|
FOLK-LORE JOURNAL,
EDITED BY THE WORKING COMMITTEE OF THE SOUTH
AFRICAN FOLK-LORE SOCIETY.
Seiiper noel quid ex Africa.
VOL. II.-PART II.
M I ARCH, 1880.
CONTENTS.
The Iistriburion of Anials,,
&c. &c., aft-r the Crea-
tion, as related by a Kaifir
The Ox ilhicih lietuimtd to
iif ... ... ...
The Story of Ulln.y.int ...
How the Clhiiler, of the Ba-
furut'i separated ornom
their Ftlers ...
Some I':liefs c,,rn,:eruingr the
Bakgaluga li
Tra.itir-n :,of tlih Pr;y'ye ...
C'-,tribtut,-d by Mr. Thomas B.iai 21
.. tih Re\v. WTl.''in,
lilaad ... "22
the Rev. lif'hi'rn
Ire.'and ... )21
the R.ev. IT. Hoeii
R. Berun ... 30
,, thiie re\. Ir HTaid
R. Becan ... 32
, the Pev. Dr. r*. I.
Buhn ... ...
CAPE TOWN:
DARTER BROTHERS AND WALTON
LONDON:
DAVID NUTT,
270, STRAND.
1880.
. /-
FOLK-LORE JOURNAL,
EDITED BY THE WORKING COMMITTEE OF THE SOUTH
AFRICAN FOLK-LORE SOCIETY.
Semper novi quid ex Africa.
VOL. II.-PART II.
MARCH, 1880.
CONTENTS.
The Distribution of Animals,
&c., &c., after the Crea-.
tion, as related by a Kafir
The Ox which Returned to
life ... ...
The Story of Umkuywana ...
How the Children of the Ba-
furutsi separated from
their Fathers ... ...
Some beliefs concerning the
Bakgalagali
Tradition of the Bayeye ...
1AGE
Contributed by Mr. Thomas Bain 21
, ,, the Rev. William
Ireland
,, the Rev. William
Ireland ...
,, the Rev. W. Henry
R. Bevan ...
,, the Rev. W. Henry
R. Bevan ...
S the Rev. Dr. C. H.
Hahn ... .
CAPE TOWN:
DARTER BROTHERS AND WALTON
LONDON:
DAVID NUTT,
270, STRAND.
1880.
CAPE TOWN:
SAUL SOLOMON AND CO., PRINTERS
ST. GEOBGE'S-STREET.
THE DISTRIBUTION OF ANIMALS, &c., &c.,
AFTER THE CREATION, AS RELATED
BY A KAFIR.*
(Contributed by Mr. Thomas Bain.f)
A very intelligent old Kafir once told me, in a conversa-
tion about the Creation, that the Kafirs fully believed in a
Supreme Being or Teco (click on the c),$ and that their
version of the distribution of animals, &c., &c., after the
Creation, was thus:-
Teco had every description of stock and property.
There were three nations created, viz., the whites, the
Amakosa or Kafirs, and the Amalouw or Hottentots. A
day was appointed for them to appear before the Teco to
receive whatever he might apportion to each tribe. While
they were assembling, a honey bird, u or honey guide, came
[0 Whether this story is originally a Kafir one, is not yet clear. A
Bayeye version, given to the Rev. C. H. Hahn by Mr. Edwards, will be
found on page 34 of the present number.]
t- With regard to the above, Mr. Bain, in a letter dated Rondebosch,
15th Febry., 1880, writes as follows :
Enclosed is a Kafir version of the distribution of animals after the
creation, which I have a distinct recollection of, although it is many
years ago since it was related. It struck me at the time as being rather
a good version, and perhaps on that account I have such a good recol-
lection of it."
$ [Probably u'Tixo.]
II The Hottentots look upon it almost as a sacred duty to follow the
honey guide. I have known them to neglect important duties, while I
have been out Roadsurveying, on the sudden appearance of p honey
bird, regardless of consequences.
