A Drummer's Testament: chapter outlines and links
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Volume II: OLD TALKS: DRUMMERS. CHIEFS, HISTORY, AND RELIGION
Part 4: RELIGION AND MEDICINE
Chapter titles above go to chapter outlines on this page.
Chapter title links in the outline sections below go to chapter portals.
Outline section links go to web chapter sections.
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Why Dagbamba believe in God; arguments for the existence of God; God's greatness; how Dagbamba remember God in their daily living
Belief in God is universal in Dagbon
- 1. different types of religious practices in Dagbon
- 2. all Dagbamba believe in God
- 3. God as something that cannot be compared to anything
Reasons for believing in God
- 4. human beings
- 5. the way a baby is created
- 6. any human work also depends on God
- 7. any human work has its limitations; example: going to the moon
- 8. human works are small compared to God's works: light, rivers, mountains
- 9. rain
- 10. rain is more than irrigation; medicines cannot cause rain
- 11. the sun and the moon and the earth
Why God hides His purpose
- 12. mystery; sometimes God's works are unexpected and cannot be understood
- 13. God prevents medicine from working and confounds plans
- 14. God hides his plans because He wants humans to doubt themselves
God's power with death
- 15. human being cannot prevent death
- 16. Dagbamba medicine to wake up dead body is not real
- 17. human cannot do God's work
Differences in the human condition
- 18. a person's good life or bad life is the will of God; wealth from God
- 19. the differences in human condition for respect and belief in God
- 20. the success or learning of children not in parent's control; from God
- 21. nothing is equal in the world; heat and cold, rain and drought
Belief in God and respect
- 22. Dagbamba look at the world and accept the greatness of God
- 23. belief and fear of God helps people respect one another; good or bad acts become destiny
- 24. example: how Dagbamba receive strangers
- 25. example: contrast to other tribes who do not give the same amount of respect
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Christianity and Islam; types of Muslims; Naa Zanjina and the introduction of Islam; the benefits of Islam; obligations of faith; prayer; the role of maalams; types of Muslims; areas of Muslim concentration in Dagbon; Muslim elders
Introduction: religious divisions in Dagbon
- 1. many Dagbamba are Muslims; typical Dagbamba follow the gods; Christians are separate and more presence in South and Asante
- 2. Prophet Muhammad more important than Prophet Issa; no trust of Christians but no argument
- 3. Christian presence in Dagbon is increasing with typical non-Muslim Dagbamba in villages
- 4. Muslim religion is increasing more; many young people learning to read Arabic
- 5. Muslim religion has many talks; differences compared to drumming talks
- 6. Muslim preachings have differences; Muslim groups; rely on Holy Qur'an and Hadith
How the Muslim religion came to Dagbon
- 7. Naa Gbewaa not Muslim; list of chiefs who followed the gods; Naa Zanjina brought the Muslim religion
- 8. first Muslims came during Naa Tutuɣri's time; Wangara and Arab maalams were at Larabanga
- 9. during Naa Zanjina's time, Hausa maalams were in Mossi and Mamprusi; drummers show that Naa Zanjina traveled to Hausa land and learned to pray
- 10. Islam attained significant presence under Naa Zanjina; Hausa maalams
Benefits of the Muslim religion
- 11. the Holy Qur'an; Lahilori: Muslim teachings on correct living
- 12. the Muslim way of marrying and bringing a woman to one's house
- 13. the naming day of a child; gathering of friends and families; role of maalams
- 14. the Ramadan fasting
- 15. the pilgrimage to Mecca; some children attend university in Muslim countries
- 16. the Muslim way of performing funerals with prayers
- 17. slaughtering of animals
- 18. giving alms and having pity for others
- 19. the respect of Naa Zanjina for bringing Islam to Dagbon
- 20. the benefits of Islam are uncountable; chieftaincy, marriage, slaughtering animals, not to eat pork or to drink, not to sacrifice to the buɣa, not to commit adultery
- 21. Islam and maalams have role in many aspects of life
Learning to read
- 22. a Muslim must be aware of God role in everything; should fear God by not doing bad things
- 23. learning to read; Arabic school
- 24. send children to a maalam to learn to read Arabic; difficult to older person to study and learn
