{Reverse sequence starting at other end of book (numbered in original):} John
says its Vullama Tilli not Vultuaina or Meama.
He says gol Bello (Ju) medicine or Tschul. Hul died he got it.
One's father's daughter Nyenu Nyu
One's mother's daughter Nyenu Nyu
Who got cargo of Conan
(Jasmine
's husband) It was big men for Ian
.
What does the father of the groom call the father of the bride etc
tchutchu = spirits
Things to be checked:
Vol 1
Ian
Hindal {?} Jan 20 Term for Family. Who does it include.
?
Meabili Tsen= one mother means family . Actually means having one mother.
Sel tsen= family on fathers side. Means kinsman through other side
Me tsen=family on mothers side, same as meabili tsen.
Colin
fathers other wife
if you swear that something be true you swear by name of deceased xxxxx (John
says true).
Do girls have Felip medicine? And if so does it make any difference to marriage palaver?
Is Lobal medicine made for newly weds after they have spent first night together? james calls it Guana Bali.
What is Mavrup medicine= Mavilap. Is it made after marriage? This, according to Colin
is medicine made so that groom can see mother-in-law. How long before bride can cook in her own house? Colin
says 4 months. He also says that for 4 months that she sleeps in mother-in-laws house. John
says not true. Observed to be untrue.
Can witches make men and women impotent? yes.
Is it true that only man who has killed man or leopards can wear guinea fowl's feather. John
says true.
Sasswood called "li" or "Mber"
Due = copulation.
Is Theresa
your sister? John
said that her father's mother was in his family. Yes.
Did Along {??} stay in bush before marriage? John
said so in first September. She visited her kinsfolk at Mang.
Ndegwa. John
play name for Theresa
means young woman.
What is Chockuwe? John
said it some medicine in Along's hut. It's Tachuk medicine for your sister. We saw it made by Clifford
for Charles
.
What is Ngu medicine? Colin
says it is little white fish in medicine that kills you if you are wicked. Ngu are little white fishes but dont kill witches.
Do leopard skin given to chief sold and if so what is done with the money?
When is chief's month? What about the first person who sees moon in this month: does she make noise? Is it true that this is made {??} XXX. Is there big bean feast at end of chief's month?
What is Mangu? Colin
says it is like a man made from iron brought out at end of chief's month. It is brought out of house before chief comes. What is Ngun dance? Colin
says it is dance at end of chief's month. Adultery is gwem.
So and Sin medicines made for person who has fornicated with a woman married to another man by exchange. (see notes for Nov 27).
Is dog given in above case? Who do the five goats go to? Does one or more go to big people (see notes for Nov 27).
Is one or two fowls given for adultery with non-exchange wife? What medicine is made with them? (see notes for Nov 27).
Na chuo medicines is medicine made for new father or mother on first visit to market. Is it true that medicine man must have killed a man or a bushcow? (Nov 27 - John
: don't know).
Who has chuo medicine in Ndiel and did he shoot man or bushcow?
Tschuk?/Tscharl medicine - who has it in Warwar. Is he first to eat guinea corn? Is it true that first day after he cuts guinea corn, that all people go hunting and bring him the bag; which he distributes. Is Bartholomew
first man of Warwar to plant guinea corn for Warwar.
No, Bartholomew
doesn't eat before other Tschuk men. It depends which hamlets guinea corn is ready first, which eats it first. If Tiket's is first Jerome
will eat first. If Tscharl is first Harry
, if Tigul then Bartholomew
,. If Ndiel then Adrian
Nov. 28 Fence Fixing.
Ron
as he is nyena nyu was behind the fence cleaning the place. He was the only one. Fixing the fence outside was Emile
, Roland
, Thor
and Jake
/Jake
/Jake
.
Archibald
was sitting on the outside. He had to give no directions as they all seemed to know just what to do.
Roland
tied on the lobal grass on to the entrance of the fenced area. He did this very casually saying no formula. There was no difference at all between his doing this and at times when he tied up other parts of the fence. Several women walked by. They expressed no interest in the proceedings and the men did not even greet them.
Jed
, Brian
, Spencer
, Nicholas
, Clement
all arrive with extra grass to fix fence. Only Spencer
, Clement
help fix fence. The small boys play around quite gaily outside of the fence
Nov 28 Child Training
Madams was crying a great deal. I asked Nyap why he didn't flog her. He said that it as a very bad thing to flog pickens until they were about 5 or 6. He said that it was much better to frighten them by telling that Jujus were going to catch them or Europeans.
It seems to be the case that children up until about 4 or 5 don't mind/??xxx very well. The smaller ones cry a lot when left alone and as a result are usually carried about, even when well able to walk.
About 5 or 6 they begin to obey orders as a rule very well. I believe that this is largely due to the fact that if they disobey an older person, all of the elders will scold them. In the view of the small child, elders act as a xxxx. I think that this used to be the case with the Nor tali in relation to younger adults. They all say that they used to have fairly frequent meetings at which they discussed policy and usually agreed among themselves and then acted as a body. Now the younger people frequently come to the meetings and see that the elders disagree.
Nov 28
I heard today that the old woman in Nyaps compound (Ndiel) calling Nyap's wife Rose
Ngapi when calling her.
Who is the first man to plant guinea corn. Any of the Tscharl men may (Archibald
is first in Ndiel, but he does so only in small small ridge). Adrian
however has first planted hidden one that no one can see)
Bartholomew
, Adrian
Cecil
Kambal Tscharl are first to plant. Colin
says Bartholomew
plants first in Warwar, must check this - this is not so.
A man at Tigul has fence medicine as well as Tscharl, but they don't have a fence. Bryce
has it for Tscharl, Pip
has it for Tigul. Neville
Adrian
however has first planted hidden one that no one can see)
Bartholomew
, Adrian
Cecil
Kambal Tscharl are first to plant. Colin
says Bartholomew
plants first in Warwar, must check this - this is not so.
A man at Tigul has fence medicine as well as Tscharl, but they don't have a fence. Bryce
has it for Tscharl, Pip
has it for Tigul. Bakul> came to Ndiel and Bryce
to Tiker.
The report says that Nama or Numa is an elders religious society. Here it means the medicine to drive the dead. Colin
says that bring in dance to
Bel field before Tachambin?
John
says that a sisters son cannot call his mothers brother father, while Ian
says that he can. This it seems to me is an academic question, as the term is never used to my knowledge.
Ian
says that Tschang is a new word. Introduced after missionaries to mean God. Both he and Nyap (Tiker) say that it was not used before them. The dead called Maka or Nan which means exactly the same thing, namely the dead. The above means Maka and Nan have the same meaning
Dec 22nd Fire
A fire is an emergency, that is if it threatens a compound. All people, both men and women come at a rush.
The setter of a fire is not held responsible. Even if he does so stupidly their attitude is that anyone can make a mistake. They are ideally not supposed to get vexed if someone has burnt their compound, but at least Luther
/??Lothar
?? did, but he quickly got over it. No measures will be taken against ??Gibson
's daughter.
John
says that a cluster of compounds were burned down at Mang. All of the people of Mang spent the next two weeks building new compounds. No corn given. All the people of Mang each donated a basket of corn to replace that which was burned.
Questions of this sort is looked upon as a town disaster and all cooperate both in fighting it and in the reconstruction.
Nelson
and his brothers are to help Ian
build his house.
Nelson
(Tscharl) - the man who married Ian
's sister was the man who married Michelle
- Michelle
's mother with Ian
's mother had the same mother.
The Ndiel people not asked, but many came.
Dec 23 Osbert
(the big man at Tiket who was making cloth and speaks well)
Can marry Adrian
's daughter, Frederick
's, Bartholomew
, Brent
.