C
FOLK-LORE JOURNAL.
fluttering by, and all the Hottentots ran after it, whistling
and making the peculiar noise they generally do while fol-
lowing this wonderful little bird. The Teco remonstrated
with them about their behaviour, but to no purpose. He
thereupon denounced them as a vagrant race that would
hive to exist on wild roots and honey beer,* arid possess
no stboc' bateveir
When the fine herds of, cattle were brought, the Kafirs
became very much excited,-the one exclaiming, "That
black and white cow is mine!" and another, "That red
THE OX WHICH RETURNED TO LIFE.
(Contributed by the Rev. William Ireland.)f
Esikatini esi tile kwaku kona inkosi inezinkomo eziinmgi;
zihenkabi enkulu kakulu. Izinkomo zayo za z'aluswa
yindodaina yayo, ku yi ybna yodwa ije yodwa nje kayise.
Kw ati rn llAnye uisuku alusile, kwa fika impi ya zi tat
izinkom:m: lezo kdiye nonifenda; ba be sa liiige iiki quba
inkabi leyo ya nqaba ukuhamba ba se be ti kumfana uma a
yi ham;isa boa zo m, bullal.
Umfana wa se hiabelela ng la' 'mazwi; Semkuya,
Semkuya, si ye ka Magaguye, hamba belu, hmba b, nabelu, si
ya bulawa i fa li nje." Nembala inkabi ya hamba,
a This is a most intoxicating beverage.
t [This and the following piece of Native literature in Zulu were
originally written down by Jeremiah Mali, a Native Teacher belonging
to the American Mission in Natal, and were sent to e Grey Library
by the Rev. Willianm Ireland inA 1878. The latter gentleman has
recently b-ben do g,:,od .s to'.forward I. second copy of these tales,
accompanied not only" b- the t-ransaion t iee b printed, but also by A
literal interlineary one, bth executed by tiimself. A third version of tUi
FOLK-LORE JOURNAL.
sow and black bull are mine !" and so on, till at last the
Teco, whose patience had been severely taxed by their
shouts and unruly behaviour, denounced them as. a restless
people, who would only possess cattle. .
The whites patiently waited until they received cattle,
horses, sheep, and all sorts of property. Hence, the old
Kafir observed, You whites have got every thing. We
Kafirs have only cattle, while the Amalouw or Hottentots
have nothing."*
(Signed) T. BAIN.
THE OX WHICH RETURNED TO LIFE,
Once upon a time, there was a king, who had very many
cattle; and among them an ox that was very large. His
cattle were herded by his son, even the only son, the only
one of his father.
It happened one day while he was herding, there came an
army, and took off those cattle together with the boy;
while they tried to drive that ox, he refused to go, and they
said (or while they say) to the boy, if he did not make him
go, they would kill him.
So the boy began singing, in these words: Semkuya,
Semkuya, we are going to Magaguye, go on, then, go on,
then, we are killed, the world is dead, just dead." And
truly the ox went on.
story of the boy and the wonderful ox (given in two versions in the
present number of the Folk-lore Journal, will be found in the Zulu
"Nursery Tales," &o., by the present Bishop of St. John's (Vol. I.-
Part IV., pp. 221-237), entitled Ubongopa Kamagadhlela.]
[Apparently the Kafir whb narrated the above to Mr. Bain can only
have had impoverished specimens of the Iottentot race before his
eyes.]
cQ
FOLK-LORE JOURNAL.
Ba hamba ke, umfana e de sho njalo i nge ma inkabi ba
-e *ba fika ekaya. Ya ti i sesangweni, ye ma washo umfana,
"' Semkuya, Semkuya, si ya ku Magaguye, ngena belu, ngena
belu, si ya bulawa, iiizwe zonke zi ya bona ukuba si ya
bulawa, li fa li nje;" i linge uku ngena inkabi, inkabi ya-
hluleke, ngoba isango la li lincane; si qaqwe isibaya ingene.
