242 



SOME TBIBAL CUSTOMS IN THEIK EBLATION TO MEDICINE AND MOEALS 



Fear of trifling to obtain skulls as anthropological specimens I found great difficulty in the Bahr-El- 

 Ghazal, and have since experienced the same with the Nubas of Southern Kordofan, 



associated 

 with ancestor 

 worship 



" Imitati\c" 

 civilisation is 

 better than 

 none at all 



Influence of 

 Islam 



purely on superstitious grounds, among people whose beliefs are so intimately connected 

 with spirit and ancestor " worship." 



From them I gather that recent ancestors are too well known to be respected. The 

 more remote are quite forgotten, whilst the intermediate are most to be feared and fall 

 within the sphere of " worship." Unfortunately, also, it is their heads that the 

 anthropologist wants. Beyond the spirits of the dead are shadowy " gods," one or more 

 supreme " Allahs " (Umbolie among the Nyam-uyam, Torro and Bolinbula among the 

 Gours), mythical and receiving little attention. There is no such thing as real worship ; 

 sacrifices, rites and propitiations are addressed, as a rule, to the active factor in disease, 

 death, famine and mishap, the Evil Spirit. 



Civilisation and Mohammedanism 



The infusion of crude civilisation and Mohammedanism by Arab traders and soldiers, 

 along the main roads of commerce, has had a marked influence, not only from a religious 

 but from a medical standpoint. 



The aping of the higher by the lower civilisation has resulted in the metamorphosis 

 of the aboriginal into something perhaps a trifle ridiculous but certainly less savage. 

 Such influence is, I think, on the whole, good — it is at any rate an advance. 



An amusing case of the converse was that of an Egyptian soldier, entering the 

 Bahr-El-Gliazal at the same time as myself, who, deeming it best to do as Eome 

 did, expended much money on the local pagan charms, which he considered would 

 have far more influence, beyond the limits of the Mohammedan world, than his old Koranic 

 " hegabat." 



Civilisation makes these people aware of their nakedness, and gives them rags to 

 hide it, sometimes also such things as tarbushes and unwieldy boots (on one occasion a 

 sun umbrella, purchased for a large tusk of ivory, value about £E 30, from a Greek trader). 

 It gives them worthless money, alcohol, tobacco and hashish, both of which latter they 

 cultivate. Contact with a higher race, for the first time, disturbs the conceit and 

 self-satisfaction common to all savages. Finding themselves black they smear their 

 faces with caustic juices in order to lighten their colour, and scratch, sear, or cauterise 

 " shiluk " (tribal marks) on their cheeks in the most approved Arab style. 



The new religion, whether actively professed or not, produces what one may term an 

 unconscious conversion (often merely the profession of faith), brought about by contact with 

 Mohammedan Sudanese troops and Arab traders. There are no missionaries of any 

 denomination in these parts. 



They submit to being numbered among the circumcised, adopt many of the medical 

 superstitions, charms and cures of the Mohammedan, and alter their names to those of 

 Islam (no small matter when one considers the importance attached to names amongst 

 savages). ^ This religion gives them, too, a single God and the simj)lest creed, at the 

 same time interfering in no way with their routine occupations, or with the number of 

 their wives. The last is, I consider, the most important determining factor in the rapid 

 spread of Islam, rather than of Christianity, throughout Central Africa (vide Proceedings 

 of the Missionary Gonference, London, June, 1910), and naturally so, since the surplus of 

 female over male is very large, under which circumstances I consider polygamy must, as it 

 should, obtain amongst an unsophisticated people. 



' Fide The Truth about Totism, by Andrew Lang 