Cahill
can marry any of these.
Deverell
can marry any of these daughters. Can also marry Nyap's daughters, that is Nyap of Tiket.
Dec 23rd Dead exit from house. Whenever a man dies, he can not be taken out door of the house. A hole must be made in the back of the house. This is also done if man dies under store house. The mats are opened in the back to take the corpse out.
Dec 23 Women's Juju
Gerard
Lobal medicine. Made to stop birds from chopping guinea corn. Also when plenty sickness comes, lobal put at entry of town and each compound. When fire wants to burn compound they make the medicine. Made in compound so that bad sick wont come, and that a small amount of chop will satisfy people. They make the big Lobal medicine at the time guinea corn brought home. Last year they made the medicine, but didin't dance. It is when they dance that the women wear loin cloths.
Gerard
has the medicine, Damien
, Abner
, Delia
Archibald
's wife.
She says that Luther
is only man that has it. His mother gave it to him. One of her older sisters gave it to her. The sister was the mother of Eustace
The women of Tscharl, Tigul and Tiket have it. They make it for each hamlet independently. However visitors of other hamlets may come and drink the corn beer, but they dont help with the medicine.
They make the medicine and dance at night.
If a man does not have the medicine and sees it, they will get very bad backache. Medicine will have to be made to cure him.
They can make the medicine without loin clothes but they like to wear it for fun.
Sometimes after the medicine and dance they will go and dance for a big man and the man will have to pay.
Dec 24th Fence medicine.
Sacheverell
- his grandmother came from Johnson
's family. She married at Semben. Married with money. She bore Sacheverell
's father. Sacheverell
's grandmother died at Gembu. Sacheverell
's father came back here. Sacheverell
and Yang are real brothers. Sacheverell
senior of the two. Peter
got him to help him as he wants to teach him. Peter
will do it until he dies then Sacheverell
will do it.
Peter
's father came from Johnson
's family. The father of Peter
's father was also the father of Johnson
's father.
Dec 24th Marcus
marrying sister
The father's mother of the girl came from here. That. They don't know the name of the father's mother's father or her mother. The mother of Roger
's father was the woman. She bore their father Ferdinand
in Tscharl. Ferdnand
{sic} was Roger
's father.
Archibald
's wife is Roger
's real sister. That is the wife he exchanged. Archibald
and Delia
(that is Roger
's real sister) delivered Suzette
who was Marcus
's wife.
The big people were vexed but he gave a spear and a cock that Archibald
took. 3 pickens born all are dead. She then stopped conceiving. When she stopped conceiving her mother said that she should leave and see if she would conceive with another man, She married at Mang and didn't conceive. She now sleeps at Archibald
's compound. Marcus
is trying to marry her again. The only reason that it was permitted is that Marcus
's father not from here.
Dec 24 Medicine at Frederick
's
We returned in while Frederick
was to making medicine. This called Ngam medicine. He made it for Aylmer
and Andrei
. Andrei
and Aylmer
's stomach were hurting.
Dec 24th Christmas Eve at Wawa
The church service preceded by much singing. A short talk by Joe Curtis
: he is extremely authoritarian conceited and generally disagreeable. He is not very intelligent. Has learned to parrot a lot of phrases and that's about all. There was more xxxhing. The teacher read a passage from St Luke regarding the nativity. Then Victor Smith
made a short talk about his life. Followed about Will Zeitlyn
on "How to Become a Christian" then Montgomery
recited the verse on " How God Save this only son"; Knox
on how he backslid. Then a song by Curtis
in English. A song by Mervin
, Church Teach and Montgomery
in Nsungli. Then Will Zeitlyn
and Will Brewer
a song in English. Teacher prayed. Finish.
It is extraordinary how the church has not been integrated into the local structure.
The people sitting on chairs in front were Curtis
, Mervin
, Teacher, Montgomery
, Gerald Marsh
and Mallam Taffi. The latter was a Christian until he became prosperous.
Dec 25th Corn Beer
John
sent a small pot of corn beer to Nathan
. The man from Mang told Nathan
that xx/??no John
brought the corn/??can, if Nathan
asked for a bigger one he would not get it.
John
was vexed at this as he said that it was a lie. When Nathan
said that it was small and sent it back, John
sent him a larger one.
Nathan
was very vexed when he thought that if he complained John
wouldn't send another pot.
Dec 25 Cadogan
and Mallam Taffi Farm Palaver
Nathan
asked me whether Cadogan
had to return the farm. He said that Cadogan
did not wish to. Mallam Taffi's father's father sold it to Cadogan
's father.
Evidently there is no precedent for this. The case that Mallam Taffi cited to me of Archibald
was not a rule. Archibald
's father had merely let a man use his farm and had held some cargo as security. Archibald
returned the farm cargo and got the cargo back {Archibald
returned the cargo and got the farm back}. . It was never a sale.
Cadogan
says that Frederick
and Adrian
say that Mallam Taffi should not get the farm back unless Cadogan
agrees. I think Mallam Taffi wants the farm as he plans to grow coffee there.
They admit that they fear Mallam Taffi as he know book. Cadogan
took shovel but he wants to send it back.
Dec 25th Agreement
People with whom ones kin has made agreement one can not marry. One also can call them Be or Dim etc.
Dec 25th Increase Medicine
This medicine called Wun. It is planted with crops, or when crops ready to be gathered. It makes the food more plentiful. It may be used with all crops including cocoyams, wuli, sorghum, corn etc.
It also sometimes ground up with corn flour to make it last and not have people eat too much.
Dec 25 Cadogan
and Mallam Taffi Farm Palaver
Nathan
told me that Avis
(one of Taffi's?? older sisters now dead) is the one who leased Archibald
's farm.
She wanted to buy it. He refused and only agreed to let her use it. He left a shovel with him. When Archibald
wanted it back, he gave the shovel back and took the farm. He gave the shovel back to Avis
who at that time - she was still alive
Dec 25th Christmas at Warwar.
most pagans not interested. The church service completed the members went to some only of the others members compounds and drank corn beer. They went to Mallan Taffi's compound (Delaney
s) where there were many people assembled, big people from many towns and there the church Teacher had the effrontery to preach a sermon. Joe Curtis
was running around shushing people while this going on. Unfortunately the big people accepted the shushing and didn't tell him off.
They later went to Nyap's compound where they drank more beer, sang and danced. Nyap sent two pots of beer to the few big people there. The pagans drank this and the Christians drank 4 pots.
The clothes seen on this day were something horrible to behold. Humphrey
wore a bright coloured sweater, and over it an undershirt. This was done by 4 others. Others mainly wore horribly torn European type clothing. The women wore mostly the ordinary cloths. Very few Christian women were naked. I could only 2 {sic}. No Christian man wore only a loincloth. Some however wore only shorts with no tops. The men and women seen to have borrowed clothes from all and sundry, to get as much on as possible.
Last night they had all night drink at Mission. Only the more acculturated Mambilas went, Will
, Martin Will Zeitlyn
, John
Knox
and Nyap. The Church teacher of course was there.
Dec 25th Mallam Taffi's Party
He gave a dinner for the parents of his wives (those that had just have {sic} children) and his mothers kin from Genbu. Palm wine was served as well as corn beer, He slaughtered a goat for the occasion. There were about 75 men and 50 women. Jonathan
and Rathbone
represented Tscharl. Austin
, Mark
, Jerome
and Diarmuid
Tiket. Frederick
Rees
and Adrian
Thor
from Ndiel. There were others from these places, but the above were the biggest men. There were also 4 big men from Tigul, but not Bartholomew
.
