574 IXITIATIOX KITES OF THE J'.APEDI. 



Ba se siba coiia — And thev fail to stab it. 



Mafcfii. ' Mafefii. 



Ba siba phathana — They stab a little stick. 



Mafefu. Mafefu. 



Bathan ka pedi — l^\c) little sticks. 



Mafefu. Mafefu. 



Tslia Moshiieleshaiia — O.f the little "' Rooi-bos." 



Mafefu. Mafefu. 



Na niuduhlashana — ( )r the Mvdhlashana tree. 



Mafefu. Mafefu. 



During this stage of the Kgoma this hymn is always sung 

 when marching away from the Mphato and on the return jour- 

 ney. If by any chance they come to a river, they stop singing the 

 chant, and the Miditi cry Taga tsha ka! (My yellow-fink.) As 

 this tinch, a species of Hyphantliortiis. builds its nest over the 

 water, this exclamation, in the secret or symbolic language of 

 the Kgoma, is equivalent to the order, " Cross over the water!" 

 While crossing the streatn the Initiates whistle in imitation of 

 the notes of this bird, and when all have crossed, the Song of the 

 Salt is resumed. As they near the Mphato they sing Tsoai, and 

 return to the Song of the Lightning. This is a signal to the 

 women at the kraal to prepare the evening meal. On arrival 

 at the enclosure the Miditi show the boys where to stack their 

 Phiri stones. 



The above proceedings are repeated every day until suffi- 

 cient material has been provided for building the Phiri and 

 Pisha)ia^ cones. The following day the Initiates are taken out 

 himting and wood-cutting, in the care of the Miditi as usual, but 

 the Men remain behind at the Lodge. When the party is out of 

 sight the Men set to work on these structures. A site is chosen 

 outside the Lodge, close to the Eastern Gate, and a circular hole 

 about 12 inches deep and 30 inches in diameter, is dug for the 

 foundations. The slabs of stone are then removed from their 

 wicker coverings and carefully laid in the form of a disc, the 

 spaces between the stones being tilled with ashes. Another layer 

 of slabs and ashes is built upon this, and the jjrocess continued, 

 each layer being slightly less in diameter than the lower one, so 

 that a luound, slightly conical in shape, is produced, having a 

 height of from 30 to 36 inches, and with a diaineter of about 

 18 inches below the rim at the top. The uppermost layer of slabs 

 overlaps the edge in such a way as to form a broad circular rim, 

 and is slightly depressed in the centre, so that the apex of the 

 cone is concave. This erection is called the Phiri, or Hya?na. 



Another cone is then built in the same way, and of the same 

 pattern, but of much smaller size. This is called the Pishaiia, or 

 child of the Hyrena. When the cones are finished, ashes are strewn 

 from the western entrance (Khoro ea Baloi) round the outside 

 of the enclosure to the Phiri. 



* See Appendix, Note C. 



