Page:Africa by Élisée Reclus, Volume 3.djvu/589

 THE KA-LUNDA. 495 authority, are fain to make their appearance several times in the course of the year, and always laden with presents. It also frequently happens that the feuda- tories in the more distant provinces neglect to discharge their obligations ^^•hen they feel themselves strong enough to sever the tie of vassalage binding them to their liege lord. Thus the limits of the empire have never ceased to fluctuate since the establishment of the dynasty of the reigning Lunda sovereigns, who are themselves never accurately informed as to the real extent of their dominions. At the death of a sovereign the new mnata does not succeed his father by right, but has to be chosen amongst the children of one of the defunct king's two chief wives. The selection is made by four ch'ief electors, that is, the first and second 'SSons of the State," the " Son of Arms," and the " State Cook ;" but their choice has still to be ratified by Lukoshesha, "Mother of the kings and the people." This lady herself, who is also a queen possessing several districts in absolute sovereignty, is elected from amongst the daughters of the two chief wives by the four great ministers, and their decision is absolute only after its confirmation by the king. This institution of the *' universal mother," which seems a survival of ancient matriarchal usages, is an all the more curious phenomenon, that amongst the Ijundi people generally the inheritance follows directly from father to son, and not from uncle to sister's son, as is the case amongst the Iviokos. Of all the inhabitants of the land, Lukoshesha alone stands above the laws ; she alone is exempt from the Muata Yamvo's authority. Being mother of all she cannot have a husband, and the person chosen by her bears only the name of favourite slave. Nor can she have any children, so that all born to her are at once destroyed. Immediately after his nomination, the Muata Yamvo is presented with the insignia of authority : the iron sickle, the parrot-feather crown, the elephant-skin bracelet, the pearl and metal necklace, the grand carpet of the empire, and the order of the lukano, which corresponds to the orders of chivalry instituted by European sovereigns. Then he camps out for a night near the Kalangi River, in order to renew the strength of the realm by breathing a free atmosphere and bathing in the sacred stream. He is even required again to assume the part of creator, producing afresh the new fire at which all the hearths of the kingdom shall henceforth be kindled. By the friction of pieces of stick rubbed one against the other he creates the flame, emblem of his divinity. For he is now a god, absolute master of the life and freedom of all his subjects ; he appoints all state functionaries, ennobles or degrades whom he. chooses, takes possession of all he fancies. The mussamha, or imperial residence, is disjDlaced with every new reign ; but the site chosen lies always within the great plain limited by the Kalangi and Lu- Iza, both eastern affluents of the Lu-Lua. For the capital must needs be situated in the neighbourhood of the holy place, where dwelt the first Muata- Yamvo, that is, near the right bank of the Kalangi, and not far from the cnzai or graveyard, where are deposited the remains of the fourteen sovereigns of this dynasty, who have successively reigned over Lunda Land. During Pogge's journey in 1876, the mussamha was at Kisimcme, on the left bank of the Kalangi ; four years later,