Twenty-five years in East Africa

by John Roscoe

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1921 edition. ...date than the introduction of the national gods, which appears to date from the time when the royal clans invaded the country and amalgamated the other clans. When it became known that the spirit had left the body, that is that death had taken place, wailing began, and part of this consisted in reciting the good deeds of the deceased, and in the widows recounting the gifts which they had received. The ghost was supposed to be in the vicinity of the body, to hear and understand what was said, and to be gratified by the eulogies. The ghost still retained the limited powers and possibilities of the living person, and could know only what was taking place in the locality in which it happened to be; hence relays of mourners kept up a constant cry in the house in which the body lay until burial. The mourners who were relieved from the task of lamentation left the house, and were allowed to enter into the most trivial and apparently thoughtless conversation or occupation in another building, because the ghost did not see or know what they were doing, and could not be affected by their levity or want of reverence. The elaborate proceedings in the ritual of funeral rites had in view the welfare of the ghost; so also had the relatives in making choice of a site for the grave, which had to be in the clan burial ground. The offerings also which were laid with the body in the grave were for the use and comfort of the ghost. The honour of having a son present at the funeral was great, but it was surpassed by the further presence of a grandchild. In the person of these descendants the ghost was assured of a continued remembrance and of its future welfare, which depended upon the living. For the future the ghost looked to the grave with a shrine near it...

288 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1969