Reference is invited to the author’s work on the “Ethnology of the A-Kamba” (Camb. Press), p. 65, discussing the danger to a girl if a stranger touches her menstrual blood; this is a clear case of makwa, which falls on the girl in consequence.
Some of the prohibitions mentioned on p. 102 op. cit. are also cases of makwa, and on p. 97 op. cit. there is an account of a man who was suffering from thabu or makwa. At the time, unfortunately, the importance of the phenomena had not been fully recognised.
(3) If a man dies and leaves young wives, the sons usually take them over; but, of course, a son must not marry his mother. A son cannot, however, succeed to one of his father’s wives until the elders have performed certain ceremonies. If he cohabits with her before these are carried out he will become makwa. [[130]]
To remove the curse in this case the ceremonial is as follows: a paternal uncle of the offender collects the elders and provides beer for them; the woman concerned brings a goat. The elders make some of the ng͠nondu mixture, which is handed to the patient, who pretends to pay it to the elders. The elders then bring a branch of a tree called muuti and tell him to pay it to his uncle. He does so by throwing it at his uncle, saying, “I pay you before the elders.” This looks as if the spirit of the deceased father were offended, and ceremonial payment had to be made to the brother of the deceased, who for the time being represents him.
A piece of wood about fifteen inches long, cut from a mukingezia tree, is then brought. This is first inserted into the vaginal passage of the woman, and the man’s penis is then touched with it twice or thrice. One of the elders afterwards carries the stick away and throws it across a river saying, “I throw this evil away.” In the evening the uncle cohabits with the woman. The makwa is thus believed to be removed, but the man can never have anything to do with that woman again. He can, however, marry another of his father’s wives after the elders have performed the necessary rites.
(4) After the death of a father none of the sons may take honey from the father’s hives until the paternal uncle has first done so. Any who break this law will become makwa. It can, however, be removed by the uncle, who brings a sheep, and he, the elders, and the mother of the patient lead the sheep three times round the patient; at the conclusion of the third turn the sheep is lifted up and its throat is cut, and the blood is allowed to spurt over the patient. The animal’s throat is cut by one of the elders, whose forearm is held by the uncle and the mother. After this ceremony the patient is believed to be cured, and he can take honey. It may be that this was devised to prevent a son rushing off into the woods after his [[131]]father’s death and annexing any honey he found, irrespective of whether such and such a hive would fall to his share when the elders decided as to the division of the estate.
(5) If a woman loses a young child by death it is necessary for her to have her breasts ceremonially purified by a qualified elder, or it is believed that any future children she may bear will die of makwa.
(6) If a man cohabits with a married woman in the woods while the cattle are out grazing, it brings makwa upon the cattle and they will die. The woman, however, is generally afraid of evil falling on the precious cattle, and confesses. The cattle are then taken out of their kraal, medicine is placed on the ground at the gate, and they are then driven back over the medicine, and this lifts the curse. The woman has also to be ceremonially purified by an elder.
(7) If a woman who has borne children is forced by a man a curse is said to fall on the children and they will die. The evil can, however, be averted if she is purified by an elder; the man has to pay a goat and the expenses of the purification ceremony.
(8) If a hyæna defæcates in a village during the night a makwa falls on the village, and the elders have to kill a goat and purify (tapisha) the village.