 w{me,
D.ydc5 t6ole Tern' o.

86 - "In, t•wa' ko'k~ ir!zie~, u~ he,~

87 il'bina ~~nor. Bw~ ' o?tt ax ka t :

88 llt~h, llnpl.1':ta • marac! po':'

89 hi a ka ' 1ye: 1~!~1, 1~! z1, nf ~
90 k4' hdbe?1 5 Zi g:tda l:ik:! ":.u' !te
Sw~ ~nt>e hle '

93 nare hl'd hle • , man4apo t ut

95 th4motsunaako m~t'Jne'- ' • I l•e ' s1 ' l 'h11

96 wa '~Att ire . Pox /h1nc za~h4 1yl ij: l 6

1.3 hut !Uk.'4 C"lct.• p:r>opel"~1eo) nhi,uld !'nAc' l::.·Th~ rl"L~J1.

(hie nr opor t1ea) .
l!~ -m mea:na urgoncy, antl w1 th an a <1 ~1 t.ioual -ls.d 1 t
1ndioateo e.xt l'ee1e anxict¥• •...ae C'.ea11i x-.g- v u.lue i "
a.a l L I'O{.t,; a.. '.._', ht. a\l .i.. a ..,al.v'.
ldz.~ : 1.nf -,i, 1 i>rot(':·tJti VO ~d1 C i TI" t , 1$
the V!Ora.

g1ven the t'e!Mtlo &ui'J. 1 X - 5 i n c:011.tetlp t .

 256

81 - 'Ach, [ the chief saicl J, ..,.i ve h i m h i r. pro:ver tion. 1 .3

e2 ~ h:r t ~en are :,ou be i ng b:·oubl"'so~e in -;.,o a wa.v. Tako

63 an 1 .;1vc thet. to h i m. 11
Antl h J.'cll sil<n t .
8l.i ( But the husband r:ang):

Oh ..., Jr ·ale , ,n..)'ln ole ,

Oh n ~ ale, · n Gn "l< ,
i ve ~ m:f 8.!'"Ulct, • t •le, 4

i\•f!> r. :r a 1.:1e•, n ·~n ale ,

c.,me on, ·ny, •. ·ale .

Come and get it , lephan~,

Co'l!e an-3 g«: t 1 t , my l ephant ,
l:'r1end of ·i1ine ,
~OllC ar.d wet 1 t, lcphe"lt.

66 "Ahl oh· E.:i ve tii m then 'ds Q, ui...• t , l4 ,iia

he 1~ ..9lied:

~d 11 ~ell, t,nv~ ~ou then t .c1J 1·.t 1 i .c ...... 0 -,ns my hour t

89 ,hen ht. it. c.t'J::.n_: t1,..ul t, £i ul t . ~ i lOU,

90 nhat r,111 ~,ou say [ to th&t]<: 1 5 .cw t;;iall I ~ .ke out roy
or really H' I t 1 ·t1

take otn: r.Vf heart and ha:r.t 1 ., ov r ..,

95 now dH1 he love thot ..i·o ,nn! rt' n' ra.n:r l!)·:)]''9 ]

96 &rie wcul:1 bt• ol. ing n u1 •

15 Like 'JH=tatel"n Eul'~pcon~ t ,n ow bel ' ·,ye +1rnt cmotione ,

cha1•ec+.er anc1 love l"e~1de 1.n t • hea.,.. t .
16 l.nother :! naccuz.tH'V ot' t; ,,; t.()~ytcl l l"I ., •J Yornacular text
ca:,s: • And h.c, who waa ott tl3 1 do , £ ang• ins -coa<i o:t r .tUld al",e
1
\7h0 WOJ 1AS.!. de , f;lall/J: •
 Dyd6 t66J.e Tembo,
....,~6 1,-',61~ Tembo 1,6n<" ,
b;Oll1 'ltki'lC ,
i)yM toolc o.

97 nax Tero.to, gn k!l t:

ttn:,t.nga 1((.,yu , r.:,fo v.al.e,

M.ny4ngd6,ye, n:,t,~alie ,
:f.ipC X"1.Zi i{~ngu, !ill ran &le,
din~ p:(z.1 r1n:""lt,
Ha• ht§ . Mny&i:.isale.

98 86.X /himt,; kl1oots&a 1 ro;

)yoo to6la 'I'el':lbo ,

.Jyc~v tMle T~ml:o wtfae,
1 'gosi wruie,
Dy&6 t6ole 1'embo.
9q - "Ah, t' walto." Sw~'aa zlg1das~ 111.:re

100 sa tl'll'sa xee 1ye.

101 ''Aare hl4ai m~t~mu mj~n~ h~u tax. zig! da
Pa ka':
103 "Ah, :t •wako.
104 fyeko. "
105 Po~ zakhd iye /hime:
V.n.y!1u.g,.lt-«- r1;;, 1•,) •i$• "'iJle,
K.n,nt ngalt!~ye, Mn.r:1n~al~e,
H1J;)3 r :Czi ~ ,ogu, l4t.:..,·ifo >s.lc ,
I,ipe t>!z1 Ytfo'"'u,
lla • h~ , 1ln ·,&n ~·a1 e .

106 'l'lhl.nna k ' eo i;re.

Dyo& tooi~ ·.1.embo •• ,

1 07 Headk:1 tehaa t , hla I/' ak!,

'"',<~~ t 111e 'e1,bo,
Dy&& t6ole l'ol\lbo wwie,
llgo&i ,n~.e,
u:,v6 t1.• ~ le, Tcr..oo.
 2.58

Coi.,c and h;et it, 'l epr.unt,

Goi.. and. ge t it, :;.._y leph&2,t,
'ric nd o!' mi r.c ,
Co r-. d get it., ·l.ml.tt!lt.

97 m•S lenhar, t re-pl.1th :

Ch l:.Y Jn •c.le, ale , f.U

Oh >UlYMtsaJ.e, ...-i., b•.lb...u.e ,

UiVt: f.. iey amu.Let, •
,f~ I. t'\l.t: t

uivc 110 my a ...u..:t, : , ~ 1~,

~orate on, n,Ybi1&,al ~ .

98 And nhe nho '18 • i n t'h ho 'uo, sun-::

,, ,i.: t"' 1rr1 i <' t it, lt"'phant ,

Come and et i t , ,,...,., :i.. ha t ,
l<'r1end ,;,£ r:..ine ,
Con::e auc, get 1 t , ,1 uh . . .n t .

99 "Ah , give 1 t to him."

1 00 and she w~lff holding 1 t i n ,u,r nand , t 1an<... a:it; ~stJ.]:

1 01 ' Do Jou really love t,1.1i; ffc.:lJ. , <.! • • .i.~ ..· , thlf' im&rt na•c ,
102 do you realJ.y wtAni; 1 t all :t'i ght'i" /,no ae 1~epliod:

104 C..ive it ·i;o }.it.-:. ' An1! 1:u~ oaid; ' ,o, .. cvi..lc. no t give i t
l.05 to him." .Jut he who WltS outi,side, sang:

Oh 'L"lY.tngalo , ra...ydngsle ,
Oh t'ny4.ngale, .r.nyl!r..gal~ ,
~iv ~ ~c n; a. al~t , ~1 1
Gi vr oe m..v amu1,-1, '!,, r~r.r,al o ,
Com~ on, ';i:.,&ngale.

106 t!e then waH CO'l1pl o teJ:v w<h:•)ing. (~he i; .. g,._--i to reply-]:
.,
(,, ...
lOi' And ehe too , her tears d.r•uJJ.weu. uow1<!~.i:. f,J..,- .

Come and ~e t it, ~lephant ,

Come ani5 i.et i .,, :r.s 1 l c:p.tic.:.~ ,
.'rifn!!l o-£ ...:i ne ,
'o e , 1. gf't 1 t, -J ,,,..,,,.,,.t.
259

l vB I r!ziea tax h!ea tl'U'nasa ! y~1',

109 pa ew, a mi'itunduna hia ts'uka•,1•, pa ka ':
110 ''Kwa .nt1r i " ny4r..J81.e."

u~&6 t &6le Teobo w6ne

boe 1 w6ne ,
17
· ;ydngale, kwa h6r1 l ny~ngale .

111 Sw«!o l':! a 114ng a h! k ' 1, h!a tax

112 n1k '1 t s '6nk~a h{a n//eei ', hds u in; 4ngal 6nsu
113 n/u.muotta Tembo n/wnusi1a h~nga
114 aw6sa ~ldt1sa n/,·.rdts •.
115 ..,t1 kh6oea wala•stf,
116 gor6f ako
117 ahllc!a 1 •6• e.S n//ume. 18 ~w~a mti tema
118 k ' wtita8 s wt!a g6mi tl'apd:
119 t l, tl, tl, ti tl tl •••
11
120 1 iiLlmu kh~o' te h6teae
1.n x4, h6teaa x,, h6 tsaa
1 22 wt1'a t\11 1 ahl~Eia / ' 6'! n/ / ume mohi m' kia.
123 - ·• i6a 1 ua rntl~ mu h~u·, ..
124 Pa ka': " Tcmboa k u ciba

125 ahlMa J 'rut6oo,

126 /•uw6ott,yoo ei ~!o• n/om~au wanad4mu,

17 Having torn out 1er heart and handed it over to hor

husband, Mnylingsle d i es and her husband b i d e her
farewell. Tho eo,;g d~scr1be s her departui•e into death.
18 The J endawe have no traditional ohi ero , out the ir
s outhern neighbours the OOGO have. The c h ier•a house
of t he tale ie one with a eeoone floor an~ a tin roor;
t t.ie 1s whtt t t he t>andawe 0£ the bush 'be lieve an
i mportan t ohlef' mue t be 11v1n,1 in. HeaHJ.ential h ouses
are only known from t he tales of peopl e wno have
travelled far afield and who have been to towns . Wi thi n
 26(.

1 08 And when she then gave hin the amule t i nto his hand.
109 and when he t hen shut it in to h i s box. he said :
110 ''Oood-b1e , n:, .tngale. 11 t And she sobbed]:

Come and ~et it, my :1ephant ,

t<'ricnd of' rnir.o ,
• n;, 4ngale, good- oye Mnyttngale .17

lll Now t hen , ,vhon he go t up , he wen t away• ano when he ad

112 gone and ar1•lved at home , she then, t he 1 nyttngale
113 who wee his wite , t he wlt'e or ·,lephant, got up
114 end now sh~ changed in to a candelabra tree.
115 She broke the t i n- roo~ed house [of the ch ief by gro~i ng
116 through the r oof) and where the stori ed {house ] had been,
117 there stood a shady cande labra tree. 18 How the ohi e:f
118 waa .frig tenod antt now he beet the drum. [ to call up the

119 :people J: tom, tom, tom. tom t om tom •••

1:w [And the people v,ondered): ''At tha chi ef' s houee , what ie
121 wrong, what i e wrong , what b ...ronE,t't" lY'hen t hey

122 came out hastily there stood an enorir.ou& ahad,Y candelabra

12} tree. .. Jho t then 1B the matter w1 th the ch ief'/''
1 24 And ( the c hief'] said : "It ts .it.lephan t who 1ndtied
125 has carve d out a candel abra tree l i nto a woman),
126 and then he ~arried her and I thought she was a human wo, an,

the tr1bel area t here are only two buildi ngs with a second
floor: the e~tended primary school at Xurio and the
pr e&l: ytery or th<-' llieeion at •'a rkwa where the priee ts live.
It i o quite 1nconce1vablc that an ordi nary dancawe
cou.~tryman could ever live i n such a rrand1ose od1r1ce
whi ch to h1Q i o an object ot wonder and admirat ion.
Marshall, 1962, reports that the %Kung Bushmen believe that
Cod lives 1n a etori~d house with a t i n root.
261

127 hl&wetheoa, s!ye pan 1~~ /h1meyoo

1 28 tm1ndtlsa ! yelJ 1r!z1n)C1 s ~ ! ye .
129 pa h4n£a h! k' hew, te 1 4akUa h!a n//oei '
130 ea h4u~19 htblg& t1t1•~ k'
131 h1a1yoo kwaa ahl~~a /•6•!
132 n//ur.ie . 20 Yi mba ahl~,a h~u Tembo / •uwe.
133 ;,ngo ki mba wanad4m • n/ om6eo ~a•ari£a& ' hewf
Tsf nge tleega t mbonki .

19 ~ : to wail like a mrena. Hyenas ar e t hought to be

the fami liars o~ witches, and b uoi ng thi s torm for
the sobbing of the woman the chief i mplies that sbe
wat. a witch.
20 In lines 117, 122 and 131 the tree is des cri bed ae
shady. After t1n1~h1ng hie t ale the storyteller
com anted that the tree had a large dark shadow.
hadows ore asoooiated wi th spiri ts, deat h and witch-
craft. but tho tree 1 taelt' has the eame s i gni f'1 oance.
The wood ot the candelabra tree is extrome l y l i ght
and can be ca:rvo(l enaily. A oandawe victi m ot witch-
craf t uses it to make an etr t gy of the per s on whom he
believes t o be the witch, and then he will place i t
at the witch' a uoor 1n the small hoUZ"a so thnt the
latter will Geo it first t hing in the morni ng, and
take fright. Iilo.r an arrow i s made to point at the
chest of the carvi ng, killi ng the witch in eff1~3·
ti.loot~ real witch-kill i ng t ho candel abra t r ee
eerves ae o medium. The witch will be l ured to tbe
1'oot of the tree which ha.a been hal f cut t hrough in
advance ; it i s then made to fall on top of i t s v1ct i a ,
burying hi m alive i n the bush. .r t hout be i r1g gi ven a
proper burial the bodi e s of wi t,h es a re l hv~ l e tt to be
Oevoured by hyenao, thei r own t aru111are . 'l'kle tree i e
aleo ea1d to look l ike a ghoot ci~tg•imA) i n tho
darkness of night; its brano ,ee poi nt up like long
 262

1~7 a beautiful one; I took her but [her husband ] kep t a i neing,
128 and ahe gave h i m t"le l cads , and ah-0 gave him t he amulet,
129 and he got up and went to h1n hor.ie . and wheu he arr ive d
130 back she wailod like a hycna 1 9 and rose up wi th a rustl ing
131 noise and at t he same time a ehady candelabra tree stood
132 there. 20 Indeed, a candelabra tree this El ephant had married.
133 I [ now] eoe i ndeed i wh3'] human people aro warned tor t his,
21
134 now. tt Ao rot> roe , my word.~ t1re now f i nishe d.
135 'tho ending is here .

r.:,enac1ng fingers. Havin~ no l eavc.:s ?1ut onl:f s ucculent

greon branch e set w1th tho~Pr- , t his ~noual ous t r (e se"ms
to aeoumo t'Ol'ie human eh.apoa in t he dark . The candelabra
tree 10 thue thought of as the witchos • t reo l2AI: exce1ionc1.
,iut 1 t i G aseoo i utul with deot h 1n Jf't another oense. 'rhe
Gap of ono var1et~, celled d.9~, 1A extre~ely po1sonouo
and !'ori.se tht" 1>r 1nc1pal 1naredi e t ot' Sandawe arrow poi sons .
21 Int"ormant s have given ruz,ther comment s to this tale which
boil down to the f ollowing: Si nce Elephant had carved the
woman out of wood she was not a human bei ng with hel' own
rights and her own free will, but bcr husband ' s property
like no wo.:ian can over be. ,,'hen a g irl i o g iven beads
tb.eee becol'ile bel' own abaolute property and a husband cani ot
dema.Jld them b~ck i nn divorce . ~ince ~~ale was Tembo•s
prope~ty her boads were hi s too ; ohe only handed them back
because she wae an un- person. \Jhen ehe also handed over
her heart she bocame complotoly de- hur.uul!zed and all that
rcma1nod waa tllo woo~ ot the original tree ehe had be en
mide ot. Quite s 1gnir1oan1 lY t his was a witches ' tree.
Her act of giving her heart to her husband has thero:fore
a s1gn1~1oanoe which 1a quite differ ent from the European
idea of giving ono• o love or loyalty.
 263

Recorded by Dempwol ff, 4th ~ay 1910. ~ranelated from Dempwol fr •e

text .iO • 54 (1916 , 1.52- 5) .

[There were] t\vo youths . The ont youth' s nn~e was Ule,
the other ' s was Lue . The youth [ called] Ul e was verJ handsome,
but he , Lue , wae ugl,1. Two very boauti:t"ul maidem; turned up
1
to conclude fri er..dohi p . When t hey nad turne,:1 up, they asked:
1
• ,11 youths make [gi r ls] beautiful, t r.ey tie beude ( on thee];

don• t .vou bi nd them round the wai& t', " 2 •hen the ma i dens had
turned up a nd posed the queoti on , they [the youths] t hen both
otood cloaoly next to or.e another and asked : 11 01:rl e , whi ch

l De mpwolt f ' s text r,eade A ~ Lmu..!!. Thie ,nay mean e 1 ther

' so they roa.1 make 1 .-:>ve • or ' no th~:,, may conclude triendflhip •.
i r om what follows we r.ay conclude t hat the second translation
1a to be pret'e.r•r"d, of. note 2 b<•l ow. Jc,.npwol t't' chooeee the
same t ~ansl at1on ( reundaahaft R£bl1eRsen. •to conclude
f'r1endohip •).
2 U1rls obtai n t heir bead- otrinss by r eceiving presents f1•om
their parents, vis iting rela t i ves. and i'rom admiring youths
ae tokens of f rie ndshi p . In this way ther may collect a
cons i derabl e bundl e ot' strings i n due course. u,ads are also
gi ven i n marriage propooals (cf . p . 41) and i n lovers•
situations . A bride who is no t a vi rgin haa t o indicate who
haa taken her virginit~ (o~. p . 44) . She proves the man's
identity by produci ng the stri ng of beads or any other s mal l
present he has given her on that occasion . Sandawe g i rls are
taught that tney muot alwaye secure a g ift f or thei r
vi rgini ty; t radi t ional ly this io a string or beads.
,1ben 3ouths openly give boade to a g irl during the day
thi s i s merel y an a cknowl edgement or the g irl' s popul arity
or a s i gn of tr1endl.Y reapect. This i s the caao here. The
signi ficance of Oandawe bead 8YJ11bol ism i s thue enti rel y
dependent on 1 t 8 context. The transfer of an eepoc i ally
valuabl e set of beads , or or any other a1gn1f1ca...~t g i f t,
would amount t o a proposal , oven i f i t i s made openl y and by
day (of . t he gi tt of sorghum i n text No. 14).
 264

of: us i s the mos t handsome?" The girle eaid: "The moet

handeo14e 1e Ule , he 1a very handsome • ., (And 'Ol e then aokod):
"!& for :,ou t hen Lue handsome or ugl y'I'" ( The gi rls r e ; l 1ed) :
" t1a1 t until (other] girls have come. " So they waited anxiously
until the [oth~~] gi rls had bound their beads around the waist ,
and came. 3 " Wllo i s the lllost handso1m,1•• "The handsome one
i s Ule , he i s the most handsoi:te.,. Lue waa t i red of it, a.v!
Each tic~ when 0 irls awne, then next (they sai d that] Ule was
the most handnome. He was re all:, annoyedh [ antl tho~h t):
1
' Wait, Ul e , t ill I revenge [myself] . " [Another day Ul e ea1d ]:
u0ei up , Lue, l et us go herdi ng. 11
.A.nd they went t o herd. 11ley
~ound a well. The well was deep. [and ) the water was far below.

3 'lhon gi :rle S9 out to a dance or to meet the o .;ys they make

t hemselves pretty by donning their beads . ~~ven though they
wear tnom around the loins tho beads are plainly visibl e i f
a girl 1B dreeacd the tradi tionul wa,J'. ,,owadaya loin beads
aro covere~ oy the ~earer•e drees, but i n the est the
customary l e ther aprono onlE partl:, c~vcred them. "'here
were also apecinl aprons i n .1oe which wore made er.tircl.y or
beads(~ s4Ebal1, ' bead apron(&)') . 'ven :>en wore beads,
er. Jonck , 1894, 292; Baumann, 1a94, 112, ,ives an
illustration. A good bundl e of beads i s not only an ornament
but also a e tn tus e,YJDbol because 1 t sugges to that tho o\mer
is a popul ar person. On festive occaelone man:r boad strings
are als o worn around tb.e neck. Jfhen a girl c omes out ot the
eecluaiot1 0 1' her i n1 t1at1on, or when a bride 1£; taken out
or hor con:f'1nement, her ramil.Y heap on her as man~ beads aa
tneJ can t i nd so that her wealth or ~oads may be admi red by
all and sundry. This not only serves to make the bride look
beauti ful and to present her aa a popular per son, but it
also show• up to advanta._.e the wealth o~ the .fami ly.
Photo .o.10 shows n 6 1~1 i n her fin~r/ af'ter ini tiation .
4 Dempwol rt•o text gives 1~tarao0Yo. Tatara-11§. moana 'having
t iredness•, 1.e. ' being t ired ot oomething•. The eufrix -~
1ntons1t1ee t no ~eaning to •being ted-up•. Dempw lff ueans-
latea Lue •was 1'ur1ous• ( ~ zUtgng).
 26!'>

i'hey let down a long pole an· put it up [fi r~ly] .5 " Wa 1. t
with drinking fro 1 tn1s .for-away deep-away a ter • '' Lue a61d.
"Ule, wa1t , drink afterwards , wait oo I ma., drink :t'irst. "
'Luo drank first and climbed up {the pole, out o-r the well] .
"Ule, go down then.« And Ule went down. Luo { then] took t hat
long pole out ot there , and went to throw {it awa.1]. Ule said:
"How &ball I climb up?" Anet Lue (replied]: ""'ach e.as when we
went, t he girls said: Ule 1$ very handsome , Ul~ is the most
handao12e. ·,ow I have ha~ enough o!' 1 t, I ehall make you suf t'e1>. "
"Oh woe , .vou make me euff'er like that'l" And [ the other]
said: " Yee ." And he :t'ollo~ed th~ cattle, and he k illed
a head of: cnttle, { sayin.s]: "Oh yee , oh ;1es , l ellnll do this
properly. " And he tooK t he akin and he. plaood 1 t on top or
the well ee a oQver, h~ applied 1 t to the well'& openi ng as a
cove r, he took negs and he pe,:,:ged down th~ a1r!et! l of t,he akin ]

properly; llh11\; ho i-.etUI'Jied r t.o Urn well ] l.o tactencd them

properly. lie l th(tn] sot up and horded l t.1e ctt t t l <' J home , he
herded on un~il he arrived at hoi:ae. Ule' a mother 1nqU11ed:
11
" ilhcre is Ule't - ''Mo, no , I do not know, Ol e hal" c ome ahead

5 Ankerr1.1ann, 1906, doeo~ibes e~cavat~d pit ~ells in ~ u

( Rimi country, weot 01• Sandawe h li'onok , 1894, me1.tione
s1m1la1' well s 1'urtl1cr east, a.nC1. hoenig, 19!;)2 , describes the
deep »ells or uasnila.nd. t ~oper pit w lla arc usually l o~a
than tlu>oe :t"eot in diam&tcr anu t he.; uay be qu1 te deep.
Ankermann m ~.t.1.ona 3/ij metres diaa.eter und a depth of 14 l /2
metres , 1.e. a d1nllleter ot' a i-.Pl'Oxi c:at~ly 2 1/2 1'eot by a
depth of over 40 r et. Lai.y of theoc well& date ~rom before
the arrivnl of the presont 1uhab1 tan to in the area& \1hero the
wells ar~ tound, and therefore they are often referred t o in
terlXI.O like • the work of yQd' (e. g. Ankermann •e !Ul'U wells,
er • .ru>.·~· , 48) . .rhe ,andawe kn.ow how to make them and
also solno of the neighbouring peoples still eons truct them,
e . g. t lle Gogo a t I oje (c.r. P.1gb7, 1964) a lthough at the latter
place tlte ~ella at"e or a shallow c.lepth.
 266

( o~ me ], ! do not know. 11
The moon went down. 6 [ .Another day]
h~ milted the c:attlo ~nd herded them . and aA ~e ar1•1ved at the
woll he ca.me [ tt,ere ar.cJ calle<i] :

Uleec. Ulo!

'l'll(; oountr.r rerr.ained silent. l Lue said] : "Oh Ule , who tnen
wont like every day {eli citi ng the airl s' r eply) : 'Lle 1a very
handP-ome ' ? Now I have had enough. Ule , who then, who~~
[ And Ul e aang 111 t he well ] :

f ou poople, you people,

~ow I 11 ue t di "'•

[And Lue tole him): tt'fou outter. you suffer, ;you who were tho
most handsome Ule every day, you sun ·er." An,,_ then again ho
herded [tho cattle) and arrived at hoMe . Ul o rcM~1ne1 r1n the
well] o.r..d thfl non th c ame to an e1:d. lie ate his l!ails I and he

ate them up, he ate up his bead str1ngs , 7 he ate up his apron,

6 ~ . : ' r i n1ahed' {~). Thirteen l1neo ~urther do~n 1n

Demp\Yolt'.t'' s text thf nonth {moon) •come to an end• (,tRhS)ki) .
Th~ torn.or expre D 1on uouall.Y describer t ho settinn or the
moon, ti-1e latter the pa&81ng ot' the moon• e phaaea to t.ne
no1r r..ootl. It 10 a 1gni1'1cant here that the moon se ts, 1.0 .
tho night beooocs dark rather than thnt the next d.a.v dawno ,
ao 1n o~her ator ieG. ~'he totting m~on br1~ge the darkness
ot night (death) and tho new moon markc t ~c end or the ooon•s
phe.aeo (its donth.). Ul e finds himself 1n the lone of
approach i ng death, and moor G.>'lJlboliem 1e ef1'e,ctivel.y use d
here to dramatize, this. 'Ihe l an d of death is of ten 1•eachod
1n talos through holes l n the around or through oavee; in
text llo. 1 2 we havo ae,·n how .UriJi c 1n!to i nto the ground
when she die&. Ule's pit, of couroe , is homologous to the
Sl'ave. ln the next s tory, t ext 4•0· 17, we snall stte !'urthcr
exwaples of th1o rcpre~entntion o~ the pi t.
1 In ~e past beade were made of bored pieces or ootrich shell;
t hese were atruna on graes thrs~da or on narrow stripe or
hide and separated from one another by dines or hide . U~e
a te the hide component s .
 2 67

and he ate up hie own hair. ~le bocame emaciated ane d~ath was
1.ear. ffhat then could he eat t.o fatten upy 1-iP. arrived i into
tho etate 01') a corpse. OntS da:., a certain youth• [ still] a
c?,il d, a brother of Ulc 'e - of the sa.,e father and the eame
mother, o~ Ule•e s&me mother • this child tUPned up . Lue
herded (the cattle) to t he i r gzoaz111s and [ho calle~] Ule's
oroth~r: "Co~e to he?"cl." Anet tney herded anr the.;r herded
and they arr ved at the well. When t hey ad arrived at the well
LLuo said]: "Wait. then, there bJ tho •ell." 'l'be child waited
there, ( he ,,ho was) Ule • s brother-. I.ue went on { ae ~ar ae the
cover~d opening o~ t he v:-ell iteelfJ, he EU'~i ved at the well
[ and called.]:

Uleee, Ulel

and hL l':nocked on the atrctchAd hiae. Ule cane:

You pe,ple, you people,

Now I mus t die .
0
The child listened: Eh'1 /bat <loeo thin s.ay'i "y brotho:r has
long been dead, vhat then opeake (tliore]? Jait t.aen, let me
hear well " , [and LU$ called aHa1n ]:

IJlGeo, Ola!

[And Ul~ replied]:

You people, you people,

:Now I 11,uet <lie.

The ch11d said: "Oh no , no , wait. 11 And t.ne:r h':,rded tho

cattle home until they arrived. The mother gave lthe child]
poeridge but the chil ~ jUPt cried. [The mother ir.~uir•d] :
"Whn t then, father•, 118 5he t.'1
- V <' h1i:a milk, but he r efus ed,
ahe gave him honey, but he rof'uaed , she gavo hi m .tat, but he

8 .!A.t4, t he form ot adc1ress t or ' 1's ther • 18 aleo used as a

teH o.f' endearment .tor children.
 26

r !'ueed, e hc g t&Vc hi I C;;at but he r ef sud., 4ill he Jus t c t o~.

She 1:nqu1red: " :h:-;: t tt.en. 11 [ '.ll.<i cl• lle. 1• :,l!ed) : "Oh I ttn•,
L1Y vrotncr \'tho t!i e .i. l o a&o , what ther. [hao become o~] Ule1
t}'h1lo \Ille were neriUn?, J.UF.1 wat1 knook :l.11g and oallod • Ul ,.~o. ~lo t,,
a r.u he repli ed ' '!ou p< 11'>le , you peopJ.o, no,i; l 1,;1..~t d1e '. n
";7lioro d i d y~u l ear t hat·," And { the c i1ld ) said : " Uothcr, et
t 1e ueJ.1, trUly. n And i.ho std d : .. ~oll, you az-en • t l .,ri :l.fl·."
u ,Q, r,o, l &al not 1Y1nc{• '' { hen) u.e ~eople were , athorod, tho
r· la ti von car.. , and th Y 1nqu1r"'d. froe 4;he ohild: " hat bavo

" ou Ul"t! not l .Yi ng'i " .. "•. o, no • l am not lyi ng, he t u al t ve,
how then oould h e penk'? Ao scon as r. . ue had lmooked."
.. iC& t l. &. us tl.11 so, we cllall :'1..d h:l::l , y.,a , y;c t1hall 1'1ml h i m,
you I't'llativee! ' . And then tnt::, get u.:, !.:Uld they we nt and wet:t,
and arr1 ved at t he ,ell .. [ The coun tr,:, ] wae de er ted9 t>ut t non
th1c one ( tho oh1ld) stooped down a nd ohQwed ~hem b¥ knocking:

tll ¢e, UleJ

Th.ey i,ere pr1ck1ns up ttle izt ew s.

'!Jl(?Ct, , Ule:

[ Ancl tho 1•eply <:MO l:

tou peopl~, ~ou pcoplt,
J, on l m,mt dio .

pegc ot t he htdo and th('Y poehcd 1 t. anic'.lt> . 'Ul c 'ftM totnllY

entae1ated. TJ.oy went to t.ako thP. ~ole an~ let it down. uu~
A r elative of h ia went 6.ofll and took him

9 'the text read11 h.'l..!...o.Wl !J.a, which ha& oe•m lef't un.tJ:>aneloted
DY Dempwolft . i nc ~~ an1ns 1u •tt i n w1de o,en•, 1.e. without
a living ~oul. Ul&• ~ oll wa~ 1r.v1oible an it had been
aoveroa. up.
 269

end hoieted hitll on h1 e back and c l! ..bed up, and tho:;- t,c-nt home
e."ld brought him in. !he.; hed P~t"· '"'d. aoWl"l the hi<'lc { again] and

put the well ' s opor.in!:: in order. "'hen the next day ha.ct dawned,
Lue arrived hovin "" co?'\e { to the \fall) hording. [Ha called out]:

Uleec , le!
Uleee, Ul<?!

but t he countr:, ro?11ained silent. " You have aur1~er d enough

and thus yon have died, you have eu!'.!'er-cd ~mough nnd for a long
time I made you aut't'er thue. 1• 'fhat he bad been token away
befora, he d i d not know.
(At home] Ule stayed and a tayed in thfl 1•. t r room and a oo
porridge ; Ule ta t ened up again and hi~ body beca:?1e b0outiful.
,ben one day Lue come [he, Ule) took an axe ar.d Ule took[also]
a whetfi tone l to sharpe-n tne n.~e] ; i n t t1e i r.ner room 1 to edge
(sounded}: "nech, nech.•110 [Lue a sked]: " \'lhat i s thot 'for 1"
- .,The i nner room' r. s torage bin cranks." Ule's mother ~pJl1ed
Wl\ter to millet ror [making] burial beer, beer ror Ule 'e
buriai. 11 Anothor day (thu people] gathered together :tor the
beer [ ceremony J; toge the:r with them ( wae ] also f,ue , he who had
slowJ.y killed Ol e before, to ~111 himself by drinki ng tho beor.
1lhen t hey had [ all] core, theT locked t he houoo. ,.What :tor
then~" [Lue aokod]. 11
-iit hero and drink , do you want to
run t'ro111 the room•, 1112 Ulo then cut him down with the axe,

10 i'ho ueunl Sanda<Jo ,10rcl for a grinding oou:.1d.

1i Dell.I) olr~•e G(>;rm&n translation 1a more eftect1ve than oine:
'JU.ui Opfef1eichenb1et• is ' Ule'~ aacri~ieial corpae-beer.•
12 At 111.ourning ceremonies be~·r i e put 1n t!l~ in ~r room ot tne
hoUB~; guonts sit in tho t'ront room end outoido and az•o
given their b~c~ there, but r elat1vco ana oloee fx>iendn sit
in th~ in~.or room t.o Oriruc 1n honour of thA deceased.
Informants with whom I have d1scus,ed thie text of Domp-
wolf!.'1 & say the t Ule end Lue belonged to the saa.e llox:.ee tead
(th.oy may therefore be hal.t'- brothora).
 27(

[saying] : " You t hen , who have been k 1111~ , me, I now) I revenge
..1;oelt' on you• ., '.1.hici man .... ue [ then) d i tia.. 13 ~he tale

Tht, 4 tch ana, the f-1;11·~- oragle.

n< 001•dec by De mp"o1 rr , 17tn I
a:, 1910 . 'i'rancl ated f rom ::lemp-
wolff ' e text , o. 5b (1916 , 1!>9 - 61) .

Some t i me ago th~r e was a mon who had married [se veral]
women. When hP, ~e l egende, went out, t hen h i s princ i pal wi t e
Mas ewa cooked beiane . .~hen she had c ooked them her husband came
back t Pom t he p a th ot h i s str oll, and he sai d: 11 \'iho hae gone
out f or [getting] beane?" 1 The pri ncipal wi re then took a
mout htt1l and y a wne d . ,ih i le ehe yawned the husband h ad to vom1 t . 2

13 The ne.m~s Ule and LUA are not usual onos among the Sandaue,
and i t would be strange i f th<>y di d not have a speci a l
meani ng. !!-l&. could mean •vague pla ce or condi t i on ' -
' habi t ual action ' , 1. 0. ' He Who i e Somewhere• ( in t he well ? ) ;
1'l!-~ would t hen be , lie \"lho puts ( !:)o.Reon£ , 1 . e . Ule ] <:ome-
Where ', of . p . 105 , th~ meani ng of vowelu.
l !n Dempwol ff ' s t r ansl ati on t hi a passage haa been l e~t open.
2 The husband i s a c antanker ous man who cor ps a t hi s w1f e or
wi ve s that tbey have to g o ou t to get beane . 'he woman in
t ho text has beans ( ~, or ~ in Demp\volf1' ' s text) in
her mouth and the sight of them cauBes he~ husban~ t o vomit;
t hi s proveo h im to be a wi t ch. had he not been guilty of
wi t chcraf t he would hav~ boon able to bear the sight of them.
'\'h~ woman ha s oom'"on, odible beaus i n i1er moutl\ ( ~ are
cov, peas• ti£nQ. 3m£:Y.iIDYJ!HJ ; but an i nformant w1 th whom
thi s tex t ha s been Ci s cua ~ed says that i t i s a.a i t divination
(Llu:m,a.•o) i fi b~· 1n~ hc-l d to p rove that the husband ic a witch.
Proper d i vi nation beano ar e called l erye t e;gp. ( cf . note 12 );
aome d iviners use these beans to !"i nd o!lt t he cause of' the
di f ficul t i es whi ch bese t the ir ol1Pnt e . In the fol l owing
lineo t he h uebanc, ta ker revenge ror h i e exposure, and t he
mode ot hi e revenge further proves t hat he i s indeed a witch.
 271

And then he eald: ":<ou make someone else vomit, am I not

[al lowed] to eat'i" and he added: "Am I then not to taste 1t
eyself?•1 She sat down on a stool, and then her husband was
preparing eoroei-y and the stool then went [down] into the eart h.
\Yhen hia wite had goneldown] into the earth, t hen the husband
caught the children and he took t.em lbY the hand ) and ran tawa;f].
AnC then her , Uasawa•s father came, and he called:

Uaohwa, hey, ~aa&wa!

(The reply came from i n61de the house]:

:<~a , she is here.

(Bo called again]:

(And she eangJ;

~athor, I au dJ1r..g,
f elcgendo cauooo r:1e c.uffr,r1ng.

And her rather then gav~ he~ porridge and she ato.3 And t hen
he, he1• :fa thcr pulled her, out t.c was unable [ to esc t her out) •
And then he sa1G: " ,y- child, I am go ing now. 11 .. hen he had
gone [home) he told his wit'e : "Cook porr idge, I want to take
1t tom~ child.~4 An( ehe cooked, and he came [to »asawa•s

house with tne por1•id;;e], und he called:

V.osawa. hey, Maeawa!

[And the reply came]:

tee, ehe ia here.

[ Jle called again J:

3 Her head had reruained above the gr,ound.

4 De111pw".>lff 'e vernacular text sa.,e: l£.1n /~QlC,Q& ~ (I want
to take it to 1!lY child) . n//oko-C. (!llY orthograph,V) is n.ot
the -olural n//okQ (children) plue -c. (I) b u t »/.L.9. (child)
plus -G. (arut1et;y) plus -1.!(I). The form n//otg doee not
neoeeearily have a plural meani ng, cf . P• 66.
 Manawa, hey , Mae awaJ

[ And she eang]:

'sther, I a dy1'1tl ,
Selegende causes me euttoring.

He .;av~ her po:t'l'idee , a nd then ho ent on his \Ya:,. But now

o. hy,~na wandered a't>out there . -' 1fhcn he had cone , the hy,?nn
•!alled in a deep voice:

Uasawa, hey, Maaawa!

hut ehe kept quiet, [thi nking]: "That i e not 1llY fat'hex-. "
And then l the hyena] went back along another path. Wh<?n the
hyena tlad gone he went too. sorcerer'& hon:06 land called]:

j A,. ak!a,,a • s hueband nad re tur11ea in the !'orm ot..' a h,;/ena.

6 ~h• vernacular text ahowe the w o r d ~ whi ch ~empwolfi
transla t<'s a~ 2'.fm.bl)rprif"R~ ( magi<-it n, cor<-c"'er). 'rhe uFual
meani ng o f ~ if a tY?~ ot snall ant whic~ carr1e6 a nasty
eting ceueins 1 ten.., swell1ncs ; van de J<i rr ~enade , 1951., !":ll,
ment1or,e ~ , w1 t.h a raisee ton,;, on the ~· lnf'ori::iante
s ~ate the.t t he nam(', of tht- ant f\nd t~ir- tt"rm for sorceret• are
the same word1 without tonal d i stinction. 'l'he/ &aY that ' ant •
i s the real meani ng of ~ - but that the te:rm ma.v also b e
used for 1nply1:ne that certain people cause others to suJ.'.cr .
rn thi ~ sense it may tnf"an a witch {tl' oone) or a f!orc rrer•
lmisab4fe) , but usuall~ the later. Th~ distinc t i on which the
~sndawe .QJte between witches and sorcerers is extremel.y VfiH\le
and many will argue that th.e two are identical. :tot the
e t,1lliologie or the two terms t,how us that t vllns- Pri tchord • s
pr1nc1!)ul c i c t.1nc1:1on be tween wi tchcrat't snd sorcf!r:, amone;
tho Azande also a~.11ea co the vanduwe situation, and
i nforll\ante con.i"irrn thi~ . ~ - M means 'hadng 1:.itternoss'
or ''l-iav1ng nastiness •; mienl,?f-u auge;es te 'having arrow-like
magic', mloe,b~ be i ng der1vee. t'r om m1sobd or !01§\lPd· ~ 1• a
epecial type of' tU'l'O\"f which 1e eF> oci a t,.d ,11th w1 tchcraft
(ct . tert .o. 1~7) . The 1l. '!!AM ( witch) uses no I'itee or
spells but payoh1o powere, wher eae the m~eabdee (eorccrer)
employs \echnique a ~f magic by using med1o1nes (c~. Evans-
Pr1tohard, 1937, 387 )• The n.mnl:Ul (ant) 1nt'l1cts euf'ter1ng by
1t e sting whi ch 1& l i ke usi ng a bew1tohed a r row (Jl.lm4) .
 273

"Her, sorcerer! " And ( the e '.lrcerer) asked : " ,'ho 10 thero?"
{ The h,:,e na then &Ri(}): "t!ake me another VQ1ce, w1ll :,ou?"
[Rut the sorcorc.r tnid): "I don ' t kn.:>v:. 11 f'I1-,c hyena replied]:
ttr &Hl:'.11 c!iow you ( a ~lace J ,:1th ir.ee t . 117 And then he mo.de him,

the hyena, n [new] voice . Aud r the hyena ] went. ,,hen he had
gobe l back to faeawa • e ho·~ .. ~ J he celled:

[The reply cnme ]:

Yes , sh<' 1::. here .

[ ••e calleu agn1n] t

?.:asa.wa , hey, ''aeawa!

[ Ar..d nhe sans):

Pather , 't a::: dying,

01Jlegende cauflea zoe Buf.i.~x·1n~.

Ant! he entex·ed from that r-1d~ , nnd ht" entered !'ror.1 that side ,

and he wen t [up to er ] and he caught th~ wife, he pulled her

ur>, and then he put hie teeth i nto hcr, 8 end he atufted h imselt
and he ate heJ> 1'1.enh until he had f1n1ehed her. '.. hen ho had

7 The n:rena pro.a1se6 the sorcerer some of: ...,aeawa ' s flesh in
paymE!nt.
8 Dempwolff's vernacular t0xt u&es tne tex>lrl ~ which literal-
l y ne ane ' t ? [pierce with an) ~rrow• . 1y ir.plioation the
hyena • B tee th aro liker.ea to &l'rowo, 1 . P. . to th<" type called
mml. (ct. note 6 above, ood te.v t No. 157) ; i t arJ>ow-teeth
nre a,:,aocia ted wl t h w1 to.ti.aratt , hyena' e tee th carr y • doubly
otrong as.,oc'l.,.,ti on wi th tt s 111ce the h_vena i b.:t'.lf' ie a s.}'lllbol
o~ witohcra:t't (o: . cnap tt r .X) . . rom the YorcUl'~ ot the text
clearly emerges the i mage which the Sand&we have~ sorcery.
which 1e et'i'ected as tt the victias wero et,ot at with en arrow.
Thi e i nG t u..11co of \fltchcraft (o:r eorcei•.t, ..,1t}i tile use ot the
tee th) 1a e particularly ha<, onf'l becau1:1e the 8!1 t hropophagoua
hyon• ta 1<1en t1t1ed w1 th l'aeawa' a w1 i.ch-h\u,ba11d.
 214

eaten her ar.tl hau hil' t i l l . then he went ( away] on anoth~l' pnth.9
And at'ter hin camr. l&aawn' a father, a.no when he had c ome l he
c allel'.) :

'Ihe countl•y re tti.Jed. quiet.

The countI·.r remaint'}d eile,.,t. ( ~.~ thour.:ht]: •1But here was

-:r.:; child, why wo1 t i"'o?' it' Lot mo enter so r may see. 1 0
~i-.en he ha<.l gon, in tl.o hole ~ae; e!I',pty. "Oh r,o ther, the hol e
it 1noeecl empty, who then hac pUllEid up ;;y ehild'lu He added.:

"The hyena has w~lkea ai:,out hera, perhap&, possibly he was here ,
the hyena has at that time walked around here , tfriy do I wai t'i
I s.n.all go to ask him. 11 Aud t.r c.r. ho \'."Ont anf. he met the hyena.
''Who iB th.::-re'. •• " y child , t,ho ha.a pulled my

child f'?'om the desc~tcd ~olli;.;it , ll taken ho:r i'rom the pit in the
der.orted houoe and pulled her out,~ ·1'?1e turena eaid: "l do not
know. " .1v1d 1.hen he , the child•~ .!'nther oaid: u.;rena, you llave
pull od her out yoursolt'. 11
. ut he ~nicl: " .o , no, l have not

10 1'elllJ)wolrf has lert ~~P.n the tr~nelat1on ot' thia passage.

Peoplo do not on ter w1 thout calli ng f ire t. .heu thoN vas
no repl.y tho t''1ther decided to c;o i nto t..he house anywa,.y.
ll Demp1Jol!"f' trans lo tes: •'!lho he.a trtltt..n t,;/ child. out o!' the
hoano 1 • '.1.nc vcrnc.c~ar ~xt e~ono ~llB.'4 whit'l1 10 a deserted
house, a r uin, ,:,r even the a1 te N' a .f,.,:rmer house which ia
r ecognized onl.r b.7 the grindatone which h&e been l eft in its
place. 1he tP.r1, ~ is uLoc. r~ tner thun ~it usual v,ord
ror a hou:30 ( ~ ) , no do\lht llecance or" i tfl a• uoc1ation with
death. Por the 1, i ~i 11'!.cancc of .1nn.esl as a eacr 1:t'1c1al
place, ct. texts 90 and 91. I eacrtod houaea and grindatone
ui tea are aaso~!.ated. wi ..H wi tchcrc.f t. uccaJ.r.<; wtita causes
Joa tJl, a:-"- t ;C ,.1 tf"B n.t-c 1nht1l>i t .. d by t ~ ..'.. ~ ts o!' the
deceased..
 275

pulled her out." But [ the 1'athel'] euidt "Now, to-morrow there
will bo an oracle." And {the hyena] said: "'fea."12

12 vracle~ are g~eatly res:rEd and a ret'U.Eal to submit to eucb

a trial would have <lire c:.>n£equeuco3 since thi G would amount
to a public ad.M1aaion of' guilt. Tria'.l.o b,y oz>acle ere no
longet> l•eld because they heve been :tor•bi drien oy t he govern-
ment ; in the pant the.; \"tere t>oaort~d to only t t an ind1ct&en t
obtained by e1v1nation waa denied by t..~c accused. In thie
tale the episode or the been"1 hao al.read,/ ahown 1.fasawa•a
hyona-husboncl to be a w:I. tcl1.
As euong the Azanc..e <li v1uero emu 0N.1cl€.s are mainly
consulted about matters o~ health an~ ~itchcrart, 1. e . thtnge
which ca1mot be f·oun,1 out 1,;r noi>rnal ;Juc..iohl proce aee& (ot.
f vana- 0 ritchurd, 1937, 3 ) . Like the Azn,uie , t)ie Sandawe have
a number , :: oraclea \\f;ic., .-,.0¥ be graded ac~ol"ding to the
ueveri tJ ot' -i;l,c acC'Ut"ation o.o. which judeo.nent 13 t o be pass ed.
f.k1galmwo , 1~25, 3.32- j, liate fnu.r Sm.rune oracles which were
collt"only uce' 1n t. < '?r Gt.: trtal b.V hot 1.ron, by boiling
weter , by sco1~pion, anct by lizard. 'llan d~ Ki..J.lenade ni.e r tione
the 1·1rst, the second unc. the tom-th c,f thece { l95u, 52) but
neither o_· them I e tiono tt c !'11'<' pit, an<'1 n~1 t>ier of them
arrenger; them in or<"'er o~ f:f".reri ty:
In the lizard ornclo the 1•<,ptile ia a;rplied f'our times
t.hc chin of' the• a<;cueed ; if he 1c l'1 tter or it' he t'U nchee
he i n held to be t..Uil t:, but he is innc,ccmt 1:f he geta through
thr. ordecl unharmcn . In the ocorpion orn~l~ the insect is
placed in the accused' s cupped hand; he hr..s to hol d the
eoorp1on in t111a v,ay !'our t11::es # ciaoh t11:1e nn til i t crawls
out o~ hiu hand. In th€! hot \1uter oracle l:.<- ha<'; to 1'1&h :four
b it~ o~ ~..edicinal w~od ~r~n the bottom of a pot with boiling
water; he has to pick them out oe~arately with hi& right
rand, and ecald:.ng or, the a.evelopmer_it or. b\~atere 1~roves h ie
guil t . In the hot iron ordeal a rod-h~t oracle kn1re (!2.2B.Q.
J:.J.C!1 is craped oveJO the accur:,ed ' e to gu'9 ( thl•ee t 1mee
according to Bagsha :e,. four til':lco c:H.. cord1r~ to my 1ntoi-mants).
'lhe t'ire pit wae the iuo11t scvex,e oracl~ t>f all; it is eald
to hoT.Cbecn used £or tl'/ing peopl~ a u~e~ o~ l ion- murders
( these Gre br1ef'ly d1l'c ussed 111 c?la,.,ter X) . 'l.'h1e oracle wae
consulted only rarely; the acoueed had to jump acroa• the pit
1"our tiwee . .Lla 1lure to do ao t*OUlc. not onl.Y ;,1•ove hie gull t
but aloo put hi1J to e.ot.th.
 276

And then Kaeawa'a fntncr wont . mum ho had gone [home] he

[went to] sleep. And thE':'l 1t dawned, and he ca,e [ to the
eycua' s house, and called]: ".t1yena J '' " fho io t hore ?1t
'ou sorcerore , CO:'.l!C all. ot .1ou. '' And they
came the ueu".l.l pa th. 13 ,hou tbey had cor~e, then t.!aP.awa' e father
dug a lai•ge pit. .then he had finished d:l.g i nt: it, ho 11 t a t11'e
[ in it] v.n,1 he <:aid ( to th,... so1•ccror]: 1 m• .;ou sorcerel' e Ut1•t
11

off , '' no o:;>oke. And tr,en ti1e soz·c~r.:r ~:)t un, and when he had
got up he jumped ncro s t.he pit. And [ the :fa.tner] sai d :

"As. far e.e ynu ar~ oonce1•ned, your or•acle has 1 ·en satis1'1ed.
iow :,ou oome t 1)0 , h:,ena . " Ann [th<.' h.vcna] ~ot ..ir> ; s ince l1e was
in great fl.lar he was ju p i ng o;:, the way f before he r eached the
od.gi, of tlie pit] , he wa::; unable to jump [woll) and he tell into
tho [1'1re) pit , and he died . 11'

13 :asaws•s father domands th rcscnco o, t~e hyena as well

0

as the aorc~rer who gavo hi~ hi~ dnc~ptiv~ voioc , and

p~r~iblY •hi £ pus~aec rneanf tha~ he alao calls any other
known eorcere:r. Th'J repc~ ted ret'eri,neea to "Llle> various
patt.s 'lhich the ::: tol', ' u pro aJ'">t i ts fol lV' mQJ bo eyabolie.
Fira t the :rather :f'ol 1 ows tho u~ual T>Ath , thon the h:/ena
followo a devious path; wh~n he follows t~e ueual one after
that he prom:,tlY m ots the rather who then bE.. ;irua to find
out about. h i m. ?lov all .t'olhm tt e usual :>ath s o that the
truth aa:, com& out and thi, countrf be clear•cd ot the w1 tch.
The Ssndawo word '£or 'path' (Li.JJ:l) 10 also UP.Cd -ror •way •
1n tne 11ense or a pereon'f.l .:r.o.t>al conduct.
14 Onft who know& his guilt 1~ bound to be hiadet'ed by his
conscience auri nG the triel, say Ssnda~c 1nfor•ante in
de:f'ence 01' the t~ia.L t..; ordeal system; th.. outcome ts also
1.nt'luonced b:, thfl Sp1:r1 t ot' tho Ottaole ( ~ l.&..'...1.mll) or
by the cl&n sp 1ri ts ( .8lUl1!. ~~1.>iW) • Ii thh, .final sen ten.oe
tho eto~yte ... l c!' -cl'ro, a clc ,r 1 i_:l t cm t:t>~ nc::•,rc llological
baAie o~ tb~ inoti t ut10 ,.
277

tzRAt -;;o . 10,. Tol d by ~r. 'l'lalo .Md~kt nol4 at l"arkwn.

n,1/~l'o . nttt-i 161 ')6 (\1 t p(l

1 than : 110
2 ixa• l•iJ'b'.H l',//ako hatlL1t't 0
1

3 x.e•nta .tlQGO eunlru;ne l rib 6on~~

4 p~,'> 0'1n1t:1 k~'l'onta.

5 1):a' i1!'l-J O! ugangu'~

2
6 kA' Ctaa: >d, ) \lr.> b a 't•

1
8 hewae. iJE "'\•

9 k1roo, heco n//ako1s5so t!Q'ooso ~! ~' n/at! a'

10 t 1 w:ian·~ • oa • ,i!'.
ll ! et~ te ' a hu;ul' a I t l' a,,
AA J 6a n1 1 1

13 // t t, 1 altayoo aukh4k 1 ! 1
6' \TO. tsho
14 a lew~a. 1 '11a

l !> m,nawank.1 n:ia I ,n tl5 '1 tshet.

16 ..e' tshea hanE:;&& oplaka 1'
17 / '\1 tcb.ukil h4ku lte 1 el~ hewn n//tete .
16 •timaa tsh6 !'liBho hcw'-isi'. A.l

19 { ')(8 l111bo ~ "lsw~ij 'oaoa .1.ewlno.

20 kurnb a t6uf'unga. "~~ub~.
21 let1, hik16u', iin~ ha:pun...e ~·1gaugaepo.

1 The pr e ~ence or
some Burugu.:ru, n Y&nca1-like people ,
among th6 6bl'10.aw._ ant ..he aurroundir,i t.1 ioe£1 hao be..::n
dbcussed O:-! p. 14; ;;e~e.1 and Eoriru.ru a1•e both called.
~ by the anda ·e who d o not d is t 111t~1113h bet ,e(;r,. tb!?l!'!I.
~he ~rig1n or t ht nae Qr.~..l;,j, is m~rtio~ed i n note 1 on
P • 14. '! t i o a 11\oo t .9011 t ,;he the.r t.he ..!?"- opl i: re re roe.
to in thi• tale are ~3raguyu or .ansai prooer; h~cause
ot the distribution of tho ~opulations i t i s more l i kely
that tne, are Daraguyu than ~aaaa1 , the .l.a.;1.er occup.v1ng
thu ~la1ne bt;yond ..lu.t1 U."1t;e c.:.>u .tr.1 \,scic ...ap .c . 1)
 278

xecordo,l epto1J1ber 1963.

1 Long ago [ 1;ho!'~ wM:] a wa1·. i,ong ago then , the old men
2 uain ( 1 t wao] like thi s: 'i'he wat' f.l tat•tc ,.1 up

3 and wan 1rrout-;h t upon us , tis they t1ave told. us in i their

4 stories] and ae we too , havo h, ard it 1,1 l1t>toni ng [ t o them) .
!) • hey an1d ( it we.e J liko tn1s:
6 they a aid, l ong ago l called] ~ ~no who wns ver:, great. 2
I ,'hen there rmg a war on he wonl<'I not enter it, l>ut h e
s a tu.yed whcre tte oLherc [r..tt~ycd, uthomc]. 'n~ the.rnow, [the
9 Maaee1]1ndeed, thes e f irst bri ngers ot' wsr , when t hey cOito
10 they went f on their wa•,) ~ilently . And theJ w en t
'-"
11 to t he Otll'"'l' si ( a [ our O1 de ] , and they took away oat tle
12 and now they herded t them away) • 1\lld t ei... [ ou1~ poc,ple] went
lj and tr.oy followed them but the. 1'ou.nd no t even one,
lh and ( th( •nr.sui) hurded on. now the1: 'NhCT! th< y { the Maasa.1 ]
15 were on tbe ce t tlr.· t1•ock thie WUG ot [ ev<.•n] seen .
16 rl'hey l our p eople) got up [ an(i wen t) 1'rora h<,re t:ts tar
17 poss1ng yonder , liatening all tho t.i e untn their arrival
l
le [ bucl: .hci::c] • They did not l orr 1 to er..f . .... And they

19 epok~ thus [ to U6no): "I l)lf t hen , rather , oNtn' t wo now then
20 completely f1nishe-<l.. 'l'h e a ~wail
1 ow

21 what shall we do~ Bu~ aren't you a na~1e1a.~~

2 The etorytel ler is not certain fir>out t he clan memo~rehip of

6 6no; ho on.ts that he was "i'rom aor.1.ewhere .near Alagwa
country" . Demp·11olf!' , l 916 t 115, text 12 , ::ioke~ reference ot:
two lineage head& cnlled ti.no and So.no who provi ded
protective liM' mf'dieino i'or r aids againet the Patoga.
PosniblY the two Sono•~ aro ide~tioal.
J I . e . tho end o-£ the trail leading to Uc pl:.\c'J where th.O
l.lv.asa.1 :t>aiders had tut.;en th cattle.
279

114 Pa ka':
22 1'nk6ml herendewo' n//~n1' epone'i'

---------------
4 ~ : n r.eaic1nc stick conr.iot,ing of' a long pole ,
tc.e t'hin end ol' , hich llao been wraopea. in n bundle
of pro tee l;i ve re ic1ne by a ogician ai'!er he has
n&.de a sacrifice to the ~len op1r1 • 'Ihc leader of
& r~1d1ug pEu.'tY" rrov1dc t.ue sucr·L ic1"1 animal and
ic given the medicine ct~ck b~ t agician to take
it alo1w w; th him on t.he 1•aid. After the r,ucce" ful
completion of the expedition her t•,rnr:: the at1ck to
tho agicia:•, o.ud alno t\19 cnptu1·t}d cattle are then
herded to the lHttf=·r's nonHeteaa ao he may distri bute
them among th· .t"aidcrc:.. !)e",PW~l.:N''a text o. 12,
i l l· !llil.t.f.l.• ment10"',0 thiti us 1gc.
• edictne a ticks av also be plantecl in cattle
tracks in tht eun•ound1ng bu~h; they are them made to
paint in tho ('re<- ion f'rom which enCtTl:f r ::i.1ders may he
e,:pecte~. ~h1s ic believed io mnke them aro~sy , car~-
leie nnd conqu~.t·abla, and accordihg to the s tor.1tellet>
thio is what haa hnpponed in thir, tale .
The ro:->f or a house, and trle gate of the cettle
enclosure are .:,et other places in which i:ied1e1ne
oticks ma.,v be plunt<.;d a~ a defem:ive raeaeuro ; tr1ey are
eupp..,aou to rnel<e the hcuP.e and the cattlE'.l;/al.-d 1nv1P1b le
t o i nvaders.
The original an<1 trios t co1!mi,n meo.ning of tne term
~Cd';? 1 6 '1'1rt: <kill :. '1hie ifl a longish a tick
~t.ich is twirl~d hetv,(' ..n the x;nlmc or the hand ,·o thnt
the end 0£ the stick bores in to en underlying plank oi'
wood; the f'r1c t1on produccz £lowing woolldua t 1'rou. which
a r1re ie then care1"'ully ki nd.led. Fir~ , ~f coUl.•ae, is
a mog1cal aube tfmco of great power , ct'. "'l. !~6, note 4.
On that page 1 t io aloo uhown how a t?edioinallY
treated tire dt>1ll. ts used a s prot,,ctlvo m~<1ic1no for
a new hor.:.es teatl .
Tht'l use of protr:ctive ntdicine uticka ho.• now
beoom.e oxtr01ie.ly rure. Von t uaohun, 169&, 34h.• gives
en illus trat1on 01' a v,holo , t ic}, and 01..· tl'.c hend3 ot
:four o t··-.:r o ticl a • he NtC'era to the ... ar.d!lwe l!le<.'iicine
 280

22 ~an••ot ¥O'J. evan erect a .'le11cine s tick? 114 ;~n ct he replied:

e 'ticlt aA ...1.filnl..tM· ~'hie vwrd S!'lp<'orr 1.o cc qui tc unknown

to the 1,n•t: en t uno.e.:rc ; po. i ly oio i r.l'N• u. tlii have
point, d out the end oi' a "tick to vor I Ul'lchan v.~o t hen
unders tooc. this to c~n tne .. nn, ar,e tn: f'cr c t:edicine
citick (,1Qll~J.!· 'that which !'ititinei:. it• . 1.e . the c.nd of
tt c o ticlt).
f. ttl. t ..e l i.!'t sn<l it ~ <: l'i Vt:l. t.1 'le the !~Cdici no
vl•ill
e Lick &.r··. .na.e o!' tne .cod oi' ~ ti i.;e c~l.:.ed •~Pih4; t h ie
:;jay ot w.c.
Yl\AQ• ~ tl!Q..~.!J.W. ( \., lau. , 1911, 21 , me ti 'llS
that 1,f,o tree ,ihich the uObO u:,e i:Ol' f il·t ar1ll3 ie called
by them X!'..r.1::.Y~; this te e ic id~n tit.'i e<'l. 0.1 ;1aus aa
1na1cateuJ . '..l.ne plunk into wlii<m t he f ire drill 10 bored
ic . a.de <J a t1•ee callc<'l. LhittiQ; c cco1•d1,.s to a botJU11eal
iden t11'iccit1on obt~i, tJ. J .r . ....... em:mr. o,: tt.o Ur.iversity
of 1.n .eaota t.1ie ir ....'2,.'Il..::J,.nhQCQ. l'lQl.l i § ~. (pe:rs .
c om • ) •
or. aki n~ t he -edi cine the ~,iclan sla.igh ters a
bl~ck ~oat end pre pg.res t he a tom'.icI contr.>t to w1 th the roots
of ~everel treci <::>t· '7.lo::tc (:r.., infer· :. 1 1 id not know
wh ich) ; tho preouro tion 10 t'1e!1 m:•ao ,e<.? i n a ..,ioce of akin
taken rrom. t.~e sont' D f:>rehend, ana !icd ar.ou.."\d th-3 head
or t.ho F. tlct . ·nw !) r oc edur e l1u•, e l;; agrees with what
vo~ ~ick, l Sl~, 2~ , te lls uc about ~h~ ,~r rreaic1ne or the
tl if11: •r·ho root 01' t ~e WlID'.a J.ll t:rt1e and tne o to...ach contonte
or a blnck sheep arc uae. , which 1s sacririoeJ at night.
Tho wa"'"iors eat from t 1 r..oot CIH1 go hos!l • .ney have to
abstain :f'rom bee't' and from eex. :!l. tic morni ng, be.to1-.e
setting out ror their raid, they gather together agnin, the
medicine i s tied to a pioce o~ skin ~ron tn& sac~i~icial
ani mal Nhid1 ie then tied to a a ti<:':k • ana. the s t ici: 18
hanc'ed to the t.'lan who !'!es boen ch~1cer. ca the w. m>r1ora'
lea.der becauee ot "l.is oourag3. Upon leaving the warriors
l.\re nspersed on tl~ir tncke by t he ma~1c1an; ~rom now on
none 01' them 1s allo\'leci. to tur·n back le t the medic1.ne lose
1 tz p()wer. Upon i•o.. turn .froci t c ra;ld the medicine is g iven
back to t "lo mag1e18n wno n1aces i t i n a cave, together w1 th
a eacr1t1ce ~o:- tlle ,,arl$od { the Sano.awe eacrifice to their
clan £p1r1 tG).
281

.t ·' nr~.'0" 60 e •t
5
23 "'fS! d t>0.$ 1
A
Il;/u.10
//•
ll t ec;
.t t
O, i!au ~ "'

'>J-t, .,wltt hP ,tt.r'n' 1 · ~, aA J·wah~a koE>'a' n/v.ti .

25 Hfo' n;a•{• a~
26 td a ' tl' nai' bh e h.fa. tl ' hfl

27 kee~ ni'i'
28 h~rcncle hlee n/ /ud,t' ts• ~ens.
29 L.Wl:4bt; nia r.! • i' hlce I C,wube nt ca

30 // 'o'/ / ' owa.

31 [',(' l~ tf' hinn t,n • aA 6 •a ' t1lf"a t6a. kat!wa ,

a.a
--
j2 1l/
--- --
h!a .iphai
_._ ___ ___p~a
...
cwt elt"

I
5 •rhe 'rorct •yh1cn tllf" s tor,yt,.l ler uses for 'fmemy iis
~..!2., but in .li11ea 1, 2, 7 , aud 9 the t a1,1e word 1s
translated .iO I war' , i ll lint 66 aa 'raicl ' , a,1.u. Oi•
I> • 2~ 1 tB mesni11g 11~ given us 'clan ' in ~l'tl) 2cnce or
a coroora t.1;• c:roup baso , rm ne1ghbourlinc~H ; in note
1 on P• 23 m~mt1on 1$ mat.c oi' tht• me 11,int~S lioted by
:Jemp rolf1 n116. va.'l <.e 1 enacC'; &.nd in l ihe 7'> of
tr.is ttxt "~c form nlikNW i~ v.t u:. in. tlH' , .umin,; o~
• ener.l,f ' • '.he 1 i terP 1:urc pr·ovic.co o var i e t~ of !'orr.:c
o1' thie woru ,,hich OUL~ce t ino. t ~o.rc t11a11 one terr. 1e
1nvol vc tl ( 1r:y thanks aH due to ,r .... . " . oodburn l'or
drawinc; my a tt.u. t.ion t ~ thi3 ·. ~ h1. r:.c i'ori.m ore thr.:
r '.'.>llowin~r:
DempYolff, 1916, 40-41:
LLn.wm, Utam· ei:.genos.,e .
Ll.n~ fem • ./.b:i.rum, plural
~ pJural iLJJ-J!i!J., F'rif!fer , '"ind.
Lembl~ ( quoted 1n Bagshawe, 1925, .31-'4):

~
plural .w<.1~.bh an t.uemy.
plural ~ (uisprint'i), a com-
patriot.
Dre~e l, 1929, 56:
Lor,,1~lou to .
S ta•;im<; sget\oe .. e.
Krieger .
-·'t j.nd.
Van Oe Yill,rjenade, 1954, fi7:
~4kg v~ir j n , ho~~ do ls ~eme tribu•
...a:i!& enneni.
~....4kn.e euerre.
 282

2.3 nr hnve the po·,n!r t,o foil t',c enemy, eo 1 t 10 indeed. 115

24 7h~J" ~hen t\tay"d at his nlace , l.'ltl';! the MoaEa1 came agai n.
25 t"hen .. hey had co!'le tlleJ went tak1n8' !'lway cattl e .

26 hen the:,• had token them , this ti. .e , when tney had tnkc>n
27 them :md ·.vent o.wa.y herding them Loi'~'J
28 w~sn ' t t,,ia ame the medicir.e :'ltick etandi.n,; up!
29 .''lbon tne a3.sa1 went t i .,1,no thC' Munsai T.hen continued
jO drows1.t.;r . [Alreaoy] in in~' oegin 1ing when they went
31 they pr"9ared tobeicco there at the !'oot. of the baobab tree
32 and while they "mo'{ed, n!'.>Y! -:.nen, a' the, e tayed

iet accorat. to the r t,,)ryteller an also according to

1,i.rorma.nt n ,
i. )pe lt..ix J,) r:.he in_L te:c•.,. at/411!.l co·.rers
e.11 t,1eae mea i l 'a . A 'l"i"' ..• col'!.r.i5 c!•i..tion of' the nature of'
the 11.~e:-enct•' ay show t , ir~ statement to bo e, sentiallY
co1•r"ct.
'.Ihe dif-vrenccJ 'l:iet\Yf:C - •. p.,alt': 1 a L.i.n:::. and LLJJ.:., and
lJe h~en D1•exel' o LiJJ::. 11110. LL!k '\ppe:n· to bu thr reaul t ot
the r,lace:m.nt n;:" .tt .son t,l. ..:'H 0•1ing rowel. Dempwolrt•s
d i!'fc1•,mce 1n tor,, :, th en t 1,:, v ,rian ts 1flY be dt:e to the
orune f'actor, e d J 1~ fact be a dif Cl'~nce in st~esi .
Tn!'orizant 27 > \Vith l'lhom lhiu utt r ha- b ,.:n discussed,
ia not sure .het r t me io the dH'"ore:- tis ting agent, or
at!'ecs , or both . lie doco a gree that there is a relation
be tw0on tone and ~ treos , ar_d meaning; ct' . p . 107. 'l'he
Gtt·c~s d var1ar.ts or the wo1•d 9~pear t0 b,ply aru 1ety, a
warning o:t· da.."\ger , and e. t i ty .
The e1r,f~lar form /./.lll!,, accor di ng to the oame 1n1'ormont,
1s w:wd nex~ to t !1u I plural' f'orm /inug which i s not a
renl plurnl e i nce it 1~ uced in singul~r ar. .ell as plural
meanings (cf.:). 66 foz• p~ure.l fOI.' .,,, n ; riote ll~ on P • 255
ror ar.xiet.r; note 4 on p . 271 for -l5,.Q. as o nor - plural
ele~ent) . Thua it meaue cl~creliow, compatriot, war-clan
oi• corpl'.>z>a te n<-1ah'l>ourl'.oo6 group , ;,r,.r , Niio., enemy, ,md
alto warriors . ~o ~ho: the ~i nglcnesu of~ iarr1or the
de~ons t~ative -~or-~ may oe ae ed , ct. the forms ~~9§
and n// QsQWC quoted above . ~1nally, van do , i ~monade •e
te1·m p.U 6,kgn 1& 1"eally 4,//,;Ico' o , the ~.1 of ,,agi ng war.
283

I
3J tshints ~~I)' on ta !Hill id'. t:o u
6 J.A
34 to ' w4a ~,, i "tC.

35 / / ' ·1wa• lri: xilXit"'C nt!c'3 na

36 ta ".Jtia.YJ& k"''.
"' . t1'A t !~ ~ • I
"
"
G , e'l
37 nlo('ltB I at horn ' ux k8 I t 11
} ot,S!'>nl\

.38 h~U k1 tc':'' A-y_ tl I() •

h. Kura1n1
7
he·.vJO · hS1. 'unlr' 1' s,j 1 ! ·
lsw~ hee6 J'lok·~,. ;r.r !nooo
;6a ··,7aht1'a // 'a' a'.noJwa.. O' a
"• b ~te

45 ::a n// 0
·•'\' kc~ n/om ,~ • 1 Ul
46 L6o~a • , 1 I! . lk1 hv" ' l l 'u' .
47 A

48 ", w~ 'i!a hlR't ' 11 • h(;'f7t~ 11ugan,7.~ ' :t' e 1nid

50 he~o.{1n. I I ) '~JOO a· C:ll'Ia. ut:l. I~ In I l I oowc

51 a~ s.!a ' //6 'tahe~n~' n/a~1.

52 Nee n/at!y,n 3~ - i '~ ko ,·a• ~ '1 -~n tl'aa .
53 l:lc! • :i! &. t n, at:! .
a;;. kt! t : ''S"~JJ

54 hec<S h'IL'nbU n! 'k\-:e hfo nii , . hero

55 m,.:gang&lngn //0 1 8 c-.,,ub~l~t'.t~e b oeent I:, ha !. o6k ".3i:

56 ttH:[e n H pee hoco mu ~a.n.•,a nge ! ' -,ow~i! WG.k 1 "/ftl kwe.

57 ,I! e v:ak'•,vi,1 1 t,t'1tz'1u hcw<~'!nllt-' siyf nii

58 klk.43 n/eel.ue nr n/~tU:we n/ock ·e nr

6 S,eynr.6rton, 191~6, 1 de4 t1f1es tr' ,',afl"1!1 (~'!.~ in his

orthoer.•ph;r) ao ·V c, dw;;ir:r-mongooce ( t1l2e:nl,· vndtd.at;).
7 Fl)!'gett i ng tt:t,il• wa .. cll.t'uln1 ns. S no ' o r;a,r1c cnuocs tr1t"m
to Jr._Jd -pla:,f'u.lly i ntc t}ie t r eet:run.k with their aticke .
 284

.}3 at the fnot of tht"t bAob~b t"'ee. thP.n i n t here

6
34 a dWl:M"-..... ongooce cried. .And. the Mnaeai stayed thus t
35 th<' 1 A taved :?lsyf'ull .Y knocking [ th(l tree] , and the

37 .L"olled do..vn with laughte:::- and oaid: ' ne.t ie 1 t thon

33 i n t:i(1re'i'" .And they pl'icked ( \\l th t.heir- zticka] . , ell thon,
j':j i t w:is hccnu<-t, of hie , · no's ccncocti~; (rtedi c i ne) . 7
40 "Pr<•gentl.:, t .e'/ l the ~uudawe] , •· o.: tnc: v1eal th

h2 finioh~d or· the ~a"a i ca n\etely . 1•0 a .,ong the J ae.sat

1!3 bn t one out 1l' t ,eir midst ur Ii vc • n d. t.1u t ont. !'an,
l:4 and how he ran ! And he v.en t and ne ru•ri vecl there- t t h is
h5 home) .. ITT1<Jn he ha.d arr! ve 1 t <'n even nll 'lia :,ooJ') le

l!.7 [The oa"n1 t'.l.'n ··aid] : ''Now what "hPll W{ do? " 8 They a aid:
41: " ow i t he 11· 11},e thnt, .. hat R jclan :>t' theix,s , we too
li9 shall e k a a ;ict ,.n." d t en t · ~ 0·1 t :.i mngici an,
50 the,..7 t ,o . J.. , thc.1 really t .....-, ha, ... 1m.: a rna 1cian
51 and now · thf';:, camn t'ro·o tht•re l in u mnv rn1d J.
52 Tl ey ·en t on cot ir and the • re ·1.. o ray c. ·::-1r. tv.ki ng cattle.
:.,3 This t1m<l 6 whvn they had co c t~1c;,r sa1tl: ''t,ow tr.en,
5/i cattle .-,f thF1rr:, , go Gh ile y:,11 ure oi g,'• nnC their { own]
55 m-giciun was talki ne there to th ~a.~i , ~peaking thus:
56 " ..aen you -o then .vou :t'ind tne i r mag i cian nr.d ~dll h im.
57 .:'hon :,ou have killed hi:n ta1,'"' hi 0
ponic off him, and go

58 cut oi"'t: h1s ear " , entl go cut of:f t ls no.:c , and a.loo g o

6 All the ~ ...e.sai of tho rc1d1ng perty t.ed b1;e11 ¥.1 .Uod by the
Sando,vo . Thot: , .o h&d t tey d 'b bin ii t~ejr ovm oamp had
not been ann1h1lated and ar«'! now wond4'l'1 •t:; how to organize
a new raid.
6'"' ! 1 "01,!ti cr.1 • n r · ,_c .

61 t6ur ir ". ''

'<.! ka ': " 1..·!~o. ''

63 A SM:a n/at:fi }of 1 H' '1 i 1 r tnraa

611 .n,~" a tl 'aa.J£ n/utH t: 1, hlCH'\ h:iO.

9 Th<--:-..e r.m tilationr· ll'', n0t .,e~n t to rJe a. mere <1hJ ... ignr<"-
mc• t by l'HIJ :,1 r wr,._1., noz• a1e t<.-J ju~t au o1,lite1•i..tion
01 oono't. i<it1.ti4. y 1- e remov:~l o~ the~,- p&1·'.:.G tLl~

.ttaeai pl'ecluoe th, r,r-o l'.'eati•.m of hie poucr, un,1 t iey

e11NU'l'l tne ciit C"ntinuat:io• his cimgtronc; se11ses,
of
ac ;Ordillt<, to tLc r. to1 J+..t l _tr . ..r.e :1 dcrltine. idea t6 , ...a
to b~· not dirriii iJ.ai• f'r-o. teat cf Loe ·yoro who t top ~ne
r:iouth m "' trt ar.uo or tr to ..y of u un · o hsc b• (;:
part1oul·rl;r 11.!.-dle 1t•d during h i ~ 11"'"; -t1ja is
t"'up.,.,osed to prevent bis .:tost f'ror.. coi~ing out tc do harm ,
c f . ea.t1ie, 1961, l/'l • In i ! E> tale too, groctl.t
ve:1unu,ce i s "01i::;},t ~o t .l'f'vC.tt <'l.
The l"f>l1l0V8) of' th<' f'or''hf\8 l ic. of oart.icular
significance . l1l note 4 above \lie have Get:'t: that ws.r
medicine 18 .. :raopf."d in a piece o1' r-l< in whil'i\ nas boer.
taltcn from t 1\e eact>if'ici&l animal' .:i fo"'< 1 a!. ~o ·1;;1e
Sandawc the forehE'a.~ is the :.,oat of' vir'tues like
i ntell1gc11ce and nonour U:>oth .;t' t.,e~e n1•e ,'cndereci. in
Sandawe ..1 t.1 the wo1'd .Jm), ai.n Jower 01"' the r.ind ( ~ ) .
~ means in tbt fiNt pluce u 'blaze , the whito pe tch
on tl1~ t'or eheltd ot cattle ; it also rrrana bright at.d
b eaut1tvl, and 1 t is the c ·)• 1~"n te1•0 fo1• 'oeauty '. '.4<-Xt
No. 38 shows th" nord I.:ll!l!A 1 l the aenre of the l.>t,aut.y o:.'
p~tches as pa~t of a c?l)1~rul doE1gn ; 1n text 1)6 it
expreeaee ha~doo~eneso (ot' a person); and in tP-xt 175 it
describee the beauty of an ob Jae 1. ( !I. ,nusicsl i ne t1·ur.1ent).
hli CAPI'e ll ion lizo 'ht. r,aa ho!'lvur • or • J'i) 1& 11oriou1•0;.1l<" '
1~ render«;d i :, Sa~,uo.we ao Wl..U- t&., fc>:-1 r ine m.ru:,.-.:s,--fil)..
 ~06

.59 cut, oi'l' his forcheud too. 9 Aftc•r that • yea, thdx-e y ou will

oO ov"ai u your· tH-l..t'OtJ. If \ ·, ou act) not like that

61 tn~.1 \• i l .... .r'1 aish ,Y()U ol'f. '

62 mu~.1.cib.H , , o h~ 'l'~b inot.lco. "1'111 11e said: ''All right . "

6.) .,.L1 <1 W">W t iey cai;:c and !'iga.in tne., wcr:t und really

tal i r•• ( ...... le , now wnen

1J!., ..htJ l,u<.i c,)Ji1c to ta..te c.ittle r.; ,.,y ht f•cwd t.hem [away) .

b6 Ano now ~ {aln tr t t•eir.dewe) cri ('O. 0ut lou<1. uhile they
67 c1ied ou:. lov,, 1n"9 Peu·, t. ·a Lawe ~iL their Lr e~aining ]

u· u peN1011 ,1ho ia bOCiAlly objt ct:lon~·tllP it is eaid that

'oc oau uo houo,w' , ~-fill-~. 1'uri1r.lnt ~.a-.wl.-d-iest•
~i,ls ulso mear,s ' h€ ,o.c i;.bt:) h~l::i no good l;'cnee• .
lliO blaze ·1., al.lvOCl.at, U ~1., la lig,.t1 C')l '11' , Clarity and
wl'1:t. ti=' ...,ct, \ t re Yt0,"1 1'<J!' 'whi tf ' "fl i-:. colour 1a not l!lW 011t
•t:- !bV,, set.:n the t.. ie ,al' ·.1°;i<; . µi 1M. a light
.l:e , ...ndawe say that
'I•,..i,l -uw.•to1e' aJ:•t. 1 1..,ut e:. l c .. ..Li.,J t.- pe:ople of liae'ko
&1 a. ·u~<·:.11{& iln, u1·e .Yvl ow iat. C'l' tl · '!::>r,:wn like the
aoo.c•i.:;ir.al ,./1111 hu.:1 t$i>(; 1. cI'. p . ll j . .i.ht> uul t ure hero
la tur•.:i a '. S•' te..<.ts , ) t l ~ end 21,; H· r,ui6. to 'rlave been light
•

&kin:.,c ..!.. or to ta" ,S\.l & •. it$tt ~ 01•t.t1ea<.. .... th ~ receding hair-

line.; '-ot') qunlities - :, ~- lie:3cr:!.bcd ut: .Jru:.!1. rt stwnis

rclevun. inat t.ht. ..,araoe.iga, -e1.e ,;ribt: 1'1•0G1 v1hom the pri~etly
,~lugwa c lan cluilll descent , rai:.:; tt,at v od it. bald or bas a
b"'• i ,iJ.!1t pb. ..CJ.1 ou h1., i.~au \iru o 1•11ount; t, (;. •. ~v • •1. Faust or the
.A . 1, • • t.tisc..1on at '>alAt'..birln Lnt..lu .
~he term w!d, which 111~ ens t11>1 pov.,.r "'r. tho mind, also
t'kaTIS mcdicins.l , ruiilgict.l 01· royotlc~l po'l"er ( ct . l ine 80 ot
t.nt; t, x1.) . .he va .. c11os or .,.'o.1•t..11u1.-... ci-.11. taken from
eacrh~1~ial animal!\ arP c•~ l e d : ~,;tn; thHl ar .. us, c. no t only
on mc~icino s tick6 o4t alao worn a~ protective amulets r ound
t.nt. 11r1at. 'J:hc ne,tc j j ~ 1~ r l.s.t~c.. t t> l42'A9, ' Atoon•J U
'i;,00,llig.ht' t und a.' lis,1 ..,nc ... t..', 1 11<,llti 1!,.,.t and t w aling p ower'.
It 1nay now bav<- beco:re c·l< a1· tna1 tr-e t'or"'head i s oloaely
a r socia ted with a pe:reon t e powe r. ....11,ce S (in,">' s powere res 1de
1n t hito part of' h i s tocly ~1a ... o:rt;hoad h&G to ~b destroyed so
t bat i i onnnot cor.tir.•.L<' • '.> be :nr .. ,,ul
to th~ 'u ,esi •
231

69 N! ' a C~nots ' & • I nbo ·,),<If' ~6no

itn\},'.): i11,
1 -:;·>'ht!: ' 1 0t" () "!w'f .,. i 'l
70 ! xo."
71 1'' ! dnJt< 1
e1•
. • 0. ~r· · ~)' cnaak 1. ·1 .. Ciko

72 ' t •• ,/ 1 • 1., r,-. s /, ·re n .. 3. ' ,• bo. ' 6r.".} t, 'lkO

f:; ni ' • i· ~l " t,{.' a n//u c pa t :

71~ '',:l.k'ir't''e 1 ! ! ye I 'il ', k-5 ":.Aal,• t n,' / tt l\ •:>

7":, n;/
I •
(, .
,.1' :, . • t
'
I
. u' .,.. '!

lb <':t tl 'w.tu' o. ' n L, h ~r- Ut:u

17 pe~ Y':h, I nuo "l, ' "k'o tl 1 11 ~o+o ( 6

78 ·,l x ! Ir, • . ~ <' ~ • ~11'ron• ot'" ' a ':

11

t': u .. 6 o ,

<:,.) t,li, :! : 61 0 )(::. I ti I , ··,mr F* 1 n//eea '

84 al b1~(u ·1rihJ .
85 ·~

88 ha" t t A

89 6' s·~ ' hew..:uk .i • rso.

- ---·--·-..-·--------- ·-·----
10 M 12 t r analated as ' oh1 •. 'Ih~ ,;ueen~ 0.1. U ~
l'lould be r endered 1eor c a~eiuateJ.Y b u t l~s1:1 11 tt. :i.>a.1.lY
as ' .t'ol' hea.vcn'a cal-,e ', cf'. te:.t 1.0. 15 , n)te lh ( p . 2 "-5).
11 '£h1i.:i ici .,o r. st1•:\c~ly 1, ,ici,l . 'he:,• o"'dl•ee ed ~, 'S n-.> ,
not thoir r, 11ow1i:.
12 1.e . they took qonea,.e.
13 '.!here c an ht, no cloubt t.hat thh i s a hintori cal T.t,lc .
Ba gahavre , 1925 , 221 tlcntions t!1.it t ,,c .~lUii.'.wa 1c ...o.:: am
Am~e • nna ·ti s brl)ther Sona were E1ucc-oefi;l .,..,,ai:. s t tt e
Dotoge b 0ai.1C1e th• l at l?r were at thut t1.sc ,1ook,
'hnv ln"; P U~" e:·ed !'ron laasa'l rai de . Robino on , '.1.9 57,
shows that not onl y t h~ 0'1t oga b u t al~o t ha ...tu .... a~o
 288

71 ,c .. amot. oeut e. ;O t. even o .cu . '' <>me on,

7"L t . .id 01,vrJ.Y flh<> 08$ CO ':! 1.l llt"I't, t. l:\l:by •

7.) &UU :,0• II ut] ~ 5no sto~d tiero ~unt anJ he oaid:
·• v. >, ,:, . ! .i.laa , the enemy
I l
ow r.1ds t 1 1t:(' t 1c·, came I z>eally)

/6 ti,11 , a.Tl< tnc., c B 1g.ht ~1 b.1 tr1,! m•1?J. , t ,, r.tocd him up,
,7 ou t, H- nlid f.l(: I) ,'Ill W-1 11 f( 1'l'O i their hands
tti... ~ .1. -'ell O\,l • J 1 ..... ,io 1 1. t, ....,1 ::.u:!.c: J \;-.) heir f e lloi;e : 11
.. ,e ax·e aol~ to r·un nov1 , 6.1 ,, you juct :,;,ta:,, YOU
80 u:.u rou.r ""!.O ;;_c;,,1 (",
I :z>. 0 ~ I:: ull $ (' whet!1er
you C!lll i·euE.; Lm•vivc. ot. "'I tl<J •

t.l. i. tc 1;t d ..,1 .. ".l.ft l ,u· tt-1 l tu, c·u ,<..! t(i c:~ tch h 1 , and pull.3d
d.:i i11 v:i. .... n : 6 10 l Ju., 1· o\Tr ano tw"
811 and t11ey
.... ft :i1i an.: r•on •
p,·
..... :; Ar.a. t ,en '· t., 0 C!.l aj) .. t 4. e cLo ." 1 ,• ,i.a they stab;,ed
c6 .r.it: .....1<... ~.lCJ l,111Cl1. hii.:. , tbcy cut n i s !)ti l!h Ol i' h i m,
87 ·~l!CJ ~ut; hi:- 1.oso 0 hi t y cutJ •· it .f~i•t,; ,t Ad off lliru.,
'
~·8 \; 1:,. ..he .. , £. ..d 1. y 1'1,..,;;; •• Ofl all tnc - ""' "t l f... .
89 ~ere t;lc H it; Wk < 1d O.!.... tr.if, I tale] . I t 1! i'ir.1£hed. 13

'"'ere bot.i-crod hw· t1-1 ~1::- inc 11'n l "' .r- . urir.:g ore reid tho
Oe.uda...:r. s .C".ronncled unci <teH'r> t.~·ct. a :>Rnt, of' J.lnn ai at l\iol!,
bu t a eubaequen ~ al'. rw rtn3 ':'1on by t:.r 'H\G fli . I rJ theae
akirmi .. lm~ 'Li. u' ( .1.JJ. 15,) ,11; son ot· d· ' nm k ill,.d oncl
&11 the c.-.ttlt" tne r · • i coi .1 lay ' , il" 1.c"l!~ N\ were
C"'!V n of1' by t 11em. Roh in· on f'urth .r r.e 1tion:; two •uasQi
:rPic•t· during t.t.e time cf' Xnr.liki th secor.o. • on of Ani.:ie • .
J.~ t',osoi t hen ·r.tc d 10 c nptut·, tt: ,o tl{: ~t Xahliki'a
rco i denCf' at ore bu'- th r·nidC •" :r•c ' aton, ten or them 0

T1ere kille d and t he re· ainc!er 1'leo. to th~ nortll , only to be

wi:ved out at !ltY\l.lu 1n lr:iq-, . ""incc tI1e:n. thr: nasai have
£tcye. n,cr , ho i n~ n~reid or ~., a · airo,A.
[ C2ate., nu.1 ~ ] .
 28~

'>ht! r1·~r-e~t. 1,t'~t a, ears to d~c;cri e the- ~1r•$t war.

Ao, ·,.,.di ·,g tr, th~ f" tor• ,t, llcr ti,e Sru:dn•.wc i'o 'o,1cc.t the tracks
OJ .;.itJ Lt sa1 cctt.L 1•ai C:"'., a .·ar or ,1' i; .hJro tbey
r tU' •ow1'1tto tt cri •vl il c ti J ere nrc I•illed them w1 th
t1e1r Joio noo arrowd . ~·c tim~ ...ftt'r 'thi::: event eove:rel
1 l&c; ; tt ,e:t•e :cu lco. in a ne\Y 11u"ai r11id rliur the la ~ ~er had
u-.l:l!1 10.i:·d.1.ldl tlJ' cou,.!.~r· .,a.ic of: thoi1• ov:r... .r'l'"' ...umat>ly
.. i 6 .. "n t 1or.e i.L edt but, th~ :::t(lrytelle:r does not
C<,l l'i!'tl t i: • Q• int U ; at 1 U,' a
~.'on"mr,~- he .n.::.:• be
i ..,nnr·a.. t o.t. co ....c < v ta.1 lo 01· tLn s to1-.., •r.hi ch a r e importsnt to
tn, .,J,t...h,,..,; h i~ 1.:lcn .1,...L u. v1.1' ~c.;,.1io .. l ... ~eu Al ~wn l e tu.101'-
ru.C.u ·.c trioe wi th

he OH. t O l
~ a:.:i , .. :i ar•1 tr s.t .i. !'l 1 t.1·r.l o... cl.l !ll(,WE', becauav the
:::l j l 1 r n' ~t )CClil'l·-C. i l r :lt• . I "~ t > f 0.f, I td
c~_n! r" ·tt. n 1'1'0!:l ar ,1U t Ak th<:;l1· !wrc:1, ·;;h~n dur i ng t •1e dry
r l.k~': ~he . c lls ill ~u ,....../ , m.d. :, ,.....u~.se i> 1:1ve1..al
hi...lo :' J

,'f t •, ' v 'trS cla 8 f'"" •lV \. .I en pu•v -I. ,, ... ....c t't- at ot' the ...
, i . 1• 1i ix.~, { lch is 'he tween
,:1"li ru"C t• < Jr '1 Cl'l'l" ~l'\' 1<' ,1·0 a d t ,.,..s;fo:re On the
rou, e o~ tbe r111d 1'."' • ··oai (ct. r.:a;, :'! :inc 3).
 ,• nclft tf!d f'-rom Oemp-
wo1I'f 1 u vt.r1rnc l!'ll' tuxt ,o . ,~., (1.916 , ll.i -ii.5} •

.. ,.. -'lr t u ..." thi' i et ot n 'aobab

od i:, ~· f' t t· ,"\(" hC" r: •.0nd on tee ear th. 2

ope111ng. ·fh.11e
ho r toor 1
' t' C ] , t G no. l" n 0u 1'i11 t. And he 1 ... t
--·-·-----·----- ..- - .... --
l ~-·''!.~ll@ is tho mu.o ,-r the o r 6.awc vP''" tnr. bu,: ~ome o t hel'
nu .i<~t uno trpi the •1:1 LU.... al~o het"tt><l : t'{l I ue(: {'.·he ;J:>aa t One, or
"1J1 .b..uCr.;tt t.01 -~l'iiO~!il I. • e . ira t no,; and ~
1
) ; ( tne

:)f,e wl.o wus let out

llJ.,o , ll' /, r,o:'..nt'-" o t thut th• a Et. ~a c11l l th<' Cr€'ator

u ~, t.nat tl c.: i ...-~1ne or t 1.... a Hroc,ue call b1m
<-Iv.
!:n ~ 2.Q WrliCh , he 6a;f, J ia t ' VlC6. {..!",t le ,,.~d;O mO'te II
•. .,....",,.~.,.i 'C 1,.0 obl-..-ar ,Ll 1 l'.;.., >b , ~.., , l ··w g~ ti,. Q oo.rt oI'
Oo1 it11 ), t~ Ti .i a , ~ ,~ i o t·e 1:c.,1e \I.Titer ,
19j7a , 6, 1:tlrn~Q b tnc .r.a.ac !'01• tht bl:lo..;nb ·tr~ e amo~ the
r :;c... '"'"'• v 1r S•l t, the.r-n n, l g1.1Jout:16 Ol 1:.••e .'inl:1.ga. s t111 noarer
-:.v th ,,a1 .:.. .• "' , . 1 o ·~ 1.t .i:..i , tlh. vr<:. ~1 .. ,;... i called cia,tundat
ac.:.:or in to von qick , 1913, li5, or :..'2~A in U•.v spell ing
ute·i 1,,f tLe A~1.l~tuna uu~ht11•an !do, ion , l!.b9 · '"'he Sandawe
l.'n¥Yru1A 1r, obv1oualy the F wN 0.1::J t.ic Gretltoi• or 1,he :·d mi, the
Euntu t1•i1.1e \'lhO l ..avt;j inJ.:i.m,.,c, ~ ,1 a .,ohdl\We !losi.
or tho nat10 is •pI'O's('ny' , c_•. _ nhi 1 j, mg; t1mn 11, '.t'ru1 ts' •
'rhc hole in the: bnot..ub 1~ :ret.'eN <.~d to oy t,he fJtm.dawe as an
abor·ig1nul 'V1or.1b' t'-'1l1lk,; . 'ihe cozmcc ti or. c:;c t','tA3£ the ·~ reator
&1:J.(). 1'C.l'ti11 t.>' i~ CVil«:: ,•

.i.'hc \1011 • ' ('ol" Ood uucd ir, -.,o· pro14·t •~ vor-r.~cul
text 1& 1"

•w1•qf ~! (Jt.i."".!Jtl.Jm 11 n1 n•• !10 ·~a h·r ; .ilo~ hee" 1 ae ~at·~ ).

'l'hi a t.erm T'h1 ch is co mpooea Ql w.a-r..n:o&l-C., ie not Sanda-we b ut
the St'J.\(~ as t l"l,f• .un tu !!Ul- .l.l.m!.ill { 'fl0I11:i.i: wh1oh m~ana w..m>
'in •.he d'.7 ' ( . ( r>no1· , 193.;;, ~l; .
 291

i..h( n rh.ecp car..c oat

l 01· t11c. -.N:: ] and he: a 1.0 pe e. a."lo l.ela t .. ~m .!'as t . A,.d

1 10'.1.to.tcl.v att<'r & ·.·.ocan ,:i1.1, t•hild.r<~ ca•, out. . Ano. now he
i:~l.... t .et~ f ""t .t it ul ' t:t l't 1f Jour r.ua ua1.d •. 11

ht•lu nir• 1 tiS t . Am. t~.e.n all tn~ Cl'f'll t .

.(\''"""
~ cnme oat; tI;~n ..t.e
vlt "tl{ (.;0. .... .J "4 t. w •• he. :,l'.<.. t e:!l lust. 1.:21 !.111 tno
"
crcutu1•c: to tit 1e.r <·W (' )tl t in . . u.r· .. : t ,or. t.he Dna,<.e ca~e out ,
al)(; he let i t 60 a.no. i t ra:. uway; anc.. tre tt.c 1 1,,n ca,c out,
t:n 1 he : t. 1 t ~o; and t 1l 1. ..le loopuL' ... cawt out , w,, tl:1" one

llc l t;, go ; a,1~ 1.h1.: 1•h1u,cc.ru~ co. ..~ out &me: He let il- GO , and

.1ct 11 f 1
\; t c t:u ..... ulo tia.mc out

a ll tn<:: b i ro.s ca....< ou, ~me ho let thtln, o I t.>utl t.'ie chicken
he hLl 1 fa i. ·a. e me ,1n .:.i • • hu -et it t:::> ; he

e lt\r.c. 1.-. ~ vu t a:.. he 1.o t • t ~o ; wlu .1,e ~ ..... 1~r1.t cal!'e out and he
11::t it go; oi d ull ttlc a1 irnal~ cuc:c out ur.a .1c let the:.. i-so. ,;

3 oev~1·al var•1 a'tioiu o.t tile ~onctav,.. crt•ation my t .1 are

av~ ilable in the li ':f.1'a tul'e , o-1t only vempwolfT ,,1 V't.i.3
'lUt et.tic >:f!tr ocular i:·atel'ial . he ,1 f" V""Sionc are :
l a) 1Jet1p\1ol1'f' ' a text ,o . L12 ~19lfi, llJ~) . ThiE" i o a s i mpler
:.rnr1a... ., t.t wi thE 1.t x'~ ... , c·· • •• r.. . c,, 1,r... c1.,tud t,~r·c .
• €,1 Vl. LI ol l.::.u1· cnw .t.:-c. t.1ot. o1 ru.:i.. ulr l:u.ch c.oi:,c
out t•f t c buotJob tl' c, ,1t it 1F 1 o Cei\l 1l~d. I t
wC;.,.,.,.or i..: the , m: l-·ey , v·t l('II j " not. 1•.iclm!l· 1 1r. thf:"
lll'(;f.j u ! l t tC) t .
( I)) on
' 1.,.,6,
l. 7, .,1 Vt,
I C 1. t l( o ... L'.)' .1 [;
vc 1•. ion in "Cl cl. ( ro. .• J.n 1 ('n i (.l \ .
I •
I
'h,. re 1:: 1 1 !.r.i..; cou t J'y 8 ti·< e cul.1.C' z~: thiE
i t ti t; \J.;;oru> . l t 1 kt)O\m to1 t •ti:.. . 1.T'f·;;: lno t t f or
CCT. tl..I'~.~O , ,j. 1- holJ ~,,. u, i u.3 ~ Eh'i t.,· i~ . 01.,:. -
t i :•te ao lar· ( t at <..' coulr J ,1 t C' t·ol ~ tH O t t,t;(l
i n 1t. · ue ... m diac (lo not t'H.l.Y who k':as 1.1,r .. e the t-a ol>r.b .
bu t t,u•y l e t e v c :r.:, t h i l e t.h1t ;..;Xi l t:.: co111~ out oJ.' 1 t .
 u .: :,~." i~ ( :i:; t io f: ri.1• e '!tl icll ir· ";i VtJn t.C\ uo1:t)
1'I tnnJ.::- in t· .... 0•1t ur t,,.e bu0b:1~ . "lw!l a b•rcna "r.lE'"' ·oo
from it, which he 1,,ts •'O, tl fln a 1.Jhe-ep which he keove ;
ura t; .er a ·.10 an wi rt. t.•o c.niJ d..."t.:n. .:J.\ ~ bf ,8

~e::r-: ' .... :J it. o r I ui:>bt l ' . ' - ' , 1 't'O!lnd ' , l."f:a the
1
woqnn, io in tl e tit(: ,. 1 "'ho nnn co e"' 011+ o:f it.
AftRr tnPt all orts ot aninaJr ~o·r out ,t iL , which
0

~ ~1µ..1. letr go exc~pt o c:or en· a ct11ct:eu whi~n l.e

al c r'"·tn1~·-."
(c) Hngulrn\"'tl , in l:iri f..1ar1N' (1925, G3), rites:
•. tttu.nda Nzucnu , row .. l,<" run en"" h1.e \11:te ~>uabso,
now t!it l'l.1,0.-1. , cu. e f'ro.,. ,;, t•ic c u ldll a 1d ..1e. ;>t 4 ~oua

fo.+h .. r c. ail1 o.i:;eued th h ill unc let ,rnt tne t;.rdI:lcls

weror1 i"'' thf':n to ca•ch ti f' he,..'t>1v01•a t111t. t.".l let t'1e
Ct..L' i ...... C,..tl, (' ) ~ .... ~ t . Lt
• he-).) cane the .' t ,l' C..lt 1., w
,y '(: •p • ' q
"'i:·t 'k•' or1~ ....
tr1~~ ti:, • f<' ,
cr, 1 <.:\ j 1 'whjch ., :t th(' h;cm1. i al wa:,'3 lo l 1.,g
:'>VC~ .ltr er..-,ul"'cr ,
' d i!' 'tJv> C•Hift ·•1 ·">n rrt.t.ny Uf'ef'ul
~z:! l ca e .
"U' SU .... (' 1 rec. of CVfll'Y i;u:lng

l 'f', • '

tli'"' ugf ·)r tnc moon. '

re 1t~ •co., nn1 b"cn·:~e t ,,., 1 1")'1F>•r0r\ t~ , ".\.... >11, t t'~?'
\''O"'"T' i-:rd. ver1 .,,, .• ,, "'hilf..r~n, ant'! nl l ~he trii>t's wore
f "l\l'1(1 ('!Ii• t
r111. 11•1·oton bJ "'8 11ru\P il int .eetinr; hf<.:rnoo 0.1.' :Pc
e"<µla :1a t:I nn how tr•~ moon ' n p"l~!'E!o ar re- 111 +.Ad t.o tne 1·~v tll.t 1o'
cycle or worv•rn, an1i. t\?EH'~fol"" with f "~·ti.t1 t 1 1tHeli'.
 293

cco.r•,tcu oy .r..11.:-,..J\ o:i.f'1' , 2o'tn April l<i 1.v. J.run::.l& tcd. .t.'r•o.:r.

......"' :1p,1 l.,: ... 1

.., v ..rnacular· kxt . o . u4 ( l~lb , l!i5) .

This a ttll'Hi.a 11 ve«t Et1 0•1e rock ; and he ln:!.l t a house

t t.11( •n 1 and hP kll lt d ~ hl nck co anc ' !lCI' i.fic 0 a it. Now

th, y:, c:!.' p:op1~ tal <:?] Pt-tc?'if'ice , ''t:ca,.1sE ...;oa niaae the
open11.,~ . 1

thir> 0/\c ,on t l;o ur11p ~e , ~ d tli·• t. 0n"' w ·. t t ·.) lra 1g1, a 1d

that ot c'r one .vent to vogo , aro yet ar.ot.er ,,t.nt to hl , 2

ltn,J ;fo1, anot'ler ·went to ougwe an11 etill otnet>s went to

, onon••.:,.:> and these:? "ther~ Nent t,, Ta turu4 ano yet another

1 Th· bloc'~ cobu.r of th crif lci::11 a iro.,l

to ~atu~~a '- po.er Lo ,ah rain. ,11 ~uin u~crificfs use
b::.. c', :ricti - (cf . ·1 1.e ir. , 1955, ,i"7), and l,M.s
1:1.r. explaratio
r.,a.r ea ..o coul · b0 why ra 1 aker cs.rr•,/ out
thoil"' ~ltc<· P·e ,~y they ··o .

2 )emp11ol1'f ' s vernacul ar text g i veo ?i...E!.!:u..nlli ~ -M

lan~ ofJ the ~ . ~~mp~olf~ trlinel~t~s thi s as ' angati •,
i . t, . ti'l.v .Jaraoait'.>a ,·inO\,ll ou mnp ,o . 1 , b,Lt the ~ - are
· a !za OL' ldndr<'d peopl< . ioodbm•n , 19.)S, 2 , sums them up
aL t'ollo,1 J: 1
Ti1c1•0 is ill addi Lion I to tnc j ·adza pr•oper]
a.notnur· 1..,:i:•oup o~· people livinK by nun t:.ing u.-'uallJ known b.r
tn,, bukumu na.111e 1,ahi who o.l"e to be fou 1<1 near i i mali and
tl,.., ~c 1 ,i ver> on thfl o thc1' eir,e of Lab,t ":,02 i ill ~ uku:-11alan.d.
'.1'b1.: Jiadza ref"or to the ,ahi ao •1 aa ... a , ..,u t sa.' that their
l ai,c:",unto e is sligl, tly a.if 'ere t . 1
'hl ,.,undo ,e du;;crib0 their hao · Lt t ,t l,t' ir,.; Gouewherc in or
be.;()nd Bnrn~ai~a country. ·~·11e na ·c 1, or has been u a.-'d over
n wicle area for hun tin , ncor,le , cf . the use of tilt! term
Dahi l:Jy ~o,: locul pc ople 1 01• i;he u: ,ia 01' bani ( rei'er1•ec.
to on n . 5) .
3 Soc p . 13, note 9.
4 S~e p . 13, PPp. no.P 3 •
v:c:..nt .. o J..;1 - 11.:,1 t 1., cart
ut thc::.c, l , 0.sC) () t ltH'S huv r .uin •dt fill t our l pcoplt. J too
p: aiw } J1,1·e , OU~ .J. .,J• -..Ul'(., er·· L ..,1'1. (hop J; t ,C;f reru:•c d
~s , OU~ 1'or •-'at. tJ-1 u~ .
r.
'-ll·- l"~ l' l • l:.. \,as .r.ou~1,
und i; ••ar. ,IC •lCl'f" ,i fl,...f' •

5 eo :nap o. 1. "' e a..- t u- .caxi rr. Jrz:rinhto. 13.i'' (• jokiPt;

r eilutlvuc )f th un ve; u o t,n the J1·a1 U!. aud ne bar,<'ii•.we
er<, thut (; ha 1, 0 c 0. 11 1 :)( ,., J ~ •

6 'l'h t i _1lication i e t .at th a. du ,c h U.J 't1 8.,7'C occn ·,,her...

t.ht-y not,, cf.'. P• lo.
tit'('
 295

OHA PTE R V

RIDDL ES AND PR A YER S

nit prooeduro ot pllfins r1ao1oa. 1

Riddles belong to the Sandawe category or t6ntabule,
together with traditional s tories , and they are thererore
presented first i n this chap t e r, before we ehall begin to dis-
cuss the prayers which rorm a category ot their own.
Riddles are played 1n a stylized way and they are aub3ect to
a s t rict taboo. The game or playing riddles ia prohi bited
during the planting aeason, and this taboo ie mai ntained until
t he harvee te are collected. Even quite small children are
rirlllly d1eeuaded 'by their parents rrom playing t he game because,
it i s said, birds would come and eat up all the seeds.
Obviously there mus t be underlying beliefs which cause this
attitude, and we shall therefore rirs t a t tempt to rtnd out
what 1e behind the threat ot the birde, so tha t t he reasons tor
the riddle-taboo may become cleat'.
When W1'1t1ng on the sub3ect ot riddles, wr1tere have
generally contined themselves t o the precontation of collections
- otten interesting - and many ot them have added summary
explan.a ttons eo t hat the reader may better understand the
solutions. Fewer attempts have been made to investigate the
nature of the riddles ot other peoples. In r eopeot or east
At'rican tribes a good example of the f or mer category is
Beidelman•s Kaguru eollect1onJ 2 of the latter, Gutmann ' s
writings on the psa-oholog.y or Chagga riddles must be

1 I have re-written the t1rst two sections of this chapter tor

publication in Man (N.s .), cf. Tenraa 1966 b.
2 Beldflman 1963 c.
 296

1
ment1oned. But on the procedure or riddle gamee little hae
been wi-itten beyon~ brief descr1pt1one of the opening movee
2
and the ropl1es thereto. Yet, an analyeie of the form 1n
which the game ts played may give ue valuable c lues to the
meani ng ot riddles.
Among the Sa.ndawe the game is in the first place a
ohilcll'en•e game, but grown-ups of all ages also like to amuse
themeel voe with 1 t. It is open to anyone, and there are no
special types ot r1dd1e , such ae the song-riddles ot the Makua
which may only be played by tho int tia ted. 3 .Ne1 t her are
Sandan riddleo sung or chanted; they fll'e spoken in the orainary
voice but the style ot the game is r1gid1y formal.
The language or riddles i s in general that of everydaY'
speech, but for special effects terms may b~ used which are
rarely heard.4 Challenges are made 1n short, otten cryptic
sentences (sometimes coneiating or a single word) which may
seem vague until the riddle ie completed by the addition ot
the l'eply. Adult Sandawe, having grown up in the hab its ot
their language, will normally understand the meaning or a
completed l'iddle it they have not heard 1t before. Yet they
may haYe to be thoroughly tam111ar with oome riddles be~ore they
appreciate the finer points, tor involved pun.~lng ...ay also be
employed. So:netime,'the language ot riddles is therorore more
like that ot poetry, especially topical poetry. It often
implies more than it etntea.

1 Gutaann 1911.
2 .Further south the rorm or r1ddlee hae received somewhat more
attention, or. Scha~era 1932, Cole- Beuchat 1957, and
Blacki ng 1961.
J Harr1ee 1942 a.
4 Aleo epeo1al eounda, of. Texta Noe. 33 and 34.
 297

The Sandawe riddle 1e played in the form or a plll'able.

The poser makes a etatemont r a tner than aek a di rect queation ,
and hie opponent completes t he parable by adding the answer.
To talk in weoteJtn terme o~ quest1ono and answere is not wrong,
but we should be aware or the di frerent method of questioning.
The Sand.owe themselves speak of AaYJ,n,g a r i ddl e (!24) and s ome-

times or aetins (L/g~4), but t he usual exo~e ssion 1s l.

one ~
~ a riddle ( pgwfe' ) • Perhaps the best thing to do t s t o
speak of challenges and r eplies , and i n the rollowing texta wt
shall use ' C' for the challenger, and •n• tor the 1•eply of hie
opponent.
The ruleo of the game are the eame thl'oughout t he t ribal
al'ea. Anyone may open a rid<Ue by mah1ng a chall enge, and the
person who accepts the challcn«e t'irst should then be allowed
to ttty- and collll)lete th~ parable while th<• others listen. or
couxaee, this ttule is n nt alwa;o str•ic tly adh~red to and the
game may e a s ily develop into one ot those occae ione where
everyone talks at the oa1ne tircc.
The procedure of' the game i s generally ae t'ollows:

Tt;ct No, 21. - ,the Ri ddle Prgcetl)ll:e. Told by llr. Paul Koto
Degei-a at ~//atehtl, J uly 1960; complete d by other participants.

l c, Tetabule
2 Ri T4nkwet4
3 c, R!or!o
4 R: Ltta thwU
5 0: T4ntabule
6 Rs T4nnet,
1 C: Td khoo n:Ueoto•e•o
8 R: •••••••••••••
 298

9 C: fh1mb uko s44

10 R: Ihtmbu\1
11 C: Haplt hdmb11s I zvtge I t oka1,
12 t s! khoo n!ilsets ·~1: D! ' a.

Trans1at1on;
l C: [Here is] a riddle.
2 Ri 9orward with i t .
.3 0: R!or!o. ·
4 R: The bird of the f i g-tree.
5 0: [ dere 1o] a ( the) riddle .
6 Rs Forward with 1t.
7 c: Uy house hae no mouth •
8 R: • • ••• (U,g, J:WZ, m: a ~ .Qllll).
9 C: Qive me a cow.
10 R: Here ie [your ] cow.
ll C: Aa f or your cow, I would have eaten it ,
12 if lllY houae had had no mouth: An egg.

The r1ollle 1e now ~inished, and the same challeJltier, or

anyone else, may proceed to poee the next one. The first two
llnee aro always spoken again, but ltnea 3 to 6 are normally
omitted in subeequent riddles. Failure to solvo a rldd.lo always
r eeulta in the demand for an lmagin~r y cow, and the beaten
opponent verbally pays the cow aB a r1nc ror no t having solved
the riddle. The chal lenger may e ven holO out hlo hand when
domandlng it, and the opponent may make his payment eeem a little
aore real1&t1c by picking up a pebbl e or a lump of clay ~rom
the sround and g1v1ng it t o the challenger. 'l'he latter then
goes on to give the solution, which is always done in the way
ehown tn line 11: 'As for your cow, I would have eaten 1t, if•• •,
 299

followed by tho original question to which the aolution ts then

added 1n the same breath. '''h e 1 which is added to the eno ot
the riddle-question (sec text) 1s the result ot Sandawe srammar
which demands repetition of the final 11n J.!oko1 wh1ch is
r endered in translation ao · ~ have•.
The simple egg-riddl~ of the to~t 1e very oom~on all over
At'rioa, and there is nothing of any particular 1ntcree t in it.
Thie is why it has boen quoted in the text, for what interests
ue here before presenting some f1rty riddles is the .procedure
ot riddle-playing and t he a..vr.ibolism involved.

ltYmologY oad aYrnbolium; the b1r4-r1aa1e.

The leadi ng cha, l eng~ and its acceptance (lines land 2 )
call tor eomc etymological explanati on. We have seen that the
opening word .t.dn!I&~ meane a riddle, and the challenger there-
fore simply says •nere 1s a riddlo' . 3ut the term also has
shades of meani ng which are not imL'lediately apparent from its
ueo in ordinary apeeoh. A possible etymology o~ .t4n!A-llll-l.A
is 'that wh1oh is in front - plaoe(d) - usuall7', from !A or .1flll,
'in front• and Jill, •tn•. When tho challenger opene the game
by eay1ng ' Her e 1s a riddle', ho does in efrect ea:, •nere 1s a
problem whioh I place before you to solve •, i. e . 'l challenge
you to aolvo it•. One 1n.tormant who knoffl3 soce Englioh actually
ueed the word chAllenge. In accordance with this etymology
tho word tdnk,no-14 ot lino 2 woul d mean ' go forward with it' ,
just aa it haa been translated i n tho text. %i or .1a.u may also
be used as a verb in the meaning ot •to be in tront • or •to go
in ~ront•. il.c. is an adhortat1ve, and .1fl 1nd1catee place. The
tranelat1one or tho chal lenge and ot ite acoeptance are thue
etra1ghttor-ward enough. But ae van de Y.1mm.enade r eports in hie
 300

vocabulary , t4l\kwe~4 i s also the name ot a bi rd. 1 The Sandawe

s ay that this i s a grain-eating bird which looks sonowhat like
a partridge or a busb- f'owl. Thie is a r eel bird, not j ust a
~ictlonal or a 1nYthical one. But t4DJs!let4 1o also ooid to be
of the names of the r1ddle- b1r~ wh1cb 1e mythical and wh i ch we
ehall discuss i n the following pages.
The bi rd- identi ty of t dnk:Jr614 Pa1ees the question whether
other etymologies of the words .t6n11~ule and ~4PkJJQt4 ar e not
aleo 9os oible . Tho place-1nd1oat1ng syll abl e .a means •at • or
•1n• ae we have seen, and more specifically 'there a t• or ' ther e
2
i n• . Reduplication accompanied b~ nasal isation and the pl a ce-
ment o~ etr ese on the fjz-st syllable 1B the common me thod by
whi ch the Sandawe construct r e lati ve eentencee. l:4-~ or ~ -.11.
would thut, mean • that whteh is there 1n •, and .14n-.a-l?.M.-~ now
becomes • that which 10 there in - placed - usually' . , The
acceptance ot the challenge • !ml-~-11. would acoo~d1ngl y mean
• pl ace 1 t 1n - do - in there • • ln t he ligl1 t of the meaning ot
t he riddle- bird thi s makee sense. Theo challenger, who call s out
' Here le a riddle ', doe s i n ef'fect eay ' Here I have a bird whi ch
ta a t l~ge , and I challenge you to oateh 1t and place i t i nto
t he bag •. His opponent, who says ' For wnr d with it', aloo says
' Let it t'l ;y up so I may c atch it and bag it for you•. The
openinc lines o~ the Sandawe riddle thus c ontai n a pun 1n which
the riddle ie equated with a bi rd, and the bi rd hae a name which
ia tho name of a bueh-~owl.
The i mage ot bi rd catching ~ay well be analogoue w1 th

l van de Ki mmenade, 1954, 54.

2 c~. P• 105, the meaning ot vowele.
3 On p .107 1 t has been noted t hat e t reea may be associa ted
with a rai sed tone , hence the tone diacri tic on the f irs t
a in *-.a.
 .301

eomoth1ng which i a found 1n t he Swahi li r1d~le. Thi s opone

with the challenge t1ieodaw111, '[here i e ] a riddl e ', to which
the reply ie ~ . ~'h~ me ani ng ot .it.ef1. 1e given by J ohnson ae

"(l) set r oa c.l y, put 1n pooi tion, pr epar e , tu,,p . of a trap ,

and eo (2) snare, e n trap , decoy, catch••• ", and

" ~ Ud9® Ulil la,W,J., snare 'birds with o noos e ". 1

To t hie mtQ" be added that JAs,a is a oolll11lon word tor b1r o- l1me
in the central parts o~ Tanzania, ana t hat i t has also ~ound a
place in the Sand.awe l~age; indeed it i s lis l.ed b,t van de
Kimmena de as 'bird- lime• i n hie vocabulary. 2
We proceed to l ine 3 ot t he text. The word riorjg wh1oh
has been let"t untranslated is &ai d to be t he 01..:1 01' the bird in
the fi g- t r ee. At ~irs t sight it looks like a ~~re onoma topoetic
rendering o~ a bird 's ory , but ther e 1s a verb ~ which meana
•to chase off birds • . Van de Ki mmenado lis ts 1t 1n hie
vocabulary as "9bl§§el (1wl, Qigeaux 41l.Wi. J&. ~ ) " •.3 In cott-
r oepondonce with t hi s , d::.a. would then mean ' the act of chaa i ng
birde•, even though the term is not s o used 1n isolation. Once
more we arc faced with an image of bird.a , who now have to be
chased o£f r ather than be caught.
Line 4 mentions t he bird aff well as the t r ee in which i t
1a supposed to eit and utt er 1te cry. The B1rd-of-thc-Y1g- Tree
1s hero represented as an anonymous bird whi ch ie identified
with a particular epecieo of tr~e. Its central position in
Sandawe riddle e:,mboltsm i a r ecognised in t he tact that i t is
the eub~ect or a special bird-riddle whi oh 1s in e~t e ct an
extension of the nor mal openi ng procedure of a garne of riddles,

l 1951, 458.
2 1954, 55.
3 llu.si·, 52.
 302

but it is often play-ed ae a separate riddJ.e at an.1 time during

a eeseion or ridcile-ploY1ng. It ma.:r be repeated eeveral. t11:1es
in a gru:iet beoaueo any small child ie aupnosed to know it.
Knowledge ot the bird-rid~le and ito m~aning explains the
meaning of the bird and the tree. and therefore the bi rd-riddle
will now be discussed. It normally :Mlll8 as ~ollowa:

XQxt No, 22.,.. - 'l'b,p r31J'4- Jiii6cl1e, '.1.old by Wrs. K'ate•awa d/o
Zuma Xiing~ nt Kwa ~toro.

l C: T4ntabUle .
2 Ri 'UnkweM.
3 C: Riorfo.
4 R: Ldfa thw1!,
5 C: Thwiisu nn't
6 R: i• erek 't!nde.
7 c: B4•ntenasa /•ee'l
8 R: 'l'hd6na •sa /•ee.
9 C: z• erek' efnde 1YOBU'i'
10 R: Thar:U.
ll C: H4 'kunaea iye?
12 R: Lltta thct,.

Tl'gnplaU,Q.Q,:

l Ci [Here ie] a I"i ddle.

2 R: ?orward "1th it.
3 C: ni~tQ.
4 R: The bird ot t he ttg-tree.
5 C: \What bird is she then'?
6 R: The l'OE~k' dnde-b1rd.
7 C: Where-to then does she look?
8 R: She looks toward the east.
 30.5

9 o: [And] the L'nrek'4o«§-o1rd•a mothor?

