6 ‘THE FOREST OF SYMBOLS os ‘Tamer, V.W-1957- Schism ad yt Rha the White Spirit Rhodes Livingstone Paper fanchexer Univerty Pes as yal of Pose bye, Essays on the chexer University Pres. (Oxford Univesity Press, forthe CHAPTER x A Ndembu Doctor in Practice* adept” would be e bi well and during a perod of le was a member of the people as we have seen, an dozen subchies, four of wh istration under the cassava as their stple erop slong with Finger Potatoes, anda variety of cucurbis and othe, ‘no cate and only Few she from tse fy infestation) stem inselving bali toss or“ ileat gro surrounded by a fringe of "Nadembu must be viewed not only in a private oe Framework, All Felt and Healing Aci Key (lenoes Fe wit permison of The Free Pres xprghe ion of The Meclan Company,“THE FOREST OF SYMBOLS for his group if i Therapy then becomes am tributions of diseae to sorcery ot n the contexe of factional rivalry, Factions support rival candidates For ofce di ‘whether he be chief ot destroyers are le shen. However, Faction leaves the patent that escaping fro wi geographical range of efficacy. sine oss and therapy, but there we have set cdc the their therapist ee in effct masters of | ‘A NDEMBU DOCTOR IN PRACTICE ‘hee “medicine” acon balist of medicine man. = empiial benefits herbal medicines employed detive thet‘TEE FOREST OF SYMBOLS ‘A NDEMBU DocTOR IY PRACTICE ba, creed bene sg ig meal mixed withthe blood of slaughtered game which ae kno and caus ito gush and Hl take i. The wo Fun practice. Since this ily outline its chara mba refers among the Ndemba ieved tbe af evo of hunters whose incisor teeth wer taba dectors. who mus be iiited hunt urpose ofthe rites they p iatrmbembe fo he Fe“THE FOREST OF SYMBOLS ‘A/NDEMBU DOCTOR IN PRACTICE x5 introduction into Ndemba is plugged with the thamba, WHEE me en by, Fequendypefoming I She induc tome } conomie needs and new wie new sl ‘mutual eccord, and prosperity sick, may ey pray 0 y pouch of cloth cnd sing and dance with drums for him [at a gun Fhunter site)” According to other informants, anthem can be seen "2 patients skin Crusculr spasms, perhaps) level of social “ the epee oe lev of sl expense tod ansedse ese ho te compaled by aging onan Incontavenon of tain santos ‘Ave ign that Thamba is «response co cultural change i flected in the fact “ ream of «unter shade‘THE FOREST OF SYMBOLS ‘ee, past of the ig the thamba consists in the doctor's summoning go hin-ioup has “nade (on, we would sy, pur mt acknowledge envy's pokonoas “back bit ‘Ndembu' motion of : ing and our saying tha someone is or "a prey wo remorse involve the sucking of ‘Ndambu-except for the doctors re thatthe shamba tooth of spec rom the confines she ‘stat ofa human being or of am animal like a monkey o a pig). He leaves untouched tat sleight of aking the "extraction" doctors must themselves be aware of thei own ticker although never managed o persuade one to he had used deception tr sincerely believe that their therapy— A NDEMBU DOCTOR IN PRACTICE row an i any rate, dation Te seems th posible thatthe blond doctor's efforts wo “apture” the elusive effets on some patens. There ‘analogous to modern shock treatment-—t ng that, a5 Lessa and Vogt have suggested, "simulates em intemal rnstion ‘uring the organism to hel ee oe tis more dif ines" confers ei te, and in almost every case, he selection of Muli Vangueriopsis a, It comes from Iw sole, Tei make reveal.” that are eaten by Auiker and other woodland. gaone daring the early tans. Néeabns name is connected wi the power ofthe tree to draw forth“THE FOREST OF SYMBOLS usr oF mussena wepicmves (Continued) 2 Museng’a Ochna Xplopia ndoraisia animals from theis hiding places bad. Musali medicine is given to bareen. women "eo make «Ts the senior Cue) tambo, the fst to be sands for “many any children.” in ewaeme tothe tree to gather its tar. Tn the same way, many peo ple will come to the drum (ite) ANDEM DOCTOR IN PRACTICE ry 1st of muasena aezprms (C 4+ Mufung'a book 5 Muteta — Securidaca longipedunen- lata “Randa ks 6. Mame rated by a sorcerers hange its mind” Ce rekaka) about tent and sink don ‘gain. Te will be re grudges ofthe living mus Fesed during Ne Inge asi of peor Bh orsothe Ndcmbu thi ongrgion fom sorcery an Sonened dec ‘Blin, caves adhering tothe patents sha or she has