Maalams' work
- 25. one who becomes learned in reading can become a maalam; benefits and gets respect
- 26. praying is the work of maalams; prayers support and help people; maalams give advice
- 27. maalams whose prayers are effective get followers and earnings; what makes a good maalam
Differences among Muslims
- 28. long-term Muslim families; mainly Hausa maalams' families; wives stay in house
- 29. prayer is more important than reading
- 30. someone who prays can know Muslim religion more than someone who reads
- 31. no restrictions on entering Islam or learning to pray; no separation like Dagbamba occupations; anyone can join
Prayer
- 32. should clean oneself before praying; preparing one's heart to pray
- 33. the five prayers during the day; their names in Dagbon; also sit and add other prayers
- 34. Zumma: the Friday prayers
- 35. festival prayers after Ramadan fast
- 36. general prayers; importance of praying with others
Islam in Dagbon
- 37. Dagbamba pray more than other groups in Ghana; difficult to know if more Dagbamba pray or follow the gods
- 38. classifying Dagbamba Muslims: those who pray, those who read; those who have full faith; those who pray outnumber those who can read
- 39. Nanton, Savelugu, Kumbungu: prayers are more than readers; only few typical Dagbamba
Muslim towns and towns where many follow the gods of the land
- 40. some Dagbamba who pray to gods of the land and family gods also pray Muslim prayers; not included as Muslims
- 41. some towns have both those who pray and those who sacrifice to buɣa and baɣyuya; example: Tolon
- 42. Tolon, Tampion, Galiwe, Karaga, Gushegu are god-towns; Tamale, Kumbungu, Savelugu, Nanton are Muslim towns
- 43. in eastern Dagbon, many Konkombas who don't pray; prayers are in the town and villagers are for the gods; Sunson, Gushegu, Piong, Sakpiegu, Demon, Kunkon
- 44. Yelizoli townspeople pray, villagers are Konkombas; same with Korli and Wariboggo
- 45. Kpatinga, Yamolkaraga, Gaa have more prayers
- 46. Yendi townspeople pray; villagers are Konkombas and Kambonsi; not many Kambonsi pray, except in Diari
- 47. Mion and its villages Kpabiya and Guunsi pray more; Sang and Salankpang pray; Zakpalisi prayers are fewer in number; Jimli and Tijo are for buɣa; Tugu has more who pray
- 48. Tamale has more people who pray, but nearby villages are for the gods
- 49. Nanton, Ziong, and Nantonkurugu people pray and many read
- 50. Voggo and Jegbo pray, but not Kasuliyili; Lungbunga people pray; Diari people pray
Muslim elders and their origins and roles
- 51. many Muslim elders; Limam, Naayimi, and Yɛri-Naa in many towns; Kamshe-Naa is senior, at Kamshegu; under Kamshe-Naa are Walga-Naa and Yidan Chim
- 52. Yendi Muslim elders: Yendi Limam, Yidan Kambara, Ʒeemoli, Yidan Moli, Yidan Korimoli, Yidan Tahamoli, Maalam Albarka, Yidan Asachia, Mandaha-Naa, Yidan Kaafa, Yidan Kaama
- 53. Yɛri-Naa bathes dead bodies
- 54. maalams from different places: Kambara-Naa are Wangaras but originally Arabs; also Mossis
- 55. most Muslim elders are Hausas; Kambara's house and Mandaha-Naa are Wangaras; Yidan Moli, Ʒeemoli, Korimoli, Tahamoli are Mossis; Kamshe-Naa and others are Hausas
- 56. Kamshe-Naa and starting of Kamshegu; senior Muslim elder
- 57. people traveled in olden days; Naa Zanjina himself traveled; Hausa maalams the main influence
Conclusion
- 58. transition to the talk of the pilgrimage to Mecca
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Dangers and benefits of the Hajj; preparations; Hajj agents; foreign exchange problems; arrival at Jidda; arrival at Mecca; Arafat; Mina; Mudzalifah; Medina; Alhaji Ibrahim's piety and his feelings of pity during the Hajj; return from Mecca; greetings
Preparation
- 1. Introduction: Alhaji Ibrahim's experience
Agents
- 2. agents handle passports and foreign exchange
- 3. how agents take bribes and deceive their clients
- 4. how agents cheat the people who go on the pilgrimage
- 5. example: pilgrims pay different amounts for the same services
- 6. example: how Alhaji Ibrahim's agent defrauded his clients for luggage costs
- 7. example: no one was able to recover the luggage money
- 8. pilgrims have no strength or voice with agents; people who go should be aware
- 9. the cheating continues in Mecca; need for money to see things; pilgrim must ignore it
- 10. forthose who are dropped from pilgrimage: grief, shame, debt
Anticipating the dangers of the pilgrimage
- 11. danger of dying; leave money for family; share property in case die on the trip
