DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.49272#0273
THE WAYAO OF NYASALAND
257
against all evils — witchcraft, attack by lions, etc. The akamusi then set about building
shelters in which the wall will remain during their term of instruction. According to the
number of the wali so the number of places where shelters are built may vary from one, two
or three, to as many as eight. Each of these places is called Ndagala. They may be many
miles apart and are so placed for the convenience of the mothers in various groups of villages
who bring the food daily to the group of boys from those villages.
The boys when they originally left the village were wearing a large bark-cloth covering,
with beads and calico, which latter articles have been taken by the m’michila and his as-
sistants. At Ndagala they wear simply a loin-cloth of bark.
During their stay at Ndagala, the wali are given animal names by the akamusi who
carry on the instruction of the boys until their return to Lupanda, the m’mchila having
gone back to his village immediately after the circumcision. The names given to the boys
are commonly names of beasts of prey such as Alikule (Idkule — the jackal), Achisuwi
(chisuwi = the leopard), etc.
Certain restrictions as to diet are laid upon the waft by the m’michila, e.g. no meat of
an animal killed by a beast of prey, no mudfish, likambale. He will not allow any villager
to visit Ndagala after seven p.m. and visitors may only be men who have been through the
ceremony. An uncircumcised man is called mbalale, one who has not been to his Unyago.
Other restrictions as to foodstuffs may be made by the akamusi, generally in connection
with the mythical origin of such food substances. A finger-shaped yam called lipeta is
taboo, as it is said to have first sprung from the grave of a leper, the inference being obvious.
After the Unyago, the boys have to undergo a special doctoring before they may partake of
them. Bananas and rice are similarly refused them, the latter on account of a story to the
effect that rice grew from the nostrils of a dead man, the idea doubtless having relation to
the resemblance of rice grains to maggots. Fish is denied them by some masters of cere-
monies, as it is said to have originated from the diaper of a woman which she threw away
while bathing.
Each m’michila may have special observances of his own. One near Zomba caused all
cassava to be roasted in a certain way. Rows of pieces of cassava were placed in split
bamboo spits and so roasted before the fire in the manner of fish. If roasted in the ordinary
way, the cassava would split and show the white floury material inside, signified by the
verb ku-lagala. If this is eaten by the wali, it is said that the preputial wound would reopen.
The length of time spent at Ndagala varies from four weeks to as long as three or four
months. In the first place they must wait till the circumcision wounds of all are com-
pletely healed. Delay may be occasioned by complications having arisen in some cases.
Again, permission to return may be withheld by the chief for some reason or other.
Should one of the wali die at Ndagala, the body is buried out in the bush and nothing
is said to the parents until after the ceremonies are over and all have returned to the
village.
257
against all evils — witchcraft, attack by lions, etc. The akamusi then set about building
shelters in which the wall will remain during their term of instruction. According to the
number of the wali so the number of places where shelters are built may vary from one, two
or three, to as many as eight. Each of these places is called Ndagala. They may be many
miles apart and are so placed for the convenience of the mothers in various groups of villages
who bring the food daily to the group of boys from those villages.
The boys when they originally left the village were wearing a large bark-cloth covering,
with beads and calico, which latter articles have been taken by the m’michila and his as-
sistants. At Ndagala they wear simply a loin-cloth of bark.
During their stay at Ndagala, the wali are given animal names by the akamusi who
carry on the instruction of the boys until their return to Lupanda, the m’mchila having
gone back to his village immediately after the circumcision. The names given to the boys
are commonly names of beasts of prey such as Alikule (Idkule — the jackal), Achisuwi
(chisuwi = the leopard), etc.
Certain restrictions as to diet are laid upon the waft by the m’michila, e.g. no meat of
an animal killed by a beast of prey, no mudfish, likambale. He will not allow any villager
to visit Ndagala after seven p.m. and visitors may only be men who have been through the
ceremony. An uncircumcised man is called mbalale, one who has not been to his Unyago.
Other restrictions as to foodstuffs may be made by the akamusi, generally in connection
with the mythical origin of such food substances. A finger-shaped yam called lipeta is
taboo, as it is said to have first sprung from the grave of a leper, the inference being obvious.
After the Unyago, the boys have to undergo a special doctoring before they may partake of
them. Bananas and rice are similarly refused them, the latter on account of a story to the
effect that rice grew from the nostrils of a dead man, the idea doubtless having relation to
the resemblance of rice grains to maggots. Fish is denied them by some masters of cere-
monies, as it is said to have originated from the diaper of a woman which she threw away
while bathing.
Each m’michila may have special observances of his own. One near Zomba caused all
cassava to be roasted in a certain way. Rows of pieces of cassava were placed in split
bamboo spits and so roasted before the fire in the manner of fish. If roasted in the ordinary
way, the cassava would split and show the white floury material inside, signified by the
verb ku-lagala. If this is eaten by the wali, it is said that the preputial wound would reopen.
The length of time spent at Ndagala varies from four weeks to as long as three or four
months. In the first place they must wait till the circumcision wounds of all are com-
pletely healed. Delay may be occasioned by complications having arisen in some cases.
Again, permission to return may be withheld by the chief for some reason or other.
Should one of the wali die at Ndagala, the body is buried out in the bush and nothing
is said to the parents until after the ceremonies are over and all have returned to the
village.