10 R: It 1a the bat.
11 C: Who~ the11 doea ehc live?
12 n: [In] the fig- tree.

The r 1ret tour, linee follow the unual pattel'll which has
already been diocuseed. Line 5 1nqu1rea a1"tor the nature of the
bird. Hore we note that the question etiploys t,he t'enin1ne
gender -:Jl· On P• 64 it is me.n tioned that bil•dG ue normally
•female' cxoept when they arc largo birdo of prey. This 10 1n
accordance \vi th tho image which we are bcgim1ing to acquire ot:
t he riddle-bird, n omolliah bird whi ch eats seeds.
Line 6 atvec us the name or the bird, l'el"§k'ftl,WiJ th!e ie
said to be the proper name ot' the bird , even more eo t han
\4Pkwott1, the name . of the buoh-t'owl. Uoot people havo nothing

very defini te to ao:, ae to what sort ot bird tlle J.!,eret'fnao

1-eully 10, it 10 variously de~cribed as a~ull, i:WOSarioue, and
a peet to crops. Some people oay that it mu.st be like t lle
kndrtaka (the Sudun Dioch) or eimilal' small b i rds which £1.1
about in dense f locks and attack the r1pen1ng cr~pa . Toward the
end of tho rains large- scale bir d chasing oper ations have eome-
t imee to be mounted 1n order to protect the crops from
destruction. Every man, woman and child of a village area ie
then engaged 1n shouting, clinging stones, and whiatling rrom
dawn to duok, and the bi rds still do a l ot or daI:lage.
Othere say that the bird ot the fig- tree, whoee s ong
eoundo like r!or!o, ie a small, green, dove-like bird which is
rarelJ seen tn the dense foliage or the tree because ot 1te
colour. There is a bird called the f i g-tree dove (14ta. J.44)
wh1oh according to some 10 identical with the ,1,•orek'4D40
 but othere deny that it i e the eame. Finally, the l.~k'~Dd~
10 described as a omnll green bird whoso cry r.ounda sornetimeo
like ~ior!o, ~onotimea li~c J..!.l:J:Js., l.!:c.tls., henco the neDe
1 •e.g:C?k'fnde. Thus we have tile bU11h-f'owl, the gregarious :fl ocks,
the ~ove, and the s1:1all gr.ten bir~, &ll or which aro
repreeentatione o~ the riddle-bird whose true identity 1e
ahroudod i n m,yetery. Nobody has ever been able to poi nt out
to me a live l'~rnk'dnd,c bird. ~e bird 1e a ~ru0 riddle.
Having dealt with the matter 01· the bircPR name tile
oha l lcngex· asks his opponent in what dii-eotion it l ooke, and the
answer is ecst. No int'orroant coUld explain wh.1 the bi rd looke
to t he ea&t, bu t &one ot their comments and the subsequent lines
or t ho text are helpful. An in.t'ormnnt stated that the bird
looke to the, cast 'liku a woman•. Women are oriontod towarcle
tho eas t in marPiaJe and 1n death ritual. In ritual, the east
1s general].y asaocia tod with 11gh t tU1<J 11:t:'e, juo t as the wea t 1e
a eeocia t cd with tho aetUng euu and death. \romon are associated
with the east a~ the e1vere of lite, they face e aet on their
marriage bods, end they are buried racin~ oaot w1th their head&
pointing north. Van de Ki mmenade writes that

''k<!s hot1011e oon~ siouoMs aur le c§:t~ dro1 t,. ie v1sase Yrt§.
l,e eoieu cauchant. ~s t",mto tY~lL<:..6.t4 &1U2ht''•

and he adds that the position o~ corpsoe is the same ae that or

a man and a WOilan on their mar~1age bed. 1 nagshawc also rerere
to t his positioning in burials, eaying that

"The Sandaw1 sot great store by the position o~ a oorpac.

They hove beon known to disinter the corpso or a Christian
native, buried 1n the usual Christian position, in order to
rearrange it according to tribal ideae". 2

l 1936, 414.
2 1925, J.36.
 305

The directional orientation is no clo,ibt tu. 1nportruit to the

3andawe U1eo:ry o:t' riddles aa ia the bUl'ial arrau~"r.ont to their
theory or 11to wid death. The 11:te- ~1v1ng woman and the bird,
both :ferns.lea, :raoe the east, l>ut thia docs not sat1s:fac torily
explain the orientation or the bird. 1 The nt,:i=t t\vo linee throw
some more light on this question.
Lines 9 and 10 tell us that tile b ird• o mother is the bat.
Sandawe folk taleo describe the bat as the enemy or the sun.
It quarrels with the sun about stomach medicine for its ohilaren,
and when it doee not get the ~dicine 1 t tu.ms away t'ron the sun
1n disgust. It goee away to a dark apot whe?'e the sun owu,ot
reaoh it, hangs itaelt in an upside-down position, and enjoJs
iteelf wh~nover the eWl di es. The l1sht o~ the sun 10 life-
g1v1ng, but the bat 10 clearly on the oide o-r bf'e-doetruction.
The riddle-bird ia the child of the bat, and 1a there£ore to be
placed on the same atde.
Anott1er 1nf'orman t Ia reply to the ques t1011 why the bird
looks to the ea. t 1e ' The bird wa tohea out ro1• the dry eeaeon • ,
and when aakod ror what reason, he said 'beoause 1t comeo and
eats our mille t dUl'ing "the dri zzles"'• The drizzles (Sandawo:
JllllU.!) aro the period of light oho#ers, cold norning fog, and
apelle or drizzle wh1oh conclude the rainy eeaoon. l'he crops

1 In th1o connection it may bo rele va,.j\t to mGntion that Herta,

1960, 110, noticeo that moat aacred bu1ld1ngo, 1n d1rrerent
r ol1gions, al'e turned toward the east. But he ref~aine rrom
t17ing to eetablieh a un1versall7 valid rolationahlp between
the right hand, superiori ty, good, eacred, on the one s ide,
wlth the eaet on the other, because or1entationa1 •Yetems
often run contrary t o 'heor1ee concerning r1ght and lert (~•
.c..11• • note 86 on P• 159). Sandawo women, b~ing r emininc an4
therefore 'inferior' are aeaooiatod with the left hand, but
being life-giving they IU'e asoociated with the oae t. We
cannot contend that therefore the east 10 aaeoc1ated with
the le1't hand.
 3C6

have &rrown and aro r1pen1ng, an~ this 1a ttte t.1me 01• the
greateot bird dange1•. ~hen tht> bird 1t1 watchi ng out for the
dry aoason, 1 t is cleul'l.y wa1 tir..g t'or the ono. o-£ the r a iny
season, the time when it can eat i te ~ill on man•a crops .
ffllen asked. why tho bird looks to the ceat, our int'orman t did
not eay that it 1e look i ng forrard to the la tier p&l"ts or the
rainy caason, but rather to the begi n· i ng Cl~ ~he d.1.-;1 aeaaon.
'The logie o~ the aubat1 tutio:. i s not dit'flcul,; to see , tor the
dry season is t he time o,r plent11'ul s un an<l lignt , while t lle
rainy season 1e tho t b1e of cloud anC relR'tive darJr.ne"ts. The
birdie sitting in this r e l ative darkneos (non-li~e) and is
lool~ing .for the :f'iret a1gna 01' the light oi' tho dry l'leason ( the
cast and li~e) to eat its ~111 on the then ripe crops. 0nee
the dry eeaeon hos properly arrived and the harvests are in
there is nothing l crt ror the birde to destroy. The bird danger
1e now over and the ri <'ldle-plo.ving taboo io lif ted, ror riddles
c an now be sat'ely played. 1
If the identit'1cat1on of birds with riodles an~ the reaoon
t'o:r the taboo have now been cleared up, what hns the troe got
to do with it all? Not onl$ 1s the bird called t he ~1rd-or-tne-
Fig-T?'ee, hut the lflst two linos of text :No. 22 make 1 t
expreasly clear that tho b1r8 11vea in tnio part icular tree
which the Sandawe call 1.4.tl.l. ? ei t. er Dem-owolff' nor van de

Ki n enade 1dont1f"J the tree in their vocabularies, although tbe

lat ter V113Uely rerero to it ae •caautchougui~t ~auxosc• . 2
The Sandawe oay t hat 1 ts owah111 name 1e l'U'U@a, and that t his
ie aleo tho name given to it by the Rimi. The exioting

l Thi s theory has subsequently been cont'irmed by Yr. Pius Duma

ot' • o6t o with whom I have discussed it.
2 1954, 47.
 307

11 terature does not appear to aake ElllY :re1'ereuce to this uamo

in e ither lnnguage , but Hora and vroenway mention nu;•ym'ba as the
tly-amwez1 naMe for }<'1ctm thDn11i l}..'1JJ. and ~ &W4osa. 1 Burt t
lietn i,rut:lbQ. ar the LUZU,l'u name for ~...m.1.W!.1-J& ~,ri~!!~ ( "hich,
according to hi m, i s called ~ i u Rimi), but the tN,o 1& very
obv1ou$1.y a ~ig species, und the Torm1nalia clue can be
2
discounte~. The t ree bcaro small, sweet :fj.ge in Ja.nuar7- i'ebr\1ary,
an<t the description o~ 1:1.!m.Q Jawnningi. £.1 vcn by l~l'enan and
Gr~enwa:, fits the ~ tree ao \'Jell also in o~hcr rcapeota, that
we ma,y eat'el.y assume that thiR ie the Sandawe riddle-tree •.3 Bird
lime 1e not 1:10ntioned, but van de Ki mnenade 'a deacr'ption o:r the
tr~e as a wild rubber tree clearly su gea t o the rubbery natltl'c
or i ta latex . The fandawc collect thia and ernoar it on sticks
which ~ e put into the bushes near wolls where birds come to
dr1.~k and fly up i nto the bushes tor a rest betwocn their ar1nke.
In thia way the riddle- tree •o latex oatohes many of the small
b1rde whi ch ruin the crops . § i g- tree latex ia ca11ed ,J.4tA .tt&a,
and \le have alrea c1;/ noted the poeaibl e relation between the word
~ and the solving ot riddles .
But t here 10 another aesoc1a tion o~ the t r ee with riddles.
Let us r e turn ~or a mome~t to th0 gueoti on why th~ bird l ooks to
the east. An in!'ormant sta tes that 'it i s caugh t i n the ~ig
tre e, and l oo1ce to t he eas t• (lJlt.& . 1 ~ btn/•a~, u ~odnaea
L!.!,l). ~h1a statement 1e suppl ement ed by a remark that rain
cor:iee from the east. Thi s 1e 11 terall y true , !'or i n Sandawe
oou.~ tr7 t he dominant winds are easterl y ones, and rains arrive
trom anywhere between the north-east and the eouth- eaet, except

l Hor a and OI-een~ay, 1940, 276.

2 Burtt, 1936, No. 238.
3 BMnan and o-reenwa;r, 1949, 360.
 308

for a usually vet•y brief period. about i.lnrch lthen wee terly- t-11nda
may blow. Since prsct1c~lly all rain coi:es r~ora the east the
int'ormnnt•e r<,mai•.k thu it doe~ would seem rather w1c 1gn11'1cnnt.
But rain is life- giving and as 6UCh it 1o clearly asf.ocinted
w1 th the lif'e- gi v1ng eae t; also the last l'a1ns or 'the • ~12.Ble •
period - whon the birde begin to do Moat of their oamage - never
co ~eo frott the west. The westerly winds are then over ancl the
last rains always cottc from t•Le eaet. •i-unwhile t he bil't'!. e its
in tho f'ig tree in which 1 t 18 caught• loo1·1nr; to the e aet. ~he
fig tree 1a the bird-·l1n1e trup in wl">ich the rid1Ue-bird
t'rom its dal'k ehadows it looks longingly fol'fflU'd t ~ the time
when it can eecape to th~ bocko~i ng r~ille t fields to enJoy life.
Some tribesmen say that the fig ~ree ha~ a ' brother'
( tots •e) which if\ called t.enaV.lU.\• This i a a lru.•ge t ree which
has ltll'c;e, downy, maple-like l oaves , nncJ bears lur •• quantities
of ~ed beans which lll'e sot i n mneaeo or ~angl aa atalke. These
beane are used by ~ome diviner• to expose witchee by c ausing
them to vo~1t, and the 'bro ther • of the riadle-tree thus tUl'ns
out to be a div1nat1on- t ree. 1 The relation betw~en the
hae been described as •the l4tA tree's ~ruita are eweot [but]
the tepatfpft tree •s t't>uits are b i t•e:r• (lJta ~ n//oko mAa•wa,
tepatdpa ~ u/lokQs1 ' t1•t;io~). Ae opposed to the business
or oolving w1tchc::-at't problems tho game of' solving :ri<'ldlos is
awoet . But even the awoot ~1go have a dangerous aspect. The
riddle-bird eats them a ~d thrives on the=, and then goes on to
deotroy man•a crops . The tree feeds danger, and even the tree
1toolf i s a danger , not only to the bird wh1oh it entraps in its
latex. ~or the tree i a a parasi te . SoMo peoplQ plant 1t a e a
ahade t r ee by thei r homea~rada , but according to the Sandawe
this 1• t h~ only non- parasitic way i n which it can grow.

1 ct. P• 270, The Witch and the Fire- oracle.

T°'tlOY oo.:, tl!~t 1 t s no turnl mscmer or l"i,pr')<\uct:l.on is ulways that
of a parasite . Br-onan oncl }rcom1aJ oay that it ic 1 DQ!!t$$:Umc.
1
1
cp1phyt1o ' • A1.r-ds ec.t the 1'1,-il.l an<l dc:r;>o"'i +. the seeds on ot' nr
tree~ i n t.! cir d.l•opp1.n-;n . lf' a &oed .fallg in n 1'av )UI'able place
such as a hol l ot, i n th,. join;; or tlv, trunk and a 'branch, a .;oung
eapling will gl'OW up '.'fhich at t'irs t 11vee en ti rely of:: thv hoot
tr~c. Soon it begins to send down aerial roots, and when these
reach the ground the Y'>ung tree etnrta i tf1 :t.nc'!.ep~ndcnt lite.
It aonds down 1:1ore &."'ld more rootc. around the trun k o1' the hoe t
tt•ee, graduallY engulfing it and strnn~linr; it to doath. In tt.1a
way t he riddle- tree brings dea tl"uction to mnn:;r good a.'1<"\ uae.f'ul
trees; even as large a tree ao a 1'Ull · grown baobab m~· be
owall(.>wed u:9 ancl dostroJed. 'L'hc troe is aa deat:ruct1ve as the
riddle-bird which it suata1no with ita £~u1t, and by whom it i e
given 1 to own life 1n r eturn. I ts not re 1e ao st:rango and
puzzling ao n ztiddle . anc11t is a f1ttins corapon1on to the b11'd
as well aa its mats ter, :tor 1 t 11vc e of:: other trees l H.o the
bird live~ orr man •a oropo, and the b1rd 1s its captive tool.
The tree and the b i rd aupploment one an~ther like the two
halves or a parable • • lthough the tree ia a riddle- tree , it is
in p articular the b ird which 1a e:,mbol1oally equated with the
game of ri~dles. To pla7 riddles 1G tantamount to colli ng up
the riddles • symbolic namesokee a n d ~ ~ · the birds.
Wf' have s een that the oonge of tracU 'ti onal e tol'"ies, ant" the
etorios thenselvea , ore alao called ~1ol2,.~. like riddles.
or theoe oong~ i t is said thnt they fly like birds, and thi n
may be tho r~aoon why, like playing riddles , etory-tell1ng is
also taboo during t he rain:, ceaeon. uut t he stor y taboo 1s more
l1kc a jolting taboo and 1 t 1,, :aot strictly ontoroed. 2

l ~·GUu 360.
2 Harries, 1942 b, 275, statee that the Makua jokingl.7 aoy- t hat
to play riddles and to tell etoriee in d0,1time is taboo.
 31\.

In t.be fol lowing l)oges i'H'ty rt.dUes Wil.l be p.l'eoented.

In ordel' to avoid nocd.leAG 1,,~pflti tion 01• proc~,1ure only tne
cholltmgen or tho r1 '1 lles :pi• 1~,e~ an.cl tl'.e i•i::plieo will oe

?'uproduced. The r:tadJ.es h n <10 been arranged acc~;..--,Ung to the

oateg"ri~a proposed by &onap ra , and adoptud DJ n1:11riee and
Blaoking. 1

T§xt No._~ Told by Mr. Bakar1 ~amba dongo a t K'fa , toro.

l C: Tue~k1me ba'~sue•~o 1/!.

2 rt: !doso.

l C: The mother o~ the ni ght has coma.

2 R: '!ht~ moon.

The moon is clearly seen aa a femnlc person here . 'fhc term

bo'4eua• s1gn1~1e a a female ruler, •one who nae gl'eatncea over

[ the night]•. The !'c!il1n1n1 ty ol' the .moon is d l ocussed on p . 64,

~·ext 110. 2!h 'fold by fr11. Oalak"! •• ( ·?) . • at vu.q;<foi ka .

l C: //hk.tsii aaxi " l ''1ma n//:tneteto •a l '1n<Sne• n ! 1 k\Ye'' •

2 H: //ok4a b4ara.

l C: The eun uaye: 11

00 to hunt i n the flat :ola1no . ' 1
2 R: The dry season htie begun.

The dt'y season ia the principal hunting neason, the graee ia

dry end short, and animals are better visible. The verbal rorm
.a.ax. (she soya) shove the femininity ot the eun.

l J cha»era 1932; Harries 1942 b; Blacking 1961.

 311

Text , Q• 25 1 7old b y llI'. ! ' umplul J>otri ., aliui ' a t ,lax_u;vc .

l C: Warexsl llbiae bint1•.

2 R: H4ngakwe o hloom4.

l C: Friends , t he ,1ew -aoon 1o c;lL1mering .

2 H: Get up ao we m.l,'," 11..,e.

Tne Sandaffe believe that when th~ moon is new •luring the rainy
season. the t-ain will t'all because it is brouJh t by the nascen t
moon. ·!'he new moon, it ta said, br1n~o the rain olouds. and thie
i s the sign t hat it i s t ime to go hoeing so that the seeds may
be planted i n t i me .

Te;t flo, 26.-. Told by Ure . Lusia w/o Oawa ~1nda'4 soi, at ~arkwa.

1 C: H!s• hik ' i nax hew~xaU.

2 R: Birimb! ri.

l C: \lheneve?" I go , I'll juet be with it.

2 R: (Uy] shadow.

Text Ng,..21..t. Told by Ure. aerta Kwela at Dant1•,wa.

l C: 0/i g/t SU!ntU"e~da.

2 R: //oglma //oo.

l C: Descend, descend • grunting lion.

2 R: The road to the rook-hollows.

Bumal!Efda ie the same ao sa,m1l,dfdQ, a ri tua1 t erm for 'Lion••

which 1n text No. 6 ie translated as He Whc Alwayn ~runts. l
In Sandawe countzty t1.er·e aI•o man;, bal'e rock eurtac:oa which show
irregular or circular depreseione which look like animal ~oot-
prtnta; the ri ddle evokes the i mase or Buch• lion •apooi-•.

l Cr. P• 150• note 11.

 312

( 2) ~hp yege M:t2J.c vorld.

:,.:c,r.t No._.2!11. Tol d b~· Mr. PRul Y.oto DegeI"a at tJ//atshd.

::? R: Odle.

l C: Kick, and then wh1 tc cattle er.tel"g e.

2 R: Baobab [seeds].

When the dry fallen seed pods of' tl e baobab ti•ee arc kicked
the Ehells will crack open , t't>..'J)oGing tho s;oous. /.1 though the

seeds proper are blaol: they are encapeule d in a powdery white

cubctanc<. which hao a pleasantlJ oour tuate ; this :le< a :favcuri te
sVJeet of the children . ~ ie tho terrn '!:or whit.E• cat le; in
thoir games Sanco~,e ch ildren use omall l ul:'lpe ot· clay as toy
ca t tle, and tnc wh ite baobab 301:}d lumps se:l'.'ve as wh ite cat tle .

I,ext No, 29. Told by Ir . PaUl Roto Degez•a nt ,//ateha.

l C: 2ere •lyoo //6•.

2 R: Son!a.

l C: lt whistles shrilly on and on, there.

2 R: [The aeedo of] the gall- acacia tree .

~ ie the name of the corm., on gall acacia

whi ch 1e aver¥ thorny shrub or treo , often tound in pure stands
on hard~an eoils. 1 Its aeeda are roughly the aize of a marble
and se t with three l ar ~o thorns; they arc also holed, aa a l'Ule,
•• a r oeult of the boring activities ot a small beetle. These
hollow bored aeed~ form natUl'al whistl9e; wlwn tile wind blows
they emit a typical ahrill whiatling sound.

l Bw.-tt, 1936, llo.6.

 31..:5

~Xt r•9• jQ..... ..'old l:f -•• ,l ia S >O at . o r.kOJ. >.

l C: P >!)l .srandmother.
2 ~: A wild nelon.

The c:.<plm-..... t1on given t o thic 1·iddle was a la~;hing: ' orand-
rnotheI" has no [ lon_~er a) womb; granc1J:1other h~tS 1~1n1ahed beari~

{ childl>en]f (!1£\Wl ,q\llft.ll,.fo' 1;~ '~ ' " • ~ ~ l.~..st~). llI!t~

is t .c name of a s ':\all ild rnelon with a lea't:iery wrinkled skin
wh1oll pops loudly when trodden upon. The ima~c t ea double one:
the empty womb or r, Wollan '.;)OO t the meno:>auoe, arid the
exaeod1nt;lY '11'1nkled skin which sor.m Smltlawe wonen tend to
develo., !l.1. on advanced ago . The .nollow aound or 'uop', ot'
course, roprooenta a gross irrovPr~mce; this 1e tne normal
attitude toward grandparents , cf • .P• 35. 1

~xt ,2~~ 'l'olc'J by .Jr. ")aul Ly1mo at Dar eA no.19.a ...

l C: Thudnats~a t!pa•tnaa i/ f .
2 R: Torg.

l Blindly , in c?rkecrew , o ti on ehe coT.cs.

2 A cicada. .

Tho ineect moves in th~ way deoc1•ibed , hit t ing enyt in:: in 1ta
way with euch f·">rce that 1 t \f1ll tall down 011 the floor. Ly1ns

on ita ba~k, 1t has to wrig~le 1tselr up befo~e 1t can take ort

ror another flight which ~a:r again end 1n a collision.

l Tht- into1>r1ant almoet atatee in so many word that a melon 1a

a oymbol or the womb.
 3lii

'nlJ hy 1•u. a1·1a ,/o 'i'slloi-1 ... t lenc?.o.

l C: <Ml~~· khaa eiklh-a' //aatR•.

2 R: Uelf\wd .

1 C: I beut the ba >'bab 1'1•ul t and out co...o tho aolditsrs .

2 n: ?ho gelr.wg boc tle .

'l'he c;glev:a is a ot~a.ll, al ender .r:·od oeotle w1 th a til~· b i ack

head which normally inhnbi t 'b&obab seec1 pods \fhtn they huVfi been
1:/inc on the ground i'm.• no 1.. tiro. hen the vo<ia ar.. k1cr.ed
open the occtl<::u come rurJ.1ng out; 01.'ten they are locked t~gether
1n pairo . 'l'hc ridcllo likena them to the pairH of' aold1erc or
policemen "ho swarm out of thr. governrnen t poet in all direc t ions,
n t the orc\Ar of the goverru:ic, t .

l G: Hub! ts •e16.
2 R: /h! a nok&ndo.

l C: The rootbeam•e clanging sound.

2 R: The dwarr-antelope'o f ootprints.

Ta' el~ uaano ' the clang or metal', like the Bound of a coin
which drops on atone or on arrow which strike& a rock. ~he
1nt'ormant oxplainR thnt th1c r1 · Ile poses an 1rlpooa1ble quc,,t1on
which rf.'qu1rttc. 001 1Mpo1.H,1ble reply. Roof benri1s nre wooden poles,
they are fixed and the.'! do not clang w1 t h a metallic sound.
The dwa.r~-entelope io a li ttl e animal which movea abo~t silently;
a1ncc 1t ~nkes no noiso i ts ioot~rinto can onlJ bo seen, not
hoard . ..'\nother in1'ormant l'xplaine that a root'be8.Jll 1o 1opose1bl.Y
large tor une as an arrow. It cannot be shot o!:r and it cannot
clang like an arrow. A third informan t gives yet another roaaon
 ... 15

tvhy thE': nreocintion o .... qounc:'I 'r1 th t he: t!.wm,f-rr t~lopt • o f.' oot-

printr is abf'ur<'I. Cattle Utt<:r tho1r trac}·ll TiU t"rop1 i ngtt na

tht1~ go nlorg; thoE>e clscl': r.tf:n ttE':; c'!rof' (al ttourh not r,etdHc ,
the 1nt'or"'fll t, <"«'&ct>Hca thh. sound a~ .tr.'~l..f.). ':"he dwarf

cmtf'lope never <'lepooitn e.ny dropntnrs in 1te tracks; 1f'Bt,N1d. it

alwaye rune to onf' of' 1 t£ o:pecial c'ropnin£ epnto in the bush
which 1 t marka as i te own by n11earing an excretion t:rom a taciel
e;lana on a twj g; tt11R ou,ei:lly excretion b c&lled 1 'ithfl.

~·ext }:o, 34, Tolci by 1'. 1hawa S 6no at U kele J / &ta.

l C: b~bu naa h~bu.

2 E-.: t (uto mok6ndo.

l c: ilhalt, and td1am!

2 R: Tl1c buell-pig't footpr>ints .

Thi:: eiclple onomatopoetic 1·i hdle e ugget:; to the r ound or the

ungainly eai t of a bueh-.vig. P!.v.u aI•e noc t urnul ri,,.idcrs of
the r1elde, ai.d usually they ar~ not eeen but t l cy muy be heard.
Th1P is why it 18 the aowtd ot tho pue f\ing a.n1mnls that 111at tcre,
rather- than tht 1r visual e.poot•.

~No, ~~. '.t.old by Ur . A11 hhmnhln ~tins d at 1./fkeee, l',itratilbe .

1 C: Ka•: ~ \!I tl'thtoe th'1nts'a wertS.

' '
2 P. : Tlkele n/t•sana' n:t' 1nt• . ,,
'
l O: lie &ayP: "smack, 8Jllack", t.hc witch goen about e teal thilY.
2 R: liyenas go to and fro, to ent meat.

.1 or th~ way in which T.he o~ackinc oound \!I 11:1 't)rot1uced, see
P• 111. ~oacibly thin sound ie aiMilar to a e~und which Bleek
doecribea a& occurring in ehman:
 316

"A most curious .feature i n uehman f'olk-lore 1o tormod by

ther speech E' of various a i,.1als.... .::aid to b~ peculiat>
to the anioals i n 'Nhose rvmths they a:i-e placed. It 1s a
remarka'blc atte pt to 1 it 1-e the shape or• :pos.i. t 1on or the
mouth of t he ';.ind of anit'lalr t"'I be rep:rP-fJC te • ,l

The sound produced in thie rid l e &.ppeara to be an '>:t.'J.'ect1vo

imitation of a hr,ena • hich smacke the lips in entic.ipation
1
or
a meal. I t also appeare to be \:lsed only t'or 1rui ta't1ng a hyena. 2
Being a familiar or witches, tl1e hyena walz.ca aoout Rtealthily
in tile dark ( ~ nd) , and i ta gait is like that of a
person who hae bad deaigne, nervously welkins to and fro all
the tlme • .>

~.t i,o, ~12 1 Told by a boy whose nmle I do not k.,10•, at 'iug3more.

l C: :Ka 1 : " ...., , v O

, ~wax: It
\!, ' \!.,
ti
•

l C: llo sa:,A: 11
smuck, ornacit 11 , end so.vs: 0
omack, e 1acktt.
2 R.: A hyena.

The .f'ollorr1n.g explnnntio.1 10 ;1vcn: 'i'ho lion catc 1eat while

t..110 h ron3 1& here 'l'IUi ting [.i'Ol' the spoils]' (Llqt 1 biA n/!ni'
The lion hu."ltfi 11:• pl'CY urn, kills i t ,
but the h.:,-:na ia a oovnttd f:l.."'Hl wai te tox• the lion tr., f inish 1 te
meal so ho may f'eed 011 t,h spotla arterwards . .'eal' 1h1le he &1 ts

at a dictunce , smacking his lips.

l Bleok, 1375, 6.
2 Ito nail in re:1,,raducod u ~ ' er. t~.,:t ,o. 1:.,, .ote 19 (p. 261.)
, 1.11'01•,1a.vt ' ', d~ecript,1on. Vel.t.cn, 1900, 193, TII'i c.e• that a
,::;uropcan who .lao Ln the hal,1 t of sneakine; up to llie laboW'ers
to eee 1f' they were at work, was n1oknami,d ~. !{yena by the
.., lahill.
 317

I§.xt No, 371 Told by urs ~ustina // ' ok~ at 1nc1ga.

1 C: ! hweg6a !'wnaoa tdu.

2 T~kcle.

1
,..,
V• A hornles s cow finis.her; up tht- cour. ~t>y.
2 R: A m·ena.

A hornle f.'s c ow is an i ncomplete animal, an anomnly . Of young

girls 1 t is said t.hat 'they havt: no horns yet' { ~
U4DAl:O§QtS'S?) 1rhich means • t.ney havfl no breasts yet ' , 1. e . they
are l'till i ncol!)plete. l n1 t1ates i n circwnc1s1or.. en , pe are
called hyenas ( lhe],11) a e lor g as t he;, have not ·oeen ritually
clee.nsed at the concluu i or, of t heir 1n1 t1at1on pe ri od, i. e . as
long as ' they have not become complete [ pf ople] ' (L.6ulx,
tlem'!',!~wat6~otfT'e)., reinto rateo i nto eooiet:;. 1 yenas are
anomalous aa v,itches and socially i nco.nplete ae outcasts , and
th~re~ore hornles~ cows .
~he exrrec.c ion 'to f i n i sh up the c our. tr, ' 1e ..:ianduwe: idiom for
pacinb up a nd do\lltl, up an( down , i n a restl es~ t;8 .• e r, the way
hyenas do (eec also text ·o. 35 above) . 1

T§~t liSh ;a. Told by Mr s . K'ate' awa a/o Zuica une-(J at Kwa ...toro .

2 R: S1t•iko .

l C: I ehall t~ll you th~ ricclo in etcrrt.

li1.tJ.Kn i n n cit:·nll bird ,·. hoeo ntll!'( tri 01· Bnntu origi r , d. Swahili

cb,3,rili;\l.L ~,ohnaon t.~llr, ue thnt tr,1~ 1a tt,c 11

11amC' of' a b ird ,

l The rwahili use th~ 1ame ~Ypree~ion (r.?.W1hliza nru2J.).

 318

l
Finchee - FringU,Udae"; Al'ohbold deaoribee i t as a Canary
(~~1nua} ; 2 an~ Da,.~~ann ident1r1ea .te1riko aa 1p1wa1

f orbidden, a riddle has to bo told in iaec1'et, 111<.e a bird whi ch

br1ng6 a ,seoret meat.age . l.)irda aa oar,•1a1·s of' oocret messages
are oonuaon in .fol kloz>t> all ove1• Bnntu Africa; 4 of oouree the

riddlo 1tsel£ is al~o a b ird, as we havr- seen. The name of t he

b ird in this riddle involves a nun: ~1 is a !untu word which
means ' secret•; - k!l is a Sandawr~ udhor tat t ve, and aJ..d.-kQ t hus

111eane ' no 1 t in seer" t • .

~xt ~9, ~9, Told by r. uul ~oto Jegera at var es Salaam.

l G: '!hdntaaa kij'k~ ' sa n t amd.

2 R: 'l'lankft4.

1 C: In the plain she ifi ringi-i.g : "kc, k~."

2 R: rae trancolin.

Thi s simple onoMatopoetic ri dlc rcpr1ducsA the sound or the

fi;,nncolin. Those bi r ds arc com ,n 1n plains and valley grounde .

1-§z,t {q, '-10&- •rold by lr. Paul Y. o to ;)egP.rn at .Dar es Salaam.

l C: KiJ1ngots ' sa nara'~.

2 R: 'l's 'ank • 6.

l C: At Ki gango ahe is beauti~ully- patterned.

2 R: A gutnoa-fowl .

l 1951, 57.
2 1956 ( On"lOU<li..<).
3 Daro ·1ann l<).38, 3 .
4 er. chn~ter IX.
 Jl9

The speckl ed pattern of the sruinea-t'owl' A plumage 1a cone1d 6 r ed

1
ver:, beautit'ul (miara'(). Ki ?, o 1 ~ an Area near '>6du in
con tral '3a.ndawe which abo mdr; in R'U ln P.a- f,>wl . Au uquol t he
bird it:J .femin1nEi .

~ 4 t ,o. l+l., Told by r . Paul .c, t o ";e g~Nl ut Db!' es Salaam.

l C: J\Ut llkutt1.
2 r< : ..l1nd1 H ma.

1 C: Little fists .

1e,li t NQ,, 1.;2. ~old u;r · r . Paul o to .Jc e ra at '1// a t.sh4.

l C: l>o.lapalas t! .•
2 n: 1nzal6a c'li ! haunaa hab~.

l C: It has the le{;s apart.

2 .R : A 1·h1 c p p,1veo b irth on a i'lut :>oc1e.

i lat rock e:r.pansee ar~ the beat placoe where l>irth-•·ivi.n g can
be s upervised. !l' an ani ual of' the herd 1A about to g i ve b irth

in th~ bush ~he herdoman will try t o get 1~ t o such an open

apace i ~ there 1s one nearby; hore the n('ubo2>n a.~1rnal c an be
cared for sna chance~ are better that it wtl l not be lost.
lhere ai•e sevorol pl~cos in the c ountry which tU"e named Etll..4
or ;'ha.1.4,
 320

~ct . , o ~ Told by !tr. ?aul L:, 1 ,o at Dar ··s <'alaan>.

l C: 04wanar. • kee 6poro k!P<>x,1e ' tl ' 1tim&.

2 R: Dak'w(- /t1na.

1 C: I ell ,bed up the hill; two p, ~ tlf'S .::: cut.•

2 .1l : A mule ' o tea tu .

A u.ule has only two teatq theee arc liket cd to the pes tlca
which women use to pC'und grain in a mortar. ~hey carry out thia
work i n pairs, eoch of them pounding their pcctlc 111 turn.

ff"'xt if•..,, .!J!u.. 'l'old hy· • r. fa.nl Joto De~era at //atsh4.

l C: ':rd hu hu ll/1 zald1,, , ele:i.hn k!tcte .

2 .i-<: J'6to ts'ob6rrno .

1 G: I y cow•a r,eat io outoidc [ cutJ the hide 1a 1r1aide.

2 .. . I chicke~'c g1z.erd .

'l'hc 1.. t)Ut i\ 1nnide of n slaught.erecl d· i(,l<cn' t g1z; a1•d reminds t he

sand awe of a cow's hide .

I§xt IQ, LL~ a ''old by r . raul oto e1 E z a H't. • ar ct1 Salaam.

1 C: Tf'hl.tpe tr-hup~ mSro xii' :t..

2 R: f 6ko n11u3u.nthi.

1 C: Cla. t. tf·r, clE• t ter , ti.e post~ aurr·ounc [ it. J clcsel.y.

2 R: /l oh1cken' a t.a11 ..

'ihe quills of a c hickon•e larg•t tail t'eathert>. are like t h e

maaoive wooden main posts ot" a ~andawe house. The vei-b x!l' !ft
&uggee te wrapl)in g a tigh c. bundle• like bundling t og<.. thel' a
pile 01' firewood which has been c olleoteli in " 1tt buPh• so that
the women can carry the bundles home on their h ea ds .
 .321

Text b9 ~ Told by ~ l'. Bakar1 Tauba Son ~o at Kwa • t or o.

l G: Ts! khoo nUl / '1lk'na

1
/ •ee.
2 Jdi eiko.

l
,...,
V•
. "Y h<:>use ' s mouth lo..,ks upwal"ds.

2 ..".. A beohl ·.re •

Beehives at'e r ad~ <>f hollowed- nut le 1gtha of tree • •unk and
placed in the. branche,1 l'>f a tr.ee r,r aunnended .tr>r>'" them on a
ro~e . ·~1e hive is actually no placed that t10 ope ing is facing
sligt. tlY do·,gn rs. tne.1• tha 1 up ; t t., 1s done t., ket::P. :>u t

':'he te:r-:n 'looki::1g uo' is the reeult -:>1' an 1 ,Of!... trac1.sfer t:ro1n
t:ie obBel'vcr on t.n,· g1•0 md who ls lo >king up, to t o h ive above .

To;.t Ng. 41. Told 1>:r ~11. ' nts 'awa d/o ":.una •rmgc at Kwa !ltoro.

l Tahupo~ l hwa.
2 '.
-\ • ndn ' oil k'a..: 'a.

l C: Clapping ; han1lcla:pa .
2 :R: ilrru1tlnother has ~ound vegctableo.

'randmother has 1'1n1ahed gri nding, snlJ ge t'!J up anc, i hakee the
du st o'!: t!ic pul v~l"'izod dl'ie(l vegetable a o.e ' her hanas.

Text To. 4~. '"'old b y ll' . Paul Koto 1J<-3gera a't Dar os Sa l aam.

l C: Ts 'um4x n//oeU~ia //n~t s •.

2 R: Tshaax k1d1b4k1.

l C; 'fa I w.ia, l) 16 Ul,'l<l.f,J (:) lCX'{;GU tOt;O the1• 11 t, 1 hOl ' Child.

2 ~: ':he :!.'ood pot: tl.l':.l 'lihv vogetaolc: a i fih.

1 The usual nonition o~ a ~iv~ ts nn de 0~1~~d sn~ illustrated

by Uulwick, 193~, 66-,.
Food is dished up i n tvro veo elr: the la1"~~ on~ w1 th porridge
and the sna ll one vri th r eli sh. Fote a2 e feiaininc , like gourds ,

pumpJo::ins an<i mel oun . ~"'le emall dish ie the 'ohil~l' of t he largo

one. '"he name '.;:s 'W'I.A litopt>oprh':. tel 7r !'.'ICtmf' one 'who h as smoke
( or stoam) • • 1

To~'t Fo. l+.9..t. Told by Ur. t>aul Ko·o negora at 1/ /atohl!.

l C: Pandepru~de phd4 ryho0.

2 R: Kl1zo.

l C: '..'flt} clet't m.cu arc onen ar.d expose,• •

2 n: 1. cil•y1ng :t•uc ... .

Uoat i& dried on a :roaclt a ,ovr> t l'\d fireplace where 1 ~: is all open

and expose<l to the Elmoke . The rack is ·el.'or•J•ed to rtEI • t h e clet"t

onea' ~acnuse 1 t is made or P- ticku which a"<'o s t.i."ip~>cd ot thei r•

bark au<\ them c left in to ch 1i)s ; the se al"e joinod oroeewiee t o
!'orm tne raok . Van c!o K11n-onade g 1vP-s thll mea111np of ~ or
R.4.n.01ms1 ae ' to clea ve•, 2 b~t 1t alAo 1:lt}ans • to be apart and
~arallel' , c~. 1 o Rimi .lJ2'l..~.niiD, ~hicn Jvst t~nns1atea as •a
wit~ roxe of eunhorbia h~dges on either e ide •. 3 f.wht_ is a
oontrac t1 m ox· 12.A- .tl.!11, 'and 1 t - gapf)d •; uh.Q.Q i s 1i terally 'wh1 t e • •
but. it alao i:1aans • ~1eat> , open, nxpo3od. 1

Text :Jo, ~Q, Told. by r . Kba•a SJno at 1.; ale !i/aM.

l C: Ph~ tl'ik ' ko laoe /! o maro~ sura.

l C: To- i;iorrow comi:, earl.v 1n t.nc morning ao we ma., hang up

2 Ri 'llle oecr f il ter. l ... •andmother.
----------------
l rThe cu 1e descril>"'d i n t,•,r: t r-.o.3, note 8 (1) .130 ).
2 1954. 51.
3 1911, 88.
 •r a tra1n.era
or t'il tc-:-s (~1'·17.:.1) ; these iue wrun "l o 1t i'lVElr tne be1r nots eo

that t l;e cha!'f and "> ther i !!!puri tiee star bch i~d tn th, fil tc1v,, .
~hen t l1e t'11 ter a 11av.,. do11e t lJir w0rk t 1c.r at>~ n .•. g up on p3ge

i n tho \Tall, l oo , i n! 0.11 , usou an 1 ,ri!'lkl~,l 1 il<"" .:P''lnd l'IJ'lt l')"'c:- • 1

l .;: ·> '>..1oori'"o.

l C: C~avin tt~i~~llin· un.

'2 R: 'iuc ,mol~e.

no in.t'o.'T'.lant hau be: u able to e:cplAiT\ t. 1 uitng ot: £1Rmbor1~Q

';Jut analJn i:l nho,;s t he f ,>l ...owing : .u. ~ i > an a_phrod1s1ao, or

ar.J r~edicine whic.n produce a a m•a.vi !lg; !lQ. .il2.=..Q 1a tne a ction of
~n.c iut·uicin0 , c;:. "9 • 1 05 , t111 n• •m1ng of' V>Wt ... 13. !U.-~ is the
nctio"'- o.. c 1.ucin up oira , or• .Cl,tJ.lld up, c1·. e.,t 21, line 3,

craVing cuuc;et! by tnc tobacoo no}.c which it} sp1ra111ng up f rom

o. p..;.pu . i11.torwr...nts later asi•cod \11th thi• , ~,t1t Gey that the
c hallcz1cse may al1..,o be pose d u:> !H$1H,o.r...c...u, ' thut wl,i c:h cor.i.os
for-th unci up1rale; up' .

1 ·... 1.c. wo1•0. :!'or • be ri'il 1..t1• • in iaolat io ia ~ ; i tt. variant

~ 1r. the t <:xt rnem.$ • the !'11 tc r wn1c,1 io aiean t . or talked
Elb->Ut I .
~xt No, 52, Told b y I.tr. J 'umph4 Petri Selim' at NJ axu we .

1 C: DI t h4n t e •1e • // ' 6k ' a r ~minkoe • tuk •n .

1 (;: Cr, tt c flat r ~ck ! pat 'ttt r hl · of cl o1 .

~ ia a ohrub ..i·hich c o~ewha t resernbleg dock or e o rrel . 1

I nny Sm.c a .. e cl'trn 1 t becau, c 1 t~ ju1cca r.e{,rr to cont Bi n a mild
I t i mul ant . Ci'< \',irw 1 t cau:. c ~ ore ' ~ , p i t tl~ to be c om e very ?·l:'d.

J flnt rock ir of cou1 re Uc rlt c-C' v .C't'f> tl t r esn1 l ~f this

w.t 1':<'..t-5.la. Tole b;r l','1• . Puul Joto <r.c1n nt ,ru· ea ,ol aai:1 .

l (:: LON,{> < f\riL'lO ta tu ' or.a 11/ /UL.e •

2 i<: r./ut:f.

l C: Lon~o'r el, C,.>ir I hu t • tanclfl out i'Ol'f.lU,rci...

2 R: TL.. noue .

"'ne parable ?f the s lecp1J\ci l lU t is ,1nsod on l ts J:un.ction; 1 t i s

the resonato1• bo..< of a person wno sno1•ee . '!'he uame ~
1:1uppJ.i ee 1.uc c l ue , f or i t mc::ens ' thar. wni ch is hao1r.uallY quie t •.
The ,:11•st syllable indicatco ltu hubitua .. J.'\Ul~tior. , er. l9n- lsh6
2
' that "-'h i ch habi tua.J.lY bento ' , i . e . a .'igntin,,t a d ck. Tho

e leu:eilv -a ind icateo habi t.ual action , 3 tho vowel change to ~.

shows tne aat10-:i or t'unc til)n 1. i.ac11~, l~ a.nd thn naanl1ao.t1on of'

l Nl'tfflnan , l9bb , ident1 :f'ies it as ru_ua 19!,!hG"tg t;qx,,:i, ( lJln. ) Fu

1

,ic.h.
2 ~f. text o . ~B.
3 er. note a on p. 116.
4 Cf . t:ie v,,l uc of vowel s , p. 105.
 .325

t11'!.1 '• -~ 1 a·· tw oct1m ot

l
,,
V •
. 1a1 t·we I swe • m~.

2 R: ! 'aKil,

1 C: J houso ha.5 ; ts ,.m11,, 'Ii-+;>! ·1.-i1.tf" ;; to . s.

2 ,: i'lle to 'th.

_ext ,o. J <•

l ..
v. '1'1 1 au {11')0t6 ta ~·11aa

1 C: At "l'a.11.YJ:'.)(I tt,-. Vt'--•o.hl1•n dr.,· ,,,.

2 .rt : KeBt'wa • both-gap .

'.!'he enn<lm,e C<lol, thAir vt•r,e- tai,le2 ~10£ t!v a 1 1'inclJ ground

roa::;h, li!·w •'Pi .nch. Thll .iui'or::irtnt exp'L d 1.i that wheu veijetab loe

aNl lvI' t 011Ar• i n a di&h , hollow c1•ustt:1 o' ury vegotu'bl ea will

ven tual ly t ''>t>u 11' th< o inh is l• .ft •1•1waeh"'ti• '~i,e• ,.., h"llows

.:>f;~OmbhJ eap11 i,etwc,!11 t e tu ·tr1 v, iich nrc:. ci.cruetcd with the

l'• t10hl~. :ll' veeetuules a fteI' (;U t i.If; • J.h na'l.C '.j,'l' au,khoo is

deli berately ch'>sen. '..'hi s iA the na e o:t' a p:!.ac ..1 in centr·al

ban<Ja\,e wl ere tLor t; l. r a. CH)Uhlo-hu: pod. hill. uur•ir,,; the rain;v

season the gap bt:t::EJcn the hur.;pe 1t- t'onccalcd by ve,.etation

but du r i ng t t <' dry i,caPon tt ln ot"i et up nnd the gap becomee

visible like a t ">oth- gap . 2J. ',enkl120 (tJ.'p.n( i }- ~ ) means ' the
houso of t ho tooth-gap '. The ga~ i ?l the hill has evidently
!>upplied a. na-c ~or t!'>i, r1 ace where loc.:al :people hoe built their

l c1·. text No . 1!>4.

homeet('ad. ~W..f:\ is th.is na.rif' o!' e. o;i:rl who he1•ded her flock
':):r the gap ( amal l aninale may be hoJ'C\od b.r n irls); "ilue
'Ono fho o!•<ls' • &MA had u"'c lren i:ee th with a g ap.

1'§2tt ti2• !>Su. '.!'old by t>. Paul l<oto l)e,rero. at N//ntsh4 •

1 .
"..... . T. 1. t~ !n • ; 1
.
! '' 'u! c· .
2 R. : t he .

1 (.. : . J pt:opl< , t ..cy all .,...Vt, u.:.l-f: i:l t . 1:~ ,uth.

2 x: Tn~ t,n~~c .

'.olc. r . Fe~... :.nto :.ieeera at .}a:> oa SalaEllil.

l C! {Ii ~.h:! •

l C: A~ TOG •• ;i. 1C bra• fSl' ~.

•m ern,;fr,rlf't.z~d -..U, 1 1n il otut~ ot'', c.' , -.tu .l.JL ' or •at ' wi th

th~ ·11w,l j., which liaR ~he mcnnin~ of tttc .n~il' S.'"':(") let·. p . 105) .

t..'ill 13 '.l fur~ o·::., p rr on , r-,..'ld ~\.:th1 1ntensi f1es the meaning·
to that of' an ag ·:re 1 vo p,:iz•EH>n or a 1 ru. art who 1 o qui ~c
tf'l'.'. i!~yin ·• ~ is t!.r. nnr nf a typ ,-,t.• t'P. d v;~.:l.~h r•onf'i in

mar£'hee . J":le 1'::f01•ma t. •·nyc, irw. "v th0l':... 1• c,d:' louk like a •.1.tnsai

l · See »lat e 111.

 327

The 1nf'or r.iant did not know the meaning ot the name~. but
he sai d that the Maasai wear thei r hair like girl's chains
(Ai/okotai morda). This 1s an old t_ype ot necklace :from which
many iron chains are suspended, forming a small curtain. In
the paet girls also ueed such curtain aprons to cover their
pudendas; it r ecei ved from a lover euch chn1no had the eams
eign1t1oa,lce as beads or etringe. 1 Dempwolt'f tells ue that the
word '.mar.4' means 'barrenneae'" or '1nfert1l1 ty•, 2 and als o that
it 1• a male proper name. 3 This 18 indeed the oaee, tor the name
18 given to children who have been born when the le.nd is barren
during a period ot dl"ou.ght. Van de Kimmenade reoorde that the
verb·~· means •to abort•; the term m.or§g or mord•q then
means the act ot aborting. The name H,ora.a is used by some

Sand.awe as a general nickname for Maaea1 or Baraguyµ; any

resemblance with _the Uaasai term tor •warrior • (11-muraul,
i-mJlPan) may be coincidence but it bae no doub t hel ped to make
the name etick. Checking up with other 1nt'ormants showed that
there are aeveral words which are diff er ent but related:~.
•to abort• or •to be barren•; ;ord•o, •the ac t or aborting';
~ . 'bar renness•; NOJ'44, ' Barrenness •, a nickname t'or t he
llaaea1; but f4odr46 (rather ths!'l Del1ll)wolt':.f''s mm:4), a Sandawe
proper name; and aa.r.da, a neck chain or a pudenda curtain.
Thus 1t appears that the Sandawe make a subtle difference
between a proper name which 1e given t o their own children 1n
times or drought, and a nickname used f or the Yaaoal which

l Red!aayno, 1964, 102, i llus trates "a small girl wearing a

traditional string apron(~ ) " of the Hehe tribe ; this
correspond& closely with the Sandawe chain apron ehown 1n
plate III. For Sandawe bead symbolism aee PP• 41, 44, 263,
and 264 o~ this theeie.
2 1916, 49.
3 Illa·, 13.3.
4 1954, 49.
 328

i nsultingly it11plie e barrenneen. Aa we have seen, our 1nt'orr;iant ' e

tirst reaction wae to as sociate the Maaeai nickname with a
girl's chain oi- pudenda curtain; it seems safe to assume t hat
the nickname ia h8.l'dly a fla tteri ng one. The Uaasai are , of'
couree, traditional ene mi es.

Text No, 56, Told by Yrs. Yue tina //'ok4 at ~1nd1ga.

l C: Togd lonkh4.
2 R: Wazungu nl aaxl.

l C: Togd' a fighting stick.

2 R: A European•e nose ridge .

Stick fighting is a traditional Sandawe game of agili ty, no t

unlike t encing. lnt'ormant No. 16 (Appendi:x IV) , who livc e in
western Sandawe, says t hat the game i e of Rimi origin and that
it has otten been tought in e arnes t t o se ttle quarre ls in duels.
Each contestant carries t wo e ticke, a hitt i ng s tick i n the right
hand and a ahield-et1ck i n the le:f't. Dempwolf'f' ahowo four
photographs ot such a etick tight; 1 von Luochan gives a good
illus tration of the two otioke usod. 2 The Ri mi used ~t icka as
their ma in weapons in war; r1~st they t hrew t heir apeare at the
ene117 and then they went at them with their fighting st1cke.3
The R1m1 tei-m r or the word l.Qllkh4 is similar: Awli\-mlanga
according to von Sick.4 but a Sandawe etymology can be appli ed
to the t erm. ~-A-JulA& meano 'thnt which habitually beata•. 5

1 1916. a!'ter the text.

2 1898. 340.
3 191.5, 14.
4 ~•• 13.
5 Could t he Sandawe t erm have been derived trom the Bantu,
havi ng been changed ao~ewhat in the procesa to ~ake it £1 t
the Sandawe pattern of ~ean1nge tor word elementa?
The cb&icc ot the name agai n complete• the image crea ted by

the riddl e . ~ means 'it d(){"s stick out •. The rtghti na

etiok ot oourae repreeonts the narrowness and the s tra1t h tnoes
or the Furopeon•s noae.

text No, 59, Told by Mr. BakaJ.'1 Tamba Songo at Kwa Ut oro.

2 R: Bl1'.

l C: Grandmother, whY have you thrown me down?

2 R: !3not.

A Sendawe blows his noae hold ing 1t betWAen t he oecond and

thi~d t i ngera while t he back of tho hand rests a gainst
AD:/ ~ucws which may a t tach 1teel t to a finge r i e thrown o~r
w1 th a i'lick1ng movement. The flicking movement ts ea1d to

r ese mble t he tottering gait ot an old woman. To associate

gJ.'andmother w1 th an unclean action is of ooureo a ehow ot
d1or e apcct which is quite in acoo~dance with normal grandchild-
s randpar ent relationship~.

:t1xt No, 601 Told by Mr. Paul J<oto Deger a at Dar es Salaam.

l Ci T4ntal>\&le ba•atsda• boxpo aa man4pone •,

2 Rt G'ltba.

l C: It l give you a big riddle, then would you underetttnd?

2 Rt The womb.

The explanation given t e t bat the womb to great, because all

11v1na creatures al"e fruite ot the womb. 2

l 1'he lett hand i& not alwa.ve eelected t or thie unclean action,
man¥ Oendawe even uee either hand tor eati ns.
2 Text 1.0.19 ebowe that t he hollow baobab tr('le is
ffomb.
 330

text No, 61, Told bv Mr. Paul LY1m6 a t Dar ea Salaaui.

1 0: Te1 //'anga z~a4rea khwate•e .

2 R: K'~du l'u.

l C: Uy ~ell i ndeed i s covered with graee.

2 R: Pudenda hair.

~aar:1 1a a tYPe ot graas which grows i n moist, lowlying areas,

near wells, bu t it has eve n moPe as eoc1at 1ons wi t h t he pubic
1
region. Some slr le are said t o take a eedati ve pr epared rrom
the grace, betore s ubmi tting theMeelvea to cli t orid6otomy .
A particular species ot Zl\aai:c, whi ch i e called LLhs'u'.Lh.4., is
a atar-graee which i ni t iates chew bsfore c1rcumc1s1on takee
pl ace , t o stop the bleod1ng quickl.y. 2

Ioxt No, 62, Told b:, 'fr . Paul Koto Degera at Dar es Sal t> am.

l C: T1'4tl'4biyoo.
2 R: H/at4.

1 O: It goes on: 'cl ack, clack •.

2 R: Diarrhoea.

iext No. 6~. Told by Mr. Paul Ly1m6 a t Dar es Sal aam.

l C: Kho~ds•, r6go khoosoa Zlnte•e.

2 R: Teh66.

1 C: Khom6ao haa forgot t en his knife- handle.

2 R: Excrement.

l Newman, 1966 (No.147) identifies it as Cznodon daptYlon (L).

2 Not 1dent1fied botanioally. //ho/fb4 ls also the name o~
a tree ( Combn tum Alm• )
 331

The likeness ot the knife handle to excrement is etraight-

torward but the f'Un ot the riddle liee again with the choice
ot the name. JShom6so is a male proper nar.1e which means
'the house'& fly-switch' (kh!2.2 ~ ) . The fly-switch 1a an
emblem of dignity, and the •t1y-switch' of tho household is
its head and quite like l y the grandfather ot the rid le-playing
children. llere he has to swish the flies off the excrement
lett behin~ by a small ohild. 1

C§> Dg,metic 11te etc,

:J.'e.xt Ho, 64, Told by W.l' . Khawa S~no at T<!kele 1VaM.

l c: Khux'1'.
2 R: Ko~'o ko~•o.

l C: K1ck1
2 R: Sla::iimlng• alam-.aing [ into something with the feet].

Text Jia, 65, Told b.Y Mr . Paul Koto Oegera at N//atsh4.

l C: I hux\t t •

2 Ri Mam4 kodta • .

l C: Kickl
2 R: Gr .1nd.mother has crashed [ into something].

Text No, 66, Told by Mr. Paul Koto Degera at N//ateh4.

1 C: Hl4p'hl,p' k1nam'b1r •.
2 R: Di's la' a'1l'm4n•na gir•b,.

1 C: Patter-patter, continuoue running.

2 Rt The elders run to the ba ttle.

l The word ..1ths1.A is the Bantu ~ ·

 3J2

\'#hen danger threntena children h1de themselves with t he1~

mothel's i n the bush, or in the houae. Inaide they can hear t he
tr8l!lpl1ng roet of the men who are .Mlll.ning past, on their way
to the battle. ' Patt er' (lll..4D.!.) 1a normally used for t..~e sound
of the :feet o-r children ancl dogs; • trampling• is w..412&.
thie 1s a r i dole couched i n children' s termB , but perhapo the
use or the wol'd ll1.lm.!, (patte:r) implieo dis r e spect.

t§xt No, 67, Told by ~. Paul Koto Degera at Dar eo Salama.

l Cz K~•ae ' ko'e,wa t l• aakwepone ?

2 R: Dagl.

l C: If I put up al l the pegs, can you take them all1

2 R: Debts .

The hides o~ slaughtered animal s have t o be eun-di-ied properly

befor e they can be sold. Thi s is done by s tringi ng them up
1n a circl e of pegs whi ch ar.e dri ven into the grounO; thi s keep•
t he skins just orr t he ground as they dr y . I ~ many h1dee are
s old perbapo all the arreare i n t axes can be paid.

<1> Vtfns11s and other 2b3oct§,

Text No, 68, Told by ·u-s. K'ats • awa d/o ZuQa M~

l C: Tsf n/omdso eom•ktx \tra• 1a'ab4wa .

2 R: Ktba.

l C: Uy t hree people do very much work.

2 R: The hearth.

The Sandawe t1replace is of the ueual African t ype or three

atones between which t he r1re 1• l it, and on which the pot a
reat. It i s almoet con tinuousl7 i n uae .
 3.h

~zt rm, 69. Told b;r ·r . f 'umpht! ..,etr1 al1m ' at hxuw--' •

1 C: ,egerata /hfa l' war'kaka to'~xsu.

2 R: Ph,16.

1 C: In the ~§eQ~a-bueh the dwart'-antelope hae but one jaw.

2 R: A wood-carvi ng knife .

The Sanda~o have t wo special carving knives, the xor~tl!..ima

and the m3.i~. The ~orme~ 18 bent round so that the blade forms
a loop; this 1mpl ottent i s uaed r or carving out hollow ehapea
like wooden bowla (l.A.!..a.4). The latter, the ~ . is a special
wood-carving knife with an el egantly curve~ blade which ia not
bent ~idowayo, but etraight. 1 The dwarf-antelope or di kdlk 1s
a common on1ma1 Gnd moot sa~dawe chi ldren have aeon its
bleached l ower jaws tn the bush. When the halves are separat ed
a singl e j aw has a shape which reoemb lea t he ~ . the
jaw would be rao~e liko the xoi,1ts•imA with its U- ehape.
Dwarf antelopes eu-e vulnerable animals who like t o run for
into the thorny, dense d§@i:1-buah (Iacuroetaoh;ye £Clooer0:tr1) •
~oet ot the animalo who 1~ get caught by t hei r pursuers, are
killed in the tho~nbuah. Thi& i s the place, thererore, where
the11" Nmaine are usually s een .

Text Ng. zo, Told b y Mr. l'umpb~ Petri Salim' at Nlaxuwe.

l C: ~ I'll•
2 R: Oeu11.

1 C: The h1de-hg1r eoattere.

2 R: Wooden-headed arron.

l Dotb knivea are illuatrat~d by von Luschen, 1898, 341 (r1g.

18 and tis. 19 ) . lle rei'ere to the1:i as 'kolP-tdma and JDlzW
(p. 340).
 .H4

!llJlJ.J.. i q the name or a tyPe or ru.~row which has no metal h~ad .

It 1e us ed ror shooti ng bi rds , and tor hunting small ani~ale
among rooks where arrows may get l ost i n places from which they
cannot be recovered. Iron heada are precious, but wooden-headed
arroee can easily be kept i n quantity. Children do th~ir
practi ce shooting witli them, and when t hey do this the wooden
a~rows may fall down 1n awarma , sca ttering all over the place
like hair which 1a talli ng out or an old hide. 1

Iext .•o, Zl, Told by Hr . Paul Koto .>egera at Dar ea Salaar.'I.

2 R; Tl' ibo.

l C: ~randt'ather ie in the house out hiF beord is ~utside.

2 R: Rafters.

The flat roots of Sandawe housGs have ~arters which project

ou tside the wa1le where they support tho eaves under which
people l i ke t o ett and talk. The rafters which are placed close
t ogether are l ike the stubbly goatee of an ol d man. Grand1'ather
1e the owner or t he homestead and t he rattcra are therefore hie
beard. An element of mild r i dicule may wel l be pr esent.

,:ext Ng. 72. Told by J.ho. Bakarf> Tamba Songo a t Kwa l!toro.

l C: Tef galama eoll• aete •e .

2 R: //oo.

l C: My climbing rope has no end.

2 Ri A p ath.

l Common ehapee or t he ar ~o• are illustrated by von Luechan,

1898, 330, and b y Tanner, 1953 , 65 (Sukuma exampl es of shapes
alao comaon among tho Sandawe).
 335

';'he S andtme make l ong ropes out "~ the .fibre of the 1n.TJe:-;> ba4'k
ot the baobab tree; these ropos are provided wl th a weisht at
one end. 'l'hie i s thro m across the branch or a ~reo wher e a
beehive ie kept anil. the d.ou l ed r ope is then user1_ as a cl1mb1tl8
rope to r each t h.. hive ; euch fl rope hae be en der.cribcd b:,
1
1:unter. ?atho between the t'lelds nind endlea 3ly, like n long
rope.

'text Np. 1~, Told by ..tr. Paul Koto Dogera at l,//ateh4.

l Ci K'1mbunae • kd! ddro mok6ndoe• /dware.

l C: I climbed on to the roof, and I saw zebra tracks every-

2 n: ~,oea heaps. [ vhel'e.

~Yhen oUl t1vat1on plots are hoed tho weode ar e thro\ffi on heapo;
when th~ work ts done t he whole t1eld 1a oovared wi t h weed heaps
at regular l n tol'vale. Zebra arc SJ'Sgarioue ani mul a; where a
lal'ge herd has paeeed t heir track t s 11 tterod with t he11 droppinal 1

Text po. 7&& Told by Ur. El!a Eeoo at ~ares Galaarn .

l C: Hlawehlaw~ /' dnk'na / '~o.

2 R: J• ee l hwe.

l o, Pi-ett.Y-pl'Utty 18 married upwards.

2 R: 'l'he antheap •s hole.

Int'oz-rnant explaine that the girl lies the wrong r.1de up. Tho
anthoap 1e or ooUl'se a pballua. \fe have here an i mage trans:ter
trom tho queet1on to the answer, in which it is retlec ted, as in
text ~o. 46. In the smallness or a Sandawe house there 1e
little privacy and quite small children are t'ull;y awal'e or the
t'acts o~ lit'o.

1 19.52, 93.
 Stories and r1 ~dles together rorm the large uandawe
category ot oral art called :t.4n,ta:ou12, bu t pra.1ers do not
b e long to 1 t . Al tboug}t p rayeru aN, not tdu1iabule they are 114,
t hat which is spoken; they are not tb1mG, that wnicn ie eung,
and t hey &Fo not t..LJ&., that wh1eh !ti danoad. ijinoe they 1•orm
part ot the category o~ that which ie s poken I shall now con-
clude that categor7 with a preeentat1on ot' prayers.
Thero are several t erma which a sandawe may uee tor
prayer. It 1a a 'pronounce!llent• (1/•a~) but oince prayer is
usually accompanied by some sort of aacr1£ice it is also
referred to as •sacrifice• (pumpUf6). Chrietian and Islamic
pr~er ta re~er red to by the Swahili word for •prayer• ( .l.ilJ.A)J
eolll8tlmee thia tyPe ot prayer ie more explicitly described as
•prayer ot religion• (.Q.S.m. .flAll.). Sandawe prayere are not made
in 1sol~t1on but always ae a part ot ~1tual. and they arc not
chanted or e ven opolton in an o!'dinory quiet voice but shouted

out sl.oud in order to make sure the t the spiri ts t o whcm they
are addressed, or divinity in general, will set the message.
The one exception 1o the ailont s ong or prayer which is oalled
mJrl:sS1a Llu.mt. { •medicine eons') . Ther e appear t o be three
principal usoa of thie special type of prayer.
l . At exorc1e1ng illneao. The doctor (auqanga } who conducts
the ~edictnal rites arter his pat1ont•a r ecovery ea.ye or sings
his eecret snd inaudible medici ne eong in order to ensure that
the ailment will not return.
2. At divination. The diviner is said to maYe his divination
{(LJ)pa•g} e ~rective by 'singing ror the ~agic power• (m1r1g1ea
or drJguea Lb...ml.). ~'hi s too 1a done quietly and the prayer aong
is not heard by the client.
3. A.t ~ath. Bagehawe eaye that "'l'he Sandawi bury their dead
 ':u 7

I
\',1th considerable ccreuony eome detaile 01.' which he o.oscr1bes
but he dooa not rCl'fer to any prayers e:\ther during the burial.
ttie aacrit'1cc6, t,1e moUl"ning period, or i tc conclusion. 1
Ian de Kiw:..1made saye that when a person haa died u.s;m ~

A la ma1ssm, 112rtun1re a Rousaant ~ ~ l,u•wPrH u2 and

.uagshawo agitoce that "women wail at i nterv~lo".3 Van de
Kil!l!.ienade rurther refers to t he meeting which 1e held at the
day ot the burial during Which the nature ot the deceased
person's illness and the oauee of hie death ere disoueaed. 4
~ut he mentiono no pray~re; he onl~ saya that the people who
are pr ecent eXl)rets in \¥orda that 'his shadow (epir1t) ia there '
and that •t,c has pierced the shadow•; the latter expreedon
indicates that the deceased has been killed by aorcery. 5
b"?'. van de R!mmenade would certa1n1Y have mentioned prayers
had he come acro&e them, because o~ hie special intePeet in the
religi on of the Sandawe. Dempwoltt •s text ~o. 39 also mentio.ne
that ' When a person haa diP-d, the belier saye, his shadow is
there (alive)•. but again there arc no rcf~rencee to any
p.rayers.
6 Ye t the Sandawe oay that when a lineare elder

C,;ta;t4xete ~i'Qd) conduete burial ceremonies, he guietl.Y einge

a magical song (g1r1g1s1 lbimr) which can be heard by him alone .
lie also doe& thie when he lights the t ire which i e to keep the
dead aan'e ghost away tor the duration ot' the mourning pel:'iod..7

l 1925, 336.
2 1936, 413.
l&Sh ~ ,1 i
'
4 l!wla.. 414.
I

5 :iQ1h{:i:fc1
6 1916, 142.
7 Vu de ~1111,..enade, •R9s2Uc•, refer& to thio tire . It 1s not
the fi r e ot baobab eeeds ot which ~a~shawe , 1925,337, speak~
this is lit at the end or tho moW"ning by two old men and two
old women tor roaeting the meat of sacrit1c1al an1111111s.
 .>.58

At c1l'cur.cie1on c<'t•ec,on1.e-n the Cnnda\lic no not r,hout any

prayero, at l eao! thi a was not the case 1n the ~ozen or so
o rr.monio,; which I have n 'ten,,ed . 'on Sick g1vea uri a JUr.:ii
cil•cUlt'tcision pr ayer anc" l t ma:r t heretore be poaoible "thttt t,Uch
!,rayere could also be found in those partr1 of Snnc1awe cow1try
whict; ham been influenced ~oet by tho lUr:11 . 1
In thio d1scuse1on we have qui etly asriurot'd ~o far that
the Sandnwe ned1c1ne song may be a form of prayur. !1ow we have

t o cone1der whethe.r 1 t r ~ally is, a.."\cl if 1 t 1s not we eholl have

to separate 1 t clearl.7 f'ror..1 pra;rer. We havr eeen that pr•a;,rer
hel on~ to t he categor•y of that which 16 spoken (~} , 'b ut the
very n ame ot the medicine s ong shows us that 1 t belongs else-
whol•e , in the categoz-y of t hat which ie E'1un~. l t i t not

&houtod nor 1.\pokon inaudibly, but sung inaudibly. L1fol"nanto

nleo agree that 1.t is neither a ' pronouncement • (Li' o;.;;~) nor
a • se.cr11'1ce • ( m,tp)PU§Q}. t he only term whi ch could be equall.y
applied to bo!h prayer and mf'dicinc aon 0 • is JUUJl• Although
this meann 'praycv• it should be recognized that 1t i s a ~odern
term o1' t'oreig.n origin which covers what is in fact an alien
type of prayer; actual ly it does not really cover either the
traditional 8ondawe prayer nor the ued1c1ne song. and the two
ca tegor ies are theret'o~e quite a1 atinct. The mod1c1ne s ong is
•sung• witn the pU-r"poee of ~ecuring certain results such as the
banishmen t of harmt'ul influences, or to prevent tho rc tui'n or
a1lmente nh!ch hove juGt been exorcize d. 'l'he medicine song is
thererore really a spell r ather than a prayer.
Slnce they cannot be heard I am unable to pro~ent texta of
medicine songs, and I shall now proceed wi th t he texto of
various types ot Sandawe prayer.

l 1915, 9; he gives the Rimi text. The prayer is ' \Te c1rcum-
c1zc our oh1ld's roreek1n, may 1t not become 111, we seek
the roreakin (to be] clean• (my translation trom von Sick's
word- f or - word German tranelation) .
 ,,ed ing blvs 1ngs Eire pr ono need i n ull 11 du\ e ho .cs
when dunghtero-1n-law are r eco i V( d 11 to the ar ily. ~ heac
pra.>'ers are said bJ wor:en; the '.bri aeer·oom•s s ister calln out
1.he b lesni~ 7.'hilc aspc;rsing t.;e .newly-weds lu tho pre~,ence ot
~ember& o.f both J.'a!..1l1es, U-e go- betwect1e, an<'.' friends and
neighbours. '!'hooe relatives ,·.i th whom the ncwly-,.ed.fl stand in
an avo1dance r .lationship ata7 out o~ s ight in the dark 1nter1o~
o~ the house . 'f.ne 1'ollou1ng texts show the rcmarkabl,~ unil. ormi ty
o~ theae bleaeingo.

'J:A-1'.t :Jo, z~. Called out by ~Lro . Uwanaisha Bula at K"la I •• toro.

l ?ieekv,e _pl1 tl • w:ia nie ta!a

2 t &'ao. h6W<1XO' t!nkaoe,
3 m~bkw6 t•on.1':{'·o, p'1.tl'wnakwe tur• M . 1

4 •.rw.-' t .Skwe ·p\ltl •uma!l,

5 ts •aa hewfxc' t!nkaee
6 mMkwe. tda• Xahlik! k..'ll)ota nee.

l Rema,n Jn well-being all dayc

2 lilte tnis water io cool,

3 leave ofr quarrelling, and stay ~n well-being. 1

4 Stay then in well-bc1ns

5 11\.e thie water is cool
6 let there not be any bad feeling r emain in [yoUl'] houee .

Thi s prayer waa recorded 1n Jul y 1962, but the rol l ow1ng two
have been collected by Dempwoltr and van de Ki m:te nade at much
earlier dat()a; Dempwolft ~as in Sandawe country in 1910 and
van~ Ki 111t:1e~ade wrote in 1936.

l £)1t1•um1 means sat'ety a s well as good health.

'"P,;:t f (l~..zt• R 'r>l' O.'uced fl'Onl De:npv1ol r,. t .., t~;r.t . o. 30. l

l Ke •ena.
2 Turtekwu pui•\lll!a, ts•a llewexe tinkaso,
3 mekwe boiuco, pu!'umakwe turte .
4 mekwe tea X&!ik1 kho ne.

l Lie ten then.

2 Stay i n ,,ell- being, like this ,atcr ie oool ,
3 make no qua1•rela , stay 1 11 woll- be1n.,..
4 L~ t 'there 1,ot bo any bad 1'eelinga r ema1n1ng in [your] house.

Dempuolft•s t ext goee on to cay what the bridegroom' s sister

doee when ~he blesaes him and his bride:

'four aiatt"r <11•a -ro "fater, f'he takes an amulet. and pu+a 1 t 111
a winnow1n6 tt>ou gh. And t hen she , your sis ter , cones [ to you]
end she pours 'o ut t he water [over you] . •

Dompwoltr• s irl.f'orm.at..t soee t l1en on to ea,y that the groom then

escorts his bride to his house; proewnably ho moans his own
sleeping hut (i.l§rim2) . He 1.oc,o not mo~1tion the eati ng ceremony
~hi~~ i s held firs t.

'l'e1t No, 77, Re_v1•oduced from van de .Ki m .onade .

2

2 t u.rutc!-km, pd tl ' um.a;

3 te•a hew~ xe t!nkase .

l Do not quarrel;
2 s ta,y i n well- bei ng;
3 like this watei• is c ool .

l 1916, 136. ~he arrangement i nto lines 1e mi ne. Dsmpwoltf ' s

o~thography is coropared with mi ne 1n A ,pen01x x.
2 1936, 401. The arranaement i nto lines i s mine. Va.u de
K1e1·~~.mad,•a orthogra~by 1a compared with mine in Append.ii x.
 ..hl

Van de Ki o .:,en ade ' a t1~anala t.ion reada i n~ .!.~ m~U...f!~Jt unn.,
~ 9..1§.n .t.n 12§.U., ~ snJ.mqa e~ !l'~~1'&, 11!!. ,:an1frcq a
W.1.§. t'JJ.\ ~ " · P.e mo.titions t..<1at this p:ra:rer is so1d af.'tei-
the b :r:\.c eg1•oorri ha~ intl"oduccd his bride in to the hoinea tead ot
his pEU>en ts, and that the gi•oor. and his hr1rlc arc ast>eztt'led while
the ~~eyer is recited.

P.~1.1n and 4111 Pr8.'!:rg i

'i'rw first of the tollowi718 texts is an 1nconplete one
tr.oa th" highly ottcrot :ritual ot' Alap;wa rain priests. ·.Lhe

informant 1a the late chieC I~oa Geleman1 who waa ~loo a

principal .,laawa z•a in prit~at; in o. con.t'ldti,£.; nood ha onct tt':gan
t o g1..,G mt.i <it> Laila but thi e wao cut ohort when so1, e-oi:e else
came too oloPe .

'§~l :{12. z~. .:>1<:tated by Ex-chie 1' !sou Seleuani , JU.e 1~61 at
Kwa toro. - &u..n...m:~yer r W@t:Yl'\l ,

l Pdtl ' uma e'lmge waron~tfpo,

2 hc$tflOBO l O:lta, e'1ngek a ,
3 -;1 1 Otm.ga //•o warong,,,~ye,
h pdtl' \llllas'O.kr,a, a t l'olnga //•a.

l Give us well-being, 9ou ~ivinity,

2 vhat have we raizdone , gtve it to us ,
5 l et the rain fall , or Divini ty,
4 ~i ve UE well- bei ng, lc,t t he rain f all .

A con tinuat i on which I could no ~ take down in time r efer• to

Chiorta1neae i rog (lletem\ll!& Jo~Qr2npu). Sec~et Alagwa ratn rites
Rre per t'ormed tn a rain hut ; en informant o~ Dempwol f.'t'' s aa:,s ot
thi s : '!t 1o eaid t hat r ain (mo.gi c ] i e onl y known to one (Alagwa)
a an and one [ lagv,a) woman; all other Alagwa do not know
anythi ng about 1 t; this 1e hidden e ven to t he Alagwa . 1

1916, 142 (Dompwol tf'a text No. 37) .

Ts.xi NQ, 79, Reproduced :t"rom Dempwo11·r•a text .N o. ,~o. l Tol d by

1
2 tOll80 BWl((6i't'ai no
3 p'\1;t • ueiakt1a, t Tons•a //•o.
Lt hotsoso ! ' wata•t

l .tou Anoestox>- opirit, 2 we come to s acttifice

2 at the ancestral dwol11ng place (gathered] we 8.l'e ,

1 1916,143.
2 'W
o.rofne (W,1ronffiTI1) is tr>cmsla ec<. here ae Anoestor- op1r1 t~ but
in t!.xt ,o. 78 it was ~end~red as ~1vin1 t.y. This retlecte
th~ d1tr01:'cnt lev~lR at which the sacri~ioee ar£ made, in-
volving di.ft'e:rent t.rpea of' supernatural oe1ng. vempwolf'.f' e
tr.i'orr..nnt llot:,w,1 was not en Alacwa 1'ut. a ari ,be clansinan
(5m..s..oi t. , 142) entt it ts: likely t hat hti dir ec trd hie f,l'ftl"e>F
at hi& owu imces t ral (hill) ep1r1ts rathe1· tJ.an to the
divi nity or the Alagwa p~iee ts who claim that they aacr1.1ce
t o them on behalf o1' the .thole" ts·ibe, a claim "11.i ch is not at
all un iversally ac cepted. Ye t 6U'lh a oupernotural being must
be o<Jr:iothing 1.101><' than the ances t l'al ep1r1 t ot just a tew
clanemen. ~'he tcr1n ~upror.:e i'e ing eoems not a ve ry oatio-
f'ac tory trouoll, t1on f'or• 1 t. Fir th arc.,-ueo ag&ins t 1 t in a
context lofh1oh ti ts t he pvcser. t 01 tuation: "r'vane- Pri tchard
haa pointed out that to t~analata t he Zande J.fbor1 as Suprone
l.!61ng t endo to ascribe to him pe:reon.al1tJ, onmipotonce, bene-
volence anJ othor• <Hvi11e qualities which are by no i.ieans
clP-tu•ly formulat.ed bJ tha Zi.nde themE1el •1es. 1/hen the Zande
cul upon 1.'bor1 1 t 1c i n a s1 tuat1on of' tear , anxiet:, and
deo")a1r, but the dc,'ltrine about him 1s vague, and the concept
or hin. ovc-rlaps theil' 1dcso about ghos ts to a large clogree."
(Firth, l Y38, 180). Tho term Cod al so "e ms too l)E'reonal.
1f~1oua R!)iri ts ore oallc d Y11rong,w; thia worfl, t'l borrow the
•orde or Lienhardt n1s mesn1ng1'U.l. in relation to a number o~
~el'm~ with which our ' God• haa no s uch aeoociation" (Lien-
hardt , 1961, 29). i'~ollowing Lienhax•at, I pret'er the term
!:ivinity to t:toi, here. It eecme unlikoly- that the AlQgWa rain
prion t ' s nominal I ohar.:.mcdaniam. haa 1nt'luenccd hie ideas about
1• O'l'n Divinity very much.
 34.3

3 g1vf> ur- well - beinc , 1,..t the r a l n fnll.

4 that have »e dor.e wr or,g'?

5 or al l of U£ t h~ mouth is one .

Dempwolft' ' o infor mant Habuni deecribe a t he s acrif ice which i s

made whe n this prayer is reci ted. The sr.cr11'1oe is made at t he
place wnere the ancestor has once lived, t ho si t e of the old
homes t ead 1hioh i a still marked by hi s gr av~ stone.
Sac1•11'1cea t o clen s pir i ta are made on the c lan llill e .
Eagoha~ r ef ers to eacI'1f' i oe s made to l i neage anoea tor e ( a t
the i r graves ) as well as to eac1•1r1ces mAde to cl an e pir j,ts ( on
the hills) wh enl' he e aya :

11
e very one presen t takes a handf'ul of' the oontenta ~or the
paunch, and , al\out i ng pr ayeI'a , scattera 1 t over the grave
or the top o~ thE hill. 11

l•o sharp di s tine t i on 1s made b e t vmf'n tt1e two kind& or opi t'i ts ,
a nd b oth a re calle d l'FAARQ.• 'i', h11e text No. 79 r>efera to a
11neace cacz,ifi ce , t 1,e t'oll owlng two prayers belong to clan
eacr1!'1ces.

Text No, ao, Calle d out by Mr. Sen//a Sw.lga at '13ugt1n1ka in

January 1962. Clan hill pr!)Yer X,

1 Pd warongw hap\1 , khe 1 en1't

2 hotsoo Joata,
3 pi11 tx n/wese?

4 Sweeit mekaa al1ngepo

5 h6teoo l oata
6 B« ~apuxs~ n//oko t s !a ~late•.

l And you cl1Ul-ap1r1t, you, ar~ you listening?

2 in what respect have we done wrong,
3 t hat you act like thie ?
4 .lot, t hen ~1 V<'t ue r ichea !

5 i n what rcapsct have we done wron~,

6 ou~, /OU~ and our ch i ldren are all dyi ng fof £t.U11ine].

~ hi e pra.;rer Y!aa r ec1 tecl by ttie i nt'or1ua;1t, a Kwankwlil'~ ~l a::.sman,

a t a oacr.!.fico made b y h i o on h i 1; clar, hi l l atte:r the fi r ~t
rains had been 1ns uL 1c1cr.t. A bl ack 5oat was cut ·:>per. al i v~
and t ile s t o11ach coi.tente ( ~ ) m~re scat:to't'ed by ovdr;:,·;,.r,e
pz-eaie1,t, &11 ot' tlielll re;iea t11 a thfl prr.,<'..r i n .. ore or. l cra1:. tno
Ge.tile wordo as they ci i d eo. Afte1•wur•ds a aoc ond pz>u,rcr wai:;

r oci tee'. at t he c ave e>tJ.Y'On<i the 6acrif 1.)1al npot , Whi ch conta i ns
tile r~ma1n€ ot' nn ol d drru ox- h i ve . 'lb.is praye1• now .t'ol lowe:

,Text ;;o.., 8,1. Called out by J;r. cen//a 'w1kn at uz~nna i n

J anuary 1962.

l Tho drum-~pl1nt er has been l i t,

2 li~e t his one gi ve us well-'bei~g,
3 we have made oacrifices of t h~ etornach- cont cnts.

Hµmbal6 1a a splinter o~ wood which the sacrificer knooke~ ort'

the cave orum, he then took it to t.l-ie rire where ·the Pecrificial
goat waa being roasted, and lit it. fie brandished the glowing
£plinter while shouting his pr ayer. The wood of the drum is
believed to have matir1cal powers and it ie thought that anyone
who would da~~ge the dl"u.m while not on eacrifioial duty would
cert~inly die. 1 ~'he drum cave is held in great respect and
people normally avoid it, and trees may not b~ cut 1n its
vicinity e1nce it i s t he dwel ling plac~ of the spiri ts .

1 Cf. van de Ki ~ enade , 1954, 42 , humbel.d • torch; ~mpwolt>t ,

1916, 53, 'umbalo • rain aag10.
 • ~c ! ollo .i.ng pra.;.;cr to u daccaced closo
th1e 11e1•ico of prcyero .... t :la note,1c4•tll,f tht..t the op1.t•it to
uhom l t 1~ c..udrcnaod bclo?lils .;o a woman .

'text h Q, e2. Rcnro<tucccl f':ro"l Drt:'X)•;()l:f.'f' ' s tc~t No. "!,7,. l 'fold b_y

1 L!a.'?IO., k~ 1ena4

'2 ha."•.ibek t 'ix.no pu.l!~use ·,n.

3 ' wltt'on,30 hepo , ke'en1~
4 eun• Hnmko I ;1 e.(.

l Ora.~d.tlother, lioten then.

2 Often we have "acr11'1ccd 11.k3 this.
3 1ou nnccotor-opirit, do you listen~
4 L*'ollow l tho ne_e de ot"] our mout h.

Linoe ''.lern.pwolf'f' do1;?s no t i nclice. te the tone o-r l!;jm.Ja 1 t i s n.:it

pos ,ible to say whet ier a crruicmotr:.er (wm,4) or a great- grand-
moth~r ( ~ ) j_e addressed. ~he prayer 1e :from a text $up-plied
by Dempl'ol!'t' o inform.ant Arang1 who ma., have been a !,,oXGa
2
clensitan. He desct>1bes a rain ceremony conducted by- Alagwa
r1 tiuu lea<'loz,e; he t e llo us t hat onl.y eelected Alogwa know the
aecr(..t o'i: these ritec.;3 and he adds th&t the other• p eople stoy
at a dir,tance and ent sone sacrificial ~eat; t he ·next oa;r they
sacrifice unblemished black cattle, goat& and sheep (1.e.
aniroo.le without cl1~r in their ea>~a ea 1dent1rication mary,e) .
The prayer i a then recited, and rain falls shortly otter.

l 1916, 142.
2 JJill. , 126.
3 Ct . text tfo. 78.
sair10~.
When the holy Ohnet .L''nthcra 6tArted th.f'i!' miC'Bionary

activ1t1ee e.mong the Sal"davia in 1906 , they mane as much U$e

ot' the vernacular as they could anC,, w.der t11e <iir<>c tion of

'r. L~mbl~, they evon »rnduced a catechism in Sandawo. T~y

have had conaide:rable auocePsJ Bagehawe est1r.ta tf.s that in h ie

tine 25 O/o or the ti-ibe wore a tI"ongl.Y un,leP the 1ni'luei,cf;; ot
Chri1:1tia•• :t. t.,-r, i f not bMptized Chrisr,iana. 1
mien the Italian Pansioniat .Pa-&he1"0 1.0,,k over 1rt ·t11e
1
thit>tios ·i:Jley adopted . Haltili aa a me6.1um o~ religious in-
u truc; iiion lmt th~ BtllldfH& Vf'Jl''S:l.on ()r the Lol"d 9 s Fl'a~·er is still

1•ea· on".\l)l;," well "<nown. The i'tret time :r heard 1 t •ma ...,l.t•n it

was l)ei.r.tt i><•ci ted b~ a man •-,'hn harl oom,ul t~· a diviner ahout
the illnseo ol.' hie young aon. 'l'he saor1f1ce oi' a goat and the
x>epe at.ed t'\;i<~1 r.al or ti1< .i..o.r6. • s Pttayet· were prescribed. 'l'he

chilc..'i:.; :!'nther woul<.. not d ic:t'4te the pN.1..1EJr to ~e , appai>~ntl.y

~oo&4uO hu boli~ved tr.ut thi~ would harm th~ magical properties
,1h1cl. he. att1•1'tuted to it. The prese1,·t. infol'lliE.nt then <:l.iotated.

tllt: i;,rayer to mo ; he aleo told me that thei cl11ld•a t'athet- had

at first not known it well, but that he had been taught 1t by
the diviner who must ilav~ beer. a good Glu•ist1an. '.i'he Lord'&
Frayer is therefore not included in this chapter as a mere
curiosity or as an example o~ Sandawe church 11te~at~, but
ao a genuine pa~t of Sandawe rolk literature in which it has
QCquired a traditional place. The Swahili vercion vhi~h ie
~t present bein&, taught by tho missions obviously does not
have tb1& vnlue . Tho Sandawo ep1r1ta to whom the child's
f'athel" no doubt me.do hie sacrifice oannot be ex»octed t o under-
etano. Swahili.

l 1925, .3.5J.
 3!7

1.ctat0u by r . ! ' ,m. ,1t1

Petri Sal :!m' at N! ayuwe , OVPll'tbP.r 1962.

l SO. 'Ia-<;t.1 t l''1.•1flu te ' 1' i,,es 1ei 'p<5m11ot

2 hap'd //'64 ta! as'akwa hal1s~c , 1
3 Mpl1 mettSmute ' o ts! ae ' akwa mtfoa • o 2

4 haplta hshatsho tsias' akwa n/ti:!aa

5 ~· ? 1 '1.mats' tl ' ,foguteki i yexe '.
6 me tr ! ako s :l mlntr;ha / iwakaxPil,
7 n !' ko s ff : ~~tatr ixe t d tekwaxetlkwa,

8 CU \vfu•dxieooo r fi. //' ihul f '~t\tat.e1SORO

9 rn,faakw4kwrs -So<>xc•;
10 !' Q. ,.,nt~ t~. ' 1'.n."'u tn '1' 1 '<' d si • , ~rn:oo ,

11 6' ~i~ : ~~tata1sd kd' se ki tane n// ~'

12 ankhi x''wase k! tats ' e !)6onasiiko.
1.3

l ,)m~ "uther, 'ou ,1ho arc otaying in the skJr,

2 f oui~ nan1P. , be it hall owed everwwncra, 1
,; Your chiefahip, may it arrive everywhere, ~
')

4 {our stI>i vin •, may 1 t eve.-.ry\'1here be <1one,

5 h"re on eurth like it i o in thE" aky.
6 ,~11 day~ make our f'ood come to us regularly,
7 and al 1 our :1iadoe ds , take thora off from i~e ,
8 ue who have frieltdshit> for t.nem who have done misdeeds
forg ive t hem like we do them all ; ( towards us,
9
10 Our ..i'atlier, You wh? a,:,e staying i n the nkY ,
11 Prevent that we enter to thro~ o'Ul'solves into misdaeds ,
12 equally make us escape rrom within evil.
13 Amen .

l ' To be hallowed ' : ~ is an adaptation from the ~wahili

hal,isi., whic h ia '' real , genu ine , true , exact , prec ise, a c-
curate" according to J ohnson 1951, 1 25 .
2 ~ : • to ax-rive along the cattle t:raok', cf. m,tnawa,
•oatt~e track' (van de Ki mll.lenade, 1954, 48).
This text h in remar kably clcae arrrf'.'el":ent '\\'1th th~ m1f.!i,ional"y
ve rsi'>n of' the pre.,er in the catP.chisrei 1:1.no 10 ls A l't'f~tl t1on

which ie not found tbt;re .anc!. the only other d1t'f'erences ~r$
mi.nor ~.Yllabic 0 1r, ez>encet::. imd ort~or.x-ti.phi ~ :me:z. 1

l V1car1atus Apoetolious ~agamoyonoia, 1926, 66.

 349

C hA?'...1',R Vl

1'0..i.'l'R't PnlNCI1 'ALJ..l AvuCK...IATED WI TH RI Tu.AL

The mator1ai,
~'his chapter and the next present the poetrJ of dance
songs. 1.e. eongs \ihich belong to the p1•1nc1pal Sanctawo
eategoi>y ot.' that which. is danced (LL.!.iA) ne l ell ae 'to that
whioh ie sung (Lh.iml.). '.!.'here are many categories o'f: dance aou~.
each ot which takes 1ts name ~rom the danco to which it belongs .
Comparison shows that the songs ot some dances tond to be
concerned with the accompanying r1tual, wh1lo those of other
dances are of a 010:re topical nature. 'ihe present chapter deals
with the former, that 1~. non- topical song. ~'his may be divided
into two bread categories: (l) songs which ~eaorlbe the rites
themselves, or express the ideas which lie 'behind t hem, and
(2) songs which provide tne truction and wbdom ubout 11:te a.id
society to tho participants in the rites, the 1n1t1atee.
The following categories ot ritual song will now be
preeented:
A. Songs ot w1tchora£t exorcism. which cleare the air tor
:further ritual;
D. Songe ot circumcieion, a prerequisite to fertile adulthood;
ot these the rite-descriptive songe are presented first,
followed by the instructive eonge.
c. Songe ot the fertility ritual ot the moon;
D. Songs ot the secret ritual ot fertile motherhood (the lion-
game, or the dance ot the roetue);
E. The dance ot the phallus, which is related to the former;
H. The aonge ot twin-birth ritual; and
o. A song ot initiation into male elderhood.
 It ?1111 b e uotod that. thia S8qllence-. ~oes no t ir1.clude
o:.ich i "1ror f!:mt r11U.'ll as 011tro-t:hal &nd •narriage, but the l)oet:::•y

J)e:o'>W.JL':!' ' ~ w·eat eol"..oc ti '>n of toxts c ontains t hree ~ongs

whicb ho calls ~ ooi•gs, al th1ugh on,., "11' tl-i<-m r!':a:/ actually be
a circuM is1on non~. 1 Til~ ot'l"'l't' two ore ID.t.!!.!2.2 tevte -.,h1.ch in
d.iscttrs i one w1 th i nrorn~nts pro•,e 4 to '1e V'ilUctble matel'i al f or

t rauola t 1ons preeeo tc l i n t he !'ol lowine p3zea 1'0" al low t J101'e

te.xts to be bettor underGtood . :>oznp,,ol.t'f hnd the i.rnpreeo1on

t,,at ~ s ongs are r1 1r>ectly con•1eC"tl!'d tJ1 t.h o ircurnctsion, but
olthougn thoeo i r. a link t•,011~ real e i gn11'i canee is quite
2
d1!':fere"'1t. .knover, Dc:npwolfl' wae c ar~ful not to aa:~oc1ate
~ too cloqelJ with c1rcur.tc1'31on , and in M.B vocabulary he

tPanelotef.) the word .tJ.a!u simply a s ' thE' na 11~ of a dance' .3

The diaoovor7 of the true meaning o r ~ was mado by
van de Kb ine:nade. lle defines it as 11
~, ™ ona2,eer ~

mt,yva1{!g(;1 oz,p1~11a". 4 ,le alao gives a v i v i d descri ption of

tho deuce which I repr•oduc~ hC'r~ i n run {trernalation "li ne).-'

l Op,cl,t,, 175 . The doubtful case 1Ei h i ~ text .,o . 97, hf' has
attempted tro.nalation 'but succeedf)d with no more than about
half the worde in tho text. Informtmts ·ui t h whom I ;10.ve
diEcueaed i t do not appaar to know this song; they suggest
that it may be a c ircumci s ion song.
2 Ct. texts Nos. 89 and 91 1a t he t'ollow1ng pages . !Ay new
trunsla tions dif:'er sl1gi1 t].y 1'z>om JJompwol ft' • s , yo t the so
li1f'.ft,ror.ceo ar" ao s1gnit'1cant that text ,10. 89 acquii-ee an
ent1ral:, new meaning •
.3 ~ ~ . , 50.
4 1~54, !>O.
5 1936, 412- 3.
 351

"~ i s the name of t he greatest dance of the country.

I t s purpose i s to safeguard onesel f, or to be delivered from
the wrat h ot sorcer e r s or the spi te ot evil spirits who find
pl easure i n doi ng harm to the l i vi ng . When someone has felt
111 at ease f'or several ciays he wi ll ~o to consult the Klm&l~
The l atter will tell h i m whe t her his troubles are caused by
sorcer ers or not; i n the affirmati ve case he will prescribe
that a ~ be hel d. Thi e is not danced at any other time
of tne year t han during t he months of ~ebruary and .arch
when t he corn grows up . Thi s i s the t i mo when mal ari a occurs~
When now a suff erer f rom some ailment fee ls t hat he i s under
the i nfi uence of witchcraft all hi s r elatives will set out
t o hel p hi m iet r i d of it. To st art with they will bring
corfi nto the hous e wi th a view to make a sacrifice of a very
lar ge quantity ot l2.2m (beer).3 The sick man is t hen told
t o scoop up sand from the grave of his ancestor and to take
some white s tones out of i t . The f ac t that some whi te stones
are i nvariabl y found i n the sand of the grave i s proof, so
it seems, t hat t h e ~ has hidden them there himself. 4
As soon as the pati ent finds t hem he enters into convuls i ons;
he runs home like one posses sed. In the evening a horn i s
beaten; t he fa i ntest sound of thi s causee hundreds of dancers
to jump up . They run, with a horn in their hands , to the
house ot the sick man. They are all as if poeeeesed; t hey
have l eft off their clothes and have ~ubbed themselves i n
wi t h hot aehea, hot enough t o cause burns . Others have
chewed a caustic plant which burns the i neide of thei r mouths

l Diviner or witch- doctor. The Sandawe normally use the full

Bantu t erm muganga.
2 The validity of a connec tion wi th malaria does not
necessarily have to be accepted. The drug of the r oots of
the ~ plant menttoned below may be at least partially
respons i bl e f or the stimulation of the hal l ucinatory s t a t e
whi ch van de Ki m.menade describes .
3 Sandawe for ' beer • ie k.!...wlld.; the Bantu ter m ~ i s not used.
4 Thi s i e denied by my informants whose deni al may, ot course ,
be guided by f ai th, but thei r deni al may be acceptable since
bi t e ot whi te tlake are i nevitably f ound i n almost any sand.
The white stones need not be pebbl es J al most any f ragment of
s hell or other l ight- coloured meteri al will do.
 352

and cause& them to en1t froth li~e lather. "'hoy bring alon,i
with them allY' eort ot ob3ect which they have been sble to
uneal'th on their va • n l ong ,hf. t'1 .. ld.G or b y the r oad:
sorcerers• medicine, eo they say. Once they are gathered
tl')l]C t ,tr at one ,.,1nne th•"Y 1> c'> c r:tl'lre> r nd l"T' .. -poeeeseed
by the1P ~ Y, tor they are given beer into whtoh th~ roote
have been put of a plant c alled ~ . 1
~ nae hallucinogenic properties and 1 t 1s probably
etro1.r;rr tl f\l" ooiurn. Thry ?.a'."lce nnd j n p unt.11 t.l.e • f'nll t o
the ground cmaun ted. ':'hr!n a woman will tal~e a twtg of
~ , 1~.l'!leree lt 1n beer and a eperee the dancers with it •
...~aouall.f they recover froi..1 theh <.xht1u_,t1on f,.J d rise up.
T71e•. all the hf" 1 tched 1bjN ta an~ trc- • l\1 tfl r t'>net i'rr,m thA
gt>ave re core.f'ullY put tope ther in a horn after they have
been anointed with butter, and the ganga returns t he horn
to the sick 11.1an. 2 he will .i>eoove" and 1ll neve r again be
tl'oublee. b7 E'Ol'c ery. :1or hy spirits . 'l'J1e mo.g~ c .-tl horn t s
considered a great treasure.
Several time& I have venturPd among the dancers. Somo
of them becaiue oalm again end talked to me; otlicrs howeve1•
c ontinued 11th their dnnco not even no•1ein~ ~hat I was
present. One day I met on a na~~ow ~ath •~me entranced
runners who knocked me otr m.v bicycle and puehed me i nto
t .nc tho.rno; I t e l t 1 t necesoury t o box .. om~ e al"s. 1sut after
the dar.ce they as ured :ne that t ney had not ,e."n t "t(' i!'
Father and that they did not know thnt they had bPen slapped.tt

So far~. van de Kir.1menade. In the D1st~1ct Book ot

Kondoa there i o an easay on Sand.awe tribal oustoz:te i n which
reterenoe 1e made to the fertility aepect 0£ a1mpd.

l Thia is a atPong-smellina shrub which oocaatonally att'l}na

the Blze ot a small t1'"8eJ AJ.lgphY1ua r;y.bi(oltus (Hpchat.)
IDsl•, according to NoWlllan, 1966 (M/S); hie ~o. 123.
2 It ehould be noted that the dancers also collect atones at
tho dance iteel~. They do thla in two ways. They dig up
etones {kifftPIQ) with the points of their kudu horne (t!okom1
~ ) or waterbuok horns {aJ.kt. .uan&), and they eorape up
eand with the1r feet, chioken :fashion, and thon pick out the
white pebble• end f'lakea.
'rhe ku4u and ite horn 1• also encountered ae a rertil1tY
•11tbol in Phok'gg t•itual, ct. text rio. 11&..
 "These ceremonies usually occur annuall¥ at tho begi nning
o~ the ratne - 1n the planting eeaeon - to plaoate the
spirit& and ensure a good crop. " 1

Informants variously deecribe si(l)bd a •epirtt• (JmJ:ongt\)

or as 'illness• (t•wano) but a possessed person ta not •mad•
(Jj~); 1netead it 1e said that ' he h a s ~ · (aimb4A .o,1') .
The term 1e a contraction of 01m121-~, which means 'the atate of
being a lion•,trom the ~antu word Diml2Q, 'lion•. They eay that
the sone o~ ~amod s1mb6 dnncers are oft6n posoeneed with th1u
gift but that anyone who is not the eon of such a per son may
algo become possessed. Such a pei-son ~eels by intuition that
a ~ dance is on the point of being held s omewhere ; he
knows 1 t even though the die tance ie too ,•rea t for the horn
t o be heaztd. Whon they get the meosage they will drop
anythi ng they are doing,go into a trance r.no. run ott to join
the uiol>~· It is said that in doing so they rollow a rolling
stone which only they can see,
Ahle~eldt-Bil le deecrlbee what appears to be such a
oe1zui-e b y a A1mlt4 dancer but he mieundorstood it completely.
His pr ejudi ced account i s un£ortunatcly not at all unt.YP1cal
of the YJI>i tinse of some who travel to Africa and arrogate t o
themselves the r ight to ridicule what they do not understand.
Ho eaye that he went hunting tor kudu
ti
• •• wi th one ot the local (Sandawe] 1nhab1tants, a born
hunter b y t neti nct,whom I called the ' Stone Age man•.
Suddenly and withou t evident r eason he would stop and ref'uee
tc s o turther. S~eat atood out on hie br ow, his e~ee rolled
wlldl.T, ha1f' i nsanel y , and wi th hi e bow he would point ahead
and mumbl e dark wox•de about ' s i mba ' ( lion}.

1 Entry by an Assis t ant Di s trict otf1cer, une1gned and

undated. It adds that "Music t'or the dancing le supplied
by hollow cattle home beaten with e ticka (known as eimbo
1n K1eandawe) " . My 1ntormanta aay that but'.talo horns are
pret'erl'ed.
 the possibility of meeting lion in these par ts , eepec1ully
up in t he nountains , was a3 elt ght as that or meeti ng a
polar be ar i n o~oasa. " 1

There i a no need tC1 <.1uote tnia authority an,y turt,1or.

'lhg trcop . ,ue rock, and the cl ot!,

Great r~ata are aacri oed to ~ doncero in ~ne1r a~ate
or diss ociation . According to the Sanda 'l'le theJ .lanage to fox,d
rivars 1n flood when anyone else attempting t his vou1d s t111e l.y
'bo swep t awny and drown. \)one are said to have X'Wl all the w&y

!'rom i.,'ar kna to a dance a t .vapUJ>lS., a die tance o-r over tt--en ty
m1lee , and 1 t is even believed tilat a dancer r r om Aruoha hae
run •1th.out oven a pause to central tiandawe; this is obviously
a l:lJ'thi oal. pel'r ormance s ince no less t nan two hundred m1leo
saparnte these plaoea .
'rheee aimbowaipo, as the dancer s are c alled, 2 cannot
speak when poeeeesed; t he.I oan only gr:mt an<1 growl, but they
do h~ar other people when the:, cpeak (I go on f'ollofli ng the
eta tomen ts o~ int'ort1tm to) . In 1/apUJ>ll thoy climb a t all and
smooth isolated rock which ordinary people cannot possibly
mount, and they aleo climb smooth-barked treee and then pl'oceed
to hop around in t heir branchoe like blrdo, discovering and
destroying sorcerer's medicine as they go along. The rook at
Wapur~ 1e known aa the S1mb6- dancers • Rock (Sigbownipo ~ . lt
1e p~ar-ahaped, and it i e said to have a deep clert i n 1ta
pointed top ffr11ch nobo.3.y but the dancers can eee. I n i t there
le a enak~ which t hey a~ trying to reach with their arms; 1t
bltee them but they are not harmed by its poison although
anyon~ •lee woUld quickly die i!' stuns by it.

l 1951, 158.
2 Si ngular 1tmbpi, ct. P• 68 note 1.
 355

There are several euoh ol1mbing rocke and treee in the countPy
which are often called • '.fhe Snake• s ttock' ( ~ ~) or • 'l.'he
Snake'$ 3aobab ' ( ~ ~ ) Ai't~r tne mythical euake. The
climb ot the dancers is called f ~ , a na~~ which tlla.Y' be trans-
lated aa 'the cle~t•. 1
It io thought that witches may eomet1nes try to Join the
dancers 1n orde~ to convince the peo~l e that they are not
witches; for this r~naon the dancero llllke supe that there 81'8

no w1 tclles preaent by sn1~1:·1ng at tho anuoes o-r those people

whom t hey "light suspect. and they snit!' at their fellows in the

f1rat Dlace to see tnat there are no impoeto~s among them. 2

I~ e witch ie caught he ie beaten. Witohea are said to be in
greet t'ear ot simbd and powerless to do anything asa1nat it.
ru.m~ should t here:t'ore be pel'i'or med in areas whe:re c1rcum.c1s1one
are going to be held later in tne year , so it ~83" •purifg the
country • (.1.!Jtma bltneo~!.!l). 3 ~ thus paves the way for
childr'3.n to be initiated i nto adulthood with t.he minitMllll of
dange~. and it contributoe to the f~rtility ot' tho people.

l Ct'. van de Ki mmenade, 1954t 53: dl:t, nom d'une danae; ~

crevaeee dane un rocher. He does not oonnec t the two.
2 .Field, l960t 79t aqs that in Ghana 0 taleo prophets •• [az-e] • •
o~tcn denounced by the true ~~opheta because 1 t hey prophee1ed
out of their own hear ts without either d1ssoc1at1on or
hallucination. and might .take e spirit-driven run to bush' "•
These t'akea , ehe says, are •snift'ed out 11 •
3 The fact that witohcra~t io oaid to oe a mor e severe problem
now than in the past may well be ascribed to the m1asionazoy
opposition to a1Jlb4; at l eaet it may be an i mpo~tant con-
trlbutar~ t'actor. Recently ao~e pooplo have set themselvoe
up ao prores~1onal witch- hunters, even though this ia opposed
by the government. one witch-hunter who has now been exiled
t rom the area, hae told me in so many word.a that there is
now more w1 tohcrat't than t here ueed to be, beca-..J19e of the
repl'eaeion ot Wl2,4. Notwt thetand.1ng th1tt, the cult ie fez,
from exttnQt and 1ta ~ea~t• are still t'requently held.
When circumci sions are hol d, the ·ueete in the courtyard oing
~ songs as well as circumci sion eontla , bt cause thei r magic
helps to cle ar the atmosphe :•e of wi 1.<:horaft t'Pare .

The eacrific ial ,aspeot o f ~ ' and ite symbolisQ ruay

become clear from the texts which will now be presented. These
have been arranged i n their ritual sequence ; included are t wo of
Dempwolft" • s t.ex te which have been re- translated and ar.uo tu t~d.

~~4t, .t,2, 84, Pro:parnt,1on to p ttenC-1. Songlcader: ~·rs . !ha1a

hari at t. ' a ts ' uwa se.

l Simb6na h1k'iS 1 $00

2 <.at cnorue) z h~a h~lo- h~lolow~6,
3 (2na Qborue): · h~loowc~.

1 To the ~ I a:ri going

2 (lst chQ.£.lm): and, a :..l r1i;;ht, let us ,P ,

3 (2nd chotlU}.): l et us go.

The song is r epeti t ious and new elements are not i ntroduced.
Ite translation involves the problem or di ffuse meaning 'lfhich
is discussed on pp.102-4. The term h~iowe1 and ite variants
are only used a& exol•ma t iona i n poetr ~ , never in ordinary
speech, but even though 1t is largely of an exola~atory naturo
it does convey a meaning. af. is an exclama ti on of encouragement;
-J.A repreeente the action ot continuous movement ; and -:mt
indicates a t"orm of adJreea. Most informants :find the meaning
or hflowee t oo vague tor explanation and a a:, t11nt i t has none,
but one hae been articulate enouah to come up with a good
tt'anelation: 'all right• let U8 got (m& luli.!.t nd,!). lie also
explained that the song describes how the women have heard that
a IJ.JaQ4 dance ie about to start, and now tell one another to
 357

get ready to go. They stng this s ong as they go to the dance
g?'om1d in a ahut'fle-dancing process ion. They brine along their
wooden bowls which every now and then t hey put on t he ground
in front of the throng , rubbi ng them ~urioualy wi th s ticks , so
that the bowls emit the roar of a li on before they go on. This
i s calle d •roaring t he bowl ' ( ~ nl am~'o).1

T~3t No, 85~ To the danc§s Gung by r . Roki K•aya Angelo at

9oseto in March, 1962.

l Si mb6na n:C'sungo l aale , u:t •sungo ,

2 S6rowe dtngona nee n!' sfulgo.
A, e~, hik ' 1.Et ' ndore~. lti ~ <!oree.

4 S1mb6ona 11i'sUnga tatae , n!'s'llnga,

5 $<Srowe n:C'silngo nee r1!• s{lnga
6 ( ~t:ria1nl : Alt~~. ltUndor.g~, kiendoree .
7 ass . oaa .
8 Simbdna n:!'stlngo, s1mbd , n:!' stlngo
9 Simb66e sOngo k1~ndoree
10 (Ret rain): ~A, ~~. h1k'1~ ' ndor~~' k14ndoree •

l
..~------------
To the simb6 we are going , onwards , we are ~oing,
2 To the shuffle- atones we are , we are going.
3 CRefrain) : AA, c!~, he goes like a !4aned- Lion·, S t1•1d1ng
[ Maned- Lion.
4 To the ~ we arc going, oh t'ather , we a.re going,

5 Aehuffle we are going indeed , we are , we are g oing.

6 (Refra1n): e.A, ~~ ' Strid i ng '~aned- Li on , S triding J.!aned- Lion.

7 aaa, ass .
8 To t he ~ we are goi ng, ~ we are going ,
9 Oh ~ we are- i neleed, StriC,ing Maned- l ion
10 (Retrain): aa , ~~. he goes l ike e Maned- ~ ion, S triding
[lle.ned-Lion.

l See photo ~o. 4.

 358

The term ~ gl ( ahuft'lc-s tone11) 1n the second line 10 related

to ~ , tho cle1't in tho rock and the Cl1:llb1ng dance re1'erred
to on~· 355 {n~te 1 )J with vowel change to .Q th( word~
111e.tatu:, the act ot dit :.;oci~ tion c1ac,c1ng, of goin;;; in an entranced

procession, en tr;anced t 1hui'tling, and any kind or dancing w1 ·th an

el~ment of' cri trancomcn t in 1 t . Her~ 1 t ret'ere to the chicken-
l ike shuffling which th~ dancers do to scratch up white stones
with thei ~ feet .
The r eallJ 1:ignificant term of the text is Wr.dgre~
{3 trid1ng ~aned- Lion); to underetana its meani1:_s is basic to
the widerstandinb of much of the poetry or witchcraft exorciem.
I t is :f'ound in sever•l othrr textfl 1n th:!.c thesis , especially in
c1Pcumcia1on s ongs . '.this parti c ular pt:.e ~ngc is the ori.ly 01io
whi ch revoalo i t.r; true mc.an1n.g. ueiapwolft' notes the tfirn , but
he cnnrot give u t:t'anolation . 1 tic atates that. ,:hon he
questioned his int'orr,a1•ts about 1 t they rcpe~t.e-dly mentioned th&
word Dd which me:Hms ' to c1rcumcizc, circwnc~sig ~utiae ••
All they tell him is thnt th~ O.Ylllbol ism o r ~ dances iD also
found in cirour.tc1s1on r1 tual. 1;0 doubt this has con~r-ibuted t o
the !'ormation of Dr.mpwolt't' ' s opinion that ~ is essentially
a s sociated with circurnc1s1on. 2
The etymology of kUnd.orsui ie not understood by inforJ'ilants,
who say that it means a lion , a :U.on•a head, or lion's manes.
The third l i ne of the text shows that ki,tndoree io a contrac t ion
of h1k'14 'iw2dif· 1l1k'i4 1s ~and.awe for •goes he ', while
'ndorge or indorq i s R!m1-San~awe for •zeb~a•, c~. Sandawe ~~
l 0p,01;t.., 176.
2 ct. P• 350, eep. note 2; also text No. 111.
3 ~ means •zebra•, of . Swynnerton 1945 and 1946; van de Ki m-
menade 1954, 37, Dempwoltt 1916, 43 ; ct:. als o -Jlsm in Buahman
{Bleek, l929b, 94). But R1m1 n.42Dm meana donkey (Obst 1911,
88. note 4}i a1eo nd9go,m, •aae ' {Last. 1885, 15?}and Oogo
ndggon, eaae meaning ( ~ . , 223}. Il"aqw dagwaY 1e also
'donkey• (Whiteley, 1958, 2), and ao 1a Ngomvia de9118ElJffl1k0
{Pearce~ M/S , n.d.).
 3.,-3

Donkey and zebra manes and tail hair a re widely ueed 1n danoea .
espe cially i n c i rcumci sion and ot11er ritual which incox>pot'a tea
lion symbolism. 1'he ~we~a or southern Tanzania use a headdreee
oallod lJ..sw..tnas2. whi ch io worm by tho o1rcuinci aor; 1 th1e is the
eame ae t hat which occurs Mlong the Sukuma2 and among the Himi.3
According ·to i nt'or ma.nts the Ri1ni call th1e headgear niWue
( ' donkey ' ) , and accor ding to Claus a similar ornament is called
n ~ by the Oo~o.
4 '.l' he ai,,,awe uee the same ex-own ae do the
Hwera, the Sukwna a11d the 11mi (see photo .lo. 3). s':>metimes t his
c;rown i s adorned with coWI'ie shells or chainwo:rk. Buch a crown
ia c a l l e d ~ in Sanda,1': (c:r. the MvJera U.- .ch@,'Ul) ano the
wear~t> i s r e:t'erree to as ~ . ~~ or ~ (cf. the ~1m1 ond
Oogo t enms mont1oned n >ove) , i . e . he ta maned like a lion. 5
Lion ' s wmce are called a~~ena~ or MMUEO.l, which is obvi ously
the same word as ~ ·6
The Li on as a SYJllbol or danger haa been. leoe well
documented, out Kohl- Larson pr esents us with !J.n Ieanzu tale in
which an ant1..e oc1 al womnn 1i:, married by a l i on ( •a liancd Lion•).
! t is t his Maned t,1on wn1ch is associate d w1 th l urk i ng denger
by t he Sand.awe, 7 and w1 th dangerous act1v1 t i eo o-r a sexual

nature. 8 bi nce d.ange1•oua and ant isoc ial act 1vi t 1es are eq\tal to

l Orm. 1nves t1gat 1ona in llwera count r y.

2 Kollmann, 1898, 106/ 8.
3 Reche, 1914, 82.
4 "l!alaband a'\18 Ke t tengliedern und Per len" , 1911, 71.
5 The wearing of manes i e r erer red to on P• 124, note 4•
6 Van de X1omenado, 19 5lh 53, men tions t he lat t o;r varian t.
The s 1m1lar1 t y of' the •twor a tcNt has a l rea dy been not ed; the
Swahili use fhSn«o t'or •neck' a nd ,man.yoy;a U abipgpn1 tor
•manes•.
7 er. texts ?Joa . 95, 96, 97, 1 21. 122, 123. 153.
8 er. t exta Noe. 111 and 170.
wi tchcI'aft the r1 t'Jal !'aned Lion is also a '!'')C iated w1 th
combating danger and witchcrnf't .
The :remainder ot: text :10. 85 ie simple and etl'aizht-
:t'orwat"d .1 ~he 1nf'or1!lant, who is nm1 very old, is repntt d to
have been a famous exorciem dancer in hie yo,mcer days . He
~icr>loined thot the song describes the roomeni; when a dancer 18
1nep1r€ld by the opiri t of e.irn,b,1. \\'hon the danco:r becouet-\
ina~ired o~her peoplo prepare to go to the Aacrifice and tho
dance, 'l'fhich ia holcl. at the rock or
sac!'ifices. 2

Y. ' a ts• 4waae in . ,arch, 19r,2.

l I-Iu~lal~a dori5, he~.

2 ( Cho1•ye,) : .H&<$laal

1 Go on then, zcbrn, htl •

2 {~): \'lhat, onwards then , zebra , he~.

l .out the following may be notod:

( a) ln p laces the vernaeulai• 1aeo ni 's1J.UP:!i!i instead or
ni'aftnru1, 1.e. without l"epetition of the element -.Q, •v:o• .
Th.is is a ~ioal :reatur.e of t he 3andawe 1d1om; suoh aut't'1.xee
as those 11hioh indloate person or gender may be om1 ttod when
not ~equirod for clarit,y. The nasalisation diacritic(*) ie
not neceaeary in tho orthQgrayhY, but it is shown because
the int'o ~ t clearly nHa11see the vowel be.t'ore the t'ollow-
ine nasal consonant.
( b) •.r"a ther • in l ir..o ti. i a injec ten in to the t~xt as a t r)ken
of !'eapeot i'or ' fat,he1•e• in genel'al, 1.e. living elders as
well ae ances'to1•e ; an 1nvoont1on, aocordinb to tre inf'ormant.
2 Thi a song was recorded when it waa aung by the pl'esent in-
formant upon l'oquest. lie accomp8ll1ed h1maelt' on the stick-
lYN ( ~ o r ~ ) as ohown in photo No.11) and he
connected the atan~as by the h1ee1ng eoun4 .1&1,; thie takee
the place or a oho~al rerra1n in a epontaneoue performance.
The h1ee1ng refrain, which is common in minotreley, ls called
lll!a· Hi ssing a eons at wor k 1a call ed the same, ct. p. 92..3.
 361

The zebI"n 1s considered a beatttif'ul anir.'al , m,d ' zebra' 1r a

term of p:c•aise -J:r.>r tho dancers who havo smeared themoelv_., 8 in
with aehes and dust and who now, with sweat pouring down their
bodies, ~p~ear somewhat otrip~da tripeH cnuaed by running
perspiration can be dioce1•ned on tho body of the aancor ahomi
~~oto N~. 15. This song describes the atuge where tho dance 1e
in t'ull ew1ti3 ; tho women p1•oduce ij. loua. roar 11 theil· uowls
while othe1•s 'bea t l1u.f;a."alo horns , and th!, chorus (nlao \tomen)
ailigs the praise of tl1e m<Jn b:,r !'opeot1ng the toxt over ancl 9ver
again. EverJ now n:nd then the:r punctuate their son~ \lith
ehl'ill ululationa tor encow.>aJer:~ nt; to ululato in cal l ed

Text llo, OZ, ~rn1,od l iQn-QW.LQQflh. Sung b:, Krs. Si ta

N!a·!Ulhla- iy, at K' at!J' ih1t11Je in Ita1•ch, 1962 .

l Ee~t1 k 14ndorel! rutue-ce

2 (~b,Q~) Eee
3 ~--:ec:M k idndol'~d aolia 'ndama
4 ee ki4ndort1~ nttue-ce
5 (fill..Ql'US ) Eee

l Eed~ Striding Maned-Lion, go ~or th , ce

2 (Qh.2t"U1) Ece

3 Ee~d Striding ~aned-L1on , white-coloured hei~er,

4 oe Striding Maned-Lion , frO f'orth, co.

'l he whi te- coloured heifer 1a a term of praioe vi th double

r e.f'crence: ( l) Beau ti&, the da.ncei•a covero d w1 th white a shes are
likened to white cows ( this 1e a favourite colour ~or cattle),
and (2) Purity; white ie the ooloUit of animal s sacri.f'iced in
a ttuat1ons or eoriouo d1etrese brought about by witchcraft.
 .362

Thus the d:;mcern appenr to be fierce li ona \':h1ch con dos tro.:r
witchcraft wl•1le at the came tir.ie trex- rep.c•e,ent r1tuall:t pure
white eacr1t'ic1al an1oc1a, ch.oum to placate the opirHs . The
p~hh:l.ec (ls,l f'lM.'tQ) ,'l'hich they dig up anc !>.lace info thc1r horns

bec'luse they e.x·e cuch ot:rong ant1- v:1tchcr·a1't .medicine ,. ur also

Trh1 te , ··•l:llc 1 t 1s said tt·at the acrcerore • t1edicine which they
emell out an.c. def troy, j3 a.l"ia~ e 11lac1:e.
Tte. f tas, 01· t~1G rite:. which thic; eon.; rq;reeentc , 1s
\/here 0 6:nernl f'renz;r ! cgins to ~ ct in. 'lh sert tchirg up of
pet,l ler; berin~ , and scrne da.1 ccre. $'1.t oenly run <.\f1' into tl e '1,ush
01 1nto tue; ho 1t:r of people wter•c tbey Pe:c·k out ar,d de-s tx•o;/
tm:,•thil•t:; \,h1ch tht~ eo110idct• :..o b(· the mc- dicine ot sorccx·y. 1

1 Aywee h~w6 ~er~le hd gweree!ee,

2 { Q.bpflt§) A l el eyoo h dnae.
3 Ay~ee hew, wer~le h6 gwereet e•
4 ( Chorua) A l eleyoo h~nae.
5 "-3wee hew, werlloyoo, z~ngtia lele
E> {<;norUQ ) A lele z,ngi1a l ele
7 Aywee hey,f wer~l e.100, z~ng'lia lele
8 (Qooru~) A lole z~ngtla l ele
... {~} ...
9 P.JWee hewc! wer6le, ho, m14nguee
10 (Gp.Qrg.r) A leleyeE": m14ngu
11 Ay-wee hew~ werdley6~ d~dawa lel e
12 (Qoor~} A lele d~da~a lele

l l have witnoeeed a dancer di gging several holes i n t ho ~loor

of a house, each m~re than a :,ard deep, until ha had mado an
indescribable oeas . l hen he railod to ~in~ an:/ suspect
matter thore he went back to search the emoke-blackenod
r at"ters ot the root. F1nall¥ he producod some black
which he dropped into his horn, arter which ho left.
 l J..r,,ee, thie one, how he r.11es Q~ound, [like) a VUlture.
ihat [ a b1t-c.J , ho.