Kute ngangomso iti inkosi mayihlatywe. Ku butane
abantu bayo ke bonke. A be sa ti umuntu uyayi hlaba a
zihlaba, ku suke omunye, na ye a zihlabe; ba buyele ku-
mfana a sho, Semkuya, Semkuya, si ya ku Magaguye,
hlabeka belu, hlabeka belu, si ya bulawa, izizwe zonke zi ya
bona ukuba si ya bulawa, li fa li nje, nembala i hlabeke i fe
ba yi hlinze ke, ba yi qeda.
A ti umfana, ingaqale idhliwe 'muntu a ke ba hambe bonke
ba ye koteza ehlatini elikude, kung a sali nenja nenkuku
ekaya, ku sale yena yedwa. Nembala ba hambe bonke.
Ba ti be sa hambile umfana a sale a tate izito zonke a zi
beke njengezindawo zazo, a tate isikumba, a yimboze a sho a
ti; Semkuya, Semkuya, si ya ku Magaguye, hlangana belu,
hlangana belu, si ya bulawa, izizwe zonke zi ya bona ukuba
si ya bulawa, lifa li nje." Nembala i hlangane inkabi a ti
hamba, i hambe, a hamba-ke umfana ehamb' ehlabelela aze
aye a fike ekaya; kwa funwa kwaze kwadelwa. Ba manga-
la bonke abantu ukuzwa indaba yake.
FOLK-LORE JOURNAL.
They went on, the boy still repeating the same words,
and the ox did not stand still till they arrived at home.
When he was at the entrance (of the kraal understood) he
stood still, the boy repeated, the boy: Semkuya, Semkuya,
we are going to Magaguye, go in then, go in then, we are
killed, all nations they see that we are killed, the world is
dead, just dead;" the ox tried to go in but was unable,
because the gate was too small; the kraal being broken
down, he went in.
It happened on the morrow, the king said, let him be
slaughtered. All his people gathered together; when any
one tried to stab him, he stabbed himself, up gets another
one, and he stabs himself; they return to the boy, he still
repeating, Semkuya, Semkuya, we are going to Magaguye,
be stabbed then, be stabbed then, we are killed, the nations
all see that we are killed, the world is dead, just;" so it was
stabbed, and died; they went on skinning it, until they had
finished.
The boy said Lthat] he must not begin to be eaten by
any one, but every body must go and get firewood, in the
bush far away, no one must remain at home, not even a dog
or a fowl; there must remain himself alone; and sure
enough they all went.
When they had gone, the boy remaining behind took all
the pieces and put them, each in their proper places, and
took the skin and covered it (the flesh) and sang, Se-
mkuya, Semkuya, we are going to Magaguye, be stuck
together then, be stuck together then, we are killed, the
nations all see, they see that we are killed, the world is dead
just." And sure enough the ox got stuck together, and
he [the boyJ said, go, and the ox went on his way, and the
boy went along, singing as he went, until he reached home;
he was sought for until they had given him up. All tae
people wondered to hear his story.
FOLK-LORE JOURNAL.
Bati be fika ekaya ,nezinkun;i ababe nmebile ba n fiumna
engaseko.
Kwase ka ba ukupela.
JEREMIAH MALI.
THE STORY OF UMKUYWANA.
(Contributed by the Rev. William Ireland.)
Kwa ku kona inkosi ine 'nkabi enkulu impela. Futi ke
inamadodana ke amanye. Kwa ti ke emvaO kwesikati ya
zala indodana enye i gama layo ku Umkuywana umfana
lowo.
Inkosi'ke yati ke ku 'nfana low:o malale &eikabini enkulu
leyo. Nembala ke umfana wa lala esibayeni enkabini leyo
wa za wa kula.
