A snake man shakes hands with his left hand* If he forgets 
anyone can cry Klih and he can be fined. When you hear the drums * 
come to the house where the society meets, put left foot inside 
door first, and call Bakun , Once inside, give a small piece of 
bamboo. By paying the required fee (not specified) anyone may 
become a Gli and set up his own lodge. 
A cassada snake (Gabun viper) was brought out of its cage, and 
handled by the Gli. Bill volunteered to hold it also, but none of 
us were allowed to touch it because of the medicine that had been 
rubbed on our hands earlier in the evening - that would kill the 
snake, and they had no desire to lose this tame symbol of their 
lodge. If a man has touched palm kernel oil, he must wash before 
handling a snake • 
The legend of the origin of the snake medicine, Bakuna, is as 
follows: A man hunting in the woods with his dog saw a squirrel* 
The dog chased the squirrel into a hole in a termite mound. Vfhlle 
the dog was digging at the nest, the hunter sent into the village 
for some children to bring fire, and the fire was put inside the 
nest. Tlie squirrel ran around inside, then turned' into a red deer 
and came out. As the man caught it, the deer (harnessed antelope ) 
begged him not to kill it, and offered to show him something of 
great value . This was the snake medicine, and in addition the deer 
caught two snakes and gave them to the hunter. The children who 
had brought the fire were twins , Mugweh and Sahway; they saw this 
performance, and on their return to town told their grandfather and 
said they wanted snakes to be their special medicine or charm. 
The grandfather agreed, and all relatives and friends were told. 
That night the twins dreamt that palm kernel oil was against 
their law; they dreamt of the true medicine, bakuna, and that 
a snake came and told them that in the forest there was one tree 
no snake would touch, or climb. The twins cleared a space in 
the forest where they practised the rites of the snake society. 
Formerly a man bitten by a snake had always died, but the twins', 
with their new medicine, cured snake bite. As they had started the 
first lodge, all twins since then have been considered as born 
members of the society. 
The following morning we were taken to a cleared place 
in the forest, fenced about with palm thatch, and with the tabu 
sign of the inverted palm leaf hanging over three portals. We 
went through, left foot first, giving the proper password to the 
watchman, and exchangng sticks and iron money for sticks and kola 
nuts. Drums and chant s resounded in the leafy clearing, where all 
except us sat on the ground - as usual chairs had been placed for us 
In the center was a big pile of green leaves, freshly 
gathered, and one by one they were lifted up and the meaning and 
use of each one explained to us. 
B ombo-bal u , which you take before picking up a snake, is 
also good for fever and dysentery. 
S oflli gives wisdom. It is a big tree that breaks others 
when it falls. 
