REV. ROBERT HAMILL NASSAU, M.D.--S.T.D.
WITH TWELVE ILLUSTRATIONS
published in 1904 by Charles Scribners Son
CONSTITUTION OF NATIVE AFRICAN SOCIETY--SOCIOLOGY
I. The Country
II. The Family
Family Responsibility.--Family Headship.--Marital Relations.--Arrangements for Marriage.--
Courtship and Wedding--Dissolution of Marriage.--Illegitimate Marital Relations.--Domestic
Life
III. Succession to Property and Authority
IV. Political Organization
V. Servants
VI. Kingship
VII. Fetich Doctors
VIII. Hospitality
IX. Judicial System
Courts--Punishment--Blood-Atonement and Fines--Punishable Acts
X. Territorial Relations
Tenure--Rights in Movables
XI. Exchange Relations
XII. Religion
THE IDEA OF GOD--RELIGION
Theology, Religion, Creed, Worship.--Source of the Knowledge of God; outside of us; comes
from God; Evolution of Physical Species.--Materialism; Knowledge of God not evolved.--
Superstition in all Religions--Dominant in African Religion--No People without a Knowledge of
at least the Name of God--Testimony of Travellers and Others.
POLYTHEISM--IDOLATRY
Religion and Civilization--Worship of Natural Objects--Polytheism--Idolatry--Worship of
Ancestors--Fetichism
I. Origin
Coterminous with the Creator--Created--Spirits of Deceased Human Beings; in Unity, Duality,
Trinity, or Quadruplicity.
II. Number
III. Locality
IV. Characteristics
SPIRITUAL BEINGS IN AFRICA--THEIR CLASSES AND FUNCTIONS
I. Classes and Functions.
Inina.--Ibambo.--Oinbwiri.--Nkinda.--Mondi.
II. Special Manifestions
Human Soul in a Lower Animal; the Leopard Fiend.--Uvengwa, Ghost--Family Guardian-Spirit.
FETICHISM--ITS PHILOSOPHY--A PHYSICAL SALVATION--CHARMS AND AMULETS
Monotheism.--Polytheism.--Animism.--Fetichism.
The Salvation Sought: its Kind, Physical; its Source, Spirits: its Reason, Fear.
The Means used: Prayer, Sacrifices, Charms; Vocal, Ritual, Material, Fetiches.
Articles used in the Fetich.--Mode of Preparation: A Fitness in the Quality of the Object for the
End Desired; Efficiency depends on the Localized Spirit; Misuse of the Word "Medicine"; Native
"Doctors"; Connection of Fetich with Witchcraft.
THE FETICH--A WORSHIP
I. Sacrifice and Offerings
Small Votive Gifts.--Consecrated Plants; Idols and Gifts of Food.-Blood Sacrifices.--Human
Sacrifices.
II. Prayer
III. The Use of Charms or "Fetiches".
THE FETICH--WITCHCRAFT--A WHITE ART--SORCERY
A passively Defensive Art.--Professedly of the Nature of a Medicine--Distinction between a
Fetich Doctor and a Christian Physician.--Manner of Performance of the White Art.--The
Medicinal Herbs used sometimes Valuable.--Strength of Native Faith in the System.
THE FETICH--WITCHCRAFT--A BLACK ART-DEMONOLOGY
Distinction as to the Object aimed at in the White Art and in the Black Art.--Black Art Actively
Offensive.--The Black Art distinctively "Witchcraft".--Witchcraft Executions; claimed to be
Judicial Acts.--Hoodoo Worship.--Christian Faith and Fetich Faith Compared.--Deception by
Fetich Magicians.--Clairvoyance.--Demoniacal Possession.
FETICHISM--A GOVERNMENT
Egbo, Ukuka, Yasi, and other Societies.--Their Power either to protect or oppress.--Contest with
Ukuka at Benita, and with Yasi on the Ogowe.
THE FETICH-ITS RELATION TO THE FAMILY
The Family the Unit in the African Community.--Respect for the Aged.-Worship of Ancestors--
Family Fetiches; Yâkâ, Ekongi, Mbati.
THE FETICH--ITS RELATIONS TO DAILY WORK AND OCCUPATIONS AND TO THE
NEEDS OF LIFE
Hunting.--Journeying.--Warring.--Trading; Okundu and Mbumbu.--Sickness.--Loving.--Fishing.--
Planting.
THE FETICH--SUPERSTITION IN CUSTOMS
Rules of Pregnancy--Omens on Journeys--Leopard Fiends--Luck--Twins--Customs of Speech-
-Oaths--Totem Worship--Taboo; Orunda.--Baptism--Spitting--Notice of Children.
FETICH--ITS RELATION TO THE FUTURE LIFE--CEREMONIES AT DEATHS AND
FUNERALS
Sickness, Death, Burial, Modes of Burial--Mourning, Treatment of Widows--Witchcraft
Investigations--Places of Burial--Cannibalism--Family Quarrel as to Precedence in the
Burying--Custom of "Lifting Up" of Mourners--Ukuku Dance for Amusement--Destination of
the Dead--Transmigration.
FETICHISM--SOME OF ITS PRACTICAL EFFECTS
Depopulation--Cannibalism--Secret Societies (Ukuku, Yasi, Mwetyi, Bweti, Indâ, Njembe)--
Poisoning for Revenge-Distrust--Jugglery--Treatment of Lunatics--The American Negro
Hoodoo--Folk-Lore.
TALES OF FETICH BASED ON FACTS
I. A Witch Sweetheart
II. A Jealous Wife
III. Witchcraft Monsters
IV. The Wizard House-Breaker
V. The Wizard Murderer
VI. The Wizard and his Invisible Dog
VII. Spirit Dancing
VIII. Asiki, or the Little Beings
IX. Okove
X. THE Family Idols (Oka-si, Barbarity, The Right of Sanctuary)
XI. Unago and Ekela (A Proverb)
XII. Malanda--An Initiation into a Family Guardian-Spirit Company
XIII>Three-Things Came Back too Late
FETICH IN FOLK-LORE
I. Queen Ngwe-nkonde and her Manja
II. The Beautiful Daughter
III. The Husband that Came from an Animal
IV. The Fairy Wife
V. The Thieves and their Enchanted House
VI. Banga-of-the-five-faces
VII. The Two Brothers
VIII. Jeki and his Ozâzi
GLOSSARY