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Men of Memory: Folktales from the Luba of Zaire
| Article
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11267 |
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Section : |
CULTURE
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| Issue
Date : |
9 / 1993 |
2,473 Words |
| Author
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Lawanda Randall
Lawanda Randall is a storyteller living in Washington, D.C.
Her article "Men of Memory: Folktales from the Luba of Zaire"
appeared in the September 1993 issue of The World & I. |
The Luba live on the savanna and in the forests of southeastern Zaire, the third-largest country in Africa. They hunt, gather food, fish, and farm. Manioc or cassava, a tuberous root that yields tapioca, is one of the major crops; It was introduced to the region from the Americas during the seventeenth century. The Luba practice a farming method called swidden, whereby the foliage is slashed and the land burned before the crop is planted--much the same way tobacco is grown in the United States.
Tales of Luba history and traditions are entrusted to "men of memory" or oral historians, and reveal much about customs and the succession of kings (lineage histories). According to oral tradition, all the kings descended from Nkongolo, whose name means "rainbow," a reference to his light skin, which the Luba called red.
The oral traditions of the Luba are divided into two categories: historical or religious tellings and those mainly for education or entertainment. For example, "The Origin of the Birds" [see below] teaches children bird names and diets.
All living things--humans, animals, and plants--are given names that signify major attributes or deeds. Even the dead are given names. When attributes are good, praise names are accorded. Names can be changed or added at any time, as one can see in "Two Lads" and "The Origin of the Birds." In the latter tale, the eagle acquires a name only when she accomplishes a great deed.
Family ties and responsibilities form the basis of Luba society. If trouble comes to a family member, his relatives are honor bound to help. Thus, in "Two Lads," the family of Boar Hunter could not refuse to help find the lost arrow.
Any emotion or action that will disrupt family harmony is seen as evil and punished accordingly. The feelings about the family are extended to the community or village; harmony is to be maintained above all else. Thus, the chief reminds Headstrong that he and Boar Hunter come from the same village and tries to get him to accept a reasonable solution to their problem. When none can be found, Boar Hunter has no choice but to search for the lost arrow. Likewise, because of Headstrong's actions, there can be no other ending to the story.
The Luba believe that the dead live in the world below and may occasionally visit the land of the living in the guise of an animal. They also believe that ancestral spirits may
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