Ute lapa e sekulile umfana uyise wa ti maluse izinkomo
ngoba wa yesaba eti funa abafo wabo ba ze bamapuce ifa
lake, nembala lapo umfana wa lusa. Ku te esekwaluseni wa
zunywa ubutongo, wa lala, kwati esalele kwa fika amasela,
la ti elinye ma si m bulale; kodwa elinye la ti Qa; ingane
noma evuka angeke enza luto, base be ya m yeka ba quba
izinkomo ba hamba nazo.
Kepa inkabi leyo enkulu ya sdla nayo i lele. Ya vuka
inkabi leyo, ya ya kumfa~a ya m zamazisa. Kodwa umfana
aze a vuka, yd se i ya m shiya ya landela ezinye izinkomo.
Wa lala wa dlaa umfana lowo, wa vuka. Ute e vuka, wa ye
hga sazi'boni izinkomo. Wa ti ukufuna funa wa ye se bona
amasondo azo. Wa zi landela. Ute e qamuka egqumeni,
wa ye zi bona zi ngapesheya komfula; wa ye se hlela
emfuleni.
FOLK-LORE JOURNAL.
When they iarrivel at home, with the firewood, those who
had stolen him found him gone.
And so ended the matter.
THE STORY OF UMKUYWANA.
There was once a king, who had an ox that was very
large indeed. He also had some sons. It happened that
after a time there was born to him another son, wbh..'e name
was Umkuywana.
The king told the boy to sleep with the large ox. And
sure enough the boy slept in the kraal with that ox, until
he grew up.
It happened when the boy grew up his fther said he
must herd the cattle, for he was afraid le said, le. his
brothers come and wrest from him hiM, iheritauce, and sure
enough then te boy herdd. It ]hMppened whie he was
heing, he was overpowered by sleep, and went fat. to
seep. It happened, while e he dle.t, there came thie'e ;-
said one of them, Let us kill him; but, another said,
No; the child, even if he wakes u, he can't do any thing-;
so they left him alone, and drove off the cattle and away
they went with them.
However that large ox remained, and it also slept. When
t3he walked Aip, he went,to the bpy nud hliool; im, but
.t/e y didg pot1,ke up,,nd o he left him, and followed
the other cattle. .So on he slept and slept, this same boy,
and then awoke. When he had awakened, he could no
longer see the cattle. 'He then searched and.isearched uutil
he discovered their tracks; he followed after Lthem. At
length, climbing up a little hill, he s, ,thet m ,o thm e their
side.f.a ieygr; ihe,went on down to the river.
FOLK-LORE JOURNAL.
/
E se fika, umfula a gowele; wa ponsa itongwane lake
ngapesheya. Emva wa ponsa izinduko; emva kwaloko, wa
ponsa umutya, kodwa noko umfula a wa ze wa sho wa se
zi puma yena. Ku te: lapo e se pakati umfula wa damuka
wa wela ke, wa hamba, wa landela izinkomo lezo; a se mlinda
amasela lawo, a ye se hamba na ye kanye nezinkomo be ya
ekaya.
Ba ti lapa se be fika ekaya kwa puma abafazi ba hlaba
imikosi be ti namhlanje nje kudhliwanomalusi wazo, halala!
Inkosi yalow' mzi, wa si biza lowe 'mfana iti itanda ukum
bona. I te inkosi ukubona umfana emuhle ya ti ma be
mdodana yayo yesibili ba se be kula kanye kanye.nendodana
yenkosi.
Kwati lapa sebe zinsizwa kwa tiwa inkabi leyo enkulu, ma
yi hlatywe. Ba be sa ti ba ya yihlaba inkabi ka ya ze ya
wa kwa ze kwa fudumala ilanga. Inkosi ya si biza umalusi
wa lezo 'zinkomo. Wt ti, umalusi, lapa isifile ya hlinzwa
ingosiwa ingadhliwa, ma yo butelwa iinqwaba, nje endhlini,
endhlini i be nye; ba ti abantu ba hambe bonke ba yo geza
emfuleni o kude. Nembala ke yase i ya fa inkabi leyo,
seyenziwa njengo ku tyo kwake umalusi, kodwa yena waya
ko lala endhlini yake.