3 /4.ywse, this one, how he fl1~s around, (like] a vulture.

4 (Choru§.) lie flies 011 Rnd on. What [a bi?.'d) , he.
5 Ayweo , th1A one, he t'lieEi around and nrt>und, Llike) a
marabou-stork ho ~11es on.
6 (QhQruo) He .flies o 1 w1d on, [ like] a stork he 1'11ea on.
7 /..:,wee, tnis one , he I''l.tes al"ound and around, [ like J a
marabou-stork he ~lies on.
8 (~) He f'lias on nna on, l liko) n storlt he fllec on
••• ($2..~) • ••
9 .A.yvme, this one, how he 1'1 ioo around , what: a kite, he .
10 (~;lJigrus) ,~e flies on and on [liku] o k1 te.
11 k;wee, this ono, he rl1ea aroun~ and around, l l1ke] a
anar.~-et.,;;le he flies on.
12 (Qbnrua) He flies on and on, [l1ke] a snake- eagle he ~l1es
on.1
"'11ie song doacritian tht• u tage where some or the dancer• have
climbed up into the trees and t.hey ru•e thoref'ore like bir ds .
i,ach b1vd in the oong rop:;.•es«.mts a dancer , ann the bird names
are thus praite names 1'0:r them. '1'110 woIJen nai-;e the bowls ttoar

1'uzt1ously ana. eome or them chout t\u•ther p1•aiae at the dancers ,

calling them Lllite~ {lion) ott a1mlul {lion, Bantu ter~).
In betwoen their ol1mbine roraye the mon scrape up white
and manage to t'or tif':r themselves w1 th llelpinge o-r b eer .from
l81'Fe gourds which have been put roa~. ~there begin the moa t
c111':1'icul t part ()f: the ~ance , the climbing or the 1•cck.
!nt'ormant& agree that the bi~ds or~ eonge aro always

l Hird 1<'C?,t1ficat1om:: are di:!'...'1cul t to eoteblish. , ot all

SandaV'~ e:only the- $U!l1C nace to the r ame bird , recognition 1e
often imperfect, and Swoh111 , Ri mi, and other equivalents
e:J.ven are rarely aependablo. Check liats and other Wl'i t i ngs
on birds usually d i sagree on the ver1.acu1ar namee or b1rde
in At'r1cM lan;;ua.ces, pr·eour. ably !'or eirniler rea.eone. I have
arrive~ at tne tranalations ehown hero with tho help of
Archbold, 19;9, and ,J 11r tle ton, 1960, but, the English trans-
la tiona of ~i4nRV and 4AdQWi are still tentative onee.
 364

large b1rd2 or prey Wl~ich like eating carrion(~). The

sian!r1c&noc o~ thie 1a probably tworold: heinR large birds or
prey they are s t rong and couraeeoue, and as caf'r1on eate1•£ they
tll'e aoaoc1atod with w1 tchcrart, or rather \d t11 1 ts deetructioi..

'tox:t. rto, SQ• :rhc clJ.rn~...lil:W_g.lJ;!.t,t~. Reproduced

f':rom Dempwolff, 1916, PP • 175- 6 (his text iio. 98) , with a new
translation und annotation.

l Lelio, colale ha'a olale,

2 ketumce £irnba, (olale
3 B11'lba,yo, ~ olale hn

4 •vmxwaye,, ketucbe timba

5 koa, ' olele
6 kotu ketusa lelio
7 •waxwa.,o 'wnx.waye
8 ko tu ko tU8P. ke ttunbcs
9 Bi! •ba, colule.

l Onwards, go on then , 1t 1a open, go on then,

2 the top , I.1.,n, go on then,
3 oh Lion, go on then, it is open,
4 oh companions, thA top, Lion.
5 On he goes, on and on.
6 The clei"t1 ehe 1a open, om;azids.
7 Companions, coropanions,
8 the cle.f't, oho 1s opon, th(' top.

9 :i.ion, ao on then.

'rhe t'irat lino ia lot't untra.nolated by :>on::;wolt'.f. ~ means

' the act or going on' , or. J..g,,~, •to ~o on ' or 'to t'l.y on',~.
text ho . 88 . ~ -a., 1
the act oJ.' £o1ng on', has become ~ .
gl.nle i u an &xclanation ot encou~agement, cf~ text No. 86.
 365

The aecond line i s t r anslated by Dempwol ft' with "l2sm Sqheii.J.

acb,oer t ~ .t,,m" , but u· tho iu1age of the crown o£ a 11ead i s
rapl acod by that o~ the t op of a 1•ock tllo sen tonoe oogi ne t o
make eenee, r or the SOf16 doecribea the climacti c stage where
a dancf..r Cthe Lion) hua reached 'the top o1' the ~ ttook.
The word k,; tµpbe uauall.y means a .ton tanel, t 1f> t op oi.' a bab:, • 8
head. .;;iinco thio is th place whore 'Mt· bones hti "O not ye t
kni t tod toge then•, leaving a cle.f t, it is eae.v to ac:e how this
iuagc io appli ed t~ thn rock .

lluvi ng eei'e1•rod to the dh'ficul ~Y of transl a t i on, Demp-

wolt f' cor:m:.entA thRt the e.one •see111s to be co ine c ted with puber t y
l'i tee •. ~ i nf'ormanta agree that this eong may also be ueed as
a circuinc 1Ri on aont:,. In that context the rock ie obviously a
phall us , and the ole~t i n ite t op become~ the clef't in the
glans penis. Ito opt.nneaa 1e then a re.t'er ence to t he f'ac t that
c i:rou111cision l ae lt t't 1 t unccvE>red, while the Lion be comes a
symbol or <'lango:r w'hic.11 !£ 1 te n eu al 1•ole in circumoieion e one;e.
»e havo et·en that ,iJ i:m§ eongs at>e a cornr-on ingredient or t he
r ~perto1re or ~1rcumc,c i c-n r~ativnle beeeusa witches fear 1\SJl&4.
bu t thi e- eonf; ev!deri tl~1 acqttl.t--es a whole new meaning as a
c ircUL1cioi on e c-ng; tile tert l<:nde 1 tselt eminently t o a double
meaninc.

~he ~revi ous textE a ll detcr 1be th~ pr o·rese of the dance
rit,u al rather than t.re Eacr1.f1.cial a spe c t o'f w~, and i t is
i n accordanc~ ~1th thi s progr ess tha t they have been ar ranged.
ln prac t i cc , tht-r e i s no s nc'h ,m ar!'ange:, en t . At any stage any
of the s ongs may b e cung, but 1 t "Cer.is po14fdhl e that there n,sy
be a n a t ural pr e~crence £or thos e POr~fi which e r ~ more r elevant
to the occas ion.
I n efr ect the rit~s cons iet ?f t wo ma1n part s: t he
sacri f i cial part an~ the f'est i val . Al 1. th~ At ~ e e which have
b een c\eeeribed e o :tar in the songs, a r e i n f'!lct gone thr ough
 366

before the sacr1.f"1cee at'u ,aa <le at t}10 •)atient •a ancestral

~ravo8, and the sac:r1f1cos concl·u,to this z ta..;e . Tue next day,
who.a t!'le sacrifices are done, the festival 1e held at \.he
dancint g!•ound. '1.o t.,ia €'71'.}nt pe ople cor.1e l'rom afar• , and the
orowd may nu.t1 lCr v:t"?ll ovoz, 6 thous1.1nr1. Here the •whole process
01' dissociation 1o re-enacted, a:. :i.t ,,er·e , ln a final outbUI'st
o~ relief which is atn&ed romewhat like the grand r 111.alc in an

'rhc next t,10 t~xts present verr.1ons of the aong o-C the
sacrii'"ioes.

~xt ;Jo, 9Q. "'he Pi!Qrit~c~ w:;a tM tN'ffifd - rL Uon&; leacleI'

!Jro. l ha1n Bari at K'ats'4wase 1n ~arch, 1962.

l Uon1bokwe n//,lnlce;

2 hd e ie sie:,oo, tongo k'are.J,

3 ton&o k • EittstSyoo',

4 (£];~) ~Ol1f;O k'anl

5 ho6, to1eo k 'a:nt!.
6 \Yaxwayec , monbokv1e n//'Wl1'.:e ;
7 ho cie a1eyoo, 11ocbo:ln1n n//'nk.e,
8 tumbetumbesayoo.
9 (q~or11@) 'Iumbetumbesay-oo ,
10 h6&, t ull•beoayoo.

l "'ho bct.;r go.u-d, make 1 t a tnnd;

2 who takes it, te.kes it , the ancestral eite ' e beer ,
3 the anceetral site'e beer then1
4 (Qhorue) The aroestral &i te • s beer ,
5 oh, the ancestral s ite ' s beer.
6 Cot1panions , the beer sou.rd, make it stand;
7 Who takes it, tekes it, tte beer gourd, make it stand;
 J 7

8 she spills over oot'tl,Y.

9 (i,Ulgrus.) -.1J1e spills over tJot'tl.1,
10 oh, she spi.1.lc over sot'tl.y.

La:rge quan ti tiec o1' beer have been prepe1•ed , anc. n lnri,e pot
10 put b:r the gravec togP.ther \Vi t.i, u smel l one. '.!:he anall pot
contai na the sacrif1c1ol beor to which the thircl l i ne rc:t'cl'e .

JUl take a sip t'rm1 it a id upi t, o ut the b•• r ove1• the grave
ston3s , enjoining t he spi~its not to ~rouble the ~aticnt sguin;

t hen the:; drink :.:'rotn th,• large pot. Dancera i n dias,;c1at1on

are rowardod with ,pod help1nge ot' beer f'r,r :t'indi ng :u san"o
;pebbloa and for• dcctro:,ing ,:i !chcraft a uootance. This ie what
the eecond line r e:::."erfl to: the d&,1ccrs axe encouraged to do
t heir best oy holding out before them the proepect of' a r e1t1:1rd.
l.i no c,1gh t reminds t 1om tha: the, e ii:, pltm ty o:i."' 1 t . 1
1

opr oduct1on
ot Jempw'.>l t'.t' ' s t e xt 1,o. 9~ (o»,s.1t• , t> •l76) , J:>e-tronelated.

1 'lo:at>osn //mml~e;
2 ho r. 1o sic~
3 to!igo k' amo, ' waxwa1, mo1abosa
4 I /nunke , ho 13 iY ?
5 karn,nvc i.ao!llboaa /immke
6 •·,yax••eye , tu.,abetU111bosa.

1 The beor-~ourd, she has made it stand;

2 who •ak~s 1~, tak~a it?
3 the a ncestral eite'B beer, companions, the beer gourd ehe hae
4 made it stand; wno takee 1tV
5 .,~all.r then, the bc or gou~d she hae r.ia Ce 1 t a tand.
6 Compani ons , ehc vpills over SOL~t1.1.

l ,..(}_ 1o 'flr\ i ll ine . The v~r-b t-1mbo tUQ'he

A~ u eual th<• gem_
tranelatod i.1 a di .f'erent way :iy Di.!l!lpwnl!'!' (oefl next version} .
Doapwolf'f tran.ilu.tc• ..:awh.~·...i.Julil:>..ruu.l as 's:t,e asnert'.'c t~o cro,m
o'f: tho hend • ( • •. ·.0..1.& ~11 :..:..QJld tS'.1 h*"11,t•t.z.:,") and :ne aMs 1'11 a

ot a h"arl ,.,h :lch in llf-'~EJ N ·ed ,·,i t.h bet•r by t·ic r,r1nflt:, but

actuall~r t·uch Mt aspersion io not done ot !Z...iJlh9 but h1i tiat.z:_

at•e ao 11sp<lrsed n.t ~lrc1t•'1Cj"':Jon ·r,y thP:i.1• in1 t1ator . 11. ~Q.

bC'el' muy bn th1•own at the clunce:r,s ' Lo cool ther;i t , but thit ie

done 1:1,,r the women tt.'1d not 'h;r a ~r1os t. It, is liI'UC that

~ra. 1 1.~.tical I'"l'ISO'l why ~ c::uld n:,t. be u:>ed ae a verb in tho

tnc th.r·o"ob i ug ~oveaeut o-· t. b~by'E: !'ontrulel ovc.r Wl underlying

blood"'l'esael. The ~ans1'er 01• ~his 1raage to tno prooen.t
ui tuf1. ~ '\ ')P then n~owe ue a b"er pot which i s t'ull to -che brim;
.avin.r;,; jUB t h~en :put down t.hc bee ..• 1a ei till in moti on and 1 t
ep1llf3 over soi'tl.Y wi th a throl>bing 11w-cion. ~·111,, i ~ the conuon

meaning ot' the verb , a 1<.1 1fiY int"nrr.um ta a gree that in the son.a
1 t aimpl.f d.eec1•1bea the beer gow:•<l ::?a ther tilau on aapersicm.
Deupwolt'l' 1P trruwlati<Jn has been f'ur tl1ar inf luenced by
his b~11of that tht>- poe t ry 01· ej.ml>J1 belonr,o to oiroumo1s!on.
In r nepect ,:,f line l:'1vo, he n,'lt.es tha t ~ ia the Bantu
( f>wah:U 1) wor<1 ~or ' camp I but. tha.. hera kRl'lQ~ ir- to be undev-
A tood au t h'.l Swahili k,1,Wlhl,t.11, 'in ooncoalment • { ':JJn VQtli tQ~k"} ,
1. o . the oonoealncnt i n v. dch oirc,1r:ci Bione r.re ce..rri ed out.
Glaue X'tl!:porte that ;i.k'!Mbi ia the Oogo ter•m l:'or u t'ence of' mi lle t
atallrn whici.1 fnrrua an encloeul'e 1"or in1 tistoe to shi eld them
ot'£ ... rom tne ou ;;er world. 1 'L'bi e 1.11gi:l. t St;<~1:1 1.0 &u~po1~t J.Jemp-
wolff' 'e ingcnio® explanation. but 1.tte t-:ano.a\<IC do not call such
encloeuros ~ or 2KYmJ:>l bu t ~ or ~ . 2 ~he sacrificial
bocw pots &r6 .not hi<l.nan t1!1d .,}1l) £.Sl)t3N'11on ~heor.Y need no lo~r
b e mnin i;ained.

l 1911 , 41; U,lC.1. 70 .

2 Thie 1a also the ole. ti enda.wc shal ter , ct'. '8agahaw~ 1925 , 3.36-7
( r ererred to on p. 160 , note 7).
 369

n @i • Cit.mM!l{:;i@12n r1tun: ed« an4 kei:go • ta,

Both Dempwol.f~ and van de v.1m~enade aay li ttl e about
c1rcume1o1on. Ac cor>d1ng to the tormor the name or the r1 tes
1
1a ~, and the latter oaye that the name o~ the danceo of
cireWlt.cision is SQ. or es11. 2 Bagshawe report& that

the Sandaw1 circumci se both boys and girle , the latter tn

11

the house o.f t he ir mothers. but t he former wit~ considerable

ceremony in the bush, the !"unction lasti ng about a ~onth,
and 1"1n1oh1ng with a big beer dri nk."'

He adds that

"I have e.n 1mpreofl1 on t hat cix-cumoision 1a o practice only

recentl.y adopted by the Sandaw1 .from their ne i g.hboUl"a ...4

F.ven to- ~ay not all Sandawe are c1rcumc1zed but such
oaaee are rare and generally aucb an om1ea1on 1e rrowned upon.
Van de Kl m~enade ea.yo that the term~ (clitoris) 1& an
abusive term which is used for an unc1rcumc1zed person. Some
Sandawe agree with what aagehawe eaye about the ~orelgn origin
ot the custom, saying that it wae originally introduced by the
Rimi but that i t has been a Sandawe ouetoc now tor many
generations. The word for • to circumoho' ls lm£4; this l ooks
indeed like a non- Sandawe word which may be or wide currency
among other peoples, er. the Yao J!iti, ' boys who have just been
c1rcwnc1zed •. 5 "ie t 1 t ia a term of 1mpo.· tanoe tn Sandawe, it
1a often used and i t hae a variety of meanings. liAld 1e a
o1rcumc1e1on mate , one who ha& been c1reumc1zed together with
the speaker, one who i s a confidante i n love a1't a1re, and one

l 1916, 41'.
2 1954, 39.
3 1925, 342.
4 112.1.4. Kohl- Larsen eays that the Uadza have also adopte d
c1rcumcie ion only reoentl~ (19 56b, 226).
5 Stuhlmann, 1910, 39.
 370

whoee help one may expect in securing a bride; 1te plural 1e

the eooial group which is for med by the in1t 1atcn. 1 .uart. aloo
~oans any c 1row., o1zed per son. a pereon who is entitled to be
treated with respect: in fact it ie the moet respectful torm
by which any Gtr anger rna:, be greeted. To bo co.llod mu:.{ by the
grown- ups af'ter the conclusion 0£ his 1ni t1at1on period 1G a
youn~ man 's proudest moment. Arter thi s he 10 conaiderad a man
and he i e entitled to roar~y and eot up hio own houeehold. 2
Baumann statee tllat circumcisions art- hel " in 1iovemoeJ>
at the beginni ng or the sowing season.3 Actually thi s i s the
very lates t month ~or ciroumo1sione; they begi n to be ~eld as
aoon ae t he dry eeoson i s well eutablished, and the height o~
t he Sandawe c1reUlllc1s i on eeaeon c oinci des with the height ot
the dry eeaeon, f't"oir, July to October. 4 Ot'ten they are held
duri ng the t'iret week of t he new moon.5
The Sandawe call thei r ceremonioe .a411, gti or .£t6J., a term
which appears to have been borJ>owed t'r om the Rim1. 6 In order

l De mpwoltr: ~Boschnei dungegenosee", sm,oit. , text 30. p . 134.

2 I n practice he never does thio. Sar1dawe boye are circUJ1.1c1zed
betore pubeJ>ty, but they rarely marry before their twenties .
3 1894, 44, "mll ~ &l.UW.11 •
4 F..ecause of the school holidays there 1s now a tendency t o
pos tpone the late c1roW!lc1e1one until the end ot Decembe~.
~ t he Ri mi circwnc1oi ono . which are similar i n many r es pects,
·»yatt aaye that they are held "yearl y at the beginning o~ the
harvest" and that "they extend over a period or about two
monthau ( M/S , 1929, 112).
5 Also among t he .Ri mi . cf . Wyatt . loe,c1t.
6 The Ri mi tera ie na21, according to Wyatt (op. cit. ). He says
that ••the word alao r efers to t he dance which talcee place
when t he actual cirelll:lc1s1on 1e complete. and in which both
sexes, young and old• pa?"t1c1pate, with exception of t he gi rls
who have been c1rcumc1zed, who however are permitted to be
present and to watch the dance. '1 'l'he Sanclawe det'1n1 t1on of
g.4:il d1ttere elightl.Y £rom thie• as we e~ll see.
 .371

that the eoni8 of' cireumci eion may be better Wl~erstood I ahall
deec1•1be the eeremon1ee br1e!'ly.
Arter consultins a diviner and ~aking a eacr1~1oe the
perento deci de t hat their ch1ldfoen are old enoueh to be c1rcUt1-
oized. From the diviner t he rather receives a small otick
whi ch is ca.1l e4 the 1n1t1ate' a medicine (J.tikt~ mirigl); this
he ties to the 1nit1e.te•c wrist. lt e1gnif'1f'>s the child's new
etatuo or an .1n1 tiate; .t'rom now on he will not oe allowed to
str ay tai• fro~ home , and a~cord1ng to s ome, he 1e even supposed
to remai n oont'ined i nside. ~'hen it i s learned that a euitable
nei ghboU!' 01• r elative 1e orgonining a c1rcumeif"1on 1'er.t1vel
the initiate i s acnt to his homesteod f or c1rcumo1a1on. The
organi ser al so ooneulte a diviner and mnkee a eacr1~ice in
addi t i on to any eacri~1eeo he may make ~or chi ldren o.f hie own.
A pra.,yer 1s rec! ted which conta ins the phrase: ''the procedUI'e
of ci rcumcision i n OW' clan ha& t hus b~en prescribed b~ the
1
ap1r 1te" ; thi n ehowo whonoe the authority ~or the rites is
derived.
At the homestead the mothers or the children begin to
pr epai-e large quantities 0£ be~r. The day befor e the nctual
operation the initi ates are .for mallJ l ed into t he houae undoz,
cover, a cloak having been thrown ovor their heada. They ere
naked, and spend the night i n the inner room ( ~ ) . 2 In the
art~rnoon before the operation the paronts and the adult
r e l atives o.f the i nitictee are all gathered at the homeetead.;
the men go out to sel ec t a suitabl e baobab tree i n the bush
under which a s ite t e cleared f or the opera tion .

l ••ill:Q. kill d bQYot o' ha! 11tond ~ i koxvU" · Unt'or t unatelY

I am not 1n posae ee ion o~ the co~pl ete pra.1er text; thi e 1s
wb,yit t s not i ncluded i n chap t er v.
2 ~he eymbolic womb ~rom whi ch they aro to be r e- born.
If gi rls are to be operated upon in the buoh th~ women do the
same, but they sel e c t a t r ee called L.4.m.u.1.; o:fte-n they do not
go out howe ver , for girls may a l so b~ o~~rated upon in the
cattl e yar d or 1n t he 1nrier r oom ot the ho•1ac. In n:any parts
t he latter procedure i s the usunl one ror tne gi rls ' rites.
As a rule the gi r l s are done some days arter the ooys, but on
occasion they may be subjected to the1~ ordeal on the same day.
ln t he evening the guee ts begin to dance to t he songo of
c1rcW':'lc1s1on which are called ~ . but ~ perfor1aa11 ce1c a1•e
a l eo enacted, wi thout the ac tual d1seociat1ons . The antics of
exorci sm dancers are i mi tated i n a Jocular way and "eorcerei-s•
medi c i ne" i s even "t'oun(1" and destroyed. 1he roar o~ the bo,,ls
and t he accompanyi ng frenzy may be considerable.
When the uoon i e up a circumambulation is made of the
homes t ead and the c1rcumc1e1on ei tee , a ! d eo;)te beer is eaer1-
t 1ced b~ the opera t or ; the c1rcWllambulat1on is refe~red to as
tiDAA a!4 ( ' circling round ' ) but i ts pl'opel' name le said t o
be n rem •t A ( oa1d to rnean the ea.me as ~ ~ ) . The Sandawe ·
do not cireumambulate i n all parts, and the meaning 0£ t§rgn' ta
as a c 1rcwnambula t 1on i s not ever,1Whor~ known. To- day the moat
general meani ng of t ho term appears to have become any c1rcum-
c1a1on oong, but i n particul ar song o£ the i nstructive type.
~ is als o a general term for c1r cW1ci s1on song, perhaps even
mor e general t han kerem,' ta, but i ts more spec1ali~ed meaning
hao become circumci s ion oong or the r 1te- deecr1pt1ve tY9e. The
two ter m~ are not sharply defi ned , yet the dicho tomy appears to
be generally mad~, for Sandawc may be hear d to remark that
such-and- such a oong 1e terem•ta r ather than ~ or vice vorsa.
At'ter t he c1rcumambulat1on, which 1e carri ed out i n a ah~t'ling
pr oces e1on, the part 1c1pant c waeh their hands a nd pegs are
dri ve n into the ground at the ent rances o~ th~ homseteod, the
cattle yard, ana the c1rcumcie1on s ites. Thi ~ 1• r et erred to
 371

as fixing the peee (tQA D!J~~ ) or s ecuring t he Jacr i t ioe

( DDPWYP6 n&anko I oh t he latt er term expr eoe~o \le 11 t he nature
of th1t rite as the aaered- making 0£ t ho pr ecinc ts . Dancing
and dr1nk1ng goes on till daybr eak. ':!:no i ni t i ates aN t hen
t'e d and ehavea cleon b¥ the 1n1 t 1atoz•, and t heir elders ( ot'
their own s ex) spit t he jui ooe or chewed / /ho/Lf-root on their
heads and rub 1 t in while the i n i t1ator comple t es t he anointtaent
1
by aeperoing them with bu,;ter. .1<'1nally- tho i n1 tia tcs are
smeared in with aches, and t hen thoy are led t o the oi te ot'
t he operation , naked and unOer the c ove r ot a c loak, 1n tt

procession wh ich is called mOl<?J.a ( t he o.~oom"'a.ni ment) . The

prooee~ion i s ahiolded of~ by stick car r iers. ~ecauee tho
in1tiateG who walk be tween theee por t able ~onces have been
separat e d f rom the r oat or t he ir s ocie t y ; t he cloake ens ure
they are not eeen by the others , ~or t hey have not ye t been
re- born . 8ome ot the men who aocor.:pen:, the throng guard 1t
with sticks to fend ot t any member of the oppos ite ecx who
might venture too cloae. ,Vomen beat but'i'nlo and cattle horns
wi t h small batons, a s 1n ~ . Init1at 1on oongs or the ~
type are song ( song& which doocr1be the procoe, 1on are alBo
called m6l.o1J2 eongs}. 2 The hom-boattng acc:ompan11:1en t is
called wakhuns1 nJ.,am4 (boating the proceo~1on)J this t erm 1s
also applied to the proces oion but otners eay t hat it espe cially
reters to the procoeeion in which the i nitiated are l"eturned
home at the conclusion of their 1n1 t1at 1on period. '.i'hc oril:;in
ot tho word ~ is Rimi; in that language it appears to

l Silent prayers are sung during this rite which is s aid to

prove.nt too much blood from tlowing, and to cause t he wounds
to heal quickly. The opitting cere~ony ts called a sacr1t1ce
to the spirits (1~ie•1ma numpua6). The plant //hg//h4 i s a
type ot star graaa, of. text No. 61 (p. 330).
2 Text uo.96 is ouch a song. PhotoQl"aph No.5 ,ahowa the pro-
cession .
 372

mean not the proce6sion but the initiates; in Sandawe the

l atter are called ! . ~ (hyenas). 1
At the pl ace or tho operation mcmber3 or the o pos1te sex
111ake a seemi ngly determined mock attack on the guardians ot the
ini tiateu; especially the women mak~ a great show of this when
they t ry to liberate their oona , ululating ' I om the child' s
mother, father?• Cf.Y.Q.::U.Q.q, i.w~, w.~). Durinf{ much 01' tl1e
proce~<lingo the women go on rubbing their boul e , SUJ.)ply1n the
background noise of an ever-pres fmt lion ' s roar. ~he songs of
o1r c\ll'\c1s ion show i r:tport ant. a port tho i mage of lion- danger
plays i n the rites •
.lhon t he intruders have b een chased away the ·pe:rationa
begin. The f irst initiate 18 placed between the l egs of hie
rather who oits on t he ground holdi ng hie arms around t he boy's
shoulders and his legs over the boy ' s knees , forcing h is legs
apart. Gil'ls arc hold 1n the aam(' wa1 by their mothers. At
boys• o1rcwnc1aions a mother ' s br other a Asiets the tather
holding the victim; i n girls• operations the father ' s oi otcr
2
does t his. Tho boys • c1roWl!ciser t hen renov~a the foreskin
(,t§ •ero ) with a kni.te, a razor bladl" , or even with scie~ors.
Ono after• the other all are c1rC'u tneleod, and then a chicken is
ancrU'iced on the spot and its tail t'ea there (m.1.ft~) are
used to make fly- switchee ( ~) . aoh initiate 1A given ouch
a swi t ch to keep tliee ort' hie wound.3 Each of them 1a alao

l Accordi ng tom:, Sandawe 1nt'ormante t he RiBi name for ini t iates

is gkhups1 oi- axunsa but lya t t ret'ers to them ae ahungy
(li/S , 1929, 117), "the i ni t iate stage o'f t he youthe".
2 The mother's brother r epres en ts the mother• o lineage i n l ook-
ing a.tter the boy•e welfare (cf. P• ;54) ; i n t he caee ot the
s irle the mother•e a seietant 1a not her own e ieter but t he
t'ather •s sister, t or ehe r epresent s •the other side• •. A woman
1a not absorbed int o he~ huaband ' e clan.
3 See photo No. 6.
 373

given a p1ec~ of b lack cloth (k,W1ALL and ia then led to the

o t er side of the baobab t~ee where a zhelter ( ~ o r ~ )
is erect<:td over the11• heads ,1h1l e they wa1 t an<L the remaining
boys ai>e being circuracizeu. For the boyet site a baobab tree
i e selected because of its vaRt size which ouggosta strength
and ma eculini ty.
I:f' gii-le are oper·ated upon in th~ bush the tree sel ec ted
ror a site i s no t the baobab but a L4'rako tr~e . Tn1~ tree is
almoe t c< rtainl.y the L.fl'l"'fil ,e tYbJ.1~@n;i,. rt 1e considered to

have ' cool ' (hea11 ,g) pro~orties . it te thought to be pur1r11ng

because o~ its effeet1venees aga1net witchcraft (from its bark
and r oots vom1t1nc medicine i e ~ado to remove the et!'ects or
witchcl'at't t"rom a bewitched peroon• 0 stomach) , and it is clos ely
associated vith ~emi n1nt ty , bei ng sott ( the berk is so~t and
smooth end has s ott j uicy wood u.nder it) and mild (its bark
tastes pleae antl.y bitter and al though a vo~itar t , 1 t i s a
pleneari tly a1ld one) . Th~ tree •e med icinal and mog1oal uses are
inany; it need onl,y be mez1t1oned here that the pegs driven into

the grouna at t he entrances to the cat tle yare ane the operating
theatres are mode 0£ it£1 wood. Some people prefer not to U$e

L&ird:>A pese a t the boys• s1 te because of t he e trong f f>m1nine

ac soei at1ona ot t he t r·t:'e. 1
Like the men, t he women chaae awa:, any member ot the
oppoti te sex who cocies too close • end. the th:itong shields orr the
prooeedingo f'rom view but the~ do not build a she-1 ter . 2 ! 11 the
operation, the ell toria is pulled out ni th a t,1orn anc.'l then cut

l The tree ' s i dentity ie v1rtuall$ certain. rt•e Oogo name 10

sai d to be &!JUOh!.l; Rigby 1<ler..t1f1es this as Larrea RtW};tmAQni.
(pr iv.comm. ) BW!'tt (op, cit. , No. 172) r ecordG the Nyamwezi
name 11gumbu t or what he deooribee ae "the \.lreatcr Lan11ea",
and l,ewman has oti tain,.d a sample o1: the /4roka, the prov. otoual
i denti fication ot which i e I.anne1 atuhl1121nni (pr1v . comi'l) .
2 Se e photo ho. 8 .
 37!i

w1 th n special c h 'CUl!lc i oio 1 k11it"e (mm,QJ!). The wuen acco p any

the ir r , t ual vi th s i ngi .ff an<l ululat ions . Tho oongs are :"o.1n17
or the~ type , an~ t hoee aongc wh1ch describe the occaoion
arc r ererred t o a s L11n~, ' at the ~ - tree • . 1 Unlike the
rnen, t he women do :ot alautht~r B clli<'ken at once hut they
f i rst pUlll.!!e l 1 t to death by swi ngi ng 1 t around tUltil 1 t dies.
'!he reason given i'or tl1ie 1e that the .flow of blood i'rora a
o t111 livi ng chi cken would be too much likE •te ~low of aen~trual
b l ood ; apparett t.l;r the women wiRh to avoid the poeoible ortoct,
by the uagi c o'£ e1roila r1ty , or the slaught~r o-r a l i v< chicken

on tho i n1 t i a tee, whooe ,,pe1•ati on ia t'Up;,oeed to be life- gi vins

by enabl ing them to be reborn. The ch1clcen ' l'I toil .fcethera are
used t or the eame purpose as '11th the lJoye . 'i'1'1c bo:re spend

their :ti ru t night s i n t h("' c ampt but the girl s are ta.ken 1'.,me
and are cared '!'or i n t11e i nr.er room. They ar·e not suppoaed t o
be seen by anyone wt·o i a not a Uteml.>f"t' ot the ir 1111 e~iate 1"an1ly ,
until t he t1nal wuah1ng ceremon.,r. 2
The day af t er the operations, a sac r i f i c i al goat i s
s laught ered whic h i s c alled tJn1t ' MP1, 1. c . ' the one t:or 80l'€111g
[on~eelt] on •; t he otomach con t en t s ( ~ ) a r e d i stPi bu'tPd
among the 1n 1t1atco t o eat. The ani mal i B killed wi th a hot
knife ' t o c ool t he wounds '; i t 1e call ed 'the ):nlf~ through
Tthich i s c ooled' ( ~ ; ' Y<A'Jru ' I ). -'hi~ ea t1l!g .t'cost concludes

the pe?"iod o:t t ho operations during which the guoste have lived

l Text Mo. 100 1s such a oong. The equivale nt of the boys 1a

called ~lPtA, 'at the ba obab tree•; an example is pres ented
i n text No . 101. At the boys • opet"at1ons moet o~ the
eingi ns t a done by women bu t theJ have to sta.r a t a dista.nce.
':he boye• ope rations arc t ?lerru.'oro le sa noisy t han t hooe or
the g1rle. where t ho e1nget"s are crowded around the operation
theatre.
2 In practice t h1a eeolueion i s often relaxed atter a rew days.
In theorJ t he boya arc to stay i n t he bueh ' as long as their
initiat ion period laeta, but also this ie never ent'orced.
 375

mui nl y on bet-r, some nor"idge , and the moat of' the !'.'ncr1f'1c i a l
ch1ckeno . The guesto go home , and the period of inl'lt:ruct'lon
n ow begi nn ~or t he i n1. tiateo ; t'or the boye i n their camp , 'f''>r>
the girla i n the i nner r oom a t ho11e. Thi a i ncludes l ittl e or
no dir ect se x i nstr uc tion ae is tho ooee amo~ s ome nPighbouring
1
3antu tribee. Sanda we :ln~truct1on i s 1nd1l•ect rather than
dix-cc t , the r.wdi Ulll not 'being phyni cal exampleo but non.go of the
Jssu~em•ta tYPe • ~o th t he boys and the g 1rls open l a considerable
amount of t1 o r.1ng1ng thooo 1nctruct1vo aongs which teach thom
about lit'e , a nd thus prepar e them £or 1 t . ~'urther nractical
i ns t r uction of tho boys conr.iste -,f arohor:, and hunting birds
w1 th t hrowi ng o t icks ( r;J gor g) ; the e ticks thoy l1avc to make
thomeolve e. Tho bo7a mua t oddresa the i r camp master and anyone
e l se who ins t r ucts t he m, as •grand:t'a t her' (k2Jii1) ; the g1r l e
oall their i nstruc tor s •grondmo t ~er • Cm.run!) . 'l'hese ' grand-
paron ts' allow then1s e l vea r ude a nd obscene pr ac tical jokee
whioh tho 1n1t1at~s nus t endure. ny gx-own- up , e ven any youth
who ha s already been ciroumcized the y~ar ooro~c, may go i nto
t he camp and arl"ogato h i msel f tho right to tease the i n i t iates.
The latter ' s relationship with t he comp master i s eani er; t his
eo~n assumes much o~ the mutual joking 1n t 1~aoy ~t a grandson/
ltl"andfather rolattonship . Their circumcisors they ca ll •uncle '
( ~ . 1.e. maternal uncl e) ftnd t he girls call t he irs •aun t •
(.1.J:2, or Aother•s sie ter); t hes e relat1onehips las t for 11re . 2

l er. Cory , 1954.

2 On P• 372 we have eeen t hat a boy• a ta t he1' ia a osis t ed by
his maternal uncle(~) but that a girl' e mother 1e aided
bJ her paternal aunt (1:l.2). Tho honorif ic t i t l es tor the
c1rcumc1sora ar~ also ~ and Ll.9. but the m&an1nge of ~
d1f'1'er. The c i r oUlllcieor of a girl is like a mot her ' s oi stor
and n ot like a fathor's eieter, the &andawe oa7, b6cauae
•he i s (u&ual ly) not a m~mber of tne a 1r1• a own clan, which
is t he clan of her father . I t 1• even aai~ t hat t hererore
a ~ather• e siste r ie • more rea1 mother than a mother's
eieter, although both are call~d L-£2.
 376

At the end of t heir 1nit1at1on pe riod t he boyo go t o

their baobab to per :form the ceremon.v 01• thl'ow1ng tbe1v kntvea
1n t o 1 to t l'Wlk. Thev do thi s whi le oal":r.11ng th,e neo t.e ot
weaver b ird& in t heir l ef't har.de ; at'ter ti1 a t they light a .tire
"1th f' ira drills (uercnd2) and burn the nests. Obscene Jokes
are cr ackE>a d.u-1 .g tne ,,hole proood.ut>e , and reJ·erencc'! nre ;ia de
to tho burning or the s'kin 01· t hoir ol d ( UYlC1't'cumo1zed)
gen1 t alo; the oercmon)f. aign1L'iea that t 1e 00,10 havo now become
s exually developed men. .It i s s a id that now ' the youths have

become b i g • (~~ l2.Ci lU,i~) . 1 ~·t nally the,y walk arou, d

the baobab (gw, ~ ) and danco a r ound it {g1r1.o~V ; t hia
dance is the aubjeot of tho last of the .mf1 ~1onga in the
:following pages { text Ito. 104 ). In parts of central Sa~ awe
country the ba obab is otaboed wi th spocially ~ado ritual spears,
and af ter t h1o tho .1oung men euao t a ba t t l e \11th th(; arch-
oncmy, tho Bal'aba1ga , whom, they ovt•r eome and kill . The part of
tho ot1omy i a p l a.,ed by 00130 01' their alders .

'l'he 1n 1 t1at1on 1s now f'1n1shed and the ,1ou th& are waf>hed
and anoint d t.ind given now cl o thes t o weEU'. ':. hey take t hei r
kn.1 ve o { or the epcars) f rom the baobab, and t nen they are

carrte d homo on the backo or their e l dero whi le tho.1 hQld their
knives ( or epeors) h i eh up 1n the air s o that e veryone can see
t hat their i n i t iation 1~ ~inishod. 2 ,811le being carri ed they
~re under a utrict taboo no t to l ook back ; they have been t old

l Tho oexual nature ort ni s ceremon., ' a sJmboli am 1& obvi ous.
':.1le bird!" are of t he opeo i cs c elled z.~kQG :>r ~ ~ PW4t: ';
these birds b uild neots wh ich r esembl e t he mele oraan. !or
t ho ae1. oc111t1on kn11"e • penis, se e text No. 100 , tor blll"ning
• ae:icual penetration, s ee text 110. 113, f'or t he purify i ng
propert1eo ot r1re aud tho 1oea t hat i t r epresents t he start
ot a new p~riod i n 11.fe, e«-e P• 46. .r'tre al s o symbolize s the
finality of destruction (o!' something detested), ct•. line 123
ot text t-to.14 (p.244); 11nee 67-8 ot t ext ifo.ll (p.19 2); and
the end of text .. o. l 7 ( J,l. 276 ) .
2 See photo No. 12.
 377

t hat t hey will d i e 11" t hey do. The r e can be no l o okiug back
t..o th6l r bo.thood ai.i.:1 .11or 13 ; r..tk y 'have oeco,..o men •

• no :p:i:•oCCBUi?ll is he&C.Cd ty the Cil'CW'llCifie:z:, (a~, 1'era.

L!als,;m1sQ) ·.-ho l oado thetl into tl',c col.U't.,yu.rd oJ.' the ho .ciu,tcac..
v,l,ere the pnrcn ta Gn<i tl..e re lu t.1 ves ot' all tho
arc onc e ruor o buthor·cd .t'or> a big "''cast dhich ifl called 1U:L6ko•S2•
' t.11e wat.h1ng' , at'tu• tho ceromony through which the :,oung pe.>ple
have j.lst pnaaed. "'he la tor al'e put dov;z, on the gI>ouna by
their elaers , :formall:r lee. through f.ho bate , pru,c r.tcd to the
a ather ed c lansJ.Uen, a rnl ~1ven teer ati oqualo . ,..1 1 Ports o~
c1r clWcil ion oongs arc oung , the bowl o a1..e made ~o r oar , and
the .t'eaa t tr,,'><:.e on until all thA bPe:r is :t'iniahed.

or the c1l'cumc1&1on songs whi ch will now bo pr e eJ ted

the 1'1rs t thirteen nrc o1' thr;, ri to- deocrip t1 vo type while t he
:t"oL owi n~ nine 1ntort11 the 1n1t1atos about tho vuri oua aspects
ot adul. t li1"t-.

'rgxt No. 92, :rh,o cir9u ~.t' § a.cs:r;12t&.l.llml.a. Sung b:r Mr. Salim'
l'aganga at Xwarnnts •«Sse, July 1962 .

1 S6Powe wa:r6koyoo, l aule.

2 (Qh2t!Aa ) u. 'l'at1ltitM l), ee.
3 N4mt1weyee war.Ss' koyoo laale.
4 ( Ql:!,QJ:Ja6 ) al Ta'11a~t1 M. ee .
5 Sorowe \'Jart!koyoo, lac.le.
6 { QllQ~JUl) aa , a'1l.a~cS bi, ee.
7 lU:hiuwoe war~e'ko:,oo, laale.
6 (Qhot~(i} ll Ta\Sla~~ ~~. ce.
9 14.//~hleyeo wal'~s'koyoo, lo.ale.
10 {Qb.Ql!!.\ii) bt. 'l'a'1la~~ ,~. eo.
11 l~E'~b, warlkoyoo, la&le.
12 {~h2et&l) Al 'l'aulad~ IJ~, ee.
l) \oraa wax"' t' • koyoo, lavlo.

14 ( ~ ~,~rY.!i! ) ttl "'o.t11 at1(t (., ee.

l.5 .dtibae ,:ax•e 6 'koyoo, la·le.
16 ( ..:bQtl.tt:) M ,.,tnllc:t~t' , ee.
17 &a"',cyee wu1•tfo 'ko.:,oo, lc·-le.
18 ( (,t;!:ll::\W ) ta l'l'auln~( N:, 6(' •

19 .foraa, ''al1luk6o, ware.

20 (Cb~1cyr) t~ TutUa(f •'l, P.C •

21 ~auluN: lalee. warcr- t •

22 ( '<l101•yij ) !~ ~·
-----------------
1 Let us go in nnurr1e-nrocee~1on to c1rcWllc1ze, cor~ on.
2 (~A) They ney : Tm1la, ea:, yes . - res!
3 Yee , ,~annl, I shall circUt!lcize, come on.
4 (QbQ.tJl§) 'l'hey say: 'lallla, say yce. - Yes!
, Let u~ go in ahuffle- p~nccseion to c1roumc12r, oomc on.
6 (Choru~) They sa,Y: raula, say yes. - tee:
7 Yes , sister, I shall circw~cize, come on.
8 (Ch9ry,e ) They oay: Taula, say yes . - ies !
9 "feo , brother, I shall c1rcumo1ze, come on.
10 (Qh.~) ihcy say: Ta~la , say yes . - tesl
11 Really , I shall c 1~cumc1ze , come on.
12 (Qborw~) They say: Tat1la, say yes. - t'es !
13 I ehall :really circumc12e, come on.
14 (Q.horuA} They eay: Ta'11a, say yE>o . - Ves !

15 Oh 1'ather, I shall oircuuicize, com<" on.

16 (Cho~us) They say: Ta'11a, eay yes . - Yee !
17 tee , uncle , I shall O!l'C'l.'IICi ze , come on.
16 (Chorus) Tho~ say: Ta'11a, say yeo. - Yes%
19 ijeally, do 1 t then, 'l'a•1la, c1rcumc1ze.
20 (Chorus) The;; aa;r: ·~a'1la, aay yea . - tes J
21 Y~e , l ) Ta'1la , s hall i ndeed circumoize.
22 (Qhoruo) The¥ s ay , ~.
 J79

'.l'"ne toxt hae 'b'!en .rrproduced at come length becauac i t can

caoilY be fol lo oC. on tl.e cnol ooed t,lpc, one? beceus • 1 t gives
a good id~a of t ~e way in which r c~eti tion often makes t~~ song
in Sundnwe . "' 1.A 13 the name ot a ft!. .~1·c cl:rcurnc lzc z• ot the
past. Jc is »er~uaded by hia a ia tcr ~-,.n tmd by ,t er relativ~s
to per.form the op~I'a t;iono on n new bn tch or boyi:; , and he i 'j nally

gi vee 1n. Thi 1"' the explanati o!1 ..;1 vcn by 1nfoi•mn ttJ ho nl,o
eug est that the eons eXI)r ec ·ea the reassuring !: ol1ng t1 at t r,e
services 01' a good ourzeon have b n ob toined. It. Pnpre en tfl
the p~eparoti onal etagco o~ the ri ~.ial .
Si gnit'ioan t ie the ehoi cc o!' t he name or ""'a "1.lo. 'a s1u ter
who 16 ·•nid to have bec!l a Girl~' c1r-cU11:c1z~r . Hor naroe i e a
com on one , deri vcd fro. a trui co.lled n41Jl; this i s o vor;J
r ed-tru1 ted tree with pa ired branches 1'ro;,i wh1c h o t 1rr 1ng s ticks
(hlcbe;ta) aro :.-iade, the branclics fortllins the logs . 'lhe rod
i"rui t und the s-p1~ead. l egs provide a good exwa le of how tho
Sandt1Y10 expr cns t hei r 1magc1•y i n nnturo-symbols .
The. l i ner. of the oong leaCcr an<'i the cho1·ue ovorlnp .

'l'gxt I1Pt 93a !Jlr\t 1tz th(' \leer for , arfl the;, Sli~cYOQ!f;J.n£1..
Song lod b:, t.;rc . Alu~in Koz1g4 at ..'ar-kno, .iuly 1962.

l H6a ware:roo , hoar.a wor~.100,

2 h6 k'oru~yoo , t yo , hoana werl ,
3 h6ana ware, h6ruia ware , p euibe?

4 (~b9tU§) lllA holog6logo, h6log6loio, h6 pembe.

5 (2Wl c.noru!;) h6ano wart!, hc5ana wart, p~mbe?
6 i till , !¥0 t;ardvoo, h6aun wnrl.voo,
1 n//okoee run~yoo, !yo, h6ana war~,
8 h6una wer~, hlana warl4, _pcr:1be?
9 ( )(borud 1lil holos6logo, holog6loao, h6 pembe.
10 (2,w! chorun) H6ana wart1 , h6ana war<i , pembct~
ll r.6a war4yoo , ~
 380

1 fho i o c 1rc UJ'llc 1z i ng , nho thon 1a circu :iciziuc.,,

2 ~hat ia 1,hc bf'lOt' for , Ii otlicr . who theu in circuuci}..ill:J ,

3 who tl en c h•cumc17.00 , ,,hn then c:l.rcn ic1:c: .o, tl,e glum, penis ?
4 (~ill!) And ha i o curt ng 1 t , cu.ring i t. , llhat , t.he tflUnh
..
:.> (~ 9h gru.s.) ho then clrcumchoo , who than ci:rcut:clz, t, ,
penis.
the glauu peni s ?
6 Al S.fl mo thur , he ie circumcizing , vdto then i u circumc i zing ,

7 t.he children arc hela. i n check, mother , w.ho then c1rcunc1zee ,

b who the 1t oi1•cumci&e8, who 1..ho11 ci1·cumc1zes, tht iil ans ponie'i
9 (~J!Jim) And h e i a curing i curing i t , \that, tht• glans
1; ,
pt:.,\i o.
lo (Q.£ charue ) ,fuo ther.. cir c ut.ci zeo , who theu ch•cWJcizeo ,
the clam .Jt.t,i e 'I
11 l'ho is circur c1rdng, f.tk·

'lwo e xplanati ons ha vn been i;iven of' thin eong, both oi' which
nppe nr acocp tabl e : ( l) 1,he children are \Tot•i •i e o. and ask what
all t.i .e p1•epara t1 ons are !'or, and ( 2 ) t,10 gro,m- upo who are
cing1ng in the cou:rtJard dur1Il;) the opcX'1l ti ono, r eaesure thexn-
oe lve s. 'Ihc t wo wor<is wh i ch 1ve the oong its t'ull meani ng
do not occur in ordinary opcech. They arc ~ and bolosol qgg.
l'he meaning 01· ~ i s varioucl.Y cx.plain~d ae ' horn '
( ~ ) , •pcni o' {!ywitony ) and i n par t icul~ the circwocized,
exposed pen13 { ~shutobu ~ ; ~ ia wh1 te or bare) , or the
glans penis (Jwhut0n£i ~ ; ~~ 1a he ad) . ~ is t'urther
describe d as 'the end or ~1oknese • {k'wa•q Fl~eo), 'the aboonce
ot' eickneos• (k•ya•g ~ ) , and as ':f'ert11e• (n/!aee).
The combination or the first-mentioned m(,anings becoaee at ouce
clear ~roa t hr 1antu or1s 1ne of t he word. Meinhot' c!voa t he
meaning ot' Bantu -pembe as whit~ or ohin,y; 1 Geidol tranelatea
the Rang1 ~ aG 1vory; 2 von Sick the Ri m i ~ no rh1no;3

1 1904 , l h2.
2 1898, t~7.
3 1915. 23 (in his translation oe a oong o-r e lephants) .
.:.1e111pwoli':t' p?'OR6.,t8 the l{im1 ~~ 418 horns, PS_IDb!V~ 88 l'nino,
and ~@bS as horn, t'roa the hypothet1ca1 oeniu verb - ~ ,
l
to enine. Jol\neon lists the owahili ~ as ' horn, tusk,
2
projection • . "or· comparison of thc- r~maining meanings ot tho
8rmd:'.twe ~..!1 vm mny hai;e a loolt at what Turner writes about

tne Ndem~u 1~ea- a~eoc1at1ons of th1B word:

"m,'l'leml,,A: l ·wllpi.; of' \Thi to c1~-, purottt expreer,ion or the

principle o'f wh~tenesa, ••• wnite symbol • • p3tands !'or] strengt h
or :tirrmes1:,, ~oociurt-~ , ._.0od luck, i;o hu~<"' 1,0·,<:.1·, to l>c .frte
rrom dea ~h, to be -f'ree t"rom teorr,, to Pr·oape b~:ing lm.t, ·hf':d
at, pol i tie al nu thori ty, moe ting together wi tll the nneec tor
Apiri ts, 11:f'~ , At1•en~th or heal th, procreative oapaci t y,
hur1taman'1hip, t.1V11.~ , rcJ.u.emo< rint:. , r.o la~h, ~o e&.t ,
to r. ml tipl. in ch1ldron, t.o t1tike vicible, maturi t/ i n old
age. "3

Al though I cn111,ot clu1r.i that nll 'thetH~ meaning~ are applte~rle

to the 3onde.v:t'l t~rr:1, we <'lo have her·e a rc·111nrkahle parallel
\7i th the So.ndawe set r,f ar r oc- ju ~1 onf\ . ·:o t only tho woz•d Xl..lU.rut

iterlf appeorr, to have been tak~n over from th~ !antu but ft

whole catcrory o~ i deas with it.

liQ,log ~l,Qg'2 i s eaid to be a uogo terl'!l. Claus records
that the uogo word gyl agulQ moeno 'to heal (~oncone)•. 4
Purthcr ase <'cia t 1ona or thir terl!l oi,d 1 ta var1nt· te are
diocussed under text . o. 101.

l 1914/5, 290.
2 1951, 372.
} 1962 , 142 .
Lt. 1911, 69 .
 .}82

'l'~~·t 1:2-9.lu.. .:c:s. J>rui.s te are ~lar, 2w·1:•. fo.r...llltra:.... .,o.o.g leo
by Al!':... Alu,.,! a (O Zi ~ d tl t • ar,;,rwn, ... uly 1962.

l Ifuo hnhde~ tondo:,oo , h1>0 h~ht1e-, tondo,von.

2 (~tt) 'l~l\ ho.a ht1~.

3 H~o hahdo~ tondoyoo, h6cm h':lh~t>t ton'o'oo.

4 (!JQOtUA) HAa haa hi1t1.
~.
1 .. '1at, hurray, the bee1• vst, '.''hat, nurL•ay , tl.c be r :at.
Open, open, open!
.3 .Iha t, l"iurra,y, the bt'er vat, \"mat, hurray, the beer vat.
Open , op<'n , open!

On tile accor11p11ny!:ng tape this cong i s sung os a oont1uua t 1on of

the previous one. 'l'he nuddt n change-ovor to thi s text 10
aoconpanied by a corro ponding cha•ge of the r ~..:,thm; this ie
a e t.(le !'1g ure which the .:>Md awo like much , eopt:;ci all:r 1.t' the

rl".ytbm is q uick~nod. This is called bi:U 'j.m•1,0.

The eone; rct'ora to the s tage where, the gueats· have arr ived

berore the mor ni ng or the operations. 'i'hey epend th~ night

eit11ng by f ires , talki ng , oi ngi ng and dancing. and drinking
beer. Here they are clamouring ~or m~re.
'l'he word tondo is also hesr c as .1JmQll or mJtiunsl.Y., ' box • • 1
Thi e ie a container which ie made 0£ the ~ark or a tree called
~q (~by§tegia 1 t2lsne1n or t he domw-leat'ed c i ombo) which
2
1e called ntundu in Sukw:ia, according to Burtt.
way say thflt the 3ulcuma tern mtooc:y ( w1 th m) o to.nae for a ~~­
3
a teg1,& !.U2· tree, while p,hm"Y 11; Irober11z::i1a f;lol't1f'.l2ret•

l C£. text No.15, line 73 (p.253), and p. 254, note 11.

2 1936, No. 66.
3 1940. 3no.
 .'1oe :ro1• i o rig 1t , tte ter:::, ~ apJ oure to 0 n antu tree

z.mi:le wh1~h i~ uu.,a. :·or 'bsr}: • . '!he bark containc;rr. are very

li::rge und used l'or· otori:1g t.:.~nin ; t'rom this thl: b1::er 10 :.ir wed.
'.?he ~1ui ot.' the cor. tair.cra 1e ru. ten ti ve of' the quan ti Lie:, of
beer for t,hien tnc guee ta ar hoping.

:ti;zt J -; , 95, ', hf drn. 'T of ..rJrcrwc1s12n. so .. e l~d by n .

Alut,ia o~iga at Pax·kwa , July 1962.

1 tyowl!e ~ wer~ hoo \1ere?

2 Th6nte- 'iyoo h-1,.> t.'crf1'l

3 Iznekoyoo •· 4mi1lodo:,ee
4 //atA~P.eyoo, h6o wer€?
5 Hi mbayoo h~ tPr>eyoo, S 4ni1ledeee.
6 l Choryr) ft~~e~c r,~tuedaee.

7 i:,owc.e S~ott.lcdn.ce,

8 Bdba:,•"o ~T"\tiledcec,
9 !melcoyoo S a1!ltuedaee ,
10 Hi mbayoo h6 tahu;roo ua ,lUcdayoo,
11 1h6n t f.l I iY'O".l St'i!'lltileday!'c o,
12 //utrimaltoo tty fte r~-:,oo,
13 fmeko:,oo 86mill eoaAe.
14 ( Ch'>r$1) Ah~e~c Sa:mU~Oaee.

15 //ata~nayoo ! menayoo , ~.

-------------------
1 Oh mother , it ~063 around, what is it that goeo er und1
2 In the black- aoil ~laina, what i A it that goee around~
3 3elp , 1 t roa,.e l 1fe m-io Al wayo Grun ts 1 t le,
!1 Oh , it 1u the lion! , at i s it that goee around~
5 Oh .1..ion, oh animal. It 1e He Who Always Grunts.
6 (Chory§) Yes, it i a He Who Al ays ,runte~
 7 Oh n,otlwr , 1 t iA e lt, Alw /" runte,

8 h f'Hther , it 1: fC: ho lwuys ,runtc.

9 elp, it ronrP, it i• e 11 o Al\'fS:,'S 1·unt.··,

10 oh Li0n , '>h nni, sl, le :tho \ l'wayc ru t ~

11 ln the hla.c:k- t on olaiufl hf' in, e 11" o Alwi;,JT i:·u1 t:J ,

12 oh hr•l:p , what lion then. ny! goco aroWJ.d t ere 1

13 ! eJ.p , l t rm.H"•, H~ ho Al, ovn vruntc.
lli ( Ch0ru11) 'fr,,r, 1 t: 10 re. lho l't.'nyc 1•t.:n1t .

15 Oh, what li on ther, 1l'l roaring tnere ,

'.i'he ch1ld1•en have bten led to the circumcioion place a.nc the
E\illgc>rP. t.llpre s their wo1·1•y over the ds.ngt')rs of: ,t. It ie ou t
i n the oush , li}e t he rlaek-eoil nlair.e which are outside the
i nhabi t.tH a reas; th1£ is wtiere the lions roar • 'Inc oor.g is
tung at tne circumcislons of.' boye and girls , out some any that
properly ~pealr i ng thU 11" a eong 01· the g1rlfl onl.Y, eug ect1ng

that the li on r epre~enta t he cli tor1d~ctomy kr.it'e ( ~ ) a e

well ae GfP (who pursue women} a nd daneer in go~eral (with
rexual coni.ototi on) . Wyatt ruent1one tiat e.mong the neighbouring
n1m1 th~ girla ei ng a l i on- danger song b"for they are led to
tl•e operations . Tnoy dance a sinuous dar.ce called ;Lsu:urn,

"7he neophyte danceE , [her] mother 1s please~, ate , • •

tl,e lion ir.eets ree , alee . 01
11
The li on meets me 11 well expr>eases the same .f:-elin~.
The operottve term of tl1e eong 1& of c ourse e4;n91ocl1; this
we have already cncounter·ed 1n th~ .form o-r NUaitJ.~~d.a in the s ong
ot text 110 . 6, and t he word 13 explained on P • 150. The text
uses two word& tor 'lion ' : .b.im12A and (Latai. J'he la t ter ie the
ordinary Sandawe word for the ph..~eieal animal , but h1i1llUl. ie a
r i tua l t err only, derived trom the Da:itu whore i t is ale o oom .:on

l 1929 <~;.., ).
 i n t e f'or·u.~ ~ and IJ..i..~ O t

c can ' to ro;..:::- l ou dl ., ', lroi: t ..e an t u v zb ~ ; .. i r.. tac

oh vi ou t l ,Y" ad - 1.:1 t o t ht vu ... ue ..>f the tc1•r:1 ia: u ri lU!:i.l ntt c for·
~1 .:n . 1

'....ext • 9, l1G, r.oa(tinu t hE"? _ll\lUP1e';.:J..2._tllf...£.UQ;!JJilC4H1go.1.. ong

l ed by I't . / •e re' e al' fo-i yo at ug(t i a, ui;u~t 19 3 .

l f: { l1a11g orbe t e, flf• , 'e

2 ( C1',QJ!llf1 ) < *
• ci a un.;ombo ., <~1,
.3 fl .t Ri ungo~br· ee.
b (! ~~eon<1.£.!L™) Sal Riargomb(') he lo~t'S,
5 s4 .iUango,,be, eungeyoo .

l To the Iui tin te- evourer·, ;,en, YAA, yer .

2 {£.b_o_ni§.) 'l'o ti ~ ::tnj t iu t e-D,.vN1re:r' , oh !

3 to t he lui t1u t e- , VOllP H I', ,Yt' F:.

!~ ( fl e 90,nd,, cl\Qn)11) 't'o t he ln~ 1a t e-"1c vnu:rcr, CO E on t hf'n ,

5 to the ! n i tio.to- vo11re r , g 1 ,a t he1., to Ufl •

t> To the Ini t ate-:::ev,,urt r, y e s, yea, yea, ~·

This sone is a prooe sion i;ong called ~ ; to roo:· t f andawo

t ne mean i ng 1~ so v~gue thnt they cannot ~xplain 1t. nom~ think
tnat 1 ts operative t.er 1, 18 a name ~ ~ [ t.1£) which hes
'no meanl ii& '. dome old m" n ate. te that H1ang91,19t 111c&ns ' tho
Lion ' a 1toar • (LL.a..'t.Wl J..m.g,), t h u t 1 t 10 the • voice o~ t }.c oowl'
(11..!.L( ,til) rhi ch 13 like e Spit'i t (llJ!Q!~) , m.d that 1 t is alao

a praiae - nawe Qi: tne oowl ( JJ.!.!J:Ji ~ . t htl bowl's n s....e) . 'i"boy
thi nk the song is ot' Nyamwczi origin, and ~eJ that th~ r1rat

l See note 9 on p.116. I t~;e translationP or ~ (Liou)

8'1c:'l //ntrtJl (li on) I have used a capital L f'or ttie ritual na;ie .
 :ir ' t , r- >a.r• • • o r· 'PJ' onte
tr o don r('1• of ttic , i on . , • ..,,, i '. tia eE • '>lict co•1'l d (~ev ....:11•

t·v~rn 11 11 'm n l io - mr • "'<'r {~:2., f'n,,r; t1 ,{>. a .• tu !lill.Q:1Q, a.

1 1 on-uum wh:-, '1t111.f' 'ii v1,1 ti "' 11 the f1ilape nl' n llot ) . 1

d t hough t'H 1nf' '>r r,Ht t s ' i • not • a r-; :>, ,ic sc., h( re t at tie ·e
1s an n'" )<:i a.tinn ,..i t.ha lfv -,u1•ing ',t1 <: r.

on. u~ i terla0 .. 1v11e

)...r. tt. t ri~cr, fill tha a,· 01" hr c 11 1 1· 01 tt.e ],rit:lnnwa. (e• o· ts}

whoo p;,>opcr place, Accot•,1ne "o {rner , 1~ an,me t.t,, !HnoEfh 2

' r ;,at otlvonturoun 1'ea1 u al'.'f: t r,m•i l cd to l,im , ano h~ coJl( r:peak
bet'ore he >1 r..r; bor r- . c1•1u r alao tell~ Ut' tt at ttc: ne~11ng of'
7
the- nr.:mc 1a ' a ter or un 0.f ' • _, : ta co pon• lit par tr would then

w:t th the u l)pl ica t1 on 01· thir e tyu.ol og:, to an 1:, t1>1•l acus d 1 c
r..arno i e , h .~ evt•r , U at t! ( c l ,:. 3u ages do !lot Ut;o thl:' stem
~ !'ot· 'cat1 l t> ', , u t Ll....-...:.• h

f.:'.~ekano, a}:! r•cc,>rdn t ~ i; cat le l'c ure os t'unc t 1ou1 ng

par t 1t'1pa~ ts i u c ec1•et r;ocH "'t c: t n•o1 g tl e i nte r ls.cu trine

an tu, and that. thr re rc ocle tie o t.r c c a l lt d a f' t t:r t he ancer t.or
r.:
J7:t:anaonho. :.> r ~ al i:; o ,.;a;:re thct i n U r.vw1 t h( feTJalo i mper-r.onat.or
of the " Ult hero ,,r t he 1i:.:am<ord;w .,,ocicty iroi tatef. the r oa11ng
of a lion duri ng t l': e ceremor.1e a 01· i ni t1ation into the Lociety . 6
J\ll anonyroous wri <,eJ• lllent1ona a t;{amwezi llJ,mans om1:ze 111
I

a text which d"~cri beu the fe·,ching-away ot' child.roll after an

eight - aaJ conf'ine1..ent ( i n 11..1 t.iai..i on 1'1 tual'r), and he sayo that

l See chapt.er x, l.1.2!! .l!T'~P.££: .

2

3 ~ ..
1933, h9 ·

4 Beattie, priv. oom

115.
.
5 1917, 31.5.
6 ~ -, 311- 3.
ir. wt~J.c d tu.a. 1.h ,·u~~. L • t1 c J ru:,wt :.:.i u ,,1 c , ·1 .hich la cnl led
2
. ,,ti,Ult< · Q, & :• .1. t 11,.: l udoa v ,i;;; ~ ~.;1 •.i1... l.l()WI. ou t ..... £ r,,w,c. fOl.41'

uo.1.•n 1a. ...n ,. - ou1• ..i t~c ko i n uo ou.J..on., _...u t c1'n u1 , t.1c ta~ L £ Ol' an
cJ. <t.1bl' , n t. 1· .... t.. o!' c!. a tt. , ..... ,, v.:r.

lit'e :;ti.)U.a.CJ , ic 1·w.1 ir. to 't.eod :.u: , ,.•, • H' ht lot .. L nit MlY in
.b.: .....ttl· • .;

A .. o•.c 01..ua ,.~ c .11•c.a111u.:ioion v i tc \ hicu l LU\'r , tl'C pc:.

~~J ·111 ... c . ',H.I't , ~?·1/tn into the u·ow1d !or:<d Cl· ovul , ur.d

• c·m .1. ! n , .. ~l1if.; 11as

i1avo n.>ted that ...nc i unor roo1.:; rop1•t11,m wa t; TIOnu in t,L 1ch ~11.-.,
1n i tititt 1Ja a r aec1 uc1.cu l>ct"orc ei1• r e - birth. .1.hc -;;c>. t ot· the

p1•0•~<:tCt 1011 f on..t no~ c onfro11 fl Uli , 1 tn 1.m echo of •.lJiJie.QlliPJ:i. i n

cnilch•e n , t lle o'Jlone wod , c:cvluG 01., 1•cmrin!; lion , tu, tJr , thu
<h1vouJ.·i1,r. l ion, threat 01' de a th , 1ni tiatio , ep1ri t, end 1h~
i rs ?ir 1::t t .i or.nl oracle; t he la tor i n tt.o ror of: the 1ne true t i on

\7t.1 ch t he i ol tia ~ o 1•ecoi ve to r,rer,a re them fo1• their life a1· tcr
re- b irth, so t l1a t they clo n~t get. l fit. ,ot 11et. ool vec. is
tho (! t:nnol ogioal p o, (rr ;;he t her B.3.A i n lli.. ..&:o~ r:.eane ' t.o o y'

01• 'to eat • , an 1n wernEl1· • s trnns l at1nll • at.er of ai C;.;· • : t or

e 1 t nc.r lllt>ftni ng the ?•e ex1s te a 136.n t.u a to:n - l.1..1.· The pt-obl8m. ta
not 1Vlp or tar t i n s o tar a t both eleme n t s are e l e me?it.«1 1n t he
On.ndaw.- r 1 t ual 6 ,11:looli&nH the l'OU and th'1 devo;;.r1ng lion ( 01•
womb) . l)Ut e: clu e 1& g1 ven b .Y .w:w'tJJt• ,,'hy doee the Dan«et-

l /,non . , 1901., 30.

2 15!>3, J 2.
3 ~ ' 3 0-l.
 3 8

or it£' er.1bod1mc-n t nwol lo,1 a cow? ':'he i1mnv,.r 11ay be g1 ven by

the> !'nnr'awe ini t1ateo themoclveo . 'l~ey n:rc C\7allowed hy the
})<>nger in its cnhodir.1cnt of +.ho fonh ar-<' thc7 a:rP oal led hyenas

(.!!:.kfJ:..Q.). !yenas , wo hnVP- s"'en, tl-re hor•t lcfm cattle, hornless

becn11se th<W ar~ still incormlete , irar.·::lture , and un1.n1tintcd. l

R:l,rangom,b~ tln.1n mea11s chiJ.d'looc which it devou..,ca in th~ r:l t.uaJ. ,

in orcle"' that the ini t in te r.1ay bo l'Pnorn f'ror' it tls nn adult .
I:f' this 1ntorpretat1.on il;: co,..rect and may he apl') liel also t.o

the ~raterioun lltangonbe of' the 1n~crla<"ustr1ne (P1tu and the

11:,am·1oz1, then the ori@:inal Riangonbe woul d not be a eyt,hical
her o at all , nor an a1CPSt:r'al chief, but 1n1.t1atton it.ncl:r.
Initiation i , to tho .i...~l.ldlY.'l cult , i nto the ranks o:t' Nyarnwe :d

chief's, or in to Sondawe manhood would then have bc:on cler1 ved

fror:'l tho same RC't of itoagca enn bolie:t's, b11t the tr ritual mani-
festa t1'>nf' and the nyths a ttached to them dit'f'el'.

l'..~t no, 91.&. The lion-bQ.Wl~ donr led by Mrs. 11ctoria

Ji J 4' a t ~arkwa , JUly 1962.

l S! mban~ , -> :!,:i.Ja n6nce't

~ ( ~b2~!!§.) Haya h ,~~e , tF'lct1 dtara,

3 S! mbn n~net ?
4 S! mbay~e, S! mba n~ne~ ' ?
5 ( r::horus) llaya ho1e, t"'M~ ld tara ,
6 S{mba u ~ne~·?
7 Ta it nJ/wc ! mena§.
8 (Ghoru~ ) Haya h66e, tsh~~ k! tara ,
9 S! mba n~nee 'l
10 ~ara1 ~er ~, S! uba nene~?
11 (Choru q) Haya hd6e, t s hdd k! t ara,
12 S!mba ndnceb ?
13 //ats~ n//we ! menayoo.

l ct. t ext No. 37 ( p.317).

15 St mba n&nelt
16 I / ateli k~ 1mon~oo, A1c,.

1 Lion then, 1s it not the Lion who i s there?

2 (Chgrus) Hey well then, isn't his head in ther0 ,
3 1e it not the Lion Who is there?
4 Oh Li on, is it not indeed the Lion who 1s there?
5 (Chorus) Hey well t hen, 1sn•t his head in there,
6 i s i t not the Li on who is there ?
7 It ie my own child who criee.
8 (Qb9£.Yi§) Hey well t hen, isn't his heod i n there,
9 is i t not the Lion who is there?
10 Truly he walks about, is it not the Lion who is there?
ll (Chorus) Hey well then, ien•t hie head in there,
12 is 1t not the Lion who i o there?
13 The lion's child, how it roarsl
14 (Obqrua) Hey well then, ten • t hie .head in there ,
15 i s it not the Lion who i s there?
16 'l'he lion, ohl how it r ~ al'ol ~.

This is a praise song t or the bowls which are rubbed by the

women; t hey roar out l oud, like lions. In line 13 the bowl is
Rt'erred to ae a phya ical ohild of a lion ( w1 thou t c ap1 tal L) ,
and tn line 16 simply ae a llon. This sugges ts that the roar
1e so good that the bowls are not mere ritual lions but r eal
an1male.
Some 1ntormante have suggested that the song's ma1n t heme
18 "I u a Lion" (ahma u.wt,), but thi s ts a Bantu 1nterpreta t 1m.
lilnl, 111eana •t• in euch languages as Nyamwezi, Oogo and Ieanzu, 1
but l n Sandawe the reduplication ot the interrogative At., •ta
he here?' wt.th etreea on the tiret eyllable torme a relative
eentence.

l Nyamwezl: Anon.,1901, text l ( p.45) and text 24 ( p . 50); Oogo:

Laat, l 885J Iaansu: Kohl-Lareen, 1937•, 64 ('I am tt • ) .
 3

J:l •

victo1•ia 1., '1 1 ut :.1rJ. •u,

·~
l } I ;,tflhllP ko, noa lAmbo:,oo't
2 ( {:tpJ"j.ll" ) hM,

3 Iyo, h6e('~
! ( ("b 01'Y.f.) : i"oa' le .b :>~e

5 Th6r> ·e-e 1'-o, t "'~r.,·n ba' tyoc.

6 ( Q12J'1' Q.) A Nh1 .

7 l ro, J16e;~~

t ( I b(l.:Y~) i:hda.' la:.c.o ole.

W.•

l In tne gr1t-~o11 0ueh, oh , .~o is in.tiateG t1en~

hey are bare.
~ ~other , wno tncn~
l t is tbey who aro 1n1 tia tee,.

~ Iri thE.; olack- soil ~lain , oh, tho plain is eo large!

6 (~hor!M})
7 oL.,cr , \.\ho then?
I" l s the., who art 1.11 t1atod.

'rh1 1" is anotl'let' aor.g of' worry. 'l'he ex lannt1on given is that tm
toJs nave be~n c1rcu.me1zod and are sto~tng in tneir camp in tne
bush, and t he i r porcntc worry about their well-being. ~ome ot
tbl'I ch~rus bl'et.k in w1 th s.n:dcus ululstiona: !,r<1-h;o-i,ZQ- ~
XS?1Q:YO..' , 'Oh mo ther, ir.other , n:o t hcr dear:• .
The operative tcr ot the cong is ~ , anot•wr term
which io never uoe c: 1.o. ordi~ar., op ech. It, appears to conve.1
tho idea of: the separa t1on or tho 101 tis t1on period . Claus
menti one the <logo term .1.::l.!Wlll., the mEia.nir,1:£ of which he g1 ves as
' f inery rnnO.e o:t• stra,1 stalks ' • 1 Tho Oogo wear. trell1a-11ke
maaku au.ring the ir i nitiation period; the Sandawe do not.

1 1911, 10 , "Schmuck, .I.Wl s trohstengeln" •

·r~!!.!2.·.-9.9.s. 'T'he t',:riirr>!,..,.2Ll.b.L.U!L j1pp , , Ul b

f 1t'H f r,J Ef at F•rkn1, J.1w• ut 1 6.3.

1 !'~i..ulce-~ 1a.:meo6da, h6o :,aroulee ,

2 v,~ulee eanga ~66ga , ho6 ywnulee,
j a~ hl:ttt ho y,111ult!ie . sanga m60:1a~

1 Oh ::- or-r ::, . , i 1,at i ,)'l m:.;2ne , y l!.\ t • '> !'") ,

'2 Oh 3 0£' ~' 0 .,, t l{lJ ...·oar t lf' ,i ) !l mu \e , 1nat ,. r""vW,
3 :ind t hn.r OT'~ >are, 'l'! l~-tt ')l ' ' ' <)W, " l'Y .l'r>ar the ... i on mne .
4 Oh s ,rr o·.1, !~

;8CU1e$t 1!1 Sai<l to b ~ a n 4!:Xpreosi on ot' S01'l"'}W 'f'Of' the AUf'.' 'e?'ing

ini tiAl:e .. , a la;: eii t . ~ 1£, f.rom th(' 1Jan tu, cf. Jw-.Q.R!l, to
fear , and .mu-.w.m., one wl.o t'{•are ; ~ -ta. ~ io th{ y !'eat• the
~ , or lion crown. Tilfoe terms are no t u~e~ in co~ on npee ch
but ii, r1 tu1;;.l onl y .

TQxt. l•2.,_l.Q.'2.,., "ht~ ·,air fU:_! 1 f' (m, r:rJ.W.w. . 01 ,Jl ea.der : r ~.

h.lud a Xo2i;.i1 e t I /m:., : u, J.u 6--uc t 1963.

l fyoTTee hl a•t1•aevoo, ko m~ndu hoolalee.

2 (c;..horur) buuut~ ale- hcSreree.

¥'1mayoo hlu '(! 'nnyoo , m~r.du hla •(- •ga:,oo.

'5" ( Ch!}ttH ) Su!!il ngala h.Sl ('l'ee.

6 ( P~con° 2bnuc) H6.reree e UJ.;;E!ll{'.ala.

7 Ttitn:,ee n/;«tnl eyoo, mthtdu h la' ~ 'ltia.YOO•

8 (~bgt;y,) t wiulngala h&rerce.
9 Om,ond QhQfUR) l. oreree awa4ngalo..

10 1.7owee hls. •l• gayoo, UQ.«.

 (2

1 c~ r ot•·t r, l"o , Ue i,ai : c •• "lp , t'l•. ltLi.a.e , hoo l~leo.

h, '>r an m, it :..s ~l dii,t;.

1! j. t paillS , a.!Ld .J.0>.;bt!' t 1.ne vaia sunrt , t:ie kuil'c , now

( ,;Jl•'>J.'!l!A) 1 :. i:; ule uiu oh , on and on •
:)
•
6 { ecw,1 G1?fW} ,)h , Ou a nd on, it < •
.. o b l, enin .
7 Oh f9tner, br-,tnel' iear, thn kn1t'e, how tt ~fl""~ .
8 { l;!)!}~U~) It i~ hloe1ing, :">h, n,., a·· r! or..

9 (J_g_r._o..us! 5'.h~~) Oh, Oil and on, H js )le1'<!lin£;.

1) Oh 1~ 1t ,0r, h o.: the >U1n ,ars ,

('at (, 1( . .~ . ,ca- ti>c <-') oonu, oi;;:cautje of 1 tc ·...ircct l'< rer,;?n.Ce to

,m.: o..,~:r·a tl ) •. on t.h.0 ~i1• ls . . hi.1.1;: U.t' ~c:n u:.:e al1.10G t aiv

cut,t i·.g im.1t.r·urr.e11t the ,10111en co11ecrvutivcly UfH~ or ly tho

tradi t.ional ~ . 'i.hit> i1wtru1..out iu 111uc1c oi· nat.1ve iron 1n

tl t shapt o ..· a t 1·udi c1oual razor ( l1kt a ..1!)" circle acgme1 t) ,

Wi arrow head or ru. obovt:tte shape; il: occ..uro over a wide area
an<.L alt>o 1 tt. nu1..1e htu:1 beer. rcportt.•d 1'rom <..laewhcre ( ~ J • 1

J.morig the vaI1<!aVte the wora ~ TJuar.& both a oircumcis1on

l i,11'e nnu a ra~or blade or the tt'&ai tional r.int'! . 2 The ~

also l.as utrong pl.ullic ac sociatione , for an 1nformaLt states

l Dempwolf!' , 1916, 82, sl:owt' a circle-Pegim!'nt. shape (rounded);

t7yatt , t../C , n . d ., 108, shows a similar ~1m1 sample (not
rounded); VeJle, 1908, plate 17 r1~. 8 ehowe e straight- edged
sample of a ' ahavin~ ane tattoo knife' ot th~ a~onde;
Czekanows~i, 1958 , 104, shows Nilotic •women's knives,
c arried froo the waist' ( ''ll.2h tQbie~, nog2one a~')
from the Judan; all these 5hapee aPo reprooented among the
c ircumcis i on knives of the Rsnda1~e, whioh are shown in plate
I JI ( the phallic ehape ma7 aleo be aoen in photo ~o. 7) . The
nn~e ~ 1~ rep~rted bJ ~tuhlmann, 1910. 26 and 51, who
r efers to it as a slashi ng kni f'e Ci+aume~§er) in Central East
A.t'rica.
2 Dempwolff, op.cit. , 48.
 3)...

tnat ~ al~o ner,n, lo p n1~ ( ~ ) , an nrrow \ ~ ) ,

a d a bull ( k!.:::...:l.n) , '-Il • cu :cct Jf clemt>r.: c1z·l.!u ci ion
T l.T'ne .r ,\ ... te s t· at

1
•••the nr:ro. 1 ,. 1.e.J.d in tilt right l hnnd j . hC U't'l"OW { UtH! '.Ji!)
1 scal1ne. , •' t r 1 01· 111 t'! a,1u.c1 t i'-" ~ . and
1"1 th ct:c'cur.ic1ser'B r. icin<> ba t.. t t •o a.1.•r- >wr. Bre inEe,..t"'d
at each end, !'t...~rcaentin ; Y{U.'{l;!la, •r1hicl rnr·a1u b0th •1rnoculin-
i t J1 and. 'p.....n1 ' • ·•
1

Al thott~h 1:h"' Sa.Hda e ;•atoriol n · e~t· ind h"'l''P. <'loci'! •10L sh._..,. nll

t•1e ame 1m1,11ca t:1.onc thcrt! a pear to he f"'lA on ts in yr.h()lic

,,ay, but 1 t be trayE th~ nymhol.1 c :rune ion of tl fJ 1,r.1il'e, , r i ch

1o to dct'loHet- her, as 1 t we:re, An<t oo to ini t.iate her into
womanho..,d. r.-.he onme iiloe tmp• a:rP.> to h('; ht ld among tht> net~h-
bouri ng Hhui. ya t t reco:rctr· thn t th"Y cn11 the n1.t'e ku1qn{i..K.o.n

which mear;s a ram, and Ohs t alao s ta tt,e tha. t 'the dmi c~ll the
knit"e a ram ( t,hc Sanclawe worn k" • mn!'fl. •t ull • , olso hat-1 1he
gf:nel"al lllflEtninp, "t 'male anirnnl'). 2 'e hnvr~ Ae ·n t.hat the

, endawr ~omet1mos ~ i ve thA kni~o n clearly phallie shape .

The terr f,mrncin,{alB in the text ia a ritual one which does

not occur 1n ordi nary- op,·ech; 1 t ie explained af' 'ble~dine 1'.luch'
( ~ Li' t11': ' J!) . The first pnrt appears to confjiet or r11mu
(Bantu, poi eon) plus ttw 3 r d p~rt:on t'ormati vc ~lr.Ment -a. The

f.'eoond lrnl:r, J.!!!lA, has rvuiy ar eo~1a tions w1 th blood, m<'nflt-ruation

and circU11ci81on (sec the following aong). ThE' original menn,ng

of' m2 1 4ng9],o appenn:1 to hn\e heen ' the poieon blE·ods out•, in
which ' poi aon ' could fltand f.'or pr•r·-il'li tietf' i r:1pur1 ty ( thie is

opeculati ve and htui not hN'n cor :t'ir~ ('d ).

l ~u.rner, 1962• 133.

2 Wyatt , op.cit. , 113; Obet, 1915 &, ll.
 0! l·d y 'l:l.

/ict.o.rio ,i,f,l' at ./,,a{. :a, ilguut l'J6j.

7 ( ":l9T'll'' )
8
.. f 'O h fk' 1 1•'l.l.U h(; fl ·~ae ·.
9 (91..'U:!.!§.) 1 ti ga1v .ala ..,.s...-•om'.) )').
10 tyo h ! k'iei~aana h1 a.r·o.
1l (Qb.J..~) t!A g ~ln,:rale. fl Sk ' :"> •botJ *
12 ftsi,'{OO :.;>ca tJ1aa • asi:paa :!/1Jno, ho, h~.
1.3 (QhQ~~) Hllt.l '"ala:ala •· 51': • ornboo.
14 OW(<'cyoo, qt~.

l On woe tw:m i.,uced. ,a went to me, and then did he: abui1e Ille !

2 ~otner , h~ rtm to t'le and in the house .1c cloakea me

3 and lle cirou11ci~ed.
4 vl'l "'lotner doar , he went to He , ohl aid ho abused me .

:) ( (,,hor:y.i, ) And ht ct :rcWJtc ized me nakeu.

6 .t\nd he went ::>n abusing. He run to 11e , ohl and ho aouaotl ~e .

1 ( ,,horu§) And ha c iroumc1 z<!d mf> naked.

8 And he , mo":hel' , he went to 111e, abused and cloaked me.

9 ( ~:12rw1) And he circu.,ucized L'le nal'ed .

lO JtOther , he ,ent for• me and did he abu3e r11e:

11 (Ch0~uQ) ~d he c1rcW'lo1?.ed roe nBked.
12 ,le d i d mP- and did me , and ran to me and be cal'\e, oh t!1en!
13 (Qh~rµA) And he oirctmcized me naked .
14 Oh woe thP,n indoed.
 'n en· h Ill pu't u d< ,, a c~o
tot { b ot,ab l' <:• c, ci· {j n}'l

l uO ) hao b ca e;.plnir ed ae 't.ln dir uch'. "h ir r <' fereucc to

bloon a near s to ~nor tu or1 in, ut t ere 1t r rus to be
ui: zoci • tee wi th 1'<".n ! { r·i tcs I" t r u ~it. male one• .

!'or 'tt c t'1rst cay of' rrei.etruotion', a1,c: tt at this it a fi aHt

,
ony. - Clnut: isayf, t.ha.t t.h< Uogo ' ~ .rm W.t..!&llt i;i:p;:;l~· :i s
n • dtu C<" nt t'1ri t me m'\ tru: t1or. • and that ~1~ 1 r a hea .or·~ f;;

C_ojfr.£.hF~) worn 01 ruch oc·cc."'1 ons .

2 • t appears thc.t ttc
nooptlon of' tt 1'"' tOl"u, and 1 tr var·1nr. tr has rccul ted 11 n

c 1 Vf'l"p<mno ot' n•etm1ni'f" . ln ~andav1e .t..l\J.J!.E.:W u \\ n:ea:i~ 'to

cj r c\.'ll'IC1?.e ' (ritual t< rr:. only) , bu,:; tt1f:re 1t.i al~o a te.::•m

l:al,ph,aJ.,.A ( uct,d al:~o in orc"..i:.ar}' qw c 1) ,;•hich , .cane • tn rnll

on the round or 1n the duet , au ix: pair. ( Sf' ·1.. hen c ircun:c·ized) ' .
ln Hul"lU18( +he form ~ l i t QJ.a oanr, • to gath( 1• toi;cthe,..' , , • •
children j n r.o tl1eir i n i tin t101. ca~p. 3 'Ph<' -,midnwe bQloc5J..sl...Q.

and tr.e ,·oc o e;;nlnnnJ&h ' to hcnl oor:1eo11e' appear rolated. 4

'!'he heali nf' or purif."ying e lcnien t aloo e1norgos t'rom tho r agUI'U
torr! rm!1.B1 6 alal< ala, ' a b uJ"ned v.1 tch • , 1n a ro1'erence to tht
burning of n witch ,.,1th boiling wate r . 5 •.r ooe vnr1ante,
with the con eex t o~ the term .filaltir:ala in the tcx t, cuggoo t tt·~a t

1 1922, 163.
2 1911, 72 and 69.
3 Also in ~UJ.'Wl6e w .1n:.r.ala
i o :i.o t. <:xcluc1 vely a ritual term:
861\1ng:"tle I\\U\l!>P.tft io co,n only uoed tor 'to go.thdr tooethcr•
(.i.e . • in nwnbers•). Otm 1'1eldnotos.
4 er. p. 3a1.
5 Beidel man, 1963@, 71.
 .396

in Ganda\Ye it means ' to clrcumcize' i n t 1H' f:'t:r1ao of bl-.,ody

c1rcuoc1n1on an<1 pu1•1.t'h· a t1on, a~ o >)O<-er1 tc IDl:.Q fhich
1nd1eatfla t.he aepnrat1on of "i rcn ncioion. 1

on , 1 d hy • 'r.. ( na e
u'1kno ;vn) at uc~1-.ore, Aurrnz t 196 i; .

l tMe t~keh ·,~ 1

2 rr :l':inana e~m'b :ial .so

3 it'l1c •
h ( i:.hm'..1W.) Iyo-yo-y0y0Jo.

5 } a\1e tt:kolc h '- te, ~-

l ,uil , hyena, ~ull
,_' ) Hut tock.... [ cxposml] , tho ca Ue pr,, e.

3 'ailL

other, rmt! r oh 1otht.:l.> !

5 nil, h;:rc·na, ,mil, ~

~ ,uft lo nn onomntopoe tic verb whiol~ <leecril'ii, s e,pe Y.uiJ ine o~

..Jt;nas , c : :. the . . . wah.111 ~ ·2 '..ti, but t ocks ar" a r~ ... erenca to

t.he i n1 t1u tee who are 1aked, tho11• l1eado cove re d ur.,der a clouk,
.....d t.hc cattlc c tand 1'or horu.lelw ci... .. tlc wh h:h t·eprt1Mm t the
t,.,'ena- lni ~1c.tes 1n theix• still 11 ... atu r•e (I t o te.

:i£xt 1,g, l O'J• 2'!l<rt: 1W..J.um com, bong lee! by Mioo Bea trh1
l nt6z>1 Ts 1 1!wa at Bu gdntt·a, Ausuat 196.:,.

l l!.ol alcc .
2 (~~) .~la. tioll.lee.
3 .i. IS~ • ¥00 h ole l c·e.
4 (~ .llD,) f f!a licSlnl ee .
5 " IS4' :,oo h6l alee.
6 ( &Jlg£l.!!l ) ::t1a holalee.

l Cf. P • 390 . 2 Vel ten, 1 900 , 1 25.

 I nn h l t":.f'C, ') ')') .

( 0' '"Ir>~:-)
I . ,.
..
• ~ #
1 Sla.l
, . ll,Lul,·e •

9 ht11 al ')/JO.

1 C.nor·lr;) A •. ,. «• \ · 1a1 c , <-~'ta ,11, Lee.

11 6lnloo.
£..t£_.

l I.~lal~e:

2 ( !?h!1rfil'J ves i t ir "~lalee.

3 "'heJ' u :111 blOl'ISOM, )",,~lnlcc •

Ii (£.hn~) ''e1" i 1"' }')~, n' ~" ·

? They ·· 111 blos uon , h <Slalt,e .

6 ( !11..21'..\!.0 } Ves 1t is h t'.lal~e .

7 And h6lalce, t ere -t,heu.

8 (.~~J Oh woo : t-1tnalee, yes 1 t, i s luSlal.ee.
9 Ali.cl h6lalce , thcro then.
lO W.h2rll";) Oh woe! h&la.loc , y<:>s it. 10 ',dl."le<~.
11 l6l a1cet
~.
h l'i l! thus moa 10 ' to bf, rnfll•r1ageal:>lo • a d also 'to blo o... •; in
tb.1s 2en "~ 1 t May b19 used t'o t• .fl,,wera . '!'hie song , which 10 s ung
at a ol w p1:tce , in '1aed an n moans o!' c>n te:r tainiug the girlu
urtt"r the o~er3ti on. 'i'hi:.: al'>W boat ~nablcs tht_ia to e'floy with
the eong r h:rthm , i:he idea be1ng t>1at t hio u1ll 1lake tlwm .i.'orl{et
the pain . ~h1r. tn>"' of J:.Wi1 noug is called a ~. 'oway ttum ' ,
or /es;ut9,'t, •-ror making [tbemJ nway•. Any c1r cumc1o1on aong
with a suitabl., slow beat we.:; be used ror , 16 purpooe ; th~
pr ev1ou3 text {no. 10~ ) i s used as a eway1ng ent er ta11llllen t for
b oy-1n 1 t1a too .

l Cf . van de ~1ra anade , 1954, 35.

 rw db os.·~ zu·ou;u tn PfilU!ll.h~~ ... ..u.g 1,y
l.a· • •,o~a ..'U,u e. .i.o ut i 1a1..~ 1uv1£4-.,c, ..iuJ.y 196.::!.

l Pi""i1:10• p:l.1•1.• 6, T>t!'~ ~.

2 t. of rlrir o.
3 I 6 hnr,m... tl 'Cl'C) 1 n.
,~ 1rio5, ~tc -._

l Circling l'o\um , c.i.r•clit.g l'o\UL< , circl111g 1·ow1<1,

2 what, c 1rol1ug roui.<i,
,; wc:i.1, 1 t tak.1.:.a an:.,y the <'Ur-sc .

4 Circling row1d,

'?hie i t.. the co .g )_ tht 1'inul. ~ourn'I dance i1r >ur.<" t'1c bllolmu,
Juot hc_'orc tho 1ni tint"'o ar csr ·iad h i·r: ::in ·ch" day of the

;achi 1tt ccrcn 'l\..>'• ?ho dur ce io o:i.~ o <.;allc!.l :;c•J.t1 t!l'tke't,
' turni ng ru.•ound thfl baobab' . ':'he curr:;e ( ?l!!m£., cur•·e , 1r::pur1 .,Y,
insult) :i. tht> U.'1c1.ann st te oi' in1ti•tt1on.

l Twi ,100 wenkj yoo, dMawo.xe mtnki yoo.

2 twbexo wenki;roo.
3 (~!l,Q~'&.l) r.tA !1fAl1, '\ .tu1a,
4 mal•a ' t ngt.L t-mnk1.voaxe ,
5 1..10, \t'enk i :100.

6 Tw! y-oo ,er.kly o, r.:idn~uxe v,enki yoo ,

7 tw!Jfl uenk1yoo.
8 ( r.b2r~r.) ,\ hdtt, a hl.1.4,
9 mara•tnga wenk1Yoaxe ,
10 1.yo , wenk1.Yoo.
 .>~9

11 i!H..,u \,enki.:, ,o, Uf).N\ 1 i lt;ti \'Ollki~ o,

l ..: twi.; ...~xe . d~lJvo.

l .> ( ~~ i.w,) nA uu~, au 11aJ,
1 ... ...aN.t ' i ngt\ wtmk. y ioxc ,

l .? 1y o, Wl,nk.iJoo .

l J 1,i• u ,en ·1yo:1, c! td ..w;.;xc

17 Ordr iuxe 1en'r ''".) .

l J <~~)
19 on1·a • i n ;n .nk1./ ox.c ,
2)

21 01•J1•ia vcnklyoo, ~.

l ~he ~ird &ru dozi n 0 , a ll tw al.e- ongJ.1:, a , ozi~,

2 all n~ bil'd.s are do~ing •
.3 ( .ctN.C\U~) .d1e.: a.• • bu:r•e , t 1eJ are 1are ,

4 th ,; ar•o all do~.i •l:. o i th alei•t,

6 Th birds uro dozing , all t:}• ~.it nre doz i ua ,

7 t'llo bird al"e c'\oz1r.g.

8 (ChnruQ) 'fhcy are baro. t;hcy ore bal'e,

9 thoy al'& Slll dozi ng on the alert,

10 •other, the;/ ~re dozing.

ll Tho e t.orks are do31ng , t hey are dozi ng on tile tllert.,

12 nll th<'l "oi.rds aro do~ing.
13 (~~.al They a~c onrA, thoy arc oaro,
14 they aro all dozing on the alort ,
l !> !lo the1• , 'the,7 arc dozing.

16 The kitcG v.r e do~ing, all the cnako- eaHl~o are dozing,
17 all the policans arE'I dozi ng.
18 (Chorgp) They are bare , t hey a re bare ,
19 they are all dozing on the alert,
20 Yother, t hey arc dozi ng.
2l 1C pcl C~:l 81 0 > i
~·
~}'le ronr- nur.r,, :,:tf +o ... h, 1r iti1 tf'i;; jn th--i?' C.llmn tt.at tne~r I u~t

'!', aln·l. t ur. terr ,..l",o m·r ncve.r :·c t'a! 1 Asl< en tha1 ttcv Cl)Uld

bP. tnkrn h:,r £·urnr1.N l"iy • .l'H~ oar f:"f"rr- of thl" 1 l" 1111rr Olll'< it f •

r t·c f !'llll-"P-( C i!:l<,, • hf' J.rHe t rj·e r- tor>)I oppfc.r n1£" 1r> +l,t•

<'xorot ~n flOr'f,; of ·,he fl:'1 T r- r II crrr ( tc,:,-t r o. f8); illQfJ~ ( ti 6

pcl1<;f;.n) 1r 1,,cnt1f1r, 1
l·:r Vtl'l <'lo Fi f:l"ll< e• "tei>f' h1rd,:; Rre

r,igl · ,. .. r'· of pre· \'titl. •hor: ""!, 1nt•,otr:- R!'f' 1r:.-.rt:l!':!.f'd.

'!'he · o~d .:.!Y.:ll i1 •·, " r oco• r' 1 < of tb•i ~t orue n:r t,n,- • or th<
aler+ • er. rr11 ~,r. •···!"'.., ...,,""ci r.f'r•r. • .2

:or::cr of' i..t P. chorus exp:'<'Of:l t• r 1 r· v.nx1f tJ 1·or .... t.r 11~lfare

•• '( •• at '·.rlnra, (Jul' 196?..

l .!t~U dlomda, ZtUnl>e l"HldOtfl ta

.! ! u:c ......,{00 •
.) ( 111')1•uz) h66la lL'

5 !~ew&7~~.
6 (,,.:!h;2rue) Ho61aal~t, he h66laa.lee ,:.11>.tx101.

a '!ka had~te'a
8 Mxiu,,,.ron.
9 (Cho:rnr) H66laa1M ha h6~l usleo xos5xogo.

l 19~4 . 51.
2 U . p'O. 20:)- 6 .
 ..
.L e hMl bougl1 t , an 1r 1 's cu" le:; I'

2 i.,~;r Ul O l N.vin •

,ell then , .,

7 Tl esc donke. s i n u t:!i.a 'to cat tl~ ~ ar-c1

l f' , 0 had houcl 't tht w, < t(' .

'::'he prcv1out1 none htH b1·0ught 1,0 e to ts( ouyo thE" i"acr. t.hut

they are lto1ng t·) o<' watch.t'ul hun1.<>1>0; thitl av? g te.:achc~ t.ne

..1rl3 that ti e.y aro Boon going tn be 1Mn· r•ingeablA womcm. i1e

key r;ol"dG of ', ,, t • x t, 01 e tV"li o, 'cat, le encl on u1·~ 1 01• 1 cou:r,;yar•d \

; t . ~ or x.ru:5~, 'dng-in houF-e or aewllinr,: ; ~.

'donkey•; and d].01tQ • 'to buy' or• 1
tc cxc1u111.ge' •
••1e e,.n•lawe ket...P t .<'iI· ca ,,tlE, nnd uo~!:e;ys 1n. a cii·cular
,1..ru whict ls placed in rrm. t o. t lP' h )ut·o a •..d ou,•.rotmJed b~
E4 pall6nde vr 1\snce called koto, 'f.,.nce •. '£h,• encl •ourc is a

culwral acquie.1 tion from ew·round1ng peoploo, and the Sandaffe

call both the on<.looure s.1·.c1 the courty8l'd ~ . •yard* • 1
Before tho mouern type of !'la t-r )Oted houne with a 1,~p,u•a tc ,
encloGed o~ttle.:,ard wus adop te-d , some ::~aadawe had tl:lken over
from peoples of the Iraqw eluate~ a t:,pe or tug~in house which
ia B till i n UBe amcng the lraqw, the .,oI'own f!nd th~ Ala2;wa ( \Yasi )
the .c.ur1.m go hnv~ ohan,:ed to n type whiah 1s not d~ in, like

l Van de I 11wcnade , 19~11, 40, h ives tnc J:'ieanir,a of h4stg, as

'n,sn~-c01,t, e.;ccintt!, r;mcl,Qth ~ ' ; lJempwolf1', 1916 , Li5,
~i-~ly.ou '..!.sl.t'· ~e1nho~, 1901, 331 , translates the DUI'unge
word~~ as •renc~• .
 tr.c outl.ue o L 1, t • e or .w. cun
cal!u , J i l i i l l or ~ r l \ r ~ -a..,. 1
vO our.·
unl i ae , .t o ....c.rn t,1J>1,; OL ho 1 it al..,o l.:O• • t i 1 t:i.< "''ai; l.J..Y
C, ttle .

ur:l:c.,.& \ ~ ) Ul' > c tic a,111 al.., , llkl.. cut l , and

likt llornlcsc cai:;tle the~ maJ b<' uua ~o l'epr .. :, ut. iHitl.aua.. .

I:u tho 1'1l" t li '<' of the f'ong rl"I fin.J t.ho donj.:0,1-ini i.iatt,i, in

the cnttlc ard; t io i l the plnct' \Vnc•t't} t"11"1 ~ ;\I'C o 'tc:n

~he infiido? ol' t c , ui,- ..i. 1 house ; ht·.r~ t ey I a.y st!J l be donJrnya

>ut thit1 ii... alco f.he place whf'll"t> tu~ grO\ np to ·he marr:LRP-eable
1
1')m,;u. .1.he ,rerb ~ , 'to 1my' rcallJ means • ,,o t• ..<chatl.gc

vOlfiC t.'11 ·~ for eoods 1 , ane Vii veo m'e , or C')th•se , acquireu in

M,1tikft i n line 7 ts tt wo:nrm • fl name , a .<l. 1 t is said to be

the w1!fte ')1' a circ-..un<:ist>r who operated on the girle in hor
l,ueha.'1.d • a Cfl ttle .ra;rd. 'Iht'I choicA or th~ name eeecn e1gnit'1cant,
£or 1 t i s thought to rnt?e.n • the rnin.;1 p riod 1 , £1•0. the 3~n tu
term maf• Uu1, ( Sandav,re llrat.1), 1 the period of the .Long raine ' ..
Thi e 1r. not the sowing tiea, on but the ~Pow,.,1g ,·cacon , the ti.Ae
v,he n. the ha.r>vCiat ripens ar.e lH~girll'l to boar t'rui t ; th1c is in

l 'the dug-in t:,po 1e 111uatrnted by Jaeyer, 1911, 97 and 10.3 .

Roche , 1914, 25 , <.lcac:ribet-\ tho Sandawe houEie ae somi fu~-in
( "r..anw;ol,";-enu;~'') but. his photoc-rraplta Ahow th<' modern type
of house . 1'he dug- in type prov i~ed good 4srence poes1b111t2ee
agai nst raiders.
 4.0.3

analogy with the stage of de velopment of the Si~ls.

Text lf<h 1071., nnv £4Q!.~. Sung by iss t,1)GLna AKelim1s• at

qug~ni l·a , August 196.3.

l 'i1ztkwa toht> kon"'u la,c.1le, ~ ,

2 >.fora kal~'o ho6le.ale, l' ,
3 aar a'o n! •o, lue.lei ~.
4 Anr.ago l~al~

5 dare kt1l~ I O ho6lnale.

6 ,. itr rv.·e t,r,h,. tis.a.

1 •'rom l<'ar·kwa , prtritcd cloth 1 nde , y·e,

2 really ~ell- p~t (rne!. co con, cs,

4 Hea lly, Je t us "'e 1ell- patt!'rne

5 1·e~ ly w1 t h Il ic~ p( t ~errir, c·ou on.

6 r rotr. 'arkw&, ~

cour.try; a part f' rom a l~cal ccur·t, t:n er.:-lo~urc: lv.;t a cattle
market , a mist:ion a nd & 6chool, a disp~t.aary ar.d 1 permanen t
borc!lole , there le a tr·e ding c,ntr·e d ttl two hops . Here the
peorl c .t'rom t ne rurl"our:cJ.int couritrr u.y t·eir cl.)t 11ng . S andawe
v:or..en wt:a1 colourfully r,rir.t"'~ cl~t , nill b/ t a Swahili name
~ ; this 1!" thin a tesr1 al . hie· 1e 1 ,t>oc• e t' ~ Jm Japan,
tarcn!:h1.J>e, anc lo, land. e cloth is ~1· ~ r, J n in pairs
0.1 t'i'Jo u.., 5cperatod prints .:i .. 68' x ,~ 1
- ch; i l.:, 5.3
1
ran!l,eo fror1 :he 1..:/- t o 'h 1 / - a pair .

'Jhc 13.x.p lu.1a. t :ior, tor the son6 1:.1 t .at 1t to-.-~ 1es tho girls
that , ae 'Ai'lets , t h~:, will htw e th .r ig.1,. to i.10 c l .) ;hed well by

1 , o ph0to o . 3.
 )) • l . h , '!!" •

1 !yow~() n a '.,ayoo l;Hta,{ec ,

2 i.olowee 11:Zriann !. ., E:1a •

.3 t ,..~2ru.e.) ... .Lt lee, Ln J t-trubona.yoo .

h • "'0'1 :} '11 l :> I' 0 !\Cl )0,

'3 '1r1>l !'iyec huh · 1~:i:ta nJ'ra.

6 ( W.U."'..tilll ) 1clo" , ... I m!lona,:1,)0 •

7 ,le 1.C,! t GH .I .. . ~Ot • v,

8 1olc leo , , iri anci. ! u.. a.

9 ,£.a~J.!!) :1 loa , ··n ruabonR r, .

10 1~•nwAe mr. 1onu ·, 1 a;;rce,
11 hel)wee , ! riana 1 .su.
l.! (Qr~) J lcl ·e ' 0
a ambo ayv, .

~ti!.•
lJ 'lo~ e h~ln,~ ·, J 1clee,
ll~ ''etvoe i1ulow·e , ~ · lee,
1? oro.ee n 1 lorcc , ~ lee,
16 lnc: hc•n·.,ee , · i l e,
17 l"lrJe ha, ( ·" 1yee, -<1... 1cc,
18 ,~row~w gnley?o . ~lel eo,

19 ~~ro~ee ! ,ewayoo , ~lclce ,

l. Oh moth'!:t>, it is bt:lching ll p Gr.toke , ov .:.·vtt,er,

2 l 3t u gn , oo,esn • t the t;•ai n 'fln i atle?

3 (Qhot"u11 ) Oh'.l&l'd!J , ~he ca~"' , t~ 'arabo tnc n .

4 On, a.shuff le, g o i n t; Of'l then , g oing,

5 oh t 1d1nga l t.1d i ngc th t the attokP.: ,.ur:;ice up.
6 ( l nru~) Om.•r.rdG t she so:,e , to (-}'Ibo then .
 I ~

,
•, i.r h'

11 t '' 1, ( h SI, 1 vl ,i . \thi' ..le '

1 (~_) On i i•t: , ol :. .:.1 r , to on.it, J ...t 1 •

l , 01 l:.cl' ,.; ,

11+ Ol, H1t1cr , bOi g oz t,c , o.. r.or c:,

l;; on, A, huff'lc, goit 1. or. t c.u, on ,Q.hd'; ,

16 i oiup, on, goit,E,; on tl en , r ~ «r s ,

11 t:toine ou , oh ti<'li1 , om E. r c ,
18 onr f,ehuf Jo, circuncize thcr. , o ,av . . . ,
29 on, t1shuf l o , i' i s v·hi13tling , on. ,.re.a ,

t timho is thC' name ot •tic pl ace i 11 ~en 1.h~I n ,_ ar,cu,e c'.>ur try
wher·o there is a local trt.ding cer 1 re, e court, and a number• or
ntor<• houN· s for !(r&in. J t 1s 8.bo\H thi:t•ty mnes from "aPanda

whic~ is e. r <' 1h,AY e tll. t1 on ,,n t h9 oen ti•el lir:e; t be road 'fol lows
the old Uerman track rvom ¥.1limat1nlie to tondoa. 'He so1.1t'1e1•n

f'lopea of the .:i unc awo hil ls l o k ou t ov~r the !'lat and .feature-
lcrno buflrltmd beyond which tt f' s oke of t"e troine cen ->f' ten be
1
r.cen . i:'he ,w, g Y>E: .t: ere; to tl.e !'amine r L l 9b9/50 whi ch
the ft1r.ii11< of ·..mt-u becsuoe t l e ntort s by tl1e courthouse h<.'ld
enough r<"st";rves to tide 'i-t p -pulaUon '.'.lVE'r t he worst c,f the
:f'amir ~ ; • 11c~ of thr:se :r•e, ervc1· had b<'en built up !'ror.
or relief g1:•ain ,vt.1ch the govor"ircnt f1Cnt to cru,uncla by train . 2
Althou...:h tr.ere wae i:tarvation n .!lonc curr·o~"'lc: ,.r1z tribcn t!iO
SE"ncla:n·r.- gone rally ~1anu ;l"ld to eurvi ve on roots and omall ga:..11e ,

l See ~ar,o 1 n~d 2 .

2 Sec n)pend1x Ill.
 1
iJulos a.?11. ..,t•a:..::. el\.rnd , but ere a r, H3, 1 1.11 ty or' brewing
s u.1'1icle1. t qu1:mt,itice o.i; beer :f'o1· tnc ci.rcumC' 1F1or rit.es . 'rhe

a1•rival oi.' t.he relief grai u changec. 1h1s po~ i t.1011, enc tne :t'il"a t

conc<'rn oi: lll8.l'Y va.noaw~ BJ)J cars t.o r.~V<' bf'-Pn that. me:iu ehould
b(. on .,.ir.c('I. !'or hl ,r orer.ing. '

:££~.t...!~'11-..J.!& tw.PJ!.d~..Ji.£J.l'.~L0.M.P.Sl• l: on,; l e-o oy ,..rr . Al us ia

Hozi, f 11 t .Farkwa, ,Tnl.Y J 9(,:? .

1 in< t ,.{ .''

{, t;:I.: ho ·r ,

.
..i..T 1 ~ r 0 .

! , . c lua.
!) :! < ,• ~de h6l "f) dabeJoo'

10 <r11: )]'l l"' >

12 (~£) 1, 66t·o h f r;(elna .

13 lfaa h!ndelns. h1fldf) ,
11, (lh1r.sl ~;.,~) ""nallfa aa h6o aah(:i 'l
15 l8t~ s.£; ,<tf\,ta) lfoa h~ ahJ~an
16 l !.:Di~.Cl,l~) 'a o6ro h1hdelaa.
17 tlaa h !ndclna h1nde ,
...... {~.)

l Y~ondoa District Book (n. d.) The ramine of 1919.

2 3ea lines 1 0 and 18 01• tho oong text. a ove.t'll!Cf'n t of1'1cinla

de1:1pa1red at the squandering ot: rolief grain
11
on beor-
ma~u,s• (»iat~. ~ook, lgc,011,).
 l n jo, wot ! u ti
n a l t J
j tat , c - ..ife , n J ! oh j 0,1.tu.L ex. cc tut1on .
Ii \. 'h9rm: ) And EluhU le . .y t'"l to d,u1Ce.

5 i jo .. ul c ....p c a 1 l, ) ,en 1. 1 t -.vuo i;. •o • ...11., ?

6 l!:122r~J .. ashu!' ... .._e;, f':J go vO th( da1.ce .

I On grm.,:u'«., ~·, v.. ') i , j_ " tn ,Ill Pl'f vc.11 ..... ·•
d !..11. ~ ) .in ai.;nu... le> .,,l, ;/ o> to ~ .c ( OHCI:).

9 l t i'> j ,.r!'nl x. e, .... ti. Jn , ol. jo,11·~ a·<pcc tu tion.

10 l.~~J.I A:,., aan J.tl. t lC.f gc t,o t .tC u ... ,c .....
.. . ... (~J
.t·.11. co~ on t, . . .n.
12 <.11Wm) rl ..u e v ll, o to t! l c; wwc.
Jj J1 go to t .c ....cc , j , f'u.. O.>:pc C 'l tlO' •

c·li {' e (>. tht r. , 1·1hut , C\lt. t or. ,..1en.

f..lJ , CC). 1• O!! t .tll.

u,, uahut'. le t J go to t l dc.1 cc.

17 .n tl1e.1 go t.o t· e du, c<, jc) ".!..'Ul cxpectatj or.

'l'he c>onJ! leader nxpl&in... th9t thi.., r:ong tell• of an old mfm who

~1nd tuo wives vhom he :f'ot• ocv to go to th~ dance , tut t!•ey are
percun....cd 'iJ'.f othe rf' to _.o an,i\my . -'· \ omun ct.uinot bf. pre -Tented
.:'1•om S:;o1ng to the <iar.c~ , uhe us.rs , and th11'1 a:,peal"s 'to oe the

l crson to the illi l.iuteo . Wheu women ;;o to ;l'Jther t o so lit1 joyful
oc... a:.::ion O(Mc, oiutnI1ce rm~, ..b. 7 lit<( to go · n a shu.C· ·11.ne
aonce ~ai t , t ••e l"tholc tlu·mi~ of t11em wt>ving gr , en hrancheo And
yodollns ululot101,s . '.l'h1n ahu1·... 11n3 1>ass is called ~ . Tn1s

term hao been explaincHl aa auJ o.a .oe \",i th ai: eloriont of
cntrt111ceruent i r.. 1 t; 1 the cttc!<tncr o-r tne1r feet, tho heat and
the du6t , the ululatiom , an< the ond lou~ 1•e.veti t1on 01' the

_____ _.__ ______

Ct. P • 358.
,J 11 I' .v· ll 0 1 ,.,..,
u c u;i.~e ;
t 1£ i d h..tJ:.l..!.1:.~, I
ri .. t • l
1 '{H'OC ,.1·

u ( ro ir ( ..
o J 1 , ' .! r • 1 u. :i.t
t. , • Ul

l "( ': '~ . c'1 om<SI·l\;7no,

2 11:;r• n ··M· '() 11 , ,'iA'I ~ 'O().

} ( D..i:.~7!!.'1£) 1.1, 0~.., 4

·o~· '0 li;• 011~·~6.

!i t ) ,11 ..' J10,

:, 11 .·~ t ) I•' )
,.
. " · ·11
." 1•

6 \ _:1J.Q..Cl.!D.) i
...
} .I. ·u• •10 1· ...
I
I t
'.

l. , UJ t

•i ,y 11ot or! bu; it t'wn,

5 ll 16&11y ~l' ~~o 11,l "l\J~6.
6 {.JlQ.!!!.!!l) !,iJ' S1 ·1 ,-5~, r,,c 1.1. ,. S11y -< 6.

8 liyd6liy6& 1 yo~ 11y'1611y66.

9 ( C:h?MIB) I.i:,d&l1JS<1' r')n 1i rMliyM.

l Cf. p . 382 ; the-re 1 t r efers to the 301n i ng o'f' two ~1t1·eren t

eonge wi tll t.ue EJ&n.e e1·1·ec t .
 1 r :i. ·•r, . ' .. "po J, •
• ) ' '
11 ' l ......
t ) .. .,

n U"' )'l • 'f 'I.ch l'' ~)

.
l'l

''or 1 ,x f ( .. ' Q
, l . ); .:re
\Q c . 1 "J 'r.! > J.fJ .. l . '0 .. ,o 1 • t ica h ft .. i. 'ul 'o!'.'

JIOrJ l T :n•. () ' (), t,...ic <>hf•ll

lis : ... , ik > '!' (' or.
u frn •i . " , hol ·111. l l (. t 'It.?'

0 i" n t > ')n . nc t c l. ; t~a t.E.S

. hat a i z·l ust u:.:· ?
(l ~ t I I l 1=- [iiV n one, .

on lccl · ,y r•::-i .

'a.w~o cno iu at • ,.. · ,m ,

6r:inu di ?' 'I") u

5 (u orut> 1, J"';a , Si, a

~!i h m,u 1r.i6nga a6mRa.

10 111~ "l,~rnna 111,r. •.rho. 1,,·1 rmit()r~~, ~ .•

11 ( r:nor~'ll) ~ :fo1lHt ronY"i n'!"l •A. '1(3j mn.

12 Ayw~d h~laalo l~ell, i~.

13 ( )'QQl!ll,~) uoit1a m~ril.o,igh so~aa.
·-----
1 The ttater ial or
F01• i;t:e 'huf'l.:11\an t·ea<ls' ac<1 p.266, noto 7 .
the gl ass beans i s l i ke that ot Chr ie t ma a t r eo deoo~at i one.
'Jue old- time boxe& for keeping '1,llen, at·e callt~d ~ . 1.·'o r
evcr;da,y v.ict11• groos st,•1uga we1·c used, l~ter cheaper types
Of 1rupnl'ted beaa G tringe. .

2 er. p. 44.
 ,J.v

.
'

J. ..1... inotructs, w~l.1. then, alan, .,es,

1 l: 1· Ct , l'l i t 1 1 1 fl f.'.:>!' ~. C t ' l' , T O•

5 ~ ,101'11. J

6 c inot,•ur;t.r, 1ro1 !"iv~rf n~ P<lip;ion he wtts.t out to

a 'c in:,t"'ucto at o'cl", c, he 0' d T, at ' 1 . . c d , Jcr-.

10 w. t, hn ~.n,.. ',l• ictc- • he < n l;F, tt,t' , 'tri< 1:•( · ar.1•<'- Lion, yes .

11 ~~~:1.r;;.:....i1 J ,\ .Llon he ~s, , 1• wucllf r f • 1. a.

12 Oh woe, ,,ell tt. r,n, n ao , ·en.

13 1 £> ~ f.'ac},, I' ot' 6; di)C t in il

lli uhr. Bl(,'n : ''Oh ',/,)el h\1 is the 1·or-nicutor o~ ,:<Sir,D , yoo ."

1:., (t_:1101•1.ts) 'l'hc 1'o!'n1coto~·, tru t< ac;ht :r> or o!,.u cloeu im·t.ruct.

rel1g:l.ou.c; 1.,t ac,1t 1• hf\d <U. aauJ. tt.:r>(lun af:&11• w1 th a wo1te.n v.lw1.1 lte

Look to t lw rockc at'ter lei:rnono . 'l'ho wo.t•d ~ lllBY rne&n 'cloae

i':ri cnd ' ,,r 'triend~}',.ip'. but 1 tc 11.0l)ul ar, .1 :l.cn t:101: i s ..o l · .n.c1 t
lovo . 1 '!he Sanc..a~o 1'QY 1 t ii e. p1•opel" uBJ·• av,\'! wor·d , but S te1"'n
.r:•ccoru.s t.hu t in Nyamwezl £.l.l-:t1MJ11.lm. ~eanc
~dul te1•0\W woman a."l

and that i t3 active: 1'orm ~ mcaus u :o.alo fornicator .

2

A • rock cltild' 111 a g 11•l who goee to i-. :rook el\l8ter tc meet h er

1 Ci' . toxt Ho. 7, liue l (p. l .54).

2 l 9C6, 146.
 >r.::.r, .. ., ... , 1. l f..

\/
1
u v' ;
.
>O ' - - •

.t'fJ ... "I 1•

t e J .... >f

J.' •c' lt ct () 11,

t 1• • t .i. .i.ll <. .: . ~:.,

ucti: t )• u ...

11. to l t Ji t O .l ii.;

.1 b.f z'l t.1•e::nc.:, ,o eu i11g 11 ti l ,... line.

fo lten ·l1)ws m ,.,hat al o li. mhili r•i · cl vepc,e .... ime {m1,'l

·n t tl ; ' m·~ t. .i.11.ici lov l' ; th u. t. or Pe t I'l'Hc~r .o

O ti l; t1 I pl'c. ·n t tiol . o · · xu• 1 :.ic ti ri t..,· ie ~o on ll vul.:;ai•

1hlll 111om, d ... c t 1v . uci~ "< Pd ,c~ s in the
s 8!11t: wa:;. 4
T 1e le on of th· fJo.ig i:o t e ln1 L n ~t R uppoaJ.•fl to bu

t 1n t aciu Lwry " acKnowle ·ed t.o r: c co, 1on , u t thn t to c:ora 1 t
l t by ao:, is cl. ngcr·ou • 1c r ong 1 2 ·aid to bo u cm or. ,.,o•,an •~
erin i 1 ... o •.... hen . l ov.r 1.', • h<.; or .i;,ar tioe tLt:
onot:i1,1 oi' tl1• wo1·k ie r lit\ d >, o i n.gi g . a111 ~ ongs tt.re

1: 1 mg o.'iMut ai',.'ai ..o which t e ~.e1 ure not. nu )posed to lmow about.

lni tiull:r tLc:Ec :'O"'ei'! ro•t pc'l"sonel co .•s vhioh IllftY catch on and
be taken ovl!r by t'1<Jr s 1!' t y arc good. '.Chi:- song hau 1)0Co.m'3

a well l:nown i n 1 t11.!tion oong of the ,;1rl" (~.J&' !J;!), out it is

also a grinding 3cng (n(i?Yt.(.: L.b.i.mst) ol' ' t lour cong ' ( ~ , ~ ) •

l 1916, 139 .
2 Aaul tery anu pun1.1'inreent: cl· . D• 111-8 •
.3 Ci . P• .;59.
l~ .to.1.• .i.,io,\Cl i n t,,·,ahili ver~e , er. Velten, 1907 , 429-38.
 12

~L.J . _1 l'O•

11

1 ~nctPuc; t ·, , co1 on , C'll• 01 , i ·)1:.t1•uct .

