Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 20, 1909.djvu/536

472 witchcraft. The "nkwiya" can leave its possessor for evil purposes either when he is awake or asleep, and can travel any distance to accomplish its object. The "evuvu" or shell of the person is left behind, while the "nkwiya" takes the journey. The people about will see the "evuvu" before their eyes, but they believe his "nkwiya" has gone on its evil errand. Hence an animal that has killed a man is supposed to be possessed by the "nkwiya" of the ndoki, or it never would have killed the man. The person charged naturally denies that he has an "nkwiya," as no one admits he is a ndoki.

To curse a child or near relative, who is very bad, obstinate, or self-willed, the curser cuts off a piece of his own cloth, and wraps some of his hair in it and burns it, saying,—"You shall never have children, or you shall never become rich." If after a time the child or relative alters his or her conduct, and comes to his parents, say his father, wishing to have the curse removed, the father puts three small heaps of earth on each knee, the child kneels down before him, and the father says,—"I forgive you, I did not curse you in my heart but with my tongue only, and now from this time have many and strong children and become rich." The child shakes off or blows off each heap of earth from the knee, and the curse is removed. If the father is dead, the child seeks out a namesake of his father with whom he was on friendly terms, and, taking a fowl to him, asks him to undo the curse, which he does in the way described above. If a girl wants to marry a man of whom the family does not approve, or refuses to marry one whom they think suitable, they put a curse on her, or, as they say, "dia e kandu," eat with a curse, or interdict with a curse. The person cursed is "mwan' a kandu" or child of the curse. The most solemn way of promulgating a law, or cursing a town, family, or clan, is that pronounced at the junction of two roads, and confirmed by rubbing the mouth in the dust and striking the knees with one's hands. No