|
|
|
|
|
|
|
is the consultant who is the liar; he consults to eat." In this way the consultants acknowledge publicly the difficulties and potential problems in their profession. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Qualitative Differences Between Consultants |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
While all consultants to a certain extent are seen as suspect, some are viewed as more accurate than others in the advice that they give. "There are consultants among the consultants," Yafuata Tano noted (11:483). The outstanding consultants are called uponmwa, "the real upon." Highly respected consultants are frequently honored with additional names, such as utetantamwa, ''real practitioners" (11:483). Important consultants are, in addition, sometimes called upononitiki, "elder upon" (6:76). Because the credibility of the consultant is of such importance, people often walk for hours to see those who are highly regarded and after arriving are willing to wait for a long time for their turn. As Yafuata Tano noted, "The one that I call a great consultant, everyone comes to him or her for a consultation. People will say 'if I go to consult with that one I will be able to sleep.' They have consulted with this person before and they have seen that what they were told was true and the suggestions worked out" (11:483). It is these highly respected consultants who are approached to care for young children who may become consultants. They are also the ones who train and test those who are old enough to consult. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
On the other hand, some consultants are seldom sought out, and those who are seen to continually offer poor adviceparticularly when they send people to wrong specialists or misinterpret the severity of a problemare heavily criticized or mocked and may eventually leave active practice. Some, particularly those who are young, may try again when they are older, but many others do not. Consultants who are known to give consultations after they have been drinking are strongly condemned as well. The is true of consultants who do not take their work seriously. Yafuata Tano identified the qualities of a poor consultant: |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
The bad consultant even after dreaming of something important will stay without saying or doing anything. A good consultant will consult with other consultants. But a bad consultant will simply stay and wait saying, 'I will go tomorrow. I will go tomorrow to my friend's house to consult because there will be beer there. Today who should I go to?' The bad consultant will tell himself this and he will stay at home. The next morning when he goes, he will not even think about consulting but he will drink, and when he sees others consulting, then he will take the stick and say 'my friend I want to consult' and he will take hold of the cowries and throw them down. As he consults like this, he will do it without thinking. (11:56364) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Consultants who are suffering from serious mental or physical illnesses likewise are viewed with skepticism and are not utilized. There are occasions accordingly when well-qualified and highly respected consultants will voluntarily retire for a time. This generally occurs if they have been sick or if they are troubled by |
|
|
|
|
|