Abstract
MADI RAINSTONES.—Mr. F. H. Rogers contributes to Man for May some valuable notes on rainstones in three areas in East Africa—Meturu, near Dufile, on the Nile, Metuli and Laropi, also near Dufile. In Meturu there are two sets of these stones; one, of four stones, is said to have been brought from the Bari country by Moyi when flying from a jealous brother—the present chief is sixth in succession from Moyi. As there was a good deal of rain when Moyi arrived, he gave out that it was on account of these stones. The second set of stones consists of ten, which have been found from time to time during the reign of the present chief. They also are much venerated. On account of their special shape and smoothness they are considered to have been moulded by God. The stones are kept in a pot and nominally are in charge of the chief, but as they may be handled safely only by boys and old men, he usually deputes some one else to guard them and carry out the rain-making ceremonies. At present the guardian is the chief's mother. If the government has found it necessary to appoint a reigning chief from another family, the custody of the stones still remains in the hereditary rain-making family. When the rains fail, a meeting is called under the rudu or sacred tree, a bull is killed and eaten, and a general request for the rain-making ceremony is put forward, when the custodian is instructed accordingly. The custodian then kills a black sheep and anoints a young member of the family, who is under instruction, on the forehead, chest, back of the hands, and dorsum of the feet, with fat from the kidneys. He is then sent to fetch water from the River Areze, with which the stones are carefully washed, first separately, then in the pot. They and the pot are then smeared with fat and put away after the remainder of the water has been poured on them. The boy then goes to sleep for the night, lying prone on his face to ensure an equal distribution of rain over the whole country
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Research Items. Nature 119, 868–870 (1927). https://doi.org/10.1038/119868a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/119868a0