The big men from the various hamlets as a rule kept together in isolated groups. This was specially marked in the case of The Tiket people.
Dec 24th Agreement
Today I heard John
's mother calling Roland
"brother" this is Bruno
. I asked John
why and he didn't know. I asked Roland
and he didn't know. Then I asked her and she said that her mother's mother came from Yambap. They had an agreement with Roland
's kin. Hence they are brother and sister, though there is no kin tie.
She went on to say that her daughter could not marry Roland
n for Christmas. He gave most of it to Adrian
, Denzil
divided it under Adrian
's supervsision. Though only Adrian
and Denzil
were there, small bits were kept for all the people of Adrian
's man. Nyap also gave Adrian
a pot of corn beer.
Dec 27 Party at Tiket ??Farms for Christmas
Charles Jeremy
gave the dinner. He gave about 5 pots of corn beer. One chicken and some beef produced. The people sang and danced. Peter
gave 3 pots of corn beer and the Christians went there. Peter
's wife is a Christian. Gave one chicken and beef. R. Carter
's compound gave 3 pots, gave some beef.
Lawrence
> "brother" this is Bruno
. I asked John
why and he didn't know. I asked Roland
and he didn't know. Then I asked her and she said that her mother's mother came from Yambap. They had an agreement with Roland
's kin. Hence they are brother and sister, though there is no kin tie.
She went on to say that her daughter could not marry Roland
's daughter{sic}.
Dec 26 Distribution of Food
Nyap killed a chicken for Christmas. He gave most of it to Adrian
, Denzil
divided it under Adrian
's supervsision. Though only Adrian
and Denzil
were there, small bits were kept for all the people of Adrian
's man. Nyap also gave Adrian
a pot of corn beer.
Dec 27 Party at Tiket ??Farms for Christmas
Charles Jeremy
gave the dinner. He gave about 5 pots of corn beer. One chicken and some beef produced. The people sang and danced. Peter
gave 3 pots of corn beer and the Christians went there. Peter
's wife is a Christian. Gave one chicken and beef. R. Carter
's compound gave 3 pots, gave some beef.
Lawrence
, Jerome
, Ben
, Deverell
, Rathbone
, Ross
(Tscharl), Gregory
, Rodney
, Bill
. No one at all from Tigul. Church teacher was there. Mallam Taffi not there. Ngalon wine.
Dec 27th Relative Ages
Nyap at Tiket older than Philip
.
Dec 27th Frederick
and Adrian
born on the same day. Frederick
in morning, Adrian
in afternoon.
Dec 27th Farm dispute
All of the big people of Tigul including Bartholomew
, came to Ndiel. Then all the big people of Ndiel and those of Tigul sat on the dance place. There they discussed the problem. Tigul people said that farm Dyson
working belonged to them.
They had already visited the farms Frederick
said that it was not too good to talk too much as people would be vexed.
Dyson
said that his father had said that the farm belonged to him. Jonas
is the man who says that farms are his.
The farm has not been used for some time, actually Frederick
has never seen it used.
Dyson
says that his father stole a wife and ran away to Vokude.
Jonas
says that Dyson
lies. He says that they should go try sasswood. Jonas
says that he will be glad to take sasswood. Jonas
is very angry. He says that he wants to take sasswood.
(Jonas
is the man with grey hair who sold me Tatschap).
Bartholomew
says as long as no one ??hvous??/??envious??.
Jake
, Archibald
, Ron
, Frederick
, V. Zielinski
, Mitchell
, Harold
, Dyson
, Mallam Taffi, Adrian
, Ian
, Charles
, Lawton
, Caleb
and Lowry
have farms from Ndiel.
Harold
says not to argue but to each show the boundary they think then have quarrels drink sasswood.
Only Dyson
, Adrian
, Harold
, Frederick
, Mallam Taffi Jonas
and Bartholomew
do much talking. Jimmy
of Tigul talks some.
Pete Dawson
(who has one father and mother with Jonas
sleeps temp at Tigul) Tanya Njibvua Allardice
Jonas
, Bartholomew
Emlyn
are from Tigul.
Dyson
says that a long time ago they gave chickens sasswood and they didn't die.
Adrian
says that they should define the boundary then give sasswood to chicken, Frederick
says the same.
Jonas
tells Adrian
that he must not help Dyson
in this case even though they are brothers. This must be settled on basis of justice not kinship.
Adrian
says that Jonas
will say that the farm belonged to his full brother. If his chicken dies it shows that farm is Dyson
's otherwise it is his.
Jonas
is very vexed and says that Dyson
is only telling lies. Dyson
does not get vexed.
Bartholomew
says Dyson
is lying - He says that they should take sasswood and finish.
Harold
says that they should drink sasswood tomorrow. Dyson
says no.
{Added later in biro:} Archibald
never said a word during entire proceeding.
Dyson
refuses to use sasswood. The concensus of opinion is that Jonas
will get it.
When I asked Adrian
right out, who would get, when I asked why he said that it was because it was Jonas
's father. Under futher questioning he said that he didn't know. Both Graeme
and John
said that he didn't want to say Dyson
was lying, but that he knew that he was.
Inebriated discussion with Gregory
and Rodney
there were hints that they thought Dyson
was lying but didn't like to say so.
Jonas
said that he had plenty of farms but how could he let a man steal his.
The Tigul people left in a body. Some of the people had spears at the meeting.
Dec 27th. Alec
's wedding
Alec
has married at Mang, His wife has left for ??Jarvis
's compound and is now considered to be no longer married to Alec
.
Dec 27th Ezra
s roofing
Ezra
gave corn beer for people to come roof, this is put up the bamboos for a frame.
They did all the work involved in placing the bamboos and the elephant grass binding.
Dec 27th House building.
I notice that most houses are built with a binding of elephant grass, bamboo like parts, around the top of the mid wall. This acts as a support for the heavy bamboo that form the frame on which the thatching is laid.
There are beams usually six through each side stuck through the mud walls. These help to support the bamboos used as flooring for the upper storey.
The beams are made up of bamboos.
The most weight of the floor of the upper storey is carried by an inner ring of elephant grass (That is the bamboo like part is laid onto the beams).
Dec 27th Shovels (hoes)
We saw Deverell
going down to water with a basket on his back. When asked what was inside he said clothes to wash. We thought this odd so John
and I followed him. When we arrived he was washing 8 hoes. Seven were the old square type. Only one was the new rounded type.
He was annoyed that we had followed him as he doesn't want people to know that he has as many as they will ask for them.
He says that he bought them for prices varying between 1 and 6 to 4 shillings. He admits to having had most of them a very long time. He says that he keeps them as they may be useful at any time.
Dec 27th Blacksmithing
When we arrived at Tiket we found Ibrahim
making a spear. He had gotten the iron from two old shovels. It was about 3/4 of an arm long. The price quoted was 10sh.
Dec 28th Shuul
The special place on the path upon what medicine is made by Archibald
in Ndiel. Shuul only in Ndiel and Tiket. Peter
makes the medicine in Tiket.
This is done to bring peace to the town, to keep birds from the guinea corn, and keep bad medicines away. Archibald
does this alone. Changon stays close to keep people away. Tschun usual does the same for Peter
.
If man is going hunting he he cant pass through. If he is taking things to the market, many men dont pass through, though nowadays many dont follow this restriction. Women dont go through when menstruating or when going to sell things at the market, or when they go to catch fish.
Dec 28th Dyson
's farm palaver
Both Rolf
and Ian
say that there is no question in their minds that the farm belongs to Jonas
. They say that Dyson
is just trying to steal it.
