Page:Africa by Élisée Reclus, Volume 1.djvu/296

 of the lineage. In the commune of the Kunamas there are very few acts which call down a general punishment; a thief even escapes censure, being simply compelled to restore what he has taken, just as if it had been borrowed. The only punishment imposed by the community is exile. This sentence is carried out by young men who mount on the roof of the criminal's hut and scatter the thatch to the winds. This is the signal for the exile to depart, and he never can return to his native place.

Munzinger has vainly sought in the Kunama country for traces of Christianity, such as those found to the east amongst the Bogos, and westwards in Senaar.

There are seen no ruined churches, and the current religious ideas show no traces of the influence of the Christian or Jewish dogmas. The religion of the Kunama consists in a belief in the evil eye, fear of sorcerers, wearing of amulets, veneration of the alfai, or "makers of rain," respect for old men, and especially the blind. They likewise have a great veneration for the dead, and bury them carefully, which seems to imply a belief in immortality. Nevertheless, a slow religious propaganda has already made considerable progress amongst the Bazen and Barea republics. Half of the Barea already call themselves Mohammedans, although they hardly follow out the precepts of the Koran. On the other hand, on the Abyssinian frontier a number of Bazen are reputed to belong to the Christian Church.