Te i n·Jtruct t Pn , h t( ache , OHS i'l" r 1ict.

6 ( Av>ru~) ' ~e 1'ot·u i cetn ... , tho t€'uc:h, r d o t.s instl'uct.

7 r• i a 1 - a r eel-: .l o ve r, n 1•ock .t'01•nic at~1r.
8 {1 hor>uR) 'l'he r ock l ,v,·r· iN" , ruc tn.
9 At Li6it:!a, .f'i •or.i g iving u.s i-el igi n he g oc l out and i nEJtr u cts .

10 \ ,:hor u~) :r,1~ t e a cher o f' cH ,a does :I. n s t rue t.

11 ins truo t theH , come on ,

ln thi3 version the oong leader dflligh tr, in expttea t:.ing

encoul'ag~me:,t1t f ):> t.'1r• l,.,vor ... ' !111c1 t a ctiOl' • lli\!a in 11nf1 8
ia a Gogo term for n rni:' tre ao, or an 1n i:: ti tut.ional lovei· . 1
':i'he groat a i1ilila:ri ty wi t h te">:t i,. 111 lHuetrntos the !'act
thfl t <·ang toxta nre !"a1th:f'ully adhered to Y1ithin the :t'rcc,iom

alloYJod to the pol"!'ort:1e~, or choosing hie exact wor ds according

to hi e own taste and ntyle.

l Rigby, 1964.
 1.3

:( ~ • o ••ill·- . . .. (
k~to ... ) , 1

l. J 6 11!, \to, n6 s1i.rul , - h c'i n1;{0v, hv hiy66 ,

2 ho .i1y66, no hiy6ci , - 10 I iyO i, ho Hiy6(,.
:> ( illls.U.?J:;fl. ) l cie~ ,

#,,
. l 0,,

;) ( l:.L..'l.E-)

6 :f ) ,,':(j, f!y \'V( •t~.1'l.Y fl .

7 (~!}'J~J Lrn, tl;\i Wt:,,

#. .. .. .
8
" to; , a. f .l '• t oa •

q (._ lQ.£.]!l J • fj_, \1 .

l J 'l I~; :10,1 M, !'~·

-----·----··--
1
2
Vlmt , n~ it in,
~hn-+:. , fl') 1t iS'l' ,i11 t, ,
t, ')

[ (')
1
i t i"
i'
--· hat , :o i t ir , wl ut ,
whot, .. '"' :1.~ ic, whut.,
r-o

i.;o
it
it
13.
3 (. n..1l":tl'i ) lnt then'?

h ... c t1· o ' e i .artwood, 0 you t: ." i.

5 ( £!.l.2.J.:!.m) l t i. opon, oh 10 .
6 Oh mo ther, .:>h you. ari •
7 (~) It i B >pen , oh wo~.

8 ~he tree's lienrtwoo~, ol, •.cc , t • I-rec ' s l'oliage.

9 (~l1!2tY.~) It is open , Oll woe .

10 The tre ... •n hca ..."tfl od , Pt.e,

'~hef'! 1!!2 ifi the core or tl1c hear t.'iYood of a tri,r., e'"poe1nll:,
col'c wood which in u out tree trunk io distinctly seon beonu.ee
i te colour ill da:rkui• t h nn tl•o %'en t of the wood . J. t 1c; said
t hat th~ bent heartwood ia round in the trede celled~
 ~· ') .... ,.
,Lt,, :A1d
0 i i ... cl c . 1
l .. t ')
•' ( ~ L .!l.l.,;h
i

~·r
s {'

it
! "'IL' 1 ')

ci.l
1

1
r· .J ~. " ....... 1t
~le dllt i.. 11. . a ,1. t~e
n1r•i t~ ( lf1.L~1!:.I!) tl.r "li l t1 11 it; • ,1. ol t,
c, ft,, c ti on 1· o ta i to ~ 10+ o_ i en.... .
h . bu. i~ cl o
cut .i. r r t. c t :in
a:J o rn orok1. :or• a

c use ') t.1c.:..T• 1>lnck ,o 1 L, ,/ ar • l o r· .:"ei•rcd o a., '1. black ]

wart voo 'l' , ~ ...,..t'l), o · l"l" ob~ CP. 1.Jl.:.r uo ;)cnL e:.; (u::.tl.!.1~) .
hen "lk'd. 1hy t · :lr~ o c1ll ~ -lid no . . ·V, aa
·pee•• , that t~ir :h 11,<:e pe iee ..•, i-,u t h cau:J...: taoy

n ·o b 1.-1..:k an~ b ca 1 ·' ~ hurn.

' 10 ,hlc• w Jim in relation to t 1e re t of tile o >dJ 1~1 inneod

n )tt•J..,e.ble in many :<m~a e ir1 th their light e!i:J.n colmu-.

lac,~ , nc~ ):rdin: t, an :t for aP.t, ..1.r- the c<1lour Qf burnt wood,
a 1it h1o r~ ,t\1~k t · e•· u J w~. h t..c i:i.t'~r:ta tion that pcni.;c~ l.:urn •
.o V\ r, 't·, ourn • l vul ,arl,- u e t'or • to ;, r.t.hi•a to ocxt..,,lJ..y • .
u1~ ;::.it la.. t, r . ... 01• u nrnir•. iron (._!~, for l>ur1.i1~g
holo iit to ox ha."ttlea , o t -i.e. f; U1c blade con btt !'1 t ted !n J ie

ulao t'1e te1•t1 i 'or 'l -itr111r.casc , i. 1 • a. grou:;., 01· people ,mo

l ,lccox-diug to >nnclawe in.for>ma1 to ~ ( or ..u.r-2) 1:.. callnd

lU.nt!Q i n ~wnhi1 i, \ j tl f' ''wah lli ll!D.in.f!.Q ic 1<1.c:1-::1n •!!l 'by
John~on (lY!Jl , ,?.41; au ::ne t)onny tree, Q1..Q.~PYJ'.2!:l !mm and
!21 lb!:!"'eU. ~...LJ..nn; accord in[~ to ,rccmwa,y (1947) .,l\e
la tic ..• .i.s ~,.10 Mr1ct1n ooo,l.>'· tr·ee . uurt t I'E't'ure to .•.,JU,.:?m:&1&
rpRlano?r[l"lD tt<,; 1 ,'nd t)l>OHY' '.l l~ 88Y" twt ttc ·ami nar10 iF
&ml!k!.l ( 1y..56 , ,,o.122).. c '>' e : ·ruH,a H n;T.T'<: e that the 1<1r.ii ~
1c thfl C' Onr- al" the Sanc:Jrw"" 1:1•io;, but o~hm'A nay t.hat i t i s
1~i1.a.. th .s..nol:l.1c. cnll ~~ .-e ,;mru. nt>reeo w1 tH the .:'ormer .
saying that ~ 1 e ind ( c )nU;,"'r ~u. O!i ;'.QJ12....:Zl!lli, 't-u t he
i<ltmtif'icf> ~ as Zif.llLM·g1~ o.rb13t1t0Ut1 ( r/.3 , 19F,6 ) .
TJoth
trees ,•ould th('lre;.•ort, bo ebony t:Jpeo1eo a l tl.~ugh Dempwol.ff
tl:>ansla LCA ~ ao ' an acac i a• , 1916 , h4 ).
a.oen i;t•.r•r• ut i t I)(!. SWt<.C t. .,, OM~' \~~ ~ ~ I ( Ii sr,w,
u:~iei.< 1 ™ ,1, 1
.1<,,•, ~) . cna ur< .... £ et1c1•al ..... lurit/,.. >oo,;
!'C.maP!.Oll. \.. Ol, 1,hi. ,i.at l .i .....1..&rn.. C >i u"1t. l~J • •·•v .,ol.ing

' 3ar1 put..; .>ut. tne t'lre j1st af. tho :>.:.tin ~,:t..l.1!gUi6.1eu it 1

tad, ~!l!ll ~l.l tn ta t t fl~ I l l I Oa Q <tl ~ 1(1,A)U\;~U-~) • t.l'.16

t'i N. 3 o!.' "b ...ir;:h clo:w lnt; p.1.>upa:t•c t-ho gr-01md .1. .;>1• pat ing in the

asricultural 1~1'ti li ty a nu 1.'c ..i& l.., l.'tH•ti li t J. As in :...\1ahili..

1
.i.'i ri: 1 hes a connotation of coJ.ual d<; ire. 'the .t'ol1.owing

t.:xpls.na t1 on of the eone by the lnt'o:rman·t now c ... ears uo ·the whole

oi' i ta meenin~ : Bari •s rnc t ner aeks he r : "Di:1 1ou s ee that the
t ree hr-e 3 ~ (core, l!!oulh' Bari X'epl i e:.1H ".,o, I s~e the
fol1 &ee hut I ,1:, n0t eee that it 1161.a a lII.S2 (col'e, t!O'.ll , penis) ...
he mo1hP-r thr:n eaye : "You have tne f'o tiag:, a'ld when the l eaves
lay <!own (.t'ell off) :;ou wi ll hear i'r•ui t . 112

V.e ere nc,r. abl e t<' e~t> thct th~ re<"trtwt.:'od o.t' the tree

l Ven a e } ,.Ir' e:nad.e • 19;,4, 1,9 .

.::;g, r.a:1 be compared with the
\U'unge !uQllih ' he ...rt' ( c> inho1', 1910 , 49:;.,) ,,rid tht 1;30:nvia
1.i1h1 ico , ' hea:l"t ' (Claus , J910, 492).

2 fr.1'orman t jG ( o ...·• Ar,pendix IV).

 416

111 l i ne 11 ~E" ,!'ecen ,., th"' 1 1le TJ"'i~1ci.plt", !'t!\o +11~~ f> >l:lu /~ in

lin!} a •.ho .t'~!lhlG prl.1c1PH!. hu h,tt"~1• nl1t't.is.L'le~ tho f'o·•r.,ei-

ond he~r-e, t'r,;i t , awl th<' • o 1~ ··1"y he in t.t•»:or • t,:,c.l m flri lloclyinr,

a wh ,1c ~Cl t ol.' ,ivmu )li<.: ,~E:Joci,... t111ns i , r·u:11. Opl) H 1 t1on:

nn t .,.. onP. ··iili" "t· a·lf~ h'"l"'trt"><H1. hut• nr>:· a, blackrH !'1 ,

tr,ee utuinp, 1;1,n,lot•w un, vel•ticalit/, &:>OVt, tlo nale ,,1tal

n• i n<::1 ile ( p1 'l t,.1 1.i t ~, I J'. , f't1•c, 'cxu"l rio. i""o n I

a ~::-r-c'"i0n ; i,n t 1e 1 'wr ··idc '~· have' :!'0lint1t-!, !'of+nr cu, 1.'ror,h

J'>l')ll', l'i.,g )m, 1m•i·;0 t lit·, l<'lo•·, >; n 1·cr1 " e vi~nl

pl'i tJCi)lv \...1.' •t l _ _;_t.r), t··t!l, l' i''l, rexu•l •Ov $ '• .r-tior, rm!

<; )nc 1~i >1 • T • c . ~1· 1 i th what \-t< i'nt1nd in t1 (?

p !'Ocedur 01' a.me, that t:!f.ltH':U'...1n1 ty 1s

N~latu · to the <k,t u ,d -.:1 t 1 a·;111i i.r; light ..

,J hould c ca:"'c 'ul '*:o avo:!c. to a sur.:•,ttor tJ.ut the
1t1<1a 1' tF'l l".y d ulj, 11ic o , o 1 ti,ms to ·mr, tJ!l.n.,. una tnu.t the~

olwws t 11.nk in t 1 ~ o t 1· 1<:i, ·.1t •hf'lrc Emch tie•s a pPe• to i.,e

">L"Oeen,; a. <1 can b, 1hrnm to ,~.xiH t t \P. C'-' he i lw:1inuting at:d
«:'.> •iuch l.o e :x""ll11 t•1 t o nu u1• of R \l'iUYI<" ey1;1bnliFm .

If w,~ hfivc ano l,l1cr 1,.,, at f:;h{ tn::<t of' thin Oet'rri!~ .lY

very F.i!irplo oong 1 t will now e. ,,.,eul' t<"• f' no J.rmge1• :•cruliur h" e .

io Ill~/ l' COL'lli:.,:o :l.n 1 t an admonition .o t 1c· gir.L 1:ni tia C$

t•) •1. t mar· •ind and beal' chi l :b'.>c n.
 417

Q, Tho tert1i1tY r1tun1 ot Pbtk';umg.

Phek'umo 1e largely a thing of the past and even the
eonge aJ>e remembered by only a few. 0£ all Sandawe dances this

one has perhaps encountered the etrongeot d1ocouraaemen t from

the missions. Its euppreesion has been so effective t hat even
Fr. van de K1m.~enade appears to know little of its nature; he
does not describe it in hie chapter on Sandawe dancee 1 and in
hie vocabularies he d1em1esee it as "nom d'une mauvaiee danse" . 2
Bagshawe makes no mention of it at all and also Dempwolf'1' does
not seem to know ite e1gn1f1cance. Although he provides us
with f'our interesting texts he avoids comment and he defines
phgk'umo, not too accurately, as a women's dance . 3
The dance is only rarely performed at present, and only
in some o'f the remotest parts of the country. .Many Saudawe
even deny that 1t ever exi sted, and sometimes this denial takes
the ~orm ot a etatement to the etfect that members of one•e
own clan did not pertorm it, only members ot other clans.
In other words, phek'YmR has generally come to be regarded as
something ehametul.
1 have seen only part of a singl e performance ana I have
not been able to collect more t han three texte, but together
with Dempwol~f ' e tour texts they give a fairly good picture
ot the proceedings and with tho a1d ot some additional
information, aleo o~ their eigniricance. 4

l 1936, 412-3.
2 1954, 51.
3 "Weibectanzart", op.cit., p .49. nempwolf't'e toxto are
reproduced i n eubeequent pages, with no tea added.
4 The dance I saw stopped as noon aa m¥ presence was noticed
because it was at first thought that one ot the missionaries
had arrived. Errorta to otart the dance again were
uneucoeee1'ul, tor the spell had been broken~
 418

The dance i s held without fire, by t he light or the goon

onlY, and 1t takes place about a week after new moon when the
waxing moon has gathered some strength ana t he country i a no
longer dark after sunset. The dance is begun by women an<l
unmarried girls who go round i n circles, carrying their arms
up in a stance which repre oente the horns ot the moon; at the
oame time this 1s said aloo to represent the horns of catt l e
and o~ game animals. As the dance warms up their moveaents
become more and more suggestive, and they begi n to i mitate the
movements of animals on heat like cows i n a cattle enclosure.
Some women then turn to the men and begin t o dance i n front ot
the partners they select. The men then join i n the dance,
holding their arms like bullo• horns. Uovcmente become more
and more erotic until :f'inally the men embrace t heir partners
and the covering ot" the ho1t"ers is mimicked. The wllole
procedure appears to be remarkably s i milar to the eland-bull
dance of the gi rls' puberty ceremonies among the northwestern
Bushmen, and even ito sign1f1cance appears to be e1milar. 1
Baumann may be re:f'err1ng to thia dance when he states
that • at a gi rl ' s puberty. dances are held which are portorned
W1 th singingbut always w1 t hout t he accompanimen t o£ drums',
but he aaye no more. 2 An int'ormant thought t hat Rbo~'\lRP could
mean a betrothal; van de Kl mmenade giveo 1n his vocabulary the
meantng ot pfktf@Dk1 aa "ee promcttre mutuellement" and o:f'
Pdkwankig ae "prom.eSBe mutuellen.3 It soon transpired that
this ie not the case, for the term Pbtk'umo has no co,,nection
with theae words J it t a derived ~rom ~hQk'umd which means •to
hover• and uoot' umQ 4eacribee the hovering ot a bi rd which

l Cf. Pa sea.rge. 1907, 10l-3J Sohapera, 1930, 119.

2 1894, 193.
3 1954, 51.
 !~19

has di ecovere d b i rdlime on the branch where i t i s about t o r est.

'l'he er otically dancing women ar e about to be c aught by t.h.e men
i n t he s amo way.
About t he s i gn1f1canco o~ the d8Ilce an informant atat d
t ha t it wae held because a year ago boys and girl s had been
c ircumc1ze d at t he same place . Unc ircumc i zed chi ldren are not
allowed to t ake part bu t the c 1r cumc1zed may , because ' t hey
have been made r e ad.{ [ for marriage ] • (.tlem 'g6t Q). The dance
10 held •to make the coun try fertile ' (:·,~~a n/ !aauke' mt) and
in or der t o achieve t his sacr i fices are made t o the anceetor e .
Other s describe t he dance as ' the danc e of t he moon ' ( ~
LL.!.i&) and as 'kusu ' s hea t• (g!oli,om1 Q l bdaa, ) . r'I>om the

foll owing texts it will be eeen that game ani mal s l ike the kudu
form the focus or all th i s preoccupa t i on with ferti l i ty .
The nbek ' UIJlQ thua &)pear s to be an old 8andaw~ fer tility
r i te , poss ibly it is a puber ty rite which da tes t r om the days
when t he Sanda wc had not yet begun to c i rcumcize. Its songs
are ot two ty-p8e , those which describe the ri tes and those
whi ch provi de tui t i on as t o what it i s all about . They wi ll
be pr esented i n thio order .

Tbe @AA@ at phek•umo.

'l'o1,t no, 114, Tht danc;t ' ft horns, Gung by .r . Rok i K..' aya

Angelo at Boseto, August 1963.

1 OJokomi t l anayoo, t lana ,

2 hah~«J gl okomi t l a na.
3 t.b,Q.tlal ) Iyaya 1yaya,

4 g!okom1 t l ana.
5 GISwa tlanayoo , G4wayee,
6 hahf l J4oa o di tlana.
7 (Qhoru1) I yaya t yaya,
8 04wa tlanayoo.
 420

1 The kudu•s horns then, t he horns ,

2 hurr ay, t he kudu's horns .
3 (Chorua} Randy, randy,
4 the kudu' e horns.
; G4wa•s horns then, oh G4wa,
6 hurray, the moon-rock's horna.
7 (Qhorua} Handy, randy ,
8 Oawa• s horns then.

The song describe s the dance in the horn etanoe. A.n 1nformant •e
com..,ent le t hat 04wa has horns like a kudu, and that G4wa io
ve ry much a male kudu (Jkd k'amb&a, ve't.'y male) . from this
remark the phallic assoc1a t1ons or horns ma.r agai n be recognized.
The choice of the name ~ may support t hi s i mage, for the
meaning o f ~ i e ' hill ' or •mountain ', and a good tall hill
le called s41Ul tlanase, •a poi nted hill ' or •a horned hi l l '.
The reference i n line 6 ie to a lar~e ~ock in a hill in southern
Sanda we country which has t he shape of a crescent moon, with
two horns s t icking up. In tropical countries the horns of t he
crescen t moon stick up, not sideways ae i n northern latitudes.
The moon, or couree, i s t he rert1li ty symbol under the aegis of
which the dance is held, while at the same time the crescent' s
shape r oeembl ea the arms or the dancers. The t e r m ~ is
diacuesod under text No.9. 1

Text No, 115, The dancer's bow. Reproduced trom Dempwol tr •s

t ext No. 90 (op.cit., P• 174).

l Musa /aneo, muaeo

2 ha muea /an1.

1 Musa•s bow, the one o~ Muea•e,

2 ha, [th1o is ] Musa •e bow.

l Not e 2 on p. 166.
Deaipwoltf otrere no explanation ~or thi s song. but trom what
we hove sce.n i n the previous text i t haa now become cluar that
the bow is the s ame ae the moon rock, the croacent moon , the
horns. and the da: cers ' arms. Musa is an islarnic male personal
name, and this ap pear8 to be o praise eong for the male dancers
who resemble bulls.

text No, 116. Jlle aracefyl jymperg, sung oy 1.r. kok1 K' aya
Angelo at oeeto, Augu .. t 1963.

l ').I ).I )J ).I ).I ).I

2 CH6k0lll1 h66, k'am'ba;yee.

3 ).J ).I ).I ',,/ ).I)./

4 T8 ' 4wada hd6, t1ndtlaaa.

5 }J ).J }J )-/ ).I ').I

6 G6ngosa y66 lltara'~.

1 )J}/ ).I )J >' ).J
8 Sikaea y66 , Und1lasa.
9 r1 }J )-I ).I y ).I, W.•
..._ _____ .,. ___

l }J )-1)..i )-/)./ )_.i

2 1'he Greatel' Kudu• what, he 1& a bull.

3 ).J ).I )..I ).J )J )-'
4 '.rhc Leeeer Kudu, what, Yhc jwnps graoet'ully.
5 }J )J ).J ).J )-i )..I

6 The Grant's Gazelle, well, she is beautiful.

7 ).l ).I ).J '}J ).I ).I
8 Tho Watel'° Buck ehe, well, ahe jumpe grace:f'ully.

The deep t hroaty noise ').! ts said to 1m1 tate the no1ee which
animals make when they are on heat. For establiehina the name•
ot the ani mals 1n transla t1on I am indelJted to Swynner tonf The
eong deecribee how a male, the Greater Kudu (the temale of the
apeo1ee has no home) 1s seduced by- eosne gJOacetul. t'emalee .

l 1946.
 422

Text liAe 117. The lithe 4anger11 Reproduced from Dempwolff 'e
text No. 91 (op,cit., P• 174).

1 lfama•e

2 hau hombohomboa
3 '1Yowe lale hombov.e.

l Grandmother, yes ,
2 this one dances lithely,
3 oh mother, well then, lithel.J'.

Here the animals have been replaced by t hoir human counterparts,

the actors themselves. Dempwol f£ translates hombo ae • to be
l
flexi bl e , supple' (m;l¢1)k.1g ~ ) ; e r. van da Ki mi.1enade , who
lists -om•ef i n his vocabulary as •muscular•. 2

Tgxt ffo, 11s. Ul,e oru.m11a on .he~ Sung b:, Hr. Roki K'aya
Angelo at hoeeto, Augus t 1963.

l H44 mamayee , tat«,

2 /flllis a mara•~.
3 (Qbsu:~;) I ya.ya, 1.14y'Q&'ae.

4 Let4le tehfnasa werf,

5 I •ant1st1a hdmboea.
6 {"~g~§) Iya.ra, iylly-ayae.
7 Glokom1 /''nk•naa kee,
8 /wedeeuei1 't1r•ea hlad.
9 (~gtl.11) tyaya, i y&yayae.

l ,'lhat, ot grandmother, 1"ather,

2 ehe 1e beautit'ul with speckles.
3 (Chprus) Raney, r,and,v' one.
4 Come on, (with her] buttocks ehe walks aroWld,
5 uother-in-law dances lithely.
6 ( 9bPt.'Jll) Randy-, raney one.

l 1916, 46. 2 1954 , b2.

 7 The Jreator K'udu elimbe up,
8 the ono with the paunch, ehc is very beautiful.
9 (Cb2tue) Rand.V, l'"and.Y one.

The rererence in line tive to a mother-in-law is as remarkable

as it is revealing.. Thi e lusty eong shows that tho nature or
theeo tert1l1ty rites tends to be somewhat orgiastic and that
people behave 1n a manner which woUld normally be taboo.
Uother-1n-law avoidance is rigorously practiced by the Sandawe,
and a man does hia beet to ota;r out of her sight and not to see
her himself, but during the moonlit festival of Dhek' mno ho even
watches her while she dances unashamedly.

,;nxt No, 119. Sgduction at tb~ we11, Reproduced from Demp-

wolrt'' s text No. 93 (op.cit. , P• 174).

l Tuwesa te1 Uelenga

2 dambiflgea // •anea •wasage.
3 "tai dainb1neye
4 ha, ha, tsi ' vrer eleye. "
5 '.l'uwesa, mama, tataye,
6 h1k'1fl 4amb1neea.
7 "'l'si \telenga
8 teilt t ataruoi4rn

l At night 111¥ Mol enga

2 impudently a t the well io undressed.
3 "I am bore boldly
4 ha, ha, 1 l oiter about.w
5 At aight, grandmother, father,
6 she goee impudently out.
7 ••I am Yelonga;
8 aren•t you my ~ather?ff
 424

M
o1onga i s a female proper name which means 'elbow (or ankle)
windings of brae& wire•; thia is a tYPe of beaut1ftcat1on which
is now out of fashion with the Sandawe. The choice or the name
no doubt e,rvea to etreae the beauty of the girl.
This translation 1e ln comple te agreement with Demp-
wo1rr•s, but he otrers no explanation tor the last two lines.
lt eeellO that theee reter to a meeting o~ Melonga with a Qan
who ia a · ~athor•, 1.e. a pa t ernal i-elntive or a clansman wi th
whom com , on deecent can ntill be traced and whoso place 1n the
coDl.!llon geneal,og.r would be one generation higher than t~1e girl •s.
Such a r elation would be inceetuoun, but 1n the context or
pheg•urno it would be indicative of t he licence then pl'Ovn111ng.

Tf:xi No, 120. +hf roeuJ.Uns mrtrri&"<l• Reproduced 1'rom Demp.-

wolft's text No. 92 (op,cit,, P• 174).

l //•eta• '1/' 1Yo

2 ho kho mumbuyo't

3 kameki mwnl>uyo.
4 'bUlafl //'eta• '1/ '!Yo
5 1ana r..ohsoe,
6 bula bulaye
7 kamek1 mumbu
6 !an& xoflaoe
9 bula bulqe.

l :'he br1dewealth comest

2 What house ' s cattle ore the.Y't
3 Xamek~ ' e cattle thoy are,
4 Bula'e br1deweolth 1e coming,
5 the long-horned onee.
6 Bula, oh BUla,
7 Jfamok1'e catt l e,
8 the long-horned ones,
9 Bula, oh Bula.
Dempwolf'l' o.f'f'era no eor!!• ent on th1e tex t. K&mek1 1e a male

pr oper name which is auageo tivc of men•e occupation o~ going

1•ound vioi t1ng one a nother and drinking beop (k.!.Amtl, beel' • and
-"1, 1>cciproo1.1t1vo). ~ i s a f'er.iale px-oper name which augfteeta
the women•o ~oPk of d1~g1ng u9 roots w1~h a digging atic~ {WIJ.4).
'l.'l1e tT10 na:Jes appear t o have been doliborately chosen to
empheo1ze that tho glrl 1e eoin8 to be n housewife a:ftor her
marriage, and that the man is going to do the husband•a social
rowida. M other s1sn1t1cant image io provided by the long
horns o1: lino 5. n•ana (B&Da i n Dempwolt:r•e or thography) are

horna; these are f'urthor dosc1•ibod by the term xmwa {long-horn).

),ongoSa ie a large black scorpion with wi<ie-s weei>ing arms.
J.tost Sandawe cattle nro sho:rthorna, but 1 t is the longhorns
which £it the Sandawo image o~ what a good fe~tility oymbol
ought to be like. Longhorns are considered beaut1tul and they
arc muoh p~ized in br1dowoolth, for they look liko the fertile
oreacent moon, tho ho:rnod game animals, ana tl1e dancers with the
outatpe~ched Ol"Da .
 426

l:, The U~m-aau, or th.e ~anc;g ot' ths toi,:t,ua; the m1dm~.
~~ 1a a aecret ritual of the women which ~8.1 on no
account bo wi tnessC'd by mon. The fandawe say that a man would
be killed by 11 htning 1r he ever eaw any
even if this nhould happen by accident. ~he wo~en Jealously
guord the ee; ere ts o~ mldma and thflre are not meny men who can
ruppl.y much useful i nf'or~ation on the subject; it eeems that
the tew who might have ftorne knowladge of' it are moct r<"luctant
to share 1 t with anyone el ae . The tf'xts of' tho BOMS in the
~ollowing pages hov~ been obtained t'rom an 1n1'or~ont who no
lonaer lives in Sandav.e country anc1 she· is ~arr1ed to a non-
Sandawe ; theee circumstanc~a may have h~lped to overcome her
reluctance to give this inforoat1on.
Dcmpwolft and dagehawe do not mention niJ•1m~ at all
and Father van de Ki mJuenade gives no details although he
men tione the term 'mtrirno' o.s a "mauva1oe danse des te:r ea". 1
Obst oays that the u.uw, dance of the neighbourine; !Umi is a
'dance o~ the women, which must positively be eoen ass phal l us
cult' , and he adde that a necked gourd covered vith bead
ad.ornmonts 1a placed in a newly married woman•e l ap . and that
the songs wh ich are sung at the occasion prai se her husband's
eoxual prowess in a oost direct manner. 2 Ot the saae ~
dance von Sick says that it is a rite or initiation i nto the
ranks or mothera. 3 The Sand.awe m1r1ma only occ urs in the
western part o~ the country, whi ch io the part which las been
1n1"luence4 by the Rimi moet; in the central hills and in the
s outh-eae t the dance i s unknown and man..r people do not even
know its na.c:e.
In Sandawo the necked go\ll'd is called mir1m4 but also

t 1954. 49.
2 1923, 22,••
3 1915, 24.
 427

~ . img\la or ~ . ,,yatt describe& thft Hi mi ceremoni es of

J.J:l&J.A, "the Li on' s p l aytt , en annual event aome a&pe c t s or which
he r ecogni zes as bei ng closely r e l ated t o the rites ot t win
birt h, i n particul ar t llc propitiat ion of t.he god or ligr1tni ng.1
.E,lsowhere he de~inea ,iru;ala as a ter t 111 ty ri te , necesaary to
pl acate spiri t s who may have been anger ed by twi n bir the . 2
The Sandawe lion game ala o has clen:ente.- i n oom.. on '\'ii th tw1n-
b1rth r i t ual, and bo t h a:z,e deeply concerned with ferti l ity.
The Sandawc plrl,m~ c er·emony 1s ea1.c to be an 1n11..ia tion
in t o t he r anks of mar Pied women or proven .f.ert.ili t,n tl'ie e
women are the al ders among Sr.ndawc women and from the i r rnnka
thei r rit ual leade r s e mer ge. The cbi et i n~ tructr e aA ot girl
i n1 t 1at~o i e always a woman- elder, and clitori decton;r must
only be pertormP.d by an ol der. A woman who hos not borne
at least t wo chil dren cauno t beoo110 a proper e l der , al though
an old woman who is ba~~en nay be oallod o.n el der no a natter
ot r espe ct. Elder women are cal led s§nsonD, a ter m which appeai-e
t o be ot Bantu ori gi " . 3
For the ceremoniee 1'1ret an enclosure i e buil t or naize
and a ill e t stalks• th1a e ncl os ure 1o c a lled Wda• Then the
1n1t 1at~e are sent i nto the buah, weari ng th~ir husbands '
weapons; t hoy at•o sent ther e •-ror ca t ch-t ng a lii on• ( ~
AlaaJUalq)me).4 Some of the elder women wear ' lion manes• (sangµ)
and onkle belle, t hey boat horns wi t h stieka and produce a

l H/ S , n.d.
2 1950, 8.
3 Kohl-Larsen, 1937• , 59, ment i ons that t he Ieanzu call tho1r
married women. ospociall y e lder women. msungy. ( s inglllar ter ~) .
Tho • JUl-Of ~ . i l l ie t he Oandawe ~em1ni ne gender a1'f i x.
4 \'he term 1e umbA n! aapld)me, 1. e . ' ~or ca t ching a [ r1 tual]
Lion • rather t hen LL1ts4 nlaa•tkJ1me , 'for oatohing a
[phYs ical] lion•, cf . P• 384 and p . 385, note 1.
 428

lion' s roar by rubv i ng their wooden bowls (l..o..!.ru!) with etlcke .1

I n the bueh t he ini tiat eu sin::; the li on-danget' "O ,go o L' tholr
circui..oi!:'ion da,ya as well as the songs of m1r1&U~, and in the
eveni ng the,,• re t urn i n a r.hu f'f l1ng dance i:rocesai~n. '1ley form
a thron& of closel y packe d bodi es , shieldi ng oft• frol!I view the
lion which they are euppoeed to h ave captured. Since the lion
10 Denger 1t would bring ~1saste~ to the unin itiated i f it Jere
s een by t hem ; t h i o lion io aai d t o oe a drwn , o larce gourd • or
n mortar, covettcd \,1th a clotl~. 'i'hc vmmen carry it into the
onoloaure wh1ct.. 1a guarded agains t r.1fm 'by ur·:.~nrried r,irla nnd
by youne r.101·r .teu t.om~r. who do not yet qunl1.f;r to l t• ini t.ieted.
Once i ho lion i n so.1'ely inside 1 t 'g1 v~e birth 1 ( ~) to n
number o1' emallor n ecked courl'is: tl1c elder ,:ou1en produce (.me
oi' tileoe 1'1rind ..,ou1•ae 1·01' each i n itiate and plnc< the''l in their
l a.pa. ~he phall ic nature o:..· t he gou.rd.o in t h io poai tion 1o
obvious , bu';. at the sane t i ne they ma:, equally well represent
babies , newl y bot-n r :rom t he lion-danger which, ua we have seen,
symbolizes among other things the dangers of male aexual
aggl'eeeion. 2 The ~1desp:read use o~ fer t ility dolle in a

l The practice or rubbing t he bowl may be £a~ trom general.

\ltho~ t he Sandawe 883 that eo~e Ri mi also use bowle as
t'r 1ot1on ideophonoe, tne bowl s are rarel7 heatrd in western
Sande.we oo'Wltry. They are coQ on i n t he oouth- oaot and in
the centra, and they are sai d to be typically Sandawe
i nstruments which other tr ibes do not have ( but so~e Burunge
also use them). The literature does not mevtion t hem but
this 1& hardly proo£ ot tbeir aboence elsewhere; oven tor the
~audawo the b owl as a mu&1cal i nstrument has on).y r ecently
been rec orded (Tenraa. 196lh 92) . Tltowell and Wachamann {1953)
r eport that 1m~1grante trom Ke~a hav~ introduced into Uganda
tr1ct1on ideophonea whi ch ere i n tho tor~ ot boxee rubbed
with sticke, and that at certain ceremoni e s Lugbara girls
uae rubbing boards which arc baaicallY s imilar.
2 Von Siok• 1915, 24, recorde aome Rim1 eons• wh1oh are sung
when the gourd.9 are put i nto tne initiates• lapo. e . g.:
'The phallus with the acorn baa tallon on the bedspread, the
ch1ld has woken up. '
'I/Uri ty of vhupcB among the poo,Plco of ~unzania El Uui,Cilt:? this .
lilld 1r.J.'or>r at1on obtuin, d .f'ro..i the Sane.two coufirwo i 1. .

1't.llflborn cicncribe, w. e lo1,saf.ed p.hallur-shnt,ed doll

of the:. Ifohu wttich 1 e 1u1de of baa kc t1•:, tl.r'.l1 ui eu us ll cl.1 ...dl•cn • e
1
d oll. H&rding showR tl& £,o- cnlltH~. Whl.1.-dollB o!' the coustnl
Zara1110 trib~ vii th s i mil.a1• allapca but tl e p1~ullua huo tl<'l'e

becoi..e a recosnizable ll wuu1 :Corm. with h( ac1 hnd.r . 2 Johnson

lists the MJ aning or the Swahili word ~ al:l "gi rl or· boy
before or while in i n i Ua ti 011 ri tee, also flar..e, tOllaUO of
t ire • .,3 b ..Uhl1J1ann €.lso shows cucb Zaran.o fer .,ili t,y dells,
which he says are onr ried by young \'1omen on their ouoks until
tt.e uirtll or their -'ira t child. 4 01:.:.on l.uo collecto~ 3ooc Rimi
apeci&lens which u1·0 uecd !n the snu.e wuy. 5 In 'illebter·n Sanuawe
countl'Y, wher·e t. ierc are ...any 1'.i u:i , young married wo"'en nome-
t.imee wear t r,ei:l 11' they do not conceive, .i.'ol• Lo carr..· u

repre .. e:r..tation or a c t1i ld on the back i s bcliev... d to onsilre by

the power of' einilar1 t~ Illogic , thtt t a real chil<i. will so m take
i ta place . 'l'hose dolls are eaid t o oe the ea.me ae ttiose which
the 1ni t1ntoo of m1riod receive i n their laps, and the 1n1tiat ee
p ick up tho ~ourde :fr om their l aps during the ceremony, and
plece tllom on thei r backe like bab1es. 6

l
.
1900 , 48.
2 1961, 72- 3.
3 1951, 318.
4 1910 , .32. He oaya that tll.e na"lle or t he Zal'amo doll i s
~ lU,11. l!l!!ll~ means cbild; t he word 1sJ.1i wh ich usually
meane a etool , also I'ef Cr $ to a person who i a be i ng exorcize&
{e r . Johnson, 1951, 2 1 0 ).
5 Shown to me at Ihanja ,.Ueisfon , S1n3 i da , 1962.
6 Oluon• s back gourds fi t the description given b7 1¥att o~
t he lap gourdo. Von Si ck aleo 1 ...lust:ratea a R11111 doll {1915,
25), bu t this a~pefU's to be not a gourd but made ot wood.
 The Gaudawe aay that the ~1r1m~ gourd or doll represents
a ~oe tuo or 'tho womb'& child' (I.Wlul n//yo) but also a penis
( tenutph)A) . Wyatt describes the R1m1 phallic gourds in the
initiates• lape aa being covered 1n wrur and adorned with beads
like the spots of a python. 1 the gourd in the lap
a phallus , a T!Omb, and their ot'f'ap:r1ng merged into one. th1A
merger ma.v accow,t ror the fact that eoriotimes the sourd 1n the
lap is replaced by a ph~lie snake, a wooden penis which 16
decorated a& a 11nake; 1 t is oaid tllat this phallus
placed in the initiate 's lap but actually 1ns~rted into her
2
~omb. -;u.ther uee or the phallus ts made in the product1o~ of
a lion•e roer, not, thiR time , on wooden bowls but on the
drum or the mortar which symbolizeo the captured lion; thie
p~ocens is the subject ot text No. 123.
The mir1m~ proceedings are aleo olllled waggngp ~ ,
or a6ngonA ~ . which moane •tne feDale elders• rituals•.
Von Siok reports that the ~imi hold their rituals toward the
end of the d.t-Y' oea son;3 Wyatt remarko that this ie the time
•hen tho chances of thundel" are the greatest. 4 'fhe Sandawe
rituals o~ air1m6 are held 1n the same seaoon, !.e. from
August until the en~ o~ November.
The imagery of ~he ~ol1Qw1ng texts supp11eo ~rther
deta1l or the ayrQboliam o~ m1r1m~, much of which is already
familial" from the poetry of c1roumc1e1on.

l W~att Gpenke or n111mu goUI'da; this is obviously the 08.l"le aa

Obo t, s ~ ond the Sandawe 31r1m6.
2 .Although 1t ls ea1d that for reasons ot eecrec¥ Sandawe
women destroy their phallic gourde and enakee after uoe, I
have been able to co"J.leot a apecititm ot a mair2tr.11$ snake.
3 1915, 24.
4 Loa,01i.
 4.n

!2ext ·•Qe 4124, :.-iw 11on sue, Sung by Mra. Mwana1sha Bula
at Dudwn6ra, tieptember 1963.

l I:r4Ya-y~ayb., 1y4ya'e.e.
2 (~.r.. ue.> H~ee.
3 Yay,xe girib6 n6'oyoo.
4 (.Qb.grJW.) R~ ki4nc.or~(!'ee.
5 S!mba //attn1nga xa••.e•re.
6 (Ch~rus) H6 ki nco~~~' Pe.
7 ( fs.£.2.llll $.OQX.!U!.) I ye.ya- y a ' ee •
8 F.d daiha I' ~xawa,y?o.
9 (QhQtlll!) Rd ki~ndcrl!~'ee .
10 (EirQong. wr..nn.) l ,niyr-yctya ' et·.
11 Ynv~xe giribo n6', ho h~.
12 (Chorne ) t. d kittnc'or~~·ee.
13 (3~tQng ehoruu) ry,ya-y,ya•ee.
14 S1mba h6 ~ian~or~~•ee.
15 (Qhgrye) F6 k14ndordl •ee.
16 (fiecgnn ehgfMQ) Iytiya- ydya'~e.
17 l or~dnga khoota•a //•o.
18 (QJ'.'oruR} Jt6 kit1ndore~•eo.
19 ( f, SU·QD.~ choru,~) I ~~a-ydya• e c.
20 ! im6 mal~dayee 1y~a • ee .
21 (.Qb.pJ!lm) HcS k1dndor~~'ee.
22 {~~ cl\orua) Iy;JJa-.1u.ra' ee.
23 //ats'1nga //6• xtl•te // 1 0 .
24 ( Cb2run) rnS ki&1dord~ • et'I.
25 ( ~>econd S1Joru1a) I,1l.ia-yeya 'ce.
26 1.,~ue n/tkwa n l aakwera, ya.y4.
us,..
 1 Coi tus, oh ooitua , it is coitus.
2 (Q.horUD) ~hat then~
3 Si otere , lot us go rwmi!lg away then.
4 ( r.horus) \\'bat , 1 t is the t tri d i ng nned-Lion.
5 Lion, th~ lion, he iF in badnes s .
6 (Qbor~s) ''hat, i t 1 a the Striding • nncd-Lion.
7 ( Q,s;onc c}horur,) Coi tuo, 1 t in eoi tua.
8 ,ihat, the Lion 16 roaring.
9 (Qhoru~) 1flhat, it is the S tridi ng Maned-Lion.
10 (~§£QU4 chorUij) Coitus , it if ~o1tus.
11 ~1storc, let u. go Mlnninc away. what then~
12 (Chorus) \/hat. i t i s the Stri~ing Maned-Lion.
13 (L!z.'.Q.l.lliQ-QQI'tU;) Coitu:· , it 1a coitur..
14 Lion, what, 1 t is the Stridi ng l1 aned- L1on.
1.5 (Qhotur} ,,hat, it is the S triding lhmed- J,1on.
lG (rie,oQnd QhQfJ..W) Coitus , 1t 1e coitus.
17 darrennesa i t oloepin,a 1n the house.
18 (Qhorue) ~'hat. it 10 the Str1d1ng •aned-Lion.
19 ( ~ 911.Qrua) Coituo, 1t is coitus.
20 [In] tht lion gRiile • s encl osure then, 1t i s coitue.
21 (Chol'ys ) 'lfuat , 1 t l o the Stri di ng Maned-Lion .
22 ( •,gcong. ghorua,} Coi t ua . it i c coi tuo .
23 'l'he lion, he ol ceos th~r6 in badnoeo.
24 ( Qll"J!ll~) 'fun t , it 1e the 8 t riding Jancd- Lion.
25 (~econq ghorue ) Co1tun , 1t 10 coitus .
26 Co~e on, ta~o the pP-nio tben, sioter.

~·
The runnilli: away 10 explai ned by t he 1nf'orr,an t os the r1 tttal
ezpeditlon ot tho ,romen into the bush, and the Striding Man\)d
Lion (lst4ndor.t1t) as the novtat" on which the pcatlo is rubbed
in or er to produce a lion• a x-oar ( oee t ext 1lo . 123). She sa,.ya
 that the initiates exclaim "l,f~.(O•&,re.'cu211 when they sit in
the encloauro and the gou~de are plac~d in their lapa.
'lhe last 1 i ne of t,1e oong l i to rally e aye • take the meat then •
(.nL,i. i s nieat ) ; t h i s ia a vulgarism eince a Sandawo slang
express i on for the male o~gan is •rnen •s meat• (.n/gmg(iU nLt) .
?he ba.c>l1enneei· menti oned i n l 1ne 17 is evidently what the 1'1 tee
eoek to prevent.

Text .Io. 122, 'EJle lion has br~m cr.mtyroa,, Sung by Mrs. Jwana-
isha Bula at Dud1J111~l'a, -0ptem'ber 196.3.

1 /'iV't'ln_ga sitiba i/i:roo.

2 (C!l21:.\la) Cl{S //u,na mutr,cu.ge .

.3 H<S~luale p1'>n,1solo 1r,cna.:,no .

l, (Qh<WJe ) I~ / /uma magcnge.
S2.1r;;.11.

l It begins to dat-ke,1 , the Lion hae come.

2 ( Ghor ue) Jha t, cons ul t the diviner .
3 ;Jell thon , the qUi ve1• calls out .

4 ( Cllor3a1) ,that, conaul t the diviner.

W.•

'.i'he sons continues i n alternate repetition of lines land 3 ,

!'ollovvcHl 'by th~ chor al llnoa. The i nformant explains t hat
~te1• i t hne t>eoome daPk , women 1'ecome pregnant. When they are
preunant a diviner ought to oo consulted in ordo:r to make sure
tha t no wi t chcra?t is at work which may prevent normal child·
bir th. I~ there is , e acri~i cee have to be made .
The auiver i a an obvi ou~ phallus which contai ns rcrt111z1ns
arrows , cau&ing pregnancy. It i s all'io a ritual in<> t :t'uroen t .
Like tne pr evious t ext, t h i e song hae a double meaning; i t
desc1•ibGe human .fertilis ation a e well as t he r1 tual. which
eymbol1zea it. The women return from t he buah in the evening
 l'-34

w1 th th<' coptured lion and put 1 t down in the enclosure.

In text o. 123 th1 a 1o a mortar, but it may also be a drum.
The drwn is of the hourglacs type wi th a membrane coverinL one
oido (~ce photos 2 and 3); it ic put upr1 h t eo that tno
membrane 1~ on top. 11.n arr ow-qui ve::r 1D tht.m nroduced m d placed
vert1calJ...v on the ~embrane o~ the drum, and rubbed v1gor.ou.al¥•
'l'he qui vcir b apa1n phallic, and rub inf; 1 t causes the drUJ11 to
rwnblo; the cuiver in lin~ three now calle out 1th the voice
of the captur~d ritual lion.

Tert j,io, 123, '11~ '1fatlr ~:; ruhl e~la ~ung by lfre . 11war1a1&ha

Bula at Dudumf ra, Seytember 1963.

l Th6d mo6 inwuayoo.

2 (~l'l or1ui) Oowe l i ~lldo1•Mi t !l"be.yoo.
3 //ntcd.nga : 'fx.trtrayoo.
lt (CJ:lm::1.u~)
5 //at,n'ln~a
6 (OAn~na>
~·;~
Oot,e

Oow ,
J.:1'1u•orl~
! rr.cwoyoo.
k1lindor~6
s :tmbe.yoo .

s t mbayoo.
m·
l The tree's heartwood is crying out.
2 (!;;:horuo) Oh woe , Striding ! oned I.i on, Lion then.
3 'i'he l i on 1e cr~1ng out loud.
4 (Cb,QCJlQ) Oh woe , rtridi ng unned Li on, Lion tben.
5 ~~h~ lion is now cellilll,; out.
6 (QhQJ!Mf) Oh woe. Ctr1d1lli{ Maned Li on, Lion then.
S2.tc••

In t h ia song thn oap turc·d lion ls a mo1•tar, according to the

1nt'or~ant, and t he tr~o •e heartwood 1e the pcvtle. -he wo~cn
put the mortar down i n the encl osure and put the pestle into it,
but they do not Ftamp t hti pcotl e ao theJ would when pounding

maize or millet. They take 1t i n their hands and rub it.

!i.,__:'ho dnn~e o:C th< 11bAlJ.i~'lflni the sunzoon~ ...
While o;tdrn1 iu a ritual or tho v;oo ter1;. Sar1dawe • san~ oana 1

belor.ge1 to the nouth-caat , and in part.iculor tl.> thEs flat bush

country o-r th<, couthern bordel'la .~. Llke .taiz:i~ 1 t ic hai. clly 1

t.nown in the eentrul part~ of the hillot while Dirim~ 1~ though t

o1' em a Gandnwo X'1 tual o:: Rimi origin, 1"AAZ9PM is eaid to be

not really Snnduwe at all bu t 0-0~0. Like ~ 1 t ic a \\Olllen ' e

dance, but unlike 1t, 1.herc ia little secrecy atthche,d to it.
Young girls , a1w even children and 1°en arc not prevcntE.<l 1'rom
seeing it; al tt,o~h the ;,1urticipanta uud tJ~c uini;nrc ure \',or.cm
who :form a c.<mse cluetcr L\rouuc the centx•al l"ite, tl\611 tll't..'

allowed. ·r.o 1-:iix w1 th t>cr,, and to ha.vc c. lo,)k 1r he.1 ·,iah. hhen

they do, tl.io uoually CE.Wes 11\uch M.:ari t;r, ~or the c,.mtl•al
r>bjcct of t.he t•1 tco ia ul:rn a 1,an. '.1.here iu n o t'enccd
enclosure.
'''here exio t fl no 1•0forcnco to ~&1zpono. in -tho 11 tul'uture
on tJif" , nndnwe , nnd nleo i n tho li teraturc on the GoLo 1 have
f'oWtd nt> man tion of it <. xct1pt one :;,,oouilll<) ret'eroncc by
Paulsnen, who eaya that emorlL,. the Ooe;o on the t1r&t day o!'
menstruation. ot: a girl the ut11a a l.n-rn 18 danced. 1
Sandawe oourcee have ~alle~ to provide a clue to the ctymolog,y
ot: the term 1anzoon1., and nogo 1nt'ormanto have not been able to
hel p either. ~'he proce~dir.~s ore boe1cally a1m1la.1• to those or
p1r1u1S~• The womcn go ->ut into the bush to catch a 'lion• , but
the role ot the lion ie enacte d b:, a man tn iWJZPQlii• He io
taken into the oirolG or women alld subjected to soou-natured
mookor1ee , whicb include being t'Ubbod over by the women. ho
endures tll1s with a straight face and keeps h1a body rigid,
with hie arma stiff ly prenaed to his side. AE he is rubbed
he callo out hia ritusl natiae ~ (Lion) . be grunts and roars
like a lion . mutterins "L{ats;da•" (I am a lion).

1 1922, 168.
 436

• he vmmon almeivol · call h l n perdi; (.t.&huto ..y), ancl while they

s i ng tho . OlllJ of ~"m:: wm, +,nty puvh l.1.v.. ov ,r t,o that he ton_plea
e ti:f ly fr•om tlie w-mG o.1' one wo• a I into those oi ar1othet> . ~~t

irrcgulm:• intervultJ the Lion ,., ll,1qt.iRhoa hi. ot1f1' r,ooture,

jwnpi;ua up 1'U<1denl.Y $ iJ.' h ~Ct't t1•ying to cat.ch anti lilaul one
o.t' the wo1aen, ano omaet1tae8 he acts ljkl• a man who t1•iec...o
take a wo.c.18.l.l by !'orcc. Shriek i ng enauec, b':.l.t then he ifl 1,w.hed
b ack ir1to place and he 1~esui:%s hie role 01· the pl:'.nllus which
is be1n~ pushed arou.r~a •
.uuri~ 'the 1•i taa se ,oral - .m at'<: • 1,.....>lt.. to :p\,;.1;o:C :rm t.••t
...ion' c :part. A::; the11• p}1al. l10 ciolle tht; ,,ox...cn nelec t uny l'!lln.

o!' p1•ove11 i'er t ili ty. ~'he ...ien oar r.o-c .t-eois L bcca(lcc tli\,; turoll3
OJ.' o!llen oimpl.Y ovcr;.,helrui:; tL1ero . and they do not .mnt to oecauae
oe1nt; cauft,!lt 1s a Jign o.t' 1 ocogni tion; they aro &J.so plied vi th
ccer. •... t tho occasion whicn I il t.ne tu,ed o..'ll.:; o o eoz1g ias sung
ln endloau ,•epe 1,;.. l;ioa.

Text !lo. \?ih ,eu5h111e the T.iqn abqut, Sona leadership 1e

oxoro1zP-d collao t1vel y anG i n altornati on by a few elde1• wo.non;
at ~•at e •4wuae , August 1963.

1 Hay&yoo ha.,ea,
2 (Qlun~~lil.) b4al l ha,fa lft..
3 <!h£ u.2n.l Uh , u."'l; Uh, uh .
4 Uayi yoo hayoa ,
5 (~~~Cl.If ) h~a~l ha.veal.
6 <'i'hg ;u1m > Sf mba, d mba.
7 Hayfy o o hayoa ,

~·
 IJ7

Tl.•anc,lation:

l ~ tl.{~')0 ha:,ea.
2 (~!!) h Ji,\~;l ha.,'eM.•

3 ( ~ LJ....m) Uh , uh; uh , un .
L~ Ha.f,YOO he.tee. .
5 (£.t.Oa\'!,!~) htaU ha.rel~.
6 ( ~ 1.:19.D,) [I am a] Li on, [I am u] Lion .
7 Hayl yoo hayen.
~t~ .

To translate the :f1rrt line sc II

e ll t hen , wel l then 1 t i s"
woula be i n order if we compare thi s text with ot~era wnere
th!? cl~lfente of this line have been so t.r·am1lated, but 1 t would
be £tre tch ina th~ meaning too much . Sandawe inf'ormants say
that the s ong has no words and the essenti al accuracy ot this
utntement i e not coubtod.
Inotend. o f " ~" {"[ 1 nm a] Lion ' ) the Lion f'omettmeo
calle out ·•t.t'nteJJ.s.!:' (''I am a [ref:il] lion"); i ncr eased hilarity
ehows that this i u conside~ed a Pit ot a joke. The joking abuse
which the women heap upo:t tho l,i on i ncludes h:(eal ( thiet') •
wat'vAEBl (killer} , ond lJZiL (clitorio). The t1~s t t wo are
retcrences to male sexual ag&retE 1on and t he l ast 1& a common
tei•m ot nbuec.
 l~.38

THe auuawa nave tY1<> uariea f01· 1. .o 1·1 te which kCc· ompnny

the l>i:i.• t h of twino • .ruia and i;1arj,. ~ is thf:. i r proper name ;

J..:.£.@1:1 i,i m:ply reana ri t ua l lmi; 11w,:, S11ndawc u:rn ·1;11c wo.<•d

eapeciall.Y" in con ec tion with twi n-r1 ii.IBl . 1

. ohl- Ltn•Aen • o film of the ,.;ando.we con t,airrn a £cw 6at:nes
11
to which he r ei'er3 at t ...,e ~ danoe, which ie a women ' a

dance; i-c i s a circu.lar ilanc,!" . 2 He also comments that

0
\'/hon a wonan 1)aa...•s cw1ns who die and ru:>o but•ied ullnor tile
~ t:ree, thiR dance i c per!'ormed. Al ~o vthen pe<>ple are
"boi>n L. the 1'01·. ~ o,.: ,:Ul1,:ial8 ( abor ..10, 1:,) th•.:i hoU!' of t. e 1Q1.1.
dtt."'.CC hn" C l 111 • 11
3

e xolUGivo!;r b~ wo,.....11 h .. not oi:.ly u t I.he occasio11'- o"f: still-

i...1.rUw ~....:. .....i.cct..•:-i agca ; t. ..... y li.lar}: t?.~ occe.t.1o~ ... o"f: aiq bi1•th or
,.
t'<Ji i.t'> . .. ~r;.p·wl.,:...·•- irti'ormc:r.t .1aouo.i .;ellc u.; tuat

ttwen n wo:110.n 11os 'borne tw1ue , the W1A cero111on.v i a hold. t..J

The moGt i mportant ae~ect of the ceromon1ce ia propitiatory.

Van de Ki m .emule aoknovlodie s this wnen ho det'1nos ~ as

' nou.
1
d ' 1,me danse , avec aac:r1.!'1cc aux mlines. tt6

l I n expr~uuionc like ' rit~e or the elde~ wome n • { ~ ~

~ o r ~ ~ . c?. p . 430) the wo1"d only means
ritual. t;om-pnre J..u\-4i.2., r.usto,';l.. lnn de K1.:i .anade , 19.54 , 43 ,
dei'1nce .1.alJli£ na "hob1tudo , aocout\lr.lanoo , ver tu, moeu?'e,
usage , nani~re, trad1t1ono.~
2 ~ilm taken in June/July 1935, ~ . Kohl-Larsen,L. and »••
1938. 76-91, and a lao 1958, 110-35. The ~i lm i s oom~ented
upon in Rohl-i..cU"nen, l')ql; the quotation ia f.'rom P • .5 or thie
comnontary (trnn3lation in1ne) .
3 lll..1,{t., ~ . A better spelling for X.ul..11G 1.l!:w:1, and
the 1sl?.D. t ree is actually called ~ .
4 ..Photo NO. 14 ohows a ~ among 44& dancers; this 1e oom""ton
L!it the beginu1ng or the dance.
5 1916, t ext 34 (~.140).
6 1954, 54.
 l J9

An in:'or ,ant ta'm~ that. 111orc tv.1nt c 1c r..t t irth tt.ar..

b~bi ca who a;,oo singl o-borr.; t he Snno a\•.c +)', !"' ,..~,;l'f? re;alize that
t 1el"'' "' are c:nr1SCl', t.ttachcd to twin births b11+ t ('Y conra1<'er the
e 'le nt a 1,.1cky one , unc1 unlik...: their nc i uhbours tt t'Y l' ( joice
1
i n 1t. Vv.. de .t m ~mudc Cdf::' that

"when a w::>mnn h£.o t h,:, Jood i"'ortune of :put•ing twi'.'lo 1n-l;o

tho vorld, [foe ] dime"' 10 h e l~. undor th.,, t:ree called ~ , , 2

!luowhere he eays that t h i s is

"s lerge evergreen t rl')e under \lfhich. mau:, uuc1•iricea u1•e

made f ot' bai'ren wo.ncm a ::i wel l as !'o" twin biI't~s • .,3

The S&ndawe somet11.:,ea oall the ~ tree by t11e .name ~4+»,oura

which they say is derived t'rom the Riiui wno , t.1e;r say. call the

t ree ~l?J.~· This name doeo not appear in t ne 11ter~tw:'e,

but Bv..rtt iae1• tione a ltirlli naoe rJ.Q:\iyl,a which he i det.ti!'iu: at.
Oatr:{2derr1e ~t1thlmDM'1• tnE-: Mm-like ostr~oderi·1a. 4 t.ev.im&lll
has r ecently con1'1~meu that it i o 1n~e~d t hit t:rec.5 ~t ha~

a red I'ea1n which 1n 1•e1'er t'cd to ao bl ood , and 1 tG cver-f.rec n

f'ol1&ge ir apporc1.1 t1Y eee n as a li:f'e-synbol. J\.l though the

b otanica l l1torature doec not set-m to mention it, its moat

important f'eo.tu.re in r elation to the rites must be that the
tr,.mk always uc-t·ma to divide in two at eorne distance 0£ tho
ground; l&llil it. theref'ore a true 'twin-tree' .
Van de Kiwnenade gives a b rie1' account of t he ri "es,

l Bawnetarlt, 1900, 55, reports that twins arc 11ot liked by the
Ran,;1; von r:; iok, 1915, li2, ffl'ites t hat among the R1m1 twi ns
are unloved be cause of' tho dan..P,er o-£ lightning; and \'Vyatt
~/8 , 111, says that thoy are c onsidered bad luck DY the Rimi.
2 1936, 401.
3 1954. 47.
4 1936t 189. 'rhe name z~mbura i e l'l19rt Uonod in text t,o. 126
bel ow.
5 tVC • 1966 ( 10 . 28) .
which I ouote in translation:

''The 1.9..:tll! ic thf' only t:-ee, p~rha'l'.>r, v:hict· ir ul ay~ green

even during the di-y months . Does one believe that i.t is
inhabited by e po,,errul !"i,>ir1 t , 01~ is the tree only a symbol
of :rev tili ty'i ..~ sa c..L•i1'ice iG mauc there a~ t,1e occ:asion o£
tht:: birth of' t\71nr. Ir, "ron f- oi' t! r;: houGe or tr.c mot., bl'
a. sheep or a r,ottt ie kiJ.led; its intestines ere taken up
V7hich aro l then] lowered alowly on to the motheJ:> th~ouch a
ILole in the rno!'. ~he wraps h«n' ettlf in the1,1 , nr ..er thie
tu'- ani mal ir bolleoced ann et1ten. Toge1hr-1• vti th the pln<'E"l.1.ta
the ~ to1:1ach con I.en ts are taken under tho lf..12A tree and
placed in an old =3ot; th" p,,t 18 the"\ tu1•ned OV("r and, if 1 t
1e no t alreau.v holed , it is perf'ora ted. ->aor1x·1ccl:! w.•t:. hever
!:1<.t<le tvico under thf' flwn~ lc'1u tN. o; ()P ·-mo tl'r r xh, birth
on( .;oc•r, to U?lo thN• trt-e . It ia b~lit•vet\ that the ruo ther
and her twin ohild:ren al"e particularly eXl')oeed to the danger
of' lightni ng th:roughau t theil• 11 veb . Juring a thunaex-s torm
t.tJ.O,i rub •,·1e.1· J.'vr.J 1 a 6 with char1.;oul, ,,\•,:;_·,-.,; ·11 ';1- it a
1:iar-k in +,-:.c, r'l')!'ro 06' a. c~ )no. !h.Y tnie extraorc'inary .fear?
I have been told that t his troe is o~ten struck by lightning.
A black colour 18 oowa1dered o.t'.rective againu the d~er.
~

iol.' tho oacrit1c•30 )lac.• ani o.,lf ar•.-• p!•ofe"'•rcd. 111

vempwolt'f also r,1'3ntiona the placement of t he placen-ca in the

pot. 2 He alao says that to h i m tne ~ dance waa deooril>ed as
a woia.on •s dance roX' which they paint their tecee lfitll chalk,
~ut bead strings crosswise across the breast, and Cfll'r¥ either
an axe or a shi eld 111 t 1e le.ft hand. 'l'hi a d&mce, he sa.vs, 1a
perr ormed aro-wid t he ~ tree, the resin or •hich i s aa1d to
look like blooJ. 3
Van de Kim~enade asks whether t he tree 1G perhaps inhabited
by a power.tul spirit, and what the reason oould be fol' th~ tear
of lightning. The t'ul l..Y grown l.lllA is a very tall tree, and
l i ke other tall trees 1t ~orma a good tnrget ro~ lightning.
When a tree 1a hit it normally splits, but as ~e have eeen, tho

l 1936, 411 .
2 1916, 140 (text 34) .
3 ll?J.4•• 103. For the shield 1n the lef't hand see photo 110.14.
illll! h: U Spli t t1·ee by uatU!'e. ~11t• ~ is a twin and tiaB
blood like twins , a!lt human twins must ttier~fore be in danger
ot' being hi t also. L1ghtnins is ox>ignt , and to oft~cet its
ct'i'ect t.ie Janoawe pail"'t dat1k images o:f' 1 t on t ne ir .foreheads
w1 tb charcoal so thttt. t.h 11ghtni:,g can ot see them, they S!\Y•
lJsuall the;;o i mages are 1:a t he 1'orm of long vertical lines
whi ch z>\tn down toe forehead and the nose, out they may e.lso be
crossed ttf, van de ti r 6nade says. lhen 11ghtn1uir. a trikes a
house its roo!' will be '\toleti, and tile 1nt~etinea of the sacr1-
£1c1al aniraal , which are l On~ like liahtning, muot be naeued
throv.gh tne hcle as proof ano. a reminder to t ~P. l1uh tning tha t

1 t has oeen propcrl.t peopi tiated. The grave ot" a twin mus t be

oovered bJ a holed black pot, black because o~ the lightning's

oribntnesu and holed in o.ualogy with the roofnolo eacrifico,
and also, tne ~aactawe say, to allow tno gnoGt of the buried
cwin to breatno under 1t. Hot a belief in tree spirits, out
the r.ic.gic of u1r.i1la:r1 ty underlies Sanda :,e theories os.' cauee
and ot't'oct, and thuse theories :find their logical exprecr..1on
in th<J rites.
J!y tl'1c &aino r ear onin.g the bil'th oi' tnns ie thought t o
be causod by an exceue of sexual prowess; such zeal is normally
attributed to r.ionke.ro wd therol'ore wo shall :!eo that tr.e
s on~e of t win ~irth make obocene r e:ferences to monkeys . l
~ome o:f these r~tereneea are centered up on t he truit of the
~ tree which 1c the sauaage tree (Kigelis RiDnatA) ; these
:fruits look like l arge pon1see. At the birth or t wine trutte
of the J.!Al§. are gz>ound and cooked in a pot; the result ing

l Oboccni t:r 3ccm.o to be widespread. C.:,ry { 19lw) reporto thn t

i n Suku.:1a u·,in cerer!lonleo the song& aro ox~rornely indecent
and that du.ring the ceremonies :people may use obaceno words.
Beattie (l962b, 3) mentions that in Bunyoro the rites
1
>include a f'ormal exchange or obscenity be tween the two

parents• .
por·rlugc 1, t. .~•• u .. od as a ... aa~ot.1 ,g for i.'eet' which ia oacr1-
t'1ced and d ...•u11k d~ing tho d'lli& r11,es. '.l.'his is beliov,~d to
,,. su1 t, in inct>ea~e1 f't1rtil ... tv t'or all, eo tnat moro tWillS r:J.a.f
1
bo horn.

l Tsh~ft tere kumbitn'aaa n//ineyoo.

2 (Qb.ru:Y§.) A;/wee min//' a / /6' -:,//e,.. te.
3 Tshd!I tere / 'ook'naoa /'eewayoo.
4 (min~) /vwee min//•a /lo' n//t>ote.
5 Tl'ddno.to m:tn// 1 a b1ntl'b1ntl•jyoo.
6 ( !.tll!U~lli:t ) Aywee oin//'a //6' n.'/ccte.
7 k,wee h66loalo min//'a m1n1m!n1yoo.
8 { CJD,f.21:~) J-.ywee Iilil'.// ' a 1/6' n//eete.
9 Tah!.'lt tt~re , ~-
l The pot oherd is l y1r...; on t he root.
2 (tnorua) Oh noe , the sheet-li ghtning in the weet.
3 ~'he pot nhcrd 1e r~c1ng upwarde.
4 (chorus) Oh "Hoe , the sht"et-lightning 111 the .,eat.
5 Around t ount Hanang the sheet-lightning le t'l1oker1ng.
6 (Qhar\Ul) Oh woe , the eh~et-l1gl'ini ng in the ~eet.
7 Oh woe, well then, the aht'et-lightning i s gleaming quietly.
8 (Qllory§) Oh woe , the sheet-lightni ng in tho \,es t .

9 The pot she1•d,

l A r e ~erence by von e 1ck, 1915, 42 , i ndicates that thie i e

also a Ri ui custom, but s i nce they do not like twine (ct. P•
439. note 1) their t heory about t he practice i e likelY to
be <11rrerent.
 1e a!wtie ty 3ui' .'ix -.J!J,Sl at t 1c e ,d 01' t l'J lc. a u i 11g l i litta 1t! not

tran:J.l..a ~c;,i .lcrc. The rc1> ~at l ru.'er~nco t.o 1, ,e ,'36 t is a

..·et:,rc cc t o deat!1; t.ho !.)•>tGhl)I'< an t 1e r ,,04' , irhich 1s olack ,
n'lGt i)rotcct t~ic ini11;t )1 tan to a ,:,u.inst t he thN'ut O.A.' de&.th b,y
li1;:nt.111u~. ...,ou.:.t ,ia a,l~ is t. lw:·go volcanic cone in thfl .10r-th;
1 t i s o..;'t m capnoa '.Jy a cl,:>ud in which li cli1t.nin_, can e seen.

4!iiX t ,• P ~· :it\APl!i.t'i~Q at t11-: ttc:q. Lung oy !: rs. wnna.:t.shn

llul.a at Kwa co.t>o, ~'eliruury 1962.

l ~~m~u.ra ~dee.
2 (.,h u•w1}. Lol1;,too lt>li.iayoo.

3 : halt' i1a tsJ1~.l.'ao. n/we.

4 (...;,,)>Fl!".) Le u r >O lulin&V"O.

J Pas! hu'oax. e~'1'"1i.

6 ( (!l)Q.' U'.) V"'l.1yoo lolina:r,o.

7 Faa ~!ta d//~e ~~aa ba'~.

8 ( Qho4~!:lA) J,.ellJoo loli11ayoo.
9 lhak'fia tehd.l.'aa n/we .
~

Oh ostryoderrle tree.
;Jive us then , g1 ve 1 t ua t 'len .
'rhe monkP.y haA Dad6 m1ech1er.
(Qh.'U!Y!l) 01•,e us the=i, g i ve 1 t us then.
T~o twin's placenta and th~ stomach ~onten ~s .
( £!.b2~1l?}) 01 ve us then , g i v~ 1 t ue then •

.out the sausa~e-tree•s t'ruit 1s ver:, large.

(Qborua) 01ve us then, give i t us then.
The monkey has made m1och1ef .
~ts....

'l'he translation "Give 1 t U6 t hon 11 is baaed on the int'or::1ant•e

 aning io siht.c~:yze.c'J!t ' w.i..,0 it th.on to us ',
which :ncsne t 11a t t,1e sacrificers at the tre.:i al:'e aek.1nL5 :t'o.r
wellbei.n& or i3nt'etJ" ,~ll'.ll..~il). J.Jinc 5 is a direct r cf"erence
t.o t. c .iacri rice , ·.11ile the c11ortll 11,ic bri.1tjc1 iu the pra.rer
ole~ent.

Text J.Q , 127. .'Mi oiu,riag 21~.. Re1)roduct~cl troin .>empwoltt' ' s
text ..o. 9,> (01 , s;it., P• 17.;).

l '!hwi.'re m:Jtmgu • 1menayo,

2 thwi dadawa ho;nise
3 ha ny·msu 'imunnyo,
4 thwiva dadc.wa hornise

5 t "'."J ifa 1a~a.wa •omno 1iae.

l .u1e uit•d , Lue kl !,Q Cflwa,

J 1..110 ea6 lo Oll"d re ,.ilea
3 ond he , t i~ kito ic cawing;
4 ~n~ 01:1gle 01,.• i ., he replies,

5 t:1e ea,1le b il'd, he opea?<a to him.

•.r111e s-:>ng preoeu ta on aspec t 01' twin imagory which has not
;,ret b e3;i diacu~.JeJ . i>cupwoltf oi'J.'ers no explanation of this
text, but it anould oe noted that tno actors 1n the qotlg ere
~ ~1rds . ~oth are large naacu11ne birds o~ prey who are
qu i tc .31:::1lar. '.me call and the r eply or ·these two birds
ma kt:1 it d. H'l'icul t to be liave that the proaentation o~ a pair
1e not i nt entional , anj they obviously r eprosont twine .
I n.formanto contL•o t h is but ·t:1eir explanation or the birds
does not, ae ~1ght perhaps be ezpected, l ink the b trcw or the
skJ wi th othc~ sky ~heno~cna ~uch aP l ightning tm~ spirits.
The kite (~ian(;"4) and the annke- eagle (aac,wa) m•e described
aa beaut i tul b irds with a la~ge wingspan, whose wings are bent
up at t he tips a& t hey hover; these wings a:re l ike t he horna
of long- hor nt>t' c attl ,. ( ~ or xons:oro . cf. p . 421~), an<'! aa
horno tht)so wi nf'B ure n i n phall uees ( ru!.!IIP.Ja., cf . n . 38,1-1) .
In the ~~chsngeP 0 £ obsceuery b et\ieen v1£1mbf>rP ct the fathe1•• s
end the mothP.r• " 1 1nea1,es the-~~ lon/{ bol'nP teke a c entral

ple.c,, . 1 referen ces a".'e U:l1<~e to the insertion of long hol"t.B

enc s:1akes, of thc> t" o h 1 1•t~P in the sonf' , and of two other
b i rnf vrrlch arc culled 1:£\l,Y'f~ and khoncsSi't.H t.hei.e have aleoe

le.r e<> wi ng,. with up- turned tipe. ~'hf' nu ,es -:,,r the )sJl.QJJE'..Qr.Q

bi rd acid the :l(QllP:Q,C:fl loxw-horn are thE, ea1re , for lon£-horn

A S.'./ll\h<>l ic t l r\-hird link in , .Crican 1..,ager.r would not

oe xwel, ~U· th•.! vwll--lnvHm i.;.11:tbolic 1.dent".!'loation of twi ns
wi th bi!'d•: amo. • tl1~ u.:>r, out the f a ct thfl. t the qandawe aloo
i;inkc t ,11 1JH.n tif'ica ti·)n 1loen "'!.ot nece ssaril.r r.mrm that they

ar,:, tho sane , Pol' t h~ "Jn1....... 1:,1:1g ai,s,1 ciati on s may be 'llli te

dis., 1 d tar. 2

l ~ht exchange i s not j uet be t w~en parents, ae i n Bunyoro •

...eror e t he dance ( Ou.ring ane a'f'i.r t he hole - in- the root
sacri f i ce ) t r.e r e 1~ a cor e~on~ 1n t he houee in which two
m~mbere o~ C'ach 11n<"eg<" t r.ke part : the riothrr, t h e '1lothe r• e
br other , the rat her a nd t he rather• s rd s ter. They Aiton
the bed , oxcha~ge obecener1ea an~ act obRcenel y. out s ide
t his i e .c·et l ecteo in ~ in ilar exch anges 'be tween othe t>
merub~r s of t ~~ t ~o 11ne age c .
2 Kva.ne-PPitchard, 1956 , 128· 9 ·
 'the :--ildfil..:llill ia a danc.,.; o.t' tne f l1i< 1• rJftn, 1. E • or tll(>Be

who pon ass t,h1.. lr. mm h.:>US""<Loluo , bu.~ 1 ts ()1' ifJ1ILal nti tw•e or
a danc<J ritual hao bt·cn 1 ,at. , owaday!, 1 t may be P<'l"i'orr,ed
at an.1 be~r pa1• ty , oii t t h ia 1 o ral'el v dorn,; neither De1,1pwol.ft
nor van de r 110 .enadt.1 Mlke any mont.ion ...,f 11~an.5~. It i s :..aiu
tr1at t 1e da 10 ~ 1~ l:jUpprmea to be hflld in tnc F.:Ven1ngs 1n a

o~J,ec/A, n 2peciul · n<.' l'>oure or a clear·e.noc ill t. 1e bush , wn~re

onl7 elder ttEin ('1,1' ~) ,1e"1t to bo present. !hc. par.iciptm~·t' ,

according to t h in <.1.coci•ip ion, are or:tabl1ah.ed olderc, and

junior eldc1:•A who i n t· i s coraw::my are nccep1~od tn t.o ,;he ranks

Of. eldi,rs ' Who 'Yp.] Jr tl\ f:rl."lnt ' ( ~ ,:,ertn, 'l'he eld("rS TIOlk

or slowly dance iP a ci?>cle, and tit 1n 1 t i ate elde1'a then j o i n

in b1.. hind ';hem. Ac1.:orcl1ng to another t\1;;ecr i- ·1tior\ the elders

walk a round no that tt,oir RQne may :t'Qll'>W and be o1reur.e1zed;

durin t ti s cerenony the i n l t1ate oldel"u aro adc.ressed aa
' fothfn• ,;f rrn- m,d- eo' , tho nall..les uue J. toing the na.t·os ot thelir
sons . 1
l o:lorn prActic:1• appears to be, qu1. te di t't'cren t rrom thi s .
Newly i n i tiatcd y oung 111,•n and f'!VOn women can tak, part, th~re
1o no ooct•ecy , ruvl children nay ho r,rn:,~n t. ::: 1 th~ one dance
I wi tnen od olc'te:r womr n took part w1 th t he men, while woccn of
Any a go .t"orned the chor\10 . "ho dance ~,af. a slow and fl tutely

on e, o1N~nlal' i.n form wi tl'l rr.on ancl wo1:1en e11ter1ng cr osswi se

a nd t et. oa1r1ng o~r i n parallc>l rows . Aa i n mo& t ot.1er di.ncee ,
2
the mu31c of ~ll1!\lli..f! 1~ di~ting1is~ed by a rhythm or its own.

l .iolli s , l ".1.-!> , 294£.t., :; a,y::, tna t. a...iong th~ Ut,.aaai a bo,1

cnnnot be ciroUJ11cized (and a Jirl n,t u...dcr~o clitoei<lcctomy)
unle ss tho .~ther hae per formed a c eremon.1 wh ich i a c al led
·' pe.eo i ng ove r t he :!'enc c'' •
2 er. chapter I A. o~Ylistic diftereru;ec ~etwecn song t;rpes ;
rhvthm.
 "~1e 1 s. c 1 &.:/ t t. ~.£!:n ( nl 'o c l l c i:m t'!t u, ic
au olc'l nrt"a a1 ·~, ut t. 1!" ,,tun'f.czi or

!ti 1. o ex, ln n ',ior hot'l cr:n nffcf't l 1~or Lht • en. i1 ol 1 ta

nar. , C{ d. ! hav< hr., n unn le o find in the li. t<'1 a ture O!I the
. yuo.w~i antl ~Umi tribes n.ny l't ;.' N ncer to ~oi.~ ..rd d~u,ct:
cat gortes which c·,1,ltl 1>, iclentiti<:d uitl ~1;canm1,.

!it:xt ). ltlli• ~· t ldm• 1WJ..l:· ir; ,.'1·~ · Lu.n~ 1y l'l' • !,a.l!ZQ

_.euJ1>1a at '"'l 'unt'1, A~;u t 1963.

2 (,; &01•,;ts ) 1 l>oluyu wel'~.

l .u:(M. oll h ',Mllrn in ~ront,

2 (i;; 19rU§) oh .hP walks in rro11t , on ho walka i n .f'ront.

j .ue~c, •);l h• o;yalk ) in :front tacn,

~ , 'in front', is ~e.ntu; proper ~ar.dmve would be ~-a

~ ' '"l.c- ~all· c 1n :,.,.ont'.
 4·8

..
v A L .. ·n

.i..1'te the nx,ev1011s c'haptor, tnis c,1apt.e:r pr.er;c1 ts th~

poetl"Y or oong~ vhich are d'..\nced. 'The ditt'e!'ence ia tllut tne

texts 'lhic 11 will no., be p1•t,sente<i al'tj gen~ral ..,If of a i..:>pical
character rat ,c,r t'lan r l te-descri pt,1 .,e 0.1.• 1ns t'l" 1c t1oual .
L'nL, av, o n) t m<.Hl,t t 1~ t th~J be l ()n { to ,lances wi1ioh have

noth ing to do \"Ii tn .ritual; the c on t1•1:U"'f ii1 l.J>ue.

Tho t,u>:> Ji:mc:>s t ) )e l i sc :..ts el ruae

'3. T'n e lllf!ll, (Q!l, a dance '>f y u r.lls who nave becoi:ie men;

o. 1.r.e l&:l14, w•1icn is a ha.l'vest and courtohi'P dance ; and

.i). Tht! n.irul..2., a J1ru'gtnall{ Sandawe da.ace whi c n ia the aqu1 valen t
of tl1e ~ 1n the sou tHe1•n bo1"deI'laJ1ds .

'l'hc danceo .1ave '->een arr~ed iii t11is ordu.r oacause the
.30~3 o:!:' tho wa (,i • Sil s tuud cloaes 1; in rulu don \Iii t h i.he even t s

whi ch lead up to the ctanc3, while tm? ;,io nt{o oJ.' .-W.nwi U!'e purely
to:plcel and (}.Ui te UJtco,1 1ect · cl with preceding ovonts ()r the
l'i tual 1 toe l f . fo t the dance r itual 01' 1wl.s!l1 Hhowe more

aymu >.lie 1"i3niticiuce cm:1.,1 tt1at of th4; ot.hera. ThC' one text
ot the n.ud.Q, t .e o,,rd 1•land cour•terpar t ot the ~ . is not
clearl y topl cul t.l ince 1 t; olao deacri be:iu the l>ehav1our 01! t he
dancere . '!'he 4amc can be sai d of one of tho J:l!lll11~ texts.
Most of the mr~ texts 'lhow an element of: expectation, a

looki .1,~ fo.t'war ct to t he beer wi t11 which the partiuipante of a

joint en t orprisc aI"e to be rewarded.
 449

r=--:.:....a..:..,...,.._....._..._-............ ~...;.;;.;.:....~~''C"'~-'l..:_l...2......:ll\)..J.~-tb.e._\VJ!Y.i\.!.i;Jla.
11 •o:r t L tr ' on t c an a·v, ·o I y ti c n · ... t i·encn t o
t e l i . - ~' u l 'iltt hie•, .i. a loo hcu1•a u ~ \, JO•, ~ i 18

oni· o i! t .c .. )a., 1'rc auc 1tl J per oi• 1, l O!lf. , 'h.~., Ji.' t O ......mdawe .

~.!::Ji a.,i:,<!are to e 'er iv, ~ 'rorn ~d' st- a.' - {1,l., ~m1cu l.lv litl6

' i.he/ "o mnkc n >is •. f'r , 1 ~. 't:> ,i:cr .1oic '. 1 '"h.u < undawe

,1e~-c1•il>e lli"' natu.i•c-! and ,urp)se nimplr as ',oc;., rta. oe ' (~

LL!i.l), but o c •vatlon a H 1 te::..t ;,.1wl.rsis .JOI rcv.... al t.11.t i;ho
be er !)O.t' tius ot' wa ra' !.Q ai•o nJrr.iul lJ hnl( a;;, cow, ter 1.:ii' ta for-

tli d rr1ce l. ved 1'r-om n-sitthumr and clnn i'cl.1..owo • 1

.L .1ey l.!Om,ti&UW

the OXOCU t .J.On Ol' U .anr l U ty , U'l'ld at t.lu t.&...C ui:.11.: t JCJ - cJ;J'

enhance ;p!'u'l i;iJt,. '.i:ha 'ftA-it&' ,,a i i, ~h~ .... u.•daw0 ::..:>ciol pai•ty

and ;.; .:.i."~mgt lt3nii ig ol' ooclal l'<;lotiono Ll ., 1... ,my ui...'t. c;.:chungea
au...;n. 2
abse.1t ; u3 . .)0,Cia... l.:r neai• the ce.o.t,.•e s o..' ,populatioi1 a.w. tho

baol':l , wh,,r~ the bee,:• is plont1t"ul and good. Tffxt ,lo. l.34
sum;ests that the advont f)f: n money economy among thv ~andawe
enhances thio element. s 1en1r1cant1y, t h~ uo Jnrties arc
described a1J ' beer dances• or simply ' beer' rather thnn propel'
Ut:4'•HJ.•
It 1n 111\id that r<A'r4' SI was origlnall.Y an olephant hunt
in which spear hunters a ttacked elephants with much no1ae
after liheJ' had !>ols tered their morale wi tll t 'erinented :t'ood
(&akal4nl }; later the term came to be appliod to beer which
wao given i n payment for aid in ~ueh clea~inz,
house buildl.ig and E1uoh ec ti vi tiec. ~·ne son.!A of ,ya Cia' f.il tend
to describe euci.1 events which precede a oe~X' drink, and the

l Thi o verb i c 11eted by van de X1mmenade , 1954, 60.

2 1954.
poetry i , ~ <rcrore topic,l i t natu~e 1en U[;h it. 1:: .t·vcused
upon oxpe¢ t< (.I. s ,,<, iul 1,or.nv .;,.o,u:•. l ,,a r-:,,1n . U,U&1 aid
.1.: Jae t o tt t.o o,.: l!W~. to e l)l'< ·n eel ,
l )li • l.:.,) I all't l.:.1..1 , ..il'( C l.v l UC! \1i t l t. l b , ?' W t {;} { ,n .r :f

i tr.ell' r~ thcr tl.an ,;i U1 1iJhu t pJ:•vJeden it am ju' t il'1os it..

'lniri "ol:t at •ar x ve , ·cbruar,'( 1962.

l K4zna lllitondoyoo
2 tdh la :rl8.!l !Ulli phe.
3 ).. )-, )-

4 Ktfaaa ;d. vOn(IOJ' , o ao1

5 t6hla Ban r1:t.,:1i ,
,.
0 .1tl1ztta ka' -<wff..,a ll:1 kw~l:l .

7 ).. )... }.! , ~ .

l , '>t-lt tl)-aro Ki 11 oe [ at t '1~ ] wor k- "'i vol'• s,

2 c-,rtainl.7, at .l:!angani •s tQ-IAor,•ow.
3 )- }- )..

4 llor~ t ~e~e ~ ill be, let us go to t he work- giver,

5 C( rtainl.Y, to Bangani'o;
6 ,,ot•k tnere is, he sa.rs , 1.a<J.eed 1 t is true.
7 ).. )., ).i ' ~.

Alt.hough the text of' t h is aong i s :naoe up almost en.tirel.1 or

Bar.tu olcmcntr; it neatlJ" ou n ,;iri ze e the chax-acter of' WAYd'M•
The 1nfol'm.ar...t states that it refers to a bush-clearing ,1ob
which had to oe done near the home of a man oalleo Bangan1.
The text haa been taken down and r~oorde~ on tape ~rom the
inf'oM!lant ·.men he aar,g it ae a minstrelsy song a.t•ter the party
where 1 t had been danced. The throaty sound ( ).I ) ..tills the
placea whero the ~horue repliea to the eong l eader .
Ig.xt Ng. 1,0. Huntins togethtEa. Sung b y Yr. Francie s 11me

l '.4'ul!l0U.LU i'cu , "..:_ :.JU.Lu- v, tam UlUJ ,0 ,

2 t , ) ,u... a.yu,;: ~ee , t'nbuln:roc, ta .t "..lu ,
j 1!J 1 IUU·
4 \ ~a:..l,&.U.) '.6.
j i~n "u-.:<1.
6 (
\, +?J:''1£,.J o• .

7 d.;1 ... 'lla ~

·1.· 011t, ·, t.:, :1:1.Y o:1t thr.n,

2 oh 'ly i:nt , hP,r, oh 1'1:, J'tt, i'ly out

3 kite!

I~ ( ,r.OY')lli.) ,h:::,t!

:; 01,. ', t.o l

7 ~l >'ut, :;."';<' ••

'.i.'he cxpln.!la tio • or· thir aon1.:{ i1:., ti.at t e kite r cpY"eGente n

hun t:i.n, .1.eu<· r. '.'ht• oong er,cour t1gcn hir. onu < xprci"voe the wish
that ·c.he hunt 'b<.> succesufu1 o o that ovory participant may be
!'"W8rc Cd accr>1•1 ill~l;f • 'J.'h1 U WQ:ta t P(ll 601\fl 1 8 oi'tf'!n heard in the

circumcision car.ll>t' ,1;\en th~ youths are Gent out i nto the buah
to hunt, and 1 t. 10 u st..•<l t e1•efore us a ls.~ L~~' a cunp
aong of the ls,er'fl'l' ta ty ,e . JY.a..'£4' tm and ;}&f:rQro' vi songs ( and
c1r-cumc:1r1.on eor.gs in e:N·ral , i ncluding tho~e ot the ~ type)
r ee~~ble one a.not.or closely in rorm and rh.}rthm, but the
Sondawe can ueually tell the two & art at once by the rhythn
which is 1:'aster i n the rwrtl'&-'l (e9t' chapter 1 · , Qt Y11Qtl2
1
di1 1'9;cencu tietw(!en s•:me t.ronM r h,rthn. ) ':t.'he 1dent1t'1cation
of hunters wi tn ~irds or pr ey is diacueaed on P• 4 00.

l Tne recording oi' this song s hows a straight beu.t o-£ the
k~rem•t~ type ra •Ol tha.~ the ooubl e beat or the Yf8'4'«A•
 ., -
,

J xt ·o. &7~h -~ f;>r t. \!2.Ll:.• u u J r •

•. i 1 t t ar .,, · , .;' _. ,l ry 1 b • •

l !iva kimna ?11.ndl laa lc,

10 ,:!wa lrf.1 ba
11 1•l ~0\/!'0 tc be, t~. tli •

• • ·c.!~· ••
12 Mh, !wa./fJ<' ,
13 ulm, l!,ikir•n,

lh Wu1., t~rnbowae,
l:, ..
... tu , 1!Jil~irt1 ,

16 lth, t't\..c..:i.y<: Cl,

l Oh .c: !,va~ he is n rrcat hu.-iter , father,

~ t.iwe inat:ed i o a grco t hw-.1.t r , well then,
3 [ nu.r.t1n1;] -pnrt:r , part:,, f'othcr ,
4 Z.! wa is a grui.t h'un.t.cr, well then,
5 Zi ~~ is indeed a gre~t hunter, fat,er,
6 -!wa, u! wa, ie a great hunter, well then,
7 i !lunti'lg] rarty, party , 'father,
8 Oh .. i..s.a , ht1 1"' a _;r~at h nter , "''u tner,

9 [l u.r. tiI'.ftJ party, party , .fr:1 tter ,

10 Z! w& i ndeed 1~ a groat hunt~r , elder brother ,
11 Oh Ql ephant, e l epha~t , rather.

•••W..•••
1? V\h , !'>h " '-! a.

lj ~l,.h' l hu •t1 wl nal"tv ,

lh t,~~. oh ele:nhant,
15 ·i "\h , rhU.."'\ t i n ... ] ') ... + r'
ltl ah, :-ih --;:---;i t hunte1·,

!!~·

.. 1 ,mti.l Hor•!\ .L!ntli \ W\li J.1: a f; ill rl p .';<>n , c1•c1.l.'te :m,

sp-C~<.!~ .. J..,) .10..·~.i .• '/ .i~ans "11111,.u1u s·,1~c.1.u_i 1t 111 .... un,awt; ,

a ~vC..),t1izcJ., co..ir.:.:qe:.hIC h1nt0r·, unu n l.ltt1·~·.LCUl1:,1!' 1:n tJ.1.uphun1~

hu.it.el" . .. a· el<l..,han .. i •J '!ilu ,:a·Js1J 1"~!L:>1;<::teu o!' aL..L L\Jll ,.ial:., , u.nd

to C calleu a apeci ulit:t f.::°i..upha 1t lhl,~vfl!' 01' JUG v W1 0.l<;ytw.ot

1.., tno i;rP-at.·.:'at p 1• 11l • ..: a ,1unU.'.!' ce.n eaz·n. •'HJ f.,on~

t,1e h\.n t~r ... 1. .-.a w ,o <>.t' tc.::n was t; 10 ..:1 !'.'at .,o ~..Jeur an elephun t .

~11.Q. .u~. dl<r' f,{'e,•/.12.l."ht{ *H•Jwtunu~ t. ... u Lg oy ,... Itani.Cu I

,.;agan~a at "a.rlia,1 , ao.r>a&I'.Y 1902 .

1 T<:1mho n !t1 oha 11 ~

t •)Ua
2 ktmoa to'-1ena // 'n' ki:aaa.
3 ( ~,Al~U!llfil ) :ic,;1:tl'lO &~e~,
4 td.nbo o t\rumbur~~.
5 •lal'.!l n 149hu n 1:1pha
6 ld112b 11 'ts•1Mnn /I ' li • )t111oa.
7 ( ..:.!ll'Z!J.ril ' "~JTbC dla ,
8 t -1Jlll>O i>drumourJJ.

~ L

1 !'11· '.!le1-,ru.\ 1 ts t ra; l e , t:-a ·.,,le

2 i"l.de .,1 1.0 t. 1e rnter , because or the ttoll.
3 (~) Oa ,;he eo eleph9..'l ts ,
4 the e lephants !'oot ui, tne earth.

5 neol 1y , t 1ey tra1rple , trample

6 i ill.10~'1 t.o t.ne •ato1•, r,~c auoe o.t' t .r..e wel l.
7 '-~-
• ) • 1

[j

Ol"Ptt:i1Y.et'l a hunt; ~h1r· i <'< lt•l·r11 t, d in n m ...1}.:_ 1 m. Otl or·i ony

that tnia :ta ru~ ul<l fHmg o,... l. e or> J gi1111l .... unc:uwf el~})hl:\n ,, hu,l t, •

foun<~"tl th nettle 1en t·1 ,r tr>ilip111 1 Tm,ul"ay an<1 ! l,oro, and

also the Clnbu , flttl , rit 1t nt SoJ.:o. 1

at ,:1,1etl) , tare l 1962.

l h, Y,u ' nu n!. • el,

..
')
'al' :tl:l' ,(l II ( 1 u·l.
3 ) S,1e llilc~.
4 !yoweo :.! n!•aa.
,.
:., ( 1']11~Un) :Ulna r.11~1.~o.

6 KJ1,,ga I na a,lnzo ,
7 't1l:' {WU t '1'9. ninzo,
8 )5if":/O n.t:-a :rt'l ca•J,
9 l;J()'ff('.{.! l 'V11e.

10 ( ,h,2;"!1;]) -\ar.a ...1nz.o.

ll 1
.1...•:.·wa' na lit1.11zo no' ,
12 1 l J:!a •na l.li.}Z() '),) t '

l.:, "iIO\'IC e t i .fOWf!I,) t

14 0•10.t~·, n4r~~u oa•d.

15 (~g&~Q) ,t.ll..a ~n.i.u ~o.

l ~. Obet l915b (map).

 ,,
,. r )
r. ~i t,

) l l :...1,:
..;l . t . r, iU to , .. ~ )T\ .
5
\
I i ( • f:-.ZC ,J u. · ' ..
6 'Io l 6 ''la :)~ t.l < jO\U'l"l.l'Y ,

7 •..lo ...'ar>k\'Jn l H th(" ;)ou,•1 ey,

8 011 ' '100 t (>;i . t~ f !'(11 11 " i:-- f;N't t,

l1 •)t t...:1' , 0 1 RG.

10 (Q.~~) , '; u I ai?.f j~ urr , ·~·.

11 ' t) • url. (. ., OU: ', .C./:'..l.6

.... < ~
t, UI so,
12 :) o lo,.a u ~Ul'!~"".f~U 1 l i t Ul LU ,

l...1 vn , ot.•t:1• , l I Jt i• ..· ,

.L,~ ' 1·,~ i l' .. CA { i.e,t., \ C'h, ti l t.X,1!.t it) l;.l \ t>.t .
.L:., I.L...n::.:.J~) •l t: t:!t. !,~(' Jom·n.cy •

~-&;..·

.. h i s s ,,••g : :i:·... co1 ~ ol'1~1n >:r.1:1 e>"a to the 11A1:1eri can !'ami ne" or
1962 ~ c .•.'. Ap:p1..:nc! ix l ·I) . ?eovle organ1 zod p ar ties to go and
seek i'a.:11nu r el5.el' hb,id- outs at, .1:,ologa imd Jfarkwa. 0 11c::oeea

wue ccle:,r•ateu wi to. a bee!' party and co'!.I .e,nornte,l in thio so~ •
..:'ho U:{t.i 0.1' tr.e ,V;)l'O J1A.l!Jl 1'0l' htii ze Oh>U'ttC tex>iZOS this 88 a

(. Olli, ">f t .e f>01lth-eAB t .1

l!'ar k•.u , ... uly 1962.

l ~·1J cn.,oo , N ' on< ! cc,

,.,,. ( Of):"' tn) : •U ..u 1:,11 .,,ea than• ,

3 T.ut a ayoo, t· t OJ\<. :{1>e ,

h ( Q!i~) : ' 1nw G" T\ {e #\ t l os ', llond! ee.

~ ., ~ :.n,j.,1 ;1. 1;;.W.•

1 Cf'. p.52.
.... }j. i l.' .J h
'
0 0 1,

2 (~£.) u~ c Ut l i ,1e~ ci ."1 iiE.heG, ch ond{,

.3 ! t 1~ fi.nitl' , vb on,} f ,

4 ( ~ r 1s.) :.)u.· COtl t i i e1;; ' i 1shed, '.>h OllU.t,

~ -, .a.Q. l.Lf.i....ttu ••

·ocer ,uat 1>u.1 u lice 101' t,, do N> at thP lncn1 o..-,1n•t. 1 ",

tine 01' _•r--nor>dinJ: ',l1L· • nng ( 1(}6'>) t,}'lo cnotr o~ l:P•c··,1rw 11o~r1cee,

a"cord.1ng :o o. cr>'t.r1: ~1< or, Ptnoil At.

< hP <'/- :'... ""):," , ~ (" t

1 <: OGl ur ::.or:,

Sh r; 3)/- 1•or cor nrc-1 ~ 14 f'NC<' vnlic1. for h~lt'

f\ ~ tmil•; and
8°1•1 60/- 1'oI' u •non t.llly com •orcial pel'tii t .

J inc<.> t,ten ttt> f'f:cu hflVfl doubJf'd, ~C'<'Orci:lnp to il'lf('t"!!'at.i cm

rocoJved 111 1003 .. rhf' Samawe <'oanla1n 1'1tt(rly nbo\1t the

(ys-wu. ~ i'or, 11' h,cr 10 t,rt-wed '11thout a licence , ~ muruma.v.

(a ~o"c·rru."!ont-·a 1,01nt.eu headmen £or e. vil lage area) i s sent to
conf _sc o. t c :l.. t kn, t,, i :1poe~ n t'ine . It ruins the country, t bey

T..... b, er tl\X ho& hed a pro:fou11~ e!'t'ect or. the original

Il~'lP '. a; 1r. t.h~ H"'"'l!H, ue-c:r tr1> local co ,rte many parties ore
no l o . . .ge1• 0 1ven purc l j and ~1 aply- as a just rElwerd for services
r ender>ed. Itt or er to cover> thz con ts or tn~ l 1cvnc~ m(>~ t 1,uer
1e n 1h sol d the.re (lftcr an ini t1Hl free g ift, t'!'lc pri o.) 'being

50 c t•nts (,s 6d. ) e ~ · Tbe Ju~ is a Gtnnda?'d .measure for

b eer oi' a oout tour pints; the nar:e is (ierivet1 t'ron: a coit"'ero1 al
b r•and oi' cool i l'.- fAt which 1e sold i n thP t 1ur. which orl)Vido
t ne meaaure. J ruw bnor- s ociuls qre llOW r un on semi-co?:' crcic.11
l ines and !'or the purpose of making a i,rotit (and also f or
gaining pr estige by the quality and t he quantity of the brew).
l , 1,..r ttu1 c• u l k£. ' ,. ,• ~ ) .
r peo1':i1 c. a • b< r N1H.._ \ .~ , Ul, < J ru Jio1 t tu, a ~ ..Ja E'Otlg.

1 t it ore 01· t, 1..= fow t: ont,.t or whi< h tl,t. cor,pobe1• le: kno,;-,n : te

is a !l'EH' ct>lle<l ill{ (r:..)W <1e<a•Uu!d) who wna a you•f;cr bt>ct er•

01 ...o;..J

~n_l!Q.. _l31. ~:..t.mltJ!'..:r·cl!lr...!.£l_c.....~lit r.;,..~:L.. 'ttng r,y t'C' .

Hiail! n J.Jf!hl~ et 1 m ( to, It.tut t l9b.>.

l r t 1~ l Ht ,' j ' {'

t t ,• f 1' t (' "( {: '

? l (,t N l ( 11]\"f' l' 11

•• I t t"l ~/f'(' t

3 lM I UI 1 ( ip C l~~ tll'lc:·00~

11 ( L..!~'ll..L' •t. I l f : t ~I t { ~ llf'l .

! ()0 ,1< ht<'~ i·r.~h( :7((1 '.

'(; f.1 ! '
11

( {'.b!)) 'Ul} ) 6t l'n 1 c b hi !1h 'ahu .

7 1 ~o 1 orko r:ru r af ni , t,M t &r.lhCY< e 't
8 ( }1.\2r.YPJ 1166 'u·,l·o 't,i-,hint1. • a 1 ua .
9 I t~6 fut ['n l<wn km bn , hM ''Hn1'C'"Y(•f. ';'

10 (('.horuP) l 66 ~mlJf' tl!hina ' tikua.

£..::.£.,

1 r~t:. t , Whf:lt. 1:-- t!11 c thon , :,.-imbc , what oh t otnbCt

2 il1at, wh11t !.s th!.& then , Uru,,be , wil.nt oh i'!ambe,

3 Whnt, ,,nat 1c t'11c t hen , •ambe, \fhat t hon L\runbe?

(Q:.0.r:;1q_) hut, • a111be- ,,1 .;h- the-- ba:re- ·ou t tockfl , Makua!
5 .hflt , whut noiac . ~;hut oh !a.mhc•.
6 l {'borw" ) Iha "I>, lbmbt'- -..,;i. th-thc- bB.l'e-bu t. tocks , Maltua!

7 rhut, v,n,aat for qu1;1i'.l'Ol>3•.me w,iae, whnt oh urnbc·,

8 ( Q?:rntlA'l.) ,'h$:lt , ,&uioe-wi th- tne - b are- bu ttocka, Uakua:

9 ,,lv, t , t1o ai... up 'i11t.i r <.)pe , who.t oh -ru:lbu'?

10 {Chorus) ,n.a t-, J;;awi.>e- wi th- the -bare-buttocks , Uakual

W.•
 r. w 0 C':J. .. cnt" , a< ri6. . 3

i '4~(. , • it .'\11 • tu
tlUll'.Pl t l. •>I ,(, ~i !. l t.l l' 1'' l' • con pt I (' ~L c le 0 E,l ...,a~
~ na ai·e n .tru· - , c. •ioe h ... ,, tt e
Ol C
' u ' n•.,e
' ·:.1 O v.I

(l'., (ll ( uh( ir

nal!lc h:l. < cor-," .1no'\Y1.nn::.. it.. ' 1 etru.ugt l' • 1 ' t e cl•orol 1::.:lc f'
r:~ t . .;, to ri< icu:\.<:. h, [,OI. i fJ fJUil to 1·~ l't"'X'

.,o u,1 O<;..;unim1, m .c..cr· t.> r :- rul", 1vhe1 u. hot ,·. u • ci ... c cl >< , .era

WJl'> waa n o tri ct I inciplin· riun, l n• 1u111e • i(•d t.o a t11•e m- c

caned. In •ic;o;)W'>1.f'J:' '· ,e:.t o. 71, ,;t tr>u cor,\ unnr- ,i1ut u ma0
'
c'll.l,..d ~mlH.: be put in chaine uw 1 cam o. on tar but c~kc. •

11.s r ,u u tr" ·11::nen :; 01 :u:1be i ::-1 re•1eM 1e1•ecl Tti ,h obvi ouo glee.

• t one l>.rn1• art.r tnia aoug Hn•, \.\Boe\ u.i.. \''hnt liudc.1..1 .. re-
cl'own cu.1.1.a l'.l dii'..'uoi::: nc,i ~ t 1·1c [1fmct1on , a spo1,tru1cous action
01 1:r1•) cr.>ow'l to 1• st1•1,dn a par ... 1cul•u.•ly ohjee;tional>le chtti>ttctot".3
1'i1e ...mn hud vecn w1 i ..·1•i to tin~ nu1oance locully, and had oeun

1'ined by t 1; n · lH 1 v,u• 100:i ~l·lur:J .i'or.· vn:r.1.oun o!'!'onc~s. aving

!lade l'I 1u1.u,mc,., )L' ht oaolt" U/.:S'rtin at t nc t>ur ..,y, tie h :use owner

11ad t'h.~s i. lot i t ht,.t J.• V> in to him t'1a t he wa~ no lo~er welcome .
lh~n he r.:,nt H:! i 1.,0 HO he was rorcioly l?P.tnovcd l'l'om th<' court-

fa.rd ~I t\fo a LX'C111 i t1~n , Je !. iw came back aga1n. l:,1en ao1..1eone

h;gan v) sii1g t.10 uou_; <Jf arube, but. wi t.i th~ )1.'l 'ender • s newe

i n it, a. 1d t .ii:l .vae i 1 ,ediatel..t to.ken up by all th gu,1ato .

'l'h1 ; U'1'l'XllP.ct~ I :1now :')f' u•ii:i."l1m1 ty wns efrac ti vo, f<>r t he man

1) cf.u11e l'•J1•ioun t1 d a'bll&i .,re but. he went awny.

1 C-' • :P• 16.

2 191[. , 168 ( .,ege>•e also avvt~nrs i n te:x:to Nos . 137, 14.3 and
18?. of t h 11'3 t hee ii,) .

3 1952, 206.
 459

~· The dance ot the ~oung herdsmen, the mans4aL

Dempwoltf gives us one song text of the "men•s dance
mf&Agoa", thie le reproduced i n t he tollowlng pages as text No.
137. He defi nes the dance as a 'bell dance • in his vocabulary , 1
but van de Ki m"lenade translates 1 ts meaning as ''danee dee
2
Jeuneo gens". The meaning ot the term m&-na.d·& appears to be
indeed a dance ot the circwncized, i. e . of youths who have
paeeed through the ir i nitiation ritual and become men, cf.
the t erms &41, Bd, or the Rimi nB.Q,1 which mean initiation
ritual.
3 Dempwoltt•s text supports this interpretation, tor

it e~preesos t he pride t hey take i n their young manhood.

The mangda 1e the dance of the young herdsmen, hunters
and warriors, and the traditional t i me tor 1te performance i s
said to be duri ng the hot evenings or the last part of the dry
season. Thi e i s also the time when the washing ceremonies
(n//&co•o) have 3uet been performed, marking the trane1tion or
the 1n1 tlatee ( tdkel,1) to the s tatus ot young men (k.!.m:4) and
t heir incorporation into adult s ociety. When these young men
are put i n charge of the cattl e to herd them, they like to take
them eome distance away, spendi ng the night at the homestead ot'

a clans tellow which then s erves as a cattle camp. 4 Thie is

•t1d to be the proper ocoaalon for the mangda to be danced,
with all the young people or the neighbourhood t'looking to the

l 1916, 48.
2 1954, 48.
3 ~. P• 370.
4 The Sandawe have no age eeta and no warrior cl ass ; the
hunters and the her dsmen are t he warriors. In cattle raids
eome or t hem have established Nputat1ons as great war
l e aders. Among the Alagwa these had consi derable statue and
were bUJtied in a apecial way, but among mos t ~ the other
olane good hunter• onJoT the eame reputation as W81' leaders;
where hunti ng wae more important than cattle raiding 1 t was
the huntera who provided dominant leadership.
 46o

oeoaeion and tho young herdsmttn forming the cttntre of attraction.

Together with tully devel o~ed adults they torm the c ompany ot'
c:!ancora while the g1.rlo and tho womeu look on and encourage
them with ululat ions . ~he dancer s do qutto a lot ot showing otf
tn t'ront o~ the girls, jumping up hi gh on6 brandishing their
bows and at>ron, a.nd the dance goee on ell into the night. 1
tn t he s outhern bord~ r lando the mapf;:11 h not know , noJ>
1a 1t 1n the Buru.nge borderland or i"Umbakoec and 1n the south-
eaetel"fl extrem1t1e• or the h1lle . Here it i s replaoed by the
IIPbdoA which 1e conddered to oe not a Sanda"e dance at all,
but Gogo or Baraguyu. Thie is a jumping dance ot young warriore
who do not exist ae a social group among tho Sondawe. lts
Sinsin.l is wordl ess and consists or sequencee of ~elodio
exclar:a.ationa ( ~ h4, hl, etc.) whioh are ejected r orce~ully
in canon ~ora by the dancers themaelvee ae they j ump.
Tho song& or maus§o are centered upon the individual young
men (praise eonse) and on events in t heir herdemen• s llvas
(top1cal, hi storical). The ~ollowins texts give an example or
each tYP••

§qps, et mang&a,

t11t Np, 136, The RRP»4 Young her4emu, suns by Mi-. i,·rancta
Kumanf Salul4 at Pal"kwa, July 1962.

1 Sq11a hl,e k41ra,voo

2 Gawl mara,
3 laale y4e&, aqedo.

4 Hl•• heao klromleee,

5
6
Gaw
lael.e .•.
aara,
,., lllll!UIJI.

i In Deapwol1"t''• text No. 20 (1916, 121) • girl ta asked where

ehe reoe1ve4 her pregnenoy. Answers 'At the 11os61•.
 461

7 Pagtla hl,e eangedomle11

8 Oawd,
9 Laale y~e& , mmmmm.

1 Well then , now he scorns then,

2 the handsome Gaw&,
3 well then, oh, the haughty.

4 Now then he was s corning all ,

5 the handsome Oa_.,
6 well then, Zlll!IDUll14.

7 And then, now, mocking he was,

8 Oawl,
9 well then, mml'Jl.!Ml.

Oa~ und his fellows are wea.I'ing the tine~y with which the~
have emerged ~rom their initiation period, and now they are
dancing the mangda. Resplendent in hie new white loi~cloth,
bead etr1ngs , and new weapons, Oalfl! jumps proudly and
d1sda1ntully, a.~d the s ong praises his handaomeneaa. The word
eans:,40 in lines 3 and 7 ot the text, which ie ueed to convey
haughtiness or disdai nt"ul mocker y , a t111 carries associations
with the i mages of its component parts, ~-.4, 'he with the
Lion aanee• {from s6ngu, Lion manes), and Ao., •the condition of
power• (from 4&, power). toung herdemen in their finery are
ehown in photo No. 13.

ioxt I A• l]Ze 'Zht return of the catt11, Reproduced from

Deapwoltt •a text No. 89 {1916, 17.}-4) and retranslated.

1 Hindilo •we, d.zUllbeye,

2 laleye, !Tafikeee.
3 Softacnre, bana r16ke, 'elale, lauiyo
 462

1.:. balabala ts' :,o f'ntikeee.

5 balabala ts• e, /n1n1 •wanoe •a •embo,
6 aoflgowe dzumbewe, ! 1' ahkose.
7 heeo•wo, dzumbeye, lala,
-t Toflkeee.
8 lauiye balabalats•yo
9 /ntni •wamoe, 'alale, ke'ekoyo.
10 kaclziya bori •were.
11 daumbe •wa 1 &1Boyo, celale.
12 maaaye, jtelale,
13 mwanaitgwaye , •andelawe,
14 aofl.gowe, hen •wa•amo.

15 degera, •e elaleo
16 <ag1da daaenayo,
17 eoflsowo, dzumbeye 'wa•amo;
18 ke 1 ekoyo.

l Oh joy-, oh eub-chie~,
2 ob come on, he te bringing [ t he cattle] back.
3 Oh Songo, Ur. Ltnke'e repres entative, hey, come on,
4 he te bringing them b ack on the road.
5 '!'he beloved eua tenance 1s on the road, they tell [us ],
6 oh eub-chiet Songo, he bringe them back.
7 'l'hey t hen, oh t he sub-chtet, onwards, he bri ngs them back.

8 The representative then, 1a on the road,

9 the beloved eustenance, hurray, lis ten t hen.
10 They go about gathering [ the people] tor t he work.
11 The eub-chiet, he 1s cloee then, hey, come on,
12 Grandmother, h6Y, come onl
13 Oh Village-head, oh co-wife,
14 oh Songo, it ie he who 1& cloee.

15 Degera, yea , hey oome on,

 463

16 oh headman Daeena t .h en,

17 oh dongo, oh the aub-chier, he is cl os e ,
18 listen then.

Dempwol.1'1' comments that this eons celebrates the retux-n ot

cattle which had been conf'1acated by the authorities on an
occasion unknown to him. This conf1ecatlon appe&l"e to have
oocUI"red at t he time o~ the Sandawe insurrection aga1nat the
1
Germane under Xahli k1. lnt'ormants with whom I have diacuesod
thi s text s ay that t he countr y was ravaged at that time, houses
were burnt, the people fled i nto t he hills, and the cat t le was
driven o~ to K111mat1nde. The Alagwa leader Sonao, the son
ot Xahliki, made peace with t he Oermans, and secur ed the return
ot the Sandawe cattle. He got h1meel1" recognized as the ohiet
0£ all. Sand.awe by the <ler mana, but he also gained great preetige
amons t he Sandawe thomeelvee by h1s success. Mr. Linke (line 3}
was the German H.c.o. who built the post at Kwa Jltoro, and
Degera and Dasena (linos 15 and 16} wezoe appoint ed headmen under
ch1et Songo. 2
The re-translation of this te~t ohows no e1gn1t1cant
departures f rom Dempwolff'' e German translation except t he new
translation 'beloved sustenance• tor L.n1n1 wwe 1n l ines 5 and
9, which he translates as 'the maize- t"ri end' ( ~ clei s(r@W)d}.
The Sandawe word n/in1 does mean maize. but i t aloo meana t"ood
in general, that which provides people with noUI"iehJoent and
sustenance, both as tood and ae a meane tor maintaining the
tabr1o ot society. Cattle are sustenance to t he Sandawe, a vital
baala to~ their eoonomy. The arrival ot the herds, guided bT
Sandan herc:lamen, ta excitedly anticipated, and in line 10 the
people are being called together tor the d1str1but1on ot the
cat tl.e.

l Ct. P• 30.
2 Reterred to ae Taongo by Bagahawe (1925, 334).
 464

Sh A 1iarvea t and 0011.r t 9 hl.P da™-.L.th<i 1ant1Jt._

The J,.a;:idt1 is ono of t.he '!')en t Im.own doncos or th<> Sandawe ,
but its p~rr~r nsnces have becom& r~rc . ~ho songs , however,
ehow no aicrno of dying out and man:, of' thom are well z,en1embera4.

The 8andawe say t hat t~e m1saions have ouppreseod the dance
because ot the late hour until wh1c:1 the;: go
eom-t ship act1v1 tie". 'l'he n1'3sionar1ee deny that th<."y ever
£orbade the llll.44, but t he dn 1ces which I wi tnessed we~e all
held at considerable distances .tt>oo the near est ~is ui on.
Recent eisns seem to indicat~ that the Scmnawe are becomj ng
hesitant again to hol d the t~etival .
The season ot t he land.4 begins ae soon ae the first
har vests are 1n, and it 1& said that 1ta purpose i s to celebrate
the collecti on ot" tht1 h81'Vt'6 t at'ter which the t11:1e comes for
tho people to "'njoy t hecmel ves. A quotation :from van de Ki mme-
nade in the r 1rst chapter of th1e theeie deecribee the
atmosphere which then prevails, and shows how impor tant an
ins t i t ut ion the dance ie in the la.Ying ot :tounaatione f or
betrothals and marriage. 1 An anonymous writer says that

"[The] l.Dl4SJa ••• ie tor the mutual ohooeing of matee by

both s exe~ . Uarried poopl o may part1e1pate, but onJ.y a a it
were ~or the tun of it. - as a bus iness pr opos ition [ it) is
2
appl1oab1e onl.y to the young unmarried y?utha and maidens."

Tho land4 i e 1ndoed a s ~eat dana1ng reset i n which anyone

may talte paJtt • and the ntmosphere is relaxed. Dempwol :ff statee
that 1 t 10 the only dance which he has wi tneaeed himself• and
he gives an account ot two ot the dances which he saw. 3 or tho
tiret 4anoe he gives the following deecr1pt1on: a eubohiet
:t:tret leads about 60 men and 40 wolllen, all between 12 and .30

l PP• 4 0-l.
2 Anon•• n . d. ( Kondoa District nook) .
3 1916. 102-,.
yi,ars of' a!{e, to the cattle onoloe'.ll'o for 'Che dance. l The
song l eader them eeparu teo the ooxeo anu places tile men to the
no:rt."1 a.'l'ld the ;.)!Den t:) t'1e south in long rows which toucther
.ton a circle. He 1:,aclo tho son.;, which the choruo l"Cpeato.
The ncn s trunp tho rh;/thm wit!:. their feet 'nhile the women s.tand
a till . Three to t'i·,e oen then come for urd at a time and begin
to dance around in the circle. Ench of' them carries in hie
right hnnd a stick Vlhich he la:,a on the ehoulde::- ot a woman.
The men s"tay 1n .front ot' the women they have oelected for- the
duration or oevoral movement5 or the song. ~canwhile tlle song
has ended And the song leader has set 1n another song which is
taken up by the chorus who at the same tin.e mark the rhythm
with hand-clappinu• t..ftcr a pause ( t he dnncina hae been gotng
on .for obout hftl~ an hour, rron 1c. 30 to ll a.m. ) groups or six
to twelve women go up to the mon and each ot them touches a man
on bis left arm, and thon they go back; attctr that they i'orm
two clooely l1nk~d rows by Sl'i pping one another around the
waist. 'l'llen the men come torward one by one and approach the
row o!' women and i'orm pairs \ti t h them; again they hold one
another by the w&tst, the men etand1ng on t he lett, the women
on their right. Uraduall,Y they torm a throng which begins to
.follow the song leader. I n the meantime another song, which
had already been eung betore, ha d been taken up aaain.
At laat the t h.J'ong dissolves; the men separate :from their
partners and all torm rows aaa1n. once again the women come
torward to ohooee their partner•, and the ohoaen men hold them
by the wa16 t until t'inally the throng of e tamping pairs 1s

l I follow Dempwolft ' s acoount in free tranclat1on, l eav1na

out such detail as which song toxta were sung at what
~articul«u" moment beoauae t ~i• 1a not relevant here. The
eong leader aay initiate the singing o~ an:T ~ song he
choose• at atlY' etage o~ t he proceedings.
 466

roadJ again, and so on. The 1'1r~ t dance which Dompwol.ft' 80

descriuea ltaa s toppcu by a showe;c>. HiG second dance took. place

in t he a1'l.oi>.noon, but he aucw tllnt other· dance:. last lont:er
and that ho heard them go on in ·too dis·..ancc ur.til m1ful1ght •
.JOmpwolfi' w1 tneo rcd h i :1 :tiri.;t dance on the 26th April ;
thia is about as eal'l;( as one inny expect to soe the 1..a,,QM, but
Sl)meti lllea the dancea mQJ begin to be held evE:n ea1"lier if the

harvests are in aar4'. 'l'hey oout1nuo until the end o'£ HovucbGr
'When the firat rain~ put an end to al.moGt all dancing
act1 vi tioe.
A few add1 tional com:1e11te have to be made on the eticko
snd. on the oriontation oe the dancers which Demp11oltf describos.

