MEN OF THE TREES 



the son carves an effigy on a post varying from three 

 to six feet in height, and plants it in the neighbour- 

 hood of his hut. This is called a Kikango. Once a month 

 it is his religious duty to sleep outside the hut hard by 

 this post. If a stranger were to ask him why he did it, 

 his only explanation would be that it was "Dasturi," 

 or the conventional thing to do. After being some time 

 amongst these people, and gaining their confidence, I 

 learnt from them that this was a ceremony of deep 

 significance, for they assured me that when they slept 

 by that shrine of their departed ancestor, he came back 

 and spoke to them and was able to give them help to 

 carry on their life. In other words, they gained inspira- 

 tion in their communion with the departed. 



This raises the much discussed question as to whether 

 these people believe in life after death. To me, the 

 foregoing is sufficient evidence to conclude that they do 

 believe in a future existence. The A-Kikuyu talk of 

 good spirits and bad spirits. They say that if a man has 

 done evil in life, he is liable to continue doing harm 

 after death, and as I have already explained, such evil 

 spirits are blamed for many of the maladies which af- 

 flict the living. 



Judged from our point of view, these Africans pre- 

 sent a very curious mingling of qualities, both good 

 and bad, but, unhappily, it must be admitted that 

 hitherto contact with the white man has tended to 

 develop more their weak points than to strengthen 



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