Ban of the Bori: Demons and Demon-Dancing in West and North Africa

571 Pages·1968·11.45 MB·English

by  Major A.J.N. Tremearne

The
Ban of the Bori
Demons and Demon-Dancing in West
and North Africa
BY
MAJOR TREMEARNE
A. N.
J.
M.A., LL.M., Dip.Anth.
Sometime Scholak and Prizeman, Christ's College,
Hausa Lecturer and Worts Travelling Student, Cambridge,
Of Gray's Inn, Barrister-at-Law
Author of
'Hausa Superstitions and Customs" "The TailedHead-Hunters
ofNigeria," "SotneAustral-AfricanNotesandAnecdotes "
" TheLawinBritish WestAfrica," " TheNiger
andthe WestSudan" '^HausaFolk-Tales"
"FablesandFairy Tales,"etc.
WITH COLOURED FRONTISPIECE, 6o PHOTOGRAPHIC
ILLUSTRATIONS AND 47 FIGURES IN THE TEXT
HEATH, CRANTON & OUSELEY LTD.
FLEET LANE, LONDON,
E.G.
The Gidan Kuri,
to53
CONTENTS
Foreword
CHAPTER PAGE
I. Introduction 19
II. The Origin of the Hausa Colonies in
North Africa 25
III. Totemism and King-killing 30
—
IV. Totemism and King-killing continued 43
V. Personal Enhancement and Dress 54
VI. Habitations and Domestic Life . 70
—
VII. Habitations and Domestic Life continued 84
VIII. Birth and Puberty 95
IX. Marriage and Divorce 113
X. Death and the After-Life 126
XL Magic. The Saints and the Magicians 146
—
XII. Magic in the House Love Charms 159
XIII. Magic in the House—Self-Preservation 169
—
XIV. Magic in the Fields ^Agriculture, etc. 185
XV. Magic in the Fields—Hunting, etc. 200
XVI. Superstitions and Omens 213
.
XVII. Pilgrimages and Festivals 224
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——————————
CONTENTS
CHAPTER PAttS
XVIII. BoEi The Spirits and their Powers 243
.
XIX. BoRi The Temples and the Sect 269
XX. BoRi The Dances 280
XXI. BoRi The Mohammedan Spirits 296
—
XXII. BoRi The Mohammedan Spirits continued 310
XXIII. BoRi The Black Spirits 328
.
—
XXIV. BoRi The Black Spirits continued 343
XXV. BoRi ^The Fighting Spirits 354
XXVI. BoRi—The Youths 366
XXVII. BoRi ^The Little Spots 375
XXVIII. BoRi ^The Spirits of the Forest, of the
Waters, and of the Grove 382
XXIX. The Origin ofDemon.sand.Demo.n-Dan.cing 392
'~~~XXX. The Origin gfDemonsand Demon-Dancing
—
continued 406
Appendix I. Notes and References 427
Appendix II. Botanical Notes 474
.....
Appendix III. A Comparison of the Bori 478
Index
489
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
....
1. TheGidanKiiriatTunis . . . Front
2. Tunisian Fashions

FIGURES IN THE TEXT
I. A Pot for Dabga .
FIGURES IN THE TEXT
12
—
23. Music ^A Song to Jato
—
24. Music ^A Song to Angazaxi
—
25. Music ^A Song to Ismaila .
—
26. Music ^A Song to Dodo Ibrahim
27. Plan of the Gidan Kuri
28. A Basin-shaped Drum
29. Clappers
30. Signs upon a Drum
31. Drum with Hole for the Snake-Spirit
A
32. Guitar .
33. A Vase-shaped Drum
34. The Spear of Sarikin Rafi .
35. The Spear of Sarikin Masu
36. A Koraiya .
37. The Stick of Sarikin Makafi
38. Kuri's Pestle
39. Kuri's Throwing-Stick
40. Kuri's Club
41. The Throwing-Stick of Jam Maraki
42. A Spear of the Warrior Spirits
43. A Spear of the Warrior Spirits
44. Jaruma's Spear
45. Ba-Absini's Spear .
46. A Skittle of the Yayan Jidderi
47. Ba-Absinis Rattle .
FOREWORD
I HAD been hoping for several years to visit Tunis and
Tripoli, butowing tovarious causes I wasunable to attain
the fulfilment of my desires until last February, and as
just a few days before starting a Worts grant at Cam-
bridge was approved, I set forth all the more anxious to
make the most of the time. My wife went with me to
Tunis and helped me, but as this bookis a record of work
and not of personal anecdotes, no allusion is made to our-
selves except where necessary in connection with some
particular statement.
Wehadfourmonths in North Africa, but this wouldnot
have been anything like enough had I not already known
the language, and had help on the spot not been forth-
coming. I desire, therefore, to thank specially Mr Alfred
Dickson, H.B.M.'s Consul at Tripoli, who lent me a room
in which to question myinformants, and has since replied
to several questions, and Mr A. V. Liley of the North
African Mission at Tunis, also for the loan of a room, and
for accompan5dng me and taking some photographs.
Just beforeleavingTunis wehad the good fortuneto meet
Miss Matthews, whom I took to the temple where shepro-
cured the autochrome from which the frontispiece has
been produced, and since my return Mr W. J. W. Roome
ofthe Sudan United Mission has sent me two photographs
of the bon on the Benue. My director ofstudies when up
at Cambridge, Dr A. C. Haddon, F.R.S., has been most
kind in offering valuable suggestions and criticisms, and
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