-#b Anthropology : Social 



patriarch a portion of the money which they accumulate, and 

 the latter in return pays the betrothal money (about twenty 

 dollars) for their wives, as well as the fines and expenses 

 to which they may be liable from any source. 



" Besides these duties to their relatives, the patriarchs 

 collectively constitute an upper court or senate. To this body 

 belono^s the right of originating plans for promoting the public 

 weal ; to them are referred questions involving international 

 rights. In all matters of grave interest, whether domestic or 

 foreign, the voice of the patriarchs must be heard. 



" But the most influential class in every Grebo community 

 is the Sedibo. This is most emphatically ' the house ot 

 representatives,' the popular house, tor it is composed of all 

 males beyond the age of twenty, except the patriarchs. Usually, 

 as soon as a young man Is married anci has a home he pays 

 into the treasury of the Sedibo a bullock, a goat, half a bushel 

 of rice, and thenceforth, unless convicted of witchcraft, he is 

 entitled to all the rights and privileges of the Sedibo. These 

 combine the legislative and executive powers, tor although the 

 patriarchs may originate and advise, the Sedibo must discuss 

 and resolve before any action can be had or law passed, and 

 they meet and make laws at any time, and in relation to almost 

 anything. They meet and decide that a man has stolen some- 

 thing, and for the offence make him pay a fowl, or all that 

 he possesses, according to their temper towards him. They 

 determine that a man has been guilty of witchcraft, and give 

 him gedu (sassy-wood) to kill him. The fines imposed by 

 this body are divided according to hereditary right. Thus, for 

 example, if a bullock is slaughtered (fines are almost always 

 paid in something to eat), one man by hereditary right takes 

 the shoulder, another the neck, etc. These rights owe their 

 origin to the same causes as titles in Europe : they were given 



1075 