- 12. possible to die at the Kaaba, at the stone throwing, at Medina
The trip from Ghana to Jidda
- 13. at airport, Alhaji Ibrahim is robbed in the check-in line
- 14. customs search for foreign exchange; hiding money in a water bottle
- 15. farewell to families; waiting
- 16. soldiers remove people from the plane
- 17. worries during the flight
- 18. the long, uncomfortable flight to Jidda
- 19. thoughts during the fligh
Jidda
- 20. disembarkation and immigration
- 21. the customs area; Alhaji Ibrahim's honey; the transition to the status of pilgrim
- 22. students from Ghana help the pilgrims to find transport and lodging
- 23. advice from the students about Jidda and the pilgrimage
- 24. changing money
- 25. Alhaji Ibrahim's easy situation in Jidda
Mecca
- 26. traveling to Mecca
- 27. arrival at lodging house in Mecca; houseowner Moro
- 28. the charge for accommodations; some people refuse but later return
- 29. other lodging charges for Ghanaian pilgrims
- 30. services and transportation provided by the householder at their lodging
- 31. advice and instructions on first visit to the Mosque
- 32. going around the Kabba; tawaf; starting point of the pilgrimage
- 33. Safa and Marwah
- 34. return to the house; lodging arrangements
- 35. eleven days in Mecca; further description of the Mosque and its dangers
- 36. Alhaji Ibrahim finds money at the Mosque to replace the stolen money
- 37. the luck of the found money; from God
Arafat
- 38. travel to Arafat
- 39. description of Arafat and lodging
- 40. the houseowner slaughters cows for his lodgers and prepares food
- 41. the extent of some of the sacrifices at Arafat; reflections on the poverty of Ghanaian pilgrims
- 42. lectures about Arafat and sermons
- 43. climbing the mountain
Muzdalifah and Mina
- 44. travel to Muzdalifah and Mina
- 45. the three statues at Mina
- 46. the dangers of the stone throwing
- 47. return to the Mosque at Mecca; removing the harami, shaving
- 48. return to Mina; three days
- 49. sacrifice and fasting
Medina
- 50. farewell to the Kaaba; travel to Medina
- 51. why and how the pilgrims visit Medina
- 52. finding lodging; assistance from a Zambarima man
- 53. hesitation of some in Alhaji Ibrahim's company
- 54. description of the lodging house; anxiety about the charges
- 55. the negotiation of the lodging charges
- 56. the negotiations for visiting the sites in Medina
- 57. the graves of the Holy Prophet and the Sheikhs
- 58. the mosques of Medina; the Holy Prophet's friend Hamzah
Return to Jidda
- 59. no plane comes from Ghana; many pilgrims finish their money and have to manage by trading and begging
- 60. Alhaji Ibrahim's situation was better; ten days in Jidda
The return trip to Ghana
- 61. carrying things from Jidda to Ghana; some overweight items are thrown away
- 62. the overbooked plane; removing some passengers
- 63. arrival at Tamale; soldiers confiscate the goods people brought back and extort money
- 64. the corruption and cheating of Ghanaian soldiers under Acheampong
- 65. complaints about the government's seizing of goods
Arrival home
- 66. the guarded happiness at first after the return
- 67. people come to give greetings; gifts; zamzam water
Reflections on the pilgrimage
- 68. the religious benefits; inspiration of seeing the places adds to religion
- 69. the benefits of prayers at Mecca
- 70. the blessings of helping others or friends go to Mecca, even strangers
- 71. Alhaji Ibrahim's conversation about being sent to Mecca by a friend
- 72. Alhaji Ibrahim took John's picture and talked about the friendship at Mecca; the friendly social atmosphere in Mecca
- 73. praying for a friend and good thoughts about a friend
- 74. how friendship and love extend through generations
- 75. friendship and patience; Alhaji Ibrahim gives John the name “Patience gets everything”; the good names and bad names of patience
- 76. the Hajj brings thoughts of happiness and pity; despite the Holy Prophet's work, he still had to die
- 77. people wish to return to Mecca to see more of the experience
- 78. how Alhaji Ibrahim's life has changed; the additional respect of being Alhaji
- 79. conclusion of the talk
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The inheritance of the soothsayers' bag; testing of soothsayers; the work of soothsaying; other types of diviners: the jinwarba; jinwarba divination
Introduction
- 1. soothsayers an old talk; beginning of talks on typical Dagbamba's beliefs
How soothsaying catches a person
