MEN OF THE TREES 



I have said that sacrifices are offered to God, but 

 it must not be imagined that the A-Kikuyu do this 

 for the purpose of propitiating the Supreme Being. They 

 have no sense of sin, but they offer up sacrifice as a 

 present to God, in order to win his future favour. I have 

 already mentioned that these people show no cringing 

 fear of God, and I cannot too strongly emphasize this. 

 He is not angry, therefore does not need to be pro- 

 pitiated, but, like all of us, he does love presents. 



When a sacrifice is made to N'gai, the best is given. 

 If a man has not a very good sheep or goat, and he wants 

 to offer a sacrifice, he will sell two or three of his goats 

 and buy a perfect one from a neighbour, "one without 

 blemish." Such a present makes it possible for him to 

 ask for something really worth while in return — "O 

 God, you who have many things, give me some, please. 

 Listen. I want goats; I want sheep; I want children. 

 Listen, I want plenty of them, O my father, that I may 

 be rich. Do you hear, O God, my father?" There is some- 

 thing delightfully frank and open about this prayer, 

 which is quite typical. 



Those who officiate at the solemn sacrifice are hered- 

 itary chiefs or elders who hold tribal office. Here again 

 we see that the religious and secular institutions blend 

 into one — the Church and State are identical. In addi- 

 tion to this there is a body of medicine men — a kind of 

 medical profession — who are credited with being en- 

 dowed with special power from God. However, these 

 latter are practitioners rather than instructors, as the 



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