In the dances which I ht1ve seen the dancers• orientation always

ugreea with Dempwolf'...''s descr• i ption. Initially the raen stand
i n a nalt - cil"cle to the north, with the wor..ien opposing them.
~'he oontoure of the torra1n s eem to havf> little influence on
thi s arrange mon t . tlhen they pail• ort the mon remain on the
north side, s o that when the throng eta1•ts moving with tne men
on the l ~tt and the women on the right, they ~dvance towards
the east. Eventually the throng swings back to the centr~ of
0
the dnnce place, me~1118 a right hand turn of 180. 1.e. t he
dancers move first to the e a s t, then south and f i nally wes t.
Sometimes the proceaa16n ends at tho end ot ~he western move -
ment, and s om6t1mee it continuee ai-ound the dance floor i n a
clockwise motion. The explanation whY this ts so, 1t is said,
1e that ' t he sun diee i n the ~•et' (//'ek4eu nl/eenatasa ll.11.!.~ I

and it is added to t hie that f or this r eason the dance r e ally

ought to end at the end or the movemetit to the West. In r eply
to tha queetion •by the men should i nitially stand 1n the
northern h"lt' ot the dance floor, it 1s stated the people or
old have originally come trom the north. It is also sai d that
in ~arriage people face east.
 467

'.u1e wovon:en ts or the dance may thua be i nter pr e ted lll3

eymboliz1n~ th<.l c ourse or h 1,;man l ife . In t,M~ begin n i ng mo.n

I NITIAL FOSl TION

-,- E
f
I
s . PAI RI NG OFF
88888888888888888
g
0 0
t °" 00 0 00
ooeooo
t i10M N
tifOVEMEllT o-I! THRONG

The 1,a.n.g4: the deve l ~pmen t o~ the dance.

arrived t'Pom the north , perhaps emerging ~rom an aboriginal

womb represented by the circle. tie seeks hie female partnei-
1n the south and pairs o~r with her, taoing the east in their
marriage which ie life-giving. Together theyreeume thei r
southwal'd j oUl'ney th~ough 11~e, to end up in t he west • hioh
represents death.
Van ' o arrival trom t he north i n the dance appears to be
tounded,at least partly, on a myth that all the people , or
perhaps the e arl1ost Sandawe , came originally from the north.
But tbere is another explanation. I t 1e s aid tha t in t he
beginning the Cr eator lived in t he north. .ire 1'a& lotunda, wl10

was a1eo the sun. In an aboriginal pa~adiae ther e was only

the aoon 1n the ak,Y, and ehe wae a woman. The Sandawe say
'Mhen Ila tunda saw her, the
tollowed her to the south,
&CJ.ta t1•:,tnguts•sa w., ™ Jmyats •axdmatenaa tt'A6mi. aa
L•yk'4sy). The moon, banign and cool, 1e asooc1ated with the
rain,v eeason and fertilitJ . The f1rat ra1na begin 1n the and
or :November men the .noon a tanda in the southern hemiaphere.
The hot dry seaaon which 1• aeeociated with the sun, occurs
l'ben the eun rule& the northern hal~ ot t he slcy. Since the
eun te aeeoc1ated with masculinity and the moon with tem1n1n1ty,
 468

1 t is no longezo d1:f'fic~11 t to aee why the men ohould 8 tand to

the no~th in the dance, and the women to the south. Li ke the
aboriginal aun , their creator, the men follow the women t o the
eouth and marry them. 1
The st1eke ar e also highly eymbolic, bu t they are more
exclua1vel.y associated with marriage. It appears that cuttings
are taken t"rom only a few plan te !'or making them. '.i'heae plan ts
aJ>e the t'4maka tree (Lanuea atuhlmanni), the t • atwn shrub (not
1dent1£1ed) , and the s talks of millet and maizo plants.
The /dmakt is osooclated with healthy womanhood by virtue of
1 ts healing and anti-wi tchcr a:t't pz>opertiee; 2 the ! • aqa 1s
symbolic of male viril1ty; 5 and millet and maize e talka carry
the fruits ot the tield, providi ng the su stenance or lite.
'l'he aot or touching a woman on the shoulder atanda for the
11an•e proposal to marr1aRe befor e ho pairs ot:r with his pal"tner
in the dance. It is eaid that 1r a girl and a youth take a
liking to one another, they will $elect one anoth~r repeatedly
ae partnera and go through the etick ritual; this may then lead
t o f ormal abCuet1on and marriage.
There 1e also a competitive element in the lanw1• t outha
who are vyine for a girl's favours will t ry to outdo one another
when dancing i n front or her. St1cki'1ghte are often held at
1and4 ¥estivals , and on more than on~ occasion these r1ghte
have been the reoul t 0£ i ntense eompe,t1 tior. on the dance :floor. 4

l The ~the of origin prooented in this t hesis (texts Noa. 19

and 20) do not mention mankind'e northern origin, but in
Bagahawe•~ version (p. 292) the creator Uatunda ia the aun
who marries the moon. This ma;, acoo•mt :t"o1~ the belief' held
b7 aome people, that the people aro ultimately o1: northern
Ol'igtn.
2 Ct. P• ~1,.
3 Ct. minstrel sy text No. 166.
4 o:r ~ (etiokt'1ghts) of. text No. 58 (p. 328).
The l,w'l_d.4 ic tht"IU ~ht, to be of' R1"11 ort;,-in, nntl 1 to name

correooc,ni,,o with the R1m1 ~.!.\•. , 111on .. t he R1m1 comr,e t.i +1on
O"'PEIPrn to b,. eguo.llj.' :t."irr~e, an;\ Oll'on :p1•eae nts ue w1 t h a R1m1
1H1 tiation eonr; rth1oh hM th1r;; oolt\Pot1 tion o.P 1 t n "Ubje~t:

"J t the U@rlo r s h:..,11 ou tdo :rou.,

Yen , at the !lU?"da I shall outdo you,
As the braided f eathers or the hnJilat>o bird
1ee, ac tJ.1c brai<ie;d t'eather~ or the b@r1h~bQ b1I>d
A6 at the .,:.W..Oll l f.ihall OU 1.do y ou . l

Just ae the ritual of 1apQ4 expresses the eource of a

nan's life, so the songo comnemorate noteworthy occaEiona in
•.,'hey oi•e not concerned tt1 th the aymboliem of the t>1 tee, but
are purely topical; they der c:r1be incidents which have 10:rt a
deep imprint on the memories or tho trib~emen, or whi ch have
aft'ectod the life o~ t he tribe as a whole. The :f'ollowing texts
have been arranged i n a sequence which ehowe a~:peots o~ warfare,
eoc1al behaviour . the advent of govel'JUllent and pao1f1cat1on,
famines an<1 pl'osper1tY• and labour.

l Olson, 1961, 185. It will be noted tha the s ongs or the

Sandawe ~ are not competitive at all. Competitive songs
are well developed t'Urther north. Korit~choner (Cory), 1937,
47, givee ue a number ot: "compe tition songs" of the Sukuma,
u well. as "eon.gs of a boasting character". The lattel' evoke
remin1ecences of the exaggerated eelt-extolment which 1e so
very marke d a feature ot the heroic r ecitations ot the Bahima
who live still t"urther away (»orria , 1964).
 470

Text J~o ~ li>eeking ai d in war. sung by MI-. 'tl a lo Mdak i

at Farkwa, Jul y 1962.

2 Eha Iil:tk ' wa: "K6ngonaa' h ! k ' is ' yoo".

3 Aya h 66o , J thiguma n//w~c &, ,wa h l ee

4 h6 lfl.!k'wa, h6 ll4nguma
5 K6ngonas ' a ki mba th!a& a ' mb6riyoo.
6 A.umu ke mli 'ba ' ~nes •yoo~ 0

7 Aya h66e , B4nguma n//w~e~,

8 ttwa :rn:Oc'wa, ·~6ngona hik 'i f" 1 yoo" .
9 H~ ,ln' t':e ~ h~6lalee, "Kdnennao ' h ik' i s • • "
10 K! nb a t hdana ' mb6r1y~o.

l He• the Bdnguma boy

2 well he , Hlik'wa [ s aid]: "To K6ngoee I shall go then."

j Well he t hen, t his Rdnguma boJ, well he now,

4 he t hen, !tl!k 'wa, oh, t he Bthiguma [boy ]

5 to K6ngosc r e ally he ran, to i mpl ore their help.

41
6 Bah0 , he encountered, "Am I not [ a ] grent [ man], then?"

7 Well then, he, this B4nguma boy

8 he then, Hl!k •wa [ said]: "To K6ngose I shall oO then.''
9 Oh Wa't1, onwa~ds, 0
To Kdngoae I go 0 ,
10 indeed, runni ng t hex-e, to i mpl or e t heir help .

Cl ansmen and good neighboUl's are expected to help one another

when they are threatened by raids . When t he people or Bi nguma
were attacked ~Y Datoga raiders the boy Hl!k'wa ,as despatched
 h7l

ir. ha:; tr tc nrnr-ty Y.6n...,ot1e to "'et }ielp. "hr:1r hC'adman, rho

wa2 c €1led Kemue. nc{ ci•di ne to tht 1r fc•rn:ar,t , C:ecline<' d!6'da1n-
:Cully t !'l1: 'fla..1 i t i=: i:ho"n i n lir.c 6. Hiri show of' bad nci ghbour-
c hir k co:.r .u,orc.tc. 1r the cong wt.kh r:tir,mnt1zcs hire each
t i me 11 1~ rvng.
The n~tc ~ in t.h~ nintr li~r hns not!1ir,g to do with
the r-org. 1'h1E i f t.ho E'anc~a\"lc .ca.l'!lc o.r the .1Ungwa he all.man

Cel einani who \'1&0 chief of: the ~e.nca11e from 1915-40. The ~ong
leader hor.oure him by 11,vo~ ine !.16 nc. nc ; tl:is i s :fairly often
~one in topical poetr y. as ne ohall see. ?Ji.!.t died i n 1940
but th€ song wae r ec~r ded i n 1962, and reFpect 1a therefore
Pa i d to his ghoo t.

' '"xt l,o. 129, '£?JS 11'?'&r'2smed 'tabY, 8ung b;r ··r. Francis Kuman!
Ealula at Dcnkl,al eto, July 1962.

l To•:tnt e, ta• ! nte , }'ak'l1a, to 1 1nte .

2 Kt1me !hants'A n// 1neyoo,
3 Te • :!nte, ts • ! nte , Maln1a, te' fntfl.
4 Yalatayl e hl 'neeto' ina / ' ~e
5 1/ i m~ / •ee pa k~Yoo
6 Ta turt1~nga 1/1m, Humts'ayoo.

7 Mak'dayl e 4ah ll~le

8 D/at i ml n!' pa k~yoo,
9 TatU?"i1t1nga 1/ i m~ l hante •eyoo.

l .daby, l1 t t l e child , the stranger ( 1o t,1ere], 11 ttle child.

2 At t he rock expanse or K,me i t ia lying,
3 Baby, little child, the e tranaer [ 1e there] , 11 t tle child.
4 Oh the atranger, w~ t hen does he watch it,
5 He hae come tor it, wa tche d i t, and 11rted it up,
6 The Taturu i ndeed, he hae come ror it a t t he ~lat rock.
 472

7 Oh ~tro~ er, duh, tlnt,

6 The~ ht~··t cc, ..c. w,~ .,.onE) a·1d tnh •1 :..t,1p,

9 Ih(. :..·u turu :'..1,docd, he ho.c cot ,, to1: it at th<"' fln t roci.:.

'..:he , 011,£; dc:-cribef un cpirock whcn ':.:'uturu raide1>a hnd ! n-vatlt'd

nu arC'n or ,"entcr•n !'undm.f«: coui1~r., ne,ar t'10 r ock o!' "cn<'l, nnd

the local 3:m<lu\'J11 htu hidden tl1c UtJelvcn in t he hu3h llll<'I between
th<' r ocks . ':i'hiu in a tl•adi tionul reacti on to 1nt:ru6.cr~ of the
Garu1awu who arc <.\N;cribed by Meyer as 11
~ ~" ( ver:, shy). l
\fomon had been col f'c-t1nr,; wild V{"gc. f.ableG ane r ol)te near an
mcpa nse o'f bare rock whe1•9 one o!' t ·wm had put down her baby.
'!hon t3e c";rans;r;. warriors arri ved 1 t was too latE' t o :retch
the b -by rrom t i~c reel·, it wet· left oel:.incl end the war1•1ol"e
;~ound it.
~'he ot ~ungo~o are ~eferred to ac ~ and ao ~~tutu.
The t e rm !w.fl, Al t housh the nouC' of a tri o~, f;1mply n1eane
stranger. Tat).Q!y meQZls n 't'aturu or Dntoga tribesman, but as
Obet notoe, t he ter m i s wi del y us ed rQr an;.r non-nontu. 2
According to llobineon ale.ve raids se em to hove bothered t he
3andawe at the time ot .Am4o', but t he l atter ooon put an end
to thi s by threatening war. 3 Some people t hi nk t hat the
intruders mentione d in this oong were •ooaa tcl people' (.iUEAo.
n//oko, 111• children of t ho coc8t) , a t erm which includes
Swahili, Arabs, and Europeans, but the suppl ier of the text
says that t hey wer e Uang•at1 ( Bnrabaiga).

l 1914, 297. c~. also Ponck, 1894, 292.

2 1913, 19c.
3 l 957b ( 1/8 ).
Text Ng,, .IM!t ~.JlUUJ.::l~.~Jlh Uung by I.Ir . Frane1a KWllan f
Salul4 at Sankwal e to, Juiy 1962.

4 1,/or.t", f k11 c 1 ' tfont n n//1nc~.roo

5 Lon?.o }.jrr: !'111 MIU ! han.

6 Awayoo llt1ho Wa:r:!t:.ba k ' ar~ mak • ~nes • yoo

7 h6 mak '~et- tl,

8 ts i c5s'(la 'wa hwabuea I / 'ets • wayoo,

···~···
9 i'h<1 ke n/on~sa l:ine ! ' t111.aoa
10 Jr\ wdc 1.1nzit k · r:e n//1nPca.

:.1 A.,1a:,oo k t go '.ar!uba k' ar~ I!'al':' ~;roo

13 tc•doUa ' wa hdmbu.oa //'e tn •wayoo.

~.
l Men~, y ou UonM, what, you ..ent,,
2 our yolJJ16er aiste:r, theJ bring her cot t l e all the .,.••j
well then yes 1ndoed. ) 2 x.
3
4 ~ut on account or th~ man sho lieG on the grounu, ~
5 on account or Lonz& she sprawls oa the gl"ound. ~
6 Oh well then, t he Warimba yo uth was truly amazed,
7 oh yes he was truly amazed.
8 OUr younger siste~, t Aey bring her cattle all the time.
•••W..•••

9 And the next d~ again, on account or a man she 16 on the

ground,
10 even on account ot him, LonzcS, she 11es still.
ll Oh well then, t he War1mba youth was t r uly amazed,
l2 How then he wae amazedt
13 OUr younger eieter, they bring her cattle all the time.
 474

•,.s.,t: .,.i1•l ....c,.t.(l ha... .1.-~ ... u.ee::u. ma~· eUi l'.o:t'th '..l.heA comes Lonzo,
a iumd601ae yow~ ariiuba claru.1.Ciar, wl,o 1 very el1&1ble, out s he
reru&eG al so hi s cattl e becauae she does not want to becoQe hie
br1<te. Gb •lo m>ti expected to E;et ma:rt·1ed ar,d bear oh1ld.ren ,
b u t ten t4'' u Oct<, bt haviolll' onl.v o.epl'1 vec her :family of br1c.ie-

weal t11. 'le.€ song thcrc.,:ore ridicule-a her. ~t upid or

un.reaconuble um,i.llh gne::,e to go alonu io e>preet1ea. in the
Uandawe idioin 1n terms 11kc tre ones used. in this e ong. In tne
Eto:ry or the Unae~1 war t h~ stupidity of ~he magician ~6no is
c:r!'tet1vel~ portl'a.;, ed wt-.en he •slinks down' ( limpl y) or 'slides
<,own• ttfter being stood up (like an unweancd child wh ich caru1ot
oven otana on i to 019?l t'eet) . 1 In the min& t r elsy song ot' the
tu1w1ll1ng h m t111g <1oe the pride of t he 1~am1ly is lying down
~lBcl e~sl¥ •ana et1ro not• . 2 ,:.ere the girl lent, aleo 'liee
lo\'ftl on tho ground• {in otupid, childish recalcitrance) and
• tJprawJ.a on tho r:rmmd • { ar u· oh~ hae dropped dom i n an
ungainly nanner) . ~he oanaawc do not stand alone in mocking
mal"r1a go a vere1or l i ke !. enttS•s in i'ine irony. A Dinka 61.ngsc

" ••• J\ig gir l, dar~co& wa<ldliz, g/ Ar: a h1ppopot8l'.luc 1"srt1ng

in 1 ts tracke/ l r:iov~ my c at t l c to the pastures o~ t.acul ••• " 3

Tllc Gan,lnwe do not only derHln such behavioux-. In etor1e a

they ohow that 1-t may brine dire ros ultu: in t~xt No. 11 a g! rl
turns domi eu:i tors until ohe endr up lm1ng taken against her
will b y a snake at the well, 4 and in t ext No. 13 the man-re1"ueer
i e lande d with a lion- huaband. 5

1 P• 288, 11nee 71 ar.d 83.

2 Teyt 110. 165.
3 L1unhardt, 1963, 88.
4 P• 184, lines 1-6 and line 18.
5 P• 216, lines 1-a ~r.
 475

'.1.oxt 1"9• l h,I. , tli l- ur.ouuan l}ae Pn.Hli on :ttw l'.!Ofls2.-. vung by

Mr . oen//a .:.wtt<~a at H1bt1ni.rta, August 19b..',.

l riab.! ··10 1t13 ' a !dL"l"~,

2 1h:a F.'.'1zumt1e //,">o ' :na / ' PO,

3 s~• :na n//'K3, 11'1ne,;e n//..,6 .
t~ K' a~se k • al't! "inge tiMn,
5 h<ScS tti.6akwe , h66 7rng~n i/i f")O t
6 K~ n d!\kwoae . Tadla zttmbe //oo 'na '
I • e.
7 lido wazungu 1/1.foo?
8 11~~1.aale , flab~ th<5nt.s • n kanetS >

l 'l'he black- Goil p lain of Jlab~ he has ,passed,

2 for he, Kuzumu~ had looked out over the road ,
3 the neighb our's son , the rich man ' a son.
4 'foe youthful one, Jou y ouths , [arrivHd when] it was [sti ll )
dark,
5 what, i t wao at1ll dark , what , ar1d the vi s itor came,
6 the one w1 th the iron lllule . ,lead.!Jan Ta ~la had looked out
0 ·1or t he road.
7 ,Yhat Zuropean has coue then?
8 Ho6laa.le, the black- soil plai., or 'Habd he hao ;assec.,
9 tor he , t.uzu:nu, nad looked out over t~e road.

An iron mule is a b1cvcl e . Jhon in 1897 the Germano <>£ K111ma-

t1nde had o~ened a auboi diary post at Kondoa, military govornmS\t
traffic developed along t he mul.e t rack through Sandawe country
which connected the two poetc. Bicycles appear to have been
used a t an early date.
The 'Jrea ot Hab~ le i n southern Sandawe around Se.nzawa.
Ta'dla 1a the Bandawc name tor tho "'lyamwezi headman Tovera who
lived to t he north ot S8nzawa (ct. map Ho . 2). The eong
descr1bee the arrival ot a youthful Ger man otf1cer who travelled
trom K111aat1nde to Kondoa. The Sandawe had not eeen bicycle•
 476

before, an~ had not y~t a~opt6d the t erm 1Ul!lk~l1 trom the
&wah1:.1 . Pt1ople who travellod used to broAk up camp well
bo:f"oJ.1c da.vbrcak in order to r each the ir next camp b~f'ol'e the
hea t of: the aft ernoon. Ther e wae a reat camp at Sanzawa
whero the <.,erman had no doubt spent the night. Tadla'e home
wao only a "row miler t'rom danzawa, which ie thf:' reason "hy
he paoce,d t hcro s o vor,, eurl:r. 1

~ :r:, *';!.uke'l} , 1~tr1ct tour. ung by Mr· . ~U.lo

111d,lt1 ..:,ol~ at L1al'k1.,a , J uly 1962.

l 'H1:' tya h66et.-, Baua Ringe l 'Tiboe • ato'a

2 ka ' zl!r.. e ts!a h.tg1da kwah~~r1yoo.

3 Hatta hdcSeb, Bana rt1nge l xab6a 'a ts• a

4 ka• zwnbe t s !iaa, •••

5 :i6le,.ule ··c!,k1 k' a1..t1 ! hu l :Ci:-.~:p.:, tn • e

6 }..1rabt1 Soll:! he, bets' t n//ck~ 1.i 'k11nyoo.

7 Uaya h6~c ll, Dana R1f\C'6 lwbc5s • a tG ' a

8 ka ' zt1mbe trt!t. ' • .,.

9 A' zuobe;,t1e~, aa lo.ale detki J.~ ' ar~

10 ka' Z'W!lbe ta!a hdgida kwah~driyoo.

~-
1 Well then, Hr. Li nke addt'6eeed them all,
2 saying goo~bye to all tho oub-chie~s and headmen.

3 Well t hen, JJ.io. Li nke addrer;aed t , ,er.t all ,

4 s1>oakine to all tho sub- chiet'e, •••

l c~. Obst, 1915 b ( f1la.P)·

 5 Oh ::.• eall Y, t !:.o y~uthf'tll ·~dikt was bri n g tne h1r.i t'lour .
6 :rn&.1,e d , into Solt1'e err a he t1ade t ht>.m enter, [E>ayt ng ] "Wel l
t,;O t hen" .

7 , ell tl,on , i r . ....iMte a udJ:ti SU<.;O. .,hoti a ll ,

o 1;;p t1ttki1i~ to ul l t r.t :.,ub - cLic.·s, •••

9 'i 'hey [said): ''Oh s ub - ch1e1' 0 , oh wel l , t he you t f ul Md,k1 , • ••

10 say i ng g oo d- bye t o a ll t.hu nub-ch1e.t's and neadmen.

,,no.er· the au t.hori t.y ot the mill l.ary gover nrue1. t t -;.a t.ion
t he <,rl"lan u. c .. >. ~,rt. J,i nke hnd opened n vost a t l.wa
u nder t he Ge r mar. f: ys •e&i o'f' dirac t rule he had a p, , 11. tell a
of s ub - chiefs Gnd hcaa111on £or vill age nrc ao who .,,ere all
<li r c c: t .J.,,r r oaponaible 1:.0 h i m. 'Ihe oub-cl,1E:fs wer e called ~

( ueu&.U.,f ha...J...d , , i ll ... a1,t',a we) . ..x.:!'ore ::;ett.in 6 out on h i e d i r.tr i c t

toUF .)gt . .... 1r.1t1. called tog(i t }W!) t.hc l oc1<.l headmen ar~und l~wa
.. t or o uc...d 1Javc tl.om h i t. 1.uo t ru1.. tiona .
1
.1.'\IO pe1' bons , rn&4ki and ~ . are ca l lee.. bJ na1tc. i n the
aong. ~ uo.s the hca<lman of T6re 1n i .axondu , 1n ttie :Lal' ta
area of' \/estern Sandawe ( Max onda anc. Lal• t a are shown on map No.

2) . Ldli\;1 1s u not uncomu on baudawe na ~e ; the pr osent i nfor ma nt

i s als o s o called. 6a nda~o int'or man to , i ncludi ng the suppl i er
of tl_i s t ext , thi nk tha t the name hae been derived :from the
Swahi li mdachi which means a German (a-.wwh1 = deytech) and
s ome chil dren appear t o have b,·on eo named be cause of the
presence or u~r mans in the are a a t t he time ot t he i r b irth.
The ~ of' the s ong wa£ a headman under Li nt o, a nd theref ore
he cannot have ~een g i ven hi s narte for t h is r e ason (~ was
h i s pro~er name , not a nickname ) . Actually t he name 1a or pre-
Ger man '!3an +,11 or igi n, cf. t he lf:,amwez1 w.-s!Jat1,
'a cocky, proud
2
p ers on' ; 1 the ...a konde t 2.m.daQh1, 'you are much too cock.Y ' ;

l St ern, 1906, 142. 2 We\lle , 1908, 99·

 an<'\ tl ,~ }'.'woh111 .!!:.f.&.l,...1, •0avnt:c'll"'op:-,Pr, ·o~otn-~onr-i,r-• . l
......QJ.4 "'-If' th" 1 .... 'Jnen "'.1.ol n:--nt1nnn of' the·

on p. ''9• He h~i, l)r- e.n nAd" Plih- ~hif'f' ?f.' the eouth- enst, w1 th

his rml,..t n t "'1. • m+t\; 1,-, trr th1.!" "'IA'' nnvf'11, to .,,.,..kVla. 2

'i'at:;t .l!.'1·-1.ll.!•. £lAl"l"LillID.t.\n~?i!'!'t 1J.J..<i.r..•.:vJ..t_h_~\"'r.. I ecornm~ by

Derapwolt'J"' in Jarn~ru-v 1910, c1'. :012.t....<ll.t•, 17' ( t.o:xt 78), hut
r~-trenscr1b<•d t'r>o1'l h1~ l"~l'!nr<Ung in ,lnntP.ry 1965• .3

l 'l'ha ts 'tJHa, tl•.a,;s' enayoo •r1 't~<' na n ! 4a'intt;

2 r c:r•'.I ka1• r. • na l'dr:ha net.• thn tr. 'f\ ,

3 t.hnts ' ena, 'Tjha tn ' t,nnyoo 'fl 'l<~da n:aa ' !nte.
4 ll661/julo .)inganoo tnato'ena.yoo
5 ( I) wa~ l>unduka s~ ni' t.ua1;0'0 .

6 !JOetra;tC1' uaA .La,.ie hum&.wanki

7 gmu•a ,:rex•ena . tnats •e: "t.6ts 'au:.Cwe. '

8 Thate •ena , thats•enayoo n1tdna nldai'!nte

9 aerikaPa' nl di'! bdmba no~ thatsTe.
10 iA$ & b~dob , §.!&,.

l Johnson, 1951 , 6R.

2 ?.flgcihaHa , 'V" ( l(J 20 )
3 "'•11 0 ha.a bc,cn '!18-'f' )>or-stble bJ P?>ofnr"'or t.'urt Rc1.n~ard ·..1ho
h&a k i ndly sent me a tape recording made or Dempwo11·r • s
original wruc roll r ecording ,,·hich is r till prl"servecl in the
l{useum .ft11> Vl}lke:rkunde in ...sorlin. ~'ht:1 recox>ding io ao good
that I have been a~lc to t~anacr1be the text ~1rectl Y 0£~
the tape. Only line 5 was not eut'.ici cntly clear; thi s I
have marked with a quee tion mark, and I re ta1ned the
corresponding l.ine or Dempwoli'i''s published text. :.fodern
reoo~ders clearl/ l end temaelves much bet ter to the pain-
s taking work of t>la.ving back s ong f'ragmenta over and over
again, and th1a new tranacr1n t1on i s there~ore somewhat mor e
detailed than Dempwolff'e own. The smallness of the
ditfe~ence~ testifies to the 1mpreea1ve accuracy which Demp-
woltf hae been able to attain with the a~paratuo at hie
disposal.
 .. u ...,h:; r to

,,. , , OO.Lui.t: r>.., :.. t,"1 "· .(; .L '- <..J. t,e ...ot,.u ,,. ei to ol.uot,
..) to L.l w o ,,, .. o Uu)ot d·,t.u , wi ... t,ii. 1·e a<..:h of.' .1. l'cUn1,..

~ l '., I t: • v tsllm c :.. :i t• kl l( il'j !;.\ll6 und V,Cit to thoot .

7 h t m r t f1b ou , p« ·i h U1 !' out. l s u.v11,b] : "1'i r i t-;J1 11.C.! oJ.1. "

LJ '• O ohoo t, 1.o f h o f. t eu , i i dliu J.tsttC i. Ol ' '.i.:i 1 fScna

J.O t oll tt en,

J. hunt orgaru.ztsd on mili t.e.ry lines was novel to the San<l.awe i

no wonder the 1upr e£s1on 1 t muot have Ille.de on them has been

exprease<1 in l\ S ODit• TJ. 'ddpa is J.,our.t hanang, ti1e la1•gc

volcon,c cone which ~tanas t1rty mi lee to t he north of Kwa
wi t h an altitude ot 11,215 feet i t i s clearl.y visible f rom
the ~nndnwti t ril>ul ht.n.dquartt:1•£ . The land

1 nhab i tcd anc 13 r,c:>o<l hUJ1tin16 cC1untr.1.

Dcge1•a i t the ctation ove1•ewer ,,ho ie alao mtnticnec in

texto l,ow. l .35 , l.:57 , ru:.c. 182. Sin~,no i& a n..t:. s.'-len&er- policeaan
ot' the \.ierr:mu poet at rwa toro; we shall r~eet hiL. again 111 the

Llinc t.1•<..lt.i.Y te:x. t 1 o. l E:C . !.J~wc:...1 tie t tle1•s had b<.er. px-ec.;ent
in l\\1tt ... toro !'or cot~e t1rue , n;.d ::..incc t t.t c1et..q;c..ncc 01' .~to1~0 ns
a ~,oUl~- be lee<.!.cr of "...t..e Stmdo,.e. they l1a il be e n cloae to ttc.. hub
ot' power; the Cerm&.J: Sgt. Linke cont1nu~~ to r ely on them.
S1ng4no wao a .,y6l.lllv:ez1 .

The t r MSlat.ion of the seventh line dit'.fere basically

t'roc Del!lpwolt'f ' s Vlho rcndcro 1 t llL • the~ i;hoot ot a wandcrii~g
Har tebecst• . A hartebcest is called a cwera:l, in Sandawe , but
the expressi on ~ ~ doscribo~ an overseer ~ho goes about
(UJ!t.} poi nti ng out what has to b e done ( ~, • to point out• ) .
~ l xt .!J.&1.J.:.!...t.
I
..
• t

}.~- vl't.u .I Cl'i ( (.). Wh .t'l - 4 i..!l .,l._. <·1 I.I. J.. 1 On '-'• f, .,.;_ " t;. pl,or O~l &.,h

l 'l CO!' ,J 11.g of Jt-1 lUil'J 1:,1.J, C.i. • ,0 >t C~ t,. 171.

l D6ro Zemo h,n~a bana R1nge,

2 Sanz4'1a t~' aa11a I/' o n//6E'kayoo.

U 3 frn.ZaWa 'I,$ I &fltlft t • •

'.) ·~ ,Slaale .lr'art ,Ail gc , J .. li ...

6 lC!Uf'YOO b ~n'lr i tr ' o
7 n/1 f"Cka 11 H~t tuoyoo
8 rinr,o rlc.l 1 ( JOO ana! :fk1 t: 'u:.a,a.

9 Zwnbea //•~oene t l 1 o.ph~, ~mbo: "ke 'etshepone,

10 z'1mbe Mwembezi?.,

12 6 ' ha ltaz1 ula.1a.

l Loading t. zebrr- he broke up c amp, P.r. L1nl~e,

2 into t he eottlomcnt Ganzawa to ol ecp he took 1 t .
3 Loadi ng n zebra he b:t>oko up cam, •·r. Linko ,
4 into the ae t tlcL1en t Sanzo.wa, ••

5 "Come on,. my youths , c.or:ie on, well ,

6 .1.ead 1 t t ,1en to tne base oo we 1u1y
7 take 11, in" ; he etSJ'ed [the night) and v.ent then out
8 a, rJ he we."l t o ,1t on !'l.1G tour to t r o oe tt.1.mncn t Mannk:fk i.

9 The :fug1 ti ve headlftan he caned, telling him: "Don't :,ou heu,

10 headman ~wembez1?" - tot ach tho Gogo
11 to know well , to know woll
12 t h 1e wo~k here or the uropeane.

13 Leading a zebra he broke up camp, ~ ·

·•,..a(1 £\'1 ·w,, n,•:',i of ' nak!k" V A 9 Oorrf'I +.,..fbf'll,TJIQll Wt}n '1a'1 :run
fnu l I'){' th"' Or•· 1nn auth,,,..., t1""'", nnt'I p ... , .• "'lt1k~ W1'nt t,., :r·'nd htm

m•1d llSi i h i m ca"1·~1 . r:Emin , i" ... t1.11 .,.ern,;,m'b,.l't'!~ n"3 a f':1,.,.,11,..., i'.e

a:1.ec ipl i.nl:!,.. • "1r>+;·..,..,,1 ()f' l,,., •.,. "I.A...,.....

tt'he r-,u t~ ot' :;gt. Linke • ,., ,journey can be t'ol lowon on map
n. r: f'!''" ll T{wR. t"l:r-o t"" the "O'lth-·1.-.. .. ': l:\S f'~r as ~anz~wf". 'l'tnC'r>o

the Ci•1~r_s,u1 '"Oad (. '\!'.!'!'> nt ,oa. noa,• th,.. n nc, ·vhel'A !j•e r~hl")ol now

•'tl\nt'l" , nnrl f'rm, th~!"" t , +-..r rrmth oust !lcr>or· ... tl-\e Durlu 1•ive1•

to K • n t e ' Awnne. '{anskiki i" nn aren on the h:2.1 1 Sl!'lpei> Rbo,,e

i< ' a ta •fwaoe . i-•or trm1el_)nrti ng his gear he usod s zebra . The
Oel'manP experimrnted .,..1 t}, thP <lolf\efltt cati oll of zebra s w1 th a

vie• t n use them cs uaok animol o on a l ar e sea

bc i n,.-; +.hat they C.J>".>Nl "' to 'be i ll'r,un.e to toctse .
L!k... th<' ·-,1•P.v!nuf\ text th i a 1a a new t.T>ansla t i on .f:rom a

~e- h ..f.mscrintion made !'?'om a ·tnpe r e<'oz>,Ung which PI"ot'ersor

H.ei nhor•d h a e m,icw of Dempwo11·1•• s origi nal wax rql ls. 'J'h e wholo

toxt wnc uuf'f'.ici er.tl:, r-lenr 1'0.t• ~1·r·.nscript1.on , and there are no
s1gnL'icant ,11...·1·m•Gnoe0 bctw~en thi s new translation and Demp.,
wol ff ' r, origir.ul om~ •

.'.+'axt, po, JJ.5, ~'he cCrent f anine , ~unz by Mr. 'l'lt11o 'dAk1 f:> ol.~
at i arkwa, ~uly 1962 .

l :o1Nl~8 b a tdo laAle.

2 Uankasin1ts•a •y6cS hand11ka ;
3 n~ a h6cSea, n4ragQa ba' tfo
4 lAelc , Menkae! ni t s•a.

5 J+.A laale u-oro ~hatnte •a • kilno.eJoo ,

6 eea• ~umbu hc56 ~umbua'y66;
7 "H!kiana?•• - LU.le , I •'11:nanga t:!nkn•
8 dc5 wag~.,~~ mc5k f')la~s • 700,

9 ddra ruh-agila ba ' 60.

10 Mank aefni taraed
ll
l, ., t
.
,. , ht.' 1 fy. .
l'"' o·, "t-c f h·· ... .... 1 ~( l,

13 -t •a ~a b tf*I") ffr.:.1'·m::tn1 i;" • ~.

U<c:.t.

1 ';11~ fn."'l:t ne llafl hec o o rs~"'qt, alat:1.

2 A~ 'ankns !.ni ,e 10.1•0 all rog1B torf:d;

3 ;'!:"·ll t. en, -che t'w lilfj has heco!"\c f :,,oat

4 ulas, at Ma•1kao:!n·l.

6 ye l , at 0111:iou , ,h at ruuhu tn~n fall ..;o1J.]:

7 " J ,t .itte yr,u'." - .Alus , the count1•,/ remained cool.

<) I.'.,aJ. .,.,y" , I... '1.l , .• lC J..\d C.C JL1C (!l"eat.

12 :Jh .voe , :rol::'. .. •1cn ,

lj t.1a fa 1i11'1 has 1.><Jcomo ,;rent, at ... unkaa :tni .

'!'he s ~ng dcs~ribes t he great fal!line "J."' 19 19 , which lasted fo!'

a nu. ~'hor of 3C!.>Z':.S u."ld -.,h1ch '.'fas :)erhapn thG worst i ·1 hia torical
time... . l 'Che aock o:: the P1st an:1 'U...:l.1J. ·u•<:: :Jlnce.; ~l o!l...; tne

Ge.L"ma J. !lii l i tarJ route :rom Jo:111:aatinc 3 and 3aranda to :-c,1a tozto
and on to K~ndoa. 2 Rolie~ maize wao unl~ade1 at t he railway
sta tion of ..;ararnia and brou:;;ht up by ~onkcy and p or ter c,u,avan.
The s toop1ng i n tne f i t'th l ine of the text r e:re1•e to t he rows
of r,'lrte!'a bent u'11er t'1.eir- 1oa,ls . Jost r>t these porters were
!{ya.rnwezi , and tne l a.ck of r ~ply to th'! sreet1ng in line 7 i s a

l ce. Appendix III.

2 Oumbu i s shown on :::iap 1~0. 2 .
Tllo <ock ot the f'oet is not "l:al'
from t here aad i o oo callPd because t n~re ~ad b een e wooden
l)OS t ( or pos ta) o~ a long-abandoned h ouae near 1 t.
 I J.;>

referenoe to this. 'The count?>y r emained • cool t ( quiet) because

v!16re VJ•H'u in .... an awe to Ot:l seen. '1ll1fl 1.ay be pW"tly poetic
cxaa-10.Nl tion , but uany people were emigrating to i'iome ( u-orowa)
cowit~.f at the t.1me t.o ..' i nd a better lif'o; th1a ia whg this
famlno 1 a callt.,d th~ .•'101n0 :i.'a.1ine.

'!iVzO~\.l.!ilrJ. is th.e ,,rune an Hruwastn, the ~,andav,o nane fol'

1
£ ,a tol'O , .. 10 t:..>:lbal '1eadqi.U\:r~crn. Km\ 1 toro and the m1aeion

at urio .ru•a pPinci al niut1•ii.>1A!':1ol. poi ts tor reliet' grain

and tb i fl ic .1hc1'e tl1c peoi)lc had thei:..' na•uaa ~·egistercd. Local
concU +ione arl~ dci,cribec. by B_agEih'1Y1e , who 1•ocords t hut he apent
a."l u t'':.,,""rnoo11 i~t t\l. : i n:1 on disontf..ngli.ng a huudr oc! loa ds which
llad ax-r·1vcd !'rou barunr.u; 1,rac ,icnll ever•y load had b<•en
broacn1:iu. 2 '}wo days later he rcooras in his diaries that a
neconu hundred loaua had nrl'i vod, and t he.t ehier £eloman1 at
l.\7B ....oro iM<l r( coi ved a f'urther 209 loads the day before ; e

l etter x·rom ; !11. at111de t old hi!r of' tht; a.rri vru. ot· another
th<:>u.aand loads . He wri tee:

".hrnongs t the troubles of an o:ft icer dealin~ with !'amine

may be enumtt-rated hungry port.ere lfho broach their loads
(eepecia lJ women, LO can't ~e s t~at'ed) , others who simply
clear home with it, highwaymen who out off otraggl ora,
children abanaoned b~ the i r parents who erawl between your
t"eet and pick up mealies i n th,. i'l1ttt and cat t l1<?!I l'.'aw , wives
whose hllabands have l o£t them, liars, peoole who a~e too
la~ to help thomselveo, people who ere too fooble to go
fot> .f\1od, an:i th& .voli ti cal .)l.}partia-,.1 t at J ol.onui. 113

I n f'ur tner .t>dpeti i;1or.t1 of tho s<>n'J thr n QJ!\o !ltl.!.t is invoked;
thio 1~ tne Alagwa chief Gelemani mo~t1on~d above . 4

l This namo is explained on P• 116, note 7 .

2 11/8. entry dated 19- b-1919.
3 ~., d Ata 21- 1i-1919.
4 Cf. p. 471.
r·_c,;,:t r. l! ( . ~ (: ..,, · • ·iL n,•.
... ~ unr- "'l,y· , r . ,,..1 ,• lo 1 Mil 1 :..~ old
-

1 1,olaalo, I ci1ir.uie;J ~1 tl 't1kwa dlomoo,

2 waxa' ~ Em<, llku.nalme pee.
j , 6:.uule , . uhi .< it i oi U' (k\/e c lo1noo ,
L1, \ c.l?(C.' L<ll C Ul lUl.Ol liL p( o •

5 .. 1uy"'t1 'c 6 ,/turk:t,

G 1 / ' tmld 1~6t <' tf ' $(, I I 'Ulll<:C '

v f il'c; , c 1~l: r.. c:.k' ~1 ~·:,roCJ, t1C 1 !rub&

9 :...nniak•.craa < 101 ocr i pc,.•

JO

n
J f ra
..,,. . h~& t.:
+1c.r.~Lyr o,
VIAl j ridia •

nr•11
n/~t!voo.
g1 titl nt1raeu.
)2 A>. lcil:>6 :l n/ '111..-.e.
13 ~f..}·a h ~6f"t, t7n),1mHn' n/fl t.:l:,00,
lh ffl1 ' tlae1y 'O, n5'.' n <'ce.

1.5 hcSlaal e , war:enz.1 s!:nt;e gitl' ~l<w~ dlomoo ,

~·
l Couc on, :rou Ind1a110 , ou.r clothing [in t own),
2 t"r1enus , put it in boxes (and brine 1t here] .
3 Gome on, you Tndians , bu:, clothing [in tvwn],
4 f'r iends , l)Ui; i t in bo.l'.ea [ and hr1ng 1 t here].
5 In ·:urope the~ 1'1&ht one nno ther ,
6 the;:, f'i ght, what a.bout then do thoy !'1ght•

7 1'r1ends , oh woe , 1 t io a holocaust.

8 A holocaus t i t 1a , i t i s d i st~ bing, yes real}y;
9 b1.1..v it then 1n gunny bags and put 1 t 1n [ them t o bring i t
here) .

10 ~-!ell t hen. t he IndiMO h ave come,

ll b ut i t 1s finished, t hey go an, cloth i ng i a scarco
l2 and they explain [us] and t hey make it.
 I <-5

13 ~~11 then, t he Ind1an~ hnve come,

l
1. +} •"'l , Jou 1 n· <cv.:.J , i uy <·Jo hir r,,

The Sl)ng <lcuc1•iboc. tht; scarc.1 t~ of 1Llpv,•tt d {;oode d1.u•i ng the

:firs r; wor>ld ,,ar· , unc.. i t f;ho,,c how quickl.Y the e.ndawe hnf
~baucwn, ti. tht.,jr· ,.reO.i tinnul. r;ont nkin clotl.in:~ in favoHr or
1wpo_ .,,c'c.i. t.ox,,ilc L . : ocul • l opl ct 11or, buY thotr i;Ooda in the

p1•ov., nc ie.l to\lllw ol JJOUOl.ilU ar~:. h.ondoa, but when s uppl1ee had.
cu•ieu. up w.u 1.J e t.hr•lv<H1 i u tho local shopf' v1eve bare , the

.. ')cal lllWl•t:fnc .,uro by • •... shop:c, t)~ers; whu1. the·, did wae to
~ash! •n .l'OU{;l1 clot.hi.rig ou .. or Eacking.

The s ong re!'tu•s .;o 1.n<lihn tra~~rf' . Nowa~o there ara

none wi t.htn th~ t:i:>abal boundliriea but t here a1•e many 1n the

a tew ~ha {~a, an occaaional S onaJ.1 umi a ain...;le Gik\1.YU. 1~ :t'e w

t>and~w6 ha"e rec"n t.l,•t ,•ex1m to s,s t up verJ suall shops in the
ooun t.,..Ji-11 de, U'?U./ .t'r o1u tho e s tao 1 l.i;Jhed trading cen trea .

Text 10, 11.u.. 5:£\~_n.r.-!.l!ll.>..fl.1!!2.J.fLJear., ~lung by wr. Tlttlo iidtiki

,301, a -c. ;'lr:,z>k'lfa, .Jul:r 1r162 •

l Ilrt:',a h66ea, Bo..-·,~nt>e ldlile

2 kal.4nga hoaor:U it·aa 11la~.

j 11,tra h6ooa~ 1'ol'6noe l tMle

4 kolanga hogor!i, •••

5 Aa 11:ftllc 0'1.a'In~o h6o nad!yoo

6 e! kn~ini bdma / 1 6~ta ' &Ukt\yoo.

l Th" vernacular tel'JI\ u s ~d i s 2,een&J., :f'rou the Gwahili -ahen;;S,

',ot•l)ttro,1c , w.101.,111zeu, unco..i.th ' (or. Johnson, 1951, 419).
In Oandawe the tc1•Iil m,.3ano a poor devi l, a person who 1e power-
less, or a c1v111un (no oppoeod to goveFn.~ent oft"1c tals).
 ••• A n ·~ . . ..

l \,o..Ll t l.cn, oh ,01•01.0 indoeo.,

2 t.~o g1•owmnut price 16 vn•y aood.

..,... r.1 (,. , ~ • ),:'\)) 0 i, (.( tvl ,

,i tt \ lfl'<)'U1<,nut • :rj ,.e , .••

.J ,u.d tr.en wj th l>< <.;: \'RX , ,;t;r,, v,·e do t.C\ to the auction,

• • • unr"'. • a' l •••

,lo:J:QU.Q ( • r :no') io t he na e ()l.. the nar, who waG aub-ch!e.f a t

~~k',a r.ur1.,1 > tne go,,u _rearo which 1~ollowcd the d isue t:rous

said c 1 , i1c n1.tcci,cct,..ci anokna

whoI!l . f'. 1~nhawe had ouch a l ow
01'

o J1n i ')n tnat l'le wP.nt-Od to :l'e9lac(i him i.n 1922. 1 Deeawax and

nrounnmit.e 1'17'~ a t-111 i !!IU">J:'CtUlt cosh cr,Jps but oil seeds hnvo
now au,•naas<"d thon in l np orta11oe.
t ie nsrae ~ :ltt invoked in eun.,equant rope ti &ions ol"'

the • ong re:ct.

l!l.!..,J.n. ),,1•8., !!l.q_:2~.il....lWr~tJ..ru.u. Uu ng by r. "' J lo d&~i

Sol4 at Fat'k~a, J uly 1962.

l ,14:fa h66o b, M doma k! nba

3 !Ill.la h16e~, Dotlor11a dt: k :tr-iha

4 kd~ ew4mo•a&i, •••

l Eucelu.1we , , en t:,;-;1 da to 19- 5-1922. It };eeme that i n 1925

j
Dorono had bu1n i n 0 1.'J i ce f or f ol'le t i r.lo (J..hJ.J!., 31-3- 1925) .
 ·,; J'q , .. '-t I .. i ·c ·,.~ ')
n r, l
.
kl' .,.,
,,, . ... t t •
Zl.k-.:-•.

l .. ell th · . , ut JOd.(.)r,ia 1nduo.:1

2 t, <.t not' •ov 1:io tal w.:"ls clanging.

'.> J ,l_ , Jou ym.l.l,!; 11< n , t'1•J Dndo,nf'. you know

:i..oad r.hc.:11• procuct:: m their uH.ck~ AU-.l walk to thu gov~rrnnm,t

'._'h1a ·,1 r. jow•r.i-,y of m: •or.t r n1lce rron t'ru ·kwa. At tha narket
they pu~ c1o..m th•·ir 'bu"1dlor,, til.'t·,1 and uu~ty, n.na wni t.e(:. r or
th~ 6 oi~S to ::1gnul Ute oye1ti ii, ol.' the auction. 'i'ho gong was
a l en~th o~ x•..til w• ich ,ms au.opena~d from o. trE!C and hi t wi th
a stick.

:t<-xt ! o......l!!.<:ta. llr- ~rent on QlW l;'.n(~ Su ng by ' 1l'R e l~ctoria

'li.7a' .it :/r,al1 ', Hl, 1Lugur>t '.l.963 .

l As. 1M.1e, tl ' a..:li lita

2 kl'tngo n lwan:.d, awa tvhord,
3 Wug6 o5:n~e tsh6ro n/weto ' iyo,
4 ko , -~f.' l '1{1 n//!nkOG(; n/om:c tthec.r(I
5 h6 WGt.,'t':, tl ''11 tngo papo.tEl.

6 Hiu:1: " wanab6r1,100",

7 ar. bn a 1-: ' arenya : "~1War.al16ri~roo",
 I,,, •t .. ,.
.. •r
$'.! }- ~
j '/.,

~ }- : ~
. ,,,,
• . ' I rr }( I (. f' v. .

lv llale tl t BE.! kita

ll Jt..( •tr.eo .r:.:wan G., a'wa t;;bo:r6.

tet 6ro n/v.~t£ 'iyo,
13 /;t~.£t1ns r;/, 1:nkerc 1./:>of:ekcteJ,eell,
14 , ! xfe tl ·~· foe;o .9E.pe.t i..

~ab6r1.;oo'',

l ha slre , i n t~t thcrnbueh

3 :.u~ r trt · Ct'i, arc C!.ucinf u~ m~ch trouble,

4 vclll fierce ani ,al o we do not tear.
5 Ch , the ctrangcrs l 1
1
£ leac [ one anotM r] b:, t he hand.

6 JUl t: I ht ctJ.Jc o. J: " .war.u v6ri l "

11
7 anc tl.e yot..thi'ul rnneter [ c..allcd]: 1 wanat 6r1!"

v Wf:11 thf'll , "L \1EU•t:.h6ril II

9 V:<'\l 1 1,he n, t,ht: ym·thf'ul maeter (cEll<d] .

lo /T"le. alas, in the t,nornbueh

ll Ym ere.pt on our kneea, wi ti1 much t.I•ouble,

12 You otr9nge1~s are causing u.s l'l!Uch t:rouble: ;

13 o? a fierce lion we a re not ar:ra1d.
14 vur conpo.niono, we lead them b y tho hancl.

15 ,.nu [ h,: cull('d]: ''L.mmo.borH"

16 w-,rl kr. :i.1nke [ cs.lloo.]: "s1anabdrU "

'l'b.e 0ong doecr1bea the ascent <>f the Hub!a C$Carpi•tmt above
 J '

p ·o l' ( .. ) . -.. . . - ..
.
\ {C '1::1 t>Or t."3r8

t • ~c. t ) )1 ,j t. L. L. , ) IJ a li_·plui >Hck . ..i.1lJ. .-..e

t ~ 'l , ·••• 1. t .3 .. a.·,c .uv ... ~ l'.'tZ i,,Ut ti Ul ae oaJ. .l.> )!' t\l , :;: i.

,.t 10,i (H 1m 11 : ling 1,') vl)1•k aa n oi• c..er:i the y will t ravel o.n.v
d i ,u:ciC O Ll.1.' JUR · •,\I .J ..l~h t ,Ul i ,H Ct' to Viu i t n 1'ca t 1 ,;1 .;y . " l

I ~ 10 n:'l111 ';hat H'.'t • ', iio cr? i ::.ir>•te t, t. Li nke e ~ pl o,,red N;ran wezi

.Jg_n \ tltrirJ.. i n t H l\iCk.naue \,h1ch t he :..;ru,<luwe gav~ t o their

N1 dll :t ; ~ o · ;r:,, • e r; .. rn e ~eano ' 1 c ,1ho 1 ns 1 ~ fo1•
b 1' wh•1 l.an<' o' \t tt e , <> • nn o . • l.lG t u I'rJ !ai£..d, ,,,,ich 111,e1•ully

3 makdd ts!a s t manaa.

4 Rah! 1.d1e ' n/at!yoo

5 f.6nw.k v,or,,
6 addc;uk .e / /heme .

7 fiey~ h6Ge ,

8 ah!nd1e ' n/at! yoo,

9 sdr.akwer J~.

~-
l Well then , t bo work on t he railwa.Y,
2 we are unable ~ at DodO"lla~
3 to learn all those t~inge .

l 1925, 224.
 i

~) (0 J {,1'\ jt 1 f'1.

( H' l ti on :J 1.. l l 'll t (l r •

7 \,all t 1t,1t,

6 tl _ :no1m n havt cone .

9 so ~-''at·n it ti e n .

A.. th( conctri'ctlor. ot• t.h6 cer.trr 1 re1 1.vay mc.ry ot th~ f<,r Prtell

end a!ril lect. \Y().l'k°('rn ?.e1:>o !nd1ar s . A numbf·r of 3andav.·o? hnd been

tlie1r i natt>UC'tion f rom t h,,. IrJ i an forr.ro.En . os t o.f them worke d

on t l .~ t·tr•etcl. 't'etv1c('n !lodoPa nr..(l Saran lia , i . e . not t oo -ref'
1'r>(')in f'nn, £ we <'OUI try. ','H ! nur:1 t nv, }1r.1 ·,rr.<'d i n 191C-11, ~or

1.evf"ltett rt·<'o1·1~r tli.t n .fl'r·lln· extowior,. o,r t he line 1nlc..nd

1·rom : oroco1•0 v·1u: nu•ho.ri2e!l ruw b('•{Urt in 1900, ond that the

1:1.nt• N'c•cht:~d 'i'ahora ).1• • uly l9J2 . 1 '?ht runwuy episode rnnrl.s
t,,c h , s;::m nine oi• tlio ~ttndnwe colr•ny at tl10 t.o\"ln of Dodo.nu.
 'lo ti1r t.WldaWe o.f ·;;he sout:i.(.;:tin burcloriands the ~ 1 8

,·,hat the ~ hi 'tO T.hc h i lln , but not ev"n tl.e ·oord.e1• pco1,,le
!"'CO, :ni~(' it a... a ... in, m.c dru:cc ; c.:ll u 0 rcc that 1 t is y'-Ot:o .

In or. ~ .. partc of' t.ht · t:r1l'>al ;,.rec. th€ t<'!ru ~ is coi:rolc tely

(.:luuu c.e~·~nc::- tt.c <.io1 o r ! ndo ac n wcdd11~ dance,l and ho

,,
gi vet: t ·e ::. ul:: C-ot ;o nt.:::c1•1:i;:, t1on o,.• 1 ;; f.lt.:i ufl.Afl Ml ~ .'
l ,:.rtlio.:l c ur.ci•ibc:... tl <. u :...r:ing of: ~ ns rtuu1•1·1au~ and

01' the I,>l'OCledir~B is Hit;llY, who Stl3S that

1
•11 n.1,lls.!Q t"l.tmc1PP', \,hic.h tr.kf ~ pl tiN) at,.r1:nr the cir-:r sea.. on
Ol.'-cer th<' ma1n hc.r veo"& anc. 1c i11t.1matel,y ,u s ociate<" ·d tn
lo,, -u J ~ 1 •• U.l p -::.c.:r. ti!. I .:r.cr r in[.e all iunces , 1.11en al\i:a,ys
dm~<:f ou l l.t e: aL t , 1n a lire f'a< il ft the g11•ls on th(> wet. t .
'...'ljc two lir.co c.t"ncc toward£ each otlu r end away aca1n, , u t
tl-~1r ori eritntion does not che.nge . ult

i:11. i o fr U < t:oco ~ . but in t.he Sanfcwe ~ .vhic.a

I 11a,!e vii tneosod tl € :i:.ovemeuts of the do.nc~re nr-o n.-,t unlike
the l,Lmc\4• .;he n~n advo.r~cc rro:u the north , and the v1om.on :Crom
tho ~ ou.tli , e.11d t:t,t y pui.i· N'! ae in the J.!l~, f~cinf; eac t.

<.l tt.e1m, ant tl1~ JllOVt' er.t or the t't;ronc l!N! a nti-clock :iriEe se

'..hE· foll{ wir~l: t:::a~;plt of a candawr;. ~ sone; has a text

wh!cl'• 1D bat•icall.;· Sc.r,~a,,f: , but 1 t show$ a liber·al admixture

1 1s·i::., 47.
2 11;~, 7-;,. 1 tel e 1 t t hat tt.:Js meens •cel<.bl"at1on o!' the
Vl"!~din« ' or· •m1;1.r,..1nee feaot• .

3 M/8 , 19:?'? •
4 l9G6, o-9·
 ' 92

'J.'c.xt . <J • l;,l . v U!i.g b y . u .,.;r"' . ':'t oa.ori ha ....0111 .u.ci :.ouc 1'at1

1 tire .•00('\1' f.A-t Oa'b•.1()cli , August 196.:, •

.3 f!Cn1,u u.

') h! ia t ' v.J o.

3 mia:n?

h Ym1 ••Hm • Hive mA ~'lr.x·nce . tobac,•o , -ror trr>n.hl1" there is,

5 you ricn ta1w hc~ t•1en,

6 g!vP.r or help!

7 You si ror
1 , _. hcl J , I nm al.1 right , how are you,
8 tf! ve mi, ~Orh:IC'~O :m<l a 111.'!')P '"O 1 .may OMOke '

Tlhen a ~room takes hia bri de h ome in proocesion he is expected

to hand out 11ttl~ pr~aents to friends, neighbours, an~ hia
now ~~l~ t\ vee . 1 The oong deecribee the occasion When a teacher

l C1' • Pih 4.5-6.

 r1 t • 'o u m l, e
( 1, • 1 1 f' t• ('' + f ll

rn•r • 1

1 l'l!IDk~~· • n :;<1 ,
\rour :f1•1ond • ( cor pur ior}. '!'ho Uan~awe ao
not :N"CO'".niz, t ,{' 111ero1int,; <if - ~ ,1c. 1 Jot-..r ' ohd uoe 1 t as
h Sill\lawo - ~ ac'lh11rtn.t1 vo. Th~ oiermr. t e of tl-.c: gequence
~~-k.Q. .!ltt-1...u ~-~ r>(:~~l in 11 tex•al t1•onslatl on:
' , , ip ~ti11n- tl1on, £;1vo- <;!wn,pl?C:!.lUru t.obucco- tl,cn '.
E~~ ( .ntu .i:r.:,:nJ1) '.Y), ' ~.eachcr ', io ac;t eptcJ • &n&av:o .
lliJT\f;_\\:,; Je.,1 t.u, a plllY'Al .form which means ' men ' b u t the n e ndaw
ha.r<'! a :1.n u o.i::.r,3;:01•0 J?or t,1, n:l.~o ti'1s o!' .. a.n tr.1 g!'wa .er- and
ur.o tn,1 tom a3 a t11ngi.::..1ar t"or ' man'.
wkn~: t wahili .:t[l.umun1, originall.r 'an e ighth' ( Arabic} or
a coin wo1~tJ1 !'ol.ll' uhillings . Accepwtl Sendawe, although man,y
Sundaw• ni•et'er ~ which literally t toruia a leo:pnrd. '.:.'he
:i,;,,ra t A;:"rioan ahtl 'l.:l.nc: a n'l th" 50-oontt· coin both. ollow 11 lion
on t!lc> ro·1c1~ae , and a shill~ in thArei'o:rc c '4llcd 'a lion •
(IL.a.~) and th.e hal.t-eh1111ng 'a l1 t tle lion' or a leop~d•
.11UPOIAH,M : Dantu, 'ho who helps 1.
~ - h u..:1tu 7 ' 1ou' {pl\U'al) .
~\g~.'l.: , >-l,1 tu, ~'t .. n.. h1l1 ~ . Q. ' I am all r1s11t •.
 494

CH APTER VIII

M. I NS'l'RELS Y

fhe 1nstrument1a
On P• 92 it le explained t hat the Sandawe term for trough
zither song (J.a$11 fb,ime) may be ueed u a seneral term toro
mlnstrelev, but that tho Sandawe quality this term by mentioning
the minstrel's instrument whenever 1ta identity 1s known.
'l'hua they tal.k ot musical bow song (rumbarwpba illJme), atick-
lyi-e eons (gJ$mbt /htme or au. /ht.me), fiddle song (;ogoz6go
fbtme), and ao on. A summary ot the instruments ot minstrolev
le given in Appendix XIII.
'l'he Sandawe themeolvea think or the musical bow and the
trough zither as •real• Sandawe 1nstrumente, the others being
comparatively recent cult\ll"al aoqu1sit1ons taken over t'rom the
Bantu, especially the Gogo who right!¥ have a reputation ot
being areat muaictana. 1 In actual tact the musical bow and the
trough zither ue no more typically San<1awe instruments than
etlck lyres, t1ddlea, and hand pianos, in t he sense that they
are not the cultural property ot the Sandawe alone. Ankermann
shows similar musical bowa trom South Ai"r1oa, 2 and Trowell and
Wachamann trom the Klga ln Ugenda,3 to mention only two
lnatancea which show their wide distribution. Ankermann atatee
that muetcal bowa occur t"rom the Cape to the Sahara. 4
The trough zither appears to very a good deal 1n shape

l In other re•peot• the Gogo tend to be eomewhat desptaed by

the Sandawe who ee,v that they are dirty.
2 1902, 3.
3 1953, 408.
4 ~•• 75.
 495

and execution but the surrounding tribes all have the instrument
in the s ame ~orm as the Sandawe. 1 Baumann ebows a Rimi examplo,2
and .Ankermann ill ustrates a Sukuma apecimen; 3 both are virtual}¥
identical with t he Sandawe inotrument. 4 Claus mentions a
•gutter-like' troush zither of the Gogo, 1.e. one with a gourd
resonator at t ached to it. The Sandawe rest the z1thel' againet
a gourd tat" betteio i-eeonance, or more commonl.;v they use a
wooden bowl, the 1114, instead. 5
Stick l,Yres of the same type as the Sandawe lYN are
tound as tar at1eld aa the country or the Yao, 6 the Makonde,7
and t ho Sambaa. 8 The Konjo ins trument from Uganda shown by
Trowell and Wachemonn is remarkably a i m1lar. 9 Fi ddl es and
hand pianoa of the types used by the Sandawe are also fom1d
among their neighbours, and e1m1lar 1neti-wnenta are used over
a wide area. 10
In moet Sandawe households at least one mue1cal instrument
can be f ound, a nd music making and good instruments are deeply
appreciated among the tribe; the song of the beautiful lyre
in the following pages (text No. 175) eloquen tly illustrates
thie point. The instruments which aN held 1n the highest
regard are the traditional Sand.awe 1netrumente, the musical bow
and the thl'ough zither, of thes e the latter is considered the

l OWn obeervetion.
2 1894, 190.
3 Op.git. , 82.
4 See plate I in t his thesis.
5 See photo No.l.
6 Ankermann, op.git., 6.
1 Own collection.
8 Jtaraaek, 1922, 61.
9 0p. eit., 409.
10 er. Ankermann, op.cit., 31 and 86 fff Trowell and Wachsmann,
qp. gtt. , Trace~, 1948, sa.1 a.•
 496

moat noble (J\r•oa hlflW6). Thie nobility mu.et not be understood

in t he aenee ot high technical refinement , or that any eoDt ot
religious reverence ie att ached to the instrument; it 16 simply
a matter of its t one being lllUch liked and ot boing thought of
ae the beet available 1netl'Umen t tor quiet personal music.
Stumme aaya ot the Sohlutl tha t the violin occup.:::J.ea euch a place
ot honoUl" among tbom, tol" 1 t is t he ins trwnen t o~ the troupes
of wandering m1nsti-ole who specialize 1n poetry with an
eaohatologlcal theme, and in historical and mythological verse. 1
Somo Sandawe minetrel•y eonge axae alao old and connected with
beltete but tbeiP m1netrele do not specialize in t hese themes
and there i s little pro~eeaionalism omons them. It would be
better to say that Sandawe minetr ele show a preference tor the
zither because 1t ts seen as their own traditional instrument,
and more versatile than the mu.o1cal bow. It aeems appropriate
that traditional songs are eung to the accompaniment of a
traditional instr ument rather than some new- tangled toreign
aeeilnila t1on.
Tl'aoey eaye that it ie consider ed right that some Afrioan
inotrumenta should be pl ayed by older people, in particular
t hoae instruments which have been played for many generations
and thoee which are ueed for religious purpoeee. 2 The Sandawe
preterenoe ~or the zither ia traditional rather than religious;
s ince it is the older peole who know the traditional songs beat
the inetrument tenda to be played by older people, but younger
men may also play them. Among the Sandawe one must not look
tor r elig1oua inetrumente i n minstrelsy, but rather in ritual;
the lion bowl and t he but'talo horn in the exorcism rites ot
aimb§ aay well be temed religious ins trumonte.
Ve~y rew Sandawe minst~ele use the ~1ddle o~ the hand

l 1895, 3.
2 1948 , 70.
 497

piano. '.theao instruments are in the ~irst place the aolo-

1natruments ot young her<tsmen and of thoee who while the time
away dux-ins long 3olll'neye. 1

Demp,rol1':t kaew a blind bard called Uugonza •whoee art

was not without material 1ntorost•, for, Dempwol~f writes,

"he received euch ample g1tta :tor the songs which he

annually proaucod at harve st tea.eta, otton on topical themes ,
that he could arro~d to marry a beautiful woman ot good
tamily. " 2

Dempwol.r1" adds to this that aome jealous tribesmen l ooked

aekance at .llugonza because of that.

O:t the Gogo, Claus aa,ya that

"Pi-otees1onal mueiciane wander about the country and delight

old and young. ot'ten they are i nvited to a teast and ~or
the1~ per~ormanee the~ raceive a goat or a sheep." 3
I:t we accept this statement as correct we have to conclude that
there exists a class ot professional minstrels among the
southern nei ghbours ot the Sandawe. Among the Sendawe there ia
no such class of wanderina mua1o1ana, although eome minstrcle
may become sutfioiently renowned to derive substantial benetite
i'rom their art. one ot the contributors to the texts ot thie
thee1a~ Mr. Francis Kuman{ sa1u1, (lnf"ormant No. ll in Appendix
IV) ie otten invited to beer parties as a minstrel and to
ritual dances ae a eong leader. Hi e art has earned him gltte

l Tb.ere is said to be a good minstrel in the D4du area who

uaea the hand piano, but I have not heard him. ar. Ella
Eeoo, the 7ouns man who haa supplied texts Noe . 7 and 30, has
aaplratlona to tame aa a e instzoel by einalng to the tiddle.
He ie eald to haYe perrorme4 on the w1releea in 1962 but hie
recognition•• a mineti-el 1• moatly cont'ined to the small
Sandawe oolon,Y in Dar es Salaam 'llhere he now livee.
2 Op,git., 164.
3 1911, ,o.
 498

as well as presti ge, and hie home ha& on eeTeral ocoaei ona
been t he ecene or circumcision t'eaete which bring h1iu t"urther
Nwarda and enhanced statue. Re is t he inatructol' and camp-
maeter ot many local youths whose ritual grandfather (~ )
1
he i e. 1~ we compare hi e r endering of a well-known s ong with
t ha t ot another minstrel the qual ity or his mine tr eley may be
appr eciated, even i n t ranal at1on. 2 Two other 1nt'ormanta
(Noe 32 and 40 or Appendix I V) are ea1d to have been in great
demand when they were younger, and both ere al.so r enowned
ri tual. leaders.
Ui nstr eley i s a prerogative of the men, and minstrel's
instrument s are never pla.,ed by women, no t even pri vately ol'
a t tho secret women• o dancee. Perfor Mances ar e often private
-at f a ira at home, but pasaers-b~ will atop and dl>op i n to listen.
The mins trel• e home t hus becomes a social centre where ol d
acquaintances mee t and new ones are introduced• •l'loom hi s
visitors the minstrel gets to know about places where beer is
being br~wed, whether t he quality i s expected t o be good, and
whe ther t here i e going to be pl enty of i t . He is a recep tacle
o~ knowledso on s oci al and r itual activi t i es, he get s the
s oso1p and b ecause he rocei veo the det ails of i ntereot1ng news
he l e well pl aced to sel ec t t he mat er ial on which t o base
new poems.

nu, nonss.
Some songe aro t he mi ns trel's own compnaitiona, but t he
nUEtber of well known aongs whi ch can be pinned down to any

1 er. P• .375.
2 er. text• Noa. 173 and 174. Whenever tape recordings or
l!r. Francie Kumant• o s i nging were played back t o Sandawe, the
outstandi ng p01)ular1 t..- ot hie mi ns trelsy became eviden t a t
cmoe.
 499

mi ns t rel • e 1H<liv1dual authol'sh1!) 10 erno.11.. 11eny of the beet

t..nown eonge he hae learnt ~rom others. but he rendo~e t heu in

hi s own wa:,. Thi a apparentl y contradicts Dempwol!'t' who sa.va
that the co!Dl)oaer a are mostl y known. 1 otten minstrels do indeed
¥ing thelx- ovn oongs . and wi thi n the cir c l e o~ their own t'riende
and ~lat ives h1e authorship ot theoe songn will be known, but
th1o is not the case oute1de this circle and or t he widely known
Bonge t he authors are gener ally unknown i n other ~art s .
I n oubject matter t he minstrel s ongs show some ~acllblanoe
to the s ongs ot t11e harvee t o.nd courts hip dances of l..laa4, but
t heir r ange i s gr ea t er. Not only do they COlll ~~morate incidents
ot genera.l i nter est 'but t hoy al so describe I)l'ivatc drama and
s uch thi ngs oe the beauty of an ani mal , a a i r l, or an object.
fhi s va:rtety is l3rgo enotJSb tor some minstrels to betray thoir
own predtleetion f op one tne or aona or another. Dompwolf't'
recosnizea two typee ot Oondawe ~1notrel. ~e s~o that

" Wugonza waa an epic poet, eo to ea;r, [but) ae a lyrie poe t

Oelao, who waa a ~oung man i n hie twenti es, supplemented
him. Gelao sans h1a s ongn accompanyi ng h1ruselt on the musical
bow. Be waa very popular. ilhe ther ho was paid tor his
pert'ormancce, ia not knom. " 2

Among the mtnatrola represented in the toll owing pages, Mr.

Oawa Ginda'~ Sol, belongs to t he 131"1cal category, whereae the
othePe, verge toward& the epic type. However, as it is ea14 on
P• l, all Sandawe poetry 1e minor vereo and there exists no
real epto poetry.
In accordance with the method f'ollowed 1n previous
chapters tlte texta or minetrele7 have been arzoanged acoordins
to eubjeotJ t1rat those which deal 'With belief's, nature and
hunttns, then ~eaet1ng and material poeaese1on•• and ~lnall~
diecover~ and the advent or government.
l 1916, 164.
2 l&l4· , 165.
 5 00

u1nstr91sx sonea; J:>eliefs , n@ture, and hunting.

Text No, 152, The ancestor ts diseat1st1eg, s ung by lfi". F~ancie

Salul4 Kumanf at Sankwale to, J uly 1962.

l Hordgo, Hor6go ,
2 hewd sokoaok'a k 'olimlyoo.
3 l1or6go, ltor6go,

4 tatat1 aokoeok'a tl'cre•~yoo

5 kUmba sokosok'a owee tattle llll~yee
6 4a,v'oo liordga b14s'yoo •••

7 Hordgow&e& hd,
8 Hor6ga m1s~seyoo;
9 ll~l~e Hordga bi~s• yoo.
10 Song6, t6hla ziriba
11 tax h4nzo kaland6.

12 tlaxa'Ayd~ kwa ka' z1r1ba

13 tax h4nzo kinsd;

14 pt'! ke h4; n//4hla tumbuts •n.
15 TshS:~'! n//umayoo.
16 6•ns: thats•t1yoo,
17 ha llille pe ke.

18 Hol"4ea b14s•yoo, •••

~

l Hor6go, nordgo,
2 he, the mantis hae brought bad tidi ngs .
3 Hor6go, Hor6go,
4 oh father, the mantis ie wailing on.
5 Indeed, the mantis, oh woe, oh rather oh alas,
6 really then, Hor6go 1• dieaatiefied•••
 501

7 Oh llordgo, what then.

8 Uorc5go hae [boen given] nwcet beer,
9 but alas , Uordao 1a di esatiaf1ed.
10 Song6, the terrible honey-bad~er [1a t nGrc]
ll and haa opened up [the hive] with sharp kicks .

12 Oh the relatives, they say the honey- badger [ is thero]

13 and has opened up [ the hive ] and paseed;
14 he c limbed up and opened it; brotl1er, he etoopod on it
15 and t hen he stood on { t op ot] the honey.
16 And then, he shot at him
17 but alas he cli mbed up.

18 llor6go 1G d1eaat1ef1ed•••

~-
This is said to be a very old sons which descr ibes how a family
was et ruok by the disaster o~ a honey-ba(!ger getting at the
beehive and steal ing the honey. Songl , t he owner 0£ the hive,
went out and had a shot at the ba(1aer but missed; t hi s double
miet ortune ia then attributed t o the spite o~ a revonget'ul
spirit. The name or the aggri e ved ancestor i s Hordgo; he wae
d1saat1sf 1cd even though he had been propiti ated with beer.
The sacrif ice ha d apparentl~ not been suf'11oient to make up for
past neglect.
hen t he dieaa t er s truck a manti • waa eeen i n the house;
this convinced the t'amilY that divine action was t he cause o~
it all. The mantis i s believed to be a messenger of tho
spir its. 1'her c are sever al insects vhoee pr esence may, under
1

t he right circums t ances. be at t ribut e d to divine action. ~ore-

aoet aaong thoee ie the mantia re1141001 or prayi ng mantl e which
ie called hfkat@'i in Sandawe. t her e i s al so the desert gi-a88 •

hopper or locust calle d thyindfJ a sot't gr e en graea.hopper

 502

named ' lioadacho' l tph44 1'a!.) i and a 1•ed graeohopper called

1ods • or :&io6s:,. These Ill'& the names ot inaect epeoiee, but an,
ot' them 1s c alled by wl~at may be ter•med t heir mesaengei--name

when oond1 t 1ons ot anxiety call fo~ an explanation ot their

presence. lllen the tidings arc b od the insect ia referred to
ae aokos6ko, a name which is derived from a verb which means
1
•to tb:Peaten• . Good tidings are usually brought by the
hjkate•i; the meaning of it£ name may be tranalated aa ' what
1a 1 t then?' or bow is 1 t then?' Any one o~ t he messenger
mantises 1e called an [ emissary ot] d1v1ni ty {warpngoe4e lit.
a tomale divinity), and may be referred to as a {moEsenger ot]
a spi rit (l,fta• tma). When such a di vine messenger appears 1n
a hous e small sacr1t'1cee are made to i t. This coueiete ot
spitting or sprinkling some beer next t o it, and ot anointing
1 t ceret"ull.J' with eome butter. A1'ter t,l)at, the reaoon t'or its
appe8l'anoe will. normall.y bo round out by consul tins a di Viner.
When a mantis ie f'ound by ch1l4ren in the t'ield there ie
no special meaning attached to it and there is nothing to be
t'eared if i t is oaten by children. Other loeusts and similar
i nsects which have no a i gnifioanoe are the xats•g :tbaindf ( • the
thornbush grasshopper•), the L•ind lhwindj ( •the eand erasa-
ho_p..>er') end the t,ahntmsh another cpecics o'f: hopper. These
never appear ln a house, which may be the reason wh.Y they are
not oi gn1t1cant. or the species which 81'e a1gn1r1oant and which
do enter houses the mant1a 1e by Ear the moat important. The
thin brown mantis, t he •walking sti ck' , 1e not important. Mien
tound in t he house this common 1neect is usuall.; crushed becawie,
it i s said, it is a f'alee meeeenger.

l er. Dompwol ff , 1916, 51, AQk!, • to threaten• ; van de Eimmena44'

1954, 54, i.Qka, • t o dispu te , quarr el • .
A6cor ding t o some.
194916ko te aleo the name or a epec1t1c t ype ot l oc"USt which
l e rarely eeen, and which occasionally emits a ehrill cry.
 503

Xe;t li9, l,;3, '+40 prowuus lion, Suns by i;.r- . oawa Oinda, ~
2old at Farkwa, .Pobruar.v 1962.

1 Simba Udore;roo,
2 kdtoleyee, k6toleye,
3 Simba Rdoreyoo.
4 h6, k6toleyee, k6toleye,

l Lion, the Maned Lion then,

2 oh he prowls arowid the ~enoe, around t he fenoo,
3 Lion, the lianed Lion then,
4 what, he prowls at"Ound the rence , around the £ence.
A.fA..

The informant eays that once a lion prowled vow1d a cattle

enclosure 'tor a whole night. '.i'ho song uaee the ritual llalile ror
Lion ( ~ ) rather than 1 te phyo1cal. na1ne (//ats,1.), presumably
because of its identification with Danger. ~ io a fence,
and ksU.'1-l&. 1a •one who frequentn the 1'ence•. The moaning ot:
~ 1e e"-"Plai ned on P• 358.

Text.No, l.5k, The ti'.JllllDetfng elgphenvft.t. SW18 by ttr. oawa

G1nda'~ Sol4 at §arkwa, February 1962.

l Kamb a D/wd, n/waayoo, ~hla n/waa.roo,

2 hego D/waa.vo, n/waa;ro, t4hla D/waa,
.} kamba Zoz8 k1taA 1 '4xawayoo,
4 kamba ioz~ k1tal t•4xawe.yoo,
5 k~ramowco mt1stls •.-a l 'tlxa werl.

6 Tsh'1wee n/,raayo, n/waayo, t sh-dwe n/waa,

7 n//ana4te•eowa n/waayo, n/waayo, tt!hla n/waa;
8 klramowee deG.e•wa l '4,c.awayoo.
 '50l~

9 Tahuwee n/,111o;,ro, n/vaa:,o, //~u n/uaa.,

10 komba ~oz~ k.1tnl l'.tx.awayoo,
ll hego ioz6 kital l '4x.awo.yoo ,

12 k6ramowee mt!cUs•wa J •dx.awa v,er~.

13 N//atoh4ts•eo n/waayo,

l Indeed elephants, and elephante, enormous elephants then,

2 well there are elephants, and elephants, enormoue elepl}anta,
3 indeed in the stagnant pools they are trumpeting,
4 indeed in the stagnant pools they are trumpetina,
5 oh the elephant cow who ia the mother goee around trwnpettng.

6 Oh what animale, the elephants, the elephants, oh what

(animals, the elephante ;
7 in the b1"U8hwood they are, t he elephants, the elephants,
[ enottmous elephan ta then,
8 oh the elephant cow who ie the mothei- ie trumpeting.
9 Oh what animals, the elephants, the elephants , the thorn-
[bush'e elephants,
10 indeed 1n the st08l).ant pools they ai•e trumpeting,
ll welJ., in the stagnant pools they &1•e trumpeting,
12 oh the olephant cow who is the mother goes all over, trumpet-
[ 1ng.
13 In the I"ed-eo11 bush there az,e elephante , ~ ·

Toe 1nt'ormant eJr;plains that 1 t 1e a beautit'ul and awe-inspiring

o1ght to eee the dark shapes o-£ la1~ge troops of elapbante o.t
tlle1r drinking places in the small hours o~ the morning. Tho.Y
t.t-umpe t, and the whole surrounding bush seems :fUll of ther1.
The stagnant poola ( ~ are the deeper pal'ts o-r riveP bed&
wh1ch retain water in t.~e dry eeaeon; several watercoureea arc
called ~ . two o~ which are ehown on map 2. According to t.~e
m1netrel animal.a auet not bo hunted at the waterholes because
that would <11s tUl'b them and cauoe them to move away so that

the hunting becomee too unpredictable.

 505

t•xt no, 1ss, An '!Dlsnowu an1ma1 has been k111;4, sung by

~ . Tldlo uru1k1 ->Ol6 a t .1.•arkwa, .to'e bruory 1962.

l Sdway~e ndee,
2 e\1mangire, t~ndeea,
3 S<Swayee n4ee,
4 s\1mang1re , tc;ndeea,
5 waliwa e'1mangire?
6 ).J ')J ').J

7 T&ldeoa wak ' wayoo ~yec

8 awnang1re, t~ndeea.

9 ).) ')..J ').J

10 Tsh'1weyee ScSwayee 6yee

ll Mn~eea wak ' wa.
12 )) ).) ).)

~.
l Oh S~wa, tore then,
2 that elus11fe thing then, the unknown creature,

3 oh S6wa, there then [what i s it then},

4 that e l uo1ve thing then, the unl'nown creature,

5 which hae been killed, that elus ive thing then?

7 An unknown creatur~ hae bten killed then, y~s it has ,

8 that elusive thing, t ho unkno m creature .
9 ).J ).J )..J
10 Oh the animal, oh Sdwa, this here,
11 t he unknown oren+.ure, which has be~n killed.
12 )./ )..) ).J

~·
The minstrel explain& that 8 6wa, a hunter, 18 questioned by his
wire about the animal he hae killed in tho bush. S6wa oays that
 506

ho does not know the animal and that otber peopl e who have
acen 1 t alLo <.o not k.t,ow 1-:.. I i f; pree.1,ru1 t. wire is oi•1·te<l
uecauoc oho £ear~ tb«t her husband ma,.)' have hilled a pangolin
(xmuteiA ~§u;n1nck1 or s c~ly anteater, kw4r'kaka or k;t1ruk,aka
1
in Sandav.-e) . Thia 1a a r are and s transe looking nocturnal
ani mal which to seldom seen or caught , anc becauoe or its
rarity and anomalous apcearanoe 1 t i s considered by some to be
a divine mosoonger (~arongos~) but unlike the manti s , its
tidings hove always to do with childbirth. Douglas tells us
that uong the Lele the p&ngolin i o asa ociated wi th t'ertility ,
and this ta also the ease among the Sandawe. 2 iihen a hunter
oeoo the npoor of a pangolin leading into a burrow, this
a1gnit1es to him that his wife will conceive. he may on no
account kill a pangolin and bring it hone while hie wi~e i s
pregnant, to~ it i o be lie ved that i f h~ does, she will miscarry.
The expression uoed for to miscarry i s 'to bear a potsher d '
( ~ ll.iwa,), 3 and this explains tl1e s 1en,iticanee of the pangolin.
Sowa'o wife is afraid uocause n pangolin looks like an aborted
foetus v,1 th a skin like pots hel"ds and the magic of 1 ts
reee~bl ancc convinces her that she woulc lose her baby.
SimilarJ.y, t he pangolin's spoor which enters i nto t,he hole
convinces the hunter that his child i s safely in his wife's
womb . Ao long as his ~1fc i s pregnant he mus t t here~ore not
dig up the pangolin and kill 1 t.
ThE! operative words in tho text of this song do not occur
in ordinary Sandawe speech. 31',mangire conveys a sense of
elusiveness, cf. t!3lmA, •to avo1d' . 4 T~ndeaa may literally be
'she who 1s some other•, from ~. \3ome o t her•.

l Sc1ent11'1c name tl"om Swynner t on , 1945• The scal e s or t'ish,

etc. are cal led w4kflkn or •4khaka.
2 Douglas, 1957 , 50.
3 C~. p . 230 ( Text r-.o. 14, l1r,e 4) •
4 Van de K1mmenade , 1954, 54•
 507

Te xt o, lifu. Thf dead c:2,rot'f'f.• Sung by M:r. GJwa Otnda •t!

W2U_ at 1''a rl,.wo, •'ebruary 1962.

1 Te•,maeu h66laale tshdana / 11i •e

2 Ki:rong6oeta•sa Jh4mu n//ineyoo.

3 Te•4nasuwe, h66laale toh'1ana : httmu n//1ne

4 /.:,woe t hol5ugw&se ts• oa
5 Ulara •d na %hdmu n//1ne.

6 Te •&nasuwo, hddl aalo t ehltana Zh4mu n//1ne

7 ! yo , thol6ngwdee tho
8 car-a •~ na %hitmu n// 1ne.

9 Ts •,maeu h6dlaale t sh~ana /ili 'e

l The giraffe , oh alas, th~ graceful ly pa tterned animal

2 in thi, land or Kirongo she is lying , silently.

3 Oh the g1ra1'1'e, oh alas , t he animal lies t iere still,

4 oh woe , in the endless plain country she,
5 the beau t it'Ul one then lies t here eilentl3 •

6 Oh thft ~ ii-a.t.f~, oh alas, the animal l i es there e till,

7 ~other, in the endless plain oount~y she,
8 t he beauti:ful one t hen lies t ho:re silentl:.r.

9 The g1:rat£e , oh alas, the grace:rul.1$ patterned animal

10 oh woe , in the endleao plain countr~ she, A1Q•

~he poetry of this eong i s much enhanced by t he place

deec~1pt1ona. K1rona4@§ in the second line has a controversial
meaning. The minetrP.l says that th~ place is so called becauee
the hunter who kill~d the g1ra1're had a r1e1d there which had
 5,s

b en cleare('l. o.11 round (Ulr.M 1<:trsur:2-tt). Urongo (or ~,eina;g)

is the circu.'::l:f€rence 01' a fjr~ld , and thf'l nnrr,e would thuF. mean
' (a place] which nas a twide) ~ircUTJference• . But it ueoma at
least a.c: probabl~ thnt the n:eani1,g is ' [ a pl&ce of') the hunt
leader•. '.l'he .Nyamwez1 word kirgngpz1 rneans a tf,U.1Ge, 1 and the
Swahili kiongozi is a l~ad~r of a cnravan. 2 In Sandawe
ttron.loce may be uec~ 1n the rreaning of a hunt leader.
The na~e Tho15ngwda~ in tho f~uth line means ' having end.lees
plains•, :f°l"OQ ~ , olack- soil plain. ' o f.end awa appears to be
certain which places are mrant, but the m1n~trel thinks that
they may be beyond Bangant. To the north ot t hio mountain
there are lerge black-soil mar shes cover~d in thorn bush which
1·orm part o:f an entire belt of einila1• bleak country ( sec map
The ~lace deAcription oonv~ys a sense of bloakneso which adds
nuch t o the mood of t he song.
The genuine compaonion for a killed animal of which this
s ong obv1oun:Y e;peaks May aeem e. out'l,)r1e.1ne thing to t'1n~ 1n the
poetry of. Q h unting tribe . gandawo like the 1not'tons1ve
giraN'e. 'Tho nattern or 1 te hide is considere d very beaut1.ful ,
and .female beauty ie otten deecr1hed i n terma or giraffe
patterns.

Tti,;t Hg, 1.51· The reluctant hunting dog. Sung by Mr. Ollwa
Ginda ' ' Sol4 at garkwa, Pehruery 1962.

1 T~hla kaka, tihla ewaaewaa

2 k4ka.Yfe laale kimba SU~tfo b6laale
} tsf )utka, ka' lhtlmuni n//ine
4 ka' 1 •akhinge e~le700
5 k1mba eupd .b <Slaale.

l Seidol, 1898.
2 There are more allied meani ngs; c-r. Johnson 1951, 355.
 6 kt l a h0 ,'ilu le }'.i c: a "t.,)~ h6lnale
7 td k G.k a ka• 1hct. un l r.//1ne
6 .1-.iwb cwus. • e v,aa I pa fs:I n;/ i ne
9 kimba k4kay-:e ko. t ! h .1mun.i .1.//i ne
10 ka ' I ' akh4ntlC s up~ley oo
11 kimb a supd l1'5lanl e .

12 'l's ! kdka , ~-
l Tcn •i b l e dog, u t t erly c oaxe d,
2 oh { t hat] dog, v,ell t hen, indeed 1 t i s ar r ow- t oothed, well
[ come on,
3 tha ~ 1e l'lY dog, J eo , but i t l i es down and stirs not ,
4 ye s , ond it does hav~ teet h like many arrow point s,
5 indeed, s rrow poi n t~ , come on then .

6 The dog, oh t hen, 1nd, e d [ 1 t hoe ) arr ow poi nts , cone on then,
7 t ha t ib my dog, yes , bu't 1 t 11t?a dowr, and otir P not ,
8 i ndci.;d 1.., i r> c,:t,<:d on but 1 t ref'uaec. ru d 1 1n down.
9 Indc ud, oh b r i:,t he r , :,ea , 1 t 11<"8 down enc1 s t ire not,
10 ;;ce , and 1 t ('locs hav e tee th 1 ikr: many ar1·ow poi n ta,
11 i ndcecl, arr c,'11• poi nto , co1.1c on t hen.

12 That 1 s my d og , W.•

Doge are ke:,t f'oP hunting ae well as tor g uarding cat tle. and
a good ~og c an b e an obJect of cons i derable pride. Al t h ough
the e vex•age Sandawe dog 1s t'a1rly s mall 1 t ie usua l l.7 no t quite
s o emao1ated aa th.e dogs ot neighbouring t ribes beoause m~
bandawo ac tuall y t'eed t hei r aoga and look at't er t hem r easonably
well . ~he song tells ot a man who bad a l arger t han ava rage
dog of whi ch he was ver y proud , but when h e was t o take i t along
to a bunt it l ay down , Hf'using to stir and showing tte tee th.
The f'ine irony of' "my dog 0 i n lines 3, 7 and 12, and it• impli ed
aelt-der1e1on brought appr e ciative eni ggere t rom the audi ence .
 .;lO

'.J.."lte 1L1ace 01' tl,e orro\1.- ... i'h.c kc th li., c '1::cti ,olj uued to

cor• .,fii.. t ,!1 t.l. 1l1c uoe' s cowerdicc. ~ is a type of e.r:t>ow

tr.hich cons1e 1.u of &. po111 ted f;ooden shaft '>nly; 1 i. is snooth and

t-harp a:ud use d tor rats ius1de the house, or t'or eet t ir~ :raid ot
ocrecchini;: o .lti i n t!.e com·t~ ard (••they brin~ wi tchcrat't") .
For ohootin~ owla the tip i s heated in l-.o t aonee until it glows .
'lhc 1,('rt. ~-1$!. iu lines 4 and 10 thus :SU{:.t,es ts a repetition ,

or a saul t.1 tude of lilrrow- poin tcd t~c th T. hich cmi t a fiery glow

but alao, tl.e ow;1or er th1E impo1,inb array or teeth wae lying
down on th<. Rround m.d <lid not stir.

Text no, 156· l:he slaiH, h1ID1'ftl!• Slll>g by J'r. Tldl o Md4k1 rou
ut Forkwa , .L<'ebr·uur:, 1962.

l
2 Kamb a f..a ongi ydo, tl •onst ,

3 kitaba tl 'ong!.
4 Tiieyee k imba Songt! n//ahlangi wak'wa.
5 ).) ).) ).) ).)
6 Hap'd n//ahlangU,
7 ).) ).J )..) )-) )-J )-' ).J ).I

8 )-) )..J ).l ).J ).i).) )J ).i

9 Kamba Uaongtyoo ,
10 kimba tl'ong!.
ll Kel"maowee k1mba Song, n//ahlang1 wak•wa.
12 )..J )..J )-) ).)

13 Ka • hap ,1 n// ahlangil.

14 ).I ).I )J )..>

15 Ka' Song, n/waa k • amb ayoo.

16 )-1).J }.I )..>

17 Kiaba hap'1 n// ablangU.

18 ).J )..> ).J ).J
19 Ka' Song4 n/wa6 k'ambayoo.
 511

21 ka ' -E.tOUtS! ,

22 kl~ba ~on~~.
23 Kerw».owee k1mba ~ono~ n/wau k'amba.yoo.

1 'r' )-J )..I )..l )J ).I )J ).i

2 ~or indeed, oh ~aong1 t hen, be ~ao b~en pi erced,

3 indeed pierced.
4 Oh at ni ~ht indeed Song4 ho was our brother, wae killed.
5 )..I )-' ).i '>-,
6 You who were our brother,
7 )..I ).! ).I )J
8 ).J )-l ).J ).l

9 'or 1m1 ef'ld, aong1 thtm,

lO indrr e hr was p:l<'rcea .
11 Oh el.epharit- cow, indeoc'1 t,ong~ who wai'
12 ).1 )-1 )_l).J

13 It is oa1d , you who wer*' our brother.

1 5 I t 1s ae!d, bong~, the elephant bull.

16 ).J }.J ).I )J

17 I ndeed, you who were our brother.

18 ).I )..I )-1 ).J
19 It ie eaid, 8 ongc1• the elephant bull .
20 ').i )..' ).J ),.I

21 It i e said, Haons i,
22 :i.nd~ed, S ong~.
23 Oh elephant-cow, indeed Sons' the elephant bull.
24 ).I )..I )..l )..I

~
 .:.,12

he 1 r trc... e )1 ir: n ic t l r. . r: 1?0 c. :!'u• . )1\ c le'Ph:m t l-nurtcr

~nl.Lcd or...;<l hod ce·1 1'::Ll<•d. l'rairE i r. a~cordod t~ the

decc:12od by rel"e.t rint; to h1:: a.., 'cl~.r>ha.'"lt b ull•. 'lhe ' elephant
cov' 11J r.ot o. fc a:!.c clepha.u· 'itho l.a~ ,.;ored aticl kille~ him. ae
ma.:{ :90.rha!.>O be e>.'1)ec1ed, but t>o:r:~~· fl daugt.tf:ir l~aong1. The song

io a lun"nt u'1droosed tc her, :».1( i.;1. SCl'Ordanco w1 th the :,rnise

._.ivcn to her father she is 1-e1•c1·r~d to a& 'elephant cow•.

'":c;.kt l!o , 15'2, !i?,.1,e,,••c9" lgc t1AJ: 2znr.c,1 ·~iQUt. una by r . 'l'ldlr,
, .14ki old at 'o.rkwa, .F('bl"uary 1962.

l ZakhJna • nt• 100 n!• ,

2 tc!hls'l KU.'ld&1oa' 'bMba'(1ta '••
3 )) '>-1 ),.!
4 Ka' hego Tibttn•a•na //6• n/atf,
5 lea' hego T1b!te •a•na / / ~· n/at1,
6 wam.&e tdhla Kindamote •a
7 bubo •d te •a• llhmar.iaxal.

6 :t.akhdna' nt•voo, ~·
1 'l'hev went on then into tho bush, they went,
2 qUite ae ra~ as Kunda~o, nea~ to 1t.
3 )J },J ).)
4 They said, well , to ~1bt , to there they came,
5 t he;y sa1d, well, 1,o T1b .t, t o tilel"e toey o.ame ,
G oh ~ 1end, quite ae C': w es Kindamo,
7 ne,b'• to 1 t, aa t'a,.• aw M\tnf.llila.
b 'J.'ho.:, went on then into th buell, &tQ•

The 1>laoenaJ'le& tim41Ar.,tl i n t..~.e socond line and Kindnmo in the

s ixth line are t.nc oome. ~1-.! i s a lo~ge con1oo.1 hi ll in
weot(::•:c. Stmda,,,-e counu-y wbore ~.hf'! h:tlle end and the t'lat buah
oxpanae or the Kponde p lain& begb 1 ( aee m~ 2) . seru! awo ao
 513

bunting and honey-collecting i n this un1nhab 1 ted wildernose .

l.'1nema ie t.u~ narue or an area >.n lihe bush which 10 callea arter
a man who hae once had a emal.l cultivation the:re.

't ext N9, :&ebU. '£he umyiJ,ling <},on~:£... oung by J.ir. 04wa Uinda• ~
~old at ~a~kwa, ~ebrWU"y 1962.

1 "K~nzo no•", na nt• yoo

2 ko J6:{uts ' o n//ee,
3 kn' , tMo n/at1yoo.
4 .!{amba, nk,.1ifnzo no'", na n ! •yoo
5 ko D6yots•o n//ee,
,.
0 ka• tMo n/at1,fo5.

7 S5nowee , J,'l1r1oue ts ' na

8 rntM ime.
9 .I<S dakwe , krunba t ~6<5a taoo.

10 Ka•, M!ndigats'o n//ee,

ll ko t~~o n/ a t i yoo.
12 Ka ', ~! ndigats•o n//ee ,
lj ~O t~~O n/atiJOO laale,
14 ha, hd, K.h•ioee ts ' aa
15 n441 iine.
16 H6 dakwe , k.amba ts6da tso6.
••• uortyoo, • •• A,tQ.

l ''Let us go on an expedition'', and we went on,

2 right until we a:a:•rive<i at D6i'o,
3 they oaid, - in th~ dark we were arr ivintt•
4 Indet;d, "Le t uo go t>n an expedi t1on", and we went on
5 rtaht until we ru•r 1ved at Doyo ,
6 the; ea1d, - in the dark we were arr1v1ug.
7 vh 36:no, at t h~ 111ate1·llolo in the f.urio area
8 he just bra.red harahl.y.

9 lhat a donkey, indeed he 3uat dereoated excrement.

Y
10 ThOY £. Atd, ~t f ~~ 1~a W~ a~riVA~ t
11 r1 "";1t when darkno ... , TmF COI'linP,'.

12 'l'hey .;nld, ac ' ! "~ 1ga we af'ri·.J'(' 1,

13 just when da~kno~s was ~omin3 , ~la~ .

14 end what, at th~ waterhole in t he l{t1.r10 art a

15 he just brn.,ed har 8hl y,

16 what a ~onkRY, indeed he juet defecated exerem~nt.
• • • Oh ilor! , . • • ~ .

'l'he .r.iinatrcl com cnts t hat this expedi t1on o1' hone:, ool l.eetoro
l et't central Sandawe coun-tr;v, passing ':)t,,10 wher~ they ep,mt
t'1e nigiit. Tnc t,ill s called Doy o an.~ Mi nd1ga ar<' both ~howr,

on map 2 . On t he way back thPY roached Yurio, which 10 also

shown l)n the map. Here t tie heavily loa&,d non.key r e:f'u ed t o
go on.
In further r ~petitious stanzas the name !!!2.1:1 i o mentioned
instead o f ~ . aa i n line 7. ~ 1& said to b~ the name of
the c cllector who used ~ ' C:1 r,ml e in one o'!' t he oxpN'lit i one .

feesting m1Q courting•

Xnxt Has l fa;i . '.Olf end of the 'Q&rR.&. Sung by 1,r . Tldlo ~ daki
~-olft at. 1''fl1•kT1a, ·~t,rue\r .f 1962.

1 T1• ! 1t'yoo /11~en n//a, r..ui,te,

2 tl'ik'U ;~,ea n/ / a, Lu1,,e,
3 'l'l ':!k' yoo /11~88 n//a, • ul,yee ,
4 tl' :!h'J'OO /!I.lea n//a, Lul4ea /t11a.
5 }.!)./ '),,/ )./
(i aah, allh, hf1;ra.roo.
7 Tl' :!k 1.voo, £li•
l '/el';/ c ai'J.J i.oen t htt CJ.O tJ:l u.l3 ...JoC t ~14.., .wUla,

2 in tne ~ar l.:/ morni.•ts lle c.lvJ...:.:l als eyeo , t,1is 41 ulc1•
.3 very earl.I t.a~i1, he closea Aia .;)yes , this Lul4 c. ,en,
4 ve'I!;/ e~rl.t then, ne Cl)sdu n 1e eJeu, thi.a l..ull1, ilis e,Yes .

6 ~h, aah , well ~nen.

7 I/er:, earl.}" tnen , ~ ·

Accordi 'lg to the m1netrel tne Fong commemorates o eucC'eeat'ul

b eer party gi ven by a man oall... d Lula1. The i-ues ts did not
l eave until doybreak.

S'e&t to, 1~2.· mLrablf ,.,.irJ... Ctr.g by 1r. n~t o 'd4ki s ou

n t Ftwkra, Februarlt 1962.

l Ka' Mu~~ ki mba :•etse>xl'vn

2 n//owe tin(1!la6& , Lu<lt!.

3 Uuo~ kimua , ~

1 ~ oy any, 'ud( 1ndec~, r he i s l ike o. kl1pnpr1ngcr- ,

2 thu t chil d h&G a g1~nccfUl 6r1am·er , ''ut t1.

3 ' uOd indeed , ils.a.

The k11pspringor (Qreotra gus p:raotr~gus , called 1 •atsc1 or

! 'eta:d, in Oi1ndawe) i s cons i dered a ver y 5ract'tt'ul animal.
To co1:1pare a girl w1 th i t ie to '1)8.:/ as great a co1npl1ment to
her gait and figure ae to compare hor with a girat'fe i e to her
features. The m1n6trcl's colllI!lent 1e oloquent, he saye:
"She runs aa if she were in a rert111t.Y dance, she walks with
a kl1pepr1nger•e swagger, ehe te very beautiful" (phek'µmota
LI' faoa:xf •qa mu:.t, :vuuxfoa '»1.nc;1,i:1aoa, lk.!!u1 Aluf) •
l Der! yee bol6ona keseyoo ,
2 ht1y'a hd~ uer!yoe ka' xomba lemboyoo,
3 Der!nga bal66na kePeyoo , ~ ·

l C'h ncr!, hr ,me hC'rc!irif; [ tl.c cattle] to [their] ,~rozin~,

2 Well ";;hen , h(y, thio r.tr!, :,ee., l!ith cockfeatherr:. P.wayi ng,
3 Der! wae i nctee~ h(-'rd1ng l tl ,, ca ttl~ J to ( t,hei r) gi·azing, :;~.

~ has bt·er <'1rcumc1zed onci has concluded hie ir~i tiation

p~ri od, he hoc be; orae a mar1. \''eari ng his fin ery ho ta rE'ady

to Join the l!!Allf:.dit• Dangling cockfcathers s.rP. recorded b~

Bauraaru11 and Reche 2 as a means o'f covering the gen1 tale.
naumann nlso says the. t eontrory to t he Ri mi the Sand.awe suspend
a acrap o~ mator1al ( "&.in Zew;t'etzchen") i n front, inet~ad or
the formerly u£ual neckfc athere of a chicken, while the women
~
bear aprons t'r om tlw wa1s t . "" Accr>rd1r1g to the mine trel t he

youth also wears cock.feathers on tne head; thi~ is still done

bT some youths to-dt\y.

TQ~t QQ• lg~. 'ttt lov~iPr.n Youth8e ~ung by Mr . Tlt1:lo ~d4k1

5ol4 at Varkwa, Pobruary 1962.

l t.wndy~e lA l e //' ootchipa kin•a,

2 ka• yay4 l llllle.
3 Am4e • y, e lalile //•ootahipa i:,,5.

li nunm1k1na.

!:> .Am4s•yle l alle //•oot~h1pa 1yl, kitnba

1. 1894, 112.
2 191.5 , 256.
 t.> kruauti, .1 t1 t;e dek.ina zi;;:!da nuruase.

7 Jan<leyee lillo I I' oo ts.h:&.pa 1yi§,

8 kit.toa, :,aytta, lMle, r,mu~ •

9 ..Janne,vee la~le , I• oo tshipa iye,

10 ,,aktma •Y.1mn zig:Cda iy<J.
11 .'. az•y~e luala //'ootshipa. i yij , kambu
12 k imba, Y'UJ!t' le.Ale .zii,!d.a •••

1 ~)h liar.ii!, a'.Laa , h~ cell ... ot sleep arain,

2 they cay, [bccnuse of my] elder cister, alas.
3 Oh Ao4L' alas, he 1a slccpleae
J-4, 'beca1. w e •)f [ 1•1.r) youngc1• e i c ter.
5 0h JIJllas ' alao, he 11, aleoplef o i ndeed,
G for ir.,1..'lcd, b<.-ca11: e ot• Hl'gca(! hie t f'Etrt throba.
7 Oh :l·:01<le alas, he i: f.>11 l plef>l'
8 1ndn, <J. , { becau3o o1' r.,.:] < l "'.EU' , is+i>1• tilas , JJllUm.

9 O'l Duncte alae, he ie r let pleos,

10 '· t cau:--c ot !iaktma bio heart 1•ct:1ains i tl robt1nc;].
11 Oh Am1.fo ' &lla!> , ho 1~ slec:.,lece , ror indeftd,
12 11,. ~ec·d (bccauae o:f rr..y] elder oistPr alao , hi& heart • • •
~tg .

In further ~epet1t1ono of the Gong a thi rd girlts nflDle appear s ,

~ . this turns out to be the poet•a elder sister whom .Kimi.
loves i n the f1ret two lines of the text. Bventually vet
another moonetruck young man appear& 1n t he tape- r ecorded text ,
hie name i s DnnJ.t~mA· The thome of tho s ong remains unaltered,
and the names alr•ead.Y mentioned are repeate d many times .
 518

Tgxi, :t·P• l65, X.b 0 man.::x:. ~Y!L 5 ung by Mr. Tlttlo Mo~ki Sol&
at Fsrkwa, Pebruary 1962.

l 'l'~u.glhl.a h6 ' aa ai tak:1 'yoo kanimgi r o •, ).. ).. ).-

2 )- ).. )- ).. )- ).. )..J

3 TRuf,'\lna .'ld'f'o sitaki'.100 kandnis1Pe ', ). )-)-

4 ).. )- )- )- )- )- )- ' JUS4.

l To1.\gl1 then, wh,V icn ' t ohc ,-;1ll1ng, \mat th<'!n for'l ). ) .. ).,
2 )-)-~)- ).. )-).

3 'l'oug\1 then, ,:hy isn I t cho will1nc, what then for 'l ).t )- )..
4 )- )- ).. )- ).. )- ).. , ~

I n this eong the minstrel wonders what is wrong with t he girl

Taugd t>athe1• than tv1eo to l'id1cule her- behaviour, as happens
in the ~ text No. 140.
The song provides an outstanding example of the way Sandawe
oometimee treat nantu gttam; atical items. The Swahili j}J.,-l,at-J.
(I do not want) i s adopted by the Sandawo ae a verbal 1nr1n1t1ve
( to be unwil'!.1ng) , and to thta new atem the usual Sandawe aut"-
fixes aPe added. Af'ter r t niahi ng the eong the ~instrel
elucidated t he position by etat1ng that the gil'l ' doee not want
a husband.• (m4x.f.-&& k!,) J he '1ent on to show his knowledge o"£
Swahili b.f repeating thir stntoment 1n nswah1l1 11 ae ~-&A
a-u-uUati (male-she he-present time- I do not want). Ono has
to mow Candawe be:fore this k ind ~ Swahili can be understood.

Mvr1,n, ,4u1t1a om1 klneht; r,1at1oruf,

:;;ex;t Uo, lfl(,, PgrbicJ>11n 1nuroOUI's12, suns by ur. G4wa G1ndn',

Col4 at Farkwa , August 1963.

l Weloa:,e, h ~ Welaaye,
2 h~ ~elaa gea•wa Welaa Welaaye.
 I 19

3 ..,,5, :t ~1 I " ,., '0 1· • ' ' . "'

4 k .1 ' Olil.;; ' l et 'e l '.l".i .

5 telaa k:.i ' :; .... l e ,r~1~::1va ' ·:~" ·3,

l Oh , ol ~a , what, oh ~e l aa,
2 what , Welae., yea 1.t, ia she , ,1elaa, oh llelaa.
3 \"'h &.t , tne 1!.(~U-tt·ee 1 £ blorsornirg forth. ,

Ii t hey eay , re l afll , ye<> 1 t i t cbe, nelan.

5 WelBe , th~ Y ssv, the pcleg(l~- tree 1~ blocaom1ng forth,
( r·hr:1' 1 IE"l na , ttcr t' a-:;- ~1elna, ye-a 1 t i e she , 1Yelafl .
7 \{l-.et, \ Cler, t T,hEl t, the £.Uf.C:fu tr-t>t> 1P. blOSSOl';'li ne forth •

.t..'t&:.·

'l'h1a i s anott1er oot.g of deccp tiVf' s 1mplic1 t.Y , in vwhich i t n.ay

e<:em , perhaps , that a g1.rl eQ.lled \,elaa 1s t,atch1nu so.r;.e
l'.'lowerir.g t.reef. . The g i ggl es oi"' th<' audience show t.r.nt thi&

expl uuati on is not very likely to be corr ect.

The J..:..l!L~ tree ( spec i es unidentifi ed) 1e :airly com: on
i n t h<: 1'orm of' a sma ll ohrub, b u t ,men 1 t develops f.'ull:r it haa
ctronJ and ~out;h wood ~hict i e usod ~or making hoc handles , and
if th(1 tr•re 1~ lnr P,e enough, for the upr,i e:;ht p ,>l es ot' hous< s.

I t bloeuoraa wit~ a :prof'1si"'n ,~ white f l cnera. It i f; a

trua:JQUJ.ine• treo (wb'o 'r) Md i ~a nm,1c 1:- gtven t;o me.le
chilC::rPn. Itn rl t;ual u~a is nssocia:tcd with masculinity , and
:>hal ~.ic e tlck s ur ., nadc of i to .,,,..,mches whiol1 at'e used i n the

harv Pt nn:t c o· irtt h i -, d.ano<Js of ~ .

·~·1i.e c;aJ,c:<¢ ~ ( or ;,ole. ;616) tree is the QM s a U..'Jsw~eina
(CQgoal,n1n1n,ct'>M).1 1 t i s li t ,l <' "l'">r" th"n n la"'g"' ahrul>, and
 (,

i 4- p -,,nc,d 1 t• ttP<''' f or Tnf'"°i HP" tooth n1•uoht1:s an~ f(lr t'ir ewood.
,... n 1 or • nrf' .-;'.\ th Vt'1J ~vr f'l M'.J''r>~ v•'hic-h t.uru Ol'U.tiste when the

01 r 6 podr: c'rvPlor. nN1 clrrl' l'hr-4 vnll t'<l rt'n -.vhen tlle I10d1'l are
....u lly 1.r' nrr>. 'rhf" +.i· c-~ it\ • f,•ri rh•f'' ( ~ 'J and its nellle

i ·~ givt>;, to 1.' cnale ch11<1rtm. Tte r1 tm1l use 1e attcociated. with

W·"\ITWiV100c1 . 'then ror cl 1. torhlec t<1:1,1 op~r ation~ ir. t he b ueh n o
"'lli ~13bJ.<' lnnr11'a t.i•ee (l~r1~Jill) cl'ln h-e :f"()un<'l a e:elegelQ. t r t•e may
"fH'"'~ .in its •,':t"fl~. -r.,r '.:.i!{r t.ht> / grni:-,ta thf> £.!i..~.l.f! 1e smoot h-
bsrked ana •c ,olr.

en t e!'T) 111 ~ro . ,rrub B nnd "to,,,i,t,,.,l'"~o, ant\ n:1n:l'l1,., m.~ thus
:i'lans 'l!t?d1c1n-1 fo!' in tt<ts t1nnl w~:rm,. Ttio ~flcond moaning of

i(l@ !I2:l.l la ' bal t;, rur.ioles • ; the '1,indawe at '::rtb•2te theso to t he

ami,t1nAas ,,h1ch ia lnt't tns11e b(-',cnna~ 'lf thf•aeage of real

or 1ma.s1nar J n~ng~iQ, 11k~ the Inside ot a l og o~ wood where
t.he tiorln~ aruoe 11av'-' beon net1ve. I n a :1or e vulgar sense this
b ell./ rumble t s uood t o expreH~ lack o-r sexual sati sfaction, 1.e.
t he u.1a oti st1eJ bell y ot' ~ woman. If wo now r e turn t o the
t lowel"s t>1' t he t wo t reua t!le ineantng o~ t he aong bec omes clear.
An in.forman t coa£1rms tha t the whi t~ f lowora ~~ the f'4k' wa
tree repr e~eat mal e semen (~ , and t ha t t ho r od ~lowers o~
1
tho &ClAkttlA stan4 fov ~ens~r ual ~l ~od ~hich i u called the
torbid<len illn~••' iA ~andawe ( ~ k'ya•o) , 1.e. the period
when illicit rela~tone are forb idden. 1 The appearance o~ the
 1

t,re treee 17' t.h~ f 1 "1""r1n,l Re;Jll£>On i=ho1m that t h<> eong ' t-

a7mhol1Rm ie ba0ed on obvtntts e1milavtty, 'i'he 1'4k'wa tree

f'low,.. ,•A i n ,rme • ~n-1 ir T11l,v t'l-e neod _;ods are tul 1;;, devolopc,d.

There ?ui,rp, • n1r~1,l~l' ~ec !:ion nnrl thP'f 1':{l'()W u 1 to a 1."oot :tn
lPn gth w1 t11 a d1.Rmet~r o'f" nc 1torc t11an 1/, •t. '\'h,, poda devolop

f' .... or.1 t ..'1" f'lowe::-s, h n.."lf.:ing clown 1 ~ l:c ~nalt<JB, and when they al'e

"lat,J.l"A tne white :t'ln111el"s ~f;i:1.2 e1 t on ton of. tha unner ends ot

on to!') o~ t!1·111' Bf! <l :r>ods ar- ,1u·1<' tho ap )Carance o:e :1t':'nstJ>u.Rl

'o 1 0!".1~A on '

,Jl\.'t l).tt:.ie:.: 1, h e -va:, i~ 'C 1~ "' h 01t~ 1:'l -pno
' t... o ,y o. -,~.o.
,". l

'r>lP- ~'>rq r•ei'era tn '1 -1r1 c-11 1.led 'olaa who had rclatione with
a lover d11r>1nP, hor Men ses .

"'t~~ ·{Qt .. l!i1-. 1!1.f!....r..0.t.l.ll'. M.<Lb;~;t,g__e ,. Dung by 'lr. G~wa G1nda ' ~

l,.,1! at 1a?''<wa, ••·,~1:>~1ai-_y 1962.

l // 6'ae .dmbi '~'ooe;

2 ', 1nin !:.lml)l!l k'~u.

3 ...... u • hi.t.'llbuki1.1d k' oa.roo 1;.ialo

Ii .... 6nia 1cimb~ k 'da,yo o l !ale
5 ka t hui·1ou i.ci1 ,c:, JO: ' '1.cy-on lM.lo.

6 /..y-..,ee ~;,~niutu'o lM1lo

7 1mnlmd,1_; k 'tfoJOO luule.
8 d,1nia kiffl~), k I f:EJYOO lnlile t

9 LJO hum udttd k · Jivoo la~e,

10 ..;dnia k i i..1.b:i Cdn1a.,oo ll1t.t1le.

l Sexual imagery expressod in termo o~ f'lowers has also been

l'fl:poi-tod ti-cm the 1tim1, cf. Olson, 1961, 185 ( 1n a i'ootnote
to " c1.rcUMc1a1on camp sang) •
 (.. .... , - . , . l

. ..
,,..._ ..... '"'...,.

,-. _ 5 in i 1de..!c, .1c i3 c.1.•.t ...1.,; ...lu..;,

::> t:..c.: cay , :>ecau::ic OJ.' t.,c cattle , ...,.5.rd~ t!u:.. \, alao.

7 b~ ~aune o~ t h~ ci.1 ttl e he is or•rj n~ alas ,

8 8-Snta ind"'P.d , he 1P crvinc, alas,
9 h~c~1~c of 05 1 ~ Cb ttle he ia ~rytn;;; nlao,
10 ' ) dtt 1 1 i"crl , ~,,1 a then, :flan •

.;ne c i1•ouH1a ~i:tncua o-' cn;i.s uI'ama ru·u a till well 1•e11eu1Uer>eu..

~ is tho na 1e oi.' a iupurd. clautunan •o1ho lived at :.ubt1 1u

.CJ.ase , 1~ 1, JO torn ~and.awl.!.
was cour'tied l>y a ttel.1- i;o- d.o y:>ttt h nw ud .J.51. 'i.'miJ 1el'f.: oni_$&$C(l

her tu tn.el' whcrr,u ">On the CH t tlc had to l>e re wrned in 1~om1ny.
Xh" prooent roi"latrel hus w1 tneased thn event wl1ioh , he
says , oausecl GOr.if' bad toelinJs betw.•an the two tamiliaa , and
the s on~ .Ila ," oeen u sttd by clans.Collo"a ot M ' s to taunt memhc--r~
ot ~•s clan. Tho m1no t:r~ll sa:rs the recoi:-di ng of' t he a onJt
should not be play~ d b a ck to \l~uur1t e l annraen.

l e3t tto, .1251. 'Jhflt 1§ ..!D!!lna vu~ rJ.1nw, wo,rum1 sung by u1•. 0 1l-.fa

G1nda'd soi , at lal'k,,a, Auqua t 1963.

l t a• tld.eyec .1.6611es a t£ ' aa k"W48 YOO,

2. i&l' &1da..V ->O , fa• 4d.3 .m1moux.c. eel /tli'e •

3 .-r ongeJee ncSdweoanall kwaa:,oo, hdya.

4 Ya '4da7ee. 'ia'•dayee h'1mbux.4•ea / t11•e.
3 Oh ;~r enge , i1h1le grinding ~. ~ 1 o sU1't eri ng pai n , why th~n·,

4 oh ¥&.'ada, oh t u 1 4d~ who i s apeckl e-pre tt.¥ like a c.:ow.

b ol.... u • ~'- a, ·a' uua ~.ho i, sp1.:cklu-p1·<.... t., 1~ .:c a cow.

:ta • , nu' r. huaban<l Wtl tchce her· paint'ul mo , e men tEI a 'Ii tne &rind~
atone and wonders whether she i s 111. ~r~n.,~ (a relative~)

'ENXt Ho, l65t. Tho l.tV+Y .;li;~e , ..ung by .i•. Ct~wa .....1nda ' .S v \lld

at Jarkm1 , ,~ugust 1~63 .

j KmJba Jt1d:U.10e n : eoarn:tYoo,

li J•ko xaui1axanl\a hew 14 noowe .

!> Jt..'f\,oe n 1eoay?o h66lanle

6 6 'ko xandnxanda hes-v, noowo.
w...

l Oh ~ad!, it has lona become dnY, ~ha tl

2 the da:, has ~roiccn, t ~is vain one , l et he:r gri nd.

J for 1"a.d3ed, lh y ou Da d :!, h a 1:1n ' t th~ daJ l onu b roken,

4 h~r e then, this ve.1n ono , l et her ~ i nd.
5 Oh "oe. 1 t h ae 10•11:t becomtt <la.v, co111E 01' t r,on,
6 h~r e then, this vain one , lP-t her 3r1nd.

11. wo.:ns, v..ho j1. et li '!3 ornaruen t .. 1s re.fez ~~d to ~s ;xanCa.xanda,

x,;n1~, ere ~Y lJpe of beao ,:>rn.aments , ct . id c1 ma:xr.,owi, lee.tiler
, 1
I 1 f; l,l 0 1,S •

I1ut, ·fo , 1~. ~~1..lt..;.·tt'7·L-™ ·,i1u:,r11~ :i[ ~~ ! ! ~· JiJ..Ii..;; ·0,1

.~. ,J iii Ji11da 1 d ol~ a t ,urA,,a, ~u.-JUat l96j .

l ~:r•.il)f>. k1~lo1 011? ~:!-n.;9. P nr: ' ,

2 ~ t rlioa l<arnb'3 :-11~"1,mi n// ine.

.) L1u1:a h1JoleJu e! nga 1 •au 1 ,

,~ . r~fW(1'~ )O t('JY )O .

5 .!oud! ye h M diyo, laale.

6 ~; :(~tH\ kaMha Hl1~rmni n/ /1ne.

7 ' .!clt•a 1';\.tol, yo c :!~e : t w. t 'tE.;i .

8 ,~·vitte 66,.t·yoo.

9 J.,ond! ye h6oa1, h ~olaalo,

10 u :!mba i,ac..ba .. 1ho"e.

Jl t ! rr.ba ki<i oleye e1nga 1 , 8.~ t,

12 tehi na kamba l h'1nu n// ilH)f; t •

13 • .!l.d 1na h 66u illtt.. ~ !,66ltlnle ,

14 t.:.on<i! y c h6cu h66la~le.

itJ&.•

1 Ot ia the L1cn •s clawc ditl l lie ,

2 the C.1 O-" 1n.,_eftd la.r in ~Hence.
 L.1 ill i
,,

1; ,cc, o... )~. u lv, ...

5 "Oh Mond! , l(jt me corie 1n then, co1,,. on'' ;

6 ['bu~] &ill' Lion indeed lay i n oilence.

9 "Oh ~ond t , lot mo como 1n t.'len, what. come on";

10 (1rn tl t'1e I.lon 1'1ld edfea1d]: " Oh '!tho!"

ll 01. ln ....w... ....ion I s 1;.1.1.u;!l did 'i lle,

lj '::he ;111nter then do ended t'ro;,i hi1a "let ne coMe 1n1 what,
t com1J on",
14 "Oh Aond!, l et mo co,e i n. , C(')tne on•' .