- 2. soothsaying inherited through mother's house; new one caught by soothsayers
- 3. killing s bushbuck
- 4. killing a hyena alone
- 5. soothsayer's bag is an “old thing”; people who refuse can die
- 6. even a maalam will receive a bag that “catches” him
- 7. similarity of inheritance through woman's child to drummers, butchers, barbers
- 8. soothsayers from the typical Dagbamba; no starting from chieftaincy talks
Initiation of a soothsayer
- 9. how soothsayers gather when they catch a new soothsayer; pepper in the nose
- 10. teaching the new soothsayers to “see”; the baɣbihi
Consulting a soothsayer
- 11. many soothsayers in Dagbon; many people consult them
- 12. how one consults a soothsayer; example: treating sickness
- 13. payment; soothsayer cannot refuse to consult
- 14. good soothsayers are always busy looking into problems
Soothsayers and belief
- 15. people who go to soothsayers have belief in them
- 16. soothsayers' name: don't accept and don't refuse
- 17. Alhaji Ibrahim stopped consulting soothsayers because of Muslim religion
- 18. Alhaji Ibrahim also stopped because can cause problems between friends
- 19. soothsayers not always correct; have to look into yourself to interpret
Transition
- 20. other diviners in Dagbon apart from soothsayers: maalams, cowries, sand
Jinwarba
- 21. jinwarba look into fire; dance in fire
- 22. jinwarba in many towns and villages in Dagbon
How jina catches a person
- 23. jina begins as madness from dwarfs; follows father's line and mother's line
- 24. jina stays in the line; someone can marry into it
- 25. medicine to treat jina madness
- 26. example: hearing the voices of dwarfs conversing with a jinwara
- 27. Namo-Naa: jinwarba are mad people who have been treated
- 28. how the jina madness catches a person
The Jina dance and festival
- 29. the annual Jina dance
- 30. how the jinwarba dress; their walking sticks
- 31. how they dance in fire; how they see in the fire
- 32. their type of drum; their drumming not beaten outside
Jinwarba as diviners
- 33. jinwarba also look for people
- 34. jinwarba talk openly about people
- 35. some jinwarba look into lanterns, others into water
Conclusion
- 36. transition to next topic: tindanas
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Local gods and shrines; how tindanas inherit their chieftaincies; women tindanas; comparison of tindanas and chiefs; chiefs who are tindanas; the Dapkɛmas; tindanas and chiefs of Tamale; relations of tindanas and chiefs: drum history story of Mionlana Mahami and Tindaan' Ʒee
Introduction
- 1. The gods and shrines (buɣa) of Dagbon; older than Muslim religion
- 2. tindana: person in charge of the shrine; “holds” the town
How tindanas inherit their position
- 3. tindana's succession varies: sister's son, first-born son, first-born daughter, alternates
- 4. follow the family and the custom of the particular town
- 5. how a tindana's line can separate within a family to brother's children or daughter's children
- 6. how a tindana's line can separate to sister's children; resemblance to other inheritance
- 7. two doors: alternation of woman as tindana with male tindana
- 8. how the two doors can develop in the succession pattern
- 9. how the two lines share the work of the tindana
- 10. resemblance of succession pattern to the chieftaincies of Yaa-Naa's daughters; examples
- 11. example: Kumbungu; some towns have more than one tindana; every town has its way
Comparison of tindanas and chiefs
- 12. different from chiefs; don't use money or respect to become a tindana; only follows family
- 13. tindana does not leave a town to go to another town; makes sacrifices and “holds” the town with the chief
- 14. chief is a stranger; war by Naa Shitɔbu and Naa Nyaɣsi to take over chieftaincy of the towns
- 15. tindanas are older than chiefs; their lines do not mix
- 16. chief also looks after the town
- 17. chief and tindana respect one another; tindana is older, but chief is stonger
- 18. example: Gukpe-Naa and land for building
- 19. tindana knows the town because his family is from the town; works with the god
Becoming a tindana
- 20. tindanas are “caught”; donkey tail symbol of chieftaincy
- 21. succession is usually clear
- 22. elders circle around new tindana and throw the tail; cannot refuse
- 23. new tindana's life changes at once; enters a room for training
- 24. shave head; kpɛya powder on head; beat Ʒɛm; walk through market
- 25. market people lock up their goods or tindana's people collect it
Chieftaincies that resemble tindanas