been splashed by a leaf-broomn sre. said ‘hadTeside of‘A NDEMBU DOCTOR IN PRACTICE cous was Thembi a exucial points. ‘over the incumbency of th the victors had given the defeated "dispossessed" characteris ofthat lineage and seas chronologically senior to its headman, he did ical office—p The hid i Lunda subiibe, that of Shinde in Balovale Dist, t where be had ad alo practice Ihe had become initited fs ‘medicines and techniques of ly from the Luvale people who live i the Lunde in Balovale Distict. At a comparatively old age he head headmanship fined Thembi for fraudulently expt verb managed to cary on his practice rel 2 wide reputation 1a: capable, charismatic, authoritative, but excluded for a varity of Te was not long befoce them and I were on terms of fr that soon developed Into the "joking relaonship” between "grand:‘THE FOREST OF SYMBOLS 2" This friendship enabled us to speak very to observe three in a rites, to belonged 10 believed to be possessed by the spins of live Europeans oc of sien f sites, in afew months, " was seriously disturbed. Furthermore, as I have argued, i that chee was sefous disturbance in his network of teil relations Thembi and the Case of Kamahasanyi avoidable that I should deploy d genealogy, the hut ory. For the events th many dimensions, several type and then fetes ie by cients from rate by the manipulation of peutic pact. By by eeping his eyes kes oF the stent, the shorty, Thembi village, where ead en hhad been in the neighborhood, and myms THE FOREST OF SYMBOLS village of Nowa but so in many other junior ad} been appointed as head been manifested ad ripped ich them. Not ey alleged, but fevw yeas previously wi from the Mukanglla th tat of Senioe Chi also because the Brith authorities dawn reso Teen merged ‘A'NDEMBU DOCTOR IN PRACTICE ws ‘of Mundongu Kabongu, blamed the people of the chiefdom and in pticular chose of his own village fr allowing this merger to happen. The persecution of Ki imselF who begged the pero not pressing his li he could. Ar we shall see, this theme of failure to undertake encourge people t discharge dl and not seek cape frm them Europeans we gone i own father's shade, as‘A NDEMBU DOCTOR IN PRACTICEHE FOREST OF SYMBOLS For the presnt analysis, fons Fall of chron tension and confit. The che Court and Treasury with thee trends of change for the chiefdom extended Thad regressed to "bath" rnamndang'. lis smattering pst of court clerk inthe days ofthe n. Now he had become ashy Bgure who te power bad repereusions. ‘long several dimensions of social relations in the beck sector. Among Iranches ofthe royal mi importint men fom the iefdom. Several went to Chie Theleng's ‘A NDEMBU DOGTOR IN PRACTICE va refs ie wid ung of thse waste he Makan oeage vided to two branches: one descended from Nyak ote r From Kova (By) shal el hs cmbeney of lineages since shade was lieved io have been ukangala V (E13), Tbalas sisters daughters ote members vided 50. many but continued to say in 2 cherished hopes that be restored to oficial favor and tecognition, ed as Jim (Er2), igent, enterprising ed worked as labor Rhodesia. He st Father cererny-—a role chietom—at ini Fequent pea try to build upste "THe FOREST OP SyMpOLs Future from anyone cee who could be induced to suppor ef alo interesting that he the task at each ceremony of sucking the cupping horns of Kamahasanyts body would remain united ‘comparison of the hut and Rabon CE by Jim CEr2) his wo and by Wilon (Ei) son ofthe late Iheadman, ard his two veves and junior pied by whit Ihave ealed 1ayi CEs) nd his wife, and their adule son Jackson CFs). Berween these sectors ae the two huts of Kamahasonyi (Fa) and Nyokings (Dig), Kechinba's 9 aghter G 12"). These site arangements relict se the course of senior man in. Nyankanjata chieftinsip. Some Nkonkoto people beside those of Nyakanjota people, For a time, all went well, but ‘A NDEMBU DOCTOR IN PRACTICE aa en kw them the Nkonkoto group, reduced im mumberto thse tech wen on god ene with Jin C13), whom ‘with everyone. situation of stain ‘well connected on both sides, There ace several peclianiiee about Kamahasany’ life history that made ie most unforsnte for fe end in his temperament. History sactery for the greatah ‘THE FOREST OF SYMBOLS ‘A NbEwpu DOCTOR IN PRACTIC sce. Ii probable that