4*2 Proceedings of the tloyat trish Acadettiy. 



tree, and enclosing it as if in an egg, is a path fenced with grass-mats in thd 

 shape of an oval. This oval or egg is the shape in outline of the emblem of 

 the Bundu bush, and is also the Bundu sign. It sometimes happens that 

 natural curiosity will induce a woman to secrete herself, and thereby, in dis- 

 obedience to the Poi-o law, to become acquainted with some of the mysteries 

 of the Poro. The superstitious belief in such cases is that sickness follows, 

 and during her illness the woman confesses to a Toto-gbe-moi, who reports it 

 to the Soko or Sowa, one of the headmen of the Poro. Toto means " medicine," 

 (jbe is " to look," and moi is the word for a man. The Toto gbemoi is the 

 country fashion-man, the man who can observe or find out things by means of 

 medicine, in other words, " a diviner, a magician." After consultation, one of 

 the sectional Poro devils is sent to seize her ; and she is taken to the Poro 

 bush : fines are imposed upon the woman's family or husband, if she has any, 

 before anything can be done in the matter. AVhen they are paid, she receives 

 Poro treatment, and after she has got well she is initiated into the Poro order 

 in the same way as a man, and receives the Mendi name of " Maboi." She is 

 then considered to be both man and woman, is exempt from " woman palaver," 

 and is amongst the Sherbro called Deli-Boi, meaning Poro woman. 



All the people, men and women, born in Samie town, which is a portion 

 of Baoma town, 24 miles beyond Bo, must enter the Poro. 



There are two kinds of Poro : Tasso when there is a Tinga-Tanga, and 

 Lakka when no Tinga-Tanga is present. Tasso medicine is stronger than 

 Lakka medicine, and according to some accounts a Murri man, although he 

 can be a Poro man, cannot belong to the Tasso section. No woman may look 

 upon a dead Tasso. Lakka is also the name given to the young men's Poro 

 where they are initiated and circumcised. 



The dancing man of the Poro is a Sokko man. The office of the Sokko 

 man is usually hereditary. When a new Sokko man is to be made, if the son 

 of the last Sokko man is not selected, at least one of his family must be. 

 "When a new Sokko man has been selected, he is put in the kunk, which is 

 near the Poro bush, where he sleeps for nine nights, and learns his duties ; for 

 it must be remembered that to be able to dance a ceremony means to be 

 intimately acquainted with its ritual. When he comes out of the kunk, he is 

 brought before the chief by an old Sokko man. The chief owns the Tinga- 

 Tanga ; and when the new Sokko man is brought before him, he causes the 

 Tinga-Tanga to be placed on the ground, and addressing the new Sokko man 

 says, " This is your load." After that the Tinga-Tanga is handed over to the 

 Sokko man, who henceforth is known as a Sokko-Tasso, or Tilli-Tangi, from 

 his headdress, which, when not in use, is in the custody of a high official in the 

 Poro bush. 



