File:The Sherbro and its hinterland (1901) (14780942714).jpg

Identifier: sherbroitshinter00alld (find matches)
Title: The Sherbro and its hinterland
Year: 1901 (1900s)
Authors: Alldridge, T. J. (Thomas Joshua), 1847-1916
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Publisher: London, New York : Macmillan and Co., limited New York, The Macmillan Company
Contributing Library: University of California Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Internet Archive

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spirit of the deceased may not trouble any one, andalso to prevent the Yassi medicine carried by the KambehMama from having any injurious effects upon them. Afterthe women have finished their part of the ceremony thebody is handed over to certain Poro men, who hold a post-mortem upon it for the purpose of ascertaining whetherthe deceased was connected with witchcraft. The body isopened and the liver is removed and put into a bowl ofwater. If it floats it is considered an undoubted sign ofinnocence, and the deceased is then said to have Kundinteh,the literal interpretation of which is clean belly. Everymark of respect is in this case to be shown, and thefamily is entitled to bury the body in the town. When apost-mortem is about to take place all the people in thetown must leave it and remain near by. The examinationis conducted inside the Poro bush of the town ; and if it isdiscovered that Kimdinteh existed, then a devil of thatorder, called Bahum, who is always at hand at such a time,
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I I o face page iift. Fig. 50.—TiiK Vassi Sociktv>i\Ikoicink House.(The small House under the Silk Cotton Tree X.) XV SECRET SOCIETIES 147 gives vent to a peculiar scream, and the big drum is beatento intimate to the town folk that the deceased hadsuccessfully passed through the ordeal ; they thereuponreturn to the town, and the women immediately commenceto wail. Dancing and singing and a good time generallyis kept up for three or four days. The relations and friends of the deceased then providecloths to be buried with the body. The interment isundertaken by the men ; the remainder of the medicinalpreparation in the bowl being first sprinkled over the body. The wail cry after a death takes place a little beforedaybreak and continues until daylight; but should anyfriends arrive who were not present at the first cry, they canwail at any time, assisted by any one who may be disposedto join in. If it is shown that the deceased was not clean,by the liver not floating, then a Poro devi

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