- 26. tindana in from the town and stays in the town; some chiefs also don't leave the town
- 27. chiefs who are like tindanas: Gushegu, Kumbungu, Tolon, Gukpeogu
- 28. chiefs who do not leave the towns who are not tindanas: Yelizoli, Nanton, Sunson; from Yaa-Naa's line; started with Yelizolilana Gurumancheɣu, Nanton-Naa Musa, Sunson-Naa Timaani
- 29. some chieftaincies of women's children but not tindanas; strangers to the town
- 30. Gushe-Naa, Tolon-Naa, Kumbun-Naa, Gukpe-Naa are tindanas; many resemblances
Tamale chiefs
- 31. formerly ruled by tindana, Wulshe-Naa and Choggo-Naa; Nyankpalalana and Banvimlana also in the area; Gukpe-Naa and Dakpɛma were brought to Tamale
- 32. Dakpɛma, the market chief, brought by the Tamale tindana
- 33. Dakpɛma given to Tamale tindana by Kumbun-Naa during Naa Yakuba's time
- 34. tindana gave Dakpɛma walking stick and donkey tail for authority
- 35. Dakpɛma starting: stayed in tindana's house
- 36. Gukpe-Naa a tindana in his town near Yendi, but a stranger in Tamale
Samban' luŋa story of Mionlana Mahami and Tindaan' Ʒee
- 37. tindanas returned to towns after Naa Nyaɣsi's wars' Samban' luŋa example: Mionlana Mahami, grandson of Naa Gungobli
- 38. Sambuɣli: god of Mion; new Mionlana must make sacrifice to it
- 39. Tindaan' Ʒee and Mion people refuse to allow Mionlana Mahami to make sacrifice
- 40. tindana hides woman in pot to refuse the sacrifice
- 41. Mionlana Mahami abused by child
- 42. the child explains the situation and advises Mionlana Mahami
- 43. Mionlana Mahami goes with force to make the sacrifice
- 44. the tindana and townspeople explain their refusal
- 45. Mionlana Mahami makes the sacrifice; refusing a new Mionlana is a custom
- 46. story shows that the chief does not know a town or its god
- 47. Muslim chiefs therefore sacrifice to the town's god; Muslims do not make sacrifices
Conclusion
- 48. talk of the gods relates to typical Dagbamba, not Muslims; next topic: the main gods of Dagbon
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Household shrines and the ancestors; the major shrines and gods and their work: Yabyili, Naawuni, Pong Tamale, Chema, Jaagbo, Lansah, etc.
Introduction
- 1. talk of the gods: different gods; an old talk, with typical Dagbamba
Family gods
- 2. household shrines: Jɛbuni, Tilo, Wuni, Wumbee; sacrifices
- 3. Wuni shrine is outside the house, Tilo and Jɛbuni in a room; relation to ancestors
- 4. sacrifice with goat
- 5. house shrine is with family head; different ways to build it; different sacrifices
Family gods and Muslim religion
- 6. Jɛbuni in Alhaji Ibrahim’s family; why he doesn’t follow it as a Muslim
- 7. the gods are for non-Muslims; how Prophet Ibrahim broke the gods
Family gods and ancestors
- 8. sacrifice and call the names of ancestors
- 9. inherit the family gods; Tilo held by a woman
- 10. bad dreams; image of dead ancestors lurking and looking at the family; beg ancestors
- 11. differences from the sacrifices to placate dead chiefs at Samban’ luŋa; sacrifice an old family talk
- 12. soothsayers help people understand problems and know the sacrifice needed
- 13. annual sacrifice (repairing); millet pito for Tilo; different animals
Gods of the towns
- 14. different gods have different ways or things they help
Pong Tamale
- 15. Pong Tamale god is rain and lightning; works against thieves
- 16. return to Pong Tamale when get stolen things back
- 17. cannot keep the stolen things that are returned; must take them to Pong Tamale
- 18. also witchcraft cases; how witches protect themselves against the god
- 19. how witches make sacrifices to the god
Naawuni
- 20. crocodile; at Diari and Singa
- 21. also works against thieves and bad people; ask when on boat crossing the river
- 22. some people refuse to answer and do not cross
- 23. people from Singa and Dalun do not pay to cross
- 24. how households go to Naawuni to find out about stealing; don’t use the boat
- 25. in olden days, Naawuni killed many people
- 26. receiver of stolen things is also at risk
- 27. Naawuni also works against borrowers who don’t pay back
- 28. Naawuni also judges witchcraft cases
Yabyili
- 29. in Talensi land near Tongo; people from any tribe can go there; good for barrenness;
- 30. have to get someone to lead you to the tindana; same for any tindana
- 31. how Alhaji ibrahim’s mother went to Yabyili with eye disease
- 32. examples of Yabyili’s work and strength
- 33. Yabyili for every tribe; anyone can go to visit and beg any god
True gods and false gods
