Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-fbnjt Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-03T23:57:58.585Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The Ingredients of Magic Medicines1

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 August 2012

Hans Cory
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Extract

The following article deals with magic medicines as used in Sukumaland, an area in Tanganyika Territory stretching from Lake Victoria approximately 120 miles to the south. The inhabitants, called by the collective name of Basukuma, are by far the biggest tribe in the territory. They are related very closely to the Banyamwezi in language and custom, and together these tribal groups comprise more than one-fifth of the territory's whole population of about 5½ millions. Because of their numerical strength alone, these related tribal groups have greatly influenced the medical and magical pseudo-science in many other areas.

Type
Research Article
Information
Africa , Volume 19 , Issue 1 , January 1949 , pp. 13 - 32
Copyright
Copyright © International African Institute 1949

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

page 14 note 1 The plants named in this paper were identified by Mr. P. J. Greenway, Botanist of the East African Agricultural Research Station, Arnani, to whom I wish to express my thanks.

page 15 note 1 Children are not represented by trees because they do not yet possess a living soul to be attributed to inanimate objects.

page 16 note 1 For this suggestion I have to thank Dr, E. W. Smith.

page 20 note 1 The same chingira is sometimes used for different purposes. See ‘Debris’, &c, in lukago medicines.

page 26 note 1 It is authentically reported that in 1914, at the beginning of the war, a deputation of German askaris asked to be allotted a few corpses of enemy soldiers, if they should become available. Rumours went round that cannibalism caused the demand, but the truth was that the askaris, or at least a number of them, wanted to prepare a war medicine. True cannibalism was unknown in this part of the world. Natives may use an expression such as ‘Our fathers ate the meat of dead enemies’, but it was done through the medium of war medicine.

page 28 note 1 Beside their function of explaining any failures of medicines, the taboos also cause the customer to concentrate his mind on his intentions or on the reasons for which he acquired the medicine. The taboo will remind him frequently that he is in possession of the medicine. An example may explain the matter better. In a medicine for winning a lawsuit (it is not the same medicine as mentioned above) the mufumu imposes a taboo which forbids the customer to sit down on the floor and only allows him to sit on a stool. During the few days before the hearing of the case the customer is reminded of his lawsuit every time he wishes to sit down. The possession of the medicine and its influence over the coming proceedings will give him additional self-assurance. Finally he will reconsider his arguments each time and probably improve them, In this way the taboo helps the medicine to achieve its purpose.

page 29 note 1 If we judged the truth of our religion only by the fulfilment of our prayers, we should all be pagans.

page 31 note 1 It will be noted that a very important part in the employment of anti-social magic is the indirect (seldom direct) information conveyed to the victim as to the intentions of his opponent.