Bate sebehambile, bonke abantu, kwa fika amadhlozi ayi
dhla yonke inyama leyo; ba te be buya abanta ekugezeni, ba
fumanisa inyama isidhliwe yonke. Ba buza ku 'malusi.
Wati kazi, ingabe ba geze, ba shiya amabala, inyama ya
dblewa amadhlozi.
Kwa se ku ba uku pela.
JEREMIAH MALL
POLK-LORE JOURNAL.
When he reached the river, it was full; he threw his
snuffbox on the other side; after that, he threw his walking-
sticks, after that he threw his umutya, but nevertheless the
river did not go down, so then he threw himself in. It so
happened that, when he was in the middle of the river, it
went down, so he crossed over, he went on, and followed the
cattle;-they still waiting for him those same thieves, and
went along with him, together with the cattle, going home-
ward.
It happened when they were just reaching home, there
came out women, and shouted, saying, To-day there is
eaten up even the herder of them, Hurrah! The chief of
that kraal then called that same boy, saying he wished to
see him. When the chief saw he was a pretty boy, he said
he must be his second son. So they grew up together, he,
and the chief's son.
It happened, when they had become young men, it
happened that the ox, that same large one, was slaughtered.
They tried to slaughter the ox, but he would not fall down
until the sun became hot. Then the chief called the herder
of those cattle. Said the herder, When it (the ox) is dead
and skinned, it must not be roasted or eaten, let it be just
put together in a pile, in the house, in one house; then the
people must all go and bathe, in a river, far away. And
truly, when the ox died, it was done unto him according to
the saying of the herder, but he went and lay down (slept)
in his house.
When all the people were gone, the Ancestral spirits
came and eat up all the meat, and when the people returned
from bathing, they found all the meat eaten up. They
inquired of the herdsman. He replied he did not know;
perhaps in bathing they had left some spots, and the meat
had been eaten by the Ancestral spirits.
There the matter ended.
FOLK-LORE TOUPNALi
BANANA BA BAFURUTSI BA LO-
M OLOGANA LE BO'RABO.
(Contributed by the Rev. W. Henry R. Bevan.)O
Erile bogologolo basimane le basetsana ba bo ba tshameka
e. le maitsibooa. Ba ne ba tshameka koa thoko ea motse:
-ba se mo tengo ga ore. 'Me yana ka b% sa .tshameka, eo
mongoe a re, "Pulungoane! Pulungoane! "-a lela jela ykea
Pulungoane, go re Ao-o-o-o-o-o a ba tshabisa. Ba ba koa
pele ba siia ba le bantsi: ba ba koa morago ba ba sala
morago: le ene eo o koa morago, eo o na a lira Pihuigoane, le
ene a sala a taboga morago .g bone. Ba sala ba siia that ;
ba siela rure ;-ga ha ka ba tlhola ba booa.
Ba ea go ,aga koa ,Chloenyane. Ba agile motsegone ka
ntlha ea bophirima-tsatsi, koa Motlhoaring; ba bapetse thi:.ta.
Lithutubulu tsa bone ligolile tbata; li kana ka maye; e le tse
li kana-kana.
Erile Batlhoaro ba ile go coma, ba babona, ,baba botsa, ;ba
re, "Lo ba kae ?" 'Me ba re, "Bachoeng." 'Me ba re, Lo
tsile leng fano?" 'Me ba re, "Re tsile re santse re le bananaa"
'Me yana ba fitlha; ba bolela bo'rabone. 'Me ba paleloa ka
ntlha ea letsatsi; ba se ka ba ea go ba bona. Koa go yone
lefatshe, ga go metse.:-ba paleloa ka ntlha lenyora go ea
[The above Setshuana story was given to Mr. Bevan by one of
the Batlhoaro. In a letter, transmitting the story and accompanying
Notes, dated Kimberley, ally 27, 1879, Mr. Bevan writes with reegrd
to the Native narrator,as follows: "I do not think he speaks very
good Secoana, but you have the language verbatim as it fell from his
lips. I have taken the liberty of arranging his story a little, since he
did not give it me in a consecutive statement, but in answer to
questions."]