- 34. Pong Tamale, Naawuni, and Yabyili are old
- 35. Naabuɣli, a false god in Konkomba area
- 36. how Naabuɣli was exposed for making a false charge
Bunnyamaashe
- 37. Bunnyamaashe at Yapei; how Alhaji Ibrahim’s wife went there for barrenness
- 38. the trip to Bunnyamaashe; meeting the tindana
- 39. the interpretation of the sacrifice
Other gods
- 40. Lansa at Chito in Gonja; barrenness
- 41. Chema at Chema in Gonja; also barrenness
- 42. how people give the appropriate sacrifice; the responsibility of the tindana
Jaagbo
- 43. Jaagbo at Tolon; a snake
- 44. the signs when Jaagbo enters the town
- 45. how they make the sacrifice to Jaagbo
- 46. Jaagbo and barrenness
- 47. special treatment for the children of a god
Tampion’s gods
- 48. Zeyibu at Tampion; monitor lizard
- 49. signs of Zeyibu for Tampionlana and Guma-Naa
- 50. bees at the Tampion market; no market taxes collected
Yendi’s gods
- 51. Gurugua; Pabo, a hyena; the signs of Pano
- 52. the room at Bagli for dead Yaa-Naas
- 53. Kpala at Galiwe; also for Yaa-Naa; Naa Garba’s mother Laamihi; don’t burn the bush; similar god at Taha
Tamale’s gods
- 54. many tindanas and gods; at Chaŋni and Tuutingli; Gurugbaya
- 55. Kpalaŋga; area with kpalga trees; Dakpɛma’s responsibility
- 56. the sacrifice to Kpalaŋga
Other gods
- 57. also Tambo at Sang; Saambuɣli at Mion; the strongest gods are Naawuni, Pong Tamale, and Yabyili
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How medicine works; types of medicine: liliga, vua, kabrɛ, tahiŋga, etc.; witches and wizards (bukpahinima); maalams' medicines: walga, sabli
Introduction
- 1. comparison to gods; the gods are like medicine in helping people
- 2. gods can treat sickness
- 3. God or gods do not solve all problems; people believe in what helps them
Examples of medicine
- 4. person who struck a medicine man
- 5. at Voggo, story of Shembila taking the wife of Kukuo-Naa
- 6. conclusion of the story of Shembila and Kukuo-Naa
Belief in medicine
- 7. why Alhaji Ibrahim doesn't have medicine
- 8. people use medicine to protect themselves; jealousy against John
- 9. need to fight for yourself in the world
- 10. Alhaji Ibrahim only likes medicine that will help a person
- 11. medicine works from belief and trust
- 12. talk of medicine relates to typical Dagbamba; watchful for signs
- 13. reading of signs resembles the talk of gods; not for Muslims
- 14. example: belief in circumstances and luck
- 15. Muslims do not follow these beliefs
Getting medicine
- 16. always begin with greetings to person with medicine
- 17. types: talisman, armband, waistband, powder, water
- 18. annual sacrifices; often during Buɣim
Liliga
- 19. vanishing; removes a person from danger; types of liliga
- 20. example: person with liliga who vanished; it happens at once
- 21. testing liliga when receive it; your heart must jump; liliga can refuse a person
Vua
- 22. calling; in a horn; person will respond from wherever
- 23. used by hunters to call animals
- 24. used by drummers to get money or praise
- 25. used to get women
Kabrɛ
- 26. tying; prevents someone from doing things
- 27. many types of kabrɛ; does bad work
- 28. used by Gbɔŋlana to prevent quarrels at a chief's funeral
Medicines for money
- 29. lukuri; lukuri sabli; the money does not last
- 30. compared to maalam's medicine or prayers for money
Not to die
- 31. a dead person continues to live; example: Savelugu chief's dead brother was met in another town
- 32. example: Gurunsi man at Voggo
Other medicines
- 33. paɣali: lost from sight
- 34. tahinga: shouting; its types; jumping medicine, bulimbuɣliŋga, mankubia; stick medicine (doli tim), knife medicine (sutili)
- 35. chilo; medicine for seeing
Bukpahinima (wizards)
- 36. catch and kill witches
- 37. the drums used by the wizards
- 38. how they use chilo
- 39. chiefs also roam and catch witches; example: Nanton-Naa Alaasambila
The ways of medicine
- 40. medicine should not be in the open; no boasting
- 41. even the person with medicine does not see its work
- 42. people do not know who has medicine or not; only the medicine man knows its name
- 43. storing medicine in a calabash
- 44. medicine requires confidence; example: maalam who disarmed a mad man
Maalam's medicines
- 45. maalams have all the same types; works more slowly but thoroughly
- 46. example: maalam who was abused by Savelugu-Naa Mahama Piɛɣu
- 47. British removed the Savelugu-Naa
- 48. maalams know the words of God; their prayers are powerful
- 49. maalam's medicines: walga, writings that are washed an drunk; sabli, writings put inside talisman