Dyson
has been using the farm for three years. Jonas
asked Dyson
for it back, and Dyson
said no it was his, this is what caused the palaver. Jonas
asked for it two years, but did not press the matter.
Jonas
said nothing when five years ago Dyson
built a water road and started to use the farm.
Dec 31st Mbamga Market.
The market is much larger than Warwar. Many more Mambilas selling food and selling different forms of Nganaga. There were 12 such traders instead of the usual 2 or three at Warwar.
There were seven sellers of cloth instead of the usual 2 or three at Warwar.
Food is a bit dearer. Bananas instead of 10 for a penny are 8 for a penny.
Much more trading is done in food than at Warwar. There were about 50 or 60 Bororo men and women here, in contrast to the 8 or 10 usually found at Warwar.
They have built only 1 house for traders.
Foofoo is 1d a pan.
Dec 31st Mbamga Rest house
The rest house is much nicer than at Warwar. The roof is not supported by the walls, there being a space between them. The roof is supported by stakes that hold it up by the lip of the roof and of course the central pole
The walls of the houses are kept beautifully smooth. Partly this is a result of frequent scrubbing, and partly as the roof is not supported by the wall and hence not cracked by pressure.
John
says that they know how to build this sort of house at Warwar, but don't because its too much trouble.
I have not seen any native houses of this sort. They probably would not like them as they might be colder; also a granary would be more difficult to build.
However as usual the roof leaks. However it does not leak very much Thank God. About 10 women in the market were wearing red cloths (European manufacture) over their sexual organs. It was looped over the usual string. However they wore nothing in the back, not worn like a loin cloth.
I would guess that the population of women wearing cloths is higher than at Warwar but not very much.
I only recognised one Warwar woman here and that was Charles
's sister. She had corn to sell.
One man sold pots of foofoo. This about 3 inches in diameter, and with a lard of groundnut oil sold for 1/2 d. He had one plate with a knife and fork which could be used by his customers. Of course they weren't washed.
Some of the Mambila younger men and women danced in the market about 1.00pm. The only difference with Warwar style is that some carried calabashes with stones inside as rattles. The Fulani and Bororo watched but did not dance. When I asked some Bororo girls why they didn't dance, they said they didn't know how.
Dec 31st Fulani and Bororo at Kabri
A few of the camp of the above have a bit of guinea-corn growing around the camp, sometimes even inside it.
Don Doka
One Don Doka is attached to the Native Court. Named Rupert
.
Dec 31st Court Scribe: Joe
.
Joe
is the court scribe. He went to C.B.M. school. Is a Christian. He is a Kaka boy from Anteri.
He wants to move away from the town, that is to a place near the R.H. as the Mohammedans are giving him trouble. He evidently wants nothing to do with the latter, as he says they confuse him.
He says that Mallam Taffi took on Mohammedan fashions and that this was bad.
I must find out what he means by giving him trouble. Whether this is just religious trouble, or trying to bribe him &c.
Joe
failed the exam at end of standard five. He then worked with Mallam Taffi for a while. Then he was sent to Yola to learn Hausa.
1st January 1954 Court at Mbamga
Court panel at this session
Arnado Warwar - Arnado Mbarr
Sarkin Hausoua Tamnyar - Wakili Daniel
- Bororo Mbamga
Arnado Sa
Arnado Dale
- Arnado Tamnyar
Court clerk: Joe
Anteri
One Don Doka.
The court is a small square house. A special very small room with a slit about 8 inches wide and 2ft high that opens into the court room is used by women.
This is the court where Mallam Taffi held sway for so long.
Second panel on alternate markets
Arnado Bang
Mbamga
War
Tep
Vokude
Wakili Adamu - Tamnyar Bororo
They meet three days the day after market.
Joe
took over 24-8-53.
Joe
says if Bororo men spoils farm two times they get fined £5 if the third time they go to prison. M. Taffi did not observe this, but Du Boulay told J
. that he must.
Gembu court is an appeal court for the towns of the chiefs listed above. The court can try cases of Bororo vs. Mambila and v.v. as well as Mambila vs. Mambila. If both parties satisfied the case finishes here.
£5 is the limit.
3 months is the limit of prison sentences to be set by this court.
The list shows only one case of a Farmer Grazier dispute taken to court by a Warwar man in 1953. This was taken by Dominic
against Toby
. Dominic
got 20sh from Toby
.
The list supposedly lists all farmer grazier disputes heard either at the Native Court in Gembu or Mbamga.
For 1953 42 (The record is not complete. I believe it)
1952 89
1948 52
1947 68
1951 134
1950 102
1949 158
Adultery is fined by a fine of £5 to man, £3 to woman. That is if a married woman sleeps with a man.
The court supposedly sticks to native law and custom of Mambila. Muslem - Mambila cases can be tried here, but Muslim-Muslim cases cannot be.
The person who summons another has to get a stick:
which he then gives to the person that he wants to summon. The person who is summoning the other has to pay 2sh which he doesn't get back even if he wins the case. Sometimes they send the stick via a messenger. If the stick is given one comes onetime if the court is in session.
In the square hole of the stick is written A.N.A. which means Adamawa Native Authority.
Jan 1st Court Case.
A man stole corn at Mbar. All the people are Mbar people.
Bevis
is only court member present that is Mambila.
An older man stole corn from a younger man.
All knives spears taken out of court.
One of the men from whom corn taken had a small knife. He was told to take it out.
One man saw another steal it. The witness is here as well as defendant and person whose corn stolen.
The Sarkin Baki is used as interpreted as Bevis
does not know Mbar talk well.
The defendant says he didn't steal it. If he won't admit it witness will swear bell.
The witness says that he saw him. The theft occurred at night.
The man whose corn was stolen was away and had told the witness to watch his home. Corn stolen from house.
The witness had seen the man go into the house and steal corn. The accused had a reputation as a thief.
The Sarkin Hassaua of Tamnya comes in. He asks whether the witness saw all things fine.
The defendant looks horribly frightened. He is about 45. He continues to claim that he knows nothing about it.
Sarki Baki is acting as prosecuting attorney though he has no official status. It is mainly because Bevis
does not know Mbar talk.
The witness says that the stick belongs to the defendant. It was taken by the witness after he had confronted thief who had fled.
Sarki Hassaua says defendant should swear. Bevis
says no the witness should swear.
(As John
interprets to me the whole proceedings stop)
Sarki Hassaua consents?? to insist that defendant should swear. Bevis
says no. Sarki Hassaua says if he lies he will die as he should.
Sarki Hassaua says that they should use sasswood on 2 chickens. Defendant says that he doesn't want to use sasswood. Bevis
says that if he doesn't want to, he must be guilty. He does agree to swear the bell. He does not want take sasswood, but he does not say why. He continues to insist that he will swear bell.
They handcuff the defendant.
Sarki Hassaua says that he should go to Gembu to Alkali's court.
Bevis
says that they shouldn't go to Gembu but try in native fashion.
The Sarki Hassaua says its better for defendant to swear bell, otherwise they defendant will go to D.O. when he comes and be fined.
They are going to finish case in Gembu, as he doesn't want to take sasswood.
Bevis
says that its not good to go Gembu as all chiefs not there.
Sarki Hassaua says that the government wants defendant to swear bell as this he says is what the D.O. wants.
Bevis
says that he doesn't want the defendant to swear the bell, as he says that even if he knows that he did it, he will swear it to avoid trouble.
They now have decided to await all of the court members to see what to do.
John
says that a guilty person would swear the bell from shame, even though he knows that he would die.
The court adjourned as not enough members were present.
Two hours later it reconvenes. This time outside.
