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Funeral Friendship in Central Africa1

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 August 2012

B. Stefaniszyn
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Extract

The basis of the funeral friendship

Among the Ambo there exists a joking relationship based on the interrelations of clan objects, but to call it simply a joking relationship would hardly be appropriate, since the joking relationship is only accessory. The institution is first and foremost a real and close friendship which has for its aim assistance in the funeral of the friend, and this aim is never lost sight of, but is always alluded to even in joking. This social institution of the Ambo people may therefore aptly be termed ‘funeral friendship’ (bunungwe)

Résumé

L'AMITIÉ FUNÈBRE EN AFRIQUE CENTRALE

Parmi les Ambo de la Rhodésie du Nord, il existe une relation entre certaines tribus, qui est basée sur des rapports mutuels de leurs sacra claniques. Malgré sa similitude, dans certains de ses aspects, aux parentés à plaisanteries, qui ont été relatées pour beaucoup d'autres peuples africains, cette pratique est essentiellement une amitié véritable dont le but est de rendre assistance lors de l'enterrement de l'ami.

L'amitié funèbre est limitée aux membres des clans dont les sacra sont en relation mutuelle d'inimitié, ou de dépendance. Les amis funèbres jouent les rôles principaux aux enterrements. Le droit de toucher le corps leur appartient exclusivement et ils remplissent des fonctions importantes pendant toute la durée du deuil. Une manifestation caractéristique de leurs activités est de proférer des malédictions violentes à l'adresse des parents du défunt. Quant au développement de ce système, l'auteur l'attribue à la tendance que démontrent les Ambo de s'appuyer sur les rapports magiques et de transférer la dépendance mutuelle des sacra claniques aux membres des clans respectifs; il n'est pas d'accord avec A. Richards qui, en ce qui concerne les Bemba, l'attribue aux méthodes de leur conquête des autres tribus.

La communication comprend une liste des tribus dont les membres pratiquent entre eux l'amitié funèbre.

Type
Research Article
Information
Africa , Volume 20 , Issue 4 , October 1950 , pp. 290 - 306
Copyright
Copyright © International African Institute 1950

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References

page 290 note 2 The Ambo are a sub-tribe of the Lala of Northem Rhodesia. They are also called the Kambo-Nsenga. They observe matrilineal descent and live under five Chiefs: Mboroma, Mboshya (Mkushi District), Lwembe, Mwape (Petauke District), and, partly, Chisomo (Serenje District), Their habitat is in the lower valley of the Lukasashi and its tributaries.

page 291 note 1 Fwebo tuli bakulu benu, tukomubeya. Tamukwetepo kamo. Tukonakira kuli fwebo. Tamupo, fwe tatukwetepo cera cesu. Fwe bene, lubutuli bene kani, nangwati mwatuipaya, tukobuka.

page 291 note 2 Kansi, mwe bene ngombe, mukolala muli fwe. Pakuti fwe tuli banyinenwe, mukolala muli fwe. Pakuti mwe bene ngoma, kani babule ngoma, tamulira, sombi abule mpapa tekulirapo. Tuli nfumu mukotulya mulikuta, muli fiti likoso. The allusion is to the skin being stretched on the drum-head. The cattle clansman identifies himself with the clan object, thus feeding the drum clansmen with cattle meat, like a chief who entertains his guests.

page 292 note 1 Mwe bakwabo, mwalowa mubyenu. Bufwiti bwa banyinenwe bwanji paya. Abakasi benu tetimubopepo. Bambi Bakuupa.

page 292 note 2 We cibanda, iwe buka apa ulele. Ulebepa likoso ukuti wafwa, kansi ulilolele. Ulepensya likoso abantu ukuti wafwa, kansi iyu.

page 292 note 3 Mwe bantu, mwe fibanda, nindo mukolila, kawili mwe mwamwipaya? Mwe fwiti? Mwe mwamwipaya mubule mukamulye. Tamwipeyepo ukwebati mukapose pantu mulikwete nama.

page 292 note 4 Webo wafwa ukonke uyo wakwipaya.

page 294 note 1 Steps are taken to ensure that any interference with the grave during the first few days after the burial may be detected. The grave is marked with cross-lines, and is sprinkled with flour, while the surrounding area is swept clean; on the day after the burial, the nearest clan relative, the ‘owner of the body’ (mwine wa mfwa), inspects the grave to see there are any footprints round it, or scratches at its head. It is believed that witches come after the burial, strike the grave with a magical tail and, after reciting a magic formula, lift the soil from the grave with the body, from which they cut the fat and eat it with the relish and porridge. The witch may also take some part of the body to use as an ingredient in witchcraft medicines. If interference is detected, some clan relatives may do nothing, but others seek to discover the identity of the witch by divination.

page 295 note 1 The position of the headman in tribes having a matrilineal system, such as the Ambo, cannot be fully understood except in reference to his clan segment, of which he is primarily the political, social and religious head, representative, and warden. Cf. ‘The village headman in British Central Africa’, Africa, xix, 2, April 1949, pp. 89–106.Google Scholar

page 295 note 2 A man's residence in his wife's village or the wife's residence in her husband's village is known as ‘cendo’.

page 296 note 1 As corroboration of this trend of mind suffice it to mention the rich treasure of riddles and proverbs which are a similar ingenious play on resemblances.

page 297 note 1 ‘Reciprocal Clan Relationships among the Bemba of N. Rhodesia’, Richards, A. I., Man, December 1937.Google Scholar

page 297 note 2 The Lamba, Lwano, Lala, and Bisa tribes, belonging to the Bemba group, all have the institution of funeral friendship. The Nyungwe and Sena from Portuguese East Africa and, akin to them, the Chikunda at the confluence of the Lwangwa and the Zambezi also practise funeral friendship with a similar arrangement of clans. (Funeral friend: sarvira.) They may be classed as belonging to the Nyanja group.

page 297 note 3 The Chikwashya section of the Mpande Shell clan were the first occupants of the Mulembo valley where the burial ground of the Nyendwa chiefs lies. The first occupant of the Mulembo valley was Chifwala Mangala (alias Mambwe Chisaka) of the Mpande Shell clan. After him came Kunda Mpanda (alias Kunda Tande) of the Nyendwa clan, the founder of the dynasty and the empire.

page 298 note 1 Musamba tree is the most common source of supply of bark rope. Hence musamba tree as a clan object is identified with bark rope; it is extended to all wooden objects.

page 300 note 1 Honey bird is the clan object of the Honey Bird clan but in argument this clan object is extended to any bird, especially to the fish eagle and rhinoceros bird, when joking with the Elephant and Fish clans.

page 300 note 2 There is an Ambo custom of adorning a dead leopard with beads round its neck.

page 300 note 3 Allusion to stringing of beads on bark twine.

page 305 note 1 The Blue Monkey clan is an immigrant clan from Lwano. The Wild Dog, Fire, Mouse, and Antheap clans are to be found in large clan segments on the Lala uplands. Only scattered families and individuals live in the Ambo country, therefore they seem to be immigrant clans.