,'l.ls .,011; iu ~iald t) hav

• r. l,ov he io otw1«li .g at t)j,1d ;! 1:, <l>or cle!'1ondnlg to be. let in•

. us ~ , .. lover, ,onlii is re1·m·1•(hl to o.e a Lion, ~,ut. ,,hi;!'l

.•unt:>:r ..uc1tenl,1 arri1ea ,.~.A reaction 10 .rar :rrom con!'r.. ·eo·1S.

Hu l iea a !'.111 on G.ne ued, and all he manapen to sa,v iE· a
trvm'bl ""t{ ''')h l ltto' to h1r c )lQ)an1on, in line 10.

4'ga;t +>At 171. !!,othPI'nin-JJW. evoldance. S ung by ~~r. G4WB

Jinda•~ 80111 at .'arkwa, Pebrua1•;v 1962.

l l 'am'iatvoo h 6yQo,

2 : 'w\t1st\rno b6yoo,
3 } .wu ka•.11.>a ku ' , J>5 Jl.lanaf...
 !;) kwa .\aliJO,l .Kli I J i·6 .&lib ••

u £ 1 w~6b.:.&,{OCJ v 6 .100 , u ....u.

7 : ' I\Ti~oil._voo h"iJ10,

8 k:YA 1<tll!\rJf\ ka ' , ,.g fllMaii.

q ! ' ,U'IC8'\.VOO h0·rnn ,
1() k''frt kAl\lbP- ka ', ,..~ manP.il.

11 /vw,'e, h <S.roo, h,U.

~~

1 lio1;ho:!.'-i•1-lav1 t.'1on, 1 sr,ea' .ing,

5 fo:o 1., food chc talkn , her voice ie kn()wn.

lv .1.'..)1.• J.m.tucli au.., ..al,-.~, :ilt)l' voicu i s la.own.

11 0' woe , t, 1e is apeaklng , huu.

Dl.>Jl'.lp llol.t'." a iul"1H1.1a.. t llabuni stat.us that "l ru.1d ll!Y paren to- iJl-
1
l a>:1 tlr.Y not. opee.k t.o 01.c a.noti·iel" , that is taboo" . .l?urthOI'
2
do tai l s on this avo1 dcllCf" ~l't ;1 vim 11~ c.hapter one.

:text .. 2, 1.12, pomn1n1nt 9 •.;a1 tet tJ,e mau.cr's br other. .:>un~ b y

i.r . \.h.1wa "am.la '~ • ol-1 at lt'arkwa, Auguet 196.3.

l Tr! mname kanba %~ayoo ,

2 k a111ba tfli mam110 h•mibu -x,~u:roo.

l 1916, 126 (~ext 128). 2 PP• 36 and 42, note 3·

3
... . • j .. l[l fl ' :
., ;;. ll10. ( !l ,"4iJ'
.,
) I •

~ ~ . u c ,:u.-,.)1.l ,<.'1 I ) .) •

5 Ts! i)\t\3!:1e, j ·1·hoe, } 8 t: ''),e·110 laule?''

6 Sw ma~me //'Aid l.,;7~a '?O.

7 f .'
J. '"''"l'l ~-Wl- , ~

5 .4.J lli·J t.J.e.1• 1 I:.' -;_,!'O ~ .<,t', a.:/ oh '!IOC ! t J. 1 ll] EH,,J: ·• •• a::m' :., ho taken
l then, alvs? "
6 i10.-: L,•.._;] inv r. ll.:X' • s or0thel' 'n ><w..c the1. in , ,~u.

m• ,6l'n, l U: C. ,. ( l n: uO~'.l'Ol.'( cl C, ., lt \.'1 icl, he hUl.. l.C'H l l t; turne;d,

a: .d thic 2.' m.il;y ,.ca:...th non _·11.< u :i.tucl...' 1n tl c. hv.1.df- of t.t,0 wrong
l .•.ncuue . 1:vcn thouel. tht borr•owcr· ir· u 1~0 ..N·r • r l•l'o /;ht r• , he
wronec.d 1,011 of' hii:, Biel.er <£ci«. l· ::.t 1a t1i;;e to place the.. riatt<"!'
b c.1'orc: the cldcz:•a or- tl , C'our·t .

~ tivntton cod rnats,rioJ. poGfierrione,

:.tt.·x Ii ;,o, 17;. 'U f dist,mt f;irc:c,, vera1on I. sur.g by i.:r . TliUo
M~ ·fki ol~ a1. .t ax•kwa, r'eorua:r.f 1902.

l Kincl.ota•u: //•fog& n !4tF'1

2 a•4el ~'1tgan1, // •fnga
3 B~gani, hahdee B4ngtm1 //•inga ,
4 Bo. ga:ni, hah~ee J l:tngeni // •fnga,
 8

5 'B~r. -o --ii, hahl!oc E t 1 Ani /I ' f ~a .

6 '.i.L 1 vov1..• · .._<.1t 1 .i. ,lti~ .,,_:,,._.a a!J.,:,'.1. ,

I I ..
7 •i.i.1do t ... • l , 1 J. 11,a

l !t. l,.., iu .,11,..0 C..."1-w t.i.~ ..·... .r·u..., ~lU'.r,e .i,

2 ~ .. tu;.1 . . lil ·- , L l v j 1...~iu,l, .., 1e •.'irC.J ~!0..21 ,c ~1J13n],

3 L&!.ig...,4J. , 1:.·o~ v ,(;;l'G, _;Hl!,t. •• i, ,fLC ..,.'1.r-vo ( '-' >Ul ht, s,,u.l.J,

4 ;?4:•..,:.u.i t .:.'~O"'l taer•c , ...s~ •.;c..ni , tn~, 4'1res l coul, be se~11] ,

5 o~ani , L'.1·0..0 ttwre, .lJ6lli,sml1 , tno t'iraa LCOUld oc s e~n].

8 Bl!neFtni, t'ron there , B,1ngan1, ~o t'irns [ could bo seen],

T L mconL ...; o_' .iu -cex .. will be di. CUuvCd Ul,U.0!' thu l!u:.t. '· •.mg

1'1•&ncic, n'uman! ;;ialulJ. n t ,>anl:wuloto , Jul~ J.S)G~ .

1 Boo-;eani.vce hooe Bdngani.v-oo, hd6 B4ngani,

~ Bm:.:.~anJyce huh~e~ 1A!r.~an1.,oo, ho6 ilai,t:ani.
3 Loaoc r.indoi:o•ana //'ing& hel:',o nhtts'yoo,
J+ lI11.hmts' // 'ir.~a n!f!ts•; l.1ndotc.' h ! k:fana nt1•yoo?
5 lie~ 1 au:.,;ar.1 , an 'Jlngon1:r<> , .

6 Bltnganiyee J,ocfo~o Bl1nteni:,oc 1':.~tS Bt1ngan1,

7 Bt1ngsn1yeft hahi ~f r,~ngau1yco , h6d Bdngani.
8 !.IAoe Yinllo t ,P. • e.na tatt1 I/' t"lga ts• ,,Jr' a ,
9 '..'r.'entr '~late•ana //•fnge tatt! ,
10 Hl!wats ' ,Yoo / /•fnga n U te •,
 .,

._._! L { i t 1.. ......... • !....:..~

1 Oh .,l i...a.ni , ~r. .,nt,v, \ ,1.,d 11 'J•Jll , Vl!U:ft J.:,Ji.t{8.lli ,

d O i ld lJB.ll1 , i'ro."'l there , ,a .ga i t,}l\,ll , '.RJlt;;;., ul:Ui.t,Ulli:

J ..... ' o , ,o lW'u~· -·· lo the ..'irvt. , ,,r,.ll , fJJ.'C bw·nir~ t ..er••

.. ..lu a ;, • l ' L~ - :) ..ic-n; ~ t • i.1.1 o , ' ow L.. 1.., thcr~ l;i.~.,.-.

6 Oh Uu ngw11, 0h thio here Ht ngru,1 tLF n. ~1hr.. ... Bt1n~\tm1 ,

7 oh Ei1n.c;m :t~ 1',·om tlio o , ' i:11gm 1 ~:t,e1•, wha l: rnh1g t t,1!
8 0 . L c1s o, +,o\":::.1·,to I 1ll<.~o, !u1,hfr ,,} o 1'irtll ts1 oke,

q towrrd~ 7r. •('l~.r' l 3t. t h•tf" nrc f''Nif, fatiwr ,

lo tln~ a 1. U.1:brn t.herE< a1•e r::. r < r bW"niHg,

H 1.'r·om thj E P..1~1.gen1 t1101, tl•is B1fogan1 f thf.ly can oe s~en] •

B~ngani it oflc "'f tt ~ l e.1g~et hill c in the co-uatry; it Eitands

et elever. r il~s to the east of Kwa ' to:z.o (e ~ :uap 2). Fro~ its
alopE"s t he vie.,, te t he north- wee t ic virtu!lll;:r unl.:1. rited.
F,Pes oan bJ scaa aa tar as Kindo ru1d T3•enta •J1e , pl aeas which
&l"e bfffond Laodo -n"ar ti,e ·11""1 h'>t-1.for n . ru4wn 1e 1 11 uo~thern
S "'n<J a~ en.d ·h.., m on '!!lo.:, 2.. li'il'eo 'l"'" 11 t t"> oloa:t" the huch
i' ~t- cu1t1vnti '>n, ~ml 11lnn e..-,... g~t ti.!16 'bott0:- :,aatu1•ea on the

bul."nt oa tch<-10 w~C'l 1'n1n hos t'n t ".en on +.hem. I n ..:1 ther ca~e
t 11e ,.'i ·.'O.J :u0nn ~l~nt .;her,:: rtrr· 1>"0111"' ,1h 1 cul tivoto oi~ keep
c nttl• • ,'\.c1.-or1Un ~ to t H mi nr tr'•l t.hi a is a Vf!'t'J old s ong which
dnocrn .. es how r.::.r .J JfJarr-• &go tlv· f ndawe o: ~ tai~an1 oaw ..:":l.r..,s
i n t ho nor-t.1L- ,vee t w;1cl'fl h1tt1 il" igran i'o hnd arri·,eo.. Ot!i.e:r•('l
e ny th.rt: i t, 1cu no't nf'ceu~aril,v the nc ti v i t.1 of cul ti vatin•
a 6 ~~lcr& whi~h cauooi ihe r1reo; a~cording to th~m they may very
well hav<, b"~~m d\-1.e ~c, S enn1tl'JO bunting practices. Even to-day
 530

Sandawe hunters like to light large f1ree wh1oh bUl"n the under-
growth and blacken the soil ot large expanses of bwsh during
t he dry season, because when the ground gets hard 1t becomes
more dttf icul t to pick up the tPacke ot game animals . Their
epoore are eae1ly seen on the blackened patches; here they pick
them \\P and follow them into the bush to track down the game.
The second version ot the song le considered the better
one by all Sandawe who have heard the recordi ngs. The second
minstrel ueee a greater variety ot vocabulary and ma.kee better
use ot interjections and exclamatory items. He also usee to
good advantage an exaggerated plosivenees or the l in B4nsonl
which at times sounds like an injective sound ( ® ) rather than
a mere implosive. Thie 1e much appreciated by the audience who
think it tunn,y and archaic ('like eome very old people still
call the hill'). In i mitation ot the minstrel, the listeners
ret"erzted to ®6M@ni as the name ot the h ill atter hearing the
r ecordi ng& . No•adaya many Sandawe have moved to the other
extl'eme and enunciate the name, 3wahil1 taehion, with an almost
aspirated t (P4Paan1). 1
The second mi nstrel also ueee tonal effects. He lowers the
1"1ret & in DdnBonl ao that it is aometimea hard to deci de whether
to writ& Bd,ngani or iflnganit tbte is much liked by the audience
who t'1nd it ver~ tunny. The second minetrel'a general v1vac1,ty
o~ diction le greater than that ot the f irst one. Yet the
minstrel ot text No. 173 l e also acknowledged as being quite
good.

l For the bilabial click, er. P• 111. The change trom Qdngani
to P4Dgani lnvitea apeculation on the poeaible loee ot a
bilabial click in .favour of exploeive consonants (Stopa'&
theoriea come to mind) . Parallele can be towid i n other
click consonants, e.g. l'tro&'4o41 - k'erek•dn4c or !•erek'dPAI
(the name o~ the riddle bird)a RIPDR9W41' - gongo:,4,' (another
bird name); glqng4 - &sm.a4 ( to ahoot an arrow into a target) I
aLJ. - al ( to desoend)J ct . alao gH 'd enO fd,rlbf ( to make
haste, see Appendix VI ).
 531

text No, 115, Tbe beaut1tu1 lYre, sung by ~r. Tl4lo Hd4ki
Sol4 at Farkwa, Jul y 1962.

l " llar4 ningoo st1mbi taM,

2 6oowe" ,
3 Ka': "Kons fts'1 n4a e'1mb1 mar 4,
4 6oowe,
5 llard n1ngoona s'1mb1 marl!,
6 <Soowe",
7 Kwa ka': "Kongfts •t n4a s'l1mb1 tiat4,
8 6oowe,

10 doowe".

~-
l "Beaut1tul, over t here, there ts a l yr e , rather,
2 doowe",
3 He said: "At Kong! there, there i s a beauti~ul lyre,
4 6oowe,
5 Beaut11'ul., ian•t 1t over there, the beaut 1rul. l yre,
6 6oowe".
7 And he eaid: "At Ko~ f t here, t her e is a lyre, 'father ,
8 6oowe,
9 Oh lY't'e, lYt"e, father,
10 <Soowe".

The minstrel ex.plains that a man called M

ugonze had heard of
beautiful 1Yl'8e being made at Kong1 and be longed to poeseee
one, ror they were aa beautt'ful ae the Oogo make them. Xongt
wae t'ar away in the northern htlla and he did not like to stay
the night 1n that dangerous wilde:rneea. Arter he had been
 532

viatted by a epirtt-meesenger in the torm of a mantis Who told

him that he would be a great minstrel it he overcame h1s tear
and went to get the lyre. lfe consulted a diviner who told him
to take two goats with him, and that he wae to stay the night
at the rockshelter of Kmlii, before going on. At the shelter
he was to eacritice one ot the goats, the other being the
payment tor the lyre. He 414 as t he diviner told him, took
the goats and went, but one ot them escaped by the rock. He
stayed the night and when he saw that no mietortune had
betallen him because of hie ta1lure to eacritice, he went on
and bought the lyre tor the remaining goat. Soon et'ter that
Mugonae became blind, but he also became a tamous mine tl'el.
Stumme records a remarkably similar story ot initiation
into minetrelhood among the SchlU9. He oaye that one who
w1ebee to become an esteemed pndiim singer goes to a cave in
Wad Sus, end sacrirtcea a black ox. He has to stay there tor
t~e nights; spirits invite him into the cave and bri ng him
iYtk\al to eat. It he shows tear and does not eat the spirits
will kill him, but i t he passes through hie trial he will
be given hie power• to become a succesetul s inger. 1
It seems not unlikely that Hugonze and the blind bard
Hugonaa whom Dempwoltt knew, are the same pereon. 2 K£m&1 is
the name ot a place 1n the tly-inteeted wilds ot northern
Sandawe near t he overhang1na Rooks ot the Zebras {,Uw 41x.l.)
which ha~e rockpalntl ngs on them. They are ei tuated where the
map or Rook Pal n t1ns Sites in the Kondoa District ehowe the
aite numbers F3-7, but the map r eoorde t he name ot the place
•• Taos4&1 inatead or Kpng!. 3

l 1895, s.
2 1916, 164, ( and P• 499 ot thi s thesis)•
3 Tanganyika Dept. ot Surveye, 1950.
 533

tezt No, 176. ,lhe ear a:p1ra11. Sung by Pli-. Gdwn a1nda'~
Sol4 at Farkwa, February 1962.

l Tdmomana Joko?
2 Tdmozana loko'l

3 T6mozanc Jok.o'l

4 Kinandasa loko,
5 'l'dmozana loko?
6 Sal~sea !oko,
•••W.•••
7 ltak4naye loko
8 lokoyoo Mak '-nayee ! oko.
~.
l Did he then coil the ear epiraia?
2 Did he then 0011 t he eer spiral.a?
} Did he then coil the ear spirale?
4 K1nanda indeed coiled t hem.
5 Did he then 0011 the ear spirals?
6 The hordsman coiled them.

···~···
7 Oh Uak4na, [he] coiled them,
8 he was co111n,s them, oh Wak4na, [he] coilecrfhem.

~-
The airl Uskd.na hae been given ear spirals by the young herdsman
Kinanda, who hae made them by coiling metal wire. The gi rl
is wondering whether it 1e r eally true, tor such a gift would
i mply a mai-rtage propoeal. 1

1 Perhapa to most common propoeal g1tt tea string of beads,

ot. P• 41•
 534

Text N2, UZ, l'Jle red ehirt, Sung by Mr. Tl4lo J:\4'k1 s o14
at Parkwa, July 1962.

l Walambota•o k1mba d'11rut$•

2 g1tl' ' b~tl',
3 Yayae kimbe b,nege.

4 K6dlaale kamba bt§nege,

5 h6cSlaale kamba bt!nege ,

6 n// we, mmQ, kamba b,nege.

7 Walambote•e k i mba d~ruts•

8 yoo, s1tl'~ b~tl·.
9 Tat4yee kamba bdnege.

10 HcS yay4, kamba b&nege,

11 ta t4:,ee, kamba blnege.
12 ')J )J, mmm, kamba b~nege.

l Here at lalambo i ndeed, at the other side [or the valley]

2 [ there is] a red shirt.
3 Oh bl'other, 1n4eed [ he 1e] weal thy.

4 Well then, r or indeod [he i s ] wealthy,

5 well then, tor i ndeed [he 1e] wealthy,
6 the child, mmm, ror i ndeed [he ie] wea1tby.

7 Her e at Walambo indeed, at the other eide

8 then, [there is] a red shirt.
9 Oh tather, tor i ndeed [he la] wealtby.

10 Wllat, brother, tor indeed [he is] wealthY,

11 oh rather, ror indeed [he is] wealthy.
12 ).l }J , lllllJll, ror- indeed ( he 1e] weal thy•
 ~35

Trad1t1onallY, g!tl ' d is t he Sandawe term tor any garment uade

or hide, but no• 1 t is geneJtally used tor woven garments,
eepecially men's shirts and women ' s dJ.'eeees, i ncluding the
cotton prints called ~ . 'l'he song descI"ibes the f1I"st
appearance at Walambo ot a red shirt, worn by the son or a
local cattle owner (the minstrel i dent1r1ee the garment as a
shirt: phaat•, from the Swahili shQti, Engl i s h ~ ) . Ual ambo
ts two c 1lea north of Sanzawa and t he firet place i n the Sande.we
hills along the original German caravan route f rom Kil1mat1nde
to Kondoa. Bei n~ closest to the outs i de world, it 1a not
s\U"prieing to see the shirt appear i ng tor t ne first time at this
place. Baumann, who paid hie visit to Sandawe country in 1892,
gives an ill ustration ot a man weartAg earrings, bead strings
around the loino, and arm and wrist bang lee. 1 In 1914 Reche

mentions that both men and womer1 wore mostly loincloths. 2 The
song appears to date rrom the turn ot the century.
A eong from Uyamwezi coW1try also shows the son of a
headman proudly Binging of hie red shirt,3 and the minstrel
eaya that among the Sandawe red was a favourite colour for
shirts before Swahili and European styles of clothing became
commonly accepted. The speed with whicb t he traditional
clothing habits were diecerded euggeete that the :real dietinction
wae the poeeees ion of i mported clothing, rather than red
clothing. Wi tte presents us with an Ewhe song from West At'rica
in which a houee servant s ings of hie rich and elegant pants
and Jacket.4 Nadel telle ue that "in a Nuba 81'0\lP where
people et111 go naked or scantily clothed, the possession ot
Arab dJ.'esa ie regarded ae a sign of d1at1nct1on. " 5 In times

l 1894, 112.
2 1914, 30.
3 .Anon., 1901. 50.
4 1906, r,.
5 1947, 81.
or social and technological change clothing may obviously become
an earl~, prestige-giving eymbol of ass ociation with a new
eoc1et;r.

n1scox,~z ond the adY§nt ot goyornmen~·

Text No, lZ§a strange footprints, Sung by Mr. Tl41o Mdltki
Sol4 at farkwa, August 1963.

l Uok6ndo et //' ax,kwe,

2 tlhla Makua mok6ndo.

3 Hok6ndo et //'ax,kwe,
4 t4hla Makua mok6ndo.

5 Maa Madwnate•1ee, Uad'1mats•iae,

6 tat,, Mak:Uayee ,
7 )J )J ')J )J

1 The footprints, do you not know them then,

2 they are very strange footprints.

The ~ootprints, do you not know t hem then,

'
4 they are very etrange footprinta.

5 All over the land ot Jladwna, the land ot MadU111a,

6 rather, oh strangers!

The m1natrel etates that this is a very old eong which deeoribee
Sandawe wonderment about a new type of etranaora who had been
reported, the Germans. The.r had been sighted and spied upon in
the land of ¥14411 which 1a eu,ppoaed to be eomewhere in the
aouth-eut, but ell tnquiriee as to 1 ts whe:reabouba met w1 th
negat1Ye reaulte. The name appeara to mean 'the land where
 537

ehots are [heard]' , ct'. ~-.Q.f, •to shoot wi t h a gun• or •to

bang'. Gwis were known to exi~t. Muzzle-loaders were in the
hands ot Nyamwez1 and Araba, and tlte Uakua elepha,"l t hunters
also seem to have owned them. 1 I t ls even pos s ibl e that one
or two Sandawe hunte~e owned muzzl e-loaders , but t he supply ot
ammunition muat have been very erratic and a succession of shoto
,ras quite a novelty. Tho Germane had I"it'lcs and ammuni t1on,
and the route ot their passage may have been ret'err ed to as
Madltma tor that reason. Their tootprinto were very strange,
becaus e they wore boots with nails in them. Sandawe s andals
(t1•apumsJ) are made ot leather soles bound t o the f oot with
strips ot hide . The ~ootprinte lett by nail ed boots are
referred to as /!1111 mok4ndo, which means ' speckled tootpr1nts • .
Baumann•s expedition reached Kwa Utoro at the end ot 1892,
and the account o~ his travels werr. publi shed in 1894, but thie
was not t he riret t i me the ex1stenc~ or the Sondawe had been
reported. The first reference ts in Last•a Po].yglotta where
he W1'1 t ea that

"Numbers o£ [ Makua] huntere leave their homee i n South

Sag4la every year , and go to Rangi, and Sandaw1, in seuch
of elephanta."2

Thi s wae 1885. In 1886 a map was published on which te shown

a settleMent named 1 Gangue• on t he place where the Sandawe
neighboUl"bood of' Oonaaa ta situated. 3 Ki epert' o map which
mentions • Uiandau1 • aleo appeared bef'ore .Baumann' s book. 4 Thia
map ahowe the route ot an expedition l ed by Fiahsr, who
ti-avelled f'rom Kondoa to Uver1veri in southern Ri mi land through
what appears to be south- s astern Sa.."ldawe country .

1 ~uschan, 1898, 343, records that childl'en were sometimes

named llakua ( " i;aSchUtze 11 ) .

2 Laat, 1885 , 24.

3 Engelhardt and Wens1erek1, 1886.
4 Kiepert, 1893•
 538

It eeems probable that ~ishe~ roached Sand.awe terr1 t o17 b~foro

Baumann end t hat he waa the f1I"Ot EUPopcan t o visit the tribal
area, ~or the etu'lieP references ehow no evid~nce or any direct
contact. Since the oong deecr1bee the Sl"rival o~ atrangors
1n the area which i<'isher mUGt have croosed 1 t ma¥ well be the
earliest doeoription ot Sandawe- E'Ul'opean contact, yreoeding
Baumann •e , but the contact may have been one-aided. The Sandawe
oi.' this ore a owned 11 t tle or no cattle and they h.ad few, it any,

cultivations. Thoy ma,y well have hirden themselves from e i ght,

ror t~ere appears t o be no account extant 1n which Fieher
mention• the s anuawe. Thi~ Sandawe acc ount ot their discovery
ot the Oerme.ns apparently px-ecedea the tirat German eye-witneso
account ot: the Sendawe.

Text No, 119, )lhat sort ot pe9pJ.c are the Ger,mana:< sung by
11.r. oatwa ~1nda'' Sol4 at Farkwa, August 1963.

l Sanda~xe• n/om<1ee Zt1Nl1U\ani,

2 Sandadxe• n/omlee Z4remaani;
3 al xtt• n/om.~Otl 'l

1 le t he Gei-man a hWllan b e i ng like the Sanden,

2 1B the German a hwoan being like the Sandawe ,
3 are they human beings like they?

Not only their r oo~prints, but their aene~al appearance and

behavtour oaueed wonderment among the !landawo.

%tit No. iso. iQ)lnding up 1aboJil'ers. Sung by ~r. Tl4lo ~ddki

Col4 a t 7nrkwa, Aug~st 1963.

l Dank 1 &aa f~laale,

2 tl•tk•a labf werlyoo,
3 U • 1n1tl700 kimba.
4 o.fduteh• labi.
 539

5 S1ng4no ,11aale,
6 t~,a ,ror~yoo h~ wer~yoo,
7 tl'lk'1YOO kimba
8 :;:)ank'uayee.

9 ~dutshe n~I lllle

10 tl&a wer4wa.100
ll tl'tnk~yoo k1mba
12 Si ngmoyee, mmm.

13 Tl'!k•iyoo h6
14 ~~utehe n4!,
15 ~dutshe n4! l~Ale
16 t ~da wer4wayoo.

17 'rl'1nk~yoo kit11ba Sing4now4e

~

1 Dank'wna, yea , well then,

2 in the very e,uol.y hours he was going around,

3 he was s tamping around indeea,

4 f'l'ora n.!du i n th,'ar1Y houra.

5 Si ng4no, yea, well t hen,

6 wae going around 1n t he dark, what, he was going around
7 ver y early then, indeed,
8 oh Danlt'ima.

9 Frou Dldu he t oo, alas,

10 wae go:1ng azaound everywhe:re in the daI"k,
ll he was a tamping a.t"ou.no. indeed,
12 oh Si ngdno, mmm.

13 Very early t hen, what ,

14 boom Dltdu he too,
 540

15 t'rom D4«u he too, alas,

16 was going around everywhere 1n the da1•k.

17 He was Btamping around, i ndeed, oh Si ng'11o,

~ 1e a plaoe 1~ west-central Sanda•e country (cf~ map 2),

Donk'4mo is the name of a goV8Pnment-appo1nted headman, and
Singdno 1• the messenger- policeman whom we have encountered in
te.x.t No. 1~3·
The ~inetrol eaye that people were rounded up tor wood·
cutting duties; with the l oge the~ pr oduced the buildings and
the pali aadeu of 83t. L1nke•e post at Kwa 'ltoro were to be
construc ted. The wo~k had to be done every day betore midda,1
when the sun gets too hot, hence the early hour. The episode
i s referred to by Bagehawe who ea.vs that

"the ~orced laboUJ" o~ the Sandawi, who had never berore

l aboured at all, buil t tne Boma (a fort , the oeat ot
European author! ty) near Kwa !toro" . 1

Accor ding to ~agenawe the poet was built af'ter the Alagwa
headman SQQl{Q ( referred to as Teongo by him) had made poaoe
wit h the Germen• at Kilimatinde; three Germane t h~n arrivod
wi t h a nUillber of aoldiera to have the f'ort constructed.
ln further ~epet1tione o~ the recording or the song the
verb kendema (• t o hobble •} 1e ueed to descri be Dgnk•&ma's
limping gait.

Text No, 1a1. E1egtoroi dutsa Sung by Mr. Waa4a s~tu at

Bugtfni ka, Auguet 1963.

l Hll k6mem• di•a••sl n aaayoo,

2 al.'1"\a t shagda a1'nkweyoo,

11925 , 222 .
 541

3 d! 'sc§•sr d 1 koyoo,
4 ee, ee, l!lel ee.

5 Mad41, Mad41yoo h<Sd, adt11yoo ! ~ov,ee ,

6 ee, ee, ~lelee.

7 Di'sd•at · nlt;t,ttkoyoo ,
8 tsh~ etinkwoyoo,
9 ee , ee, ~lelee.

l Wel!, come astir, 7ou elders , for it has be come day,

2 and t hen , to elec t w~ must go then,
3 you elders, here come on then,
4 yes, yes , on11¥ards then.

5 Hadu1, Mad§1 then, what, JJa~~i then, oh mother ,

6 yes , ~es , onwaJ."dG then.

7 You elder s , it has already become day.

8 To elect we mutit go then, oh m·:.>ther,
9 yee , ye& , onwards then.

J,Jc441 ie the name of a man who i s euid to have been a sub-chi e.t
a t Oons4a and later at li'orlcwa be.tore he woe d ismissed by the
government. The minstrel comments that he wao very dejected
abou t his d1sm1ar al; this it indicated by t he lament 1n the
t i ~th l ine of the oong. The epi s ode happened under the rule
o~ the British; under their indirect system or government
&l)pointments were made 1"o1low1ng local el ections (but it the
elected he adman wa• considered unsui tabl e hi e appoin tment
would not be cont'1rmed) . In German t1mee appointments had been
made b~ Sg t . Li nke dir ect, acc ording to t he minstr el.
'.l;9xt Na. 182, Of'f'iciaJ.' s brutauw. S Ul)$ by .i,~. Tl4lo Jid4k1
So14 at J..'a rkwa, Jlebruary 196:2.

l T4tayee lla.teytfd, t 4tayeu la.Ale,

2 ti.ta;rce U.hleJ'~~. t&tFtyee lalle,
3 hete•ena mw-aana pee,

4 dlo ' ina /'ua:roo.

5 D4gex»a serikar~.! Tshangats•a /'ua 'mbo,

6 Ddgera aor1kar~~ Tshtblgats•a /•uayoo,
7 h~ts• ena muraona poc,
8 dlo'u.a / •ue:,oo.

9 ).I )J ')J ).J • ).l )...) ').) ).l

10 ).I )..i ).I ).! , )..J )..i ).J ).J
ll ).) )-' ').i ).i , ).iJ ).J ).J )J

12 Tata:,ae , ~ ·

l Oh .father, oh alas, ol'1 fa ther, alaa,

2 oh tather, oh nlaa, oh t'ather, alas,
., her t'athor then, he put him 1n cho., ns
4 and after that, he married her then.

5 ~gera t he soldier says that he will mar:ry Tehthlga,

6 ~gera the s oldier i s marry ing Tch,!nga,
7 her fathor then, he put him i n c hains
8 and. af'ter that, he married her then.

9 ).) ).J ).1 )J ' ').1 ).I ).i ).I

10 ').} )-i )J. ').) ' )-1 ).J }-J ).I

11 }.J ).J ).J).). }! ).I ).J ).J

12 Oh f'athel', ~
 543

L'Ct,;ora, t he 4$ovcrnu.er.·c heacl!ilan st l wa .. toro unclcr cli1et' non&o

ano Sgt. Linke, i s remembered aa an unplessant indivi dual who
liked to take an unt'a1r advantage ot' hi e pov,er·. 1 Inf'ol'mante
with whom this song was d1acueeed, re~orred to Deger a as a
' [ brutal] lion• (tJatp~), and they ~ere quick to point out
that ha •as not really a San.dawo because hie tuthel' had been
a l1yiunwez1. 'die niins ·c;rel e xplains that ho w1ehod to mwx•y
t he s irl Tshtinga, but ehe did not want him an~ hor tathev
eupp<'rted her refusal. Degero. then llod t ho t'ather put 1n
oho.in~ unde:e so1uc pretext and he 1aarr ied hor an:,wuy •
.i:>empwol 1'!'' s texto Hoa. 70, 72 , 73, and 85 6how that he
acted as an i nterpreter for Ogt. Linke , as an overseer ~or
various cons tl"uc t1on Joba, and as a general troubleellooter.
Dempwol.:f'f :t,i msel f' saye that he v,as the station overseer and that

"in 1910 he wae ?"etired and living as a "'811-to-do settl er

among tho Uandawe, a women ot• whom ho had i:...ar 1·1ed. " 2

Thl a was Tehtbiga, and the cireumstancee of hie mar~iage are

expoe ed by t he s ong.

l This 1e the same l)egora whom we have already met in texto

Noe . 135, 137, and 143·
2 Qn,gU;,, 168.
 544

CHAPTER IX

FOR~ AND GTYLE

Ql2on1n1 and. sl21ina tornmioe 1D nar~at.1ve,

The Sandawe storyteller begi ns by placi ng h1& tale well
i nt o t he past; thue he avoids the danger that ar.y of his
charac t ers mi ght r esemble members ot the audience too clo&ely.
The wide dis tribu t ion ot th1a method needo li t tle 1lluetrat1on.
The Ensl1eh •once upon a time• and the Swahili •once ther e was '
(p1likuw1 or RAUk'fa) 1 hardlY d1tf8r tro~ the Sandawe ' long ago '
(J11Aa ~ ) or t he Ilonga 'long long ago •; t ho l a t ter ia an
example tro~ a Bantu tribe in Nyaealand who use the same
2
phrase ae t he Sandawe. The popularity of this phrase with
Sandawe storytellers 1s obvious ; at l east twelve of t he stori es
pr eeented i n t his thesis bes1n in this way.3 Occasionally the
tale starts ort a little more dramatically by getting etr:-aight
to the point, t h1e may be a ma tter o£ personal e t yle. Mrs.
Kwel ~. who has s upplied texts Noe. 8, 9. and 10. does this in
all t hree of her storiee.
The e nd of.' a story 1e usually marked by a phJtase like
'I have f 1n1ehed my story• or 'the tale ends here• . All texte
presented i n t his thesis have such closing pbraeee except four
( Nos. 4, 17, 19, and 20) which are all Dempwolff texts.
Poaeibly he 014 not take them down or omitted them 1n hie
published r eproductions or the texts. Even a stor ytell er with

l Velten, 1907, 1.
2 Ruehby 1949, 80 (he does not present vernacular texts).
3 Texts 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 12, 14, and 18 uae 'long ago•; 17
uaea • s ome time ago'J 15 begins with •once ther e was•; and
6 1a more elaborate with 'it happened 1n days long paet•.
 545

such a sober style as Mr s. Kwel~ uses t hem in all thr ee of her

texts. Moat Atr1can narrative appears to use t hem, among
nearby tribes as wel l aa t a r -aw•~
- ones , but the~
., are generall y
only me t in pUbl1oat1one with compl@'"'- t exts.
Kore interesting than these obvious phrasee a1•e the
varioue closing formulae which have the function o£
coneol14at1ng an i mago. For ex811lple , the s tor y ot hyena and
Stork 1a :tiniehed when Stork has picked out Hyena ' s eyee. The
eyes are stated to have burst i n t he story, but this end 16
:foll owed by another statemen t to the e:ffeot that "the monkey• 8
head 1a crackedn. 'Ihis des truct1on of a s kull has nothing to
do with the s tory itoelt, but it ser ves to consolidate the
t maae or the des truction ot Hyena's eyes. 1 Monkeys are
ass ociated with miechiet, and the miechievous nature ot Stork's
act 1e brought ~ut by t he use of this part icular closing
phrue. 2
The e tory ot: the snake with t he eight hundred head8
(te~t No. 12) ends with the tinal deteat 0£ the snake, thi s end
ls then fol l owed b y the shattering of various ob3ecte in what
appears to be a scene~ slapstick in a domestic quarrel. 2
The tale of t he woman and the snake (text No.ll ) ie really
finiehed 1n line 88, when the rather has killed the snake which
had come out ot llirigi•s mouth, and burnt it to make sure that
i t wae truly finished orr.3 But t hen a new element i s ouddenly
brought 1n and i n tact a whole new story io begun. Pumpkin
seeds are planted, t he plants grow up and bear t he bewi tched
f ruit which bleeds when lt is cut up, and at the same t i me the
woman sinks into the earth. Thie s eparate tale serves to round
ot£ the story which hae just been told. It stresses the

l P• 126.
2 P• 216. ~or mor,kev 's mischief cf. PP• 441, 44); it is aleo
menti oned i n Dempwol f~•e text 94 ( ?PeQ1t•• 175) .
3 P• 192.
 546

t'1nal1 ty ot i te end, it b1:•1nge home to the audience the mol'al

of t he story by the uee ot the well known symbolic i magery of
the womb, and it also etz,essee the association of' the woman
with wltchcratt. Sandawe symbolism 1e di s cussed in chapter x;
here I only want to point out t h at stories may be ended by
phrases and even whole eub- storiee which ue uncom1ected with
the tale 1 teelt. These are not iI'relovant but they conclude
the tale in a s1gn1t1oant way, and they ma,v even help the
listener und.c,retand the point o~ the etory. 1
Ouch 1mage-coneol1dating endinge need not neoeeearil~ be
structurally separate, they may be incorporated in the end ot
the tale 1tselt. Whan in text No. 6 the pursuing lion is
toiled 1n he.r plan to catch and eat the oow and her calt, the
1nhab1tante ot the c ow• o homestead throw a mortar at the lion.
I t hite hie mouth and he swallows it. At the end ot the story
it ts explained that this express ion conveys an image of t1nal
dereat. 2 It does this by humiliating the lion who 1& given
a mortar to swallow instead of a cow, and the ridicule 1n which
the lion is plaoed is obvious. In text No. 14 we have seen
how a cripple has miraculously changed into a handsome youth;
the story wtnde up w1 th the scene ot the youth wildly changing
from one thing into another many times 1n l'apid success ion.
,hue the image of the U1roculoue Change ie consolidated in the
minds ot the audience.

l Unconnected endinge are not at all particul ar to Santlawe

narrative. Evans- Pri tchard , 1964, 128, dl'awa the attention
to such an ending in a Zando tale: "a conventional ending,
com~on in t a iry tales, to t he story, with which it hae
nothing to do. "
2 P• 154, note 18.
 547

The 4euJ.apment ono the ~ono1uuon ot: ttie plo h

Begi nni ngs ot etoriea like •once upon a t1mo• are
aepa:rate f'orlllulae, and the ondineo which have been diecueaed
are quite unconnected with the development or the plot of' the
tale . Yet the plot, which is de~1ncd by Vansina as the ordered
unt'olding o~ the narrative , must obviously hove a beginni ng
1
as well as an cnd.
The exordium ~ a plot 1e to be found in the presentation
2
of the s ituat1on. ':he recorded Gandawe stories show a
predilection tnr such eminently suitable preoentatione as
primeval t'riendehip, birth, and marriage. The tirat eeven
stories in chap ter I I I all begin with animals who were or
b~oame ~r1ends, or as acquain tnnces who otarted a debate .
Texto l,os. 8, ll to 15, and 17 begin with birth, marriage and
birtll combine<'!, or with non-carri age (ll and 15); the creation
mytho presented in texts Hos. 19 and 20 als o have obvious
birth-beginnings .
Conclusiono ot p l ots are ~ormed by destruction and death
in some stories , and by the consolidation of achieved positions
in others. The latter are ty-p1cal of stories which see~ to
expl ain why things are the way t hey are.
Vonalna has pointed out t hat

"the ch1e1" art1et1c requirement ot all tales is that t hey

should be able to hold the interes t or the listener and
keep him wai ting with bated breath for the denouement.
Hence the construction 0£ a tale pivots on the a t tempt to
attain tbie end."3

One may expect to 1"1nd, t bere~ore, that the end 01" a tale ten4a
to be mor e dramatized than its beginning. In the end death ie

1 1965, 60.
2 L99,c1t,
3 llW1...t 60-1.
 548

drama ti zed by the 6lnk1ng of one ot tho ac tol'e 1n to a pi t

(texts Nos. 13 and 17 ) , sinking i nto t he gr ound (text No. 11) ,
utter destruction b y piercing ( tex t ~o. 13), cuttin~ down with
an axe (text ~o. 16 ), cutting oft t he forehead and the peni g
(text No. 18), and bUl'n1ng (text No. 17 ) . The burni ng of the
snakeskin (text ~o. 14) i s a eimilar dl"Qlllati c denouement .
Achieved ~ositi one ere consolidated i n r1nal etateme~ts
euoh as "now Zebra i a b i g and Lion it: emall .. ( text !.o. l) ,
11
..,he [ .l'rog] is the one who hae power over the rn1n" ( text 110 .

"They l eft the camp [ 1. e . E>rstwh1le frt<maa parted t'o:r good)"

( text ho. 7) . Someti mes a etor y ende with what aloos t amounts
to a pl a inly stated moral. In the etory of the giraff e, the
hare , an~ the dove , Hare sutr er~d r r om the delusion tha t he
coul d do ever ythi ng ae well ae his !'rtende, and when this proved
fatal t he stor yteller concludes that turhe t'"riendehip h as
des troyed him" ( text No. 4). !n t he tale ot the chief ano the
poor man's wire the final di sas ter i s couc hed i n an elaborate
symbolic image ( text No. 1 5 ). ffllile t he i nitial pr esentations
of t he pl ots belong to only a few t YPes which are penerall~
undramati c, the more draciatized concluaione ere almos t ae vari ed
aa the themee of the stories.

The wsie,
fhile eto:riee may thus be t er minated by pl ot conclusions
with unoonnected endings, the s t ory or the Hare and the Ost.rich
sbowe that Sandawe narrative also employe what may be termed
non-endi ngs aa separate end-ror mulae (text No. 3 ). Thia tale
ends with a r1nal light-hearted r emark ot the "but that i s
anotheP tale" variety to suggeat that Hare•e adventuree are not
really ~1n1ohed with what appears to be the end o~ the stor y.
The nai>l'ator S8N'8 literally that Ilare "had already got some
 549

other idea". Rather than the rounding-of'f of ti r;.eparate tale

this f'orros a co1L~ect1ng link with other etoriee in a cyole.
Hare the trickster, Ono-eye the .tnuaan f'olk hero. ond 1.latunda

the mythical creator f'orm t he centreo ot e tory cycles and as

such the.1 poeaess fixed ch8I'ac tcrs ; this i a also tne case with
many other animal and human prototypes which have become
caricatures f'or hwnan character s, and eymbol6 ~or sets of
values . Theae will be discussed in chapter X.

'.l'ho importance of tho song i n Sandawe narrative is

ev1donced from the fact that traditional narrative 1~ called
by the orune term, ,Un tabula. &ong is a prom1nen t .fet1 tura of'
A£rican narrative 1n large parts 0£ tho continent, and the
com ente vhich it hae drswn from a numbe~ of writers supply ua
with clues to 1to e1gn1t1oanoe.
Tol"rend epoaks of' "an.xiet.1 eons" in the context of' Bantu
.folklore t"roro northern Rhodesia, ,1ow Zamb1a. 1 In her treatise
on t he wider t'ield of Bant u literature in 0ener al , Werner
stresses the i mportant runction whi ch oong playe in the traneter
o£ the anxiety o~ t he story's protagonist, ttwough the story-

tell er, on to t he audience. 2 Thue the eong ta a vital tool

in the creation and the maintenance o~ audience participation.
Herskovits sume Up that

"Aeoociated with narrativoE, aa i ntegral parts ot t hem,

yet diot1nct and with their own rranchieo 1n the life ot
the peopl e, are riddl es, proverbs, veraee, and invocations,
often in verse, that are chanted or sung. T~ey serve to
forward action, to provide an interlude of suapense, to gtve
point to a resolution, and to bring the audience 1nto cloee
plll'"t1c1pant r elat1oneh1p w1th the teller."'

l 1921, 9.
2 1933, 109 rr.
3 1958, 54.
 550

Carnell says o~ Oogo story- songs that they ~or~ a

"special feature'' of the nar:rat1ve with which they to,:,m an
0
integral part, uauall:, con1n,g a t t hr ci-1t1cal points i n the
narrative", e . g. lion- men aing a refrain when t hey u.~dergo
metamorphoses at midnight; the disobedient wi~e or an absent
elephant huntet> invokes her husband ' s a1d by r ingi ng a oong
when ehe 10 about to be devoured by a monater. 1 ttC1"1 t1cal"
indeed appear s to he t he word when we considel" the structural
1mpl1cat1ona ot the oongo. Berry writee that

" •• stri~ingly erreotive ••• i s tho interpolation of ~onpe

and ~tructural jingles at key po1nte in the narrat1ve"2

and elsewheI'e he sayf that t h~y help in "cu.tting tht ctory".3

The.r do this b;r providing d i vidi1 g lines, ae 1 t we1•0, be tween
the opisodes or the narrative wh ich Vans ina defines as

"sequence in the action which can oe regarded as a tunctional

unit of the nar rative, each epioodo providing a new
developmen t in the plot. If the narrative were to be
compared with a game or oheea, the pl~t is the equivalent
ot the entire series of movea , and each episode the equivalent
o~ a single r;;ove. 11 4
The Sandawe material ehowo that the story-song can become
a doa1nant element ln the storyi the tele of the snake with the
eight hundl9ed heads depends entirely on it. In its later s tagee
the tale become& in ract a me~e repetition ot the songs,
interspersed with narrative eommentary. 5 The song ie all-
1mportant; it transters anxiety, it creates the mood, it
deecribee the state or the protasonjste, and it illustrate& by

l 1955, 30.
2 1961, 19.
3 1948.
4 1965, 59.
5 Text No. 12, eep. note 15 on P• 209.
 551

voico moduloti ons the development of the plot. '.1.he t1enken1ng

6ong ot tho snake and the 1ncrt-ns1ngly 1'orce..1.'ul r eply of: One-eye
tells tlle listeners exactly what the e1.ute of ai'lair& io.
':!.' he story- song 10 aleo an i.u.tportant a itl. 1u mcwor1ains a
story. Vane1na poi nts out t.hat "ln all traditions 'that are
sung. mnemonic aid i s found i n the r.1elody and r hythm ot tne
O:f the KaHU,ru 13(:idclroan snyG t h at t,ome o:f th<'l1r tc.x ta
'.)
~ with a 001~ which later .figures again iu t.he u tor.r. ··
This docn no-; appear to be the eaee i n ~nr1<1atte narrative, 1mt

it s hown that sor.gR mey be U3ed b:, a storyteller to b:r•ing btlck

t.o his nind storieu which had compl etely eluded him. The song
i s equally important in creati ng a laeting i1apres ion on the
minds of' the audi '3nce becauoe of its i mi ta t1 v~ quali tie a.
It achieves most of 1 ts e.f.t'oct by le tting the. protugonists
speak for themselves. The eono not onl~ describes the actor ,
1 t .1a the actor.

nom, an<\ actor: tho torm ot the asm&.

Ir the song i s really ao closely i dentified wi th the actor ,
we may expect t o t'1nd a corl'olation between the cllaractera ot
the ac tors and t he fort10 of the eongs. Comparison shows that
thi s i s indeod the case .
The first two tales are or e1mpl e runr,ing compet1t1ons.
I n text 110 . l Lion challenges zebr a :

Zebra come on then, rwi, come on, move:

How he pants , hd, pants hi,

and the zebr a r epl1ee wi th a very similar song:

Lion come on t hen , run, coae on , move l

The basic e quiva l ence of t he t wo actor s 1n t he t ale 1& r erlected

l op.g1t, , :,9.
2 1964, 16.
in tho ~quallY matched pair o~ the1r eongo. 1n t l c bor.1nn1ng
1 t 1e not clear whethor Lion or 7.ehra ir: goi ng to win the
con teat.
In the aecond racing contP-et, in text l~o. 2, we have
a 11 ttle l ees equality beeaune the act-:>re dif1'<"r wid.el.y in
oharacte~. tlh1le Stork 1a a noble bird or prey which tlieo
high up i n the sk,y, hia opponent is the contempt1be YJ;rena who
is earthbound, a..~d tho ~ormer ad re~ees the latter aomewhnt
mocki ngly as a Wecrer o~ ~anoe, a ~rm which is usually reserved
ror the mighty lion. Hyena, whoee only cono~rn in li~e is
to get at the meat first and to have it all ror hi~oel.f, ropliee
to S tork in a oong which axpoeon hie greedy monomania. lt
conn is ts o:t' no more than a repetition or •'To the carrion let
there be rur.i.1ng, be running". The songf; 61:rfer, and the
di~ference makoo it at once clear to an underntand1:ng 11stftner
that IJyena i s not likely to pe t the better ot Stork in this tale.
The chal.lense-and-re,,ly Aongn or One-eye and t he snake
in text No. 12 are al$O very similar. ~h~ anaka's song has the
rorm ot an er •1rmation or the text o~ the challenger's song,
and t he s imilarity between the two oonge retl~cto the i nitial
equivalenc e o~ strength between the two contestants and the
doubt about the outcome of the otruggl e . Af'ter ell, One-eye•e
pl'edeceoaore had all b ean Alain b y the enake.
Like the songs which have been diecuesed, the &ones of
a number or other texts are aleo pa1rea, but with different
themes. Aleo 1n t'ol"l!l t he two s onge of eaoh pail' diftel" widely.
They will be d1acuae~d 1n the oraer ot prosrees 1vely wider
divergence.
ln t he etor7 or the poor man•e wife (text ~o. 15) the
hueband who hae lost her to the headman einge

Oh lln.langale , ..in:,angalc,
gi ve me my amulet , Knyangale , otc.,
and h i e w1~e rep lies "Como and get 1 t, El~pl• <tnt '. 'l,oth oonp;s
ahow eonr id.e,.able nmcioty, but th1? anguir.h or th" h 1aband 1a
nixed with n demand f'ot> h i a wife ' s l!.fe while tl-\A.t or the wi!.'e
shows an clecr.nt of de~ianoe which i s comb i n~d ror h~r f e'U' ot
dea th when she is nsk<"<l to r i p out her heart. 't'h~ two princ1,a1
actors ahnre DUCh diAt:reos and the eonf"S of b oth a re f'ul.1 and
melodious .
iiw::ian drana 10 le::,n , b ut d1ff,..rtc>nce in pov,cr 1:-> more
evident i n text • o. 5 where Pigeon calla ur nll the bir~c in a
!'utile e.f1'ort to chall~nRe .Frog , 1n r~ply to which 'rog calls
up a raine torm to doe troy Pigt'lon . Tho latter' e deopera ':ior. ie
refl~cted in i t o long, molod1ouo nong:

Coo , coo, all -rJ.y up, pit eona tnen, all i"'lJ up ,
etc.

'Ihe superior power of.' • 'rog i s ohO\m in i ta much ~ho1•ter oong

which 1a 11101•0 like a. oon.f'idei, t conunand:

Krr r~ , t ill, wate rhole , fill , ~ill, fill ,

rco.lly hur t them.

In t he tale 01· tht cow and her calf who are pursued b7
a lion (text No. 6) the oppositi on between menace ond anxiety
1e quite obvi ous. n'hile the c ow eings

He Who Al ways Gr unta

runs about with hi e head l ower ed.
To our uncle we run in vain, i n vai n ,
etc.,

the lion r epl1e& with a bri ef

Charge on, charge , stal k and c atch !

'Ih1a oppos ition l a e1m1lar but even mor e pronounced in

the tale of the bride who fleoe from her lion-husband in a
fly ing cage (te xt No. 13). The tugitives sing t heir f'ull- aize,
ael ocl.1ous anxiety eong:
 554

Sdrl U !) t he r , l' lSh up , sdrl up ,

ocr e , swirl up lik~ oba~r, car~y ue t hen, ca re,
e tc.,

but the hueb~nd' e song is only a ret>9ated, gruffl y spoken threat;

~lh.ioh on6 ehall l ~~ t, whi~h one ~hall I l eave ~

Which one shall I eat, whieh one ehall I leave?

In tex t ~o. 11th~ snake'e s ong i s r ~preiente d by a r e~cate d

curt coiwnano.:

IJ1r1g1 g ope, 1 ir•ig i g a pe , Kirig i g~pt:l

and the ansuished girl ver.. t r her fet.· linga in a f ull song:

All my mothers have abandon~d me ,

etc.

In texte Hoo. 16 and 17 one of the two SOll8B of each pa1r is

r~duced to a a1ngl e call; thio i s anewered by t'Ul l anxiety s ongs
which are eung by th~ peroons cal l ed. Since the callers are
not the pereecut ore but worr1e~ rela t ives their calla are not
cUl't commands but anguished cries. Ule's r e latives call "Uleee ,
Ule eel " , and Ule in h i e death agony replies to it in a s ong:

You people , you people,

now I mus t die,

and Ma8awa's tather calle out ff Uaoawa, hey llaaawa!N, and again
the s ong of t he tormented g1~1 i a a mel odioue anxiety song:

l"ather , I w:i dying,

l:3elegende cauBee me sut ·ering.

Al though songs nay be reduced to e 1mple threats, com· ,and& ,

or anxioue calla, t hey are alwnys concise portra_yale o~ the
actors 1fho utter them ana ot the circumatancea in which they
find thot1t1elvos 1n tho tale. When d1t£erences in t hese
circumstances increase the di fferences in the songs o~ each
pair tend to increase accord1ngl¥, until one of them 1e no
lonaer a song in the uaual sense. Sometimes both songs 1n a
p air are sue.a nou-no~s . IJl t ,c qua1•1•cl b..! twc,30, t'1e honey-
b e.o.ger and the lion ( text; • o. 7), re~catcdly shouted in::mlts
t'orm a elarigiug "'atch ~hic,1 rcl,)lacea a r,alr oi" nonga which are
BUJ16• In the tule of the ~irafle , tho hax•e , and tne dove ( text
t.o . 4) • the- critical poia ta arc tor.lled by a re,peti ticn ot
crucial ~ucstions ana the r epl ies to the · e. 'The tin.al put
of. t11e otor.r or 1rig1 and t.he saake ( text No. 1 0 , wt1er•c the
pumpkin enters the scene) also emplo.Y~ the devic 6 of 'spol.en
'
s ongs • in tre form of utt rencet:1 which ~r( rt pliec.t. to ty the
rumbling ecl'r:> of the pur.1pkin .
-.>Oil.£C; r..ced not necessax•ily be pniI•ed. , he ciui,lo r ong
of tt.t; ci.il<'?.-se, .1'.111g pa1 ty i n 1-e:xt J o. 8 deu::ribes the a~i~ty

of the ,;urticipa1!to ubout th<.! eno lerrn seat>ch. The £on1 or the
o.ciul to1•oue woman in text lo. 9 convcye the steulth o.nf the
f'orb1ddem1eca of her viei to to her lover l t.trf!. In text l,o. 14
thti cripple 01111uously c,,aBortc hie right to marry tlic girl. who
had accepted what he cons i<lez•e to be h16 ~11·t. Even here
thet>e ia no dialogue the song ahowe the implicntione of tho
plot, and prov1deo background information which may not be
expl1c1 t in 'the narra ti vc . It does th1H i n tho nanr.er
choracteriatic of poetry, by 1mply1na more than 1t states.

The ee1Pra1 character 2r ~h~ ut2£i-song,

Repet1 tion and meloliy appear to be an integral part of
tha aong'a pootr7. In paired son~e , tno songs or the sui>fer1ng,
the persecute~ and the agonized are the :f'ull and melodious
ones which tU"O eung and cannot be spoken, and the uolodioue
eong is the one or the actor who deeorves the aympatlJY or the
audience.
Songe are repet1 tioue , an~ by rope a ting themsel vee they
coneolidate the portt-ay-al of the character o~ tne actors, the
tne nature of t nc1r :fears , a.no. t.he stage oi.' de\ t-lo"ment wnicl"l
t he plot has reached. at i..hv conc1Uo1on oi.' eacL 01.· tu.: episoc..ee
markt:d lJ¥ them. .1..110.v throw a opotlight on 1.t.o &i tua t.ion 1n a
1ar more certail.. 11a,y than tl..e nat' riativc 1 taell' can c.o. .d.uf,
they are auru.t.le 111\1£. tra t i on,~ in l'r&Uct, tho l>LUUE.: WElY ua p1c turt;e
arc viouul 1llue tr~ tionE. ir. & 1 airy- ti le book . 'Iho:,' pro\' 10.~
the m01siC which kt:c {'fl the nudioncc spell-bound, « nn ·i.hey
:facil1 tate the:ir paPticipt. t ion oe:c1auac tt.<' sougG a1•c kt oHJ. and

tl,<, v,ord8 Wlchm.ginc. Leubc1•s of tho au<l1< r ct o1'tou join i ll

B1ng:lll5 tl.io congn.

~'he L ouca alu<> tcutl to be hil:{hl:,, ccmdem. cu, cz•yp ..ic ,
and l'Ull 01 worr,b which do i.ot occm• in ore1i11ury rPl och. and

the woi>cio of 1:iany songo aro t1ot cleui·l.y tU1<..eru tood b., , ,Ol t

bandauc lieteno1•s . Only people \'lho huvu heard a t.i;orJ ol't.en

a11d know 1 t VJell una.ore tand the moan.inc; and. the 11..J)licu tions
o:f those songo, Tranolution ia almoot invariubly a1r~·1cult,
and 1nquivioe into their meauing a1•e 01·ten ruet wi th th6 rEJpl;r
that t hey have no meani ng, ar,d coo1>at>ison and anal;,s1s ha;ro to
take o~er. ~hi~ means that when the translation i s Guc~cast'ul,
the song hao gained .Ln clarity but losi in mystique , anc c.s a
consequence 1 ts tranolated prc eer.tat1on invsriabJ.y d i f'1'ers 1'rom
the or iteinal. ln a d ...11.i on to this, the val uee 01' the sono ' e
uelot\Y and tho :nodula tion of t !1('> r> tor.1toller's voice are
inevitably los t even to t ae reader who can ru1iy appreciate
the written vernacular text .
Important tl1ou,}1 they ma.,y be , oon~s are not an easential
.feature ot all tn1es . We have seen .now they may be reduced to
exc~amator7 lines, or onomatopoetic i mitation& or rainstorms.
The story or Ostrich and Hare •ho shelter under Ostrich's
wi nsa (text Ho. ;:s) hae on].y the sound ot talting rnin and hail,
and the his to.rical and t:Vth1oal. tales o~ t@.xta Noe. 18 , 19 , and
 5:/I

20 ( thc us.• ol the ausai und t. e 01•1t,:m w1cl p.:>pu..atio1, IJ.ftht. )

uuvc 110 ho!l; 3 a t o.11 . .1..u...i 1 ..dtic..l ..c~ that stor ,t- s o i~s u<tJloug
to l'ic t: if)ll \ tl I ulq ) I'Ot}~C.l' than 'tO non-fie 1.i vu Suoh <18 !it,YthfJ and
h i i:1 t orical tale& {.J..ilf! n.tf& u/Yi§ tu • ) • vo111;;;s 1.' presc1it tne
acto::-s , und t•e l,.. t.1 011 ... between acto1•s ru:•o r(l'lo.::.:tcd i i, t, ....
rela ';i on .>e t ~1een soag t"or•:.ia but th1G i'o,•11 oi' .rop-'·e~cr, ta t1on
1.J useJ onl.l' when t e ~cto.rc at>e ...'icti o.nal ; w,wu tnc.r ai•e
hiwtc.1z•ical or :i::th1cal, ..wng!"' ru•o c1:Jpemh1d w! th. J.nal.,•aio of
s.rm·ool1s m and the r.iecu.1.~ ot.· n e ::i in t nTi~m.,1 01•al art ,·,il l
ohow tha t th~ F, is no t uo01rumtal.

Of' Ai'rican i"ol k- 11 tc:r·nvu.t•o ,ludin has oaid that

"A s alient trait to be s treeeed i s t hat • • Li t ] cone tit,ites

a s in..,;l <. uu 1 t.. or ::•.j other r o..;i on 01· c o11pc.ii'ablo sh,e ir.
t he world doeo t h11• hold t r uf' . The aiuilari t 1eo e xtend
not merely t o the types o£ plot-conet~uo t 1on and to Ppec1f1c
subject-ma tter, but t o li terary devices 118 ~ell - f or example
tho r ole pla.r• tl b.:, songs in tho _;1•os(J tox li, t ho :rrequency
of: moralin tic endings, awl t he z::mrkod prevalence o'/:
• t 1olog1cal e~lana ti one. ••1
The :role of t he eonge haa beon <i111ou.s sed; with reg8l'd to t he
mot1ta we ahal.l see t hat Sandawo literature 1"1ts equally well
into t he larger sphere o~ African oral litoratUl"e.
Some or the most general motif• are almost universal.
Vlei-ner deseribee a Chagga s tory ae "an At'l"1ean ' Holle ' atory" J 2
others are termed "!"also br1®" s torioa in analogy w1 th
European ratry t8le motifs,} and or yet another she declares
that "This story r e&llinde one or Crim'• ' Goose Oirl '", because
SP>•< cl
ot the actions or 1 ts l'1ero. 4 Carnell clusoi~iesvhie Oogo talee

1 19.52 , 4.
2 193j, 93.
3 lll.14,., 91.
4 lllJ.4.., 93.
 !j58

1.r; huvinf, u 'c11.dc1 cllu < 1• Cuu..p~lc r otif" , d.1 le o U .c :r.:.. hove

a "t ad- Ri ding Ifooci.. flt.v ow •" b0cc,•t c o ~ H c Le i!'hN,uclth en ct.pea

which occur it 'tht 1;1 j'roi. lion 11<:r., h,. c nu nc n on~ other llC'n.ncos ,
uud he al( o reft•t•u to 'tl,c wicked l t ep1 oth{ r th~rno . 1 l lc, I:
r,nti ·,l<'d hit, collcc t.1ou or 1101.tentot 1.'ub leo ''Pt ~'11m·( t! <! l'o;,.

o!' hUMlll cho.1'acte2':.., in anit'!nlo, a u the por t..?a·•al o~ o. c or

2
thPt-.o chv.rac ti.;ru l)y • o;:,·nal•(l in 'w'o..,>tl. ·ro "; thvrn, (:;onc::.•al

si Jilari ties corrt:u~ond ()nly wi tl1 ~ l etc "1 a1·:.ari t1cJf' of'
hu:.11121 f'cel1.nW' , .i\.~i·e , a."1d aspirations. .;,or clooer resemblance•

nor tt in p urt1culm> wi th ~hone 1'0tmd i n t..he la,~ge Bantu nroa

o:.poc1tt.ll:, with ~hose of' the orol tl'ac11 tionti >~ uoighho11rin0

(lo.t'1n1t1o.n , the1t is, o1r~J)lY the atJ 11zed conto~l~G o-r nn

epiaode . 3
It a..)pal\l's that nu:r>rat1ve han t~ono:rall:I 1)con better
documcntod t '1a.n other .r·wns o~ Af'ricnn 11 teraturc . ynt thn
availablfJ tJata are still natchy a nd the ::;,rescmtati,u o:!' +,he
mo terial var1<!S a groat d<·al in qua11 ty. Rel'l'Y' complains that

" •• we cannot assert wi th aoclll"acy that a :form or a theme • • •

i s not !'ou.1d 1n a g1ve-n are'! enc' we cannot, thoref'ore, as
yet deli neate our subprov1noee by mot ifs occurring and
not oocurring. "4

Yor our purposes this is not necessary, out the delineation

of separate motU'r. 1e alt.o a d1t!'1cuJ.t matter because of' the
extent to whi ch they overlap. tlowever, 1 t may be said with

l 1955 , 31.
2 1864.
3 1965, 60.
4 1961, 4.
 559

J>cn:i.:na..>l-..! ;,lau..,it ilit;J tliat t11e ...;z·t. ... ,et;"t. ,a or- o.: eto!';,r-
11ot1.i.'s whic:i tnc .Ju.nua~v uaiTc .in "0.-1.io.-i with ,,t ...,. c • .:..i•.... : 1 u •. d

& U i.lCd. u.f tll<.? 1'uct tiat ,:lrutva;J ;)1.,.t..,rial c;ul .. .u·~ r.n1-.. ... :.ilc:J .J..:>iJ t
1
t na" o: the .d•..ll, 'truvvi' c:>.lC.L.ldvb t,1 t p llJ ~ • .;;a .. J..J ., w .a::11
Some
r ooi., >l.:! -:1w ..i.mdsw.a :1or t 1a 1"..>, •or• t1•iheo 1'10 t1a.J ...\.}cl.. ..t1.'..:d , 2

t 10 ~.:.uiJawe o ul tm•e rnro ?Aa.,,.mJa i r.; >~' nir..1i 01.•1 ,ir. , 3 unJ we

h ..iv~ scJu tna"' .,.any .;au J awe .Jto1•;;-~,rn~a , 1.•itt!a 1:ud cuo.,J..::J a.•o
!
wno ...J.J :>1' pur t.ly deri ~e<l 1•,,o;s t11 t · H t;i, .:.i o 1, no H/6 t.c..1a tic

c ollection :,t a m:i. 1,1• al ll torutur0 i a Jct avai.l.a >le oxccJt one
a»lendi d col.L:Jctiou of 9rov~1·01<1 , but tniu ia 1n cci ucly t,1c 1

6lSpeot ot oral li ter•ature 1.n Rhich t.1e t~o n~ienu ourin~ t1•ibee
d i f t'llr a»at , to~ t.he 1,mdawu 11avc no ..>l'ova r b3 . 5 the :u;i.,za ,
wnose l angua6 e i s cloself related to rt1mi, have rnanJ 2;or1-
c.ot1l"s t,hi ch are the sue ae those tound 1,1 ~,L'l i&..t<! ne r rati vo. 6

also have a coni1derable number or kotits i n co~ ,on with the

Sandaw& , but ful'U1er afield t tie 1nc1oonce ot corresponde.nc~ 3
deoreaseg markedl.y. 7

contiHm Sno4uSt motu·, 002 thcmf:t.. AA4 V,eir oc~urrenct eJ.;:eJhere.

'lne1·e ar•e exa1Uple Cl t_;al or e· to show tl1t1 t tre com' on i,poning
u oti fs or primordial rrieudshif, rollowed by competition and

1 1894, 192.
2 <Al•£1t~ , 76. Only the NNDa Hottentots are more similar.
} Cf". text uo. 19 , note l ( p . 290 ).
4 Wyatt 1929 ( V/f..) and n. d . ( ll/S) , e.nd von Sick , 1915 are the
principal oource6 ~or t he Ri mi.
5 Olson, 1964· He baa also collected a number o~ eonge and
tales t'or use by the Augu.etana Lutheran t.l1ea1on (111/ s , 1961).
6 Of. Kohl-Larsen, l937a; 1956a.
r ~or Oogo l iterature of. Claus, 1911; Carnell, 1955.
rtr·11'E.: . me cor n nor- ~r1oan pCJ.,y,J s l'd s.1ro utti e the
c n, .. t 1r.ent; thiE. ft:quucl je jn p1;1:rliculaL· , r ociate-d v•lt>t
nn1r&l fablE • Ir Uc pr"'•·:r t collc<·:lor cf ll!:at ~ r+.~i""i~s

ull of' tt.c t'!l·•t fcven texts r,t.01· 1t r-or e ot" 1:"'s clf'tll'l,: , out

·.cx'..r m~f tt.e tHWE n pUl'f' tr i~E l ftibler . 1'C Mr < o1.lN':t1on of'

lottc.n ..1,ot fulJ.t~u ll~ek tf J< l'r ·1ot nlJ. t:.1 11

elr ore r"<'p1cted
1
u lnviq; 01.c1 ht<r. !'tifnfq :ir roll't ti1.er. rroi ~1<' Jnor·

2 !rL l<mhl;,t '£ !cngn t t1wi1.c f'rom !ynr.nlond Hobt.1t and

qU.Ell'T'O 1 •

liyonu al"O !'r~.t ,nd1. wl.o walk, l)lo:r nnd rill .... og< ':.hrr t11 .. il r .; o ne.

wantr· t•o11c 1.out 1:1ont; Rulli it th• n 1i'o~·e the r 1.rror .. r~cl- on him
uc that, Hy,·n~ tar's in~o .,_le ·,, ... o• tr-:"i llf" to L<'t 1t. 3 rn raaue•

bGtw en lforc 0111'l I. ~r.a c c,me to grief' when 'Ia1•c I (irrna.dcs Hyena

to eat his uot:u.,r . 4 All t;1oue not~ fs con be found i n ot}'Elr

''hP <::cconcl mot.if , that of t,hc co1tpotitive r>ace, :ts l,cld

o:r •ni nho~ to cor~ "'Gp<m.d ""n1,irnly \TJ, t.h 1 ta T'urf'lpoan co·mt.~rpart .
5

Obviouc>ly 1 t i o of " Uch a gonnra.l nature that 1 t can hardly

tail to correspond wi th s i milar roo tifa elsewhere~ Co~,peti t 1ve
i mitati on any be regarded a~ a speci al ~orm of i t; Hare ' ~

l 1864, 1 .
2 1905, 4, 30.
3 1949 , 80.
4 19 11, .5lft'.
5 1911, 10 . ho a dds that this does not mean that t he mot11' may
be a ~uropean one, bu t under the inf'luence of the monogenetic
d1r:fus 1on1et theories or hio t i me he speculates thot both ~DY
be d~J!1ved from a com ton Asian eotwcc. 'tore ecept1caJ.1.Y, he
orrore as an alternative t hat s uch st~r i ee as t hese may have
arown fro• a colDl'!lon psycho1og1cal need.
e ....'.o.rta t.o 1..iitut.e Uotricn , ... 1rcu:1·e a.nu uov~ will l.>e aisous~ed
in tr.e r,ext c h~pt1;;r as a sllvll.L'icant expx-tH~o io.n or h is
1
cna.r·ac ..er •
.1.ne mo!.1.1.:.i of '1r1CA,ncr, Cuc- ti.tu anu tue vrlpc,..Le are all

r e. lated c.o tne tteneral t,1cmt:. or tu~ w1de rcioer,; he represents the
last- oorn , the .~a.Jc lit,....e 1'elJ.ow , 01• tue ph,fsicull.i

11a,u.i1cappE- d 1wo snows .hi& .~ortn O$ clevar.ue»i; .t.nd peJ:>sistt),1~t~

and t,1us prev-ii l.s O'lor nis uL'awnici· .)l',>t.aers. 01: l,a_rnelJ. •s

1Jy n11r. aa oclo 1.;1.. ~ to .vlw t he calls to.E :anJerella or vaw~lo

raot1.f. Janu )Cle JJ1eans 'ht' c).4.' i:.ne scouieo' , and this character
cor1•,.6i>onutl cl J<>ely with tne vanduW-3 or1:p l e w.o.v ie cl.t1d in
?
rubu 1sh. .Abo'..>U t tillv nu tm•o 01· tile .uo t i.t', IJw:·ncll r pee ul~ tos

that

"tno tuemc, t.'lo doop1$ed one (>pt,dO coi:1jec t w•e ~~ !;o now
0.1.'
~a:I.' 1 t ,a1 ' 11 a c o 1)ent:1u ti on l'oI• 1. .c lo,; e .. tt 1..m i t, -wn1ch
the '.logo have , in th"' ~">~o t, lieon hPld h.· thei..,. neigh ,ours
the Hehe and the !asai , a l Yfl ea tceU\ or which they thamsel veo
are acutel.t cons ciou.-s. uch .,orto certainl.Y it 1B conne-cted
\Ti th th, .. JI 1 tior. of . uziwnndc , tl.t .., O....X,,;,(,r,t :...on, 11. ,ago
our• toroary law. "3

"'110 tl orico of tho undnrdog , tho llenj url in , ':'ot.1 '1lu1..b , ~1 ~t.le

Runt, anc"l o~ th<-' vo1•ious animals which ploy th. 1r roles in world
t'olkloro, ore too univE:':rral f'ot-. it to hr supposed that a
notional 1nt'er1or1 ty cou1ple~ OAn be th.a main reaoon fo r 1 t6
Evor ywhere such talea console tho weaker 1nd1v1dual
o:xistonce .
by demonstrating that. he 1a1ay be euper1or in othor r espects.
4

Ho doubt the;; con be u s ed us boostcrb 01' moral e in e1 tuatione

l Section uAnimal c aricatUI'es .and the 'l'r1oketer motU""•

2 1955, 489.

4 ,,crner, 193_;, 253 , namc e; man., animals Vlh1c.b play this r ole
in ve.rioue pa.rts of the world.
 562

of eidvf' r r>\t'!T. ' '?hl tell r. u ... t.,,nt '\t:111 ~,y t 1, ; , "'~te rif' "n h"7.1,
Har~ 1G evf?n rmt'le t.o r ... '.>T't- .. ~mt t"1"' ..,lnck "l!Sn aa •i-,'l 1mc\eT'<'i">1

i n relation to thP. wh 1 te C'>lon1.al !'U1~rn.

1 Thf'? 9~ndl't'Ytl ~'!"I"

awar6 t hat in open hAttl e +;~y are m11ttnT'1lv 1n~~~1lr t"> guch
neoples as thA ~ n~r.t'baifJh and an inf''lT'"!lrt"\t hos na1<'l tl'\o.t +.he-
sea where One- eye ovArcame the ~nake ....,1. th tha e 1gnthun1 ...r!<l

hoacts -~met have bfhm .... ake 'fialn'n~i<'la Laalu 11heT'C th(' 3 n11~nwe
have on oA loet men•r f'IP.n ani, 1nnum('rnnlo cnt1,le t.o the 'Bn:r~'!:>ni ga .
A tttuce wan treacher ou ~l y brokP.n by t.,f> ~,u•abBiga who '11l~dAnly
attacked t~~ Sandawe on thn nalt ~lats by tnE' lake and beat
them badly, but later the ~a~wa hoa~~an An~s• ~ot hta own
bac k and va"'lqu1E>b.t"d th~ S,araba1Ra 'bv iunb11shi.nJ?: tllom i n n :l arge
t horn rence which he had ~r evinualy built. 2 1Vhnteve r the
merits may be of linking One-eye wt th th~ e,XJ>l .,, t -t;e of Amrui' ,
th1e ie an el~quent exru:iplc ~t how n ~olk tal~ c~n hP npTI11~d
to a h1ator1cAl ~i tuat1on, anc how a ~tor 7- moti~ c~~ becone
a clan l!IY't h .

~erner categorises otor:, t.rpcs a c·cording to content.

She singles out thP S•.tallovring i1onetr:r aa belonginp: und.e:r the
heading Logende, boing "ot a nore or lc,efl r eliRiOUB charac t..er". 3
'!'he annke which One-eye kills, 1 0 o~ course a S\:/allowing
!oneter b,1t 1 t may be argued that the Sandawe tele 1& more like
a wieh.f'ul tairy tale than a legend of sorno heroic ea1nt.
In this particular caoo it woul.d be the myth1oal as sociation
or Aman ' with One- eye which would cause the rsiry tale to
become a legentt. 4

l 1905. 2.
2 c~. Robinoon. 1957a, The story has been confirmed by Barboiga
1nformnnte and the k~v. H. ~auot of Balangida Laalu•
.3 1933, 21.,.
4 "'he Chorter ox:rord n1ctioni-r;r dflt'ines legc•nd , 11 t . l~a.G.
' whnt is rea~ • a~ (l) 'T'he story of tho life of a saint; (2)
a coll~ction of ea1nt•e l ives or of aimilor ator1e&; (3 ) A
story. hietory• account; etc.
 'i'hr r:.otil c o. thr r tory -:-, ' ~ .c 1,.;l'ip :..(.) .•• o 1 ccw:.. a
1.ux.c.eoce:; .,,, t. l .c ~::t. o . 11.) arc . td \....... EG, < i ......c.1... t!.!.e
• \10 l.l;L \,hO !,t..d. f,i V, t o::.~•tr. vO ( ,Ct•ut;

enc c;tom.c !'1? a:.1~, l'or0 u c1·i · ,lf nl o GN, u• ::.a 1.h< t'o1• of

fl :..r a'~ . onr tl'.l ._.iric ( re a rc.iu .o t l'l.':,· hi... l.t cuu:•t of vh<:
1
u• ·1:r ct u' <.-!l' r tr; of hi:.. nl ·· !l. :...r. an lt U! :.m •,ulc :-- 1;·,11;, . t.,y

i ohl-L:..1·r:c:n t ' <. ~ nul t turn• cu•. to bt u h£.rn...:·o'1c you h cf ~c.:r·

unoth<>r . " • 1b u :•-1 r in o d<,l.' to btu·n tl.t ~ 1.al..< l kin · i ich he

tr.n tal<' o • t 1e "rip le, 1•. ~ a .. r.o ii t:-.t' t. le o:. .,he .1..i m-
hu£l>1UlU ( ~X1 o . l_;), .. irigi' u pu.:ipl::1~ ~ ..l A 1. •• o . -l) Qll(. the

poor I ru. 1 • o tolen wt::e ··,. o be cnt,' u ";r"'o:. ( .< x·; • -:.> 'J ~:\J t:ee

1-hc 8a•nc m ,ti:r. ln a Hot ~en tot !3 '..or•.: u 1.10: ~:cc h1::, \•.1.l'c to

turn into a lion, knowi.lG t;hut chl. can do tM.~. Lho obligeo
and go, .., 0·1t c ,tchin.r; t-;w.1e 1'or meo.t, bu~ tL<- rJ.:Ul bccor::ce ...:·raid
und bccevche1, her to cl1anco bnck in to a :onel •• 3 In en l3ut~u
tal c th1.•uc ocr. ruCt.; t ....rue ,,irla und :;iarry t l i: , r.tt t. t !1.. turn
ir,t<> lionounos . The w~n ;;o c•1t to cut ,:ood .~or n~?.11~;; 1 ·:,!'tars,
o.r.d tr,(" t.1!CY l 'lY up 11,to I.he o ir 1n thefll while the 11oncsc-;es

e 1vo chaso . Thi? cago of' the ::i:rdawe tAle and th" mo1•tol'o are

clearly the sa~e p~otectivc vomba .4

We have now art•ivod at the F:scape moti .t', to which Carnell
reter~ a:J tal,..s wl th & Redlofltoing fo od t'lavour. 5 '?ext No. 6 is

l Dempwol~ ', 1913, 14; .

2 Kohl-Laroen, l937a, 61- 66 ( t.ale No. 47) .
3 ~l eek, 1864, 57-6.
4 ~ohl-Larsen, 1937a, 53-4 ( tale ~.o. 39). 'rlte same mo ti.f also
oecUl'e 1n a Kaeuru tale publ1ehed by ~eidelman, 1964, 12
( tal e 110 . 3).
5 19.5:> , 31.
e . csca c ~tory ,,era row anl l' ~ tl C '} t' ' .f:'"'iX' l'> ~ tl"U ·

C'?'V a nd i o-i are ~r:t nnds , 1,•it on n1e 'mngrr lu·• Linn oatf' ono
cf ~OW 1 0 child 'lo -OW ~ill~ ore ~f f nn t n in wntallA~lcn ,

e nd tle ~I! t~~·t1'1('r tit ~ h,r cHl v~s . I' tho onr~ t"1e·1 nrE ~3·10d
t J Coe~ 1ho i nti · l1a' es Li ~n u? th\t ~e 13 a·~~id to 2n ~er
t. ome r.:,re Co \ s.r:.d ,.,,.c ca 1,,e~ h ve fo1m~ :·:h~l t r. 1

"tne l eo;e.nd o~ c. :tonl:l t.er l>h l ch swallows u.c p~pulat.i ,n of a

vilt i::.:e - "Ir , 1rJee6. , of '3 'ti ....1 a ccur.tro r - and 1$ :-·1biocquently
slain bV a boy hE'ro ee('me to be curr~nt, all over Afr1<Ja. 112

n~ r,or g~ in t he taJ t of Cr. e - eye an:, t '~,s $ns.ke ¢1<: srl y ce tel:>lish

b e,arf, a chilcl , l'li ct1 £.TOY.6 l..p 1 o kill tr.~ n.or,c, ter ond fr~ i the
p eople. 3 !u r.tofhcr t.ele tt.~· tJnd- :rot1f tr tc.c tame se i n the
fene!EiR{I i: to:r~: t l t boy- re-£1cuei· cut~ O};H tN 1 ~cl" of tl,f. s lain
,~ rrn tct· t<.' let thf. p<cple out 1.hCI tht-n retur?l l'")llf' .
4 '"'ern~r

tullr, l~!' tt:a t 1n Ur rl'ibera a rour~ or pm1pkin a-p"9e11rs as the

t ~allov.·ir.1; l om t~r. 5 In an !ear ~u tnle n b i g pumpkin ie
t mnehc<1 Tf1 tr an nxe whereupon t.'h(! Al l -DovourE:l" coir~s out a.rd

e«ts a11. 6 This ic, of couree, t h6 ~Wile aoti~ as th~ one which
is unoc. an the end-motif 1n text No . 11 ( '"irig1 an,.. the &nake) •
Vorinnt,ri of •he ther.1A 9.re f'oun.d i n Ronga ta.lea recorded by

l Dammnnn, 1938, 14.

2 ierner, 1933, 206.
3 vohl- Lo.raen, gp,cit., 40-2 (tale lio. 32) .
4 lh.!!1•, 17 (tGle v O. 16 ).
5 oo,cu •• 216.
6 Koh1-Lareeu, 9Pe9il•• 44-7 (tale No. 34) .
 .) .I

Junod, 1 and in ye t another Isanzu tale the pumpkin i tself is

the All- D~v~urer, 2 which i s also the cnae in an Iramba atory. 3
End- moti fs are often expreeaed by ainking into a pit or
death by burn1n~, on P• 548 an account wae s iven or the ways in
wbieh de&th ia rlr amatized. DiGRi .ag pite for trappin~ gamo ie
a well known hunterB' &ot1v1 ty, and th~ Sandawe practice it.
The moti fR of Ole-1n- tne-pit (te~t ~o. 16) and the lion-husband,..
1n-the-p1 t ( text No. 13) are well .fou.ndeci. in norl.',al tribal
ox-actiee; rwnirtE<: home or t'l.Yin~ home in cages when danger
ttu>ee. tens i s like tne normal practice in war when tho people i.•un
home to dei'end themael vea ox- hide i ll z•ock ahel tere to s 1.ay out

of eight; tne 1dent1f'1eation of' t}1e snake with t.ne pumpkin is

alao l'ound i n the J.Uergi ng ot the i-i tual penis \';i th the womb in
t11e dauoea o:f m1rim~t and 1niraculous chtmgee like w1 tones
becoming h,1enso or lion-men are as much part or the haunting
tmage~ of fear experienced by the tribee~an travelling in the
bush at night, as the oandelab~a trees which suddenly aoaurJe
eer1u human £orma when they uneX1?ectcdl~ loom up in from or him •
.A peop1e • s euetoras and envil'onment help to explain their at,,ry-
motifs, and unde-ratnnd1ng of the stor:,- motit's helps t o gain
rurt her i ne1ght i nto their culture and anxieties.
we rind, t hen, t hat the pri ncipal motifB round in Sandawe
tales also occur in other Atrioan literatures and t hat the
gNtateet correspondence exi sts with neighbouring Bantu tribes,
most of all with those s i t uated to the n orth-west. fol l - known
t1otif'e are i ntertribal and they tranneend la'"'gtlalJe barric1•n,
j uo t as well-known n ovels and booke or rairy tales are
1:n tcrna t i on:il 'becnuoe of t :ranala tion.

l 1897. 198-200.
2 Kohl-Larsen. gp,c1t,, 53-4 (tale No. 39) .
3 Johnson, 1931 , 327.
 5o

c C ~ J~' ... ..,Lo I'i ..1<. t .... ., .... c.... 1 .... 1 id

1
oul<i ic.:!. cu.•• o. b 1.. v 1·i ...;, at .,111.

.1·i lt,., a·

t o:• / , m t .. ., t J ur. P • c t d L. ~i. ),." ' i ...... , d

U .,1 ),J. • .t.C 1 :i ~ .. ti.e (.. t.,. ..n._ .u) .. ,

u ·l ..... t.L., -CU > .:)L'

t lU C 0~ • • J

.iste.ncc 1J' n

i. t • l ,QC )f ' .1 ,L.i .•tu,~e- laj'cl' 1 )CCU ..,1 vhC Ol)t~l'l.ill~

.Cor•"1ula ' Ier·o io 1 :i:•i ~ "!.e'

~!>l'Oo.d; ..h y ;:Jl'ir,s vital i.ll'o.r.'$1 ti :m to ...un, u.i.c.. ,.1,1,.:.r v, ..icle

f' tho bi:i:-dc is , anc. sr..c alco ac~u,,lcd,:::oo th"" 1J:,~lc c,1.cc in

• -1t\.l. tal~o of: oird... \ll.ich ·ori n~ rain. 4 ;'f•1 lwve aeon U1at the
o ilda ,e riddlo-,lir•1rn are u1 ... o hi.1.•ds of: tho ratny Huueon, aud
tl1e Gandaw ~ also :3JV •hat u tot".:,-aonga ( which ar•o callod
tanta};>u1e, like r1Jc.1ce) J."'ly li~e bil•da . 5 ihe ..ja}congo do not

re tor in t.t101r :rVdles to fl.ring bi?•ds which br1nf5 or1ligh ton-

men t ; theJ open the gar..e with "A ring: 11 , ~nd the r e lY to thie

1 1964. vu.
2 Velten, 1907, 335.
3 Cf. I>• 301.
4 193.5, c'.!30.
5 ~ . P• 309•
1 ' )r·_t: .i. •' 1

>Uu - · 'Ol, •

• _ .·• , ..~h , .e

;,,...... • ~ ..c 011, •• 1 , i '

... +. ,) '4 • 1.)1,l 1il t.,
.. •
I)
0,. 'l • , 'i • l. - t • .... ll ) I, <..ry
. ..
l,

.,_ til .• •'-.J.. ) I\, lure .

.. ~ 1•i n l ' 1 ...' .. 0 ,. v .... ',1 .,..q ...... t e

• >l, !! ~t . i..C, t )
t r a:..1 a ir .(

t !~ \ lt . Oi' o·•uoa ....tates

t 1at t J t· 0' · .ic

006 ot '),. ,i ... l a a lC ,.. ·...

) l' ,U!' ..~r_,
+Jru : •. 1 .. ~ r, ' '.' ') )t .l ~ ;hi i ) .
!'oi-.1 o• t c pi.

'ihon the ht',~ti.ted ,- ,pr,oner.t hai:i nad.c h ia itJagJ.:r.ary tNt: ,.?rr to

the challenger th"" la I tor 't"Ubs i n the defc.i t -;, J ro!'<n•X>in~ in h i e
solution t o the C()nq.1ero:,d v1l lage:rs ' bodies vhich f'loat do\ffi.
6
t he riv"'r •

l q t.ru,yf'f' , 1908, 163.

2 'le•lle , 1<)08, 66.

3 e 1o!' , 1959 , 5q .
4 Ve J. t e n , l.s:u~as.ilt·
.? ...u t1nunn. 1911, 5.?5.
6 'i::>tJr-cu.;;rt:' ;l.!lQ. g;i le•
consiu.eraole a.e \.ail: vlac.r..1H() ie ~oncernt-d ,,i 1.u w1t1 .:unc 1.,ion
01· .tone.ta .ri<Ju.let. i n i;eri.10 ot" 1..11c1r oo.ucu tio11&l 'llulu& , .. \..Ole-

s,eucnat Yl1 tn ·1.nt: 1 1.r.gui& Lie s .,z•wc turt: of tne:: ri,,ult:s oi a

,
vsr1e t.t oJ..' .uu.n tu p uop..LNl , - vc1u1po1•a wi 1,h tuf<I c oo tent. o~·

WlU ,rU UliW\C~ Vii Ul t},e Ul.(. er•l,Y1ng p.,.fCilO!Og.f or

...,t; "nil<:l t; t i.witJB <,.i. iuf f,!'ooc .....UC'UJ. .t'o.t•m m.o.

ca ~tlo have b,.,cooe ir,. their li veu .

Hi <ktles ar<- in tnc firs " plac<; a o.hila,N:,n' s gallle , i tb

subJccts i;cnd to be simple one a, anu neeper l',Ymbolism as used
in ri t ual p oe t ry and i n miraculoue atorit,s mub t not be sou, hi.

in t he averago riddle. '"be ee&ential uni -.;y of' tho largu At'rican
cultural area eugges ts '.;hat we ma,y find s1ru11a1• trea 1,ne n t 1'or
at le11a't sor.10 ot' t,he o .iimpler riddles, and oovious oimiJ..uri t iea
oan i nde ed bo 1·ound.
\Tel ten g 1 Vt' R ue a ,1wah 1li egg-r1rldle which 1s i dentical

with tb.e bandawe approach o.t' 'tJ.i house h::.ts no mou bh'' • 5 'i·he

l 1961 •

.3 1932.
4 1911, Ait, supra.
5 er. text No.21 and Velten, 1904, 2.
 569

Sand.awe describe teeth ae "My house has i ts walls wi th white

., ton~.,; ' , ..-i.-1 ,,..,_ .,14a..1.t.1. v... ...t,( \,ta.loCH'vOu~ S;;,..1 "'"1 ..• ,.,~ ..,,o whi ~ts

e i.orw.; ai•c ia a .uol ... , t.nt.r~ ih l,O \,a I.er J<, t. ,.,,,vi' u1•t:1 wet ·• . 1

.-1 t. 1,llt .1.~1a~\, 0.1;' ~OI!J\) t.al <e wriicn 18 uouN;1l.v pt.tc,wd 1u rev.1:·ttsonted
tiwOl.Ag .,,10 uUU.l.U O.f \8) C,n. ... <.u'ul. , u) tUL. JO\lilg o.1.·.. snov1.8 OJ. a
J,1l.aJ11.tjin , \C) uval..i , u11u o.; r.n.a ,.,outu, vmi.l.: J.t ls cnl.c.ken•s
u,o _,.Lw,tai,1 ~n ;ot.., 1:U'tj o.f

J.' }.ll'

imag(!L o t ..· ,~,J.a whic:t. tU t') uo., c,11 t,u ·al.. y 11u·~u,. "'cec..., unn 1 t
l :>Ul t CDhCt l.r,.1 le ti1H:lt tht.,,H it.a0 t . , ntir:,.,,., l)J.'O.r.i.ut; 1,,l(,

Bolut;i.,au tdt:,) r,o c. o ,,u;:.-uiw, ..,., ,,..1u. lfo,,.~./\;P, tm ...,- p1·i.:1.'er the

c11i cAen't1 tail; chici~ent:. a:r>u, w:t,•z· aJ.l , 1,no 1.:ini:;r; co,... 01 animals

in u i;)Wll.l.UWO n,m1;u; t\,i; d. ·.o t, l .°O.rt b t - 1,1.WUlJ.l.He ,1,i\,lt.\lti t,;u.•l1;1 1

1J:t•e£.Ul ts a.x•e ' \10 p.J.ugs :.:rom ont: \ 111•, ti) i.1•u nk, out tht t ai,dawe
in tcx·oe t in a11ir.tals Likm.e two nei: tlt-,,s which have l,een cut in

th~ ousil with a 1cult' 'ti teu t8. 3

'..'ho •.,.'rl.CWl t1wtte- c, ton<: hearth is 01· vil•tunlly iue11tical

tihape throughout tht1 colL1ii1.t , t, a1,o i ta ur. e ie oll o the su,::e •
...u~~Y 01· i tu ropre1:1en tn tiom; in r1< dl< s aro ther<•l or e E·xpecic<ll.y

e i n 1lat•, ;re t in l)U1 ... icicn tly di:Cf t:ren1. cul t.w:•t.s its represent-

a t ion muJ' <ii.1.'-e1• nurJ<..ec.l.Y . '.. o the Lanuttwe i.h<; nt.ux•t.h o tones
a1·e 0~y tt,ree people l wno] do ver ;, llluch work ' . A ei1n:ilar
bwah111 ricdlf' r.ayB r.r.at 1'tt11""ro v;ore three children, but i.f one

got:a awny, tho work cwu,ot he <one" , to,• tn6 c:oo,.ing pot cunnot
be pi.aced on two r Jur,a ~ ton e; 1 t hao to reo t on t.hree for

l (, . text no. 54 anil tbding, 1911, 174.

2 (;t'. text Jo . l~5 and f.bd1ng, !ll2a c1, li• , 161.
3 er. ·u ·xt I,o. 43 an<'i Ebding , S2J;I. gl. ~· • 172.
 1
L i t, '~1/0

j. V1 l.l' v > • , 1 1 -··· '-' 0

i ...... .,?
-l.•
1 ........ i ...·1r 4.UC-.;

•, .... i c .t h

)l' • - i C'.) • l ;
,: en
I.> "l ' t .. 4 t ir 'l

•i. l ' ., ' .

, l Ji . ). ?r
l ' . .. .
' 1.i (, {,

., l O, t 10 '•' I • ; l I .t, 'i \: u 1ur1..c t.v

'i . - :: \,0

) '0 1 c L • ~ .. t i. .. Lt

' lJ

'UI ;-,r . e. .. 11' .. •. ) l 1...

p]. :l a.1 ,i I .
•
'ac. ,n t ~ ' /) i. 1.· .Jl" ..i .
, 0 :.> • •• L.11.1 - l , c .. "'~.;...~

11 u,,b !' are <3du~ 1, l .f ~ 1 .,.; • 1 1~ :: 10 ur •• 0 .: ,., ) .r....- :.~.., l ~A,.X' , nany

lit.

a 1'!lir i..ilc tion :, ' ·t' ... t. 1., cul l..:.r:tl to .. ·

111lc'. .i.·· !ll1ctl as nnk 'U"O ot. The tw:, r1·::11aa w'l-!cp !"<!)~<.:sent

onornu topo'}tic 1n the or11nary aenoo °b':lt 1110:i:•e or lP.ss accu.'r'ate

enactt11.nt"} of' a hrena ' s bP.hnvimw wh'm it, r:naoks ito lips .

1 Jol t~n, 1907, 340.

2 Bbdina, 1n,n..1!·, 170.
3 F,.1ohs , 1910 , 66.

4 6entlawe with \#hom Kaguru ri<~dl es ( Be i del m..n, 1963 d) were

discus~ed not only o~uld not oolve most o~ them , but also
J>e1tu1r~~ explanation at'ter the aolu~ion wae g iven.
 571

,, J U..i.. • Li.<, .l

,.,11.,, J.S

C •,.. -... - V.t.

1
1 ...l

't.
l. • ]
.. ~ ., ) . .., .
,,::t .o . J - ) ..c1.1 ) . t I .l • l;;. t,) I , I >1 \ }• 1.1 , .., • ) J ....w.t

v li..,!...! '11.,t., v ' ,... i A'

·- 0 .) ~ l 1. ,~ .l ...:4 '

l'i ~1 • .I) w .1 d ..) o..1.J..' '. C ll vJ l ) t ., ..,'

,i!'l v , t; 1 :l J

'' Ill vC:: l'C!J till.:; out,

n:>-:; u vi~· ~ul J"l
t.h~ '1) ".'>" · Pie,..t~ •
.l
...i ) .
"'.,tE, ~(;ct •

+:l,,..n
l'
1U ..
...
.nino.• forrnc
-'
.,,, i'
..,
~..n~
l(" I(.;

.. ,..,~ 1' ~.
01' ...•1 ....1e , oased
...,3.. ,. t . I ), l/,

Ci, , 1 ,.,U t " l ' .,..,i:., i'--' ,) ., IV ;ii J . 'l.L.cl.0

·~ ·.1.c
riac.uc ' .'l ':, ..4 J, o. .2' ;F t , .,;nJ.ch •,nu ::.t.."ls t,;.;l' 1~ • ,1.u-1•,10.J.i • { ·text

o. >2) o lon._;.., to t ,•~ ia.::c 1..u te,g >l'J', ai.~1 .,.i..JiJ....1· ~lcDe•• t~ a1•e

o:r.oll;;l to.,oc~ - Ol' u Ir.l. tulJ i~ eo·..u.d \ t4 'xle; .

~l..'1.0"t•• ci· , am\ rnoro uophi~.,1c .. 1.<;;u ..,./Pe ot.' ucouu~1c n ...·oct
1:· ~1·ovidcd b ,,r ,:hut I r,ropoiw to coll a tonal ;.,un. 'the rit...<:.le
of the ng~oeLivo brucburt called 1or6g (t~~t ,o. ~7)
cu..:;ucotiv\..l,/ cxplol t~ the t l.Ul V31Uc3 01~ uorc.o w:I. th di...'. erent

1 ElccL, 1875. 6.

4 !bid.
!> u ut, ao 1 t ic noted on P • 3.i2, tu: word 1JJJi2!. may also be
used in ord1nar¥ lanh'Uage.
 r .... ~ ,. rt -lT
1u:rj1 , J 1 c1 l t b • t"\T, ..

• it· (',
I l'Ol " (' { -<'('(' ~: ( l n .. l' .. "
,, f f .. ('"' . ('

u· l r· f ') l"( ()J ' (']" f' ... . (' ...

f r rr l ). 'c. l (
rf' "'''' ' . .. -t f ('' ..... (( i I .. r" .... t

h fr' . \
'c ,", 1r· ·+ ,1 l

'< i ~, 1 ' ., 1 .. . ..,.. ... ~ c"

r,, ' '\ • ', , 'v · < ••<\ 'i vi t , f,J "'< r,

t.hc t ) ) · c l -,

Co.te__; r>l · cwc "lnp , li" , "I' divj~i.').t ,u· v ·~1lc, and

l:>•• '"\i n"' t;r el~ an~ bN•o·v·· riinr: t.r""lov, nna · hey may ~vcn bf'come

c,.rcumc-:in"lnn S"l~r,~ 1:>"e:a,1E1a "'f th,..1.r Nlucntionnl vnlue. 3 ~' 1,•1h~

ins1.1>uct1vo l'l'>n"& ol."' circu'lloision, and the same ts tJ'm: "or the
divisio 1 oot 1ccn ·~nr«,o' ta a.ud JIO@ ' g n. i;>OJl.88 \'¥h1ch belong to

l Chanter X, secti on ''Name- punni ng i n r iddles. "

2 Thi a 1e another r,oee1ble translation of the word whi ch meane
' that which i s placed ( usual l y) i n f r ont•, c£. P• 299.
3 ?ext ~o . l7 J 1~ a n1ns trel oy song whi ch ~nee was a gr inding
song (ct.p.525)i text flo. 111 is now ua~d as a e1rcwncleion
song (ot'.p.411).
I ' ,. (' < ' .. . '
'
-I'

(' r'\L , .... c + a f"'Ol'' • r

i (' t )6' ,. . ~
r.,.r. f

'
." (' t ... c .... ,.~ h . r,•
" i7' r·r , ~
" <f'

~-_e..._'Tll r:l > , ' ,.., . 1. 't < • .... ; ~

(' ( rr

' ,1 ... •1 t 1 f ' (" .... Yl 4 .. I"\ t (~

;( ' ('" .. ~ : .. • ,..., i 1 "l ~. r l (" .. •"; ...... "'t

., ~ . l n 1 :~ r ... ,,·1r . .. ,, r'' l'f' .. I ('

' i on
r ,. ( \' ~ (' . ' . .
c ... .. .. r' ...... 4 .. I•
-~ .
,
; r .. 1 ( r re
\
fn i ( " (., i''•' trn.; ! Tt o. 1 '. I f I < rl· ~· ~
-r1r ti r f' l"f •, 1.f'f

( )• lJ I \

c ('"( : :1 ..,H ( .,.'\ 1 . ..,..

·er 'i;I':l t ... . 1 +ho1 •l- ... ,, ,,,.,11rr O""" ~·t, ·· 1: ~ ,~ -1 "", ~ f"n<"~G ~an
r,
.. C'(1 i.n t (' ('.,. th,... r:'n· (' (''.- """<":.,l'''-

.i ' t"l'l , arlt •a 1I l t. .• t" ' .. ~ t. l l <'r• ~ . . r. ) ,.t • ·r·r 3.~

ti ins, ii l t .. .. ]. t ....... ! ' i t·•n" c ~,, 1'\"'r ; ...}11 :..::_ ·(.. !~

CO!! "' ri l

a · ,01111 · n ·1hich 1.s tr•m<J1:tt~ -" t -, tl1c 1 1::ito"lorz b.· t.h.f" .,.,1'ht,10

~ or t ~1cr.n or the nnn-r"' r iser is :i:ou•11l t··i a l.w.lili! q,:m tJ

( t . x ... lo . l '~·' ) <t••d al•l o in a n1nr- t r 1: l ·w song ( tex t o . 1 J5 ).

Do t.li 1"')'1.~ " 3l'e t ,.,"")icnl , 'b•1 t tha lmJ.dA t ~x t aur,eurn to 1'escr ib~
a ruth.er n t orio .10 cao<• tna •·P a .uost el16i hlo eui tor we-.s

,7he!'o a u t .lc ~!na trolJJ so•1.,g ci.eacribes a aore intimnte :t"amilY

.'lra .i.1. ~ 11u uccur-<1tcl,1 r o lee ts the general dit't.,r ence betw<"en

th~ topical Bongs O~ tne l.,an~& type. and those or ~ i n e trOlGY•

l he ~orwe~ bolo~ to ha~ve ~t danceG in wnich whole crowc:la or
 -' I •

'"') l ,l . ) r , l I :1. .l .1.101,

n ~ u• I 1 ... :" ..1 \. ' ... ..; . l.; • - ... J

) ,1 ~t '1 · l ll r> ) . ) I) .......
~.
..; ) J l.J

) . ') ..J..l...l ., - '.I. .. --' I

\ ' \ ' t1. 1 c I) 11. ... ' 1 ... ,1 .., l<.. ...... ,d

11 ,r ... 1 . ·l ' l 't l.&.w, l .. l. ..J to

10 , J 1' . ) : ) ~
'Ii ,.

~-· .
In ,..-. · l L• , l l );.

i . U ·1 l l t. >• t . ( •u; t. ' ,, . , . ) I ,,, t.o v!<C.i

' p. uiti I i . .c.n 1S

..
I

... ') .. 1. ll ... ... ...e

elev r d .• i l'

,.... " .. 1 t , ) '.I

Cl! >f' " r , J. 1 ... .,

). • .., J.. ,;, 1 (; i , ,.,,• Jl:Jv tl. )HEl

_ro . .:1 li''" . .;o:-J-,t ........., ! t.,;. ; ~~01.. , lltl • .. f)S

C \7},C"llt :t l' j,)Ol l il :i,, , Jio

,l, .., J. at : Ol 1.,l <)ll u.i~ <)I 't UX l'•>l:..b ,

by 1nfor ..,nn w ( compa1·ioor1 of i1:;.1, publiliht d t i J~·u, wi Lh tho

or i githl~ dJ.c:tfit,• , t.rnr tK·1•.i.r,t i or P or hio re co1•t•.lt,f H irur t::ni• el:,
1
r: ho,r ur, t he j i;;provr 1.1C:n tb ) •
l 11 uv1.L 1..he a.1l.l. erencvs in a 1.yle ur·e more be 1;ween t,he
1, tylc o 01 thf ,;,ong ca tego1•1ca than be twee n t tlosc of the song

i ! a,. i 1:debt.f:'cl to Profcl tor Re i nhard of' Berlin who has k i ndly
rent t10 cop i f'e of' {\-Ompl';ol f.f ' e notee togcttif'r w1 th the tnped
copies or hie eurv1v1ng ~ax r ol le . From Reinhard'• paper
(1964) I had learned t hut some r olls had su.~vive d the war.
 .) / .;

1 ~ ' 't' , 1 t' i.C • l ) l l .d,.· '

+ ~ · '),. " } ' ...
0) i. t .• ,,i, )11:. t

I I l ) .t;

1. 'I"') • 1..:

1 I.. ' al \ 1 ) ' ) "I: n

l . \
'· t
)(' · "• T 1. t 1 , !' I ) . 'ax•
11 ' ·icr... · u~ · i 'l
ti i -:>n
t > 'C •l f! '10.l+ t ")!.C' 1 c" "'!.t 1:r~' "ric •• ' ic i

I J.1 ••1... ic- ,..._.. • •'dI'l•

•• '<• --..i .1 ~ < ' C0 • 1 .nr.7

-nroccdul."P . An<'l hr.r~ ~n<1 n,u,_t nnot> rinl'"o nnJUi.rr t.hf'1 r
!:.!as r.el >;f. l!e.s ter.v 01· the tnouaand nuanccc , ot' the ll!OEi t
~ -~~-~- ri. ,1
~we~~ -

r;lod,t na a st,r~1nt:1c cut 'c>l'""nti<ltor,

once by the welody alone. In thl. case 01· the 1.1.m.!!A 1•cco~i t1 on
is 01·o~'lt about by two <11...'1.'orcnt mf>lodio J;'("u turoe. o..~ tno aong.
'lhe first 1a the stereotJP d tone ocqucnoe 0£ the ~ W,-!l.Q-li
tth1ch in troduce4 ea new u tam~as; 1.f a nine trel prt.een ts hia
audience w1 th a lJw.w1 song, the.:, know at once thu t 1 t ia l.l.mW1
because ot' this. The second feature ie the typical .form or the
tone eoquencor 01' t,he toxtunl per t ; thef.w t'orlll 1:rroru].ur patterne
as 1n spoken lani:ruage. '!'hue tho molouio t•orl4 o f the most topical
of' all Sand owe dance s ongo accu:rot,ely rot'loct~ the narrative
nature of ita poetr y.
The melodies o f ~ songs also have a quality which eote
them apart at once. ~heee eonge have a somewhat lilting

1 1957, 50 ( t ranalation mine) .

 576

qual.ity which is ueually the result of a f ligh t ~ tones which

runs up to a high pitch and then goes down again to normal
l evelJ it le ae it t he melody describes the s oari ng heights
which the olmb4 dancers reach when they climb rocks and treee
in their state ot diesoc1at1on. Some Sandawe eay that these
are their most beaut1:tul songs, and Sandawe i n the towns
usually aek fir s t f or simbd eonse when tape recordi ngs are to
be played. It eeeme that these songs evoke strong nostalgic
feelings more ettect1vel.Y than other types ot song.
Between Sandawe music and t he mue1c ot their Bantu
neighbours t here appear to exist dit£erencee i n tone ecale which
have not yet been analysed. Sandawe listeners in the central
hills where the nfndg and the ganzoona are unknown, at once
recosnize the songe o~ these dancee ae a Gogo type of music
even though t hey may recognize the t exts as Sandawe. They say
that 1 t 1& not only the r hythm which ts diff e:rent, but also the
tone. The tuning ot a hand-piano and o~ a trough-zither which
I had obtained in Oogo country waa recognized by the Sandawe
aa being of the Gogo t y:pe, and they i mmediately proceeded to
rect1ty this detect.

RhytJpp.

It is generally recosnized that rhythm ie ot vital

importance to At'rican mua1c. Jonee writes that

"RhYthm 1e to the Atrican what harmony 1e t o Europeans and

it ie 1n the complex interweaving ot: contrasting r bythmic
patterns that he tinda hie greateat aesthetic sat1etact1on.
To accoiaplieh th1e he hae built up a rbytllmic principle
which ie quite dttr erent from that ot: wes tern music and yet
ie preeent in hie Bimples t eongs. Hie rhythma may be
produced by the s ong iteelt, or by hand-clappi ng, or by
etiok-beating, beating ot axe-bl ades, shaking ot rattles
or ot maize eeeda on a plate, or pounding pestles 1n a mort8l'.
'the h1gheet expres sion 1• tn the drwna. Whatever be the
 577

devices used to produce them. in Arrican mueio there 18

practically always a claah of rh.Vthme: this is a cardinal
principle. Even a song which appears to be monorhythmic
wlll on investiga t ion turn out to be constructed or two
independent but str1ctl.Y related rhythmic pat tel'ne. one
inherent in the melody and one belonging to the accompaniment.
The usual and simplest accompaniment to a song 18 hand,.
clapping: eo a etudy of hand- clapping 1e oui- beet entry
into A.tr1can rh,Ythmic technique. "l

Rhythm is undoubtedly aleo or great i mportance to Sandawe

muelo, ~et t his 1& precisely where it dif fers most from the
music of their Bantu neighbours . Unlike t he Bantu, the Sandawe
have no complicated rhythms 1n the accompaniment in which
d1ff'erent sets 0£ beat i ntermingle and conduct lively discuaoions
with one another. The Sandawe hand-clapping or e tick-beatlna
l e straight and uncomplicated. otten ettu'k and rigid. The only
inetancee where thle i e not the ease are t ound i n borderland
z:iua1c wh1ch 10 not realJ.y Sandawe at all. The casee 1n ques tion
are the n!ndg and the IAD&92Nh the two types ot dance songs
which, ao we have seen, are r ecogni zed aa Gogo also b.Y their
melodies. The tape recording which goee with this theeis
includes an example ot either ot these borderland dancee. 2
Rhythm ia also the most i mportant einglo element ot style
by which the various types ot Sandawe song can be told apart.
How then le it done? The original. ritual type of c1rcumc1e1on
dance {GA) hae a slow single beat, with interval.a which mq
be ae long as a f'Ull second and even longer. The longest of
all are the intervals 1n the eongs which arc to entertain the
newly circumcised children (Losukwa or lt1JlkA•t}. The rbytt,m
of the i nstructive type ot circ'Umcieion song (kerom•ta) tends
to be taatel'. The rhythm of t he witchc~a:ft exol'ci sm rites

l Jones, 1954, 26-7.

2 See Appendix XIV.
 578

C.t..lmll.4) 1a a1eo a straight beat, with intervals which are

longer than half a second. Thia beat ia produced with horns
onl.y. Ltor o livel7 ie the rhythm of the beer-drinking songs of
the com~1unal eff'ort celebrations (wu:4:'sa); the t;vpical DYA'BA
beet is a doubl e one which consists of a stressed main beat
at intervals of' halt a second plue an unetreseed upbeat.
It must be pointed out that nowadays many c1rcumo1s1on eonge
Bl'e per~ormed 1n the more 11vel.Y \JAV4'SI fashion, and that
n:at•ga sonas &I"e sometimes accompanied by a einc;le l:>eat.
Many of' the younger Sande.we 81'e unable to tell the dif f'erence
between the rhythm& of c1~cumc1e1on songs and beer-drinking
eonge but oldei- men a:re l'arely 1n doubt, and when aeked about
1 t, they are apt to point out that pattern• are changing.
The lively pf.Ya' a beat belongs to a dance which ts oz>1g1nally
a juaping dance ot elephant hunterB, whereas the ctrcwac1e1on
eonge are perrormed by people who eit in the coUl"tyard, or crowd
around the operation, or 1neti-uct the initiaiee 1n their oemps.
'l'he oi-1g1nal distinction between the rhythms le therefore
quite a natur al one.
?.'he rbytlul ot the tert1lity rites of phek'WJA 1& very
d1ffe~ent. Their eonge uao a rhythm o~ ~1ve claps and three
rests in a bar ot eight crotchet beats at a speed ot ~uet over
two beats a second, ae tollowe:

'l'hle rhy'thm 1• identical with a European eight-tour time.

'l'he dance ot the elder• (mpdgQp) ueea a bar o~ aimple
duple time, with the t'irst beat divided into two, artd the
second into three quavere:

3 3 3

while the l'hYtlua of the m@PAAI is di t'fer ent again.

 579

All these rhythms are simple rb;fthms, and tho only pol:,- rhythm1e
accompan1menta in Sandawe music belong to t h o ~ and the
san;oqna which, a.a ve have seen, are not Sandawe tyPee 0 ,r

dance at all. Minetrele also use simple rhythms to aocompany

themeelvee on their 1nstrwaents as a z-ule.
The unity or tho At'r1can cult\U'al area in respect o~ 1te
folk literature. ao etreesed by Radin, waa discussed on P• 557.
Jones says virtuall.Y the same in ~espect of the musical s i de
of the picture:

"Atrioa is a large countz-y; tribes living 1n various pa.rte

have widely dif~ering musical practice; yet tncre 1e
aul'r1cient evidence to waarant the suspicion that underlying
theee pr actices there 1a a com1non ground o'I: rhythJdc
e tl"uc ture • .,l

Although it would be incorrect to say that Sandawe music 1e

entirel.y devoid ot composite beate , - even in the central parts
they have crept in to some extent - 1t seems that Sandawe music
prov-ldeo some thing like an exception to the rule on the tace ot'
1t. Tne single ~ain beat ie what Jones characterizes as the
principle ot European rhythms as opposed to the African
principle of mUltiple main beata. 2 Is Sand.awe music then a
European type o~ muaie, or l'ather, an un-At'r1can type of music?
Oogo and Nyamwezi listeners to Sandawe recordings have agreed
that they stl"ike them as di :ft'erent fi>om the Bantu ll\Usic they
are accuetomed to. let Sandawe mus i c tits into the general
African tn,e i t' we consider that the etnge1•s normally use a
t'I"ee rhythm ror their texta; this ie part1culad.y true ot the
aonga ot laru\4, as 1t may be expected from what bas been said
about t he melodies ot 1and4. The vocal rhythm of ~andawe song
contraata freely with tho etal'k• e1mp1e rhythlle o~ the
accoapanlment.

1 1958, 60.
2 lll.l4..., 8.
 580

.Another marked difference between Sandawe singing and that

of their Bantu neighbours is to be found in the i nstrumentati on
they use. Two ot the moat tyPical Afri can instruments, t he
drum and the hand piano, are not Sandawe instrumen ts although
they do now occur among the tr1be. 1 heither of the two
trad1 t1onall.Y belongs to any type of' Sandawe music and they are
•till regarded ae tol'eign inetrumonts . 'l'he <'Wu.me which nt.a y be
found are or the hourglass type and a re sai d t o have been
acquil'ed f'rom t he Gogo. 2 'l 'he R.i mi may well have helped to
introduce them because o~ their uee in the miriJ'A§ dances which
are ot Ri mi origin.3 Drums are called ~ i f' large, and kitaka
it small; in the southern bo~derlande the &P.V.\I. may be held
between the knees but elsewhere it is held under the armpit or
on the h1p, and used by women only. 4 Its use 1n ritual is
restricted to representing a roaring lion in the women's
rertility rites o~ m1r1m6 and in the circumambulati one ot
J&erem•ta at c1rcumcie 1on feetivale i n the southern borderlands.
Here d.1-ume may also s how up in 1,anda dances or more o~ten in
the Oogo t.vpe nfnd,o , but traditionally the Sandawe are drumless.
5

The hand piano, oalled marimba i n Sanaawe, 1e aleo a

r e cent arrival. Although some Sandawe like to use a local
variation which they have evolved f rom the Oogo original, the

l Tenraa, 1963, 37.

2 IbiO,., .39.
3 But the Rimi themsel ves are said to have a cquired drums only
rece ntly (Olson, prlv. ooam.)
4 See photo Ho. 2.
5 Thi a also aeeme to be t he case with the non-Bantu ne i ghbours
o't the Sandawe , the N1lo-llam1 t i c Barabaiga, the Burunge and
their ~ellow tribes o~ the Iraqw cluster, and al eo the Nilo-
Hamitlc ~aaeai (own observation) .
 581

marimba 1e not often used and only a few people own one. Ye t
1netl'Ulllente are important acceeeoriee to maJl3' t1}>ee or song,
and s ome ino trwnente are typ1onlly ueed in some eonge and not
at all in others.
In the centr al hills the only inctrumento uoed at the
exorcism ri toe o.f n1mb4 ere horns which are beaten by the ch.o ~
01.. women; ideally theso are bu:f'.Calo horns (L.wl tlana) but oattle
hoI'na are eanier to ob·~ain and are o.ften eeen (t..µmb'J& ..t.JJm,.) .
In the eouth-eas t the women aloo play the rubl ing-bowl (l&.!.14.)
to produce the oound or a roaring lion.1 The ci rcwnoieion eonas
( ~ and kerop'ta) are accompanied by hondclapp1ng, stick beate
and eapeo1e.lly in the s outh- eaat also b y tho 1•Ubbing-bowl. The

procession ot the in1 tiatos to the s i tc o.f their operation

(m4lolg ) is headed by a hornbluwex·; hoz>ns aI'C also used ror

calling people to a bunt and in the elephant huu tere • dance ot

waY4,•ga. 1 In the beer- danco y,AY'.4'ga the songs are usually
punctuated by stick. beats. The ph k'umo ie accompani ed b7
handelaps onl,y • ond the traditional accompaniment ot the ~

i s toot-stamping. At t he mangoa bcllG are usunlly taetened to

the dancer s • a.nklee and aloo to their sticks, and belle are
also co~on a t ~ and. rn;uoonsfl: druices. ' ~he 1ru:.trumenta or
the phallic rites of th~ m1r1m4 arc a mortar and a pestle, or
a drum and a pestle. The s1ng1ng 0£ the s,an;oona i s accompanied
by the grunts ot the phallic man who playe the role ot the
peetl e i n w,r1mo, but alao the songs or aimb~ are enlivened by
the srunta ot the dancers 1n d1eaociation. The i ns truments or
minstrelsy have already been dieeueeed. 4

l I.n the r ecording ot text ~o. 84 an hour glaee drum is beaten;

thie recor ding was made at K'ats•awaee near the s outhern
border; 1n central Sandawe this i s never done.
2 The ty:pe ot horn le illuetrated in Plate II (c.nt ~e tig.)
3 Demin,oltt refel'e to 111ng6& ae a bell-dance (ot. P• 459). and
b1e l'eoorded eong wae accompani ed by belle (1916, 173).
4 Pp. 494 tt.
 582

Alt hough there are t r ad1t1onall.Y certain typee ot

tns trumentation which are appro9r1ate t o each type ot dance,
t here are no rigid rules and 'lnetrumonts are often uaed which
do not, s tric tly speaking , belong to the occasions on wbioh they
aI'e played. Yet 1nstrumcntat1on 1a ~till a cr1ter1um by which
Sandawe songs can be told apart. Some types ot song, like the
oimb§ 1n the central h i lls, are almost invariably accompanied
onl.1 by t11oee instruments which are thought to be the
appropriate ones.
Harmony 1B not a diotinctive teature in .Ssndawe oral art,
but perhaps 1 t may help to distingui sh Sandawe song from non-
Sandawe music. A8 J onea poi nts out , there are signe that Ban.tu
mus i c is begi nning to ~ake uee or polYl)hony (quite i ndependent
£rom the 1n:f'l uenceo of European music), but the Sandawe do not
do this. 1 Also canon-type or a1nstna is much ~or e in evidence
among the Gogo than mnoll8 t he Sand.aYJe. Alllo 1n tl.eee respects
the two examples of ttnon-Sandawe" mue1c in the tape recording
(ean1prna text No. 124 and n! ndp text ho. l~l) are di et1net
trom the othor s ongs which are more traditionally Sand.awe.
The subj ect ot' a aong ae well ae the type o~ its chorus,
lte melod¥, ite rhythm, and i ts instrumentation all contr ibute
to variety, and 1t i s obvious that each type or song hae
therefore a characteI> ot i ts own which ie 1mi.ed1atel.y recognized
by the Sandawe t-tiemsclvoe. It a non-Sandawe listener eaye that
1t all eounds the same t o him, his judgement must be based on
the :ract that he is un1'am1lial' w1 th any o~ a wide variety of

styles. Unramil1ai-1ty 1s the onl.Y common denominator which

they all have to him.

l Ct. Jonee , 1958, 12.