The man to be tried, the one who is said to have stolen the corn now has his handcuffs both tied on one hand. He is busy in the square making a chain. He is called over. Bevis
had disappeared and the court starts without him.
Arnado Tamnyar starts questioning both the witness and the defendant again. Bevis
arrives 10 mins after the court starts after people sent in all directions looking for him.
Native chief of Tamnyar is head of this panel. Todd
is head of the other court.
The chief of Tamnyar asks whether he wants to take sasswood. He says no. The chief says if he doesn't want to take it he will go to prison.
The head of the court is supposed to do most of the questioning.
New Case.
Two men come. They lie on ground. One man brought palm wine from another for 1sh. He then refused to pay. He ??asked?? to fight. The seller pushed the other and pushed him to the ground. Then the other wanted to fight. The man who got pushed is the man making the case.
The court adjourns while witnesses to the affray are called. The defendant and plaintiff are Mbamga people.
A man from Mbamga says a Bororo spoiled his farm. He is given a stick and told to give it to the Bororo.
The people are so sure that sasswood will show a persons guilt that they refuse as man accused of stealing corn did. They know that their chicken will die and that all know they did.
The accused is the one who pushed the man. The plaintiff appears with his witness. Chief of Tamnyar goes. Bevis
is now the interpreter.
The man who pushed the other, when the latter took off his cloth to fight, said no he wouldn't fight as other was a big man. He took the older mans clothes and went. The clothes are still with him.
The seller pushed the other to ground when the other wanted to fight he took off his clothes and left.
Chief of Tamnyar comes back. The whole thing gone over. The Chief of Tamnyar repeats all in Fulani to Joe
as the evidence all given in Mambila.
The Chief of Tamnyar fines him 30 shillings not even consulting Bevis
or anyone. If the man had been injured, they could not settles the case until he was well.
The defendant is vexed as he said that he admitted they should make the costs less. The Chief of Tamnyar says that he doesn't want a lot of noise from the man to go away. No more palavers. The Chief of Tamnyar I believe likes efficiency. He says that he does not like to waste time.
Joe says that The Chief of Tamnyar is very good, and he would like to see him head of both panels.
The cloth of the palaver is returned. The man tries to palaver again. The Chief of Tamnyar tells him to go get the money.
The defendant is handcuffed to the man who stole corn. He tries to find a man who will go get the 30sh from his wife.
They both are put into the lockup.
Palaver between S. Barki (Mbamga??) and ex-wife is called. She had been married to another man. Left him married S. Barki. Then left him for old husband.
S. Barki asks for cargo back. He says total cost £9 16sh.
5 shovels bought by the ex-wife.
2 small fowls. 1 shilling in pennies.
£3-7sh is total money bought.
Big shovel valued at 3 sh another at 3
Traditional shovels 75 sh each. Total money and shovels £4-13s. 2 chicken valued at 6 sh. Total £4-19sh.
A full sized female goat bought and tiny one bought. They valued at £1-1sh.
The valuation done by the chief of Tamnyar and Wakarli.
Total value is £6-0-0. They say that £3-16sh remains to be paid.
Yerima?? Vokude?? xxxxx
Another 10 shillings produced.
19 shillings and six pence taken by the court. From every 10 sh that plaintiff receives the court takes 1 sh.
Jan 2nd 1954 Mbamga court and market.
In the morning when we came the man who is accused of stealing the corn was sweeping the compound.
The Don Doka showed us the prison. Much like Nyap's house except no granary. The doors are made of bamboo and are kept closed by large logs pressed against them.
The lockup has 2 doors and a wall dividing the house into two
A is a hole in the wall near one of the central posts where a prisoner who has escaped is handcuffed.
The Don Doka told me that the N.A. gave £7 to fix the lock up but it was never done. It looks as if it will fall any moment.
Jan 2nd 1954 Mbamga court by Chief of Tamnyar
They judge some with new fashion and some with old.
One change is now that fighting is penalized if taken to court.
In pre-court times he says that if in case of money marriage one got some cargo back. He later says that they did not get it back.
(In case seen yesterday SB got back what he had given to the husband when he took the wife first)
He has been on the court since it inception.
They do farmer-graziers. Decided on basis of European law. Court works for Warwar, Vokude, Yambap, Tamnyar, Mbar, Tep, Sa, Yagi, War, Bang, Mbamga, Mberrup, Ndarrup.
Farmer-grazier disputes, plaintiff and defendant can choose whether to come here first or to Gembu.
Mallam Taffi sometimes interfered too much and wrote up cases after in different ways then they had judged. Therefore he thinks Joe
will be better.
Suggestions that he thinks might make court better:
He doesn't want any Fulani and Bororo on the courts.
He says that he doesn't want purely Bororo cases to come here.
He doesn't want farmer-grazier disputes bought to Gembu. He wants only in these cases Bororo to be represented on the court.
All of the court members agree including the Bororo member that Fulani man from Tamnyar shouldn't be a member. The Fulani talks too much and tries to run things too much.
He says salary is not enough.
They get 1sh for the 3 days. That is to be chop money.
As chief of town some get 3 sh some 7 and some 5 sh a month. 1 sh.
They dont get a part of tax. Kassalas get sometimes a pound some 10 sh some 5 depending on no. of people.
Chief says he learned Hausa as many Hausa live at Tamnya. They are mainly traders. Many kola traders (Hausa) live there. His father was chief before him.
Jan 2nd Mbamga court.
The chief of Mbar arrived about 12:00. Nothing had happened as yet, as they say not enough people there.
So far only
Chief of Wawa, Tamnyar and Mbar.
and Sarkin Hausawa Tamnyar are here.
About 1:00pm. The man who stole the corn, the witness, the plaintiff and the walking stick brought in.
Joe
asks witness whether he brought fowl. He says no.
Bevis
explains the case the the Chief of Mbar. The Chief of Mbar is a bit stimulated, has probably drunk too much. Joe
says that he is often like this and he is vexed.
The three Mambila chiefs are sure that he stole it, as he refuses to take sasswood. They all say if his fowl vomits they will let will go. But he still refuses.
The Chief of Mbar says that he was caught stealing once before and fined £1 but this was done in town.
They don't know exactly how much he stole. About 4 or 5 tied bunches of corn they would guess. They say that he will pay plaintiff £1-2-4.
They send him to prison for 3 months. He will pay after he gets out.
Second Case.
A man took a case to Gembu. It was between he and another Mambila. The Alkali told him to come here. Chief of Tamnyar is vexed and he tells him that he must pay £2 or if he wont pay, then he will spend 2 months in jail. This case finished in about 5 minutes and unilaterally by Tamnyar's chief. The man agrees to pay. The D.O. said that all cases between Mambilas should first be brought to Mbamga and then if not satisfied, they could go to Gembu.
Kassala Yambap comes in sits, but he is not on the court.
Wakili Daniel
comes. He is a Bororo from Mbamga.
Case 3 Farmer Grazier Dispute
A Mambila from Mbamga is the plaintiff. Mambila man says there is accord. Bororo man says no. There were just Tin trees. The Chief of Tamnyar says if water road spoiled Bororo will pay. if not and Tin not completely spoiled he will only pay small.
The Don Doka is going to look tomorrow to see whether there is a water road. The Mambila will pay 2 shillings for the Don Doka to go look. The Mambila man agrees.
Case 3
Two middle aged Mambila men come. They sit down. The court does nothing for about 25 minutes while Joe
writes, industriously but very slowly.
The Audo leaves and does not come back for this case. The panel represented here by Chief Tamnyar, Bevis
and Mbar (the latter is asleep).
