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Обряд "воскрешение из мертвых" - это, пожалуй, самый
мистический и самый непознанный из обрядов, практикуемых жрецами
вуду. прошло около трех недель после моего прибытия в Aбомее,
прежде чем мне сwith the help of a fair amount of ten-franc
paper managed to persuade Ngambe to show me one of the ceremonies
"resurrection from the dead."
we rode several miles from Abomea and reached a gorge in
which led to a road that looked more like a path. wriggling around
slope, she climbed up a steep valley. At the end of the climb
there was a small clearing. Ngambe warned me to observe
complete silence. I don’t know what he wanted - either to hide my
presence, or to make him feel how difficult it was for him
arrange this "secret" visit.
from the Ngambe's explanations it was clear that we were present at
the ritual of "resurrection from the dead" of a person who has undergone
attacked by spirits sent by a healer from a neighboring village. priests
fetish villages of the unfortunate gathered to destroy or
neutralize the power of the spirits who “killed” their ward.
we took cover in the bushes about fifty feet from the clearing,
where a group of natives gathered. It was clear to me that Ngambe had to"arrange" my presence, shared with the participants of the ceremony
money received from me. although it was getting late in the evening, I still
I took my camera with me, but, to my great regret, for
There wasn't enough light shooting.
The man was lying on the ground, showing no signs of life.
I noticed that one of his ears was half chopped off, but that
there was an old wound; no further signs of violence were visible.
A group of blacks stood around him, some were completely naked,
others were wearing long, unbelted shirts. Among them
there were several priests who could be distinguished by their buns
hair on a shaved head. A uniform noise of voices was heard: she was walking
preparation for the ceremony.
Everything was in charge of an old man in an old, faded army uniform.
a jacket that hung loosely to the knees. He shouted at
the rest, waving their arms. on his wrist was a bracelet made of
ivory. The old man was obviously the chief priest of the fetish, and
he had to cast out evil spirits today.Suddenly several people quickly approached
the lifeless body stretched out on the ground, they raised it,
They carried him to the center of the clearing and very casually lowered him to the ground.
it was possible to believe that the person was dead or very close to
death. The two men began to beat drums made of hollow
inside trunk stumps.
The drummers were young guys who clearly did not belong to
number of temple servants. their muscles stood out like tight knots
under the dark shiny skin, the faces were motionless. Rhythmic
the movements of their hands produced a semi-hypnotic impression.
Their hair was braided in braids, decorated with white and red
bone beads.
the chief priest, whose clothing consisted only of a red jacket
and beads, began to dance rhythmically around the prostrate
body on the ground, muttering something in a low monotonous voice. His
the robe fluttered comically in the dance, revealing black shiny
buttocks as he swayed from side to side in submission
the rhythm of the drums. Ileaned over and said to Ngamba:
- I am a white doctor. I would like to examine the person and make sure
that he really is dead. Can you arrange this?
Ngambe resolutely refused, but eventually stood up and
went forward. Brief negotiations took place: the old priest
stopped his dance, said something sharply, the rest agreed
nodded their heads. Finally Ngambe returned. - you really
doctor? - he asked. I confirmed, deciding not to go into
subtle differences between my profession as a dentist and others
areas of medical practice. Ngambe signaled to follow him.
- don't touch! - he ordered sharply. I nodded in agreement and
knelt down next to the prostrate body. the dance stopped and
spectators gathered around, watching me with curiosity. on
lying on the ground was a healthy young guy, more than six feet tall, with
broad chest and strong arms. I sat down to block him
with his body, with a quick movement, he lifted his eyelids so that
check pupillary response byArgyl-Robinson. There was no reaction.
I also tried to feel the pulse. He wasn't there. there was no
signs of heartbeat.
Suddenly there was a noise from behind, as if everyone sighed in unison. I
turned to Ngamba. Malice sparkled in his eyes, and his face was
distorted by horror.
- He will die! - he told me in French. - you touched
him. He will die.
“He’s already dead, ngambe,” I said, getting up. - This is
crime. I must inform the French police.
Ngambe was still shaking his head when the old priest suddenly
resumed his dance around the body. I stood at a distance, not knowing what
do. the situation was not pleasant. although I haven't experienced it
great fear, knowing that fear of the French police
will protect me from any violence, but in the actions of these people
many things were unclear to me, and they could easily turn out to be dangerous.
