DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.49272#0289
THE WAYAO OF NYASALAND
273
woman guardian shows to her man red and white beads in her hand and tells him that
white indicates health while red means sickness, thereby pointing out to him their deep-
rooted beliefs in the diseases associated with intercourse or association with women during
menstruation.
Then follows a test of manhood. The women guardians put little pieces of stick
(lukwi — sticks or firewood) on their heads and sing:
“ Ngampe mkwangu lukwi Iwa msuku’chamuno liu! ”
“ I must give my wife (when sick) firewood of the msuku although it gives lots of ashes! ”
What is meant is that when his wife is ill, the husband should fetch the firewood even though
he does not know which woods give least ash; the msuku tree gives many ashes. The
little piece of wood a few inches long with a notch in the middle is then handed to the young
man by his guardian. He places it on the ground in front of him, kneels down, and with
a small axe he attempts to divide the stick at the notch. If he is successful, he is greeted
with cheers, clapping, and much rejoicing. By proving his power to hit straight, he has
also established his manhood; it is prophesied that he will soon have children. Should he
miss through nervousness, shouts of derision welcome him and his guardian shows her
disgust with his performance. If he is a young fellow well-liked in his village, he may be
allowed to make a second attempt. After this ceremony, each couple bathes each other in
their shelters by pouring water over the head and body without removing the clothes, thus
making brotherhood. Forever after the man must treat this woman with great respect,
must not address her for some time, and then only after making her a small present.
The woman guardian picks up the two pieces of the broken lukwi and on the morning
before they all leave Chiputu, the mother or sister of the young man gives her a string of
red or white beads saying, “ These are to bind up the bundle of wood.” The man’s guardian
binds up the pieces of wood with the beads and gives it to her man. When they have re-
turned to the village, they go to the young man’s wife and he presents them to her. The
guardian, however, steps in and slips off the beads which she keeps, while the wife, pleased
at her husband’s success, drops the two pieces of wood into the fire.
During the weeks that the girl wali remain under instruction in the village, those young
men who have been ku-lukwi sleep in one big enclosure away from their wives and do not
cohabit until after the second return from Chiputu is made.
Another ku-lukwi test sometimes, I believe, introduced into Yao ceremonies but really
one practiced by the Mpotola people and not proper to the Yao, is as follows:
The guardian lies on the ground, wearing a small loin-cloth, and holding beads in her
clenched hands, red in one, white in the other. Her man standing at her feet, bends over
her and projects saliva on to her abdomen through a rolled up leaf held between his lips, at
the same time choosing one of her hands. If he chooses the hand containing the white
beads, he is hailed with delight as a man indeed, but should he choose the hand containing
273
woman guardian shows to her man red and white beads in her hand and tells him that
white indicates health while red means sickness, thereby pointing out to him their deep-
rooted beliefs in the diseases associated with intercourse or association with women during
menstruation.
Then follows a test of manhood. The women guardians put little pieces of stick
(lukwi — sticks or firewood) on their heads and sing:
“ Ngampe mkwangu lukwi Iwa msuku’chamuno liu! ”
“ I must give my wife (when sick) firewood of the msuku although it gives lots of ashes! ”
What is meant is that when his wife is ill, the husband should fetch the firewood even though
he does not know which woods give least ash; the msuku tree gives many ashes. The
little piece of wood a few inches long with a notch in the middle is then handed to the young
man by his guardian. He places it on the ground in front of him, kneels down, and with
a small axe he attempts to divide the stick at the notch. If he is successful, he is greeted
with cheers, clapping, and much rejoicing. By proving his power to hit straight, he has
also established his manhood; it is prophesied that he will soon have children. Should he
miss through nervousness, shouts of derision welcome him and his guardian shows her
disgust with his performance. If he is a young fellow well-liked in his village, he may be
allowed to make a second attempt. After this ceremony, each couple bathes each other in
their shelters by pouring water over the head and body without removing the clothes, thus
making brotherhood. Forever after the man must treat this woman with great respect,
must not address her for some time, and then only after making her a small present.
The woman guardian picks up the two pieces of the broken lukwi and on the morning
before they all leave Chiputu, the mother or sister of the young man gives her a string of
red or white beads saying, “ These are to bind up the bundle of wood.” The man’s guardian
binds up the pieces of wood with the beads and gives it to her man. When they have re-
turned to the village, they go to the young man’s wife and he presents them to her. The
guardian, however, steps in and slips off the beads which she keeps, while the wife, pleased
at her husband’s success, drops the two pieces of wood into the fire.
During the weeks that the girl wali remain under instruction in the village, those young
men who have been ku-lukwi sleep in one big enclosure away from their wives and do not
cohabit until after the second return from Chiputu is made.
Another ku-lukwi test sometimes, I believe, introduced into Yao ceremonies but really
one practiced by the Mpotola people and not proper to the Yao, is as follows:
The guardian lies on the ground, wearing a small loin-cloth, and holding beads in her
clenched hands, red in one, white in the other. Her man standing at her feet, bends over
her and projects saliva on to her abdomen through a rolled up leaf held between his lips, at
the same time choosing one of her hands. If he chooses the hand containing the white
beads, he is hailed with delight as a man indeed, but should he choose the hand containing