- 50. muhima; medicine to make people like a person; types: bɛ yum' ma
- 51. greetings to maalam with cola (money) for kerosene
- 52. maalam's medicines for drummers
Conclusion
- 53. many different types and ways of medicine; this talk only about some of them
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Drummers and medicine; the life of Alhaji Adam Mangulana; gandu, zambaŋa, teeli, etc.; jealousy among drummers; an example of the use of kabrɛ at a drum history performance
Introduction
- 1. many drummers use medicine; some are bukpahinima; many medicine in the family
- 2. John's medicine from Alhaji Adam an old thing in Alhaji Adam's family
- 3. John now has that medicine's name and can pass it on
Comparing medicine to learning Baŋgumaŋa
- 4. medicine not given free; a sacrifice; medicine man can determine its extent
- 5. cannot question the medicine man about the sacrifice; killing a sheep to learn Baŋgumaŋa
- 6. the sheep's meat shared inside the family; compare to the sacrifices done by Nyolugu Lun-Naa Issahaku and Alhassan Kpɛma
- 7. the sacrifice must be there in some form
- 8. the sacrifice or payment is respect from the one looking for medicine or knowledge
Drummer's medicines
- 9. Alhaji Ibrahim does not have medicine, but drum itself is medicine, can protect
- 10. drummers have medicine to protect themselves; good medicines are also there
Alhaji Adam Mangulana and medicine
- 11. Alhaji Adam has drummers' medicines and maalams' medicines; long life
- 12. Dagbon's oldest drummer; description of his greatness in his youth
- 13. most of his friends are dead; his friend Palo-Naa still alive; the others are dead
- 14. Alhaji Adam's friend with warizuɣu medicine
How drummers use medicine against one another
- 15. jealous drummers can use kabrɛ; Issa Maachɛndi's brother
- 16. Issa's use of medicine for protection
- 17. drummers use medicine to get drumming chieftaincy
- 18. Tamale drummers do not have chieftaincy; not the same as other towns; many Tamale drummers do not have knowledge
- 19. drummers use kabrɛ; protect themselves with muhili; bi tɔro kaŋkparambi to make somebody choke
- 20. use of medicine against grave-diggers
- 21. drummers use kabrɛ to tie another drummer who bluffs or who takes someone's place at Samban' luŋa
- 22. example: how Gukpeogu Lun-Naa tied Duɣu Lun-Naa at Samban' luŋa
Medicines to help drummers
- 23. zambaŋa and zamban' nuchee; quick hands like cat
- 24. gaŋdu: make drumming stand out; balgiri
- 25. gaŋdu the senior medicine for drumming; has other types for respect
- 26. how Alhaji Adam was loved because of medicine
- 27. bɛ yum'ma also for drummers; paɣ' di duɣi
- 28. how gaŋdu helps drummers
- 29. zambaŋa can make someone's hand too fast
- 30. Alhaji Ibrahim does not use medicine because his drumming is good; medicine already in the family; example: his son Fatawu; also in Alhaji Mumuni's house, no medicine
- 31. many drummers do not use medicine
- 32. medicine to give drummer stamina
Teeli
- 33. remembering; used by singers of Samban' luŋa
- 34. use of animals to make teeli
- 35. how teeli is made
- 36. how teeli is used; should be used for a reason
Conclusion
- 47. end of talk about drummers' medicine
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Dagbamba ideas about medicine and health problems; major health problems of Dagbon; major diseases and how they are treated; other problems: guinea worms and parasites
Transition: medicines of belief versus real medicine
- 1. medicines that treat people who are not well; compared to doctor
- 2. sickness and death are fearful topics
- 3. Dagbamba ways of treating sickness is different from developed countries
- 4. bad medicines can give people sickness; good medicine treats same sickness; example: anthrax
- 5. example: leprosy; medicine can give someone leprosy; medicines treat it
- 6. poisoning; can give such medicine in food
- 7. witchcraft can be countered by medicine
- 8. “woman coughing” and its medicine
- 9. people who are killed by sickness from medicine or witchcraft; typical Dagbamba give different type of funeral
- 10. people pray for protection against sickness; medicine also can protect against bad medicine
- 11. someone with real medicine is important; all go to someone with medicine
How people get medicine
- 12. sickness has many types; every sickness has medicine
- 13. in olden days, Dagbamba learned to use medicine from trees and herbs
- 14. can go to medicine man to learn; need to know trees
