HANTl' M I'/nioDS ol'' l)l\l NAIioN. T^ijtj 



for the same reason ij;i\en alxixe. the cr\- or the gesture of a 

 common animal is freciiiently ehosen. for the purpose.'' In many 

 cases these sounds or ji^estures would heconie the ijermanent 

 sjo^ials or ]:)ass\vords of the tribe, and men w(udd be kncnvn as 

 ** Owl " men, " Jackal " men, etc.. because they belonged to 

 the section or clan which was distininiished by the call or gesture 

 of that animal or bird. 



Among all primitive people who practise magic, however, 

 we hnd the belief that a rappurt exists l)ctween the name of a 

 thing and the thing itself — in fact, a man and his name are often 

 regarded as identical.' In the same way the identity of a 

 community with a synonymous object may be postulated. Thus, 

 for example (arguing on the law that things which are equal 

 to the same thing are equal to one another), if a man and a 

 bird are each called by the specific name " Owl," they luust 

 belong to the same species. 



If this confusion of thought really exists, we should ex])ect 

 to find, as a natural corollary, that the killing of an (nvl by a 

 man called " Owl " would be regarded as equivalent to the 

 murder of a man of his own tribe. This is what we actually 

 find. 



Almost every Bantu tribe is distinguished by the name of 

 an animal or other natural object, and that animal or object is 

 regarded as taboo to all members of the tribe which bears its 

 name. 



This identity of man and totem is expressed not only by 

 vocal imitation of the animal, but also by gestures of a more 

 or less conventional type, which are supposed to represent the 

 characteristic movements of that animal. These gestures are 

 woven into the ceremonial dances, so that the tribal origin of a 

 man may be ascertained by noting bis actions during the dance. 

 If a South African native wishes to find out what tribe another 

 native belongs to, he will ask, "What dance do you dance F""" 

 and the reply will be. " Owl," " Jackal," " Baboon," etc., ac- 

 cording to the totem of his tribe. 



If the foregoing principles of magic and totemism be borne 

 in mind, there should be no difficulty in following the interpre- 

 tation of the " bones " and other " artificial aids " used in Bantu 

 divination. 



" Cf. the adoption of this i)rincii)le hy ['aden-Povvell' in the organi- 

 zation of Boy Scout " Patrols." 



' Cf. Andrew Lang: " Prohaljly the wliole Aryan Family at one 

 time believed not only that the name was part of the man, l^ut tliat it 

 was that part of him which is termed the Soul . . . hut, if the name is 

 the soul of the bearer, and if the fotem also is the Soul, then the name, 

 and the Soul, and the Totem of a man. are all one'' ("The Secret of 

 the Totem," p ii6, etc.). See also l->azer. " 'I'alioo and the Perils of tlie 

 Soul" p. 318 if. 



"Stow, ■' Native Races of Soutli Africa." ^ii. 