One man paid the forest guard £1 to cut down more trees. The defendant then said this was his fathers for wood and he wanted to work it. They are both Mverup men. Bevis
explains case to Chief of Tamnyar.
The defendant called Liam
.
The plaintiff xxxx?? the man who paid the £1.
The plaintiff suggested that the other give him 10 sh and they work farm together. The defendant got vexed and challenged him to fight. He now says that he didn't start to fight, but when Bevis
had called him to his compound, he admitted that he had.
The symbolic gesture in the challenge of the fighting was the defendants cutting the ground with his cutlass. This is just like fighting a man. It is for this that he was summoned.
Court adjourned.
One case of a man (? one man Tamnyar one man Mbar) with another man's wife. He was fined £5 and one goat. Bevis
doesn't know why they charged the xxxxxx
At Tamnyar in case of seduction of exchange wife now give 5 goats 3 chickens one dog, one spear. He says that at Tamnyar they did the same whether exchange or {bridewealth} marriage. Mbar thay gave 5 goats, 3 chickens one dog one spear for exchange. If you both sleep with bride by purchase then he only pays five goats, if a stranger he pays the same as in exchange. In Mang 5 goats 3 chickens in exchange and in money one one chicken.
The man who fought the other man symbollically is brought in. He eventually made a great deal of trouble for the other man. He is fined £3. This is assessed by Chief of Tamnyar. This is done so that he wont start again. He asks to be forgiven. The Chief of Tamnyar says to Don Doka to take him away, he doesn't want to hear anymore.
Marriage Palaver.
John
says in Mbamga they used to pay 5 goats 3 chickens for exchange. One chicken for money marriages. Now he says if person is from same town they only make them pay one fowl, if from another town they take to court and get as much as possible.
If man wanted to fight the other doesn't pay quickly he will be sent to Gembu to prison.
??the term?? is 3 months. The same word for moon used.
A further case: defendant from Mverrup, plaintiff from Mbamga. One man gave custody of his chickens to another's wife. The wife was supposed to give all to owner and owner would dash him some. The husband of custodian didn't give him some. Only one chicken loaned. The defendant says the woman better be called. The defendant told to get his ex-wife was called.
The Bororo doesn't enter into purely Mambila palavers, but the Fulani does.
New case. Both from Mbar. Two fathers. One says that the son of the others son ran away with his daughter. The defendant says that the son does not sleep in his compound. Some man had worked farm with her. The plaintiff had wants the defendant to produce his son and daughter. If the girl wants to stay with the son, she may if the son produces the cargo. The girls father will then pay off the man who worked farm. The sons father says that he doesn't know where they eloped to. The father of the groom is the chief of Mbar's senior brother.
The chief of Tamnyar says that the grooms father should gather a brideprice to pay off bride's family also to pay off the jilted lover.
The father truly does not know where son is.
Jan 2nd 1954. Farm palaver.
We went out to farms that had been destroyed.
The entire number of Tin trees have been flattened. The loss on firewood is small, as they could start sprouting. ??Time?? now to prepare farms for corn. The big loss as far as I can see is the seeds. They have not come out and will not now. As a tassa of seeds would cost 3d then the total loss would be about 5 tassas.
Also of course the ground has been made more compact and this will be harder to work.
Jan 3 1954 Court
A man stole a blanket from a Hausa. He is a Mambila. The blanket brought into court. He also stole some cornflour. He is from Mbamga. He admits his sin.
The Sarkin Hausa suggests that they go to thiefs house to see if there is any more stolen property there. Others agree.
He admits to having stolen a bottle, some cloth, a cup, a mat, one pan.
He has never been in prison before.
He also tried to bribe the Don Doka with 15 shillings to stop the case.
Court adjourned while they go to thiefs house.
They found a calf skin, one shoe, a kettle and 2 empty bags of salt that he had stolen. The calf skin was a calf that he had stolen and eaten and sold.
He is sentenced to 5 xxxx. Again decision of Tamnyar chief.
Jan 3 1954 Court decision regarding custody of children.
Main informant Chief of Tamnyar.
The give child to father, he also got all the bride price back.
If the man divorces the woman he gets nothing back. The children are usually given back.
The chief of Tamnyar says that they like the new fashion back.
The Audo says that if wife elopes you get all money and children. If you drive the woman you get the children but not the brideprice.
Dec 3rd Market
5 pieces of Tin were seen in the market for sale at 1/2 d. The bundles would be made up of about one xxx Tin tree.
Dec 3rd Farmer Grazier Dispute
The Mambila and Bororo of yesterday brought in. The Don Doka explains what he saw. The Bororo says that the farm does not go all the way to the water.
The Audo says that as the tin trees are still there, they should only pay 3 shillings. A few months ago as the tin trees were destroyed and only 5 shillings were paid.
Bevis
suggests £1-10 sh
Chief Tamnyar says that he should get 15 sh.
The Mambila man gets 15 sh and this is the end.
The Bororo man is neither fined nor imprsioned for breaking the law. They are not going to penalize him for breaking the law. This is the third time that he has spoiled the same man's farm.
Chief of Tamnyar says if first time that Bororo spoils farm he only pays damages. The second time he will pay big fine. The third time he will go to prison. They were not going to do anything
about this. They says that as the other case was last year they are going to forgive the Bororo man and not fine him.
The Mambila man says it cost him 7 sh to summons the man.
4 sh officially that is 2 sh for stick
2 sh for Don Doka to go see farm.
2 sh for man to go give stick to Bororo. He did not find him, so the man gave him 1 sh more to go back and get him.
Next case Mbamga people.
One woman is in the womens witness room. The woman ??separated?? a man. The man is old. The man exchanged her. The man says that if the court tells him to break exchange he would like to marry with money. The Tamnyar Chief says that the exchange is now broken, if they want to marry they can. The reason that the case came up is that the girls mother had told him that she shouldn't be exchanged. Even since she had been exchanged she had born no children that lived. Therefore she wanted to break exchange, but was willing to stay with her husband. The result is that the exchange is broken, but that she will stay with her husband and see if pickins are born.
Next case.
Adultery. The seducer from Tep the man whose wife was seduced is from Kila. The chief of Tep is here, but has drunk too much. The man from Tep agrees that he slept with the man {sic}.
The man from Tep agrees to pay £5 - 1 goat The woman will pay £3.
Next case.
A Mambila is accused of stealing a cow. When asked whether he will take sasswood he says yea. He says that he knows nothing about it.
The Mambila is from Mverrup.
They are going to try and arrange the chicken for the medicine. The Bororo does not answer when asked whether he believes in sasswood. Actually there are two accused one is young, one is Kassala of Mverrup.
Another case.
One man says his father gave another mans father some goats to keep. Now the lenders son wants them back. The other claims that he knows nothing of it. They tell defendant to get fowl for sasswood. Both are middle-aged. The defendant has very thin legs and does not seem to be able to control them very well. The defendant after going out decides that he doesn't want to take sasswood.
Another
The Bororo invovlved in farmer-grazier dispute has summoned another man. This is about a farm the Bororo claims is a watering place, the Mambila says it is not. They decide to send Chief of Mbamga and a Bororo to go see.
The case of the goats lent to defendants father. M Taffi had the case a long time ago and said that it was too long ago and that it could not be tried.
Jan 3rd Sasswood Palaver
There is a big discussion as to whether the Kassala of Mverup should take sasswood saying that no one had stolen the cow in Mverup. This was suggested by the Bororo cow owner. No one agreed including the Sarki Hausawa. It has been decided that only the accused will do so.
They stop on the road. The man takes elephant grass ties it in knot.
One small cup made of leaf.
A bit of water bought.
The medicine man says that he must have 2 shillings at once. It is given to him.