- 15. protocols of getting medicine man to teach about medicines
- 16. medicine is secretive; not bought with money; not kept; some people deny they have it
- 17. sick person is directed to the medicine man who has necessary medicine
- 18. sick person does not ask the medicine man about his medicine
- 19. sick person directed to get the tree that will provide the medicine
- 20. ways of preparing and taking medicine
Medicine's limits
- 21. medicine does not treat every sickness successfully; the role of fate or destiny
- 22. example: not giving an intended gift; medicine may or may not work
- 23. can treat sicknesses like leprosy; other conditions resemble it; cannot know all diseases
- 24. leprosy a contact disease, but many stories about what can cause it
Pain and swelling: kpaɣa
- 25. kpaɣa: the root of sickness
- 26. kpaɣa medicine from plant roots; how it is administered
- 27. kpaɣa in different parts of the body: pain; medicine can help
- 28. kpaɣa as a lump; hernia; can change and grow
- 29. kpaɣa can be dangerous and fatal; firkpi
Other sicknesses
- 30. sompuɣli: stomach sickness in women; prevents conception
- 31. kpaɣaʒɛgu: malaria
- 32. gonorrhea
- 33. yoɣu: swelling; boil
- 34. dirgu: many different sicknesses; sores, blindness, headaches, impotence
- 35. jaɣa: yaws
- 36. treatment of yaws
- 37. anthrax: can kill
- 38. kpilimpihi: epilepsy; has types
- 39. kɔhim piɛlli: tuberculosis
- 40. tira ka nyɛra: cholera
- 41. dɔɣu: convulsions
- 42. kpante
- 43. muliŋmee
Parasites
- 44. worms: inside the stomach or body
- 45. ʒigora
- 46. schistosomiasis
- 47. elephantiasis
- 48. napompuli: swelling in legs, another type of worm
Guinea worm
- 49. guinea worm
- 50. guinea worm in water; can be seen
- 51. guinea worm can spoil parts of the body
- 52. tie the guinea worm so that it won't go back into the body
Snakebite
- 53. snakes: kill people; Dagbamba treatment
- 54. snakebite: Mossi treatment; different Mossi medicines
Conclusion: modern medicine
- 55. some sicknesses are new to Dagbon; hepatitis
- 56. many sicknesses have strength in Dagbon; need for people with medicine to come and help
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Types of madness; how a family responds; treatment of madness by soothsayers, medicine men, and maalams; madness and craft-guilds
Introduction
- 1. madness: difficult to treat it, even for white doctors
- 2. madness comes from God; Dagbamba have medicines to treat some and not others
Determining the treatment
- 3. if cannot treat at home, go to soothsayer to find medicine man
- 4. medicine man will send someone to look at mad person to see the type of madness
- 5. medicine man will go to soothsayer to verify
Treatment at a medicine man's house
- 6. mad person goes to medicine man's house for treatment; accompanied by young family member; begins to receive medicine to see its effect
- 7. different types of medicine; young family person will go to bush to find the medicines; shaving; whipping; restraint
- 8. family provides hens for sacrifice
- 9. preparing the medicines; some for food, some for bathing
- 10. if treatment is not working, go to soothsayer; find another medicine man for help
Recovery
- 11. more medicines; the recovery of the mad person
- 12. how the mad person's condition will improve
- 13. of the improvement continues for about two months; hens and shaving; family takes mad person home along with more medicines
- 14. happiness in the house on the return
Difficulties in treatment of some types of madness
- 15. types of madness; quietness; whipping
- 16. mad person who is dangerous is restrained with chains or handcuffs
- 17. restraint from a box on legs
- 18. if no change for months, and mad person might harm people, can use jɛrgili. a medicine to make the mad person a fool
- 19. jɛrgili only for untreatable mad people who are dangerous; afterwards can be left unrestrained
Mad people who do not recover
- 20. untreated mad people left to roam
- 21. some wander, others stay near to home; fed by housepeople
Other treatments
- 22. maalams also treat madness
Madness that comes from family or lineage
- 23. madness sometimes comes from the housegods like Tilo or Jɛbuni
- 24. madness among work lineages like drummers daughter's children who don't drum
- 25. madness among those who hold “old talks”: soothsayers, tindanas, butchers, barbers, blacksmiths
- 26. old customs and family work; John's inheritance of Lunʒɛɣu
Conclusion
- 27. conclusion; transition to next section