The Batthoaro (or Batlhwaro), Mr. Bevan-tells us,-"Jlive about.Kuru-
FOLK-LORE JOURNAL.
[HOW] THE CHILDREN OF THE BAEURUTSI
SEPARATED FROM THEIR FATHERS.
Long, long ago, the boys and girls were at play in the
evening. They were playing outside of the town;-they
were not -inside it. And so, while they were at play, one
[of them] said, ulungoane !* Pulungoane "-bleating like
a Pulungoane, Ao-o-o-o-o-o--," and made them
flee. There were a number in front, and they ran, those
-who were behind followed; and he who was last [of all],
[the onel who did the Pulungoane, .he too followed and ran
after them. So then they ran hard;-,they xan away;-
and they never came back again.
They went to live at Choenyane, and built a town there
towards the West, at Motlhoare. They became very rich.
Their rubbish heaps are very high; they are equal to
mountains; ;they are enormous.
When the iBatlhoaro went ,o hunt, they .found them,.and
asked them, "Who are you, and where do you come from ?"
and they said, We are Bachoeng." And they said, When
did you come here ?" and they said, "We came when we
were still children." So then they (the Batlhoaro) arrived
(at home), and told their (the Bachoeng's) fathers ;-but they
were prevented by the sun; they did not go to see them.
In that land, there is no water:-they went prevented by
man, Dr. Moffat's mission station." He adds that their name is said to
be derived from Motlhoare, an olive tree."]
[- In this and the following piece of Native Literature, an ng.has
had to be substituted for the 9n with the mark ~ over it, used by
Mr. Bevan.]
** The .narrator says that:the Pulungoane is a black buck, with horns
bent in the middle, like a man's elbows. He says that the game of
Pulungoane:is a common one among the Becoana children.
FOLK-LORE JOURNAL.
go ba bona. 'Me Batlhoaro ke bone ba. ba ne ba ba fitlha
gone, ka ntlha gone ba noa kgengoe.
Batlhaping kgengoe e ba paletse. Fa ba -ka nio kgengoe,
ba tla shoa bone.
SOME BELIEFS CONCERNING THE BA-
KGALAGALI.*
(Contributed by the Rev. W. Henry R. Bevan.)
Bakgalagali ba baea lilo tsa bone koa nageng mo mokaleng ;
ba lira ntlo koa golimo go boloka lilo gone. (Lilo tse li
pegiloeng li na le more o o bolaeang.) Ba boloka metlhoela
ea bone, gore being ba bone ba se ka ba li tsaea.
Fa mongoe a tia palama gone a li tsaea, ga ba 'molaee ka
mabogo:-o tla shoa mo nageng : motlha mongoe tau e ka
[* With regard to the above (given by the narrator already men-
tioned on page 30), Mr. Bevan remarks: "It is rather interesting to
see how the Bakgalagali, a weak and timorous race, are protected by
the notion that it is uncanny to meddle with them."
The following notes regarding Betshuana tribes, also kindly sent by
Mr. Bevan, in answer to inquiries, will be of interest here.
"ANSWERS TO QUERIES ABOUT BECOANA TRIBES."
"We are very muchin the dark as to their history. I am learning to
believe that there are two main branches now extant from a primeval
Secoana stock,-the Batlhaping and the Bafurutsi, The Setlha2ping
language seems to me to be in a very unaltered state.
The habitat of the Batlhaping is to the West; that of the Bafurutsi
to the East.
I cannot find out the derivation of the name Bafurutsi.
"The Barolong and the Bakoena are both said to be offshoots of
the Bafurutsi.
