Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 20, 1909.djvu/214

 182 and given them success. The little hole in the middle is called the "heart," and in that the successful bullet is put and the hole filled with blood. These crosses were always well cared for in the houses of the various "kimpovelas."

.

The word nganga may be variously translated as medicine-man, wizard, witch-finder, doctor in the ordinary sense, exorcist, charm-maker, etc. Most ngangas are engaged in what might be called the "white art" in magic and divination, i.e. they use their supposed skill in attempting to free the people from the malign influence of evil spirits, and to cure different diseases. They have undoubtedly the knowledge of some herbs and simples that are specifics for certain ailments. It would be surprising if, during generations of practice, they had not hit upon some remedies for the sicknesses they are constantly treating. There is also a great amount of faith-cure of persons suffering from neurotic and imaginary disorders, who pay ngangas to dance and chant around them. Cures are often effected by a change of scene; a person living in the same village month after month, attending the same markets, seeing always the same small circle of people, becomes poorly, run-down, etc., and goes off to a nganga living a day or two days off, and sits down there for a month or six weeks, with the result of feeling better for the change and returning home in good health. One should be very chary of condemning in a wholesale manner the means the natives take to cure themselves of ailments and diseases. Our own methods are often a source of amusement to them.

There are some few ngangas engaged in what might be called the "black art," i.e. they use their supposed skill to bring evil and disease on the enemies of their clients. Such ngangas are not numerous, and are regarded with so much disfavour that they practise almost entirely in secret.

The assistant to the "ngagn' a ngombo" is called