Immediate Objects o f Worship.
“ These gods are either national of domestic. Thus the Fida,
besides the great serpent, which is adored by the 'Whole nation,
have each their particular smaller serpents, which are
worshipped as household gods, but are not esteemed so powerful
by far as the great one to whom the smaller serpents
are subjected. Where the latter are unable to assist, their
worshippers have recourse to the great serpent. The national
deity of the Kanga is an elephant’s tooth, and that of the tribe
of Wawa, a tiger. . The Setnber have wooden gods in human
form, which they call Zioo. The Loango also-have similar
carved idols of both sexes, some clothed, some naked and
painted, as well in their dwellings as in sacred buildings.
They are served by priests, who are said to be inspired by
them, and give out the answers of the gods as oracles^ Some of
the Amina call the Creator of the world and of their nation
Borriborri, and imagine that he has a wife, who is called San-
komaago, by whom he has a son Sankombum, who is the
mediator between man and the superior deity'.”
Relations o f the Deities to each other.
" These inferior powers are appointed by: the chief deity as
tutelar gods over certain countries, men, animals, plants*
rivers, See. and must yearly give an account of their conducts
This is done in a general assembly of all the gods at the
court of the chief divinity. He who has .given satisfaction*
is confirmed by the great god in his tutelar office of a protecting
spirit for a year, and is marked with a red hot iro n :
hut those who have permitted the evil spirit to disseminate
unjust wars among the nations, or have wilfully allowed pestilence
or fires and such evils in the territory entrusted to
them, are deposed from their office, expelled from the rank
of gods, and made mortals. From despair and malice such
deposed gods are accustomed to embrace the party in opposition
to the divinity, and become maleficent spirits. I have
taken this account,” says Oldendorp, " of the relation of the
inferior gods to the higher deity from the journal of Christian
Prottens, a-;n&tive.African* jwbo! h a d been for a long time in
the community o f the brethren.”
Fetisses or Charm's.
; • Thedefipses, ©£ the I'fegroes, which hold.so prominent a part
in their superstition*'are,- o f the same nature a s the. spells: and
charms; of the northern nationsyandlafetbe;samulcts; and talisi
mans ?ofi (the ;east.
- “ FetisseSyonschamhos',’ ’ p^ys;fiHdendorp* |p |j they are called
by the5 WaVa,. are «saCred things^ wbipb*h%ve]iseceived a -peculiar
power from Qod, Us-i well to drive^wayi^^pvi'bspirits’, a s
to succour in all sorts of diseases and dangfr$£eJ^e^i§lIy against
enchantment. They have* not?the* dignity of godg^alth^ugh
ntig'hkttffe .supposed fmm ..the peculiar veneration o^lthe
0 ^E®es fo'B'thes^ifetisses th a t they were the.olgect^of their
nationafworshipj a^ibdeed many ignorant people say* T,b,e|j
ornament nofmly'themdelvesy but alsoitheir id’ojs with thefee
fetisses* which descend^by inheritanedesfeom) parents to» ,ehil-
’dren/vjho preserve them fe th the greatest] ioare.'? Others are
preserved in particular houses, over which overseers) mre ap^
pointed. Tfiie Manddngd willingly-refceive*jfdK £h6ir-fetisses
any thing that has been struck by thunder. Thus, wet per--
cei»fe that the Nsegnaes only .venerate their fetisses* because
they believe that-some thing divine has been umit^%to' th em ;
and how could this take place more manifestly/than in the
instance of'thunder, which they look upon, as-‘ thepeculiar
a ttrib u te ; of the Deity* and proceeding immediately from
him V
i The Negroes employ these, fetisses. especially as a means
of protection'»against every thing which they esteem evilior
hurtful. Thus the Ibo, whenthely gmto war, bind fetisses
with cords round their bodies, to protect them-from wounds;
and the Amina expect, the same advantage-.from a cohsej
crated cow’s tail. They make ufo-'of. them particularly to
preserve them from the evil spirit, and his hostile* attempts.
They believe: that «he>is th e | origin of. a lf evil* He is-', the
enemy of the good God ; he seeks to’ mislead .men, to injure
them, destroy them, and after death to*.get .their souls. into