The chickens are about 2 months pullet. Two bought.
The defendant holds the fowl and the medicine man says for him to agree that he has not stolen. The man holds the chicken. The medicine man pours in a bit of the powder. Then he pours in water.
Only three small pinches of sasswood put in. Then water poured in through funnel.. The same done for Kassala's fowl. The they put in basket.
The sasswood had been put on small rock before using.
Today they used small fowls as they could not get bigger ones.
The Kassala had been accused of stealing as well as the younger man. We wait while the chickens are in the basket. When the man gives the medicine he says if man stole the cow the chicken must die. The defendant in both cases holds the chicken. Each one holds his own as the medicince is given.
The two chickens are brought back to the court.
The man who gave the medicine was around as he had been put in jail, pending payment of fine due to man with whose wife he had slept. He had only slept with her once, not very long ago.
Sometimes chickens die one time. Sometimes they last a long time. The chickens will be kept in the Wakiki of Mbamga's house tonight to see if they die. If they are not dead tomorrow in the morning it means the two are innocent. The defendants did not seem at all nervous when the sasswood given.
Jan 3rd. 1954 The Senior Man who stole the cow.
He admitted to me after case was over, under direct questioning that he had stolen the cow. He tried to hedge when I asked him why he wouldn't have chicken take sasswood.
Jan 3rd Adultery penalty.
A lot of oldish men standing outside the court after it was finished. I asked them what they thought about the large penalty in cases of money marriage. They all agreed that it was bad. They thought that it was a European rule. When I said it wasn't they said it should be changed.
Jan 3rd Adultery.
The man fined £5and 1 goat was told by the woman that she was not married when he slept with her. This however was not brought up in court. They feel that the law as set up is immutable and is not affected by circumstances. In this court one finds that they seem to take no interest in matters that caused the guilt. Guilt as such is punished irrespective of circumstances. They are not interested, nor do they investigate the circumstances.
Jan 4th Sasswood. Bororo-Mambila case.
Both chickens are alive but one is sick. The one who represents the Kassala is very sick. The Kassala is vexed when someone says that he is guilty as chicken is sick. He says that if he were guilty the chicken would have died yesterday.
One of the chickens is perfectly normal. The man whose chicken is normal seems to take it as a matter of course. He does not seem surprised. The Kassala seems surprised that his is ill, but claims that it has nothing to do with his guilt, because he says if he were guilty it would have died long ago.
The one that is strong thay gave back to the man who owns it. The sick one they give to the Wkiki to watch. If he dies, the Kassala is guilty.
The two defendants spent the night in their own town and came here early.
Later the chicken that was ill recovered. Case finished.
Jan 4th 1954 Court at Mbamga.
Only Joe
, Horatio
, and Chief of Tamnyar are here today.
A few cases are decided.
One case. Two cattle herders brought in. They had led their cows on a farm in which guinea corn had been there, but taken off. There were guords growing. The herders had been told not to bring cows there. They spoiled gourds and calabashes.
When a Mambila asked whether they were herders cows the Bororo started to strike the Mambila. He then pushed Mambila down.
Jan 4 th Salaries of court
Court clerk 30 sh
Panel 4 sh each
Don Doka £4-5sh.
Jan 4th Adultery
The Chief of Tamnyar admits that in the past they didn't pay big fines in case of seduction of money marriage. He says that they took the old law as applied to exchange marriages otherwise too many pickins would get sick.
In cases of rape of unmarried girls, the case can not go to court as it is not a crime. In this case there would be no pickins sick.
Chief of Tamnyar says that this law is necessary as otherwise seduction would be much greater problem, as people now travel much more due to Pax Britanica. The fine is production of chickens health more than a protection of the husband's rights.
The court keeps both the £5 and £3. The goat and anything else goes to the man. If the wife who has committed adultery goes back to the husband it is the husband who is responsible for the £3. If she goes to the adulterer he is responsible for the £3 as well as the £5. The £8 is a fine assessed by the court not damages to the husband.
The above explains why many of the cases do not come to court.
The goat is often used for making medicine.
Jan 4th Farmer Grazier dispute
The people come back from the farm where they went to see damage done.
This is the case brought this morning. The people all from Mbamga.
They say that 8 argusi spoiled. One calabash spoiled.
The fine from the Bororo £1. The Sarkin Hassawa said first he should say 10 sh, but Tamnyar said £1 fine so Sarkin Hassawa agreed.
The Mambila paid 3 sh for his argusi and 2 sh for costs that is a total of 5 sh. The Bororo says that he wont pay £1. They sentence him to 2 months. S. Hassawa says 1 month. Tamnyar says 2 months and it is agreed. They try to beg, but Tamnyar says no more noise. It is finished. The Chief of Tamnyar goes out.
The Sarkin Hassawa tries to make them pay £2 rather than prison. They say no, they are vexed and they say that they wont go to prison.
Now the Bororo says that he will pay £2. The Sarkin Hassawa has been trying to get him to pay. The Chief of Tamnyar says case finished, he must go to jail. The S.H. vexed but doesn't do anything.
Much palaver by all the neighbouring Fulanis. They lend the man £2.
S.H. says Makaddas and D.O. said that if man wants to pay £1 instead of going to jail he may, if the court agrees. The Chief of Tamnyar says as he was strong-head it is better that he go to prison, but if S.H. wants he can pay £2. The Bororo only offers £1. The Chief of Tamnyar refuses to take £1. He walks out and says they must go to Gembu.
Property that only big people can have.
Jan 4th 1954 John
says:
Only big people can have Shoa duas (large wooden masks) or wear the small horns that denote Tschuck and other medicines.
He says if others around then the big people would be vexed.
All other things any man can own.
Jan 4th Old people and witchcraftThere is an interesting duality in the way the young think of the old.
In some contexts they say that the big people cannot be witches. That is when they are thinking of them benevolently. However they often say, oh no! a young person can't do that a big person would witch him.
When confronted with the disparity they resort to the common "I don't know."
Of course they big people say that they are not witches and say that other big people are not. The latter they say without too much confidence.
Jan 5th Chief of Mbamga
Hamlets
KassalaNguni
Nuabon (Hamlet of R.H.)Bandugo
ChiameBadup
MadiMbara
QuanasoBal
GelaFubo
NdalbonLebo
ChiriaKushin
KalduFuro
MbouuaBom
DjuaDivision - those having the most people get most. Fubo, Bom and Mbar are same, Nguni and Bal are the same, Kushin, Badup, Lobo Furo, Bandugo
Each hamlet makes fence medicine. The fence medicine here made by chief and Gulgo first fence medicine. The hamlets women do not make bell medicine. here it is called Bell medicine as in Tiket. Called Su in Ndiel. Make it at different times. All the jujus come to Fubo, but not all go to the others. The reason that they don't all join except for Fubo is that the other days 2 or 3 hamlets do it on the same day.
Fubo starts all medicines. Titeng Mbashoa etc.
The chief is not native chief. There is not native chief.
List of European chiefs
Evelyn
Tip
Fenton
Dixon
He doesn't know after this
Tip bore Evelyn - was exchange
Dixon and Rennie (Tip's father) had one father. Dixon bore Fenton . Dixon married Tips mother but after she had bourne Tip Dixon bore Fenton with a different mother.
Rennie was Be of Fenton but Dim of Dixon . When Dixon died, Rennie married Tip's mother.
He doesn't know whether Dixon was first chief.
There are three wakilis. One is
Evelyn sleeps Bandugo
Lancelot sleeps Badup
Ged sleeps Bom.
Allen is not the chief's brother.
Oldest man of Mbamga they don't know.
