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or muddy; and is hence applied by metaphor to confusion or muddling of mind by trouble, disturbance of a family or a village by contention and quarrelling, and, as above, to general derangement of the body from disease. |
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3. "A house of dreams," meaning that he dreams constantly, that dreams take up their abode with him. Many dreams are supposed to be caused or sent by the Amatongo [ancestors], but not all. |
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4. "A soft head," that is, impressible. Diviners are said to have "soft" heads. |
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5. Impepo is of two kindswhite and black. The black is first used as an emetic to remove all the badness and causes of dimness from the system. The white is burnt as incense when sacrificing to the Amatongo; izinyanga use it as an emetic to prevent the return of dimness of the inner sight after the use of the black impepo; they also eat it; and place it under their heads at night, that they may have clear, truthful dreams. They believe that by the use of this medicine they are enabled to divine with accuracy. Hence to have "eaten impepo" means to be a trustworthy diviner. |
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6. "Treated with blood," that is, of sacrifices. |
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7. Umhlaba, "the earth," is a name given to the Amatongo, that is, the Abapansi, or Subterraneans; i.e., "ancestral spirits" [see Callaway 1970:147-48 n.14]. |
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8. "Your people move in him," that is, the Amatongo. Or, he is possessed by your people. |
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9. When he takes medicines, he eats nothing and is worse than usual. When he leaves off medicines, he is better and takes a little food. |
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10. "What is good," viz., the power to divine. |
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11. Yawning is considered a sign of approaching inspiration by the Itongo. [Callaway's reference to the effects of a troll's yawns found in Icelandic legends are deleted.] |
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12. Lit., "It is now seen by the morning," viz., that he is still alive. They retire to rest doubtful whether they shall find him still living at daybreak. |
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13. Lit., "We see the head," viz., that it is affected in that way which is followed by the power to divine. |
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14. That is, by the Itongo in a dream. |
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15. Ubulawo, "a class of medicines, used for cleansing and brightening. Medicines used with the view of removing from the system something that causes dislike [black ubulawo], and introducing into it something that will cause love [white ubulawo]. [See Callaway 1970:142-43 n. 10.] |
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16. "People," viz., the dead, the Amatongo. |
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17. The supposed voice of the familiar spirits is always in a shrill, whistling tone; hence they are called imilozi. |
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18. Uhlabo, the name of a disease, from ukuhlaba, to stab, because it is attended with a stabbing pain or stitch in the side. It is applied either to pleurodynia or pleurisy. |
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19. Isibobo, "a hole;" that is, the patient feels as though a hole has been made in his side with a sharp instrument. The same sensation that we call a "stitch in the side." |
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20. He speaks of the disease as though it was a knife, or something of that kind; he personifies it. |
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21. Ukxulo: the same as uhlabo, from ukukxula, "to stab." |
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22. We may compare the following faith in evil Nats, which seem to hold very much the same position in the East as the Amatongo among the Amazulu. . . . [The long quotation about the role of Nats in Burma is deleted.] |
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23. Tandwa, lit., "loved." [It is significant that Callaway chooses not to enter this meaning in the text (although he has at least informed us of it) because this is certainly the more appropriate term for the relationship of the diviner and these powers.] |
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24. That is, the Amatongo. |
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25. To have a soft or impressible head, that is, to be an inyanga. |
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26. Ukumbulula.Sorcerers are supposed to destroy their victims by taking some portion of their bodies, as hair or nails; or something that has been worn next [to] their person, |
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