The Bakwena and the Bachweng are quite distinct subtribes.
POLK-LORE JOURNAL.
thirst from going to see them. But it was the Batlhoaro
who found them, for they drink the kgengoe.* As for the
Batlhaping, they. cannot manage the kgengoe. If they drink
the kgengoe, they will die.t
SOME BELIEFS CONCERNING THE
BAKGALAGALI.
The Bakgalagali put their things in the veldt in the
Camel-Thorn tree, they make a house aloft to keep (their)
things safe there.
The things that are hung up (in the trees) have deadly
poison (on them). They keep their skins of wild animals
safe (in this way), in order that their masters may not take
them.
If any one shall climb up there, and take them, they do
not kill him with (their) hands:-he will die in the veldt,
The Batlhwaro live about Kuruman, Dr. Moffat's mission station.
Their name is said to be derived from Motlhoare, an olive tree.
The Bakgalagali, people of the desert' (Kgalagali), are said to be
degenerate, halfstarved Batlhwaro. They have flocks of sheep and
goats ; but no large cattle. They live mainly by hunting. They are
serfs to the Batlhwaro at present; but they have serfs under them,
Masoroa, some sort of Baroa (Bushmen).
"The Bakgalagali are said to speak a distinct dialect of Secoana.
Their habitat is far to the westward of this (i.e., Christiana, Kimberley,
whence Mr. Bevan writes). I have never seen any of them. The Mis-
sionaries at Kuruman would be able to tell you more about them."]
The Kgengoe I make out to be the wild melon.
t The narrator explains that since they are not accustomed to it, it
will not relieve their thirst ; and so they will die of thirst in the desert
just as llough they had not drunk anything.
FOLH'LOXB JOURNAL.
'molde6, lefale moitloa o ka mo 1lhaba' lona6--o ka shdd;
motlha mongoe a ka tsend me gae, a lumelise banac le litsala
t-a iJgagoe cotlhe le mosali, a tsene mo lung, a tsee tlhobolo, a
ipolaee ka esi: motlha mongoe f'a simolola go bona litlhood
tsa matlo a gagoe, e sale koa kgakala,-a shoe fela.
Motho inongoe (eo kd ie ke ino itseng) 6d Motlhpinig, Sebe-
keli, yaka a ne a ile go comd koa Kgalagaling ;-o na a belitse
Mokgalagali;-a boela yalo mo legaeng ya gagoe(-a na le
ha bangoe, balekane ba gagoe)-litlhooa tsa matlo li sa ntse li
tloma* li ketoga,-- shoa fela. 'Koloi ea menogd; ba mo isa
fela koa lipupung; ba ea go mo fit1ha.
"TRADITION OF THE BAYEYE."f
(Written by Mr. Edwards.)
Towards the sunrising, where the clouds meet the earth,
SI do not know this auxiliary verb, and have left it out in the
translation. It j.robabily does not materially affect the sense;
t The above curious dccbunt is contained ih part of a manuscript
formerly given to the Rev. Dr. C. H. Hahn by Mr. Edwards, the remain-
der of which appears to have been lost through the fire which occurred
on board the steanier Windsor Castle in 1874. The Rev. Dr. Hahn,
in a letter dated St. Martin's Parsonage (Cape Town), February 14th
'80, writes regarding it as follows :
The other day 6 I found the enclosed paper, which is a
part of Mr. Edwards' account of Bushman and Bayeye Traditions, &c.,
of which I told you before, that it was lost, when we had the fire on
board the Windsor Castle." I cannot account for it, how this sheet
strayed between my papers, which were hot affected by that catastrophe.
Looking it through I thought that it might be worth while to give it a
place .i the Folk-lore Jouinal, giving some of the customs and ideas of a
remarkable tribe the Bayeye on the banks of the Tioghe and Ngami,
of whose history as yet nothing is known,"
5'oLt-LWR9 JOURNAL.