Jan 5th 1954 Native court
Murder cases can not be judged here.
A man can say he doesn't want to come under the jurisdiction of the Ba court. Also Bororo men can appeal. Joe says that the Alkali will back him.
Joe says the Alkali will not reverse their judgements on damage and fines.
The Sarkin Haoussa who is a Fulani gets bribes and fights to protect Bororos and usually wins. The N.A. police who is sent to see the farms for the Gembu court is the one who sets valuation on the damages, but not here, where normally the Chief of Mbamga and the audo of Mbamga do it.
Two Mambilas in the area of this court's jurisdiction can not take case to Gembu court.
Bororo and Mambila cases must come here.
Two Bororo men go straight to Gembu.
Cash taken in by court.
Sept 1953 81/2/3
Oct 59/11/1
Nov 11/17/7
Dec 15/19/4
Jan 1954 so far about 5/14/0
The court collects about 10% of all debts collected through its offices. This is payed {sic} by the debtor as well as the summoning fee.
The court can only send man to jail for three months.
13 cases heard this session.
I am not at all clear on what cases can be appealed to Gembu. Joe either does not know, or else doesn't know how to say. I believe that any Bororo - Mambila case can be. And though Joe says the Alkali doesn't reject this courts' verdict, I dont believe it.Jan 5 1954 Ron on woman medicine.
Ron says that he was given woman medicine, as his mother had it and had no daughters. She therefore gave it to him to make.
Jan 5th 1954 Exchange Marriage
John says that the two male partners to the exchange must marry the sisters. One can not take the sister of another and use her for further exchanges. This he said would be like selling ones sisters. That is giving her to a man in return for his sister, but not for use by her.
Jan 5th Distances taken from Mbamga R.H. BookMbamga- Vokkude 9 milesMbamga- Tamnyar 8 miles
Mbamga- Gembu 9 miles
Mbamga- Bang 10 miles
People who have stayed at the R.H. since Jan 30th 1951
Du Boulay T.O.S.O. 12 nights
L.V. Morris Vet Off 1 night
Ahrens C.B.M.
D. Bradle T.O.S.O. 2 nights
Young Vet Off 1 night
Hamilton Vet Off 1 night
Goodman C.B.M.
? R.C.M.
E.O. Kelly Education
F.M.R.
Jan 4th 1954 Kassala of Nguni Allen
He is not the oldest man in Nguni. They made him Kassala because he can walk fine, and the oldest man can't.
He says that there are 5 memin. He says that there is only one Man as the big big father married 5 wives. All men of Nguni are brother. The big big father was Jeremiah .
He doesn't know where the name Nguni comes from.
Jan 4th 1954 Mallam Taffi
Joe says that M. Taffi's took plenty of bribes all the time that he was here. he took many bribes to kill farms. That is to demarcate certain areas as off-boundary for farming. The method used was him to apply pressure to the Mambila to give up his rights to the farm in return for a pittance. I hear to that often he wrote down on book and gave receipts to Bororo for killing farms when he kept all the money himself, and merely told the Mambila man that he couldn't farm them anymore.
Jan 4th 1954 School
The school in Mbamga is definitely opening.
This year they will have Infants I only. Next year Infants I and II. Whether it will go higher I don't know.
Jan 7th 1954 War
The Chief of War came to Mbamga. He can not hear Mambila talk. His talk is Kaka. However John says that he is Mambila, and the people there are mostly Mambila, not Kaka.
The Chief says that many of the people are Mambila.
He says that he understand Yagi, but John says that Yagi is Kaka.
Dec 7th Mbamga - Kassala
Moon rites - the Juju (wooden) ones come out 3 times. These three days only after planting corn, and when big man dies.
He doesn't know where Juju comes from.
He doesn't know where the mask comes from. He doesn't know who first to come to Mbamga. He doesn't know where fence medicine comes from.
He doesn't know how they learned to plant corn or guinea corn.
No women have big medicine.From Agriculture Officer Bamenda
Tephrosia vogelii - Yum tree or Tin trees
Pigeon peas are not Wulis, the agriculture officer says that he has not seen them. Pigeon peas are a bit like Tin.
Agriculture officer says that so far he has seen no millet.
The small things about 1.5 inches long, with brown skins and white interior are cocoyams.
Proper yams have yellow interiors.
6 proper yams cost 1d in Mbamga market. The 6 are about the size of european potatoes. These are already cooked.
Jan 8th 1954 Mbamga selling prices
A tassa of corn flower is sold here as in Warwar for 4d. But in Warwar it is as heaped as it can be. Here they do not heap it quite as high. Also they are not as likely to give a dash as at Warwar. in Warwar to a friend they will sell 3 pans for a shilling, but often give one as a dash.
I hear that in Gembu tassas are now sold for 5d. This is only unconfirmed rumour.
If there is plenty of raw corn in the market a heaped tassa cost 3d. If not very much they may sell it for 4d. This applies to Warwar Mbamga as mentioned above the raw corn is not quite so heaped.
Jan 8th Raw material
The large mats are made out of elephant grass.
The mats Nathan makes are made of a leaf of a tree that gives palm wine. This is not the palm wine tree used by Mambila. The stalk of the leaves of the palm wine trees that are tapped in Warwar are used to make the fish traps.
The mans bag is made of a grass, but not elephant grass.
The womens baskets made of elephant grass.
Some Bel Yue's are made with elephant grass, some with the same grass used for mans bag.
Beer baskets are made in two layers. The inside is made of elephant grass. The outer layer of the basket is made with the bark of palm wine trees bamboos.
The leaves of the trees used to catch water are used only for making the small trap in the termite house.
Plantain & banana leaves used to cover termite houses and to cover the drying guinea corn if rain threatens. That is guinea corn cut and put out to dry.
The large bags carried by women in basket, used to carry corn flour etc. is made from the fibre in the palm wine tree leaves.
Beer baskets are rubbed on the outside with something like garden eggs but are not garden eggs.
Large large mats made of bark of plam wine tree bamboos.
Jan 8th1954 Spear shafts
The sticks are usually obtained from the Fr{ench} side but some people have started to grow them. A good strong one costs 6d. a weaker one 3d.January 9 Bang R.H. Book
Distances
Bang to:
Tamnyar 8 miles E.
Tang (Bamenda) 8 miles S.W.
Barr 9 miles N.
Tagi 10 miles W.
First listed writer was 5/30/32
Next 8 all but one French
4 visits 32
2 in 33
Sieber first missionary 4.2.35 to 5.2.35 (Ndu-Titong)
Percival fist D.O. 3.2.35 to 5.2.35
Paul next D.O. 7-1-36 to 8-1-36
Paul Gebauer first time to Mayo Daga 1st Sept 36 to 2nd Sept 36
Paul Gebauer 2nd time 15 Jan 37 to 16 Jan 37
Percival 1-4-37 to 3-4-37
Schirmacher Field sect of German Baptist Mission 30-4-37 to 1-8-37
First Vet officer Coûlthard 12/6/38
Percival 30/12/38 to 1-1-39
G. Dunger Jan 5th 39 to 1/6/39
D.O. name illegible Sept 6, 7 39
D.O. name illegible April 21-23 1940
W.L. Cox D.O. 11-2-41 to 12/2/41
L. Blair ADO 29/4/42 - 30/4/42
L. Blair ADO 25/5/42 - 26/5/42
J.S. Synger D.O. 11/9/43 - 13/9/43
Blairfish D.O. 15/11/44 - 16/11/44
Blairfish D.O. 5/2/45 - 6/2/45
Plenty listed with only last names of D.O.
Mather 1950
De Boulay 1/2/51
Beadle 6/9/51
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