 583

CtiAPTER X

SYMBOLISM AND MRAHINO

§,zmboia an.O 1nt6tnr~tot1on,

Beattie point& out that Radcl1f e- Brown•e definition or
what i s a symbol i s far too wide ('whatever hae meaning 1a a
symbol, the meani ng being whntcver is e xpl'essed by the symbol•).
He eliminates first sirmala, which would quality as symbols
under Radolit're-~rown's definition (eignala give 1nt'ormat1on
about eome etete or aff airs, convoy a specific meaning), and he
goee on to say that eigna (usually merely conventional., ae in
language: wb.y ohould the sound •man' in English otand tor bs.m.2
ftwens, and not some other s ound?) are not the same as symbols.
Ae the t?-..ree main characteri~tice 01• a symbol he gives
( a) some r>eul or 1"ano1ed ?>eeeml>lance with what 18 eYJ.l)bol1zed,
(b) it commonly atande for something abetl'ect, and
(e) what is symbolized 1e always an object or value.
Ile adds that

"Symboliem ie oesential1y expreosive; it i o a way o~ saying

something important, something which it 1& impossible or
!~practicable to say directly. \"/hat 1s said symbolically
must be thought to be wol'th saying. ul

This is what I have in mind 1n the following diecuasion

ot symbols in Ssndawe oral 11 terature. The verb "saying", ae
used by Bea t tie is to be undc~stood in tts widest eonae of
"expreeaingna it includee repi-eaentation i n ritual and even
representation in thought.
By considering Sandawe symbolic thinking, that ls, by

l 1964, 69 tt.
 584

tracing i mage- asaociatione, we can d1eoover patterns or thought

which are tYl)ioal, and which aR their cul tUl'al he:r1 taee :rort'l
sets or collective r epresentations. !ho~e are 1upor tant
because they s et the membor e of the tribe apart and identify
them as Sendawe, and so t'-orm a princi pal cause o:r aocial
cohesion m 1 :d,,A the exte1•1or llorld. b incc they are expressed
thr<>U@l tho oigne o:f' lansuase, which are also very much their
own, theoe symbols allow the triboomen to comiaunica te with one
another mor e ru11y than t hoy may hope to do with out&idore.
'l'ul>ner tells us that the structure a.:nd properti es ot
ritual symbols ~BY' be inferred £rom three classes of data:
(a) External r orm and observable chtu"acter1et1ce.
(b) Interpretations o~tered (l) by apec1al1sts.
{2) oy 18.,Y'Illon.

(c) Signif icant contexts largel.f worked out by the anthropo-

l og1ot. 1 The obvious mothod 1:or worki ng out these contexts is,
or course , comparison.
The same me t.hod can be applied to tho s tudy o-r symbols

i n 11 tera ture . In narrative the spoken text i s the dominant

source of 1nt'ormat1on, bu t i n poetry, and i n particular in the
poetry ot r1 tual, more 10 usuall;r l ot t unsaid than i s se.1d
and a conoiderotion ot the riteo oust thercrore supply a
auppleoentary s ource which is indispensable. uoth the texts
and the ritoe should b6 investigated. In order to gai n an
underatand1ni of the syst~m of eyr.ibolio a aeooiationa which i s
oom~on t o the whole t ribe , narrative alone oannot euppl.y the
material, and ritual poetry together with i ts aaeociated rites,
~inetrelay, r1adlee and idiom aleo have to be studied.
KeJ concepto ~orm a first coneidora t1on. Evane-Pr1tohard
enjoins ue that:

1 1964. 21.
 585

"As every t'1eldworkor knows, the moat tiiftioult taAk in

&nthropolog1oal. fieldwork 1a to determine the meaning of
a tew key worda, upon the understanding of which the euooesa
of the whole inveat1gat1on dopenclo. nl

This means a study of 1d1oa and metaphor, and etymological

di~eection whenever practicnble. Durkheim and Mauea Sl81nta1n
that "Metaphors originally meant what they eatd," 2 and this
in the juet1~1cat1on tor the etymological inquiries with which
the notea to eo many ot the preceding texts have been burdened.
At another level the charaet6rs or the heroea of the etory-
motifs tol'III the subject matter tor comparison.

The hetQ:JllY'\b, and cYcl~s ot tales.

Hender oon states t hat "The myth or t ~e hero is the most
eom:ion and the best known m..vth in the worl d", and he goes on
to say that
• •• hero myths vary enol'JllousJ.y in detail, but t he more
closely one exam6nee them the more one seee that structurally
they aiee very s i milar. They have ••• a univursal pattern•
•• over and over again one hears a tale desor1b1ng a hero 's
miroculouc but humble birth, his early proof ot superhU.111an
strength, his rapid rise to prominence or power, his
tr1w:iphant struggle with t he .fovooa of evil, hie t'allibility
to t he a in ot pride (~z)r:1.a). and his ~all through betrayal
or a •heroic' saor1r1oe that ende in his death. "3

Four tyPes of oycle have been d1st1ngu1shed by Radin

into which the ~epresentatio~or the horo ~a.y be srouped; he
recognizes these in the tales ot the Winnebago, and he arranges
them in en order which shows an evolution of psychological
development. "It represents oUI" etEorta to deal with the
pi-oblem or growing up, aided bJ the illusion~ an eternal

l 1951. 50.
2 1963, 84.
3 1964, 110.
 586

tiction", he eays or the peychology of th1e evolut1on.1

Henderson takes up the idea and goee on to show that Radin 'e
cycles have universal value tn the psyoholog1oal evolution

"The Trickster c7cle corx•espo:nds to the ea1•licat and least

developed period in lii"e. Trticks ter is a t'igw-e whose
pbgsical appetitos domi nate h1a behavio\119; he naa the
men tali tJ o-r an inf'ant. Lacking any purpose beyond the
grat1~1cat1on of h1a primary needs , he 1s cruel, cynical,
and unfeeling. (OU!" stories or Brer Rabb it or Reynard the
~ox preserve the essentials o~ the Trickster myth). 'l'his
r1eure , which &t t lic outaet nsoumes the !'orm o1' an animal,
passes ~~om one m1ach1evous expl oit to another." 2

Radin'e sec\)nd cycle 10 the Hare cycle ( Trick~ter 1e r epresented

b;r tho coyote among the tlin..; .ebago) • Henderson describes 1te
protagonist as follows:

"He , like Tl>icketer ••• also 1'1rst appeare 1n animal .form.

:ie hae not yot attained nature human staturo , bu.tall the
&rulle ho app('are ae the :founder of human cw. ture - the
'l'rane:f"orner. The Winnebago believe t hat, i n eiving t.hem
theb.. 1'amouo Medicine R1 te, ho became theil• saviour as well
ae their cul ture-hcro. 'l.'his nvth waa so powort'ul • •• , that
the me5bere o~ the Peyote Rite were r~luctant to give up
Hare when Christianity began to penetrate the tribe. He
became merged with the t'igure of Cb.ris t 0 ,
and:
"This archetypical figure repreeente a distinct ad~ance on
Trick&ter: One can see that he le becoming a eoeialized
being, correcting the i nstinctual and in~s.ntile urges found
in the Tr1cksteP cycle. " 3

l Radin, 1948· In 1956, ix, he holde the 'l.'rickateP theme to

be the "earliest and moat ar>chaic torm" in stories.
2 0p, s1i., 112.
3 I~iA,, 113. Archetypes are deacl'ibe4 by Jung, the oriainatoP
o~ the term, aa "archaic remnants" or "primol'dial 1magee 0 ;
they are "conae1oua J>epI"oeentation." which muet not be under-
etood as meaning certain der1n1te ~tholog1cal images or
aottfe. They can vary a great deal in detail without loaing
their bae1o pattern (Jung, 1964, 67).
 587

Re d Horn i e the Youngee t Brother who meets the reCJ.u1re -

mento of' the archetypal hero by winn ing a race and by proving
hios olt 1n battle. Ue def'ep,ts giants wi t.h the aid o-r superhuaan
p owers 0 1• tutelar y gods . He bel ongs to the world of man, bu t
i n an archa i c world.
The Twi ne r epresent ~adin•a ~ourth ond moat highly
develope~ her o. The T~1na theme , ac~ording to Henderson ,

"raises i n e .n~ec t the vi tal question: How long can human

beings be suc oessf'ul without fal l ing v1ct1JUS to their oun
pride or, 1n m.ytholog1cnl termo , to tho jealouny of' the
gods? "l

All :f"t,Ul' s tages arc ropreaented in t he het"?CG o~ Sandawe

narrati ve: the Candawe Haro 10 the typi cal 'l't'1ckater . The
second group i s represented i nn variety ot: her?oa who r ange
trom Ostri ch via the a(\ulteJ:>oue woman to '«atunda. l t should
be noted that als o among the 8andawe the equati on of iatunda
wi th Cbr iG t 1s nade ; thej have a tendency to merge i nto a
2
fJ i ngl o 1dont1 ty ot creator and oUl tUI"e-hero. 1'lic thir d

e volutionar-y stage 10 occupied by Ono- eye anc the Cripple,

• hereas the last atago is exempl ified by the magician S6no.
Aceot-ding to Radin , J ung and Hende1•::.on t he hero-r1gures are
symboli c t oP t he stages o~ h11..mf'Ul ~aturity which they r evresGnt.
Th i a s e ems to be eontirt1ed by the Sand.awe, who may ea:, ot a
per£ion tha t "he 113 a person like a har o" ( wwt la ·~xe' n/om§s(I) •
meaning t ha t he i s a t r ickster. Si mi l arl y, Os t rich ma:, etand
tor the second cat e gory and One-eye f or the third. Only of
t he r out-th type no ouoh characteri zat ion 1~ per haps used, but
sinoe thi s t' e pr e',e n ts t lle £1111¥ e volved h uman 1 t i s onU, to be

l Log, citce
2 A.'ilon.· the R1in1 the Niooi ona have adopted h i m as t he Cr oator,
e . g. ~ Z,at1111da ~ !l.Ull ( Ood the Crea tor, our Father),
ct . Augue t ana Luther an Wi s eion, 1959.
 588

expected that more specific charaoterisationa ehould be

employed.

uotifs as pgmbo1a.
The motifs which have been discuas~d ft>om a structural
point or view alco have eymbolic eisnificanoe, and ae oymbols
they may be likened to the motifs of a dream. On the subject
of the symbolic value nf dreams , ,Jung tella us that

"It is tl'Ue thn't there are dreams and sinf,le s;nabols (I

shoul d yrefcr to call them •mot1fo•) that are typical and
orton ooeur. Among such motifs are ra111ng, flying, being
persecuted by dangerous animals or hostile meu, being
1neu.r.r1.c1entl,Y or absurdl;r clothed in publ 1.c places, beitl!"
i n a hurr7 or lost in a milling crowd, ~ighting with useless
weapone or being wholly det"enaeless , mmn1ng hard yet
getti ng nowhere. A typicall.Y infantile mot:U' ie the dre8lll
o~ growing 1nf1n1tel.f small or i nf1n1toly bi~, Ol' being
transrormod t"rom one to the ot..1er - ae you .find 1 t, ~or
instance, i n 'Lewie Carr o l l ' s ~ ill dWlde~lfln~. "l

'l'he .f11l"Gt t hree 1:1otifn are co•.1:Jon in the Sn.T).dawe tales

~h1ch have been presented, and the last mont1onod motlt of the
continuous change is equally corn~on, but the clothing and the
hUl'rY motifo are absent. Tho being lost motif can be recognized
tn the oearoh tor the baby in text No. 8, and the ueeleee
weapono ~ottt in toxt lio. 18 or the Will' with the Jaseat.
Jung's distinction ~otween whot he cnlla natJral symbols an~
cultural tlymbol3 provides the answer why the two absent symbols
arc not to be towid. The natural sYQbole ~e derived from the
.unconscioue contents ot the psyche while the cultural aymbola
are those "wn1ch havo gone through a long process of ~ore or
less conec1oue development , and have thus become collective
images accepted b:, civiliztjd ooo1ct1ea". 2 The clothing and the

l Jung, 1964, 93.

2 ~ ·
 589

hurry motifs belo~ to eocietiee in which clothing and hurl"Y

are aesociatad with i mportant emotional valu.cG, vh1cll aro
worthy of: symbolic r epreatm.tation. 1 Jus'li as <ll>eum moti !'s
ahoula be ecen i u t heir own con text, so t he story motifs muet
be conddered i n the c ontext ot: t he story 1 tself a.ud 1 te
cUl tural. euvironuen t . As .Jung says o!' 'the dream lttoti!'s • t h.~y
are not oelt'- oxplanatol',Y c l phcrs. 2

411.iJAAl. caricat:w;:e§ a;-.s1 the T;c1ck§wr JD.Qtif,

,'#hen the au thoz• ot a novel s t:i:eesea t11a t a:n.r r esemblance
ot hie characters t~ 11v1.ng perGone i s purel,y co1ne1dental ,
he detende himself in advance against pocbi ble a ttacks by
those who may have grounds to euopec t that their oharac ters
have been slighted.• ~Y dieguieiug the characters as animalo
thi s dirt 1culty 1s avoided. In tho simpler fablea ani mals thus
aerve as human oarioaturea. IL m1raculouo etor1eo, and oven
mo~e s o in the songs of ritual they t end to lose this harmless
charac ter and to become the se.1•ioua s;rmbola of wi1ole sets of
values. The 1J3age o~ t he actual physical animal tends to become
blUI'red until only the character remains wh~ch i s attributed
to it.
In tne1r capacity oJ.' caricatures ani1nals act just u
thoir human cow1terparta would, though perhaps in a somewhat
exaggerated J.Uanner. '!hoy talk , act cleverl.f OI' are stupid,
they co,71pete and are t1•eacaeroue , thc.t l ove aud take i>evongo.
There is nothing 1noongruoua about a lion grazing peacet'ullY
like a cow,3 or in a rabbit eating meat. 4 Yet t hese

l I . e ., they t'ul.fil Boattie'e third requirement ~or symbols.

2 QQ,c1t,, 53.
3 Text No. 6, line 4 (p. 147).
4 e.g., in Rushby , 1949, 78.
 590

caricatures are al~o oyobols: n£ ~~ have eee.n they a;rmbol1ze

the hero- nyth to which they bolong.
The animals to which hu:aan clTar actore 3.t'O a t t ributed
vary, or course, with googrnph1cal areae. Worner writes that
11
In India 1 t is the jackal who p lays clever tl'icke on the
s t!'onge:r a •,d !'1erc<"r un1mnls; i n r uropo t''\C :t'o:x; i n "lew
Guinea and Melane~ia .re t others. The jackal is the hero of
the Hot~ntots, and aleo fo~ the Galla and Somali of North-
eaatern Ju'rica, who oona1der tho ntll"o a a tup1d sort ot
creature • .,l

Berry Say'G tha t

"By ~ar t he beet documented or ~est At'rioen prose narrat ive

i s the animal tl"ickater tn,e . In the noI'th 1 t is Uare,
.ful.--thet" south: spi der , t hen tortois e . "
2

Among the Sandawe the outstand ing trickster type ie the

hare , but be 1a aleo atupid. He is the peri'ect tri ckster in
text .Mh 7 where h1s m1ach1e.t break& up the fr:1t1X\dehip of
Honey- badi;er and Lion. lie 18 the libidiuoue adul terel' i n text
No. 9 , and the wo~an whom he oeduoes is caught and beaten in
the end. His cleverness is aleo useleea. At the end ot' text
No. 3 he tries to th1r1k up something new when his tutile and

pe dantic etrorte to b uild a shed Cor Ostrich have ended in

humiliat ion. In text No. 4 he r1ret ma kes a £ool of h1msel.t'
trying to emulate giraf!'e, and then he peviehee as t he :foil of
hie own atup1d1 ty when he triee to i mitate Dove.
'l'hi& image is con1'1rmed by descriptions g1 ven by 6anda-,.,e

1nf'o rmants of Ha.re•e cb8l'acter, whioh dt frere from the Swahili

i mage t o a dogree. Both t he Sanoawe ana. the Swahili use Hare
in everyday 5p~e ch a& a characterizat ion for human types .
'!'he Sand.awe eey of him that ••he has no good intell i gence"

l. 1933, 253.
2 1961 , 7.
 591

(maraot• t ~ ) ~ .,he cwmot think pr operly0 (/wa• /wa •3 ~•tn 'e'§),

"be 1& ba d" (JUja) , ''a seducer with vain word<"!," (.tl • lil,Q .e.ru£.Q:.

:u1kq.m) , "oh he, ho is an 1mbec1lo'' (ab, ~ ' ls..!1:lll..!..U ) , and

"the ostrich is bi g, but Hare b st'llall" {aa 1 '11tij ba'!iiAfi , l.CJt
t.a •6\1). Thi s ve:rd1c t 1a cons ideral l y .aoI"e negative t hnn the
Swahili ono: expr eeo1one like ttthi o p oreon is as sroart as a
hare" (l!Am filUll! ,mjf;n J1 ~ §MQffiU!§.J &l'O applied to someono who

hao c l e verly managed to extricate h1maelr fl'om an embarraaui ng

e1 tuatlon. On P• 587 we have 3eon that a s1m1lo.r e~pl'efleion
1& also u.ecd by t he St.mdawe , but t he ,,wahili chex-actertv.e
!tare as •oun 1ngly clever ' (rnjanJ1) and 1
r ceourceru1 1 ( ·m:revu)
although he t a alao a ' cheat• (md@nsanY1tu). ~he na ,~ which
he is given is Ahyn~wn; .r,,h.naon deser ibc,s thie as

t ht.. n ame i n otories ot' Jra , i c ori(!'i n , or the character

11

who invariablJ comes orr beet owi ng to hi & anr e·.rd esa
likf: tnc eunS}ll'Q (narc ) 1.n stori es of Arabic o:ri{!. i n . 111

Thue the tiwahili Ha r e is accorded g ru<Jg108 admiration for his

tri ckerJ and he is held up a s a hero to live up to; hin clover -
nesa 1e tine a a long as you aro cle ver enough to get away with
it. An element of' ado:rt> tio11 ctm , ot be a.ltogctner deni ed tiie
Saru'iaws Hare , tor he i s cez-tainl y !'un y , tut he is not an i dol
in tho 3wahili sense. di s clevernoae ts littl e mor e t han s i lly
self- decep tion. Tho Sandawe na~e bel ongs firmly to Rad1n ' s
t'irst e yclo, 't.be sub- huma n Trickster. rne ~,wah111 dare i e a l ao
a Trickster and belongs to the same o.1cle, hut he verg,es
decidedly toward t he Hero of t he oecond cycle .
As part of t he Tr1ckater-moti f t he Gandawe •are fits very
~ell into t he patt~rn or a wider range of African folk
literatureo , but with wnich character does he oorr~npond moet
closel y ao a oar1ca t \Al'o? «orner describes Hare as t he most

l 1951 , 1.
 592

prominent hero i ri ~ar:.tv ~tor1en . Lier. , -lf"rhant , a"<" r.1c,re

f requently ~ycna ore i tr ro11~ , ~nf "ir.o~fen~ive creetures
11.l•e du1kera , 11zerd, hur-1-- huclr <'.'<'<!e~inntll.Y fftll v1cM mo , aad
to eay.. , but .,.ortoiee 1c; too shar p for Here. 1 Hie Weet-U rican
eou1valcnt, Spider, 1e dercrib~d an stupi d, cluttonoue, eelt1ah
and 1rrcoponrib1e , conn ictently outdone by his wife Yayi who 1s
both oim er and rore clev~r than he , but whotn he conUnuously
tries t o outwit. All Apidcr ctor1r.o ere foune funny. Berry
eays thet P.p1der t'unct1ona as the symbol of' the: !'reedom from
physic al 11ri1 tationa and r:iornl res traintc . 2 'i'huo tlle character
ot the West A!'rican bpidcr is p!rhapc as close BP any to that

ot' the Einndawe ltnre-TP1cketer , who:roee the gcr,C't'al Bantu

T1~1cketer ngreee more with the Swahili Hare rather than with
the Sundawe one . The i mnge or the latter lacka tl.e i dol-elemen t
which i s so obvious ly preF-ent in the f,wahili (btu).tu ) Hare .
A seoonda!'Y 'l'r 1cketor i n Wt:tat Al'rica 10 ' Cwmie Habbit ' ,
i dentified ,,1th t he 2.•oyal antelope and alto.oat l ovable ,
accordi ng to Borr-J, 3 but no corr~sponding cha~acter energos
cl e.u•ly :fron the available Bandawo 11 torature .

:rtie 01nmlet! ;m1rm1. sm~

The 1'1r st animals to b<> oent1onod under this heading

serve i n t he f1ro t ~lace as models fo~ human types; they are

carioatlll'oa r ather than symbolic rP~re~entutions. The Sandowe
exproaa t ho univeroal tendency t-, o,Y'tlpnth1 ze v:1 th the underdog
by g i v1ng. i n tho 1r talcs., a neaouro o-r ouper-1ori t y to pooce:t'ul
herbi vores over the 1>oworru1 beae·ts of: pr ey. :... tra1grtt'orward
examples of this are , of oourso , Zebra who wins h1o race

l 1933, 254.
2 1961, 7.
3 l,gc,c1t ,
.... 1on'e ottonpt on their 11·,oa in tnxt .o . ';. Both a11t'lalo are
o ms i d:,red 1ntcll:1.w•n + (.11t:.Q.'!..ct) . "'heir :lnmos or :3 un..3d ao ter>ma
of' oY"aiee nn<'I. r.m,v i "lnl7 the attr1but1 ·:m .,,.. cou....age. ~:ll'o.t'cinm

1anc<'rn arc pr:lisod aa ze'>raa a.11.d virile r,e~ url.3 prni ned as
1
oulla. Ti10 JrC 1toot virtue oi' ~e >rt,.i an:1 co·;:., 1100 1n their

be!l~t.,·. Zobrn ' s at1•ipos aro o,1t~tanc!1ng nnrku o,.' beaut:,, and
co,., is adTl'li'l"cd as n t"o1r wlli tn-colour(:,d "leL'o:o. If" she is :i.ot
wh1 t~- ~".>1oured, hc.r prett.,• npeokle!l are liY.o,ie:1 to fcnul e
beauty, a 1d lon.1 ho-rns oJ.go ritund J.'Jr .:>~.1..1t.1. -
., J1roi.'fo emornes
as l)oaut1t'ul and aynpnthet1c, anu bc ina alni, btoll1zent he
foils tlle pre ten ti oue !lare . 3 Ii' in ter:n9 OJ..' Jeau t.7 Oirn.1'.t'e
I
s 1gnil'1ea noble uoau ty, Kl11,rpri.1...,tcr b " its eu t1cer • .,. In l udu
we reach an uui!llal o!' eignit'icu.'lt r1 ";unl tMd ·vmoolic val1.1e:i.
Kudus and HOZellos otan<.l !'or t'eHule ..;raco . j but 1ihe kudu alao
portra.J:J tho ero t1cally procron t1 vc w>gc , r, auu. 1 te ho1•110

symbolize f etttile pl1al.iu"oo . 7 In the dfmccs o.t' Jhek'WAO the

1maJoo ot kuduo , gazelles , a:.1d wntcr buck are uecd to con,e:r
a pl'u 1100 o·" !'er til l t:, an<l :proc:reation. 8 Apu.rt 1'.::•0:11 the erotic
aapect or rertilitJ the kudu aloo a~bot i zes £art111tJ aa a
11i'o- g1 vin.; power ow::r the deo tr.i..: ti v,1 poworv ox• .11 tcllcru.f't;

l Ct . texts Noa. 86 and 116.

2 Zebra '.s etril)ee: ct:. text Mo . 86; white h<"ifer: text No . 67;
pretty speckles: text No. 168; long horns: text No. 120.
3 Sympathetic beauty: text No. 156; better than Hare: text
4 Ct. text 110. 162.
5 er. text Ao. 116.
6 ct. text No. 1 18.
7 er. to;rto ,oc . 114 £r.
8 c-r. text .No. 116.
 591J.

thit. 1., \..!Yido .t .1.'.1•ou t.i11;.; uc.e o~: t..c l..;.iJ;u' l.. i.v.L',W in -cuu \.i ..ch-

~.i."af 1, CXOl'Ci&io.:i .•i i;uul o:.t.' ai:J.4 'Pt l '::r.it Ut,;~,.;.ll .. on p JWe.!' ~ · be

~1·ov .1.'!.e th'- u.:U6ical in.... tr·Ulllen to .1.'or wiem. ".._Ac .... andawe 1ua.,.o or
dee.e- like ....n1Ll..ila 10 qui"'" dii'"''ercnt. J.'.t. 0111 tm: .iuiaue oJ..' l.Jeer 1n
feet H.l:ricti, ;hic:i J...., i.noUu.i.. to oc hclpl\;.ia.. u.uo. v tup1d. 2

l'e.L' ti11 v z,oaul ti~ 11! twil. bir w-10, a.:.:.o. ttie JIJ.~chief-makor who
OdU ea ii. 1 ... reprc&e.1ted u:1 ;02lkoy. 3 Also WJ,.jociatea. \11th

fer t.111. ty .ib the ¥aa~o11.u who 1ntlJ ue ~e ...n o.::. a dh'ille 1.Uesconger~
r.
1.>u t t..le 'beb t kno\m met.aie~~r O.L Ll,e ....ano.awo io t.ne man tis.:.>
.Amon~ the Bwlu.len ..ne ~utia i o so central a J.'i gw·e 1r. folklore
that blc~k Eu1U Ll0.td en Litle a collection of t uleo after h i m. 6
.Deacribing his character the., say tho t t.ar. tis aho\1a euperna t ural
powe~v but also ~o~liu.tu1eeo ; he 13 ~iachicvou~ , som~timeG
~~e~t

kind, and always vory human. 7 .,e is not o.1v..ne hlmsell:' , and he
i e rar from invulnerable. In a talc r ~coruod b~ Jleek he
behavoa too ..auch a .... cor-:iiug to tnit.i ,vt.. olou1cul cnarnc ~e1· . and
in d oina ao ho incurs tilo weath o.i.' 1:.1o~her Liouoos and hue to

take f l 1~t. 8 Thi a 10 in accordance with tho chtu>nc~oi· or the

Jand.:i:,e !!a:1t!o. He io onl.l held in ime wncn circume tuucea
warl'an t the belie£ tna1, he t:ute come 111 th a meuaa.e i'rom the
spirits. llien he i s only a little insect i n thu :field, or when

he i'ooliahly appea::-e r,y a hou..e without Justii'Ji na hie di 'line

mee ..engerDl11p, t1e ia liablo to be eaten b.t ohildren.9

1 er. P• 351, 352 not e 2 ; 362.

2 Berry, 1961, 7.
3 er. text uo. 126.
4 Cf. P• 506 (text No. 156).
5 er. P • 50ltf. (tex t •io . 1~2); nleop. 5.32 (t.flxt}.o. 175) .
6 192), The Mantie and his ?l'iende.
7 ~ . v.
8 l87!S. 6.
9 Ct. P• 502.
.ri:l ili t :,u J.IOW<,;;.t>.1.\.u ..' ui:ime; tix· ,1l10 can sum on tl.c t-lcmeut::; at
ullJ.. 2 lie 1., ~1·ob..:01,y th~ o.1ll.Y tUl.115al ~nid. l,a.:! a 3.Pt3cial

spr-ea<.l • ( 1 ' grop6,;l. t& ' af\4) , a.i1d t h i a ex.vro1;,,..,iou i s exeluoi vcl.y
an .:..:la.,;wa oao 1n ... o fur ua t.,a t it cuuse$ a.uusemeu t. ,,h.t..n a
~lOU-,&J.a ~a Sti¥S ,, ~i VC lilt: a £t.'0tl 1 5 bedspr~ad 1 ( ! f QI'Ol'Ol) te t a.df!ko
.whl) '£or "giv1. 10 a c~ oi: Via ter" . }ro.;; i £.> pow~r.t'ul , and ao
he ino iillls .l."tiar in to man, out nc i s bcne.ficien t and do<:e him
no ha.4·.n. In the tale or One- eJe and thtt .'ro;; it taltes One- eye ' s
oour~c to OIJ'OI•co,ne this .Coal.'. ..'hon he l,ue re ;;rie red •"ro.; t".rom

th~ well he e1 ves niru the place ot honour on ~'lo lot1~1ng o:x:' e
horns . 3 Other })•"'o,1les o.leo a ttr1bi.l ta s -:1:verior quali tieo to
.r'ro~. Be i delaan rcpor 1;3 that a.aong tho ,:aeUJ.•u he io too olovo1~
and wi se t:o.t• !..eopard, 4 and .,o~ncr sa:rs that as a .uantu ~ha:t>acwr
.,.,ro3 rivals tortoizo i n oe tu tenes~1" . 5
Tho clo:pJ.la.ut i s 0quall:, I'eapec,;od , 1mt ho hae .aa~ical
stroAgth r a t ,1u1• t.nan r e l igi ous power. .do i o otrong ana i'J.rm ,
and hi e name ie usod as a praioe name for a oolll'ageoua hunter
or £or a :i.• ig.'l t e ~us hueoand. 6 !n tno talc or the pool' mau' &
s tol en vl11'e , 11
Ul;f elephant' i n the wi!'e'e sons carries the

l Cf. P • 501 (toxt 1 ~2) .

2 C£. p. 140, not o 2. Al agwa ra1n- ch1c£s use the frog in their
rainraaking cer e~on1es .
3 CJ.'. te:.<t rco. 10.
4 1963b• 135-46, t ale ~o. 4 •
5 193.3, 300.
6 er . texta Noe. 131 and 158.
t..i&ni..'ic u. ce; of " i..,:; ,o.,,.•Ler• 0.1. reat,ical ~ v~....,r'' • 1 'l'l:0 c;J.upltui1t

i b the :.01•u o ...· tii('.. uU1;,h, WlU. l.: 0 o-;,,Jvc ~ or e;.'.~l C\ o.c:i11il•utl01 • 2

'Jjw oubi1 ls i.it l.i2L._.do11, u:.1.l ',.,; t olul)r HL.f, ' u 1,LubpN::u<l' ( ~

11 ~,'w;d ) l s c cvu on i.1a ••c 'f'ot.' i t ; 1:,s D., e ,·itt:i.. l.l!a!l!,J i .. ti :,lnce
,. lltl. e adul t-<...l'.I ta...0:.. ;,>luc~ ii~ aec:r.•e t , i . o . oTt i iu.o th1 l '~elm
o! iJ.Ut.t~. au 1.,nvL'i t ., "'",u :. oci:.11 col. t . ul .. 3 lh lU.• ~ ,ali --~' or tt.e

1'1 t s . The Ju.ic1.:s are og,ueoz~d ou ii nnd adn1..i ~ te:i:·-.J w t:10 e;res

or in tvr nal ly ; 't!'lio ii., ..,011e ve d to be v-e:.. y oi."i'oc t i ·,e a.1d StAl"l.ci.aWe
i n tne t owns have been known to pt!¥ two sh1l..i.J.l.g t; :ro:r a saaall
quanti t.1 or .i."reeh .1.'aece:.} . Alag,m wa:r.~r ... o.c•e ar<, on!.1 tlad to
w...Ql' ivor y ( and iron) armi"inga ·.mic!1 are tho~it ,.,o ~lvc thom
str ength , 4 r.u,J. o ther .:;,m l!.m10 v1.?tu' banelcs made 01' elephant
hu1r whioll they put unde r tne 1l' p1llowu at n1t:)l t .,o :.1<.1..· ,guru;od
theta i'ron w1 tohcraft. The ol eplla.nt i n t-es t Africa is desc r i bed
b:,r Barry as ''ati>o.u.; blt olm,' , 51>ut ,loulo :z.'o_purts that a ..101~
th0 1:a;; t ,\.fri oan 1a o tho e l epha.n t i s held in the h i gheo c

ee t oom. 6
l'he 11oneJ- 1Jadgor i s thought o.· ao bciug courugcouo ~d
tough , but t n 1a animal. <lot.o not emerae .._':c>olil i;..)e a \l'a i l able
uatori al as a Si dll! r t cant represontation or man , nor aa a
r 1 t \Ull un1nal or a ~;nnhol for ccx•tain valueo or i deas. J. 11

repreaenta M&inll' i t s el.1.... ':l.'h.e bndgor• io s11nl:i.. but equal t o a

l Text No. 15.

2 Text No. 154.
3 ct. P• 48, esp. note 2.
4 Rererr~d t o on P• 28, note 5.
5 1961, 7.
6 1908 , 61~. Jlcn t i oned in one breath wit h Baboon .
to ,1./CllU• .i.~ ~"' 8~i.1_iid <U'l' ,.;1·~ l:/ 1 ,•..1J t lV _: 1il :J.:.... I) ,!'l.''..ll'

....1!. 1...11..i . ~ .I~ _o a coWdl'~l, a1H1 1. U<Jl'io.1• to -Jiv,,, j ,..!l\.! hu doua

nu;; Dp.)01: ..-.'O.i.)Cl'lY h u t. ·1a1w., ',i; 1 v 1t >:.sP,13 11,lch nuy 'le 11 1.e ued
to l.tgpo. 4 ae is an in<.:or.tplcte .:111i .ia.l a,\tl i \3 ...·et:'cr1>t:J. to uu
a hoi•illot;, c o\f. 5 Join..; i .1co;a.._1lo te , h~ 1 a S\Joi al \JUtcast ,
ar.d ne a..ich ho i s uotll l:l.l'"'l 1.•1 tiu 1,0 wiu a w1 ..ci1. I.11 tiiateu at'e
calle d ' b.;onas', as we ha·,· 60 ::u, 'bu 11 ,,itl!hna at•o 1ot; t'.10y are
r.:ifAJ.'l'O,l to ,is 11<"H,~l~ .1l1 > lu..u•bou.i• ,1aa tinooa ( 1.1 • M-a) .
6 Ye t

. lyena' c hten t 1 tJ A'l a -vi t,Jh 1'3 '1ell cs ~uli .ht;,l. In :.i.lC .a tor 3
o.t' the 11 tc 1 aml the •'i!' - 0.1...anle t 11e killo1•- :1 ·uband re turn1, as
a l'.,/Ont:,, 7 and alao i n a i•1<tt1lo tii(• 1'1;rentJ. is a wl tch; 8 if he
1c not a w1 ten hitaeel.f, hu is at lc...a t a .,i tchea 1
i'wniliar
who33 cry ls ~ . 9
I n i ti ... oos are gol..g throu...;h a pe1•10<1 o...· :1 tUcil L t..>UL'i ty;
thto i mpur1 ty ia a t teated by t'1e .f'act t hat at 1 ta concluo1on

l J.lor3act >o?" • a 01tlI'a.ge t "l<'O t11xt 7o. 7; f'o"' tiia ,ne thod o~
de!'ence . ~ . no te 6 ( -p. 160); as a oena<:e, ct. text 152.
2 In tPxt s~o. 2 he i F the 1'011 o.'f: Stork. ~&.dnwe eay that
an3" animal woul<i 1,oil him.

3 Text .to. 36.

4 Toxta Nos . 3~ and 36.
5 Text ~o. 37. J Onke~s are nloo horn1aAo cattle, but onl.Y 1n
tho aaMe of.' illuJa t ur1 ty ( c:t. P • 402) •
6 er. P• 272, note 6.
7 Text n o. 17.
3 Taxt l{o. 35..
9 ~ext No. 15, note 19 (p. 261) .
the:,· :..1 l r::. :.ual:r..r clc:--;J:;c,: m d 1 i ~er·: ., 1y · ru::.: <'cl hnd e.:. 1 c eel
anew in a co; ~r..•)ny ,.,l.ich .:.. c ... 1 lc,1 • ·.;.:1c ~·n, '"'t;1s' (n,'/n,' .1...•.-2) .1

:a na.1 ;ell b .. t:ut t he ;J1 )le ·,l.,; '; o.~ L".<1u uo ocint.1o,c 1c o-:
. 2
Ba."'\tll ol"is:i.n. ·:o h:;.·:c C<),?n t'1ut ni:..•curecir- io.;\ cei•cmoa1o.l 1.e
knom1 1ude:!' ::1.on...::::::..r.<lauo nor.o~ a'1.d. .;·1nt it 11ey l1a'/O bee~ O.(lop ted

in c o 1pcru ti vcl.; rccon t tim~o . 3 It. ie even oaitl t.',.u t. i n ~he

p~s t tl'lc Snn lawc ato h./ona .teat, :nd t ',at, th.l i · the N)o.3:;n

vih::., one uru'\t'4,IC clsn , ':'1.c ,JnlJmpi t , ·.-,c ..•c ""'ivr,m -:;h0ir na:.ie by

the Rini . 4
'l'hUH ·:1c hsvc t!1e lil<('lil'nod that an ">ld Sandawo i r n..;o
o-r !!:,ena, i n '1:1ich he ,vae not c!ooplzed, has :>, J.1 .•epluced 'o:,
a modern Oll(' in Which he is dO'l).) i Or,u . ri7:'li:· now i r.ia:_;e may ho.ve

ari.•1 vcd v11 th t,1c i n troJuc ::1 )il oJ: rti toa i ':'l which ·i.yena
sl.l thut i z uosl'l cablo ~1d u 1cloan. 'ro;11 u t'l!HJ lusru,1001 ta~Jlc
px>~ s e r.t\.ld 1>1 l31eek , liyena doeu l~ot at a l l OL1er ,Je 1n1~u"ior to
Li ou. Ins to,1d, ho t all;e..; t :1e r,laoo ol' the :.u1derdo4 who ::u.ws
revenge on t , 10 phJolc a l lJ l ~O.l."t> !)0\1or..."u). "'"i on. 5 Ti1e rluohroan
!Jena i s not unclean. .i.>la.'lert 3ivoa us a ~ext in which u

l Das cribed on p . 377.

2 er. p . 369 .
3 The r e i s a term /ok' qee. ~o~. /ak•usue•, eircumciser, which
11 t clrall.Y moans 'one \l'ho cnuoes [ 1 t ] to be open ( or visible) '•
f r om tho verb /Jlk•~, ' to excise t he clitor is• or • to ciroum-
oize• (ueually t he tern t s uned ror the f emal e operation).
n ,1s ~nJ well be a ~anda\'/0 descrip t ive term applied to a
non- So.ndtllle cooto1n. The i dea of: openness or uncoveredner,e
ia d1ecueoeC. or. P • 365.
4 'rhe meani ng i s ' Hyena- eat~ra• (mentioned on P• 52, note 1).
5 1875, 12.
BuehJ!um ac,ts out w1 t h the eXJ>l'eee purpo11e o~ hunting a hyenaa
h~ th~n killo it and ~rnpa~ee 1t fo~ rood. ! Tho DAntu h.vena
d1:t':fe~a mar kodly from th1e 1~aRe ond co~~e~pondo w6ll with the
mo~el'n v1,w which the Sandawe tftko or t hi s an1mnl. A Naku~
2
ri<ldle shows t ltat Htena 1.e identU"io<'I. ,v1 th 1n 1 t1ntne; the
Oo~o hvenu io a ohnat5 anrl ho lisne; 4 a Kn!JU.l'U talo ehowa
r:
HvAno ' B t rp1. onl 1"(•1 f 1.nh ,iroe d,:.> an<'! t ho n.vena ot tho Tete 1e

descrlbed as re,re1enti ~q ~e~vllo knaverr. b It ia ,oll known

t hat Urena , ao a coward a.11d an o,tcast, 1o an•1001'ltod with
witches anJ d tc l'lc>!&ft. 7 Kohl-r e"aen ne·,e w1 th re"e.rence t o

t h., Hadza, that the role ot the (-::'u't"onean) \foll' 18 played by

t he "J.:,ena , \fhooe chsrac ter l s to btt t i1e 1,oa t a tupi 1, 1toually
t he t?11 , and eToet? s 11e l J jlre@d./. 8 'I'hh ,,<" 3Cr1l>es tho Sandawo

t 7<ma o.al:, ae a c,ricat.urs; we hovP. @et!n t ha t aa a symbol he

itands for ~uch more .

A.a o cericature t ll~ lion 1e a big brute , 11ut. aleo the

!'on of Tltfllrer •r-1mal" • Io text o. 1 he l :.>•ee- th8 race aga1nat

l 1905. 17e,.
2 Harr1eo, l942a, Ri ddle l1 0 . 6 (p.37): "Let the preparation be
l\lttde i'o:r ua, l<. t ue bt: oi1•c.wac11.oc.. •• J.I.&V,tjJ ~ '' 1;.yc. .na. '

;, (,laUi:i , 1911 , !.,O.

4 C rnell, 19!)~, 3~ (to.lv ?. o. )) .
!> Le1delr ai.., 196:5b ( talc n o . 2) .

6 ohl, 190~, 2 .
7 Cf. Jw:nee, 19(,h ( • /£
) • It 1e rePnrr able thnt ( tJ•aube in hie
book on an1~ul r~preeentotiono (195') only n~ntione hyena•
ae ritual animo.l.e in er.cret soc1ot1en (p. 2~ ). Bei ng mostl.v
cor cerm 11 ,,i th tho roJ.eu pla_red by Mimalo, or parts o-t
on1:,f\lr , 1n cr.ron<miol, h<.' hnrdly toucheo upon thn1r rolee
1r. witchcrc~t snd sorcery.
 600

Zebra even tho\18h he arrogantlY calls out hi e own praise name.l

In text No. 6 another weaker animal, Cow, comes out better than
he does, and in text No. 7 ho is tooled by Hare into a quarrel
with Boney-badger.
Bndemann tolls us that among the Sotho, lustt'ul mania
2
conceived ot as a red-eyed lion . This ie also a prominent
tunction of Lion in Sandawe i magery. He is not ~uat an
irresponsible lecher l ike Hare, but he is a more dangerous sort
ot adulterer. In the oirowaciaion song 0£ the teacher from
he ta t he lover who seduces bis girl-friend i n t he w1148 o£ the
bush and the rock cluatere. In text No. 170 he is the lover
i n the dangerous position ot being tound out with Hunter's wife.
In e i ther caae Li on 1B aaeoc1ated with dangerous action, and 1n
particular, with dangerous pl aces 1n connection with love-
making. The Sandawe have a name tor such places, •the 11on•e
becl~.pread' { //ate;d Sii' 144) , i n ana1oST with the •el ephant• a
bedepi-ead' {nLwa.4 t1•add) which suggeeta that the l overs a1>e
out o~ reach ot human authority. Rock cluetere which aN known
to be ueed by lover s as a rendez-voue, are re~ePred to b y the
1'ormer terta, and an adulteroue woman may similarly retel' to
the homestead o~ her lover as her lion• e den.
Here we begin to touch upon the e1111bolic value o£ Lion
as a general representation ot Danger. I n text No. 153 he is
attll a physical animal, t he dangeroue animal whioh prowls
around the fence at night 1n s earch ot a kill. But i n t ext
No. 13 he ie the Lion-man, the repeeaentatlon ot the brutal
huaband who ie about to kill h1a wite. 'Lion• (f/ats4) le a
tera which la used tor a bad suitor whom a woman would be 111
advtaed to aarry. The term ts also ueed tor a rapist, or a man
3
who carrlea o~ a WOiian tnto marriage against her wieh.

l ct. text No. 1, note 10 (p. 117).

2 1928, 24.
} ct. text No. 182, eep. P• 543·
 601

The s,YJlbolic value of Lion emerges from the rites of

c1rcwno1e1on, the women's fertility celebrations ot mi~~md.•
and t he witchcraft exorciem of ,ei,nbd. These rituals are
pervaded with lion symbolism, but i n each of t hem Lion conveys
a ditr erent shade of meani ng. 'l'he co~mon denominator is Danger.
The Lion ot Circumc1o1on i s met with in text No. 95 i
t he subject ot the t ext i s the danger o~ c1rcwnc 1e1on i n i t s
vuious aspects. •ne Who Always Grunts• (S4mt)leda.) is the
ri tual name of Lion which suggestively describes the latent
1
danger which 1 t r epresents. The Bantu t er ms tor Lion (Wl2.I.
or ail!tba) also serve aa ritual names; the Sandawe, who do not
epealt Bantu, us e the terms metaphorioall¥ rather t han in their
original meanings ot phyeioal lions. We have seen that a
variation ot this t erm, hipiba, i s t elt to mean the loud roa~
ot a lion as well as the animal i teelt. 2 To the initiates
'L1on• mean• the danger ot thi ngs to come i n their initiat ion.
It implies tear for the o1roumc1eion knife ae well as fear tor
their naked eeclusion i n t he bu.eh. Lion thue represents Danser
in any torm which threatens the initiate• in their period ot
trana1t1on. while the seclusion itselt 1e symbolised by Hyena.
In the women•• fertil ity celebrations of mtr1m4 Lion
e711bol1zes male aggression ae well as the pleasures or sexunl
union, and also the dangers ot oh114b1rth . The tormer element•
are expressed by what may be called the phallic Lion, 1.e.
the pestle or the qui ver which is place d on top ot a drum or 1n
the hollow ot a gourd or a mortar, and then made to rou by

l"Ubbin,a 1t obscenely. In the OIPIPPDA Man himselt' takes the

place ot the peetle. In the mtr1m4 ·eong ot text No. 121 the
{pbyeloal) lion alee~• 1n badneee, 3 and he 1& also roaring

l Cf. PP• 384-5 an4 150•

2 llaA·
3 Linea 5 and 23, P• 432.
 602

u a (a.Ymbolic) Lion, 1 while the use ot the ritual name

•s triding Uaned-L1on• (K1dt\dordf) s i gnifies the latent dru:ger
i mplicit i n the reproductive proeesc . 2 The two mar.iteetati ona
ot Lion , the phallic pestle and the uterine gourd , merge in
the proven ~ert111ty of t he women .
In witchcraft exorciem Lion also has a dual symbolic
runc tion. He i s the Danger which is ao power f"Ul that it
requires complete d1saoo1ation on the pa~t ot the exoroizera,
t o ov~rcome their tear tor it and tackl e 1t. Once di ssociation
has dissolved this tear , Lion's aepect which is allied with the
exorcize rs becomes the power whi ch vanquishes the dangers of
witchcraft . We may recall that the name of the exorci sm r i tes,
~ . lite rally means 'the state or being a Li on• ,3 and that
the rites are hel d •to puri fy the country•, ao that t he
atmosphere will be clear tor the subsequent circumc1s1one.
The Li on of BiQ1bc$ minimizes the dangers ot the Lion or c1rcum-
cis1on. By climbing the phallic rocks the Aimb6 dance rs, who
are the Lions, clear tho wa:, tor the unobstructed fertility ot
the count ry.
fith all its s exual connotations , Li on has little to do
with tertility iteelt. Lion i s conspicuously absent t"rom the
tertil1ty ri tes of phek'umo which are the pures t Sand.awe
r epresentations ot tert111tY ~ wi, and in the songs of m.u:imd
he ie act~all.y equated with barrenneaa. 4 What Lion does , i s t o
symbolize the dangers ot witohcratt, ot man's transition into
adulthood, and of hie pro-creation i n childbirth. Danger s
conetitute a power, and Lion 1e powerful; when t hese powers are
properly harnessed an~ used constructive ly', as i n ~ . they

l Line 8, P• 432.
2 Chorus linea, 1oc.c1t,
3 Ct. P • 353•
4 Ct . P• 355.
 603

become beneficial and s ec Man aucceesru11y thr ouL)l t he

~roceeees of r eproduction, as w1tn9saed in the celebrat1ono or
m1r1m4. Bvon though Lion cun be phall ic he i e not a fertil ity
symbol, but rather a s~mbol ot power which is essent ially
dangerous.
Sandawe repreaen tatione or t he lion have much 1~\ coiAmon
"1th thoae or many other Af'rican peoples. S.t raub6 points out
that the lion and the leopard are both African ini tiat1or1
which arc portra:,ed by wearing the animals• s kins . The ir
functione overlap, and the two animals are given s i milar
che.r acters. 1 leopard is s e en ao
.AJ:long the c andawe , too, the

a little lion; this is evident trom tercs used t or c oinago, 2

but the leopard i s not a ritual animal, nor doee it appear to
be e¥mbol1call7 i mportant.
Elsewhere initiates are taken to a place or crooodtles,
where they arc c1rcumcizod 'b,y operatore who "have a tearful
appearance, their heads being covered with lion's manee . 0 3
The crocodiles are obviously homologous with t he snake which in
Sandawe animal symbolism ropreeents t.he All-Devourer as well as
sexual danger. Among the . undang the oircumoizer wears a piece
ot lion skin on his head, according to .lh'obeniue , 4 and among
the Katla-Nuba ho wears n leopard akin. 5 Hollis ~lle us that
among the Nund1 the master or
ocremoniee holde court in the
circumcision hut wearing a lion skin on hie head . 6 The Sandav we
sa,v- that the Bo.rabalga, who are their northern ne ighbours and
related to the Nandt , do the eame. Jtraube states that the

1 1955, s rr.
2 er. P• 493, note 1.
3 Junod, 1913, 76, dlecuo eing ciN:u.mc1s 1on t.\Jllong the Tbonga.
4 1913, 149 .
5 l,lu4., 115.
6 1909.
 604

g1rl-1nit1ntec of tr~ Yao ar~ attacked by a man d.resued as a

1
li on, thorns ill hand. aer ann Itecoras Lhat !'~r e bo:s a.2·e
threatened with be1ns eaten by 110 s. 2 Al though thi s ie not
com·M>n now, ct>owne of 11-·m Il!\neo made ot ~el.>ra hair ( ~ )
are also used on occas i on by Sandawo c1roumc1zera.
To S traubo , the c1reumcio1on ocremoni eo rep1•eoe;,.t -~1e
' m.•tthical death • of the i ni tiateu , their uoJourn in the other
t1orl <l, and tlioi't' r eturn to tho wor ld on this side. 3 Van Oennep,
on t.he euo,ect of Australian peopleG, oa,rs tho~

"In .tJ2mA tvibeo t he novice 1e eoneidered dead, and he

remains dead ~or the duration o-r h1s no,,1 tiate, t14

but ae a principal thee1s he holds that

•a1tee which involve cutting something••• are genel'al~

r1teo or eeparation. "5

No doubt the Sand.awe rites separate the i nitiates t'rom child-

hood.. At the end ot their novitiate they are reborn as young
adults and therefore they obv1oue]..y find themselves in a
i-1 tual womb during their eeolue1on, but there 1s 11 ttle evidence
to show that they are thought ot as dying a ritual death at the
beginning ot this seolue1on. Rather than going to the other
world ot the spirits t hey go to t he other world of the bush,
i.e. they go out ot human society to becoce Hyenas or outcasta,
but not into the realm ot death. They do not die, but have to
tace the threat ot death r epresented by Lion.

1 1955, 6.
2 1912, 74.
, oa,,u.
4 1960, 75 (ital1ca mine).
5 lllU.·, 53·4·
 605

The omni'or eE>ent f'ear of L1o n- di,ns;cr nre~t,nts a $1 t11oti on

wh1.cl'l na1-.,volt"nt "!)e01'l fl mo,, l"oad.ily exploit '!> 1 means of t?1o
1nt1oidntion of noroery. "'he count~y ~~ the R1~1 , and nln,:,
parts ot south-\Yeotern Sandawe have been notor,.-,ua for outbi-cak-3
ot' 1 1on-Aurd-,ra; t he v1ct1me we!'e Ji::~lled by pe Jple dI'i!aao•i ae

lionn who we,.e helieved to ho ?'Pal lions . f' e<1cral wonmn and
s ono man have b~en convicted aa tho instlgo~;,:,l'G an0 1oernible
pel'petratore ot' these murders , but no l:111er has been caught
who could be i dentified ao a 'lion' w1 t h any certaint.7. It
eoerns ce rtain that the ki l lero were dI"eRAed as l1ona; t',:,ot printA
and elaw Mar ke t'ound on the vie tins were those of li r>na , but
knit~ wounds and other evidence proved the killinge. to be the
wol"k of humans. 1 Cuch about t heee lion-murders remains sht"ouded
in myetor:,, but they appear to repres ent cases of sorcery 1.n
which the oorcerere heve r ade effec ti Vf> use of the populaz•
belie~~ about lions and Lion- danger i n order to trap their prey
and to intimidate the neighbourhood into eilenoe. A1thougt1
knowledge ot the role or Lion 1n Sand.awe oral literature does
not s olve the detail s of thi e sorcery, it may help t o uudoretand
the ci rcumstances •hich h~ve made it possible.

!lb@ sna1w and the gourd, and e1mnar ernl>2J.o,

When the phallic e;rmbols ot the Sandawe are considered,
1t becomes clear tha t we have to do with a cons i derable
vari ety of torme. Some have an obvious phalli c s hape ; the

1 ct. Tanganyika, 1947, Hi gh Court 01-i mi nal Appeal8 ?1oe . 217,

218, and 219 of 1947J Dodoma, Criminal Appeal No. 16, ot
1958 baeed on tlle Kondoa D1etr1ct Court Criminal Oaee No.56;
Kenya: Law Reports ot the Cour t ot Appeale tor Eastern Af r ica
Vol. xv, 1948a and the Eaetern At'rica Law Reporta, 1957'
aee alao Wyatt 1950, and Schneider, 1962.
 6C·6

pos Ue 01.• wic.- qui vcr oi' t:.io dar1,cc 0. ' t.'ic t'oetue ( ;aipiqO) l s

per hA,PO th~ !.lot. i:. obvioua of' all. The pnul io mlture ot.• •¥,i.o
untho~ ill Tmicll t.he au.Ul tcrouo 'fare lives .f'1ndo ~ te

cont'.1.r,:ig.t1on ill t r,e rioJlo ill wlli ea 1 t 1,>I'OVOf> to be ..no r:1iL.1ple ,

1
obscene plu.ll ...w.. In the t. t vry ol' the ,,oman ai.J. t ho s11ake the
latter 1s c:i.carJ.y pllal.:.ic , ~ut JO m:·~ the cireuocis1o•. &..1cers •
l~ock \Ii tl1, the cl .t't , u.niudl horns , o.nd evCl1. bir•d' t:. wirlc,;u• '
ln ,¥i t chel"ai' Ii o..torci...m dc..ncc.. treec o~ l'urtc t_ on in ·wll. cair.e
way as t.he rock , and thus they are phallic; thie ia al1::,o tlle

case in the so;.g ot' the ebons ph al1ue . 3 ...'he h0rnc 01' the moon
may be !deni;if1~d wi th the phull1c horn~ of ho~horn cattle. h
Zven l ions and man b1moel~ ma.y be ueed as phal.lic S,:/lllbola , as
we have ooen, a nd a lso tne phakl ic opposi te, the womb , may
mer ge 1nto a phal lus. The more obvious the SJmbols are , the
more r eadilY they are l i kel y to be tWed as ~ulgar ro...·erenoea t o
sexual pleasure uut all may hel p to expreac, et a deeper aud
mor e truly aymbo11c level , the deep concGrn o~ the $and3we
with f'ez•t ili tJ and the c ontinued exi e.tence ot thei r tJ>i be.
The snake may be uaed as a vulgar r et'erent , but it may
also symboli ze ugl iness rather than obsceni t,r• .then i n text ~o.
11 the snake enters the woman•e mouth , part ot i ts £'unc t i on i s
no mo~e than t o transfer an obs cene 1magef aasoci a ted wi th this
i s tho warn i ng o~ the dangers of a re·fu.s al to marry . In tile
tal e of t he crippl e who becomes a hands ome youth t he poai t1on
i s dir f ercnt. Here tho skin of the snake is the rubb i sh, the
ugl.y ek1n, with which the youth had bee n covered. Thus
obscenity and uglineoa combi ne to £i nd t heir expresaion by means

l Rare in anthe ap: text No. 9 ; Antheap a obe ceni t y : 1"1ddle t e xt

No. 74 (p.335).
2 'l'he clet't: PP• 35lr-5 and 365; ho:rns ( ~ ) • ~ mna:
t ext No. 93 ( pp. 379-81); b i rd' s wi ngs ; PP• 444-5•
3 '.rreee • Rocki P• 3551 tree ' s heartwood • ebony phall us:
text No. 113 (pp. 413-6).
4 er. PP• 4185 420, and 1'25.
 Go7

01> tti.l" 11nn"' o.,.,~rml r>Pnr""._.. ..... tAt1.on . 11.J +hour,:h the c"nl'"lon use 0 -r
thP snake no donht hrl-po to ~n ... r,cinto tli., t,r,'> rP-:feronto it,
Sandm:e thou~ht ( "8:,nb('l 9 dil'ect an.<1 orp:nnize 111 ), we hsvo here
to do with ~wo <Uf.f'erent s:ni:iholf'. Ogfl~n and ~ichal'do 1M1nt
that

nwhen a 07'Tlbol C'Of""lf.' to o tnn<'l f or two <'r '!lore re:fcrcnta we

must l'egard it '18 twoor more symbols, which are to be
')
d1:ft'erent1ated. t,...

Use or the snake ae a ee~ual oymbol is round i n all Bantu

literatures; ae a referent to ugltneea it 1e leee collll!'lon but
not con-rined to the Sand.awe. In a Hehe s t ory recorded by
Dempwol:fr, which 18 virtually identical with the Sandawe tale
or tbe cripple who becol'llea handsome, the •ugl y skin• which the
cripple throws o~f i s e ypl1c1tl.y a snake-ak1n.3
Among tlie Sandawe t he s nake also repres on t e t he All-
devoui-1ng .llonater who swa llows people and burns their houaee. 4
The snake-monster puts an end to all 11~e, &ld the snake 1e
thereto~o the exact oppos ite of the l1te-g1v1na womb. I n this

connection it s eems highly r e levant to note that the sexual act

ts also as sociated with burn1na; 0 the phallic snake is thus a
oymbol of death rather than or lite , and the sexua~ net ie
danaeroue and dea tpuctive rather t han creative; this may be
compare d with the danger which 1• expreeeed by Lion aa a sexual
symbol. '.!'he reek ot witchcraft exorciam is also a barren
phallus; it contains wltohcraf't in the torm ot a deadly enake.
The phallus is not just a snake; it 1e the home which harbours
the Li~e-deetroying Snake. Only when this bewitching substance
18 removed from i t the phallus can begin to have a fertilizing

l Ogden and Richards, 1946, 9.

2 Ibid,, 91.
3 Dempwol-r.r, 1913.
4 er. the song of text No. 12.
5 ct. PP• 414- 6.
efrect.
Al though cexual p<'netro.t,:.1 n"l. i f' 1•t>.f'erred to ae burriil'g,
and hurnirg i~ thue asso~1ated t'Jith obscenity , destruction a od
death, ~urr1ne 1~ alao a ruritying act. Th~ f1 redr1ll ( hfren~)
which t s ueed at t h~ inaugura tion or a n~w hous~hold, may be
seen ae a n~ellue which pur1f1ee b y ~ire. Fire 1~ deadly but it
also destroys i mpuri t y . In the ceremony whcro th€ i nitiates
prepare to leev~ their camp they burn a weaver b1rd ' e neP t which
has the eha~e of a nale organ. They ~loona~ tharasel voa ri tual l y
ot the i mpure stste or their ini t iation p~riod, an? they never
themfelvE's irrevocably froril their boyhood. The tr•o( under which
the rite ie porformed, the baobab, is a SJ"U'lbol or male strencth
a nd in thic quality it ray acquire phallic qualities; i t s
op 001 t.e number, the L4rmkA tree and 1 ta subo t i tutc the g<:legel,a
t ree, under v,l.1cll the female ri t e o are held, are usually small
end slender. 1 Yet the "female" LJ1mnl:ii tree also provides the
male SYlllbols of the eticka which ere used in the coUl'tship
dances or lam\4• As Beattie po1:nte out, the touch1n6 ot' a
shou.l.~er 1s a widespread eymbol tor oe.xual 1ntercouroe, and
there cannot be an;r doubt about the pha1lic nature or
the eticks,
2
even though they ere ~ade ~~ t he wood of a 'female' tree .
The uae of sticks as a cymbol of mnaculin1t.y is as obvious as 1t
1a common. "lhen a Tallcnal becomes a rather he announces the
tact to his parents-in-law i n this for m: " Your daughter has
3
b orne a calabash.. - 1:f 1 t is a girl; "a staff", 1t' 1 t i s a boy-.
In Basutoland the birth of a son to announced by boetina the
rather with a stick; the birth of a daughter by drenching hia
wi th water.4 Yet i t would be wrong to see phallic symbols in

l Bu t on occasion the tdrnalgl may reach a considerable girth

When it grows i n favourable conditions.
2 Beattle, 1961, 177•
3 Forte•, 1945, 61.
4 Ashton, 1952, 29 .
cleari ng the lffli' t'or t>oal ~hy 1'ert.ll1 t.y . In nt-1 ther caae must
they be se,·n as mcro 01'1r,..nne aJ.'.i.usionP . 'fhis iR n~t ,;o 1ltW

t.."lat th<1ne al 1 ur>iona o.re not inade ; thPY cer-..einl.7 are by come
:,f the 'ho,:rs w,v, 'throw the tr kn:t vea :1.X',t() the baob~b b~· "ore they

az•e carri ed out of their conf'inement. ·ro q.ioto .;ung, "much

depe:ndo upon the maturity 01~ ~ne dreamer who produce$ uucll an
i m1Ago . 111
.\notner phallic object is the knit'e wh1cil 1~ usod in
cl1 torideetol!lY, the r,wrutu; it pr oduces a seari ng pai n and H
s tando ror a bull wn1ch symoolica ll~ de.'lo·vo.l's the g1i·l-
1n1 tiates . 2 ~1rcumc i o1on • s symbolic runction of p~vi~S th.e way
toward .f'ort111 t:, ie expressed in thn s on._. which s a.10 that the

newly adult oaidene will blosson 1.. orth e.f'te:r · ho ordeal, 3 and
the j,)erson Yl'l'> paves t he wa:, is collt•d tho /ak •usus' , ' the on~

who cauees (it ] to be open (or v1a1blc)';

It ma:., sott1e times be illumina ti ng to dl'aYl up serie:a or
s:,mb olic aaaociations in termo of dualiatic op~osit1ons , but it
would amount to rather an over s 1mplit i ca t 1on 1..,· 1 t 11et>e

attempted to place such op ,oa1 tion$ i,u two e1.;iplo 11uear ao ts .

Coo11ar aswamy hao po l n ted out that a 1.hins 111~· be £emale in
5
relation to one thing, but mal e in r e l atio11 to another.
i1 ot only do oymb,,lo and t!1eir rct"flre•,ts croaa t:J1'1ee ucooi•<ling

1 1964, 92.
2 er. p. 393.
3 Cf. P• 397.
4 ct. P• 598, note 3.
5 er. l>• 64 and P• 65. note 1.
 '·c .,., ~..: usucll ,;
renrr;-1ent the ,,or,b ~nt ' hrn ft-r-+iJ.ity, but ir.. the .L ion- garr< o..:
tiS rif\S1 thf' gourd!'. :ln t he ir 1.tia tt ~·' lar,t· are phallneus as well
as i'oe ·:u~t s. 1'ho f tinp tl tut 1 ot. rit' t1,e pel:l tle-pJ.ui -zourd or c.rum

jn ~~ t,y tht pl'E lJ le >"'t'n :In f.lU.\~Q<'IJ~ f'ur•tt:<"r t up[eflto the

,• i-·eential unit~· of the a1:t1•1nui.co of' t:1tiD.~·

'!he womti ic ueually a 11:fe-gi ving cyr ,l.,ol , but 1 t can be

as in.t'cr-cile acd destruct1v(' as th~ phallue. )r, t11e to.le of

the woroon a1 d the snake 1 t 1e the womb- gourd ( the pUlllpk1n) wh1eh
f'1naJ.ly clcctro.ro t.he girl · 1rigi b.t urallowirig- her i nto the
eerth. Ogden and 1 1chaI>ds' injunction to die tinguish bet,reen
eymbola \'lhcn the11~ re.t'ert:nta "11Ter pr ves to be val1cl once more .
'Ih1o o t rue tur ~l p1·oble1a of' t ynibolism may alao be a1,1:pro~ched
from the ps,;rchological s1c'lo :for, as J\:ng says , cve1•y thi~ that
appearc as male may have a t'emale element i n i t. ( ''ardma•t) , and
yisci, YtrNA, ever:, fe ,ale sy1ubol may have: a i:inle e.lement
( "ani l1lUS" ) • l
The er.ake as a .3atLd~"e symt,ol fi te i n wel l wt tl1 wha t 1 t
r epre sents amor·g eu.rrowidi n~ tri be0 . f.ie1delruan wri tee that
a mo11g t he.. Kasuru 1 t ropreaente maleness , a nd

"01ant anakee are ea1d to dwell atop mountain peaks (a snale

9y:nbol t or Kagur u} and, i n tal es are someti me s ~escricad
a• collJ.)ling 'lfi th women, w1 th dire resul ts". 2

He al eo 3ta tes tbat

ttAn e normous . enake wi th &even heads i s a t ail'l.,- collr..on moi11'
in X•gu1•u s tories. J ,.1s t as birds rept'esent benef1c1ent
factors of luck, so these enakea usually represent malevolent
forces, in eome eenae a s sociated with men."3

l 1964, 31.
2 1964, ~ootnote, p.2. The Sandawe snake dwells in the sea,
or a lake, which i a •~emale• .
3 Lgg, git.
 611

""ltc ianucr ) • o · cS 1 !. hu 1(lt•od henu:"I C:l \/<in 1n the Sun lav,e r, torJ

is :>1)Vi JU:Jl.Y a .. 1vdo..•,1lam , u ·od t0 ~ t •01 i,; ~hu 0.:.1::c or l\J ·,m a t er.

lett1n,:; on e l ephant 'bat t.le wl th it in t4 tnle ; t he elc:1>haut 1&

1
then promptJ.y S'r1allowed up.

...,ikt.:.. o th· 'I' a:."\i1t1als , b 1rds a:_>poe..r 1) Genduwe or ...l l i to:·n tlll'e

e1 t hcr as ani1nala w1 th characters o-t tl~ ir own, or as symbols .

,u t h<tre the analo~ ends , 1"01• b i rds ns a c l n~c oi.. ~ ,1t1als can

be a,pl1 t up int o tr,o main catcisorie s o~~ d1:!'.t'crcut t:rpc. One o'!:
these corresponds in ~eneral wi th tho group o~ ani mal or human
caricatures, wh ile t he 0U1or c ategory provides r epreoent a tione
of tne S,Yllbolic type. l'nc 1'1r&t gi•oup c on s i s ts i u c.{eneral of
s ome of tt1c more conspicuous s pecie s of birds; t hose a.re
represented as 1,1d1v1dual beings w1 t h ohar actera of their own.
'..'.'h e 2econd gi•oup consists ot more ano11yL1oua b i1~ds , such .w
s mall and .:re"arioue birds of the f ield, aud als o high-flyi ng
b ird.l or pre¥•
'l'be 1ud1v1dual birds 0 1~ ttie J.'irat ~rou1) have chal'a ctere
which are generall.1 favoui•able . The stork, the os.tr>ioh, tne
dove and th~ pigeon are all attributed a corta1n euper1ol'1 ty or
cleve:r•nes e . s tor>k Cle!'e~ ts the gr eedy Hyena in text 1-.0. 2;

Ostrich humblee the pretentioua ware iu text .No. 3t .uove does

eo.meth1ng which Hare oannot emulat e in text 110. 4 and the latter
per1ane& ~l'Yins, an~ Pigeon ie also said t o be clever, b ut
text Uo. !> ehowa h i m t o be not eo powert'Ul as ~ og. The guinea-
2
f'owl ia considered beauti:tul because o~ 1ta speckled reathere
and the cook, which playa no role in the texts presented, 1e
aaid to be a oleve:r animal and to act as a guardian a gainet
enem1ea lllld witohora~tf becauee it le a witchcrat't- destroyer
{t1•A4•9 k4Da..1) it l a uee d 1n c1rcumcie1on ritual, according

l Kohl-Larsen, l956b, 48-57• 2 Text No. 40 (p. 318-9).

 612

t ! ....: ,rn;o.nt;:; r,:.o t a; t. t \ ·ocl: 1.~ ~ le: ·er th,.n Lio''. 1

ol' r.i ti::hc1 oft cxoz·c.: 1 .... :, 1::i ti r~

: os..,~ s tm•:ch!'ul:ncc a an,' nrc hu."'tcr:.; " cy cat <:O.~:!"'ion (det,th)

and ~ht)re1·ore .. hoy de .. t:r•o:r v t tehcrn "'t. 2 '1"11;,i!' na. ,C' O arc uaed
6 8 praiCO- nUli er, I'O:r the r if 1,,! d.:mccrr, \Tho Climb (.f'l/ Up ir to)

... ~ "00; ~ae dD:ncurr. bocooo bi1•d-~cople -.,ho ncqu:!.rc the i,owert ot
t.hc b!.rdu , on~t they l:rcc1 e <l0c'troyora of' witcrcraJ' t , Juot like
thn ;:,cul bi do of.' prey. 3 It ia on1d or -!:he r14:es o1' ~ that
the:, p.:rit'.Y ti'o cou~it.r:, , anu the ·oirdc arc f\1/noolic oi' tla o
pUl.•i:icr.ition; i)y 1dont1:t',1inc thor ee1~,oo wi th the birds. the
duncors ov~rcomc tho p 1)WO.L's OL' wi tchcra.f't. ' he oondi i;ion of
ocin,z n Lion (f' ~mb4) is su1>plouented by the cond1 tion oi: beina
a bi:t'd of pre.1. 1~
~h~ unapccified b i rd.a of the eecond group nave a nU1Jbcr
of' m.,a teriouc properties; the i dea& which othor peoples of

caa te,m ll.1"r1ca have a.bout th~m G;Cnct'nll:, agree well with those
of: the Ja~1.ru.. :re. :acidelmnn utatcs thu t the Kaguru see bil.•da as
oucno , ana that tne1r f~ lkl.ore has many instances of birds
showing t:1agicnl ol' unUGual powcra. 5 Jcrner 3peako o-r the
uunar.1ed 'b irch; in ..Jontu tnleo \Vhich rcvoul the secret o:t' a
Durdcl.' , wid ehc ca.1c that. n tavouri cc i ncident is tac sendlt\g
or b irdo -.11th mo&aa~cu .
6 Jlohl -Laroon say:.. that amon8 the

'l'indig ( .;o.<!.zu) birds a:t>c o1'tcn :.r,c h<.:pers of m.an 1.c. tale{; . 7

1 Thia agrees with th~ usual posit1~n in ~antu t ales, cf. the
intimldation or Lion by Oock ref erred to on P• 564.
2 ct. text No. 105 (1n1t1ctes are watoht'ul huntei-e); t ext No.
88 (dancers are witchcraft destroying oarrion-oatera).
3 11a4.
4 ~1t1cat1on: ct. P• 355.
5 19630, 46.
6 1933, 303.
7 1956b, 157.
1·i<ld.:' e o..: t 0 1 \C:1 Q hi1• , • lcl. !..., a c~.P: .i 1 )~' ee~r t
1
r:.e. Uil).S •

.•er Hi.>eo , . tor li.; ~: d ::m..,:. ~·1., • Bleck u ••J. !,l<vd 1. cor·d

"IIY 1' e llow men are l.hoi:,e ho \. ) ar~ lia teniug t 1•om s t or 1e e
.rl'oL.. ~:t.r , ·•.•.1(.;l, :f'lou '. t,:o, ,.,; th,., ...:Ct' l:'..L u: 11 ~ 1-0 t:. tor 1os
f.,.o'.1 -,theX' plact"~ . 112

?11e Uu:aclawc F.oY the rmnc abmit son s , 1'or •r,onrro 'i:lJ up hiah,
th, J 1• ~'l 11. e tJ 1rcl£' ( /111n..o I' di k 1
11a • tl ' 1u;,:1r1. ~ th\ ii:Xt' '
girfosj). 3 _hil n.r111.... ac t ion iu <:1 thc1 ai ,,111cly inopircd

\\J~'2U•{9 iU' AP A, i.uo wor, ol' <l1vinit1co) , or the work o•.'

spirits \l<B@'ip@, 1,Q'qbo) , or Jurt i;votical (im'orua1.ts have no
c.xplnna tion) . AndrzuJowsl~i says tha v among the ..>Omali

"poetPY opl"eadc eo quickly acI"osa vaet distances that some

;peuplQ ;J..o 1.l.c ;LOIJlaJJ.c 1ntcri".>I' b(..llc'lc 1 t to uc trani..1Jortod
b~ j1n, a , o~ ~v·n by God hin~elf."4

.i-.JO~ tne ..l(A.,.1tu. speaki ng Zurrui.o the p1•ooess l s a s:1ort1 ~st,ical

one. ,1erno1• quote o tho s tory o!' the enslaved Kwege who had b oen
sent bird- \lUt.ch1~ ia 1.11t. fieluo . lie Ulilt uown, lool-e<i at the

hovering 1'looks oL' 01..•ds &nd ~ept bit ~ i·ly. :.·ht.u he ~aiig:

u! Kwe~e, weep, I weepl

A.nd lllY 01•,ving i a wlla1. the birds :Jay . ..5

To the Sandawe birds aleo have a supernatural quali ty, f or

" the going of the bird& is t he work o~ di v1n1 ty" ( thy!i K.irJb6
1'A!.. waronswf i&'@bp), and "the birda and t he hornets help the
1nep1ra'tione.l cUv1nertt ( ~ nl WU. ltSun m@sangnnga' fW.uk'e).

l Text No. 38 (pp. 317-8).

2 1911, 301.
3 I ~ave heard a s imil ar r emark about news which fl1os.
4 1963, l.5-6.
!5 1933, 89.
 614

•.... ii:> ~,., 1 o ... ii.ioc~ n t uf .1l.u" vul 1. ick l.v.s to ouy ti.l.ou t lt t t r-
\.r1 t :.n"'' .lacl. in u1.o t1.tn· 1.' o t :.1 o.. 1, , a t E.I i L. l li.., 11 -'c,1 • t ~ ..

"A letter 1& a eupernatural agen1; wher·ehy t he li:ri tex, trame-

niL t..10~. tu ~o t..L. • i..i..L..t.l' , Wlt: rt ut 11,t:, • or"""" t:ll <.,l t.he
41. .. t.
n""' r .. "'!' cl1v1n~ ...i '""', 1 l'>l"f! par":ir11lP.rly to hat :t'o:rt1 of
d ivinati on which conF 1~ts (I!' holr 1r,g a i; t r i ng of' hea('!r. in the
hand and wa1 ting for the though t 1 t insp ire s i n the mi nd • .,l

H~ adduoet\ n o c-onc l 11a~vt'! ev1~encP :t'or- t he ancuraey o~ th 1e

s tatemen t, but ~ome randawe also ahow amazement at the n~we~ of

the l etter- 1'1"1 t er•s thowthte . "7r.t:1.c communication , by h i rd-

:t'lig..l-\t, e~ 1 t 1'9 l"e , thur. 1nc1 ,1<1es th.gt rrh'.l.ch 1!' trens,a1 t t ed by

d1v1nati ()n , h y- eong, anff l::>y l ettoJ".

No 1dent.1:t'icat1on of bi"'~~ w1 th l'"id"ll1'!$ hac s o f"a:r beon

documer1ted rr•.,m e lsewhe't'e, as t'ar as l know. 'l'h~ l 1n.k hetw.aen

wi t .'I\ ttie a a'3oo1a t t on of b i Y'dS 1'1 t h ow,~?"nat u,:oal agenc ies.

l'J upernat'1ral ag~ne t es e t"e unually ~p1r1. ts ,.,f si'>me k1nd or

a.not'ilez>, and to h i-esk t he riddle-nla:r1np t aboo 1e t o ot'fend t he
spir1 ts, t 1lere'by cal1 1ng in the l)1r<1B w'ho w111 t hmi oonae to
destroy the cropa. Rtraa !ll"e t~erP-to~, not e*olua iveJ.y a force
to the ~nod; rather t han be 1n~ the helnere o~ man t hey may be
hoa t tle if t h~ ep1r1te wish it.
The link ot birds with supernatural forces 1s vagu~ and
d1~r1cult to e ~tabl1s~ b y solid evidence. ! n the ritee o~ twin
b1Pt~e the song of the twin birds 8UqRe e ts, on t he ~ace of it,
a 11nlt betwe~n b1l'ds and othe r sky phenomena 9uch as l1an tntng
anO sp1r1ts, but 1n1'orm•tion eu~~11ed by 1n~o~nen t s links the
b irds with phal "..ic i ma&Eie ins t ead. 2 S inco the l.ink ot birds
with eu~~rnatural ~oroea 1e such a subtle one, we m~s t be

l 19:58, 79.
 i..11 ..ext o. 8 u now.:.1_;.rn c hil-1 _i.. t ..... :cu cm·-- o..' b.r a 'bird

~n..... v-3n tu tll.Y ~:., Luc t<.. • to u pl-cc ru..;uclJ ,1 :.;cri, '-'u as _.1:eui.:x,
_ pl~c-.? to \lhicl. the c.nilu 1.ua bi;.;on <:.oaxod, o::.' un ..u1dcl'ined
place ,11l1ch cecns to uc l' ·ceui11t; while ..!.•t ...~m·1,;••cro app1·0ach
1
l t., 11r.:._ ::l :'a ts. ~:.,i• 0 a ••a . .~athci• ~Lan 'oc l ~-o ..,.,~il?i t.-:r:..oL..,,,,-c,<.;t•s ,

i tsel~~.

In t,10 e xampl o j :.:-. t. quo tod the uae o.: t.he name Uwaare
has ..,elpca us to discover the ueruu,.a oi: the b ir-clo aw a syi::iuol .
j,111 :..i s u6 w.sto that namt:e uay 'uu valuable auxiliariee to symbols
in or al art. .?rom tile d ls<.u , .:Jion or some ~andavro s,1m,~ols it

cons.i.derab ly to .;he co...veya.uce o:r u.tn,ni11.g au ux.v, e ::;iied by plain

lar..gufi6c • '.. ids :ex ..ra :u:.eru:d.tlg" iu couveye d not onl.y by the uae
o~ appropriate sy11bols , but also by the artful s e lection o'f:
nau.ea . .1.,ike aymool u , na:t1ee oan. thererore 1'ul.t1l a.n i 1:1por'tant
purpose i n Ol'cil l i 1.eraturo, but unlike symbols , which express
a ometiu.118 0 1.' &<imural value or i1.1portance , the val ue o~ na:nes
applie s onl.Y to the pw.•<.icular s u o j e ct n ich happens t o be under
d i ocu ~t.ion.
The &horter O.xiio rd u i c tionary def'i ne• • nuc ao
"l • 'l'he particul~ oo.nbinat1on of vocal sounds employed as
the 1nd1vid.un1 designa ~i on 0 1' a aiugle r,ieraon , a."Ur.:al , ~lace,
or thing. 2. Tho apAcif'1c wo:r>l'I or wor ds ( ti-rm) ,.19ec1 f;o
2
denote a member of a particuleJ" cla"'s or being or objec t."

I t symbol8 81'$ ox.presF i ng general values , names designa te

speciric or part 1cul8 r ob ~ecta .

l Cf. P• 163.
2 l9ti.4, reprinted 1959 (3rd ed.} .
J~mR!luol :11e~n·, ' '"lot\ iA •,i ~-h u ~' or John ~tean:" ' '"le bel:wed of'
thd ' "~ and he no.;rs tnat f;h:, 't!\1ee of Yo1"1b11 c·1.1ldrcn ruw hare
m.,anin,le flUCh as •Joy enters t.1e , ou.EH~' > ol" 1 1 hav0 co'rlco:c,e
t" pet' . 1 lle al~o tll(m tioiia tho di.'.!'icul ties w,1ich na:, bu
fou.n'l 1n the 1:ntcr"()I'Otatio i'\ of? ..Jhe mr·anln.1,n n.... ntvm ; 111 this
res_pect h 0 re.rere; to the varin tJ 01' :pl)•)ular e ::.>l~a tiono ,-:r
th"' neaning o" the lo1•uha. wo.s."d f >r Go,1. 2

than their intrinsic ncani::iga alone. A 1>01nt to be st:t"cs <};i 1s

tho.t t.l \c real 1,otHl"Y of no oc doe., .1.ot lie oo I\UOl'l in the
nean1ns 01• eo.ch nm.,e in 1ao1a tion, hut i i. "Che .•a:, 1 t 1B uuoa
in a tale, a oong, or a rtddlo. A nu:ae•s poetic _t>otent1al 1o
.tulf.lllod 0:.1.ly in 1 ts o.rt.tul SI>!11ico.tion t,o a meaningful
cont,"lx.t . ltany 1 tor.as or 01~a 1 11 tc:.•aturc wolll' l ose uueh of
their beauty and s i gni:ficanco 1." tiio nuneo occurl•ing ln them
wor/3 om1 t, t<Hl or eJ. tcr•:-d. Jua t a.a s •1:li.>ol lc roproaen (..a tions
exp:,.-.oss 'tr.11010 co:11:..,lexeo or thought, nunes ch1:1raetcrl.1:e people
or placos by tho uoe o!' a ninslo wo;•d. ~~h, claver ~e or one
pa_t>t1cula,. name mu:, :9rovi <!e w1t oP s.ilt. , an d its i i aginative
applicfltion may add a leavening of' ?'elevimt 1don-as.:>ociat1ons.
A nnme &1\ay be c1rcui11e tantial 01• a,Ylllbolic of' what 1 t repr!lsents ,
b u t in either caee 1 t may bring in an enjoyable eleme~1t of
p oe try.

l 1959, 6-7·
2 rua..., 5.
 ..,..,
I

• lt.: • \(' 'ot.r. ' L • i 1 -J • ul't l\i.1100 9

'-L
.
,,., ! .). ,:Co.1 J;..' w t.: t~.10 I ..,). •o :ii u u l'f t·~ • J.:.l
o,.' .i.. ml el , , <' J.' . ('lt cl O

ho. t' rout, ,f' :r•vn.. l.,~ o,p .. ti .01•s , .... r i!. '~1.:x:.. : o. l, ·:.ell-

knovn l. !".lC o ru•r 11ro ' e1•J otl . icl Ul't • 'm :llit.u• tr, c v<Jr·.row.•

o_po i ;c' dil•octii•)l. T!,L, ii:; t'i....,-ni:!:'ic..i: •.;. !, tI':.f.,; ot.t'l.\" ox'

Lim.•t, l)Uh!Ui t o.:: ~ow L. c J'OU " be.gin£ 1n l,ictant • ;. : ',p,; t,his
:i,. ti u place w· c1•e c;n.1 fuu:..:;-;er 01' ..,1 m' c; throat to Co1w ilinelops
( ~1,, oto:r;r 10 t.ohl at ,"ru·nm in soutb- eaot<.:r1. Sandnwc , but
;t.Ql • ta. i e i n 1.he we:a r.) . .l:rom tnero CO\, anc;. h t~.r cull' 1"1<.: e :Z.om

!.:lon., a nd th....;,· 0 c t ~.l~.:ti•t ,.t• and 11eart..:1• to ~ u.'ltil ::.. t lo:;; t

t1 c.; ru ach hu~o uhd ::nu et.,·. hat io o. .u1.1'el"' pluco t? the

·:.1 t.: du..1C1;;1• 1F, also evident -'.::'oia the 1$tory of' the ....ion-husband,
?
1,:ho3e home ic pl~ed ii. u i1.n£m t ,;110:;ii• ·· ...'hi.., ir t ...c ;1lt,oe vO

mu.ri;-r-hoadod .s nake liveo i s a rar-a~ .cilaco, axl\i 14': th1o ·•sea••

ls inter:p1..eted ae a large lake t11is :!'act ....t.:ms.1na unal t,}red.3
Other nccvclationG t;·~ tnc d~or or clistance r:JJ.Y be 1wpl1ed
i.>.J a plauc- doscription: the unnw:i.ed .olaou where t,.ne womfu>.-

seduoil~ liaI'& lives 1& a phallic anthc ap. 4

l Seu note 12 on p. 113.

2 Text no. 15, note 4 ( p . 217).
3 Text Ho. 12 ; er. al.so P• 562.
4 '."ext .,o. 9.
 ~18

): ., :::iu4 L'i ·o ·" : .1 ' the

• \.) " Ul',.J •.i.. - ., , .:· ..:. ..1 .,. , ..a . , . l
_ .. J .l.. ~:) .... "' -i,....i.'-C;l " . 'l\, - o.-Q. ~ . , .:... i<·L.

L !, v n~, u :.>. t .. ,.ilu\.:C ..o

.., !(; non..; of . .o:< . . • v • 2 , .,tJ e u:xplnincd ti3 'ho J.'laco nich

lou ~W'l ,o t .i... :.::. . J 131.!.l ·ctl ,_; ~hi \tl ..e th ~ vOl'Jt ... Cl'

J»u 1, :u. :,1•0 ..,:.i.;oni:.. ta ,av<. O' t. lcnr '"'o J. in ~· i.1J. ..'ro:n •.1:i:ic.•
t .f cl~ .10., d.c :iat~~• •? 6,1 'ec ::on~ t u, ele .....:l.;/ Viwiblc , 1
::i t.... .al, o •. t.1e ~·:.>dt1cto1 child t.:".l null fJ tl!J_>Ca:r i'!. the

.:,,' . '...'he euu tle em. t?•:J.3 t l1e L11uen the

t ..o ..:~m·c.herfJ a.l'i.J cl ).:: i ~ in on their ~m...r·t. 31 • ~re is the

~!'.11>.1 v1.,1ich ~"-lJ~,e~ts tho m1.def'1na1>lo r..atw:•e o-" the place where

the child naa .>Ccn hidden wnereas Hn ·0ri 1.1,;:;;, is a :r.urne which
sus.;es td a vbiblc tur..;et, or at leu... t a t.4Y't.Ot i'll:Lch 1c ·,ell
dei'i.1eJ . Wit .out thcs..: two nani.:Js the btauty of tho oonc ll'Ould
2
oc.; l oot . and .11 t :1 it, uuc1. vi' t;he s i t;rii.,.'1cancc oi.' thu tale.
:i'.-1"' nwnl'.: or u ator.r' ;., :principal hero is often :found in
the oon;:; , and the e ..101ce 0.1.' tne name i b usually .1iglll..:, m.:u.."lilig-
1' ..tl. In ta... tal c 01' .;. Le cnio.• who o tol th~ poor mur. ' e ~,lfe
tao ~-:ior :nau io ca..1..lod ~lcph.in t which, ao ,/0 havo ::;coil ..:•il'OM

ulc.phant S:fi.iiuoliam , i.!loru1s an Jpr1.::ht or Courageous ...u.. ter.

oquall.,f eiw:>,iticant. ,1 "'wr Jlle waa a wi -.ch imd the u0duocr

got h i b due ·.:,y uet ting a ,,,odon iii tch ( t11e tl•oe) ins tend of a
live ,oman, or ello mwr have 'becorue de-t1wla.11zed in her :.>aped

l I,i terall.i: ~heit which is in a continuous state ot -:>oi ng open.

I!.!2 s1gn1fi.ea a etate of being open (c~. 11&, t~ be o~en); la
1e a continuous state (c~. lJl, continuous action); & 1e the
3rd p~reon ~1n.gular.
2 '!he nanea arc, analyzed in note 2 on P• 162 and note 8, p.163 5
ne J aloo note 5 on PP• 162-3.
 Gl9

( it i or. !1, er ....~l:. ....nd .

1- .... ,.a I. t.~ of ¥'"'C.r ... C--1 "..,.. ...·t • i • •

j ..-i a- tl.".e ..,..,cc.1~. lr•• 1 .. r~t. .... tior. o, !)<:> t • ., \ .. i-. l-,.1.L.s
t .~:.rc ..........: 1 t ~ t .... t-.J ~ i- $.l-o lm•..,clJ lt. .. t i.v t.,... i 1.-...:.,:!.r..Q i.i...,r•• l

t he :t'orir.-r • .t. .o.ru.,s is .i,ir:J,. i, .. nich iliU',uf "" le il.1.; . .ei< ~or. 1..u
tc J.!l.i. "" ...t..n t.... ~ .t.t. it t...:;.;ni ••1t. tc..:·..:.::. -e.:.lcJ..,.,;, l CI' t&.: bchc, v lot:.! ,
b ut the., .:.o 40t ~~ ·t.-~ci.t t..,i; ;:.3t;...c1;; 1:: .J! tt.1::: c1;n~v i :>w . 2
'lhe ~ s w...r i i:; ;.;.u..,plic.d t,; u.~ 1 ir~ t .. i V<:. lines o! t,..e tale •
v..r.::r.: i t it ex;.l &i r.ca. tnE..t s.h.e was a ver.1 r:,rett., ..:..ir·l , ·~t.:t t~s. t

i- t ..'3 c...::m... is t~..:.tl,7 .c·ei'us........ to ~,;;t ...&.!'rie~. 'lh!::: i f- a f.'vta. ot

~
be~&vi,Ul' whi c" io tAous.~ t Oi at deci c~dli ar~ti- &oc1~1. - rt~
lli1,,,cJ.c.ine ....!cl. she 1~ a diti n i ctcrod consists oJ. t.'le t..r~atment
~Llich ihe receives ~ro~ t.e pr.al lic snake , s.nd her coLse~u~4t
sut.L'eriL.Et;. lhe nu~ ,. ipip.1 thu.;1 expre&ses tt,e af soc.I.'- tlo.n which

1s &ho1m b.Y tl.e end-lilo t i .f, wher·e s he i o hackill8 at the iourd-

womb in a last tu tile c1·1 01•t to overc.;oi.e i 1; , out -uhich N-Gul. \a,

in heI' own 1'1nal dee.1.1·uctioa. 'l u~ .ca:.e oi the 81!•1 holJ6 to

olow• up the !'unction of the sr.1ake-aymbol; the natu..re of tl,ia

aymbol 1s ~w. te cl~ar w1 thou'G thv nauE- , bul. 1 tL purpose it; not.
ln the tale 01· tl.e 11any-headt:d snake the, t.:nak.e • s lituue
is sitipl.y "Uundrod- headed one' in the 1'1re t line o!.' tl.e l or£;,
but t.he secon.a. line rovealo 1',o neture a& tt1c All - dcvout•or:
"'l'he clu.llcnger ot' whole villages and the burner ot' houc.: ee" 1e
1n f act also a nru::e in the sense of a s1tn1~1cant appellation
or an epithet. L~

1 Tezt llo. 15, notee 20 and 21 (pp. 261-2).

2 Text l!o. 11, note 4 (p. 184) •
3 ~ . note 1 (p. 183).
4 Text No. 12.
 ti2 0

Thn A 1,,.,ifi cnno~ of' n1P. aar·urm t 1 on o:r no-:, 'Ull"(rn 1n tale s
rule ~e~n :t'.)tioe,l n:, '100" 1-"" q,..,.,,.. "lhi -:m m •th"1.o r;l Ra t<'l:1 ,,, o.N ll

the nr1pp1~ who becaJ'lle hnnd~oMi, , tht<> Gr1.n")1~ ' r, ,v,Me 1(~.J.'J)J!:l
2
,probet'h l;',' 9 U "\'1•cota 1l'ia ll)·,,1,r crml"ttion. 'l't.e [71"'1 "'Vh~m hE!

pUt"Pu eci but who T"ej~ctn hi,.. :, ... '1~P ,•d 'I c"o not. 11ant n<'n '

( t1..tt•,wl.~) • but the !'(!'Ca tns t "1m,11"icnnc•• Hr~f in thP new

.'.:.".ltfl!IJ\1.ur.m• 'i c nen.."1i!°l'": o.,.. th1a r R:' 'C trune1J.ated as ' It i e I

-,lion~ hunbw:n he tr- ' . 3 "'he chnni•c o... ~·he 11ar e :re :'lc,., ts the
chan od s i +.;u..a t i cn i n l)1c ~nl~, 1 1il to the k'"lo1·1inR J.1 ~ tener it

su'b tl.y e:r.pro t c:e thi :r~w t.

izationa . • 0na- P.,7e ' "1rnply 1nc11cntp,fl a n1'.J"ical handinar,,

F\.';(, 1l,r oen- c:,e t addfl inaul t to thia. 4 ro "°l!ril:1, th,~ na ~ oi' t}le

cT'entor , means p>•og,my an<'l i n pl i0A :fertili ty; thin iP a name

whioh nnb<'>di f!n l ts no~tr:,.· in :tAo1at1on, on,1 "t ie n ot clependent
5
on rnoon i n[;.f'ul plncPMtmt ir·. f!n appronri r 1 e r: t01:\r~onte,-:t.
In the tale of' the war u:t th the ~a"1ea1 ~l'c nal'1 P ~ ia n<>t at
a'il r-ele vant to the ,.1:or y as an ~,:,,roc3fli,,e moa1ru1, l>Pea\lE"e herts
we h a vt> t.., !'lo w1 t h a h 1Ator ical :f'i :-tUrc "#hose na:•e han )f'ned t o

be ~ .
6

1 1916, 417 tr.

2 Te~t ffo. 14, note 8 (pp . 23..3-4) •
3 ~•• note 15 (p. 239) .
h One- eye: t~xts NoR. 10 and 12, c~. note l on P • 170.
toxt no. 10 , note 11 (pp. 17li-5) and text No . 12,
Ol"ooti.-c~e:
note 8 (P:'• 201- 2) .
5 Tttxta t-ioe . 19 and 20.
6 •.1.ex:t .1:,0. 18.
 2_,' ., . . I)'""".

t j 10 ., ,,,.. ' 'Ul ,. 8"("- ·., ay '0 " C1 .' • ,,l

r..ti'J'y t,h.,. h I a1• r·incl ' r oueat J'o.• \'{j r;,1011, t' < ult.ir>,.t.e

a~h.' cn-1.crt n.' ,•h1~h li"e .ir· l'Ct<·o,1::·~ ou. liJH1, h : ..... ,,·, 1
'"t. c
k~:,r to f•ver;r t } in ~ iu i n i •-~, nu. e· . ·
2
1

which confli:Jt ol.' two tlt SE'td:.iulJ.y equiv11l(•nf, 1nu•',;n, J.i"k~ l

t if n ificor·ce of a ric1c lo <loet 1 o t J.it) i? n.u ~olu :· 01 t-lN,e.

1t li{ e in coth t:.ideG ot: tllc pe:ral le , ii., the qnc stion as ~el l a e

corl' <m<nbl c ut1 eoJ.vinr, i* corrt.:c~ly, ft< <·:'PVC?' 1£,r..--J.1tH to

th~ r.Atur e of th, lilH r·c r·s 01•0 ni'tt t used i ll P< f :inf t},f;

qucotion . l anr a afcl 't < !'un or a 1 un ~o r·i c:, l os , l)ut thfW also

n c"c1 < ocni ; ive volue or their Olm .

I n ono ri ddle '}(' •nri&1 1:-s tl:< nf 1 f' of' a ,1t,raan who t11 1'1ays
t'lft'!'Get:: :Crot'l th.. i-; t.c hc n tnw t.t:e,• wi ',h l er er i l d.. ·~·fl unt wer

i n t h~ l ~ ge nai n c.1£1h f'or por ~idge aucl 'h' ' r,nnll one "!'or
veeetnble r~lish . ~'he pare l lol i F. e a sy enout)1 t o uee , b ut 1t

l 1~61, l l . 'i:"hc. d i s t i ncti on bet.,een True riddl e s ( l og i c ally'

e olva"ble ) an<' RH ,U e-questiona ( can bo answer e d only by t he
1n:l t 1c t l'd ) :le not r e lovo.nt t o the -preoent c'' .iecuco1on of
r.n,r,e - pw.1 ic.u.
2 l 9 ll. 5~2.
il'taf,"' n ~ "'nnP1n· q .. 1 ,.,1-1,, .,~,-- n q·,1:1< t. ·,n ..<"r•. nd ac, o.
J"!"'<l1<'1tr ,,~ T'~ rU l'll f:'.
2 ""he n) P t= n•• ~-w·r,-,l ~I 8 lUY' J'l._,,,..., 1·ur r,f

• 1f'.lr>nl" • i... ,• ,.,, . .... ic1 out ' • 3

nn ,:,bucA, c :r•id11lo caac;os +,hn r csul ti,.l' inngo to 1 r r·oro ;,ls.n t ic

1
t'111r. -it. v·o1fl<'l havn h( en ,,· ~·hnt it. • ':i'h<' chni~P o • tr,r 1~nrie
.. OJ>}~~ i •:,n yiurc.' c, o • tl1':: "; " l"-1'• c>dc a.nr· tl c In • i "'fVrior

aJ.'u- ur, ,o hm•r>nu1<:a:; aw~ :1 t:1pl~ s r,r 1rwu,l t to ' 11 s t,:>i ho .5

~ inc£' i•'ly - :-' -1 ch, 1 . o . tht': .m,d ot' ~.hr 1

ou:.-- chnld , ic ur un::.~y
tJ,e .~1c1 lc- playin;; child' r- ['randl'n thm:• • th1c pun ~lt.o re:!.'lcc t s
tl"1C' dinN·op~c t .1,1ich 1r coru onl y cl own ~or ;1rr1hc:-c af' +-he ncx t

aocon,linH t:l"!neT'fA• ior-. 6

Punn1r,f; on plA.cc-nnu('ls cr.ir1 bu cqunll~· 1r ·olvr.d. :rri the

th
.f' ro.u
1 t..l on :l .. ow1 . 1
. ca gu1 non- ... z~c o'hundnncc o:: thns c l 1 ird£
at tl1is place hos beon rci'or•1•od to nnder the text, and 1 t &ivea
a ou:r.... 1c1ent f'i rot e,rplanution why t.110 nar:e 'Y.'1~0~ hno 'be en

l Text ?,o. 48.

2 Text No . 53.
3 Tf'Xt '\o. :•8.
4 Toxt no. 7h.
5 '.l"ext No. 57·
6 Text No. 63.
1 'lext No. 40.
 623

chosen. But the choice of the name 1& also significant in

another respect. The element~ in the name suggeste the
ehoot1ng ot arrows in to a tree (lU.- ls a Bantu class-prefix
which adds no aignit1oant mGaning to the name in Sandawe) .l
Shooting for practice entails t'requent eearchee tor lost arrows.
and the use of brightly speckled gulnee- fowl feathers in
the arrow's tail tine makes the search easi er. Sandawe
prefer ence tor guinea-fowl plumage 1e so s trong that they use
special boxes tor storing them. 2 Thus the name Kiaango refers
not only t o tho abundance ot guinea- t'owl at that place, but
also to the fact that the birds which are eo plentiful there,
are those which euppJ.y arrow- teathere.
In the riddle ot the dry vegetables at Tl'ankhoo the
geographical name supplied the i mage or a tooth-gap. which is
the aolution to the riddle.3 The explanation given f or the
l"lll,J"e
personal JS@fl& , wbi ch also occura i n the ridclle. may be
1noomple te. The name means One ~ho Herds, and although the
riddle i s s aid to deacribe a girl with unclean teeth, it aeome
not unlikely that the name has been deliberately chosen to add
something to the t otal image. "One Who Herdo" may be a
rererence to herding animal • at a place where the vegetation
has dried up, adding a sugt eet1on ot 1neompetoncc to the image
of dirtlneea.

l Al though vowel change• have occurred in each syllable the

name 1e hoaologoua with <Jpngaa (mentioned on P• 537h c£ . also
note l on P• 530. For the meaning ot' vowels, ct". P• 105.
2 The Rational Yuaeum at Dar ea Salaam bas such a box on
display, with the following caption:
"A box made rrom a emall log of wood spl it in halt and
hollowed out. Theae were uaed £or stortna guinea-fowl
t'eathera, uaecl by the Sandawe, tor their arrows. '?he
bri&ht colour• or these reathera make l ost a~rowa easier
to tind. Such •teatheP bo~ee' are no lo~er made. D. V.159·"
An illustrati on ot such a teather box 1e gi ven by von Luachan,
qp,c1t,. 334. It •&Y be added that a tenther box ls called
a11!a and that auch boxee are still be ing made, alt hough onl.Y
ruel.7.
3 'text No.55•
~ l t,·• .,, I"\-" •

- n C '"' !') tf' ¥\ 1

"'1 r; r'\ ""' "' t" 1 "t T

")'"i'• ·I n l l r ~"' • oc I \ t ' . ,1 t''\ ... ~~ l:'11, '1. ) .. um • l ' 1~ ' le

v'lie ... ··t t l l 1 ) .,,. q q .... 1' .. 43 .. •i )f
t'1 ') "')n ·~ I.' "I'' c ()C (.'\ ld :1.'.'30

place 'lllf.l • ' ln n >. l')") l!' ' . ) ' 'l .i ,~ 0'

:11 ,t , 1'1 ~ ,,., 1 ·c+ wh·c ll"' 1. llfl )f 11 'eI'

i ic,1-cn nler. G and n 10,.·nt.n~ ra1u ,,.

·. 1b •lie . ' ' l lO , U '- ) ' 0:... ~ 1i 1 Ot'

C\ 1 ,.,, •Jent, l~I al () ' co ..

'. t ~ •o..... ·- c:, plcx
ven , 1·bnl . 'nr .s • !t•' u•c U,JC.' o 'Jy i;: the

at· -c0l re <' >i>•· .ic:

111 vuriou., ot . r I Yorciom eongl , ru c • - u,) i1. c::L..cur t i:;ion tongs ,

t 1< n:u e r o'E 1,i!•<i! , i Jnn•tic·ular , 1Pdt of prt y , ul.1.'il u

r rn , fn11c'ti01 • vc 2. th 1, nu r ')1' ., < ?'i <-H> \ hi C'i' tH hit vc

a f' l,r>av< ui. n I :ion'. "! • :tt r nu i<lt, ;. h 1. (, tl,c t 1 tt t 1•1 ,

rl.J:.ilin. fP:rtw ti·c l c.c ln 1'm t.i e 1.ar o, 1•f ~i El' tl ar. i Cl ~ m 1t·t .1 c

LLn.t.tl1 (lioi), bccm· ic tlc ll',t <J> i5 r:ply rwum tl.t vhy1i · cal

m ir f J . "."c the Si nat, < ,11 o c1o t ot f 1wul Pm t u, l1t l c.i.. t.u tern
he a f~ r:or< rye•,icll.~ value. Ye t \,( lun( an exn~ple 01. l rt.d ,·here
the ftnC: awe to•1u 1( Urt';C to o:>·pr<efl tb:, lith<:tt por.tfrlc pr nise

!'01• "hr. ! i tufl i,i oti. !11 tl1( !Ott, wlich 111.t:m the flotU( of the

rub\ it1g- nowle wi tl tht roar c,f liom, th<· term for t;:,e ph.ytkal
li.01, ( /(Q!,eA) is Aud,,enly uocci im• tead or the ueual terll' i or- tho
.....
ritual Lion ~ ) . " " 'rhis ifl an inte11s11'1cst1on or the praise

1. or '11he 1'av-n- oolo1.1:1•t;d, elollfl,a tEJct wooden bowle which e111i t tho

2 Text No . 97, The Lion-bowl roara.

J,. .> ~ ••u..... tl t .... .,..,d ,/ i.uu 1.,0... <JU vuJ\.J<, ... , 1,••1.. ..., <ACl'1.,, J. .;...,. u..i.:.,~..a"<>l.i

1
;.)., t. 1\..o .•..>....,, .... '""'"'....: .

:i.•.i. t u.ul Cl.'O~,'ll, 1'u .. t1lt. ;i.i..u0 c 1.,1•cutcu. ia that. oi· a lion, w1<. tl,e
ri t.ual u 1. t i1•e rep1•t.1:>(;ll ~,.. lion-L,anul.> • ..> Tht. ultJueu t, ~ 1ll

Lli1.ru.J,f.1shia, u111.. no.t UtL:l.l. u~11 vcd l.'r01~ u brii.lile-colow·<.i~ w,.wal

~u 1 t ii., r.hou~ll t l.1¥ e oi..u ,fvWl!l 11.cn, b ut 1'1•om a J.i t tle - \14je d
L
vc;1•L vh.i.t.:11 WbW.lS I to e.'l'un c.' • .1.he tel'Ui U.iapgoQlb.;. cou ta1nt. the
1

:Uwu,u elemen't uompe, but th1a '1086 no l onHer mean 'cat.tlei but
'ini tie. tes 1 • 5 '.1.h<- l,)riucip&l 8.btiOC1'1 c.iuu 01 'IJl<. 1'1rs t ol' th~ae

1 ?lf)odham., lSfiO, aa<::ribt"s tt•C' tTf'rtt C'Jirri:f" c·d,Cfl c,4' •·e J ef't
hand or the lrlugwe (a prophet o~ the Mftru or Kenya) to an
1nteru.11' icati on or the s ucree1 rol o 01· the .l."il(}it har.<l 11.
r:· ti.ul; ~t.,,
anul oQT \ Ji th the car t} of t11<... pl.:,•t icul lior. !.1os
i r• the oonl'ider1't·, on that th" 'l""ft hsnc'l or t.h<• holi <'St
p~1est ot the Ueru can do the ~i.,ual job even better than
t he. rii;ht bal~d ol. afA ordiuary priest. Frioethood correaponde
\11 th 'tl.e Hi t ual Lion ( ~acre" cl) ; the le.ft haml \ Ji th w.e phys·1cnl
lion ( pl"ofarl.f') . As NH c'h ~t'!\ says, the : uewe, hil1ll"C lf 1e

Aymbolic; hi s use of the le.ft hand does not mean the t the
lei' t 11w.d as such 1& eacx>ed. The R1 tual ..:.1on or the Sandaw
1B oymbol1o, out the co111 on wo0<1cn bowl 1s not sacred at all.
2 Texts Hos .. l OO, 93, and 113.
3 'i.11e: tern. 1F- onal.Yzed on P'P• 358- 9 •
4 er. p. 1,0.
5 Ct. PP• 365-8•
.. f' '")!' i P1.1l ~ l • . :• f He T U!"'h ( t'"'~ t'f' ro1
l .• t:.!'n I o·· 11 ( ~a t . \. ... , • f {.'f .. ! er, . n ird

' i of uu". I (:( i .. l • 1 ~ 1 • .t •• !"£'

'
re (' (' <
Vf. ~ ( f .• the (" '"'! -- ( { • "'c- f'( ... '\(' l ()

''i el te1 e ,crivf,. flrlfi vtti u vtrb: tr ot <'re's

(1· 1 .1 c, lloc:uy c!rct <.ic:lcn), :'.l!t'.1i.nrul.t! (1:(('cl nf

l.l I n-tr·uc.+iollJ, Ul,U. Lcl.1urru.1>1::n (t l olil •; '"' n· < l i< · "IJ .... ) il

t M: t- to ' c rcJ.utc n to WJJ.J.1.ll.k L 1 c" .u.. ( LJ.lri.) . 1

tc 1tor• • tl.c t.:cu:..·.. <·rom1 ro rn Ull tlc lm·c f· 1~ 1.fjc{"

l'r.1d~t <t t . "" lj1,.u, .1.1 ttc c·iN·l5It r. vctnt ,.~ ·lr f(ttch<1s

i1 · i.< 1l lc 01 ,h~ ol 0.1 c <d <.hilu. t l < of U t caf1 y;i :i.dl t'l1eb

up i 1. tl e t ..lt o, tl'e ,r< n.u. Tfi o 1 urt•5t i o Lim: - w . it -:Jc

r·:i tm.:1 : ou1; ot' tht <' t t ce u1•our1< tl tt , hn t1•< e 1 11 t,lH

th11H ex•, ' ci1•clir L r ovc:r ,.1 t n1°0UJ c ti.1 t1 Cf . ln t.t f. flm f ~- tr ~lt'

tte r cu1•>r i· :ivm . . for ·tic no ltc1t: it rt. ,,ut < 1u1•cc
\o!' .l!C pci~iod ol' polluticm .,,}.j <1, :i.~ ·.,tc i1.iti11ti 01t ti .lo<) •

•'o<.:u... cr. t l .< e. er. tion 011 t.1)1 t \/I ich ::., < J.1•ctu nrl'1'" t:'trn'I., r,, c\ i t

cmr,t.{,ni z l n 1 ·ui a:l. c.,'l :i!'i<:t;Jl('I' r)!f c:ottinr: it uHit 1 tlr-01 : nt

. .
-.:.11 c.-11 i c.
. . ,..>ort . .n ....,. ·3
,u,:1.1

1 lt!:J.i.ll.Q: er. n. 3qo ; ,,al.ngAlf\: d ' P • 3CJ5; £.!l!II.Jll...w.a: of. 'P•

393; b2iog6lggg: cf. P• 381.
2 J!ott t he Lion- game, ct. t e xt r.o. 121, PP• 431-.>i t'or the woman
an~ Ilaro , of'. tCXT. 1,io. 9, no v \:: 2 ' P• l6t:>.

.5 v ircumambulation of· the nomet.tend {kegem• ta) and 0 1· 1J'1e

baobab tre e \l2iti r;t6) are i n eHeot o l rcwnru:lbula t :..0110 ot' a
'11c tir/' ,11 icl 10 nanctlf1od a n<" , et u~art , c f.'. l'ubort end
tauoa , 1964, 31. Tho circulnr route: (1) makes di vine , and
t2) 1o a i u:p'l:, a rJa..;~c c i rcle ( ~., note J.27, ~· 125).
l?or
tn(' ,1on-r1 t ual meaning of :pirimtS o~. note 3 on P • 162.
·ulw~. rnt 5r ·o.,··c:J .P<'r·· 11c ~1 t~r'or!c l tr·cr, 1'11cr

101 ~- to pr 01 lf; \ l o l q re n o on tl £'r, arc! 't ey I r vc ' o

"!'or oll rru: e. ii 1 .. urr non-: '1 l,o"' ·· c • I ,:-ccp . _ onr ·... o tl ::.r ?·,11c
0.1•1 f, i , an<' ever

1
:!1!.2J..'1. ,'Vf f' ( ' } nv~ 1 £ <'11<11<'!",: plo nn') nf,J)C-01· +:") "'f'VC ecr.
N : P ~!'n tel~· ol .orcm to r trao:.-- t. c :,: et 1 de:·ol. ·1m of ·ht r lace

th~ 'ar11en f3t,o.npr- thf• ~oiig an a 1 ·r1cnlJ.· r .rr:iholic onr ro ...ter

-WVJil. e hiot.oY'icall,• ... Rct.uul l)l\O o Onl,r the• fnct trot thore 1e

r-1ay p,..rh1•pe 11oan 1 t.he nlace or tho h·m"; Jeane,.. •, f"~1mn: ~:hnt TIC
900 1bly ha.,c to <'! o with a n i xed caoe. ~ct. evt'n t tho pJ.ac.;e o.f
the lmnt lc .21.c.e r1 t,a.f t•c a dcliburo.to poetic choice 1•a"!;hcr than

a f a.., ,,,aal a ta tcn:.cu t that tho 61r&.:'1'e was olaio b.t tho home of

l C::t'. T>• 4h8 (let paragraph of chapter VI I).

.i.n l,ue bO!lg 01 (;lle prowl.in.i; .l..l.00 tn<; nawt:1 ~ nugpu \ 1
.... J.on,

....•uqw,ni.,o c.ne . ·cncc.; ') ; wie. 1·o i"'wt:1• ls a 1.•1 tua.L nawt:1 1.' or L1on,
u.m1 t.m, sticwiu .a.s " s.i.~=..·1~U1.1 t. avpe..LJ.tuion or epi t.het.1

D1ins tt-elu represen i.eu 1n L.1e l).t·c&e~.i, t.ilebis :.:.i·. "awa vi llUloL ' ~

"'oJ.ti 1a o.escrit1ou. t;1.G ueJ.ong1~ vo vut, secoml oa t,{;,i.:;01·v. 5

ltruaea o.nc e µ1 t •.eto wllich can oe shown t,o i.>e signi1'ictirn, in

ralatiou to tne meaning 01 ~he song, are all :t'mm<i 1.n poeu1&
wnich may ·~e ~r111ea lyrical. And, perhape sign11'ic antlY, all

tile examples are 1.'l'tom songs eung b~ Mr. ~ ~~nda'4 ~ ·

0£ the names found in the toploal dance song& or uhnp~er
Yli, none appears to nave any deliberate u1gu1~icanee in
relation to tne meaning o~ t he song. ~ven the name nwanabdpi
\ 'tie w.no has 1 t ror sayine;' ) in the son~ o~" the poi~ oors • csrave.n
is fao~ual. It 10 the ni ckname or a h1sto~ioal figu?'e aud not
6
a 11amo which haw bt:en epecia.;.J.y ir1ven ted t'or use in the poem.

l ;\::<l; lo. 1:56 (.J.P • ::,07- &) .

2 '11<.J::t .,,. 157 (pp • .,os-10).

3 •rext Jio. 166 (P)• 518-21) .

4 Te)Ct l'r,Yo . 15.3 (?. 5'))) .

5 ~·. 1,99.
6 'lext lio . J.49 . lie orept on olll" knoee (pp. 487-9) .
 629

Invocations like i'.L!l!4 in some l,im44 songs have nothi ng

to do with t he song. 1 Ail Calame- Ori aul e poi nts out in r egard
to a Bambara text, ouch invocations are salutations on the part
ot the stnger. 2 In the YAY4'ga song of the beer tax the
salutation becomes almost a direct address when t he singers
mention t he name ot the headman ;\pndi in their complaint about
the i mpoo1t1on ot the tax. 3 The name is a tact ual one, and
all other names which occur 1n the songs of this chapter are
also purely and simpl y the names ot people who are ment ioned
1n them.
N81lles can now be used to claeeity songs as topical or
non-topical {lyrical or ritual). In the dance songs which
celebrate communal et'rort (way4' sa), of the dance ot the youths
(mangda), and of the harvest and courtship dances (l.i.D,44 and
nfndg), namee are not significant. Sharply contrasted w1 t h
are the songs ot exorcism (simb§), of circumcision (&dil and
1terem' ta), o~ the t'oetua and the phallus (m1r1m4 and senzoona) •
and ot twin birtha (~); here names are highl.Y eignU'1cant.
Only the placement ot the aonge or tho elders• dance (mudanga)
must be tentative tor lack of autf 1c1ent name material.
In minetrelay names may help to class ify songs as l yrical or
heroic m1netrela7. In narrative, tables (tiction) are distin-
guished from mythical and hietor1oal stories (non-fiction) by

the use ot names. Creation myths are a borderline case but they
may be aeen aa belonging to the second category because the name
Matunda e1JAP1Y means The Creator; it is a tactual description
ae much ae a e;ymbol1c invention.

l Text• Noa. 138, 146, and 147. All three are sung by the
eame ainaer who apparentl.Y likes to salute IA!.4.
2 1963, 203.
3 Text No. 134.
 6.30

R1tua1 terms and names are naturally found in t he first

place tn ritual song, but t hey are also strikingl y common in
etory songs. NimJ?a (Lion) occure in the aonge or text No. 1,
§10SJ111 ( ~earer of Manes ) in those or t ext No. 2, SdmJUfdd~
( He Who Al ways Gr unts ) i n text No. 6, p1rim6 (swirling around)
in texts Nos. 8 and 13, iY4va (randiness or coitus) in text
No. 9, and tembo (Elephant) i n text No. 15. This presence in
story songs is no longer surprising now that we have discovered
the correspondence between ritual song and fiction. We have
seen that in ritual song the names are significant to the
meaning of the whole song, and in the explanat ions ot the song
texts we have r eferred t o them as operative terms . In fictional
narrative crucial moments are marked by songs which also
ill ustrate the meaning o.f the story in a way which ordinary
speech cannot do. 'l'hus the song ie to the fable what the name
te to the ritual song. In topical poetry we find no significant
names, and 1n oo~respondence with this we t 1nd no songs in
hi~torioal/mythical atories . 1
It may indeed be eaid that names are poems.