I remembered the story of a Belgian policeman who
killed, torn to pieces for several hundredpieces and made them
fetishes because he interfered with the ritual of worship of his tribe
fetish.
we were surrounded by a group of thirty people. in low voices
they sang a rhythmic song. It was something between a howl and
growl. They sang faster and louder. it seemed that these sounds
Even the dead will hear. Imagine my surprise when exactly
And so it happened!
the "dead" suddenly ran his hand over his chest and tried
turn around. the screams of the people around him merged into a continuous
scream. The drums began to beat even more furiously. finally lying down
turned around, tucked his legs under him and slowly stood up
all fours. His eyes, which a few minutes ago were not
reacted to the light, were now wide open and looking at
us.
I would have to take his pulse to know if there was
Is there any influence of any drug here? However, Ngambe,
concerned about mypresence at such a moment tried to take away
me away from the circle of dancers. then I asked him, was
whether this person is really dead. ngambe, shaking his bony
shoulders, answered: “A person does not die. It is the spirit that kills him. If the spirit
no longer wishes for his death, he lives."
He spoke in his horrible mixture of Kiswahili and
Portuguese, French and English. The meaning of his words was
to the fact that the person over whom the ritual was just performed
was "killed" by a spirit sent by the keeper of the fetish, who
acted at the instigation of his enemy. This spirit entered the human body
and served first as the cause of his illness and then death.
However, in a short period after death it is still possible to return the soul
a person into the body, if the evil spirit is expelled from there. Touching
man's hands, I almost ruined the whole thing.
It seems to me that this man was given some kind of alkaloid,
which caused a state of catalepsy or trance, and his body
seemed lifeless. On the other hand, he could be in
state of deep hypnotic sleep. The most surprising thing forfor me, in any case, it was that the person who was in
a condition in which he did not respond to routine tests was
removed from it without the help of drugs or known stimulants,
and even without the touch of human hands.
later, telling one representative of the French
administration about this matter, I was convinced that I was not the only one
whites present at a similar ceremony. Achieve agreement
priest of the fetish was not difficult, naturally, for
corresponding bribe. although the voodoo cult is officially prohibited,
the French police do not want to quarrel with the priests and watch
turn a blind eye to their activities.
but their activities cause great harm. With the help
drugs or hypnosis, they completely enslave their victims. under
under the psychological pressure of the priest, people become weak-willed
a tool. How many hidden crimes are committed this way?
Voodoo priests, it is impossible to imagine even approximately.
Fear of the priests serves as their reliable protection.
I didn't tell Prince Axo that I had to visit"resurrection from the dead" ceremonies. He doesn't care about me either
asked, although, it seems to me, he knew about it. Soon after
this, with the help of the prince, I had the opportunity to visit the “temple
leopards."
The "temple" was a group of thatched huts surrounded by
a hedge of thorny bushes where they celebrated their rituals
fans of various fetishes. such "temples" usually exist
so thoroughly hidden that without an accompanying stranger
may walk a few steps away from them and not notice.
we arrived when the ceremony was in full swing. me
allowed to take pictures.
on a small platform at the entrance to the “temple” there were several
women. their faces were covered with covers of cowrie shells, and all
they were clearly in a state of hypnotic trance. me
reported that the trance state lasts three weeks, and that’s all
this time they are in the complete power of the priests. In this case
the women were in such a deep trance (or hypnotic sleep)
that even to commit the mostnatural functions
human body they needed outside help. This one
The hypnosis method is very interesting. Ngambe told me that surprised me
sincerity that hypnosis is based entirely on faith. each of
women believe that the fetish has entered her body and controls her. u she
obediently obeys the orders of the priest. There were several blows
drums, which served as a command of which they were capable
respond to women in a trance. It meant the end of them
three weeks of torment and marked the beginning of the most solemn part
rite. The tom-toms began to beat louder and faster. women alone
after another they began to make strange sounds, which turned into a scream.
then they started dancing.
I don't have enough words to describe the effect it produces
such a dance. There were no coordinated movements in it, no
a certain pattern. each of the participating women, dancing,
became increasingly excited, completely losing all
idea of the environment. it seemed like they couldn't see anything
around you. Oftenthey collided with each other, and sometimes one
of them fell. Following the beat of the drum, she rose and
resumed her wild chaotic dance.
finally the drums began to beat quieter and slower, and in the middle
three fetish priests came out, holding chickens and a kid in their hands -
ritual sacrifices that replaced previously obligatory human ones
victims. the blood of the animals dripped onto the ground and onto the spectators.
