The principal Siekitundumu in Kitui is said to be one Monge wa Muli. She and her husband assembled all the people at the village of the chief Muli and told them to collect food and other gifts. The elders had to pay a bull and a black goat. On a certain day the bull was killed and its blood poured into a large hole in the ground and mixed with meal, milk, and grain. Monge then announced that she would transfer the Engai to a particular village. She selected certain able-bodied women, who ran into the bush with a fowl, shouting that they were sending “Engai” to Muli’s village, the fowl being left in the bush. A few days later a woman in Muli’s village was, of course, seized with the Engai mania and the dance had to be performed there. Thus the affection is spread throughout the district. After a time, either the Government or the combined elders take steps to stop it by drastic measures and it dies down for a while, possibly for a year or two, but at any time it is liable to recur and it is then necessary for the administration to keep a sharp look out for its appearance.
The whole phenomenon rather reminds one of the ancient accounts of demoniacal possession. According to Goodrich Freer a peculiar kind of possession, called bonda, is said to attack women in Abyssinia. Here again all their demands for dress, food, and trifles of any sort must be strictly attended to. They sometimes mimic a hyæna.
Sundry Beliefs
Slaughter of Pregnant Animals.—The A-Kamba may not wilfully kill an animal heavy with young when hunting, and certainly would not slaughter a domestic animal in this condition. Should, however, such an [[259]]animal happen to be killed by mistake, the uterus is opened to discover the sex of the fœtus. In cutting up the uterus the hunter will hold a few blades of grass in his hand, together with the knife, at the same time grasping the wrist of the hand holding the knife with the other hand. If there are two men, the second man will grasp the wrist of the other while he cuts open the uterus.
If the fœtus is male it is unlucky, and if female it is lucky. The killing of the mother in this condition must, however, have been done unwittingly.
This curious custom appears to be common to all the Kamba people.
Eclipses.—These are said to be the work of Engai (or the high god) and to be an omen of a sickness in the land. The head of each village has to take two children and a goat, which is lead round the outside of the village, and when it reaches the gate, an elder cuts a piece out of one ear and lets the animal return to the village. They then smear it with ia (Kamba) ira (Kikuyu), or white earth—on its face, along its stomach, and along its back to the tail.
Lunar Changes.—The Kikuyu people have no theories as to the nature of the sun or moon, but believe that the sun and moon are constantly at war with each other and that the moon is always beaten and driven away. After a time she regains her strength and returns to the fight.
Food (Kitui).—The Kamba of Kitui state that they cannot eat the meat of hyæna, jackal, serval cat, hunting dog, crocodile, snakes, kites, vultures, marabou stork, ducks, geese, crows, rats, or even eggs. A few will sometimes eat a little of the flesh of lions and leopards, probably on the grounds of sympathetic magic, i.e., with the idea of assimilating the strength and agility of these beasts. Baboon, monkey, and donkey meat are also eaten by some.