arranged these erosecousin afer her mi Fora time copper father, was a man of great force of character In presented a sharp contrat to his son, Kamabesanyi wos ef ‘mannec and was reckoned to be minesin the Katangs Union Min inate in rospered for 2 w ‘ofthese marriages he thee were ly AAs Kanahassnyi men who evade their responsible, for the major Rvtverognin pa ruggls for satus and power isthe vilage of his Fj matrilineal kin. Flere i s that a man may hope to become a to become a chief. Here it, alo, man is expected to help his makin in legal and rival maters and to hare his economie sueplue: Komah shied chee duties saa) citeumstance—so he was atked to pay & i. These facts indicate, I think, the villager? slice of e yi and Mundoy, who were Mudygiu’s seminal brothers), Kamahasany’ continued reldence in hie village aroused initionat THE FOREST OF SYMBOLS was known to have been fored to do so and hie fore her marrage to Kamabasany lover one of the Nionkot son Jackon, an educ sea ded (Go), rushing away cing toward him—as she were his mothecimlawe! Kamshasany! was said to be impotent and to al. appearances he wat compaisant abou Maia fulfilled many of her wifely duties to Kamahesany Desde him in his cassava gardens Cindeed she di the work), and she brewed finger accompanied him to Angola to cons foreune, 1d the village headrnanshi strong clans, by virtue of blood and the futur, i ‘own, it was possible chat Kemshasanyi cof Newanamundong'u by succeeding to its headranship and serping up a modest following of matekin, co: ne else he might persuade t reside with him, ‘At leat, Mara, with ber stong will and energy, might do these things with her husband ae nominal head Despite his disadvantages, Kamaharanyi had a strong sense of his ‘own importance. Even ina socioty whose memberlike to sess thet ‘A. NDEMBU DOCTOR IN PRACTICE 5 yi was more noblish than most I discussed the istry of the ly one w lan formula of the Saluseki clan to le soil importance. He was als proud of his ink with the Nkonkote ch ing his hai and oling rom the Belgian Congo sve which he could not read but which he clealy le tard me was that we whom he despised and not understand him, The symptoms of his ines consisted of rapid palpkations of the art; severe pains in the back, limbs and fatigue after short spells of work. He against” him—thoogh withdrew fem al Tong periods, He Jgnored hie sll self [cannot say with clinical ceranty whether Kemah. sony’ symptoms were sel or imaginary. that they were mainly neuratie, At any ual sequence was over, Ka ‘was perfect calivate his gaedeng to set traps for game inthe frst, and to tevel consider ances to vist Kin and friends. To al outward appearances there was nothing much the him he talked animtedly and at length to anyone whom, ce Thembi and myself he considered sympathe ‘were peychoron pains, common Ndemb amen Scious way of obuining the aention of his fellow village ‘The Performances of Ihamba ‘The mateil Thave presented—and much mo who sas known to‘THE FOREST OF SYMBOLS sme pat put to therapeutic use by of ritual performances, concept of men ‘Alter the frst perform ‘acthuly tak of theme, sme that, whl twas rae that Kemahasanyi had been “ben” by ‘of his "grandfather ies had ako been at work. te ches incisor, tnd he had been correct, he sid in hie view thatthe shade was angry because 4 proper h rdong's. He knew that he was cor hd caused the pat atec he had medicine and proba maybe veiled, had deemed of hit fae’ hate ta wae angry with his son for having tiki, Since Kemahaconyi had dreamed on sucesive nights thatthe shade had stood between the tau, Ther tly to blame for Kamahasanys te tho ned water the "A set of thyme shuderng,indeatve of possesion, ‘coming to the v Wileon was Tes ing apparatus) by 1s were Kamahasanyis wife ma (Bp), Kachimba' wife. They wanted t ‘ny for his meat" since Ndemba witehes are phagous. They bi Known as snyebels, he tiny men with as Keneng’s ot witches re ina general way “they were known.” Lap also od the effect of diving off witches’ fm would act asa sharp warning to the erise he would expose them on Komahasanyi. To lage was the sharpest rebuke Néerbu villages deepest fens wa in his mind ree Mara and to go ta‘THE FOREST OF 5 poLs fonyi wat washed to betoker “good feeling toward