Sometimes a lion kills him; Or a thorn pierces his foot and
he dies. Sometimes ih enters his home greets his children
and all his friends, and his wife, goes into the house, takes
his gun, and kill hinmelf. Sometiines as soon as he first
perceives the tops of his houses, and while he is still far off,
he falls down dead (lit. "he dies only ");
A man whom I knew [said the narrator], a Motlhaping
(named) Sebekeli who had been to hunt in the Kgalagali,
and had beaten a Mokgalagali,-just as he was returning to
his home-he had others with him, his comrades-as the
tops of the houses were just coming in sight, fell down dead.
The waggon turned back, they took him to the burial place,
they went and buried him.
Urezhzwa, the great Being, created men and animals. He
formed them first of clay, and then put life into them.
The Bayeye claim to be the firstborn of mankind and
received their present name of Bayeye, which signifies
men, or people;-or perhaps it may stand for "human," as
they often apply the singular Moyeye to any stranger,
whether of their tribe or not. After the Bayeye, came the
Bishmen, Becuana, and other black tribes. The white men
were formed last.
At the creation, each tribe received the different arms and
implements which still distinguish them-as the Bushmen
their bow and arrows, the Becuana the spear and shield, &c.,
&c. The Bayeye received a small model of a canoe, formed
partly of wood and partly of clay. They were told [to]
fell a large tree, [and] work it into the shape of the model,
and it would float upon the water, and with it they could
traverse the rivers. They account for the white men being
so much richer and wiser, by saying the whites were not so
greedy as the black. At the creation, the black men were
POLK-LORE JOURNAL.
impatient, and cried out, Give us our things, and let us
go." The whites were patient, and waited, and so received
all the best gifts, wisdom, riches, &c., &c.
Urezhwa, after creating men, lived with them for a time,
and took a wife. This wife, once upon a time, fell sick, and
he set off in a canoe to procure medicine for her, leaving
orders, that, in case she died during his absence, she was not
to be thrown away. Shortly after his departure, she died,
and, becoming putrid, the Bayeye threw her away. When
Urezhwa returned, he was very angry when he found they
had disobeyed his orders. So he told them, that, if they had
kept her, he would have restored her to life again; and, in
the same manner, when they died, they should have returned
again. But, now, they should die, and never return again.
He then left them, and went up above into the heavens,
where he is often seen to pass, and his voice also heard.
When passing over the heavens, he passes very rapidly, and
with a great light.-This is most probably a meteor.
The Bayeye have the remains of a system of worship still
amongst them. In every village, a place of sacrifice (or
perhaps altar) is found. It is a circular enclosure,-some-
times with a stage in it,-occupying the centre of the village.
Here the priest,-who is always the headman or chief,-
presides. No women are allowed to enter, neither young
men. All the skulls of game killed are placed here. When
an animal is killed, the priest selects certain parts, and
exposes them on the stage, for certain days, for the benefit
of the Batottee or departed spirits. They are afterwards
taken down, and eaten by the priest and some of the old
men who are initiated in the mysteries. A great quantity
of different kinds of medicine, fat of snakes, &c., is always
found in these places. The Batottee are propitiated, upon
all occasions, by offerings of meat. Should any one fall
sick, the Doctor is called, to divine." This he does by
FOLK-LORE JOURNAL. 37
burying an axe handle in the ground, and beating the
ground firmly all round it. He then runs his thumb and
forefinger along it,-the other fingers resting upon it,-as
if trying to force it out. After a great deal [of] hissing,
with which he accompanies the effort, the axe handle flies
out. He then communicates his discovery, which is in-
variably the same in every case. The sick man's fathers are
angry with him for neglecting them. He is told to take a
piece of meat, offer up a prayer, and place the meat on the
hedge round his hut.
Another curious custom amongst the Bayeye, is the fact
of no chief being succeeded by his sons. His successor
must be the son of a brother, or rather the son of a sister.
This must be one cause of-[Here the fragment abruptly
ends].
|
RSS
HIDE