The ,mnora1 character of sandawe names and sYmbola,

Ettorta to discover the meanings of Afr i can proper names
have often been made; evein Sandawe nu.mes have been discussed.
Von Luechan was the first to list a ~ew meanings ot Sandawe
pereonal names; he mentione One Who ·Eata Quickl.¥, Flatterer
(1.e. one who aoroungea tood by ~la t t ering the donor), one Who
la Silent, One Y,ho Loves His Mother, and Good Shot ( ..Schntze" •
which 1• hia translation of KalUI&, the name of the tribe whose
aember a are W1;tll known ror their elephant hunting) . He aleo
mentions tha t a child •&Y be called Croes-roads i~ hie mother
has delivered it at euoh a spot. 2

1 er. P• 557.
2 1698, 342-3.
 631

Dempwolft eu.ppllcs aome aore detail about the nature~

Sandawe personal n&11ee and the c1rcumetanoes in which they are
given. According to one ot hie inf'ormanta, the t1rot name which
a child receives is the name ot ite mother or 1te mother•s
brother. Additional names are given later, at different etagee
of its 111'e: at •puberty t>i tea• (c1l"cumc1s1on), at oarriase, and
at important occae1one, for example when a gl"andfather diea. 1
Dempwolt't''s second in~ormant den1oe that there ie naming at
ciroumeiaion. Thia 1& tl'UeJ there 1a indeed no formal naming
there , but 1n1t1atee may acquire n1cknamea which stick. 'rhe
text which is supplied by the second int'ormant, states that
[at the naming ceremony) the child's umbilical cord is picked
up b7 one ot the elder women and thrown away, a1'ter which the
parent(s) give the child auoh-and-auch a name; preterred are
srandparent's names but names o~ other relatives are aleo given,
and apec1al names are chosen i t epeo1al circumstances warrant
1t. 2 The text impl1ee, but does not make e.xpl1c1tlY clear, that
the name which the child recetvee at the throwing-aWa)' ot the
umbilical cord, 1e the name ot the tree or shrub under which it
1e thrown. ln taot this naming a1gn1t1es that the umbilical
cord hae been depoeited thsre, which means that the child 1• now
tree ot 1 t and hae a tarted Ut'e aa an independent human being
which 1a no longer part ot 1te mother. Thia previous dependence
waa implied b7 the aother•s ( or the mother's brother•a) namo.
The sex ot the child limits the choice ot the tree or shrub
under which the wab111eal cord le thrown, but subject to thie
11m1tation .8tlY' plant may be chosen which happens to be nearby.
Boys a:re called atter euch trees as the rum/la, : •umph4, I.ti.,
.dm&Sa, n&IJlldblA, t4Jpba, 1'4t'3A and other treea; the number ot
treee and shrubs which may be eelected ie great. 01~1• are
oaue• s11ege1.a, gtn4or,, Jll41&, lblk'11, //'anka, and so on.

l 1916, 127.
2 Lpq,qtt.
 632

Such umbilical-cord names (Jhudk• ~ ) ma~ also be taken from

things which are not plants or treee, e. g. ~ (fenco, or
tcnce-post) is a common boy•a name and la.' SnkJ!a (duna, or
manure ) 1s US'\181 f or girle. 1 In general treee and shrubs with
•mal e ' namea are those which are s trong or thorll1', and those
wh1oh have •femal e• names ue small or emooth-barked. Ponce
post• are made o~ heavy loss of hal-dwood Which are pl anted
upright 111 ron to t'orm the cattle encloauro, while dung lies
on the ground and t"ertilizee ( the Sendawe know the uae or manure
on the !'1el4a) , and the i deology ~ proper namee 1e entirely
in accordance w1 th what we have .round :h-om song eymbol1em. 2
Instead or 1>lant- names , g 1rls al'O often given bird-names at
their nami ng ceremonies; the namee are then taken :tl'om bil'<le
Which happen to be pNs ent. s1r;(k9, B4b11Wh Sm.oaari and
Spena are bird-names which ue commonlY given t o girls.
B11'4'-names may also be g1ven to bo1'•: Urum ( s tork) and ~
(Bateleur, a bird like an e agle) ue not uncommon boy's narooe.
but wiereas the birds selected ~or girls are small, the •male •
birds are large birda of prey. The pl"eeence ot other animals
may also decide Lhe choice of a name, Kil(kili, the name of the
awitt squirrel 1& a boy•s name, but L•,dng, a very small mouao,
lenda 1ta name to girls. All these names have 1n common that
a certain circU118tanco to deotatve, and that ideas attached to
the name-givi ng ob jecta l i mit the choice. But circumstantial
ob3ecta aN not limi t ed to trees and shl'ubs, birds and animate.
Common men•a names are JSP:UJP§ or K•olime (Bad Tidings or Omen)t

l Deapwolrr , 199,git• , t r anslates ~ ~ as 'the ~ - tree•,

b u t ~ m~an.a •wood' oJ' 'log• or 'post' as well as ' tl'ee ' .
2 ~'he na.ues J ' 4k'M and gegelela and tll.e ir uoea 1• boys • and
girl s ' names are men tioned in text l,o . 166 ( cf'. PP 519- 20).
· 3 The tYIO f'orma are uoed ind1Gcrir,1nat ely , but I{' o11U (w1-th
atop) 1• the t'o:ra which corresponds with the oJ'i ginal name-
a a.111118 n oun (et'. teat .No. 152, P• 500).
 6..J.3

Lop)sh4 ( ? i gl1ting Stick) , EfA (= K.A. R., ¥1ng'e Mrican Rif'lea),

~ (Oovermiont Poet 019 Fo:rt), Bg.ner1t:@ (• ~ ~ ' 1.e.
Mr. Linke ) , lfarim,o ("' wu,.11m», Swahili f'o'I' teacher) , and
uazengp ( Building Polee, from the Swahili majm11Jt, b uilding site
or polos) . Thea& namoe may com~emorate circUJ:ilstancee like the
presence of a ep1r1t-meesonger, a stick-tight, the child'&
f'ather' a departUl'e to join the army, the building of the
government post at f.wa Utoro, t he arrival of Llr. Lin~e in the
area, the ro.ct that the f'atller or one of' tho gueata 1s a teacher,
or the conatruet1on of' a new houso. AB!3oc1ated 1deao play a
limiting role also in this k1nd or name. ll.fll:i geane Rainy,
Season; thir 1e a comnon name tor girls born at that time
but ijabuni, tho name of Dempwol~~·e chief inf'ormant, is a boy'a
name wl1ich m.eane '.l'hore Are Empty Stomachs. The i'ormf)r shows an
ar aociat1on v,1 th fertile tem1n1n1 ty, the lntter w1 th sterile

masculinity. 1 Although men and women usuallJ do their hoeing

tocether the nane H10W,11, One \Too Hoes Regularly, 1.s a girl• s
naJne, and so ie ~oz1«4, Bambara Nuts (1.e. a harv~at ot plenty
of' these nuto), for hoeing and harvests are associated w1 th

tertili ty and these namee aro therefor e fem1n1ne . 2

The meani ngs of traditional clan e.nd tanil.Y name& have
ot'ten been forgotten, but eometimee the ot"iginol moanings are
atill clear. A!ntta • ie a recUl':ring naL'le in A1agwa t'aidliea, and
their great headman was so called. The Al&gwa claim Datoga
descent, and the namo means Beautiful 1n thtlt language. 3 fl'he
eque.l.l.y connon Alagwa name Hunsd comnetnoratot:J the clan hill of
the LIUll&d clan.4 Even tt th~ meanings ot traditional namos are

l 'JI~ ~ cf. text l~o. 113, eapecially P• 415• IIAbpni is

IMMUt-~ {@mpt.r etomach or emptiness - there ore 019 remain) .
2 Kpz1g6 1e a trad1 tional crop ( c-r. P• !>2). '..l'hia 1a not a
treo or p1ont na~e ot the p.-"eviousl.:; discui:.)eed type.
3 an1n§g = beautiful ( ~/e:,.~ther, 1898, 491) .
4 ct. P• 19 ft'., and p. 21 note l , P• 23 note
5.
 6JI~

otten no lor£SOr regembe:oed, these na~ea tend to be circuu.-

stant1al. i'hey are choeen because it io felt that a cortain
anceotor•o name ought to be selec ted ~or propitiatory reasons;
there uay have been i ndi cations that his epirit misht beoome
t1-ouble3ome ror somo reason or another , and tho aelection or
this snoc~tor•a name ohovrs to hi m that he is being prope~J.y
remembered.
Sandawe 1deaa about nwuee i'it in well nitb '9hat ta known
about other African peoples. Obst aaya that the R1.n1 use the
nanea of ocasons, harvests , or clra'JShte £or personal namJs ,
and ne a1veo us a short list oi' Ri mi numes uith their meu.~1nga. 1
Von Siok raoords many uore Rimi na~ea, the great maJor !ty of
~
which are olearl.Y su1,otantial names . ~ Further ai'ield the
ei tuation ia not su'bs tantially <iitf'orent. hull Ba..18 tha. t tlle
Pm-e nams tlleir children arter s<>l!le c1rcuastance atten<lins the
ch114' s bix•t h or some geculiari ty i n i ts a1)pearanco. 3 S t1•uy.r
ehowe that amoug the Ba- Kongo such ci rcumst~cec ae the ~other's
labour, or the nW1es ot• the day of tll~ week on Vlhioh the b1rtll
takea plaoe, a~e promtnent.4 Spi ese ' study o~ Bwo naraes in
Togo shows oeveral oatogoriee ot oircumetanoo, but also naaee
or a parent's aembc~ship or secret eouietiee, and names or
people dedicated to a d1v1n1ty. 5 Still further away, in EUI'opo,
the p 1ctUI'e has changed substantie.llY, and relig:\.o'J.s 110!!1es,
Jl8l!les o~ iaytholoGioal animals , wax-li ke propertie~, and various
1deal1set1ona dominate th~ s aene. 6 Among the Sandawe , oireum-
ate.:nce dominates tho ocene an~ ideology i s subordinate.

l 1911, 90.
2 1915, ,~o.
j l9.53 , .326.
4 1908, 135-7·
5 190.3, 57.
1853·
' Cl'. A'bel ,
 635

Unlike men.Y European names , S wid.aw6 nan.es a:rc e1gn1f'1eant

appellations 1n the sense that they have ~eal tignirics.nc~ 1n
reepect 0£ the physical axiotcnce or t-he :JndH'idual t•ather than
with an abstract iueal.. 'ihe name's oign1t'icancc :le r elated to
1
1t, not separated ~~om it.
Bandawe symbolism is similarly i ntegratvd with i ts
sw.-ro\Uldings. Animals provide carioaturee or pooplc and their
chnra<"tere , l)u·& they alao provide eyml.iol& ot whut is 1mpox•tant
to human& and wh~t they s tand for; plants GilftbOlizo ideav about
fertility', masculinity, feu1ini 11t~, and spiritual values.
Based aa they ara on phy'tiioal s i milo~i t iea, the ir flowers and
their :lrui tit l)1•ovioe e:t•otieall;r sexual s:nabola o~ fortili t :,
rather than z-o.t:1entic 1~ept•esentationa as in EUI'opo. 'nm~ we r.lSY'
con traa t; Sandawe syi;1boliam ( and ~·~:rricrui c.rmbol1su i n ger.ornl)
with !:uropean ( ai,d A&ian) aymboliism QS reali& tic and 1d0alie tic
or, 1f we wish, a s i ntegrated and abstractec . ~e t . if we do
thia we tlt11J. .fail to put into c lear pern:pecti ve on important
aepect 01" Sand.aw~ ( and Mrioan) symb olism. and also of tho
na tui•e of th'-"il.. oral cu-• t . ~'his aopect is arun1x-ably describod
by Nketia who x•acognizea circumotanoe as tho ro.latip11. or a
thing to 1 ts surroundings. Cor.uneu ting on Akan poetry , ho says

that

.. Ol>nl literature, has tended to g i V<" prominence to persona,

1nt e:i:•peraonal r,:,la t1onsh1pa and at ti tudea anti values derived
f~om our concepti on of t,~e universe . We do not a_pend time
on the dat'fodila o~ t he nightingale or on reflections on
abetrnc t beauty, the ni ght slcy and s o on as things in t hem•
s e! veo, but only 1n relnt1on to soc1a1 experionce. Our
poatry is f'ull o~ animals and pla.." tte, but the se are used
beoause t h~Y provide apt metaphors and similes. or oomproaoed
'1avo o~ st.1 ti n..; bi to o1' ~oc1al. e x1)01•1ance. 02

1 The nodern uae or Chr1et1an and Mohammedan name• ctxoepted.

2 1961, 106-7.
 CONCLUSION

In e.ddi tion ".o Nke t1a' a a>.'gumen t the. t o:ral l i tera. tu!""
states bits of social experience, it may be aI"gued that it
helpfl to maintain and. atim~.ate the Aoc1ety which aU!)pliea th1e
e1tperiencr. Songs are morP thRn juat mnemonic devie~s which
help etorytelJ.ers ttoFtemo c:r the Atoriee they tell; thPY m:u,tain
and 1nv~goratc the rituals o~ whien thPY fo~m part, and tho
rituals or lire form en es~ent1al part of 11re ae th~ 8nnda1'18
know it. In hie diACUPeion oi' ~adol1fre-~rown •e tu.notional
explnnat1on of rites, l'eattie ns,-ees with him that

"ritea expreae symbolically, and co help to sustain, certain

social attitudes and values which are conductive to th~
smooth running or oom~un1 ty life. Hl

Thi~ is done qui~ unconac1ouely. P.eat tie adds that

tt·,:o are concerned • •• mai nl.y with \7hat R. F' . )terton called
'latent f'\\nction• ratheI" than 'man1t'oot :f'unc t1on• . '!'hat ia,
we are dealing with consequences o~ human behavi our ot which
2
most of the actors BI-e or may be quite ia,:,.orant. "

Oral 11 terature per.t'orma tile ea.me f"unction her•e as r1 tual, and

siince it provides moa~ o~ the oral. expression o~ the ritual
action i t is an essential. part ot it.
The educational value of oral 11 terature i s quite obvioue.
1-fot onl.¥ ini t1at1on and othel' r1 tual sangs teach the 1n1 tiates

what beh•v1our their ooci ety expeote f rom them. Even euch a
m1llor form or oral. art as ridulea i s educa1;ional. because it
help• the r i dctie- pla,yi:ag cll:ildren r ecogn1:isa the mecminS ~

2 0p. cit,, 20a.

 6J7

motaphoricel etatomont$ mad~ in the t'o:rri or a challenge; nt:'tor

a wb1le they will &lao learn t o rocQ£ni7.e the s1sn1r1oence of
ptme ond the value or synbnlh·a and tabooG 1n r1ddle-play1n e; .
Storie£ aleo teach; they do t hio by th~ examploe o~ tho
che.ractflra wh1cl1 act 1n them, and or'-.on stories ar•e cle&rly and
avowedly Mor•nl 1st1<... On occns:!.on th1s Moral1rt1c vuhu' r,ny b e

consciouel :, uced. or the ctory of +.he cil..1 !'1r,g, \'mo hns an

avoreion to n1rr1ago and who io nclminjstored ttu"' mod1c1ne of:
a phallic snake , t.he ctory-t.e' lor said that 1 t tonchcc; a girl
that a ::-ersiou-nt refusal to t·ct tlRrriod 1o bad. Actuel:ty ho
did r orC\ than just nakc tl'i t. cornnont. He aC<!reared hir G+ory-
clenrl y to <1J1t particular nct'\bor of' tho audience. 'rhir pcr;,son
was not o narrio.ge...nh:r locnl girl but 11 daughter or. the r. tory-
tcllor•o brother; oone ye~ro a~o ehc hod gone away to ~oke a
livinr; in thn town of' Doc'lorna, and she had ,~eturned t>oJ"e t:or a
v1ett. At Dodoma oho wao ttoelling beer", i . e . she worked in a
bar ane. led a proraiscuoue lite. To her ·~other ', t~~ story-
teller, it was obvi oui> that theo& circunstanoes Viere not
conductive °t<' tho concl usion of' a regular r-arriage with b:ride -
wcal th and the b irth or children. 'ihe point vies not l oot on
some ot: the children who lnur;hed t-t her>, whereupon she got up
anO hi d hereelt i n the i nner room.
Di rec t moc~ery rathe r than mornl1zing may be
ae a s ong t ext o-r t.hc harvrst and courtship dancf, (1JU&4) $hows
us. The descri pti on ot: the marriage ..eby girl J,lent4 ridicul.ef'
her. 1 Tho use of the :a.nx4 •a song or Uambe "'1th the bare
butt ock• , descr ibed on P• 456, amou.~ts to the succcestul
application of social sanction£ i n much the same ••7 ae
Mal1nowak1' e T~obr 1andera did wben thei~ public insults drove
an 1.Dce•tuous member o~ the communi ty t o au1c1de, after threat•
ot black a agl c had taile~. 2

l 1'ax t • o. 140, c!'. P• 474•

2 )i&U.AOW!8k1 , 1926, 78c
 rl'~ 1

c ~~c r. • ~- 1 "' ' :-- 0 f " ·, tt r c, r ri "'r , •t

't 1 ~· a

tJ <".. •
•
r 41?.
"' J • CI i.1

'. ....l.hl..l I cjl ~LJ1 l.. 1} !..'

"tht ccrnence ot' rites ic. u.hil.i<;U\.lon one.. ..he 1>1·oruo·, ion or
~cl:.dtl:i. .,, r,: l ~· · • <::<•.c ' l t ' (',r. f TnI err~.[<' ,f'
p•our \ hofe r PT'tl, t N' D!'f' pt'efie!1't must t ,er:cfi t in terrie of'
II'
jJi.crcrn. 6tl <.;:wrorn tc oolici,u•i t::. :.>

t iz,re- !'n,,p: j ~- Ninh ru ~r,~tn,t.lnl pro t of r1 iu.El.l it 1c orv1ous

that :t "iF ,.. ...,ln 5!' t.he el'haJ'cen<:n.... o" r-oliG.e!'i .. ~, ic; irr,po:-twt.

01, the ri tPP ot" -1;1v· hi 11- clons. ~,mi t.>\ dcmonetratcs that every
'?CN'on 1ho ia bol"I\ 111.1,0 n nor> toi n re1ip i on i n S<'lcia:1 l:,• ar•:•ee ted
4
nnd tif'd by 1 t, t,eca.uso of 1 tEJ nQ.~t'l.l"(> ao a ".'Or 1, uni t.'f rolir ion .
· ,y taki ng J>ai"1; :l.n t.h~ ri tualo o!.' clan reJ.ip;i01'l tht Sana.a,re

1dont1£1en h1moelf with hia clan.5 Smith' s arrcumont in rcsnect

0£ the anoiant Bem:t teo 10 certainly oleo true £or t he S:;.ndu'1e:

''In ~v· OW'.lt' ·,1c,asu.re nu thP ~od or a cl(:r or tmrr 'had

i n'liepn,tabl~ clatm t o the rcvo1-cnce ond Hc1•vicc or the
co~1 :\lni t:1 tc, 1mieh hi:> helon~or:1, he was nec('-eearil:, en 6r..er1y
t o their er,emiea a r>.d a f• u•tUJger 'liC thoac to whom ·i.hcy wcl'(;
1;1 t.z>ansftora. ,it>

l D• 5~2.
2 P• 471 .
3 1962., 146.
4 1907, 2a rf.
5 Anfi with a largo~ eoc1al group 11" the divinity belongs to a
larger aocial. group, viz. the Alagwa rain prayer• {ct.p.342).
6 0p,c1t., 35.
'wel>er spsa.lts 01 tue continuous retention ot' m'lgio • ee,peciall.V
oi..' the an<lestrt\l. c ult , as the guaran tee o~ soo1a1 obedience • .L
AE> a wediWil oi' expre. s 1on f.'or t.h1e .eu1cee t.ral oul t . oral.
11 t<.,i•&. ture :Corroa a vital l ink i n the main tena 1ce ot social
obedience.
~arret1ve an~ rlodles al.no plat t he ir pa~t 1n one's
1aenti1'i cat1cn with a gr•oup. tin6.eretan<ii ng of t..ne group '&
limg uase and s.;m'bolism or,i.oleo a peraon to cot-c. ut1ica t.e w1 th i ta

member~ 1n the sane t<.1rina. understf)n6.1n~ ie r-oc ..>ani tloo , ~d

N~co~T11 t ioc. 1 mpli.,;, e acceptance . .;, or & 5 t.t>an:e:.c· t ber·e il ,10 ,iure:o
v.·r,.y to gaic . c .. eptarcc e1.ot•i a e.1·0.:.£) 01· c l". ild.r•Jn an.:. t.) ~sin

tt,,.-.11• co1 t'1cer.~€' . tt.sn to zhov. t h~ t h'$ ii, fl.OH to join ::uid en joy
H ·dt· ~amcz of r-l<'('llt-?J ~ yi ne . e- i 'f il e.~1;1 , a.:nonz t 11e gro\ID- ut,>a ,

an ability to tell a vri tt.r story or to r~f'<lr t.o some ..e ll-..cnown
:f'act or co11ci tL,n 1:.'l & ;>'Ill". or sn a~ t c _1arac ter..lso.tion, ·.i.1!3pele
! t1itinl st:.:_~1c1:.m ei.~ by mep i~. l t '.la, iJC3 sal d that su.coe"3oi'ul

o.uly air.o.ul:, tt,,1; 11vir.i;- ~ut ~lso .:>etw·e~n the l:lv:l.ug a.-id t..ie

l u9e:.r-.1a t ural. It E>X;;>re~acs I,,.,; rela tlons be t~e,;311 lh<:!i.1, c111d. 1t

c eme ·1ts theae relations . . ·~ ho·fe al.i.•e.1:l 'f r e •01•1•ed to tno
t..x:pru,c jon, 1n prc...rer , ·- ;f rol atio11.e bt,'t,,,een t.lM living a.,d
di v1n 1 t ,r. l .a ~X0?-1!1en, , t h,? aot1gB or the l'i tea bavs t ho qual i ty

o r a ept.?11 wh<·n 1,hs e i Agi r.0 (lnd h1Jrn- t,e s.tlnu lf01ni,11 htJl.9 to
t .rrmo1.ize t~1.<il darcers into achi eving tea te ot agil ity ancl
e r.d.t,r1:u:ce . Tt ~ eone;r co ~trfbut~ to the d.anc~rs ' diosooi:a ti.,n
M~ t~w .r;e"lersl ~t no:•1.1ere of:.' t ,: enzy. Tne lt~Ji c or Q,_.al
1 1 tera tur e i & a.pp 1106. i n a n~ga ti ve eense when the Sandslf8 ob-

r e vve tJ,e t.ab ~o o~ r i ddle-pl a,y-1l1g i'!' oroer t o avoicJ. <Htl lin&1' up

thd c~op- a~stroy i og b irds .

Inaivi6.uals may benet'i t f rom oral lltcratUl"e •a ouch aa
&oci~Ly ae a whole. ~ ~ln~trel &a.Y darive cone1derablo personal

l 1963 , 90.
prestige :trol'I! it , an~ e'lffln wealth. Re·,o'lfflP~ <10~1~-1fl:R1el•(l +:pnd

to l:>e i ni ttators ~cf rt tual 1.ead Jra.

i e l"ieh i n :fot'!!I and at.vlistio d"Vio"'s• It i '1 n"t j·,~t 3

i t :<lhmmds :t.n :: to-oh.-:>I'O , nim1lco , o~maton1)e1<i, .·'G"1f"l°':it:lon •

.1nu al~o 1n h.u.uour , 1ro,v, ">Utnoa and 'hath.oe . 1 le hnvn i'ounc
a Ll thon'!l clomen t3 al~o in Sanrl.a··,e ..,oetr.r- ·i1\b a.loJ n, in hifl

~i[!nifica.nt tiDr.cr.cn .o~' c,, .o~ti·1ol:l , ·~l"A'BG.i:.icnJ. co•.n1..1 e· .1:i(m.~

t 1::, 1,mg.;he:ii,1g of' ayl.la'>l•~a, ruid h'..u1n,ll'-t'lrY:;t·.r:o.t.e<l tc}lw-cl;.~'1.{~ s.a

;:jg,nrlawe oral a1•t 1.1lso uc,'s th,·ao dfoJv:i.c~s . an, 1 tn m~lcdy tG

1n .l•...f."°"1c~.n 11 tora cures "a patUo:l'n ic in1,ooed en poetr~, b;r the

tonal i, tructuro 01· Vw l angtlap:e . 11 3 ,•ones rightl;r notoo that
( in upeech) "a word 'lfi t h a wrong pitch if' no -r;ord ot 011 11 , cut
l,nat humoar i s o:t"'ten achieved in A.t'rioa.n song by running tnna

1 195:i, c. 11, n) H() Mmtio:rio n1.L\ t,erAtion (t,,~t r.~t. ri".yme) trhich
:if t'o1..r111 ir, Ycruba ·riut 1,0 i. ir1 S ande.we . Sv,ahili P.oetry aleo
u.ca :rh;n,e.
2 19GG, 77 ff'.
3 1958 . Sa~1cl'l.WO cxem;,1lt' O of' "wrorg" tl)ne: Text r:o. 141 ( p . 475 ,
lino2 l und o) . ~he mclo(ly 1r1hows uo .wilw, but t.lie ltor<l tone
i u ~ . In t<':<t 11(>t 1.,4 ( p . 5<.i4, line 9) tl.c nclodJ changes
L!.!J!L to ~ !!" +ext o. 14~ (p . 1}£5 , l1ncc 2 t..nd J)
anu tsh§ro d1f~er in tonal values nlthou~~ there 1o no
eramD!atieal di1'fe:rence .
counter to epeac h tones. ""' Babalola alfo apefl.lm of h\,mour-
n.ot1 va ted tQne-cha,1,gee. In the;; song ot the 6.istan t 1"':ircn we
have eetn that i,h,.,. ,. au.dawo aJ..;o knov: ho-., to uue •one 1'01'

crct4 tine !'urmy ei' 1:ec to, 1 t E"".uoh tJ1e sm1e W8Y as a t'm~opean
composer naY make a mu.e1ca1 joke. J

tJPe:,: .,:10 in t.crrQi;U ti ve ~ 'the ai;,,ple- aentcnc'.'l t th<' coi,pou..--id.-

Den mtco 1 ~he •Jtiort-story, the ,,ne-word, and 1,h£ pl~rase t:l})Cs .4

C,n'ro i:1 '..t,X 'v O. 1 ;'> .) .....rut.~-~ •j_ t< 1 at-cl l'eCOI ( fi t.l1Rt, in r.. t',J.\Ilde

.J<en.a f
•
VOl.CO ~ ·
• ~ r
i..'"<! l.'f);"JO'I't<td. vol llbOl. says Uu.1, the J x•a.Nba t.c,w lorm m1J. ill!ru,.; 7
R
ir.. \'Utm::•".I., 1 r ·r olJ.:nh1Jl~h t.lu C,l'.•nt n r aelc c·1•ies 1.t~ u.ll ~ ; ' "
a' 1·or c:liI1.d to ,.orl- .,ru·se11 t h~· 1 a~·1a }·.oncybil•cl calls ~ ~ ,
9
1(, •
u~o ::- aruizu uwl c1nua tt) 1n 1·1 J., am. the Cock crows .!J.Ql.Ql.i..dl

Corno 1n ~s:

3 •'f• P• !):,t I U.Jfl }1(•l,i,h{Wt"l l, l' •~•t ?6 f

in~t~nc' oi":
h
19!17, ?17.
6 1961, 19 . ..
7 1031, 3 1•3.
8 1"·1.!, ~ l~.,.

9 1956'>, 225 .
10 1937a, 21.
 r: -

l
),:) •' i• - t ; ().(>

t. ' l

C )l O \ .... ( , l,,. Cc..t''., t t,

,o O(} J. c..il • u ;; l) ' \.' t<>

'.•o ·,·.a '11

ln I ' it • ·, ..,., .
, ' •· l I·
• ' ) ,la. \ ,,. •I' ) ~ . '..) : in

-1i 1il ,1.. cl ·~ 11..;;" ..c )"", , i''

un :!. i;.ri· ,n u• i ) ' ,., l , m·'.a·r, ; 4 y •,,

ve ;i ,i , 1 ,~ t I , u () tl• ' , , .i l '

re >e ,i ~ i.011 is nlo ) co I n cJ.cow •..!1:r•o. · '1 el

nec,t u,!l ,.l.O.,'d''i di<'r.1r. that co11 •r.shi_~ s.n1 tl e imi t.f 11on o!'
e.Limala are t 1e i<i<:tas wn-i.ch tho l us,u111H E:tJCpN ~, i:, i l1 ,.h<,ir>

n• .c'. Bl ~ek nlt.30 sa.:,3 that t'ie ·s,rnh"'lti11 fil' tt gO'.)(t rninic~.• 7

ar1 l luo:me.n aru mn.ri"' poo tlcAl ( ~9:!.1<>ciaJ 1 y 11ec.,,, 0 c trf' ln:ttt ' 'I"
1 8
have ''oxt,}r,sive rr..;rtl·olo~ice.l t1•ntl1 4 jon:.'.i. llte,·atur1 • ) .

1 ..!..'!Ug. , 50 .

2 ,,t'. 1Jl eek , 18 / :.> , 6.

5 19<>5, l o).
6 19?.5, v11 1..
7 l 929a , 8 .
8 1911 , 4311- :>.
 643

bo;ront\ ron&onoblo doubt , one con.not get awn:, t'roz:1 the 1'eol1ng
that, like Bushman art, Sandawe oral art relioo on implication
rather than on reasoned ar~ument , o.nd that this reliance 18
greater than among surl'ounding J ontu tribe i;.. '.ro put it in
Jakobson and Halle•s terns, f andar.e oral art al)peara to be
guided more by the principle of s1milar1t7 ~han forv8l'ded
1
essent iall.f by cont 1uu1ty. rlowever, at the present staBe this
i s hard t o prove, and iho evidence which e have adduced is
fnr 1'rom conclusive. Acting ie pert ot ritual everyWhere, and
this includes a certain amount of" mi micking. Special sountiS
are also cade in other »arts , nnd we do not know how good the

corrcapondencea are. 11.ll wo can say is that in tlie course ot

history ~andawe oral art hae bocome etron~l.v influenced by
bnntu neighbours, thiB i s borne out by s i milari t ies in etory
motifs , r i ddle etyl ee, ritual proceedi ugs and songs , symbolic
2
terminology, and eo on. Obvi ous d1rrerencea exist i n lanE;Uase,
music and r eythm., eome tradition, phek•umo, the rubbing- bolfl
and other 1nstrumontat1on, and aha«lee of dit'tet·enoe in s ymbol1o
representations. Very tentatively we c onclude that Sandawe

l Principles covernt ng pootry and prose , respectively (1£56, 82 ).

2 Iocauee of th~ ne~lcct of poetry , story ~otife form tho best
comparative material. Ieoa• a small publication of Rangl tales
(1965) fits in woll With tho material trom other Bantu neigh•
boura. We have noted that t'urther afield s1xllilar1 ties de-
crease sharply, although the ramo basic moti fs occur over
wide aroae in ditterent torme and are ao~etimos universal (ct.
Thompson 1955-8); Asi atic linke are someti mes evident oven
in non•Uohammedan societies ( Thompson 1946, 285) . Detailed
knowledge ot African ~otifs ia lees complete than tor soco
other part& ot the world, and is still insutt'icient tor
making a chart which would give ue the i nformation we seek.
Von Sicard•e recent monumental work (1965) uses Thompson's
index , but the d1atr1but 1one which ho quotoa show at beet
general Atrican areae {e . g. the Bantu area, as on P• 268) ,
at worat a world-wide un1vereal1tyfo.r some baaic motif (e. g.
on P• 213) or no recognizable pattern at all (as in moat
oaeea) .
 644

01.•ul li 't.t;rt.4tw•e con!:1:-tH or n la?'c.<'l Y 1 antu su.11cratruc1.ure

which llaa bc~n built en what r.iay be a Luolu:ian or otumtot-like

suba t:.•a tUJ:1; the re.Jul ting euificc 1c partly .... antu in otr•ucture.
bu.t oui;war. .,.J.y 1 t lo kc qui 't<) c..i ft'erent a."ld oleo 11. \,~ ontent 1 t
i i. ct1ll d1f'... e1~~nt in ::lfil'-J° r ea::;,ects. 01"1 inol Sundawe elem<1nte
appec.r to ha ~o c on t ribu tee i:aore than Yari otw non-Bru t u
1.nfluciict-c ; o'I: th.~ lu ttcr the influ1;Lce ot: Do. toga rain-priesthood
10 the mos t important.

:hat i s beyoL.Cl doubt is the 1nporta.nce or t,a,1dawe oral

literature i,;o the ...,a.."'l.dawe theiaoclveo . Above the levol ot
ll1ll-c...Dn aolidari 1;y, l ar.~e aud 11 t1.;ra tu1-c comb i1.e to :a;,r•ov1de
wt.at up{leara t.o be the strongc&t cohooive clement in their
egalitarian tribe . ~o u.:.deretand their l1te~ui;ure goea a long
W.JY toward the undoro t and1ng oi.' Sandavre aocie t:, as a whole ,
i tu 1no t1 :u 111ons • 1 to hio tory • its e;:T!'!lbolisi:1 and morals• 1 te
ideals and t'a1lureo , 1 to ho.rieo and aspil'a t1-~ms . l~ onableo
non- Sanda\to to apprec iate and r-eapect that which at 1~1rst sight
may iaoom odd, inco:nprtfacn a 1·c1c or 'pri.... i t1 ve" .
Sandaue oral literature is not a h 1ehl.Y sophisticated
literature , but i t ie an honeot and vital one.
AP P :S NDI CE S
 1.

APPEND I X I P O .P U L A T I v ?1

Source and year of cenous ui thin ln the

the 'I'•"'lle
tribal D1etJ>1ct
ar( a. or ond )a

~--
..JC:::lpYIOltf I 191G,
--
l

Gernnn Native Census ·~s t1rmte, 19132

r1 tJ.sh ., a ti ve Cenauo , 19212

\ st. 1910)
-
20,0!.-

25, 0001

l3,852j
11-·-t
--:--f
------·-
'<l,a[fsha\"6, 1925 , 219,
-- 15, 0CC3 II
j
,, l
I

I
Xondoa Di e trie r. Gur.c\ls, 1928'" I
1 9 , 4,?4 20 , 092

.r.or.~:~'!I Jit. ~ric .. Cc:1euo, 19.31

-
2
I

21,.588
I
I' 21,q47

van de
-
1 'l;,e n ade , 13~6 • .596
-- ?1, ')00
.
I . ---
-- "\er~er, 1<; 51 , 965- l )3A, eet1mate 1947 2J, 0')0 4 .
-~~

·~a.a t A."r~.c on ~o, .i:.. 1t.lon c;cnsnt:t , 191~3 21,202 22 , 286

-
'en:. ;-ul Af'1•iccn Census , Au;; . 19~75
I. 20, 031 20, 607
- '
1 These r i gUl'~s app~ar t o include t h~ l ar r e ~i mi aegm~nt or
the pO!.)U1at1on, 01• perhe:p~ tc x-eprescnt the tota.l population
ot the tribal area.
2 Baeed on tax asees sments , ~nd afte~ the l9lu-19 war on more
o.ceU!"atc poll-tax es timatelh 1iof1'et 1955 , 5.5.
3 Thcae f1gurea exclude non-Sande.we tribal ele...1ents. Dagshawe
rei'eX'u to an a.d i1 t1onal 'ace t.it)n of ;an.rnt\\ru l R:! r.11) . i:;ome
50"0 f'trong •• • • , noaPlY all 0£ whom speak the Sandawi
language 1n eddUsion to their own nan tu tongue [who] are
rap!dl:, becoi.11-ie. abeor~od 1n t? the tI"1be. 1•
..v<Jn 1r we al1ow fo"t" d1t"t'eri,noes 1n the l'iogree o~ accuracy
betveen the first two eet1matee end the later f i gures and
t he exclneion or non- Stt.?1da\te :rrom t he letter, 1 t \?Ould.
ap-,ear t.hat the por,ulat1on decroasod sharply during or at'ter
the first world war . The 1919 faa,ine caused a great exodus
or s~naa~e to the Pio~e and Arueha are3a or the Northern
Province.
4 'l'h1a euti mate 1s obviously somewhat on the h1.gh aide .
5 Total number of 8andawe: 28.309 ( i ncluding t hose 1n the
em1grat1on al"eae).
 11

APP EH DIX !I LIV r~GTOCK

-----!-----·-- -·r· - - - - ---- ----1

j Yea:• j! Ca t.tl~ Goat I Bhnep .Donkt~ys I
~ -~~·••-•--*"l•l.._,...., _____-i"f°__ _..,..._......,,..._._,.."'!-_~,--~u.........,••••._.______.,..~I

I 1913 I
1 l .5C, 0.,~ . • •
,I

r 192.;- 1· 58,254
I l10 , 1J4
·'., 8 , 921 652 >

I
.......--~--.-.i·'---~~~
I
........ .~~~--,io----------.J~~------' I

1930 I'
'l
75, D l
-~-,- l

1
811

1,050
I
~
19~2 79,92.J 6l) , 083

193/_. 2
\.

ti 37 ,272 7,bl6
l
I 59 . 773
~
1955 62 , 7).:, 40, )17

1959 61,1..52 51,1C9 H~,336

This tab l e ~as b~en compiled from Native Cattl e Ce~sus data
conta ined i n vari ous entries in the Di strict Book, Kondoa.

1 .b.a titna te by I;r . Ob& t ( 1923, 259) . In addi t1on to o. oat tlo
~igu.re he mention& a c ombined total or 6000 goat end sheep.
2 A severe ep1dem1o or 1:iange "nlrnost decimated the f'lo oke
and hord.s or the dictr1ct" , :t'rom: "TJpea of .Li veatock,
1~1ci dencc o1: disease, grazing and wete1•ing runeni t1ee eto.,.,
T<eport by tho Dis1.r1ct 'let.erinar y Of'.fioor, YonC, oa, 1938.
 111.

APPENDI X III I'A .U IH EO AND E PID EM ICS

----~----- ---..·------· ..·----- --...--·--

Details and f\oui•ces
- --------
1.50 am·, (
Sev1•:,P. :l'ai,ine y~aN' ""·1 c •)
~ <..) ~ ·
revo1• , 191.i"?, o2 .
1 36Ji'r t>ilood i bu ' ti ' .i!'"'f:lt e r.t or •, or 18t;J,'>) '>ro .iz:1t nnd 1

l ocus ta, l,f>:f'nre rli~a t.., o.~ .. rufo'. . <. f·er•rod

O I, <)b i l'f"Oll , ) '>7a.
:t;.1875 Sr.Jc ' ilo •Ri nclerl)es t• , moinl .r i 1 w~otepn oanclawe .
lrobnbJ.y the ~·ace as the rtn"'er-oc1,; t t n
.1a ...1 r.e co1·ded h,r von oi ck , 1915; 11.h
1891 S ilk ' ilo ba ' a ' 'L'he :•e at R.l.nderpc"t ' . :Sml,119.lll"\ ld9h ,
3hf'f' .; Obst 1923 , 2l' J; -~13by 1961, , 5? ..
1894 T-;=: j_.u:C 1 ..uOC\.13 ts t • :'.. i:·ou.sh t tllld enm•rnoue. nwn1"111e
e1nec}.:o 1895, 114.
o!' loc 1.2t· t s .
1896 Ua lan ~:! Nlirag,l ' Ire,,_ ;i a.mine• . 1- .r1n,ter,)ef·t 1,1 {1.rt\1:
von lclt 1915 , ....d . llll'orm?.r. t 16 ~· pp. Ii}
oayC' z>i l\deppeat a' ·ecte,l v1~stel..n .. emdawe
b<'f:'" ·~ ie~•"1£l,'I'\ !'().Cit'i Cf'\ • i rm W"'YO.
1908 .!U a,1 t l' on~o ' ..oo t pn~UJlon:!.a 1 • .uo doub t the uu:n, ae
the ' :!~lYt:i:.en:-1~9c_ru,~ • .,.ep nr1-t"' tl l>.:r von ' ick
fo,• th 1B .rear in irnt .
1511 1Cvrnet'. Drought t't)ll onin s; t:1e year of
Halle y 1 e Cot:lct ot' 1910.
•s t""'ili t y 1 • ri:e.1n P lnt 1.:1 , ca1·1cs di.e .
•i on ., iok renort s e1viil ar f!e tbnek .for the
,a nri i r.. 19 >9 , J 1.t Ganc1awo so:, i n their
c ouutrJ t h.1a oocurrao durini; -he war.
1 919 " .;-iome 'wai ne '; g1•<.·atuot h i ~ torica.l
l°'ttmi no , o~odus to .11'i o11e ( ,oro;ra) .
Bagahawe n;. o.r i es 1920 , 12; ·Tre vor 19h7,
62 ; Di e tr1ct 'ook , Ko·1.cl oc •
1921·, • •Und.:,1'..,ea t 'aftl:t' .;iome .r's ttinc 11 '!>ut
be~ ore 1922 ( .:>i stl" . -Tet . o ...--r. Roport 1938).
1 '... raue •. er.t!' 01' p l eutJ. In va r k ~a norned
1922/3 tiogor:!
1or on Hogori ai't er looul jumbe , cf.
tex:t ,o. 77.
1934 / ' wa 'PeBt•; ~evere ep i demi c or mango , see
f i (~ure a 1.11 1\ p )em d1x Ir .
1942/3 1Jlay a N4raci11 ' E~o9e ' s Fnmine•, c~cause or the world
war.
1949/50 Hmll'bU Orai11 e. tor,~s at l'l"lbU ( a anzawa Local
Court) held su.tt'1o1ent reserve to tide
the po.;;,ula.ti or. over. ~u.M1kia' ( ir.Hr ooks)
1n oho.r,,,.e ot t'amine die tribution •
1951.i. .~a'llillFi tn a?uthern border•l an<i<h 'H.w e
follows vogo usage because or trouolos
in ,<en.,ra , c::. !U gb:, 196lh 52.
1962 Ar.ll'ri!,l!ni ltara.;11 'The A1!leric an .Fnmine,' b f"o auae ot thEl
dietri bution of American r olier maize.
196.3 Buraaze •cataz>p1llars•. ~al ' ta in western Sandawe
~ertlculurly a~~ec ted.
Aocord1n6 to t hP District Veteri nary otrioer' s Report, 1938, a
rinderpest ep1dem1o swept Kon<loa distri ct in 19;)8, in which
75 O/o ot the oattle .,o~e at't e etod. s o ~a~ I have round no
rererenoe to this epidemic among t he Sandawe.
 iv.

,\ P P D ! D J '~ 'I.V 'i H E I t' i' 0 •: ! r "' <•

net. o. T;'r, t .
• 10.n Hi ar-e
~· J,QGj
1 25 / ' ere 'e ar>! a·-i.to Fn1,1 ' unko
2 11, 1'un~ha Petri ufl! n' •• : cLx..wo
3 .,o f l hUiA ad it•ata•,.;, ~ave
5<> Ali N! O'l!lGhla 1 /!kesfl, Kurrun'be
'"'
:;) h5 ....... AJ.uc~:tu o~;i f!.a E/ wan • ! 11
'i 35 akari atllbu or.,o2 Kwo. lltoro
7 20 J;oat1•iai JnMr i 'l'~ • aws os~-+:o
8 hU .I.
>
u,r ta .i.wel&
9 (,:) 2'.:> 1' .)slat• ,i •• l ':') .. w ~ni, a
10 ?C t n ,. •, ,ROO3
•c1 :!3. 'l'onkolo
11 .:>5 m 'ranci... Ku."lar.! r alultl.4 ~ 01iJ,..1'l.l~to

12 i_,d m .1118licis u'me (>1 : fl, ,...._ -' 11·.a

13 /.J.() lit vh"lfl inda ' it ' oJ.lt ¥ukumba , ?urkwa
14 25 IU :t 61!1iP I Macon.so. Xahla \ 't)
6
1~ 505 Til 1.or a ... oleroa 11 / /t,. • t 1.t'O

16 45 m Khawa S6n "lkale r;/i,<- l

17 30 ..
.,. }. 'ats • a-:.ti d/o Ztu·a tx.r.,~ Kwa 'to..10
lt .,o .. ' t'.uuu1 , .r-trd t,boodi
19 Ct) • K'u'l'J,, •• ( •d •• Pa:rkna
20 .30
21 hO l~am:o '.eno'bia ':1."l • un t '1
22 25 l!l ~·arnma ..:ongolo '.'f' 'winldv' Be
23 70 f ar!a w/o 'IA!'1or! \leneko , J,ur1o
24 35 i:a::--1ir.o %'un;phd //'ek'fJ.
25 35 i.' .l:lwanuidt )ud\1 .1a.11baka
26 40 ~wa:..iuhlla :.>Ult. d/o ... al:tt... • -lll\31 u,w .tox•o7
27 20 f'l htul , oto Dec~HX'll N// atsht8
28 20+ Ill :Paul ~,Jim.6 lapurll9
29 8010 i-tol'.i i..'~:ra An.;e lo Boeeto
30 (x) 17 Rosi na A..kel1m1a' .Ju.;lnlka
31 25 6a11ru' "'aganga Xw&•an ~e • , ue
11 T1 ''1tule
32 7C'+ Sen.I/a f:w4e,a
33 (x) jO S iail!a .Dehl~ Soact-o
31~ 20 ~ita tJ./o 1%aruahltt K'ats•awaee
12 Oo.hoodi
18 m Teodo:t>i A:re .Goont
T14lo ddk1 -old
13 Kukumba , 1' t4rkwa
5!> m
 v.

Rt'lt'. No . E~ t. '------·
. ') '"re
c-ex am~ 1nc
1
·1
~1ee1<1~1100 ..
2, 1963
-------
.#lI)

?/ ~5 ::n
..-.---·-
Ts ' av. n Pn ' 11 u., ie to
3b 4C "
J. rua tina I 1 • o;-:il M1nct11a1u
J} 45 f Victoria ,1Ja , 1 :.J Wt~tuuh,c ~,r,
( ·.::; 60.;. tum e 'u ~hr1'.wa
Ii:.) tl l. !,Ii c.'
!~l 50 :{' :'Ul.1 •ma .....~bn~u /U,1m' ~o, ·arkwll
18 Z.OUI) ,H~i r iirl\ 12
42 {x) r.1 ~OUUI' . BU'!!~ni'~a
J-1,3 55 f 1,oXOl'L, 1 0 ...~,aau Ma race
[.4 (.x) lU lfl •• ( un.knovm) •• u..:16:-nore
1.45 (.-.) 2:., r •• \. u.nlu10~1n) • • 'Iumhttko~ o

1 'i'he ro: idcncc o:P pcopl~ 1:1arl·ed (}:) is unJm'.>wn. :n t.l et.e
oa::iec; the plnce o'f: rccord1r,g or d1ctatior. ir; stown.
rl 'l'ht .lz..::,• 1~la 0 11a cliiE.:f; ti.l te1• 1962 locnl magistrate tor the
c n1~rtr a "I. r~·t1 t~ro and Lal ' ta ; now ct 1:rman of! the 8 anciawe
Coo;,er&ti t•c.
3 NotJ li veo at ';.'emeke , ar> eA al~ ,v: .

4 Accllti::1ect. ac tho beat ir.1natrel ir, the ::1outh- eaBt.

5 Died ~ecemoer 1961.
6 ..'or.nor Alagwa cricf'; depoced ~te1• conv1ct1ori ot: corruption
in April 1958.
7 l,ow 11 voe at Arusha.
8 Now liv~e in Nairobi.
9 Now lives at Magomen1, Der PS Salaam .
lU liad statua o~ elQer alreaccy- bofore arri val or the ~ritieh,
1.~ . bPfore 1916.
11 Cor.sidered one of' th'3 beat minotrele in t he count r y b ut now
very old.
12 Uoe . 35 and 42 are co-in "ormants of one text (eang duet).
13 Elde:r or l ocal court, t 'nr'cwa; torm~x- nub- chief ( ~ ) .
14 New livee at 1~roeke, Dar ee val&aru.
15 Jnmed eon5 leader and initiator ot gi~lo .
 Vi.

;. p ' D I .X v DISCOV H'l

l c\c\5 i1•f: t t'f'r t 1.. or. of t r- ndav ~n p . 21 nr Le:-t ' s

' e 1 •ILJ,.Q. .!r,
O 'I" I •

1'1lJleli1e:rdt and ehCi<"rel 1 ' c r::up D I t1cne 'xfiPB.Ug' wbe,rt)

Lh fen<1:.E ~ villuge <•Qrnstm if ritu~:tfd.

1893 h.iepf. r• t' r, • t }) ( I 1,,,.,. t • • _;itj._ I ' U•r- up J:'OY 1 ~ te COU!'Ge

o t.hc .fi.u..hl! J~i ve1• , the ' 11 .fl...£!:.' und • ~ 1 rdllB i and
t.:16 ..m'!l of l;.01~ in u . l C" untx•y. Aleo £;hmm is tl'.e
rout? of 5:i hht•r ' u e,;pcdl tio11 f.r or A!l..lll:_..?l! to ! yeri ve.t;i. in
soutn<'rn ,1 i cour tr ; hP nnsst..:d ti rou h sou"h-em te1 n
Si;niiowt law'!. 'ar " o l!lir tr<•J.s:r BOT"f' np,·n1 J.'f' to rrfPJt
to 'this jom•ney ( cc -wxt ,... 178) .
1894 t:u11ar.n publi!.'hco c1ctu11• oi' hie v1Fs1t in 1El 2 to mda'4\'\
co•..mt!'y. Hin nnp nho a n wide distr•ibut1on qf •.. wec,:¢ '.

1 f\P b:7 t e inln:- ·h tnorr ' ica.l Inc t;1 "'.utc ohoWG
..:_q,1~0.q,, ~ lin urunge), '11.1.9~' (Kwa t.or o) • tho
cou1· c !", t 'll-" :_,il''l "'iv<"r a"d j t,, +-ril •1+-~ry tl-tf" 2J.r>U.,
t he - ~ P.iww anfl t11e rH' t weJl to the wc·ot of' it .

1897 t.-cru.u. of-'icer•s t'Po.. tl w11.1ta1y ... tation at 1'111 r,i.lnde

o:nen n i tntion at. nd,,...

1898 Hasocnzt,ein • s map nhows the r outes of rri1H'(' a d 1errreann

( in 1891 t.Lid 18()5 r<> p~C!" 1 "•i"l , ) , ·mr. mor,. s:t·~· ,.,.ti...,h ioal
..teta11 t!'l::in ill earliez• p ub lioutions. Princf'' o an<l
!e1•1~ ann • A j ) Ul"f, .JS had o )ene,l nn tl e r ,.1i thI'.Y l'os .t:':·oi.'t
.il- u ,ir.G.e to ond a; 1'ht- T>r>""tent road ot111 fol o;;r;
lt:rr.Y~l r t~e EH\!"le .I"oute. In tll(' so,1th-eastern extT'e ' 1i ty
of ..,nz.dawe countr.r • ~... ,m.,n.i.!J:. ;leh~~t' io ul 0171\ ue a
0
npal"d tff cniefcl1)m.

1898 ,er the!' l> o lishea the account of h i• e:rp<'l(U tiou to .1•,tn.i:;1 ;
t.:11 n incluies t \1'~ f il't t ethnogI•Aphical ~ccount of the
u andawe b:, ·100 L\mchan. ome of t '1"' vcrnacula!:' terms
w.11cl. he -oz-ese ni;s or<! Rimi rathe1• than Sandawe, e •• the
na•ntJ ()f ' t . 'iannnl{ i"' :.•onderecl as '.li;Q:.J.l'U.1' rathn~ th·m a.a
•11·~~'· Th~ e~:pedition pasned through the nor~hwestern
1ua..!ro.nt of t'lo tribul at·~a "fl'he~" H1:ni oe ttlel'B t'or11 n
largt3 l)ro1.)01•t1on of: the ,l)OJ)",llati rm.

1902 •'QldJQbel (..,gt. nJot> J Linke eetablia:hos a r'lili tar/ ,lJl:>t

at lCwa toro 0:1 tiie r·'>ad ~T'om Kilinm t1nde ·eo Kondoa; thics-
placc soon develops into t~e tribnl heaCquartere of the
t:<andawe .

1904 Jprigade and Mo1sel 1 a map attenpto to show tribal bound-

aries; S&ndaw~ countr$ is shown muoh smaller than on late~
maps.
191 .;, ~i,r1Kade and oieel • a mapa C h an<'i ") l* with q.i~p:ljit;vUr W •
(~osed on Obstts work), and Obst•s map (allo 111~ "ive a
wealth o~ detai l; they ar~ n~t 1rn~roved upon until the
pub lice. tion ot' tne aerial survey mops ot the ,)ept. of
Lands and ·u.x·veyc in 19!>9.
1 916 uempwol t.f' publishes t.hc. re3ul tr:J of hia fit11ld11or1 of 1910
in 1 .A& ~avnam;'.
 vii.

APPE?WI X VI VERBS l'IH! CH 0.HAl'IGE STEMS IN THE PLURAL

Singular Plural lteaning

/! n/at! to come .
..
/ ! ka n/at!ka
n/ at!wnka
to bring .
" " many thi ngt.l, or repeatedl y •
/ !ka noka to bring to speaker , followi ng demand.
ft
nowaka 1lt1il• , plUI>al object verb , re i terative .
//ei khu ' s~ tc throw away, down , over.
n//i ne 1 'as ' to l1e rlown.
n//ume hl~ to stand
n// unke hlakwa to put upright.
:'a ! h6o to !'all.
~
! • awl Jh6o to fal l over comple t ely.
It
Sh6owa
g11'6 giribc! to make haste (cf. ni!JJ
ddra girt t o wait f or, t o startd s till , to stop.
doo giri to wait.
e wa to apply, to gi ve, plural ob3ect verb.
hak! hanak1 to sit.
hakits' h anak1 t o sit down.
hik ' n !• to go.
huk 'wa k 'wc! t o kill (single object only).
" •ak •wa. to kill.
1ye ( t e) n~ ~ to be in a place, to ete,y, to remai n.
i yewa (iewa)nHwa t o live i n a place , atay habitually.
f yo f 'wa•t t o give hi m or her I to give them.
! yewa t•wa JJu.4., plural ob j ect verb, reiterative.
khaa tl • apht! to bea t , to stri ke (ct. t l ' aph6)
koae n~ese to be present.
kwelc! x.6tt1 to so i n suddenl y, to surge in.
ne~ nll~wa to remain a l ong t i me , to live .
nt• girlbl to go quickl y (er. 4% 1'4}
pe ka to put.
ft
kawa to
put vari ous things.
pd sf t o g i ve to you I to give to you(plur . )
:Pd'wa st• wa ibld,, p llll"a l ob3ec t verb , reitera tive.
pekwanki kakwank1 to come t o an agreement (thb plural
etem 1e rare : on l y multilater al agr .)
pll'ie~ t•aw~ t o over t urn.
e, st to give to me I to give t o us.
a,•wa si•wa ~•• plur al ob j e ct verb, r e i terative .
siye (eie) tl'aa to take, receive.
" tl'aawa 112.14. , ~l Ul'al object verb .
tha i11'1b& to run (c~. gl 1•g).
thant (than')n/at! to run toward i hc speaker, come quickly.
thatha g1r1bfwa to run about, to trot.
thoo thootaki to Jump (plur.a several people,toge ther)
" thoowa ~ ·• ( plur. = s eparatel y ).
t1n4 tt•wa to set a trap.
tlaa' hlat6(hlatt) to be deadly tired, t o die.
n hlats• to die. 2
tl'aph& tl'aph,w& to beat continuousl.y.
teik'ied t1•1s~ to chase up.
te•ok!(ts'ok') tl'1 to ge t up quickl y , to jump up .
te 'ok'ls~ tl'iec! to chaee up.
'' t1 •tns4 J.9.14., wi th concentrated effort.
t e•ongori tl'1ng1r1 to jump high, to r1y up .
wa.k'wa k'wl to kill with ma n.v s t abs ( cf. huk' wa).

l Aleo st~lbfwa, 1r many pe ople make haste.

2 Sometimes tl.'a;umf i n t he plur al.
 viii.

APPENDIX VI I THE P110NOLOGICAL SYBTEl! THE vOWELS

For the interrelation o~ tone , length and streen, sea

P• 107; for the r el ation betw~en nasalisation and meani ng
seep. 68. Altough we have recognized only t1ve vowel phonemes
the quali ties or these vowels may vary,~!&· t he tollow1ng
diagram. Dotted linee sho the borders of phone~es •

~,-- ...........
:I ~
\
i l', '
\
/-\,,rl,tu (
I
I
..... ....

\
I
2nd vowel)

', '
rn'' Itor ' I
I un\1 tu, (
l E> t vowe l )
' • )I
', ....
__ ::. ..... \ • I
. . ..
I
., '
,.,--.,, ' ' ,
---~ I I

I
I
I
I I
I I
I I

e
l',,___ ...t.,;the

Adopte d from Cop l o nd

Vowels are opened up when nasalized or When f ollowed

by a nasal consonant. 'l'h1s is less perceptible in long
vowels:~ (mai ze), tl'eeoQ ( Mt. Hanang), lboonq {east)
rather t h a n ~· tl'§cng, thO?D9• Arrows show the e ffect
or nasal.iaation.
Vowel ~uality alone does not appear to be a mean1ng-
diat1nct1ve f eature, but it may affect meaning in conjunction
w1th length, and probably with tone:
tah,, (head): closed vowel , long.
tahe (not) : open vowel, ehort.
 i x.

APPEUDIX VIII - 'l'lih PHOliOLOGlCAL S'iS'l'EM THE CLit'l<S

Although t here are .toui> Sandawe click morphemes there are

only thr oe phonemes , because the alveolar and the ret1•0.-.lex
1
clicks a.re t\VO diaphonce o:: a al~..!.e c.lick p ..one. c . The
clicks shown i n tig. .3 and .t'ig. !~ are bo t:i \ll'i t -ten ao (I) . 2

F;g. 1. Dental c1 ;c k ( /). F; g . 2 . latera l ( Vick (//).

f i g. 3 . Alveola r ( l;ck ( :j;). but F; g . 4 , Retr ofl ex (Poloto l) Cl i ck ( ! ).

writte n ( ! ).

(Ada,ptod :from {ioetert:1an and ,:ard, 1933 , 99 ).

A definition o'£ clicks is quo t ed on p. 109. Of t he double
points o.t articulation t he r ear ones are shown b y t he l etter £
(for ' Jt-postt1on • ), and t he f ront ones by arrows (th~ •rront
release•) . The poe1t1on of t he lateral r elease i n t 1g. 2 1a
shown by a dotted line.
All clicks occur 1n simple, stopped, aspir ated, nasalizeu,
ano voiced forms. Since in nasalized and voiced clicks the
naeal element (o) and the voiced e l ement ( g ) set i n ut2fe the
r elease of the click, t he letter& n ands. urece~e the oliok
characters in tb1a theeie; t his i s unlike Dempwolff's m~thod.
l Dempwoltt uses alvoolar click Q1gna i n his diaries cu;s,
l 9l Oa); at t h.at tima he had apparentlf not yet doctded upon
the phonemic identi ty or(#) with ( l).
2 Westphal's schema (1956, 158) neatly places ooth (J) and (I)
in one palato-alveolar c ategory , the distinctive oriteriwn
being only t hat (t) uees a tongue- tip r e l ease whil @ (I) uses
a tongue-blade r elease. £1g. 4 shows how t he tip or t he
tongue ie withdrawn t'rom the palatum, and fi g. 3 shows how
the blade is withdrawn rrom the alveolar ridge.
 .:<.

APPENDIX IX • Tai; PHC.·WLOJICAL SYST.Ell - T lE OT!.ER C<,1 SO ~Alfi'J

Glottal
I
•P loaive/ I .
b t d k g t
explosive 'P
J>losive
etoppe~/ k'

Plosive th kh
e"'pira ted ph

,E!!!!----~----E--------~-----~------------------~----9--------,
i::::1v.· t I· .hl l 1< h -

Aff ricate ts dz (3) tl dl

I
Af'1'1~1ca te ta • t1•
stopied/
u eeto4
Ylapa l'

Voiced aounda are on the right in each col~. unvoiced sounds

on the left . ~he dotted line separates the Crioative sounds
:from the non- f'rica ti vc sounds in the register. The ( j) ie
shown in parenthee 1s because it is not o proper Sandawe eound;
it io ueed only b y acme Sl:lildaw<• who have been to the towns, and
by Bantu epeakel'a who try to enunciate Sandawe na.~es. Sandawe

-
use dz instead.

Botos:
1 Dempwolt't d1atinguiehee between ploe1ve and exploeive
coneonante {g - p; ~ - t; 6- k) but there are no phonemic
diff erences and they are thererore taken together.

2 Dempwolt1' aleo distinguishes between stopped and ejected

c onconante (k' - k'; ~· - ~-.) , of. Bleek'o similar dis-
tinction (l929a, 12) in ;ushman (k' - k') , b\lt i n Sendawo
there are no phonemic dit'..'erencee and the stopped and
eje<>ted aounde are taken together. Por l.)ecipwol1"t''e ortho-
graphy eee Appendix x.

3 There are differences with Copland's olaes 1r1cation. Uost

sound• which he deecr1bea as alveolar are here given as
den ti-alveolar.
 x1.

THE OR'l'l!OORAPI y

van de Present
Dempwolf.f' Lembl~ tam•T1f"ne<1e thoai e Sien11'1cance

1· ; /k c I I
·---------- - ·-------
«lentol ~1.ick, simple
/' c• /' /' II
, stopyed
/h ch lh /h " " , aspirated
In; In nc n/ n/ II
, noaalized
n' c g/ g/ " It
, voiced1
II ;l /k x II II lateral cl1ck,a1mple
II' x' //' II' II
" ,a topped
//h :xh // h //h " II
, aanil'ated
//n;// A nx n// n// " , nasalized
n•x all g// .." " ,voiced
a alveol at>/J"etro~lex click,simple
! ; lk
't
q
q• !' '
I' " ,stopped
!h qh ! h II
,aApi1•ated
tn; :i. nq nl nt tt
,naeali zed
n' q gJ It ., ,voiced
a a a a open or closed vowel a
b b b b b ilabial ploeive, voiced.
d d d d denti-alveolar ex~l., voiced
4 dl dl ell alVE"olar l ~teral a~f't>lcat e,
e e e open ~r cl ose& vo-~l A voiced
f f f £ labio-deutal 1'.r-1cative,unvo1ce d
g 8 8 z velal" e~pl os1ve, voiced
h h h 11 glottal fricative, unvoiced
l dhl;thl;dl' dhl hl lateral fricative/arfr1cate.
unvoiced
1 i i 1 open and closed vowel 1
(dz) (j,d!:) (dz) (j,dz) ( alveolar atrrtcate, voiced) 1
~ ; k gk; k k k velar plosive/explosive,unvoioed
kh k ( h );kh kh kh velar explosive, unvoiced,
aspirated
8 k' k' volar e~ective, unvoiced
1 l l danti-alveolar lateral, non-
£r1cat 1ve , voiced
ID 111 Ill m bilabial nasal
n n n n dent1-alveolar nasal
fi lJ velar nasal
0 0 0 0 open and closed vowel~
Q; p bp; p p p bilabial plosi ve/explosive,
unvoiced
pb p(h ) ;ph ph ph bilabial explosive, unvoiced,
aspirated
r r alveolar fricative , tlapped,
voiced
 .... 11.

var. de Preoent
Dempwol.1'r Lembl' Ki;n.,enad0 theeie 01gn1!'1cance

il & e s dcnt1-nlveolar ~rieat1ve,

s1o1lant, unvoiced
oh ( ll 6h u"'nti-o.lve-oirT" t'r-ice.tive ,
,. sibilant, aspirated
g t dt;
" t :; dcnti-alvGol~r plosive/ ex-
plosive , unvoiced
th t(h); th th th dcnti-alveolnr explosive,
·.m1101oed, sepire.ted
! tl tl. tl al ve.,la't'/ velar lct.ex·o.l
ar. :rioate. unvoiced
!'; f' tl' tl' tl ' alveolar lutcral e jective ,
unvoiced
ta ta ta ts clenti- alveola?> at'fl'1cate,
'WlVOicc d
te • ta• ts• ts• den ti- alveolar e3ect1ve,
unvoiced
u u u u open and closed vowel 3,1
.,
. w; u VI w semi-vowel, back
x 1i x. x volar fricative, unvo1ced3
:, y y y semi-vowel, ~ront4
dz dz dz z denti-nlveolar af~ricate#
1
• glottal stop voiced5
0 bil abial ol1ck6
\!/ monolabial click6
>-' voiced glottal ~ricat1ve6
The followi ng diacriti cs arc used:
, ~or h i gh tone; a4 on long vowel. Jl tor e treeo.
l f or low tone; Al on long vo el. ~ £or brevity or
& ror rall1ng tone; 4a on long vowel . lack ot stroea.
l torr is1ng tone; a4 on long vowel.
"'"-"
a tor nesslisati on. 7
Tone and stress diacritio~ are uned where the tone or stress
~eaturee are pronounced. ~bsence of tone diacritice must not
been taken as evi dence £or middl e tone ; absence of stress dia-
or1tica not ror lack o~ atress.
l Vo1~ed olioka are 1~are. Dempwolf'.t' does not mention them..
2 Not a proper Sandawe aound ; normally replaced by A•
3

4
•it•
Thia letter 1o plaood here t o B'l\i"est tho poe~ibilit:, ot.' um.ng
is not avn1lable in type {ot •.Arz.ion alphabet) .
In the texte 1 and l are sometimes used ~or land»:· Perhaps
it te justi f iable to eliminate % and z altogether ~or reaaone
of grawnar. Some Sanda·H e l iminate t hese glides almost com-
pletel7 ~rom their speech while others pronounce thom , o . g.
1t tor J,m ( to remain); li!.slU.! for ilQJfM • ( I give .vou} .
5 z. i s always pronounced Az., eo the~e 1s no need t o write tne
6 Special a,unde only; d1acu8eod and described on P• lll.
7 Sometimes~ may follow a nasalised vowel, as for example 1n
a!3lQ (hann) ; this 1e done to render subsequent velarisation ..
~an de K1mmo,ade do•s not do th1a J it may 1nde3d not be
necessary.
 Xiii .

APPE~mrx XI - OLOOSAHY Oi' CA.lr>A L!'I'ERAH:C CATEGOR!:.:S A D TER:AS

:r' or turtner dot&il on the te:r•u:iinology of <..ircu ... ciaior. conr;s tee
Appena1x XIT .

/~maltata ~1r1c 1 1nit1at1on c!i:;.tce, und r.01(. t •r.t the L!lmako

trn~ ' , cl' . ,Nl E'! tn.
/cs'1lcY.a ' ei ttiug dance' ana rona of i !,i tlr.tes in their
camp, to oh~er them up.
/hime song, poetry; • tha t which is sung '.
/h1m6 the act of singing, song.
//•am6 • p ro11ounceruen t • ; pray~r.
//'!a dance; ' that which is danced'.
! em6 / /' !e. p:rocee~1on dance , lJ..t. accompar..yi ne dance, eep.
at we0d1n& proccc s 1ono , c f . ~ .
!'ind //• {a hunting dance or song, usu. call~d ~ . ! l ·
b6 word, saying, utterance, speech, story. Also
~ . !\.ni!ut, ~ .
bonki quarrel , diecuFeion, palaver, story.
1Uni sala 'rael:l.g 1ous prF-ycr • : Chr1o tian or · ot.ar.:twdan
prayer.
d6a twin-birth ri t ual, danc~, one soncl• Demp ,olf.f'
1916, 4}: •name of ~ dancing feast•; van de
K1mmenade l 95h, 37: 'name of a dance with
oaor1f1co to the ance~ t ryr5'•
dma to eupport a eong, to acco~ptulY, to form a chorus.
ere et! to ululate in oncou?'agemen t, i n accompaniment.
! mbo , embo see M·
geleta boye • 1n1 t1at1o:n dance anc'I l: on{l', • at the a,w
tree ' , er. L.IJ.l1nk.a t~
gome. {la..'lc e , drum ( hantu term) . ,,c.ndawe :ror dance is
LCll·
g dil o1rcUl'lc1s1on t•i tual, dance, and r.. ong.
had!s • story, account, legend, trolli Swahili rua.._-!Ub1·
hi tl' 114 • e6 change of rhythm i n a dance, breaking into a
taster tempo.
1a • ab6 /h1me ·~ork-song', o f . ~ .
1ar1, 1.:ra:ri ritual, 1~art1cular tw1n-b1:rth ritual, er. ~ ;
also used for the lion game of mirimd.
i mala, i mara Rimi-Sandawe name for mir1m4.
lmbo, imbo see llA·
kambe /htme •camp song• , 1. e . 1n the ciroumcision camp. Also
.t.wlll21
~ J derivati on from E~l1eh ~
'beer dance• and song; also k'amd'o LL.!.1tl., '1n-
e~r1at1on dnnce•, ue~ . called wafaga.
kerem•ta circumcision dance and song, ecp. of t he
i nstructive type . Ori ginal ly a c1~oWRambulat1on.
k6ro joking, emall- talk , story- telling, cf. 1YfAt~.
 x1v.

kipendo circumcision claucfl 1n t he southern bordorlandu

( Oogo) .
landd hu:rvest a11d courtship dance and sonc. Dempwoltt,
l91b , 47: 'name o1' a dancing .i.'t!ast, d,.moe '; van
d~ , 1- ..:? ·uH!c , l J54 , 14 7: ' a,luc :, of tn J .:>, n • , •
dtmce and £Or ·· of yount h 1 t' rs £1n :l 1£'rd..,.,nen, of
thti ll"st-init iettee . .)empwoll'"', 1cn6, 48: •a
bell dance •; vnn de K1m..-,enadc , 19J4 , ,~a: 'dance
of thC' youths'. Alco Cf',lll'ld r-.--r:~:~s.a., ;u.an'\Q:l:A•
wuriraba /h!me ' hand-piano eong'; .:iinstr~loy.
maph~na \1ar :ri ors' :--ong and dance i n the ~ :rnth~rn bl')rder-
landl> ( ~o~o or Bat-att,UYu) .
'mbo se& ~.
m1r1g1sa /hime •medicine song' , a s ilent song, a spell.
mirim~ the 'lion game': a motherhood nanoe, f ertili t y
r>i tual w1 th dance and eong. Van de , imrenade,
1954, 49: 'mauva1a, ~ ~ ttQ~ea•.
m1eab4 //•ta wi tches• dance ( i maginary) .
m<Slolo processi on dance , eep. at eircu.~c1s1on, cf. ~
LL!h-
mu(.'.la~a danco aud sone of elder !'!'en; also mudank~·
nindo ,1eddi11g dance , harvest uud cour ~shi~ dunce or
tht" southe.rn plai ns (-..ogo) , ci'. Claus 1911 , 72.
noowe /h1me floUI'-e rindin~ s ong , alao called s11 /hims because
or the grindstone (21.) on which women a~ t heir
gri nding.
pangu ,1ar, victor.:r dance .
paaaa //'!a twin- birth dtmce ar d "Ong, t'rora ~ , • twins• ;
uou. called .s11Jl. ~empwoltf, 1916, 42, gives l2aftA
ror • twiAE: '•
pek'umo fcrt111 cy dance of the moon , and the eonees ot
t :-ii P dance.
'to e71irl arou.~ d ', 1 . e . around the baoouo tree
at c1rcu~cis1on.
pumpus6 aacr1f1ce, prayer.
rumbarumba /hime •musi cal- b ow song'; mine trels;r.
&ala pr a7er c~odern term).
sanzoona fe.rt111 t y dance employ i ng a :phallic mari ; aouthern
equivalent of the mirim§.
se.•o; sayo discour se, eep. tollowtng a greeting; story.
s~r~ d1soooiation dance, ol i mbin~ the rock oleft at
the rites of ~imbd,
e1mb6 a spirit, a cult, and the ritual of dis eooiation
in which poaseeeed dancers destroy witchcraf't
aub,; tance and sorcerers• l'Jtldicine; the aocompany-
1ng dar,co feast and &vng.
a1ng1r1 to swirl around i n a dance.
eumb1 /h1me •ctick-zither aong•; minstrelsy. Also called
~~-
 xv.

f''1 1 o 11·r: i g t,une, wo1~'dn.,; 3on1, c ' . u.:!.~ ~ .

t4ntnbule r•io,,le, na.t•able, stc,r,y-s,:>ni.; , et01\'{ co11tailling
£.ongr., any kin,1 or traditional tale , i'ablc or
lcg·.:md.
t"fa+~ioule hod ! A' ':.<'"'atlvc, a ,.. tOI'J.
toto /hime •trough-zithe1, r:,ng•; ni:ntt...,el".I • used. by s ome
at> a General term cor 11,infltr>Pls.v no rnntior what
1notI'm:ient ia uocd.
turut6 , t ur• tcS convo1•sation, i dle talk, stcr.r-telUng, cf.

tl'alo
~-
fable, fiction • .w..i,. : grati::. , in vain, i.e.
that which 111 not x-eal.
~Laa ntwc.ontc 'in the o~don daJt': history , leg€nd. Also
lUAa ~ ,.V:\YS]e, 'WP-0.t h.-. u f t1Cd in Olden days •
or l.U.wl nlt h!\di R•,, 'story o1" ,11en da.1s' .
wakhunga n1 amo ' beating the proces ion ' at circumcision.
wayaga , wayli'ga comunal ct"ort celebration, dance and. song.
zeze /h1me 'fiddle song 1 ; m1na~~elsy.
 xvi.,

JJ>PF.!;D!X XII - 'i"'HE RONGG 01<' CIRCU.t!CIS!O!{

c1rcumc1o1orJ. r 1 t.u11tl .:;. .d :rcna~, ,,h£ p laco or c1rcum-

cit.!ou, uircu.1cit:l:.m OIL.'.:, o-· w ... • '.. • 111.. but in
pa1•t1culer sor> { af;~ oci:') ted wi 'th ~he ri tco tllou1eelvee
i•o. t~t.I than i n~ true Ll .;c £ 01.0 • .cu.DO ...;.Q., ilQ.l I,. ;i.imi
~).
keromtta 01~c·.1mciJ1on oor.._ o~ a ny ~{:t-r :, 1'•·~ ~n p articular
o or..g of: 1..he i nstructive lc1nd; oa!llp aont; (also called.
.&m.mhi .Lhirul); circ11tnel'loula t 1or. oong ( also called
~ ~ ) ; ;,rocE""!!.ior: eo:y (s'.lr·0 culled. }18J$hy,pir,a
nlJlm~) • :·he word ~ l....!.ll. i s a.loo heard ae k~rem • Qa ,
Wal'6 /bim~ 'circumoiP1on aong•, a general deeoriptive term.

~ f pec.1t1c; tcrru4
'a t t l,e I,a1ui,ea tz>ee •; oireumoisi on aong&. s-ung a t
the site of t;.irla' oli tor1dectomy, usually under
tl G4r aka tree but. alro in the cettl e y ard (h.Mn)
or in tl~e i nner room ( elJ.roa), henoe the al terna ti ve
uamae b,au.~1 anc rowaat1.
/esukwa 'for mel ing t het... sway rhtthn.icall.y• ; circumcis i on
aonge with a elow rh.Vthm, eung to ~ntert&in the
1nit.iat(;'s ttno to n1Me them for 'et tLe pain.
n//oko ' o ' t he washing•; circu 1e1e1on tongs sung at the final
washint cerenon.. •
thume /hi me 'flour nong' • i natruct.ive sonss of tno gi:rla, alao
sung by women when grindi ng (now) at tho grind-
.atone (£1), he.nee alro cal l e d ~ L1\1.m.e or i l
Lhim~·
dt /hime •grindetone BODJ~ ', cf. l l ~ ~ ·
gele ma '6ka ' I 'turning around tno baobab'; dance of boys around
tht• ".)E$oliab befor( leavi ag CE.,YP , cf. :RirW•
celeta ' et the bo.obao tree': l,oJs ' i ni t iation Bor~s , ":!Uilg
at the cil-eumchi ~.on flite ( ueually \mdor a 'baobnb ).
gw.-aata tin the 1r,1i.er r oom• ' cf. a mr-kata.
h J dut9 i n ~ho cattle yard', or. ,a~a~ata~
1

u .mbi /hime • ca:. p song• ; u@ually this means songs of the

1natruct1ve kind (kepsw, 'to}. A1so ~ ~ ·
m!rigisa /hime ' medtctno song ', "' spell sung 1ne.ulf1l>1Y by the
operator to ensure the i nitiateR' apoedy recovery.
• send1ng them on' or I the acoompnn1me, t' , 1. e •
songe eung while accompany ing the ini tiates t o the
operation.
noowe /h11ne ' grinding aong', cf . ~ ~ .
pirimd • ow1rl1nz ar ;)und 't lil a!&t' a & ~ mo'S,ka•t.
ringo ma·~ • eotng rou11d i n circles• ,i. e . the circurnambulatior.
of t i',e homestead bt'1'ore c1reumc1sion.
a1mb 6 ' the eta tt; of bei ng a lion • : c11seoc1a t1 on songs
eunc by the guests t , enttut>e tho.t wi tchcraf't will
not bedevil the circumcisions.
wakhunga n%am6 ' beating the procession' : ~ s ongs eung when
accompanying th~ ini t i a t e~ home rrom th~ir camp.
 xvH.

AP:PEUDl).. XII I Tf

For illus trot1or,s ace plu te I , end pil J togrr. ,>1 oe. 9 end 11.

Do.non do a ttJus1cal b ow, r\ot t ivided by a stuy ut t,hc place

YIJ~C.1."e tJ1e goura t (;uona "tor l o <it , tt.di~u to tl.c 'boli ;
such 1.m<ll rldon b) m lt"<' no ~ .::::>r:f' • ,. l properly
viede an<' ''" i d to lie ,ogo bor.a ( c l • 1 mi n.c.12n,~,
Oogo J.l?j.,{i. ) 111 u1~ extr~· ~ ~·')U th-.. t the terJ1. is
j,;\lf:{1 urh 11 ft)r n trnugh··Zi ther , cf' • .lim~, ~ ·
a · u ic 11 bow, cEp. w1 thout gourd rer-~nator. l"'O
l d . 4 ~; both tt 1•ms me in tho Gogn bol'del'land.
l tu'!mba a hand piano. Not ye t conciciered a real So11da,r,e
i ni:, tvuuu.>n t and the leaH t u sed o:: t he tour 1na trume11 ts
shown in plate r. <'10e;o illfrQO•
Pha&ngo o. ctick l yre, the eame as .§l1~ wh:tch is the mox-e
00111:ion term. !n t.he aouth- eaet JW.~Q. 1c unel'!. for
trough and board zithers &s r,ell at, for stick 1:,,-rea.
HU"'bat'Wllb a a musical bo wi 11h ~ow•d l '6t1or1.... tol' aw! a l'\1 vidccl
str1nJ. ~h( ueual r.a"'fl for a c:01:mon inatt-Uir.lont;
var. de .I' 1r.imenede , 195h, .52 :r.('lfera to 1 t as 'nati~ of'
a musicl'.l ins t.r•u r.• nt • • and Domp 1011·r, :i.916, 1 02 , a£
'oua teal bow 1 •
G1n~1ra a ume1oal b <"w, wit~ a <t1vioe<1 At.ring. '.lho Juu,1c is
Hot conaiclored propol'.' ~tuide.'1ie (cl' . Wgo ~ ~ ).
a etick lyre with twl) stringe an<'i a gourd resonator ,
a COJll!llOn inetrument. So,ne apply the term also ..o
trough z1 tllera ar.d boa.rd z1 tlieI'n, aiic.i. even to any
str1ngod inctr ent. Rili1i ~ ar,d Cogo 1"tu:;b1,
ct. von ~1ck 1915, l,1.0 and 51 , reaply . Ct'. ~ .
'l'onond6 ef. ~~. Docqmolt'f, o • oi t •• : g!U.i.~
'?ota a trout;l\ zi 1,he:t>, the reos t corimon ine trumen t o1'
minetrela:,•. So ~e apply- the to1•1.1 to any i r...s trU:itont
which 1u etrurr.1r.ed or of which the at::-ings are
beaten wtth a t'ltick (cue1ool cows) . Del!lpwolft',
P • l02 t ~!2~·
Tl•ot{5 {also~}: tht• aame as ~ above , ct • .ron
J.u.!"chan, :893, JhO (~J..2~ ol' ' tcoto) ; Tenraa 1963, .30
cu~. .ta.id o,:o .2ll:'.1:~>.
a fiddle; s ome apply the term to an:, stringed
i nstruoent, b u t in the central _pt.U't 01' the .'lille
~ means a stick ly.re . Van ue KL, enade t 19.54,
37: slHd.zc, •nam~ or a z;:uaical inet.r'Ullent•.
Zogozogo a .tiddle , er. ~ .
~omenclat ure i o vague and Qften contradi ctory, but t he nalll&B
given under the illustI'at ion a or plate I a ppear to bo <senerull y
val ld.
 X'.1.:.1.

APPE?,DYX XlV "'APE "R C ill!

________ __ ___________
'J'he oncloaed t.ape recol'c:! iru:rs hava hc~.1 "•ecorc;ol'J. at t.'1c speed
....
o,' l 7/8 11 -per ... ...
S'-~on~.
.,.
f ! DY I ., .! ... .L

~T· --·--~ ; 1-:;- ---· T~: t - ~ t.J.e --

. . 1.1l·~Q:.a.•-·--------·------~-------..--..- - - -
ill~hergi t4~c2 rm l Gt.mbo). ~ 1·1·2rt c ~. l wa,y4ga) .
Bl\ Proparati,~·r~ to attond.l 130 f•.:ir.t irlt, to.zeth(:r.
o!', '.I. o the dano1. ( 2 w.~ as a 1;:;2 ':he trru::plir. c lopr,ar. tt:.
minet tt-elsy .one). l}. ~f'i'ki ng !'ai:11J e relief.
87 The f renziod lion-dancers.l 134 the beer tf'lY..
<58 'l'he t'renw of the flying. 135 :rouolc-n.ah.r•s pur..1shnent.
<hln<.:61' 8. i
rs:>fl-iUi t,i,ateP ~ (;f.UlCti (.n,au.goa.) .
136 The proud young llerasman.
92 The c1r cumc1zer•a
acceptation. ~stt...&i&m+ cs:mrtw:,112 (landl1).
9} &'4 94. ,tha t 1s -.;lle boer 139 'l'he ab andoned bab y• 2
!'or. ore thr:J c1rcu:loizing 140 'i'he ottn•·re;·uaer.
s4 The gue3 ts al'e 1111 A F. uro~ean hae pneeod on
clamourino ::. or \ )(.;CI'. the ror.d.
96 Leading the in:J. t:!..11tcs to 11J 5 '.1'he .;r•n,t 1·a~ine.
the circw:icioioL.
l oo ="",ie pa1n 0L~ ..,,1.~ o:por& •i
.. or•• 1 :u.9 - cx·ep Ii or. our knees .
1
101 Ohs that cruel c~~cun:.cizc~. ~~.£-~~r~§hip, <~ ge 9 !
saJ:~Qll..~ ~ { }:crtlm r ta) . l~..Jl.Cl!Ji:U~;'Jl.J~H21!S~~ nind.o •
~ l5i Give me oooe t obacco.
lOri ';'h" bllBYi'1c) d'>nkO:"?. l
108 'l'he f9.t)1f\e !'cl1o!' t.1..t11n.
lll 'i'he aeo~et lovor ( l).. 1 !l.n~ t.1·:wlwt ( t o t5 /hiue ) .

113 The ebony phallun. 154 'th~ tru."..tpfltillg elephants •

.=.t,;mcg Q1.' t~~ ~J.lll/, ( &a."lZOQD '.\ ). l _.:..8 The Olo.in hUJ'I ter •
•"uni..ie the trough-zi th.t!r ,
124 :'u6hing the ~ion about. .;lio 11 1g the •)c ,i.lc \,r the
ina trtt.."!len t .
173 1'he distant fires \i).
174 ','he dlu tnn t i:'irea ( P ). 3
128 The elder wal'kn 1,1 f':ront
_.,.,____....,.___..._, -------------·----- -------
1 Tho rubbing ~owl , repreeent1ng a lion, can be oloat•l;f heard.
2 All t he ~ songs on thie tape ar>o sunf$ 1n tho fori.1 or
minetreley. Per:f'o!'lilancee or tho ~ ae a dance ore rat•e
now, and at t~e ~~w oooa~ions which I have witno~sed ·• have
be3n unable to a'lke ~e~ordini 9.
} The two vareions of thio song give nn inipr~ssion ot tho
vnriation in style be t~een individual m1rus!rola.
PtlO'?OGRAP llS

PLATES

AND

RAPS
 xix .

1. otae Ganda';l'O obo• d1ettnot Capo1d ~ao1al reaturea .tllcb

lnOlude Ute eptcantblc told, a tendono9 toward pep~~corn
hair• end• :r•ll.ow1eh •Jcln Gioh :D87 wrinkle oons1derabla'
at a =iore mature a,;e.

2. At a we4~1nt t h• l>aJtt7 or t ne b:etd•'• ta.'11lY and i-riontt•

ta ar~lv1ns et tho Sl"()Olll'a hOllle.
Ina14e the houoe bee~ 1•
wal'1nQ ~or tho aue•t• who •tna apor@riau c1~eumcte1on
•ems•, mu, •on.a tn 1JhS.oh t hey ar• cla»ourlna to11 beer .
1>PWla are beaten only b7 WOiien uone tho Bandawe.
 :xx.

). tia.ncere or the ecN»t .Lion- .ome 'mi~'. · t\c ,.1 oa

tt..emael•ee ~- not be w1 tneeoe4 b;;, o:n:, etlle. Tho "lion-
aanoa~ worn b~ tn.e ritual. le&der aro Qad.e ot •ebra h~1r1
th• '.ff.1ns m,,vika riaz ea.Olma t h e taneo Yo.Pn. by 011e of' t."le
danc~~• · ibe ~ rorma 'lno eent~al obj ct or th• rttes.
be1nB tno ~1tu8l l ion.

4. • 1ou1nn t he bowl•. ~ •loDgat.t\ woott.n bow1 ie leld

\ll>* l de dom. openl.age between ito rt• and tho JJ'<>un<l ar~
a topped w1 th euth, 1 t eurf'ae• ie ro\l,:fhonec! \'tit . • atone,
and i-u?>t l !l.iir the b ed w! tb t.he eJ?de t# a t1ck• t hen causes 1 t
t~ roar l1k• • llon, ttht cn tt repreaenta.
5. ~aking boy-1n1t1atea to t he place 0£ ctrcu:cte1on.
'lhe.1 are covert d under clotb, tor t n.e.1 muet not be aeen
by women and Q1rl•· '.their separation f rom aootety 1s
w1 tneeised b)' tho t"oncing which ie carr ied alongsi de thi&
proceoelon. which lo called ' the aocoi:rpaniment' ~mdlolQ).
tlonn fol"a a chorus 1n the background.

6. lni tlate& in their> cup. just at'ter c1s-CWl\C18ion . 'rhe.r

have been s tven cock1'eathe~ ew1tchea to c h . .• tho t'liea off
the11" woun48 • .
 .XXli.

1. 114am&, the ~irlas' oli t ol'tdocto:q kntte. The operator

al\on t l\rt!e 0£ tneae phallic knt1tea wt 1cl1 are .:tac ohown
1n Plate ll!.

a. :Ebe opel'attone on the a lrl• are 1n ~asn•• under•

Laua tree. wn ehiel4 o-rt their t o.J. t1a tea ~,om a14h,t,
but on• a t•l 11ho hu already " ~ done cM ~uet be 6iaoerned
cm th• l.•t'-t. T!w th!'-onC alao hebove aou bo•l pl.8..'le~• flo
prodv.ce a lo,act lion' • ~oer.
 l
9. A Sand•n 111.ru, tnl ple:,1n,; h1e trougb-~1 iher ( ..lQ.tl) .
~· •lon •ted wooden bowl {l1'1d ) acta ae a resonator oo.x.

1.0. A wealth or beadM 1• wom l>Y • &11"1 who ha• J\let

patved t.1'-,01:iah -1..r..o wuh1nS ci•:rallCf'l;J' ( ~Q!.Q) 1Pbich me.rke
tu~ en4 o~ he~ 1.U1~1at1 ~!od.
 xxi.v .

11. i1natrole7a plo1t.ns the ettok- ltra {~ or~).

~01l•t 1m• the aus1c1qn ~eseea the roaonat<>~ gourd agalnat
hia cnoe t tor be\-ie~ aound. b"Ut tne pooltSon ehowa la tne
u1>ual. one.

la. 1be en4 o~ the c1rcvmolelon period. 'Eh• lnltla~• bav•

l>e•n ....h•4 u4 anolated. and now t be7 are betns cur1ed hoiM,
lD. trtuagh 01i the bao~• ot tbeti- •ld.en. t a tt.Sr b&nda the.,
are ho141na ~ rl tMl apeua wt th Whlob the.J uve • ttlbbe4
1M baobab iff••
 xxv.

1:,. The 7ctll.UB hunton (.wat4). AL'tel' th• conc1ue1on ot' tl1e.1r
tnit1atlon ~io4 the.. ~oUl' yo~t.b• a:ra ho~4i~$ tlle faa11¥
catUe, pi-o\lill.V &:tc$•4 out t u thelr new oloWns and nnwv.
'nlo.Y' aN rea~ now ~o join t ha ASVJBAA aaneo.

14• !'the >l'i tual.e ot inn biri1,s (*). ~erore aunt.at.' t"te ,
46& .Janee 1• he14 b~ a 7ow1g .i.e.o,. tne (not :1n tht> photocWo.Ph).
Ono or tbe clal\eer~ bre:n4ishee th .-peo1al •hield whicb 1• to
J)l"Oleot tbe trina and eY"eryon• pnncmt t'l'utt 'C.b.o ~ P or
11$htntng.
 .XXVl.

15. t"ll<t 41rusoolaUon oul, or &a?bti- 'l'b.n o cen &1'e pott4iJ6oe4

'b.1 the ep1r1 t ot',,mas lllu4. i,e~f'om .,"1')1r danc 1n a ata.'M of
hall\lC1tuator.r oxoi ~~.Jent, th•tr bodi ~ covet'«*t1 1n stuet at.4
es'll••• tnnt~ u~t.~a .:,oU)~, an.4 thtttr tt.v'OS bloo4ahot.

16. ln the now,. qo\boltu ot text No. 166, the beu. pode
~ t.,.• a~!U.1!lA u.. S"epr e.ent pemaee while th• ahr1Y$l1Gd.
Nt4. 1:lonl'~ at tllelP u p ~ · ~ eepNSetti m..utrual bloo4.
 xxv!1.

PLAT ~ I

~~~- .
'I" , /

~ : • trouan a.1ther- ( ~ ) which i s rested on • bowl (la•g;4)

~or better naonance. i';lcale l : 6.
R1£bt: a auatcal bow (rµmbaM!Qba) with gourd reeonatol" and
a beattns et1ck. So.J.• 1 a 10.
Peat.re: a haad piano (mar1Qbe) w1th 24 ko,vs. :Jcalc 1: 4.
fl9U8• • two- tl"tnced a tick lYN {au. or .DJ1ml:11). Scale
1 a 5.
l>raWSnp a4QW4 t"rom ~.... 196,3.
 XXV113 •

PL.A. TR 11

· · --::"'._

C?lot====--·~

Top . lttlrl a 'but'.falo horn {Lml HMCo), waod 1n '1J'1 tohcraf't

exorois::, (aimbS,}. Scale l : 6.
i9P r1,m~: an hourc:lass 4rum (.e;Qa&) , uood 1n the lion-game
~a&r&aaU and m harvsot and CC'Ul'tall!p 4'm.cea ( ~ and ~ ) .
O&le, l : 4•
GAA)\t@: a kwiu ho?!n { c;l ol•e 4 .u.a&h use~, tor oal1.t.ng l'l)ople
to• h\&Ct { ,.199) and 1.n huntin~ dance• {p.'d's;a). Scalo l ; 4•
;ptta; a woot•n bowl <i.1•111) anc at1ri-Sna ~oon• (aqkfpto)
Whioh are ued u l'UbblnJ stlcka, uaed ln otrownct.elon •ons••
l>l'awSnae adapted t'Poa Tenraa, 196.51 the bowl t'l'Olt 'leni-u, 1964•
 P L A 'I' E Til

(a} an-ow heac1J (b) phallu&J (c) ra~or blade, rounded1

(4) i-azol" blade. aque.Hd ot:r. ln ~eaal• o1~cumc1slon onlY
theM t.-a41t1onal too1a de u.ae<., uul1Jr.e .ale ctrcumo1e1ou
Whel"• modern N&Ol' btadea, kn1ve•, and even aole.tora are no•
Ol!llll:.01\• Tho phallic ahapo (b) can be a.en in photo Ho. 7•
:J:.I rM,Al,t ,Qt $ht..11~~~...i,.,,SE!.lu... g. a&t..51..
~ .a 1: ar1~d ot> aracuyu &liltan ae 1 t oa::,
the heiad.6.r-eee ot'
,,. •••n tn o.anea... coun~,.. '41nt,m, a curtain ~ chaJ.ne <mod4>·
B&fh$1 'l'h• e~o1raen •ho.n coniaina O-ehape4 an4 8-ahaped l.lnka.
THE SAN DAWE AND THEIR NEIGHBOURS
LINGUISTIC AFFINITIES
4

s u k u ma

I
I
~ sanzu ,,
I ', /

.
I ,...,. I
1
Kiomboi ,tambi7 "
r a m b a ',, ' .,,,' M1. Ho"H
. _,,. ,
,~~

,.,/ l:~'JA~BP..~
,' lootv..~

,,-- ........ -,'

..
Si~i do O

R m

I
...- I
I
I
I
' ,..... ,,, I'

', .,)
\

::}

~'... -,_.~
Oodom

z
I
/--- ___ ,,.

G 0 g
I
I
I
I
I
I
' K m
I
I
I
I
I
\ ::}

___ _,,,,../'-
\ ....J
.......

100
0
so
MltES

Names of 8o ntv tr i b e s o , e in ord inary print : those of non · Bontv p e ople s o re i n CAPI TALS
NAMES of Ni l o - Homit i c tribes not und erlined;
NAMES of tr i bes which belong to the lroqw· clu ste r ore underlined :
NAMES of tr ibes who speok cl ic k -longvoges or e doubly underli ned ,

Approx. tribal boundaries ·-·-·-· ..... Adm in. boundari es of Kondoo Di strict .

References : Atlo s of Tongonyiko 1956. 13. 14 : Gu l l i ver : Revised Tribal Mop

ot Tongony iko . 1960 : M einhard : Tentat ive Mop of Ethnogr. Prov . of Eost Africa (n.d.}
MAP NR 1
- THE SANDAWE TRI BAL AREA AND THE
DISTRIBUTION OF INFORMANTS

N
-
0 R T
HANOA

(fl
f"~
38

~ s T E R
,,,;
TONKOlO
10
I L L

E R N
/
! ~ -------
N
.,.,,,,_ _ _ _ - - --------~ )(Qngogo

: MUPENC>6

w
;
/' 0
' M I \ES

@) Oi sH i ct Heodqvorien 0 10 ,s "!'he numbers refer to 1he nom•s of informonu

Tr ibol Sovl\dories lioed in Appendix IV. Where residences ore

0 locol Covrh
not l(nown tl'ie pieces ore show n wher• tu.u
•
iii
T,oding CentnH
S<hools Motoroble Trod< hove been obta ined .
Seosonol Mon.hes
t M i uioM

Adopted from Tongonyiko . 1959. Londs & Surveys . I : S0.000. by scoPe reduction: topogrophicol no mes f,om field note,. MAP N!! 2
 SOME SANDAWE CLAN LANDS

NG'OMVIA
0 G 0
10 20 30
MllES
I I lllllt
Centrol Roi lwo y
Names of Sondowe clons
t he Minions
NAMES of non · Sondowe

MAP Mop drown from sco l e reduct ion of Tongony iko I: 50.000.1959.
N!l
 .xxx111

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 xx xvi

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11
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Ke113"a. The Eaetel'n ~ioa Law Reportei Court 0£ Appeal a t

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l'.i.34 ~~--------------- U/S .
1SJ5 - · · - - - - - - · · -- - - -···· 1 'U •
19.38 -::>iu !;riot Vetor1tuu-y ot"f'ioer:
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19r;4 1'~:1u1ge Ban tuv10Pt8taemme 11 • Ki tt. Sem.orient. ~pr. ,
l.'?7-h9·
1906 "Lin.z-..1.tetische ~ tua1,.rn 1n Os t-.\:f'r ! kai Xl. ~ ulUI\30".
H1-t.·,. ..iom. oi-1ent. n:,r., !,"• Abt, 3 , 278- .>33·
1910 u ~umopkl_maen zu vors tehenden Bprachprobenu ,
'• . l!' th. , :Ho. 494- 9"->•
Li2 t
1911 )iu :;)!chin.me d3z· . ..f"X'H~anel'"; Jta':llburgtsche Vortraege.
D3rl1n.
1912 "Die Sprachen der Hami ten:1 • Abh. hbg. Kol. Inst., L"C,
Reihe B, Bd. 6.
lloyer, H.
1914 Dab Deuts che holonialreich, 2 Vole. Vol 1. Lei pzig.
Unyampala, ,iethiaa F..
195li H1stott1a, rt11a, na :lestu1~1 za Wagoso wa Tangan,vika.
Na1ttob1.
 l;iJ.) Ttu1.{~1Jika: a .~~v.1.ew 0£ i ttl itottouroee and Thei~
:u~v..)lO~.ucut. Dar es ualaam.
~ohl , P. Alexandor v. d.
190!> "Cuuuoluug von Ra.t"t'rischon .t>abctln, i n der Ci-Te t e
.... !).i.•ache o.l!I lnt,,reu • .l"!ll°'Ot.i ••, .::. t, ~. 00!.!.. ori~:nt. , ;,1•.

:Uontaiane. ·1chel de.

l(i8:}- 6 -eaa.b , .3 Vola . Pari 3.
1'0 1.~ris, .e. '•
l96h ~he ~ero1o Ree1't!it1one o~ the ~abima of Ankol e
( ''O.lCl'o:rd +aibrax>.:r 01· .~'rictm l,i teJ•ature") ; OXS.-01•d.
liutwa, Vuaaw.aZ\llu (~do.
29,;6 l:'ld'!\'ba, my- ;hildl·en. l.onrJ.on.
Hadel, ~ .. ~.

194"/ 'l"h.e "<uba. L ondon.

1929 '.1ote on tho .;)iscow,r .i or Some hock- t>aintings t.ear

Y.O'rn.loa !:P8l'-lfl in 'i'a.n.aauyi ka Tel'ri tor ;r" .
<1 . rt. Alt ii. Inst. , .i.,Ii.

l'latianal t!usoum a t' Tanganyika, Dar es Sal.aao.

n . u. uapti ou tmdel" an e:,;-Ju.btt ra,wked D. v. 159.
Native Oa ttlH Consus.
HBE F..ondoa ~1t)trict Sook.
Needhau, RodHo;r.
1960 "Tho Lett Hand o:£ the ~ uw-e: an Analytical Note on
·c,ht: 8 truct\WG o~ ...eru 6.Y111bolism11 • A!'1•ica, X> 'l. t 20-33.
1964 i :slood,
1
Thundor an.cl oclter·~- of ,u11rotalatt . GocioloztJJ,
!t. l•'• {Jahr X!V) , ! 0 . 2 . 136- 49 ·
Newman, J . L.
1965/6 1"1el.dt\ot.es on the Sand.awe, , /s.
1966 ..'la11t-idcm~1...~icAUona - Hoandawe, i /e ..

1909 "Verouoh e i nes ioer t.,rbuchs fue:e Ki ·s andaui" .

J.Ii tt. ,h,i... o?.'i eut . 691•. , ,~ht. J, 1~7- JC ..

ltke t ia, J . ll. l,wabene .

1961 Akan Poetl'7 :rn
liughea , i.. ( &d. } A11 .hi'rican 'l~·<Hl&t.t'Y• m,"· Yor k .
tl ter.,o , F it1f>he.a D.
1956 "foroo d otea on • galu'' • 'l'angaey1k& Notea noe. , ?lo. 45,
15- 19.
 ;.clix.

II
lJll fon .:111.u.. t l nJ.o .lwoh d i o Ltllldsc u a.tt •ruru nach
Lkalama 1m -·'eor uur b i o ::Ja~rz 1 911." »1 tt. geogi-. C..les.
H?Jg., XXV, 73-98.
l91 2a "Di e sp1•nche dei- Ri.ndi ga" . Ui t t. goorcr. Gea. Irllg.,
Al..Vl , lio::t l, 29-4!>.
1Yl.::b "Jon ,,..Kalamu iHs .uand Uf.ll' 1,akindiea". t...1 t t .. geo8J>. Oeo •
.au~., :•. ,r.L, w.;:.4't ... . l.--J7.
1" 15 '' Jnr ooo tli che .Abschni t t de t' grosaen os ta1"1"1kan1echen
S toeru11.~anon"" • '1tt.geogtt. Oes.Hbg. • XXVII, 153-202.
l~l!>a ''JM ob.1.'lus oloth':! !Nmp!'1.1ch•'llenland 1m nor<loost l 1.chen
:1eutscn Ootati>ika " . Mi tt. geoez,. Gea . !!bg., XXIV, 253-66.
:i..9 15\> 'Dua nb:flusoJ.ooe HUJn!>l'e,clmllea land 1m nordoee tli chen
.::lout£ch Ovtat'Pika, l:300, 000w ( ~np).
m .tt. ,seog7:'. Gt-a . Hbg. , XXI X, Karte 2.
:'.~23 "7)aA nl11"'1u,•;;lor..o r ur.,pt'se;hollenlund 1lll n o1•doostl ich0n
noutsch Os t a.frika, t.i.'ttil 2" .. Mi t t . geogr. Gee . Hbg. ,xxxv.
Ogdt'llt c.Y.' un<l Hi oh ard.8 , I . A.
101t.6 ':llc •.oan:i.ng or Leaning. London.
Olson , H.
l 1new st1c Mo teR 01, t he lla <hsap i •t, H/b .
~il'ttic...a.
Li r..1 Gonga , l /S . Auguotana Lu the1~au Mi, eion, f, i tigiea.
''R1m1 r1•0,rerbo " . ':'anoir y1Jea t otca P.ec . , Fo. 62, 73- 82 •

l9v7 ., Die UuGch.maennor der Y.alllhart" . Ml t t . clt . Schut:zgeb. ,

XVIII, 261.
Pauloaen, P1:anz.
1922 11
;.ocl\t eP.nachnuungen t!er 1lngo,o" . I>- A., VI,
Hcf't 4-6, 161- 75•
Pearce, J .
r. t . . ort'list of' Qomvia, :.:/::; . £ . A. I nsti t ute of Socilll
Rose&l'c~, Hakerere.
Planert, w.
1905 " Ueber di e 5pr achii ce~ l otten";;ot tun v:nd Ous chmaenner".
1U.tt. s em. or1ent. Spr., 104-76•
Pr1ctze, Rudol~.
1914 ttL~rnul1ed,ar 0 • ?.11 tt. S«tl';leorien t • .;,'l)r., l.34-265.
Radcliffe- :BrotJn, A. rt.
1924 ''The Mother s ='rother i n South Af~io;i". S . A:rr.J'. £.01.,
542- 5~.
1952 Structure and Function 1n Primiti ve Soeie t.y. London .
l 9f2 ln troduc tion n~
Radclitte- Brorm., A. R., and For!e, Dn~yll. Af'rico.n
s 3 etems of K1nsh1~ and Marri age ; 6th ed. London.
 .I,..

i.,.:r-o " <.:.!.•1~ o' !,hu ,1.in! eoago . 0.1.001!\ington.

lnti.•o<tu~ t1on Itl
:-11'11,"', 'mfl. , M<l nrviql, l·'l inore . Ai'rican li'olk Tules
~i>, 1 ucu ;_p u•, ( '' "l lln~er er~ (-1<:; 1 -,JI") ; 'iflW York.
"'l-)f, :r-1c1'star; A f.t.u<'ly in A\meriNm In~ian ytholoP.;r.
,o,1oon .

.,
l.rnp1', .t ... , • t end RehMann, J •
.RechP, Attn.
' ··.tr •'th.YJ.•,~n-a.:p~1ie ter. ::thl'lu!"o; oaen 1:0bj_e i.ea Iieutaah
Vd ~aL'ri::-.Ha ' . _ •h. hb 0 . : ol . tns t., · vlJ .
191:.> ',r • • Obct- 'n c• mo:~aphia-::he Sn:·mJ ,mg aus den abt'l'1.sa-
1

J.on1•n ~1"1'.l1+'sc:,hol l cril&.d def! nnel"'dl ichen }~ut,:,ch-

Os~nt r~-.. a"
Oost , · • ••:oar n ,r1u~r lore . 1ump1 f\Chollenland im uord-
)'3t,t1 .?.c~;,...:n ".)(~u-.,ccl'l 0(1taf'r1J:a". Ui t.". gengr.oee. Hbg .,
XXIV, 253- 66 •

.1''111:.: fahche Peoplo 01' '.iru1ec.nyiko.. Ox.f'ord. ( .).Phil.

""her;in J.

Rein:·ux"d, urt .
1Y61 " >as 1e"'l 1nor 1,honovramn- Archi v,..
tsJ-9/\·
Ried, l,.• A.
1q1.) 11
,.-,u> .:u.. ,.uu~o.o 1lot.,1e cl~~ al:."luralosen huopt'soholltin-
landoa :t.111 noe,.dlichen ~'6utech- OUtat'rika" . Abh.l1bg .

Rig"J, Poto:r· ,i . A.
196J ·~ ' "uw·ia ''extn , ./v .
19 ;_4 The 001:0 ot' Gon 'jz>al ~~ar,ganyika; Cattle and K1noh1p
in a •:ora~- Pao~·.o!'al bociety. Colltbr1dge. ( D. Phil. Theeie )
19~6 "htol c·::nboltc Class1.t"1cat1on Among the Gogo or
0ent1'al 'rA--t?.mi.l\'• . A.t'r-ica, Y ,VT , l,.o. l , 1-17.

I. Har.vies , L;n1<.'i.on. t, wah111 Poe tl"Y. Oxt"ord.

Robin~on., J:. L.
1957a Kwa .1: ~oro, iii/~. Kor,,loa Diett>ict Book.
19:'f/b -~oteo on Some of the SaT>daWf' A,.agwn , )f/S . Kondoa
.l)iatl"iC'I. :1ook .

Rueh"b:r, o. c.
l9L~9 " •'ive 1..1.'aleA" . 'l'ant;anyilta. Noter; Jtec •• No. 27, 78-82.

SandAue Ka tel~i9imu.
ShE Vioat•iatus flpoatolicme ..,sgallloJensis in Afioica
Ol'ientali .
 li

1938 "La 'i'r1bu cleo '8.'lo~o 0 • Anthron"'a• xxxr:n, Het»t 1-2,

1~5- 217; H£f't 3-4• 51~· 67.
$ehallcr , Geor ce .
19G5 .1.c Year of.' th(i G<1:r1lla. I o'I'don.
Sch&pe1'a, 1 •
1930 'Hie nioiEcn T'eorl~r o:r • outh Afrka . Londoll.
1932 "~r.d,la. i!iuc..1ee ar.d 'lhe1r ~1gn1f'icanoe0 • Bantu i tud.,
VI , 10. 3, 215- 3~.

1962 "~•'he L1on- rot:n oJ.' ~ 1.nt, j <'.Ja: A 1'(1:ftpprais5,.l O

• 'l''ar,gau,yika
Mot..-o .:tee.• ,10. !:>8-59 . 124-28.
lSE' nr:ru.ru coloty: .,eoi t nt , Uode of' I·rod\1ct:f.on, anci
foC"ie 1y 11 • lu.rica , XX}\ I, No . 3, 2511 ..E,8.
Schultze, L.
1928 Zw, Kenntnio C,es Koel'pere dei- l'ottentotten und Buech-
Paorner . Jena.
Schvreinf"urth , ueor g .
1C7!> Artco At'rioor.ae . L-eip11ie .
Seidel, A.
GPat!il·nt11{ der Sp!'achfll van lrang1, m1 t 'I.'e:J"ten tmd
eirem 1,oerterverze1chn18 IN
r,e1•the:r, c. \':. :>i t• mi ttleren llochlaer.cler des noer·d-
lichcn Deutach- Oetat'rikn. l:lerlin.
'l'he ohorter Ox:t'ord. Lr..el1E't .i.)ic tior.ary •
1944 prep. by u . Li t•le , 1t. ,, . Fo,1le1• anc.. .:. Coulson, rev. and
ea. by c . ~. Onionu, 2 Vole; 3rd e~. Oxf'or d.
S1cRrd. Har•ald von .
1965 •Jsono d!!.e Cikarsnga; Kerangamaet>chen ( "Studia h thno-
~trphica Upealiena!a, .XI.III"); U.Ppse.la.

S:tc k . F'berhard von.

1.915 11 .Jic ,.'flniuturu ( ,h;.limi ); c thnocraph iEloho Skizze einee
;,untu- ~ taiant~blt . t -.1,. , v, l f"t't 1/2, 1-62 •
...,1111 tn, 1l. Roo~rtoon.
1907 Lecttll"e~ on +.he 'qeligion or the Semitoe; Vol.l. The
.t-'Undamcntt:tl Ins i.1 tu,,;.ons. .i.,oudon.
Spi et1s, c.
190.:S "i<:iniges uebe:r die Bed.eutung der Peraonennamen der
Evht:er 1m Togo- Gebiete" . ,,it t . :. eJ!.. orhnt.Spr., 56-68.
Sprie;e.de, P., tut~ .foisel, ,· ..
1904 Map . o . 20 I N GrosF.Al' d!lutso!1c,r Y.ol"nialatle.e, .Berlin
19l5a "Bcgle1twoer'te zur »we1blaett.r1gen topographiechon
Ktu-te dee abtluesloeen Rul'lptsohollenlandee 1m l\<)rd..
oestliohen Deut,ach Osta.t "rika, 11'1 lfaaetabe 1:300,00011 •
Mitt.aeoar.Oes. Hbg., XXI V, 99-118.
 lii.

l~l~,b !'~rte von l.Jeutsch Oetatrika, C 4 Kondoa-Irangi

1: 3"0 ,CCO. rrlir.
l915o i,ort.e vor....eutach Ottat'z·H·a, I.; 4 Dodoma 1: 300,000.
~"~}11"'••
s tal;l t. , I<..d, c.r ,'l.
h .. 7< bll.cl'bcok c- f ·n•'!' fr..t.ilili L~nguaf" , er- e-.p:,ven a t
4-._ ~~:lla1 . ....c-r f'o1h

b i..Cl•l! , tt.
l.~Cb u1 , n~ ti n1,.imvrer. i t r•e w". ati!.t 11 • M! tt. s em. orier..t. Spr. ,
1 2~-25&.
Stora, ltClllOl' •
19.H> '.t:il'a ty hofon t o<"l'je ( Pei-/ /omn i ?i ama) . ( 0 Praee
1'011,i llJ.i Ol•Jf'nt e-liatyczl'ej, No. 26"; F:t>ak6w.
11
• l"('lt'! (,lick(' to Zx11jra:.,c,ry Conf\omw ts" . z .Phon., II ,
lo . 4, 356- 67.
l~bO t•~'lw t v0Ju1~tol' ot Clicr b ounds in ~ 011.1e Af'rioan
Languages" • t . n . lT. j •

Straube, u.
l~ j !;) H1< 'Ii< rvtirkleiclungt'n det> A.1.~I'ikanischen l,aturvoelker.
W1l•a1: ~cien.
S tl't'!Yf' t Ivo :~ . J .
Ui t den KuGtechat der bakoDso&, 2 Vole. Ameterd~m.
StUhlmann, rnnz.
1892 ' ..>l' . ~ tuhlmnnn' s Hueckrf> 1se vom Vi c tor1a-t:yansa uach
Dogrunovo 11 • .. 1 tt. dt. Schut2.geb. , V, 185-86.
1910 •·1.anawerk und Induetrio i n Oata1'r1kn°. Abh. hbg. Kol.
Inst •

. .11<;}.tkunst unc.. Gedichto dor Schlup. Leipzig .

Cw.,nr.ttrton. t; . r·. 11 .
1936e. · HP t.o Tllustrate the Advance or Tsets e 1''ly 1n wt'le tern
l.ondoa &10. Eastern S in~ida Di s tricts l:N
'"he ',&o'tf3e ,.>lies ol 1~a1:1t b.l.'r!ca 11 • ~rans . il. ent • .i.oond.,
LJ<,..,.. Y.I \f •
1936b 0
'.:.'hc •:ootsc Plies of.' Ea.r,t AfricaIf. '.l.rans . R. ent.Lond.,
UC':XIV.

Vernacular ~'4mt8 or bo~e Lmuma1s Occurr ing in Kondoa

Dietl'ict, Ji:/R. Kondon D:J.str1ot .Jool...
"Vernacular llEi"lOS for ~omo of: t.hc n::,ttsr-lrnown Mamoala
in tl1fl Central f>r>ovinoe , Tatl8an:,1kn Territory''.
'.t'angan..v1ka l,otos Rec . , L· o. 21, 21- 38.
Tangan¥1ka. High Gourt.
1947 Criminal Appeals c,~ 1947• hos . 217. 218, 219.
T9.n~a"17'i.1rn . ,..,eJ)at'tmf""lt of Lands and Mines, Sui•vey Division ..
1952 1'~11'al and ~ttin,>17.?'n".>'hic la-o o~ Tango.n:,tl<a Terri tOl'y.
Tanganyika • ...,.-3part,J1on t oJ.' .Lands and. ,.)~ve:rs.
195~ ?an~~tY1ka, l:50,000, sheeto 123/I; 123/II; 124/1.;
121.i/III; 1 1~2/II ; 14.VI. Dar ,.,"" Salnt1m,.
Tan..;c.'I -i.. •ika.
1950 ''Hoc.k .Pa1.c1t:lng oi t ea in th~ Kondoa District"
.iloabrooke , H• .n . ' 1'langany1ka Rockpain tings" •
lan,Jaii..,rB;:a Iow a :1oc.,. . 10.
. 29, 61.
Tant1cr , n.: . ~.
1;3_, 1-unon~t the Sukur.la...
.'',uachery
,o. '5]-6~
j::J, .
Tan1JanyU1:~ liotea Rec .,

Tastevin, v .
1J.36 "~1... ~o,mtatio~. ll
va.."'l de i,i!!tt1enadc, M. ".i..ee Sanda.we$ ( Ter~1 toi~e du
'.l.'anga ..Jiko. A.1:):•iquc) •• . A."'1 ..,.n.rovos ~ ).:\.tJ, 395 .
'l'enraa, w. '.F • .P..
n.d. A Descriptive Sande:we-f"nglish ~)ict1ol"..8l'Y, J..~/s .
'!..a.nduue : usical and Other bounu-?rodue1ng InE>tru.mmts".
Tar..gar..,yika } otcs !?cc., :10. bO, 23- 48.
1964 0
t.a.na.awc uus1cal an.d Other Hound-Producing Inetrumenta;
LiurplOt':lentar;r l,o'tee" , '.'angar..:,~.ka l!otes Hee., llo. 62 ,
91-95.
'' 'f'Oi::raphical l nocc in South-Faotern Oanda\.e".
J • i'r. J .un.r,. , V, l t . 3.
l966b "Procedure anc:l tymbolism in Oandawe R1dd1oe".
:...an(l•• c. ), !, Jo. 3, .:591- 97·
19l>6C '. L~ 1Jtw of' .lJi~iuc; .:. ti eke, b oN:'1. &tonee an<! S tono
.ml.ls ./\none tl'ie S&ndav.·e. f_'_ angany1ka t ote:e Rec., No. 66.
'i'h1r tlf'ton, ·• J..'.
1960 l.a~e Ctucy i'o:• Aft'1oa: Birds. London.
Thos.1pf oa, ... tith.
lS4b l~c !!'olkt&le. lte\1 .:ork.
1955- 8 l oti1'-Jr.dcx 01· l<'olk-L1 tcre.turP, 6 '7ola . Bloomington.

19~1 l:pecimone of 11antu r'olkloro 1'roH t,orth6rn Rhodesia.

l onti.cm.

Tracey, HU6h•
l948 Necma; an Introduction to J.luo1c fol"' Southern A!'ricane.
London .
Trevor, J . c;.
1947 "'l'he Fhys!cal C'hm•uctere oC tho Gandawo". J . R. Aat.
Inst., J..A~.VII, pt.l, 61-78 .
Tr'o~b~t+.1 , A.1.1'r~<'ln.
1910 "J. ,a I.inI;un degl1 Ott.entot i e le. I,in.r-ua dei rfa-Sa:ndftw1".
!, • .., • • 1cct.1d. Bol ->eiui. Ser.1, 3 t l9 - 2J.J .

~t-olloll , J,h. 1·gs.l'ct. end 1ll\~ha'1fUUl, Klucs r .

10.;3 'ril·al (.:,:,vl'te of' t ei,tnc, n. Lom'lo:r. .

Tuel ,.. r, A. J •
19.33 '1•ibal ..un:i.c and vw,citlS;, in the voutnern Sudan {Mrioa)
a t ~> ocibl Mt~ G1::1•ttt:.01Lial ...rb. t.he1•i.~s. Londot..
Tuel.er. A. 1 . , e.1 ( lrh~on, ' · '' •
lQ/1~

"hfl : ,m-: ,~n tu .u8l1fu'USt,es 01.~ .,01'1.h-1'.aotern At1.•1ca

( ', w.c.c:,ook 01· f11'r1cru l,a nguage::; , ir... 3; L1nguiot1c
• _-ro re,r o'C t!.< . o:e u·,r·n . ru ... u ,,,i•dt,rland, I)'t.. 31t ) ;
.,o.."ldo:1..
Turner, 'lie .,01• .1 .
"'wt,e syi.,iJolo ot.' Pai ... nhe 1n !'•cler.tbu Circumoisioll
,1.tual; an Jntt"r~raetation 1.N
I lucl'.1'lnn, • O,d. ) b ,.a,i·s on the Ri t.uo.l o:t t.3ocial
.uJ.a.t1o'16 . HancheF,tor.
t ~'11hti l ,., in .l\tlftJl\bU ... 1 tual IN
0

tluClk!Ann. L. (P.cl. ) Clo1md Sya texne and Opon :11nd.

l ,di.'lburgh .

.t<"unili ef, and l!.erde oi' tne Dutoga Pas·~o,:,al Society •

1

An Anal.JS1S ot tlH" Cattle nw.a1ns Syate!'ll. 11

~ oi.o Ur.iv~Af'y, . b tud. • r. 1 J,73..206.

Van de Ki• Annas, !4 .

"Le.; f>andawd ( 'l'orri toi ro d:u ':t'angar.yika A.frique) ".
Antl\ropon • XO.I , 395- Li.16.
1954 L'"'oni de C.I'ammaire et de vooabulaire de la J.aneuo
fiandaw~, 1/f . u.R.. A. , :i:x. { ..:icro1"1lt:J).

Van Jf'lnr1ep. Arn-)ld.

1960 'i:,c \i tns ,:if .?aR n '<1 1 t1~ans . ~r>O n t 1~ ;>r~nch by J . 'B.
·1za lon and . 1, . Jru' ··p,e. :,o.•..i ui.
1

van~ln.a , Ja:..•
196:} Oral 'frt'\<11 ti'>n; a s t1.1dy i r.. Hi s tox>ical :L!ethodi>logy,
trwu:'I . 1'1:om t .t 'r•tmd1 by Ii • •• :riei.t . .1..ondo1i.

Vel ton!" CRrl .

18;19 11
.:.>ie ::,p1•acbe der lahehe".
l'~l~- ">Iµ.
1900 •..li e ~p1 lizn:1·1en der .'u:.•()paeer bai den. Suaheli" •
'itt. :ttm.or1$nt.Spr., 191- 97.
1904 1itUld6rt :.uaheli ,,aet.bel ''• !Ut t . S«,tn. oriont. Gpl'.,
'1

Vl l , Abt. 3.
1907 Proan Wld Poesie der ::;uaheli. Berli n .
 111.

J'ic.:.i.'i ... :,U., -~ > ;,s ""lieus Baawaoyonei• in Af':rica Ori on tali.
u.~:l.-J./0.

VirchoVJ. R.
1 i•J5 ''l',uue an+;l"?.J.•opolo Jisohe }3eobacht,t tgon aus 08 t, -.,ued
t.- .t'.r.•iku I . ... • .t:.. .;h., •;;fJ- '/b •
U!.:.I. •>'1v(,L;1,,~

."/eber, 4a~·.
1) J3 .. !t: -.,uci ,1 >tl..' o •.' !,::i;Jio:1, :;r~no . by ...;phr:i!u ..:'1.:;chott.
D'.)U~O 1.

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1962b "· ... ;1- clas~1:1:·1na.tio11 al' ..i )Ut...ie.t>n At'1•ican .Non-hantu
Lan~a~e!l''• ,T. A.t"r . Lang., I, pt.1, l-8 .
Weule. Karl .
19':)8 ·• '1SBO"lach~t't'l.1ch a ,rgobniesEt 1w1nezt ethnograph1schen
li'o::-.1ci1un J3l'Ci;JP. in den SueQ.outen )f)u+.ech- Ostm~~kas" .
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I:~ . A:t·r .l:!.ng. ~, tu;~., :,". 3·
A.tr1oan Literature. Oxt'ord.
!. ol"lc ti~n i>f .f'rical'\ Prose; 1. 'rur1i tional oral
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1906 ''...,1Pdor und G6sae11ge dor F.wht'"• i <'leel' ( ~-.Dia1okt) ".
Antrropoc , I , 66-77•
 1?58 The Fedza; Fi~rt I~p:reeF.ionc. P9per r~ed et the
c o,,1:e r~nce helc. by the .r, •• 1ne t11.ute or ti ocial
P.esearo,~ , ,,,ake1•ere Colletse , June 19.58.
"The 'l'o tu.re o~ the Tind.i 0 a ; a Short Account 0£ the
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7'!'er.'c!'t Po.? 1 ticn ar, d. p ~.. s1bi11 t!;?!-l 'f;he ?u ture o~
a rlun t1ng 'L ribe". '..:angan:1ika Hotee R~c ., No. 58/59 ,
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r-:o. 28, 3-'? •
Yon{.;olo, N. D.
tai Eha nR Deeturi za Wan,;ramwezi. London.
iaohe, H.
J.fS9 "-it-t(n und (ebrteuche der ~uahel1" . Z. Eth., X.XXI,
61- bo.