him. Makayi, to, atended the rite, which was Faraway fom the village ‘The Second Thamba Performance ve a “blow by blow” account ofthe ite se but shall confine myslf to its social implications. It i necesary to know, however, thot, after certain ritual preliminaries, including the collec dicines in a. prescribed formal manner, an Thamba rite cupping hors fellows » pha of and the patent ge his convubions, pe the shade and confess any secret il-fealing they patient. The patient himeelE may be invited a we ‘are aflixed once more, dru ng, plying the villoge by rita ‘sweeping out hute and paths, or going aut into the buch to bring back some new maticine plant. geatest skill was in managing this stopstar routine so thar, aftr seer hous of it, the congregation felt nothing but a ‘A NDEMBU DOCTOR IN PRACTICE 9 of the shame from the patient's songs, which are sing to "please confessions end a gous from the linkectial and dalgical pacers of activity that generates strong en rents oF corpora tees skepticism, and maximizes 5 for the patient Them was also sil in allocating appropriate ital tasks to the pauees kn Frc be ake Npking (Di) calabash of water hy the Belgian Congo. She was Kam: Clasfcatory “grandmother,” and she had been “Maria some yeas exer at her puberty at life ese, Ndembu regard wate the patient invoke the was “the ral esdman Therbi ro puta piece of white cay on the shrine rein token of hie frendly a asany, of which, a5 we have sen, there had buen some ess Mazia go leaves from a mudyi tee (Diplorrhyneus condylocarpon). ‘Thi n elsewhere, sande for t white latex secresone ate It alo stands for “auspiciousnes.” Maria chewed the leaves the juice on her husband's temples, fet, d activ, and tapped him smartly on the beck and head with a small hand ratle—'to give wth” By these ats, he reamed her willy duties toward the patient and the reverse of wither. (Others too numerous tome: steal dram by the afd inp‘THE FOREST OF SYMIOLS in ritual contents, to get everyone desplte the fsues that divided them in secular life, ad," and thus to cute the patient. Once sthen the feclng 0 imself spoke out. He al tals) were present, for they were Kamahasanys (csi father” Ce neal), and wash father eo had ben ing him T shot ike to conclude my account ofthe performance with an en ap shor ri [Now them fied # log thin duiker born om the took a mongeoteskin pure in hie lee hand, and psnted hom a ng tie coping ors wig hepa dhs jut ore it athe did sa. The whole congregation rose t0 thet fet os one Tastened on the twching Kamabstanyi, who Elon ‘A NDEMBU DOCTOR IN PRACTICE Kamabasany tied ad and ssid "Ms Printed, But Thembi with » gentle srile fingers into the groczame liquid and wren he Bou fash of whit. Thea he rushed with what was avid cle of onlookers, From the edge of the elders and to me. Led by Som Kachimba, we went one by one to Themb. It was indeed a human woth, we had to 23). th pig’ toth, nova monkey’ Jub ith jy- Mec and ween who bad been on col terme iy, shook hands warmly snd beamed with ‘mild at Makay, who smiled beck. Several satisfaction sl Seemed to emanate from the ut ofthe Teckoned to ‘These events took pice toward the end of than a year lage found that sever changes had occur ‘Nhonkoto grou ist Red wip. More Maas lover Jackson ad gone as labor mig town of Chingola where Tmet reat one day—he ssid he wat b's sons Dour and bso Mukang/ala Chiefdor. Kamahasanyi was stil in ei sill his wife, nd indeed he hd added to Persuading his younger brother and sister to feside in ndong'. Furthermore, he had ineeated his prestige ‘dept in some of th cults into which he suffering, though notin Tham tens of social morphology, ie patiFOREST OF SYMBOLS ‘A NDEMBU DOCTOR IN PRACTICE 3s Kamshasanyi gave me the impres pted by his fellow wilogess seams of interpersonal them in a socially postive direction, ‘The raw energies of cont ace hus dome BIBLIOGRAPHY Ackesnesit, E. H. toys "Problems of Paimitve Med (Go use the Ndembe of tha History of el tural mechanism Less, W. Ay ane V ,, ede 1958. Render in Comparative Religion. Socal System, New York: The Fee Press Of op of expats jon is roused ane Africas Society: A 2 into is group ‘one another it in endeavor was to ser that individunle were capable of playing ther social oles succesfully fon, lnes wae foe him 2 mat