DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.49270#0064
42
J. Roscoe
grave, while the others leave the place, together with the mourners. From this time the
heir with the sons and grandsons have the oversight of the grave. They see that the widow
or widows do their work, for should the grave be allowed to become overgrown with grass
or the mound crumble away, they believe that they will suffer rather than the widows.
They also make periodical offerings of plantain wine to the ghost, and the heir builds a
shrine near his house in addition to the one at the grave, for use of the ghost. In this shrine
he will place a bark cloth and a pot of wine, from which he will from time to time pour out
a little on the floor at the doorway of the shrine. The heir frequently makes requests to
the ghost and if he should receive any unexpected good fortune, he will kill an animal by
the shrine door, allowing the blood to run over the doorway; the meat from this offering
is cooked near by and a sacred meal is eaten by relatives called by the heir to partici-
pate; thus the ghost is credited with being the cause of the good fortune and is honored
accordingly.
There are special times when the aid of a ghost is sought, such as sickness in a family
or some calamity that has befallen them or the clan. The aid of a medicine man is now
sought, and he decides which ghost may be accounted the cause and states how peace and
prosperity may be secured. An offering of a special kind is made, usually an animal which
is kept alive; wine and bark cloth are put into the shrine, and the animal roams about
at will and is cared for by the guardian of the grave. Fowls also are often offered by
poorer relatives to ghosts and quite a stock of animals and fowls accumulates which be-
comes the property of clan ghosts. Such offerings are almost invariably females; male
animals being seldom offered, as this would be regarded as a slight to the ghost.
Ghosts are expected to be reborn in due course. Each child, when a year old, under-
goes a ceremony by which the spirit is tested to discover which family ghost animates it.
When this is decided, the grave is left to decay, and worship ceases to that particular ghost.
Each clan has one ancestor who is never reborn, and the ghost in this instance receives
greater respect than the ordinary clan ghost. To him a temple is built and in some clans
a staff of priests and a medium reside there. In such a temple the ghost is deified, and to
this place members of the clan frequently go for assistance in all kinds of difficulties. To
this place each newly married member of the clan goes with his wife soon after marriage,
seeking a blessing on their future life and especially for the gift of children. During the
life of a clan member the aid of this clan ghost is sought, and from special medicine men
fetishes are obtained, some of which are kept in the house while others are adapted to be
carried about on the person. Such fetishes are believed to contain special protective
powers derived from the deified ghost. They are treated with reverence and are regarded
as of great value in protecting the family. Thus when a man is traveling or is engaged
in any punitive expedition, he carries his fetish to protect him, It is incumbent upon a
J. Roscoe
grave, while the others leave the place, together with the mourners. From this time the
heir with the sons and grandsons have the oversight of the grave. They see that the widow
or widows do their work, for should the grave be allowed to become overgrown with grass
or the mound crumble away, they believe that they will suffer rather than the widows.
They also make periodical offerings of plantain wine to the ghost, and the heir builds a
shrine near his house in addition to the one at the grave, for use of the ghost. In this shrine
he will place a bark cloth and a pot of wine, from which he will from time to time pour out
a little on the floor at the doorway of the shrine. The heir frequently makes requests to
the ghost and if he should receive any unexpected good fortune, he will kill an animal by
the shrine door, allowing the blood to run over the doorway; the meat from this offering
is cooked near by and a sacred meal is eaten by relatives called by the heir to partici-
pate; thus the ghost is credited with being the cause of the good fortune and is honored
accordingly.
There are special times when the aid of a ghost is sought, such as sickness in a family
or some calamity that has befallen them or the clan. The aid of a medicine man is now
sought, and he decides which ghost may be accounted the cause and states how peace and
prosperity may be secured. An offering of a special kind is made, usually an animal which
is kept alive; wine and bark cloth are put into the shrine, and the animal roams about
at will and is cared for by the guardian of the grave. Fowls also are often offered by
poorer relatives to ghosts and quite a stock of animals and fowls accumulates which be-
comes the property of clan ghosts. Such offerings are almost invariably females; male
animals being seldom offered, as this would be regarded as a slight to the ghost.
Ghosts are expected to be reborn in due course. Each child, when a year old, under-
goes a ceremony by which the spirit is tested to discover which family ghost animates it.
When this is decided, the grave is left to decay, and worship ceases to that particular ghost.
Each clan has one ancestor who is never reborn, and the ghost in this instance receives
greater respect than the ordinary clan ghost. To him a temple is built and in some clans
a staff of priests and a medium reside there. In such a temple the ghost is deified, and to
this place members of the clan frequently go for assistance in all kinds of difficulties. To
this place each newly married member of the clan goes with his wife soon after marriage,
seeking a blessing on their future life and especially for the gift of children. During the
life of a clan member the aid of this clan ghost is sought, and from special medicine men
fetishes are obtained, some of which are kept in the house while others are adapted to be
carried about on the person. Such fetishes are believed to contain special protective
powers derived from the deified ghost. They are treated with reverence and are regarded
as of great value in protecting the family. Thus when a man is traveling or is engaged
in any punitive expedition, he carries his fetish to protect him, It is incumbent upon a