DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.49272#0190
174 HARVARD AFRICAN STUDIES
also takes the name (18). Then the qondala is Dulo; he shaves a tonsure; he does not fail
to shave his head. When he is rdbd, the dobbolle is qondala. Thus is transmitted from one
to another the assembly of the Galla fathers.
Notes
(1.) That is, proclaims one of the four formulas of law of the qondala. The text of
this formula, which is given later, is not clear in its last two words.
(2.) Thieves are, therefore, excluded from initiation. I do not know, however, whether
this exclusion lasts for a lifetime, or whether it is temporary.
(3.) This is the first formula of law of the qondala. It seems to refer to people of low
caste without a patron. Gofta means literally, “ master,” but undoubtedly it is to be
translated here more properly, “patron,” those of low caste not being slaves but clients.
(See Appendix.)
(4.) It would seem that this is the text of the second law of the qondala. Here, too,
the last word cola is not clear. Gala means in Galla “ better,” but is does not seem to me
that the sense of the phrase accords correctly with this interpretation. However, as the
second law is pronounced in the second year of qondala, it should be further on and not
where it is; but this text is rather confused (it must be remembered that Loransiyos, dur-
ing the last days of his stay in Italy, was in bad health, because he had a chronic bronchial
catarrh which produced a violent cough, so that he could not speak long at a time).
(5.) It would seem, therefore, that the first ceremony of initiation of the qondala con-
sists in a dance. Certainly, in all these initiation rites, dancing is one of the most frequent
ceremonies.
(6.) Perhaps because of the magic conception of the propagation of the species.
(7.) That is, the qondala must purify himself, if a pregnant woman stops in front of him.
(8.) Blessing by means of expectoration is very common among the Galla and is evi-
dently connected with the magic beliefs existing among so many nations in regard to the
parts of the human body. The one who spits is considered as bound magically to his
saliva and therefore to the body of him upon whom he has spat. It is noteworthy that
this blessing is in connection with grass, in regard to which so many religious ideas exist
among the Kushites.
(9.) These two words do not seem clear to me. Perhaps Loransiyos meant to indicate
by the word not the sacrifice, but the place where this sacrifice is usually performed
among a tribe. Moreover, the qondala in the second year of his initiation would bless the
place of the butta, the horned cattle that are afterwards to be sacrificed for the buttd, and
the place of the assembly.
(10.) The ceremony of the gathering together of ox dung really takes place, not in
the third, but in the fourth year of the period of qondala. But, as is pointed out in note 4,
Loransiyos gives a law of the qondala without the ceremony with which it is always cus-
also takes the name (18). Then the qondala is Dulo; he shaves a tonsure; he does not fail
to shave his head. When he is rdbd, the dobbolle is qondala. Thus is transmitted from one
to another the assembly of the Galla fathers.
Notes
(1.) That is, proclaims one of the four formulas of law of the qondala. The text of
this formula, which is given later, is not clear in its last two words.
(2.) Thieves are, therefore, excluded from initiation. I do not know, however, whether
this exclusion lasts for a lifetime, or whether it is temporary.
(3.) This is the first formula of law of the qondala. It seems to refer to people of low
caste without a patron. Gofta means literally, “ master,” but undoubtedly it is to be
translated here more properly, “patron,” those of low caste not being slaves but clients.
(See Appendix.)
(4.) It would seem that this is the text of the second law of the qondala. Here, too,
the last word cola is not clear. Gala means in Galla “ better,” but is does not seem to me
that the sense of the phrase accords correctly with this interpretation. However, as the
second law is pronounced in the second year of qondala, it should be further on and not
where it is; but this text is rather confused (it must be remembered that Loransiyos, dur-
ing the last days of his stay in Italy, was in bad health, because he had a chronic bronchial
catarrh which produced a violent cough, so that he could not speak long at a time).
(5.) It would seem, therefore, that the first ceremony of initiation of the qondala con-
sists in a dance. Certainly, in all these initiation rites, dancing is one of the most frequent
ceremonies.
(6.) Perhaps because of the magic conception of the propagation of the species.
(7.) That is, the qondala must purify himself, if a pregnant woman stops in front of him.
(8.) Blessing by means of expectoration is very common among the Galla and is evi-
dently connected with the magic beliefs existing among so many nations in regard to the
parts of the human body. The one who spits is considered as bound magically to his
saliva and therefore to the body of him upon whom he has spat. It is noteworthy that
this blessing is in connection with grass, in regard to which so many religious ideas exist
among the Kushites.
(9.) These two words do not seem clear to me. Perhaps Loransiyos meant to indicate
by the word not the sacrifice, but the place where this sacrifice is usually performed
among a tribe. Moreover, the qondala in the second year of his initiation would bless the
place of the butta, the horned cattle that are afterwards to be sacrificed for the buttd, and
the place of the assembly.
(10.) The ceremony of the gathering together of ox dung really takes place, not in
the third, but in the fourth year of the period of qondala. But, as is pointed out in note 4,
Loransiyos gives a law of the qondala without the ceremony with which it is always cus-