|
|
|
|
|
|
|
There, in 197677 and again in 1980, I spent a total of six months in field research. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The religious system of the Wourbira Lobi is best viewed as a three-level pyramid. At the top is thangba yu (literally, "sky above"), the creator of the world and the force responsible for all life on earth ever since. In no way personified, this god is defined in a very abstract and general way as being behind all things. No shrines are built for thangba yu, and no sacrifices are made in this god's name. Thangba yu cannot, in the true sense of the word, be grasped. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Under this abstract god, on the second level of the pyramid, are the thila (singular, thil), invisible and bodiless beings endowed by thangba yu with superhuman powers and abilities. Thila fulfill various tasks in the human world that I will examine in detail later on. Unlike thangba yu, the thila can be communicated with through a medium, the diviner (buor), and one can, according to their instructions, build shrines, make sacrifices, or perform other services for them. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
At the bottom of the pyramid are several kinds of bush beings (kontuorse, krupaa, and others), who are in principle visible and live in the bush just as people live in villages. The most humanlike beings of the Lobi pantheon, the bush beings even have their own thila and, like humans, must rely on a diviner to communicate with them. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
To help give an idea of the diviner's importance in Lobi culture, I will first discuss the meaning and function of the beings with which diviners communicate, the thila. I will start with a Lobi myth. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
As Lobi elders still relate, in the beginning Man lived in a blissful state. God provided meat for him to eat; he did not have to work and knew neither strife and war nor sickness and death. He followed the norms of behavior, the "great interdictions" (soser kotena), which God had voiced: "You shall not steal, you shall not take away each other's wives, you shall not kill one another; always remain united!"
3 But as the population increased, the men began to steal each other's wives. As punishment, God ceased to provide the meat with which they had nourished themselves, gave them hoes so they could work, and beset them with sickness and death. Then God retreated forever to the sky (thangba) above (yu). That is how the Lobi came to know sadness, helplessness, and suffering. So that the people would not be completely alone, thangba yu gave them the thila, entrusting these invisible beings from then on with the task of attending to (yaale) the people's welfare (bopha) and saving (taare) their bodies (tumber) from hunger, sickness, and death. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Since that time the thila have carried out this important task. To ensure the Lobi's survival, the thila maintain the political, social, and moral order in the society, which knows no central political, administrative, or legal institutions. They do this by issuing interdictions similar to the great interdictions of thangba yu. These soser regulate the behavior of the people within the individual houses (tyor), the villages (de), the parti- and matrilineal descent groupings (kuon and tyaar), |
|
|
|
|
|