DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.49272#0318
302 HARVARD AFRICAN STUDIES
strument). These were of various types but the most usual was made of a gourd, chitumba,
called ndumba,1 containing a number of small articles, each of which had some special name
and if it appeared in the casting, a special significance. Among these articles are:
(a) Achikalekale; small pieces of broken white earthen-ware. These have the signifi-
cance of whiteness, cleanness, innocence, or answers in the negative to questions as to any
particular person having done some action.
(b) Chiwamsagaja; the body of one of those beetles which feign death. This indicates
death in answer to the question asked. Chiwamsagaja is the name of the beetle.
(c) Ugono; a small piece of a sleeping-mat, signifying illness.
(d) Liwale; a small piece of stick or grass.
(e) Or Mawale the plural; little pieces of stick, said to indicate that the people have
previously consulted some other diviner, whose findings are called for by the man who is
then casting lots.
(J) Msengo; the horn. For convenience the small horn of a guapi is used. It indicates
witchcraft, referring to the fact that witches like medicine men are supposed to keep
their medicines in horns.
(g) Ngoleka; the coiled tendril of a vine, indicating a dispute, etc.
The lots are cast, and according to the disposition of the various articles, an interpreta-
tion is given in answer to the question put to the instrument.
Chipendo (plur. ipendo) is the word used in referring to instruments used for divination
in minor cases and several of these are usually included in a diviner’s kit. They may be
called chisango.
1. A small heap of flour or ashes is raised and any article, such as a knife or a piece of
stick is flipped towards it; interpretation is based on the direction taken by the article
flipped.
2. A small tortoise shell filled with medicine propelled by a feather stuck in one end is
similarly used, and is called chisango cha ngongo; 2
3. A horn and feather may be used in the same way.
4. The stuffed skin of a weasel, chindindi (likongwe, Chin.) is also used, in the same way
as gologolo, the squirrel.3
On February 4, 1914 at Zomba I witnessed Chiunganire of Chapita village, a Manganja
man, use a small outfit for divining, consisting of: (1) A small oribi horn in a gourd with
pieces of stick (Pl. XVI, figs. 3, 5); (2) a piece of bamboo matting with a horn fixed on
each end of the strip called chisango cha ugono (Pl. XVI, fig. 2); (3) medicine in a gourd
(Pl. XVI, fig. 1); (4) a rattle (Pl. XVI, fig. 4). He commenced by taking these things out
of his bag and dusting them by rubbing in his hands. The gourd cup was cleaned out with
his finger and spit into. The horn was spit upon, rubbed in the hands, and anointed with
1
1 Stannus, ‘ Notes on some natives of British Central Africa,’ Pl. XXVII, fig. 4.
2 Ibid., Pl. XXVI, fig. 2. 3 Ibid., p. 304 and Pl. XXVI, fig. 9.
strument). These were of various types but the most usual was made of a gourd, chitumba,
called ndumba,1 containing a number of small articles, each of which had some special name
and if it appeared in the casting, a special significance. Among these articles are:
(a) Achikalekale; small pieces of broken white earthen-ware. These have the signifi-
cance of whiteness, cleanness, innocence, or answers in the negative to questions as to any
particular person having done some action.
(b) Chiwamsagaja; the body of one of those beetles which feign death. This indicates
death in answer to the question asked. Chiwamsagaja is the name of the beetle.
(c) Ugono; a small piece of a sleeping-mat, signifying illness.
(d) Liwale; a small piece of stick or grass.
(e) Or Mawale the plural; little pieces of stick, said to indicate that the people have
previously consulted some other diviner, whose findings are called for by the man who is
then casting lots.
(J) Msengo; the horn. For convenience the small horn of a guapi is used. It indicates
witchcraft, referring to the fact that witches like medicine men are supposed to keep
their medicines in horns.
(g) Ngoleka; the coiled tendril of a vine, indicating a dispute, etc.
The lots are cast, and according to the disposition of the various articles, an interpreta-
tion is given in answer to the question put to the instrument.
Chipendo (plur. ipendo) is the word used in referring to instruments used for divination
in minor cases and several of these are usually included in a diviner’s kit. They may be
called chisango.
1. A small heap of flour or ashes is raised and any article, such as a knife or a piece of
stick is flipped towards it; interpretation is based on the direction taken by the article
flipped.
2. A small tortoise shell filled with medicine propelled by a feather stuck in one end is
similarly used, and is called chisango cha ngongo; 2
3. A horn and feather may be used in the same way.
4. The stuffed skin of a weasel, chindindi (likongwe, Chin.) is also used, in the same way
as gologolo, the squirrel.3
On February 4, 1914 at Zomba I witnessed Chiunganire of Chapita village, a Manganja
man, use a small outfit for divining, consisting of: (1) A small oribi horn in a gourd with
pieces of stick (Pl. XVI, figs. 3, 5); (2) a piece of bamboo matting with a horn fixed on
each end of the strip called chisango cha ugono (Pl. XVI, fig. 2); (3) medicine in a gourd
(Pl. XVI, fig. 1); (4) a rattle (Pl. XVI, fig. 4). He commenced by taking these things out
of his bag and dusting them by rubbing in his hands. The gourd cup was cleaned out with
his finger and spit into. The horn was spit upon, rubbed in the hands, and anointed with
1
1 Stannus, ‘ Notes on some natives of British Central Africa,’ Pl. XXVII, fig. 4.
2 Ibid., Pl. XXVI, fig. 2. 3 Ibid., p. 304 and Pl. XXVI, fig. 9.