Identifier: fetichisminwesta00nassuoft (find matches)
Title: Fetichism in West Africa; forty years' observation of native customs and superstitions
Year: 1904 (1900s)
Authors: Nassau, Robert H. (Robert Hamill), 1835-1912
Subjects: Fetishism Ethnology -- Africa, West
Publisher: New York : Young People's Missionary Movement
Contributing Library: Robarts - University of Toronto
Digitizing Sponsor: MSN

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llets. In a friendlyway he dared me to fire at him with my sixteen-repeaterWinchester rifle. I did not believe he meant it; but, on histaking his stand a few paces distant, he did not quail undermy steady aim, nor even at the click of the trigger. I, ofcourse, desisted, apparently worsted. Two years later, Kasawas charged by an elephant he had wounded, and was piercedby its tusks. His attendants drove off the beast; the fear-fully lacerated man survived long enough to accuse twelveof his women and other slaves of having bewitched his gun,and thus causing it only to wound instead of killing theelephant. On tliat charge four of the accused were putto death. Both men and women may become aganga on voluntarychoice, and after a course of instruction by an oganga. There is generally a special person in a tribe who knowsthese things, and is able to work them. He has more powerover spirits than other men have, and is able to make themdo what he likes. He can heal sickness, he can foretell the
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Fetich Doctor.(The triangular patch of hair is the professional tonsure.) PHILOSOPHY —CHARMS AND AMULETS 87 future, he can change a thing into something else, or a maninto a lower animal, or a tree, or anything; he can also as-sume such transformations himself at will. He uses meansto bring about such results; he knows about herbs, he hasalso recourse to rubbing, to making images of affected partsof the body, and to various other arts. Very frequently heis regarded as inspired. It is the spirit dwelling in him whichbrings about the wonderful results; without the spirit hecould not do anything.^ Though these magicians possess power, its joy has itslimitations; for, becoming possessed by a familiar spirit,through whose aid they make their invocations and incanta-tions and under whose influence they fall into cataleptictrances or are thrilled with Delphic rages, if they shouldhappen to offend that familiar, it may destroy them byeating out their life, as their phrase is. On CoriscoIsla

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