The first thing to be settled was to which elders the various parts of the beasts should be given; this goes by seniority. The head of the bullock went to the senior, two forelegs and chest to the next, the left hind leg to the next, the hide to the next, and the right hind leg to the candidate.
This being decided, the candidate presented each [[214]]of the most senior elders with a gourd of the different beers and each kind of food. The candidate then presented the principal wife of the senior elder with a gourd of beer and food. The senior elder brought forth a horn of beer, took a sip and spilt a tiny drop into his left breast and then offered it to the candidate who took a sip and ceremonially spat into his left breast. The senior elder’s wife did the same, offering the beer to the candidate’s wife. The food was then divided among the other elders, who gathered round and drank beer. After this, various elders made speeches welcoming the candidate into the grade and prayed to Engai to look favourably on him, his wives being also mentioned with the hope that they might be fruitful.
The animals are then slaughtered, the following portions being selected:
- The heart of the ram—ngora.
- Lungs, a portion of—mahuri.
- Intestines, a portion of—wei.
- Spleen, a portion of—weriungu.
- Loins, a piece from—ruduithi.
- Rump, a piece from—ruhongi.
- Ribs, portion of—kengeto.
- Colon—ngorima.
- Kidneys of bullock—hiyo.
The ngorima is cut out and the end tied up; it is then filled with blood from the ram and bits of meat.
The mromo waiyu, or big stomach of the ram, is filled with bits of meat and fat and tied up.
All these are cooked, and when ready are taken inside the hut of the senior elder and only a chosen few of the ukuru are allowed inside; on this particular occasion only eight were admitted.
The senior elder bites a small piece out of the ram’s heart and spits out a bit to the right and left as an offering to the ngoma, or ancestral spirits, and the [[215]]candidate does the same. The next senior elder eats the kengeto. The mahuri and ngorima are given to the senior wife of the host by the senior wife of the candidate.
A little honey beer was then brought into the hut, and the candidate was presented with one of the black staves which only elders are allowed to carry, and also the bunch of sacred leaves known as muturanguru (Vernonia sp.). The leaves are tied together with the fibre from the mukeo bush.
The candidate took hold of the staff and the leaves, and the senior elder drank a little sip of the beer and ceremonially spat on the leaves saying “Aroendwo na kiama”—“May you be well liked by the council of elders.” This was a kind of blessing which may be likened to the blessing which accompanies the “laying on of hands.”