Ngambe leaned over and whispered something incomprehensible. I looked
on the prince. he told me in a whisper that now we will see one of
the rarest spectacles in Africa - the transformation of a person into
leopard This was the same ancient ritual that I was talking about
I heard so much. so-called lycanthropy, a form
madness, when a ritual participant imagines himself in some way
animals, copying some of its characteristic external features and
habits.
Axo whispered to me what ifthe beast will appear from behind the bushes
(apparently it will be a leopard), I under no circumstances owe it
touch. You shouldn't try to escape either. u both are
a gross violation of the ritual and will arouse the wrath of the leopards.
the chief priest began to sing a funeral hymn in a low voice. priest
was tall, thin, with deep folds on his face, but
his eyes burned so brightly that my gaze was almost
hypnotically chained to them. his voice rose almost to a scream,
and a kind of trembling ran through the crowd. almost ran onto the site
the girl fluttered up. Her nakedness was not covered by anything, if not
count beads from cowrie shells around the neck and a similar belt around the waist.
She was tall and surprisingly well proportioned. U
she had strong arms and legs, broad shoulders and a tall, plump figure.
chest. Her ebony skin glistened in the glare
dying fire. above her with some unearthly grandeur
the branches of the tree were bending, and it seemed that she was dancing in a cloud
dim light.
suddenly she stopped and looked around, then said
a few words in a low musical voice.The drums have stopped
only the last sound seemed to still tremble in the air. Suddenly
Axo grabbed my hand.
- Look! - he whispered in some kind of ecstasy. - Do you see two?
leopards next to her?
The moon rose above the trees, filling it with milky light
darkness outside the fire. The girl was just a few
steps away from me, I didn’t see any leopards, but the eyes of the spectators
watched not only the girl, but also the space next to
her, as if there was something visible only to him. Axo
continued to squeeze my hand. - Look, there are five behind her
leopards! I didn't understand whether he was saying this seriously or making fun of him
above me. but when he suddenly commanded: “Take a step back,
or you'll touch him!" - I realized that this was not a joke. Whatever
What actually happened was that Prince Axo saw leopards.
the chief priest of the fetish began to sing even louder thanearlier.
The drum began to beat loudly and quickly again. u suddenly it seemed to me
that my eyes are about to pop out of my head: right behind the girl, on
border of the flickering light, I saw the shadow of an animal; I didn't have time
express my surprise at how an adult appeared in front of me
strong leopard. It could have been my imagination. If so, then
It means I had more imagination than I previously thought. More
two leopards appeared behind the girl. They passed majestically
across the platform and all three disappeared into the shade of the trees. Most of all
I was amazed by what I saw quite clearly in the teeth
one of the chicken leopards.
- You saw them! - Axo exclaimed in triumph, turning to
me. I couldn't answer. I was silent. I didn't know if I saw anything
or was under the influence of mass hypnosis. If it was
hypnosis, then hypnosis is excellent, because in everything else I
I felt completely normal.
To this day I still don’t know what I saw. I think this is
there was a leopard, or, more precisely, three leopards. but if not, then something
surprisingly similar to leopards.
During my short stay in Dahomey I
was lucky enough to capture in photographs many of the ritual
dances, which constitute an essential element of social and
religious life of the country. One of the most impressive was
"thunder dance", which, although not directly related to
practice of primitive medicine that interested me, but
was accompanied by a number of interesting phenomena.
this time the dance was to take place in the square near the palace,
and the prince honored him with his presence. He carried, as usual,
The royal large umbrella is a symbol of royalty. In Dahomey
the umbrella played the role of a flag or heraldic banner. He was
decorated with drawings telling about the courage and greatness of kings
Dahomey. The central rod of the umbrella, made of bamboo, was
very long, so an umbrella made of white wedges
cotton or silk fabric, swayed like a flower on
long leg.
we stoodon the steps of the pavilion, the shadow of the umbrella was
not enough to completely protect a huge figure from the sun
prince. To cover it entirely, the dimensions of the umbrella would have to be
be similar to the tent of a traveling circus, so it’s up to me
there was almost no shade.
The dance participants took turns approaching the prince, doing
bowed deeply, fell on their faces and rubbed their foreheads in the dust. some,
When leaving, they took a handful of dust and sprinkled it on his head. every time a prince
He snapped his fingers as a sign of approval. then the prince took his place
on a magnificent carved throne, surrounded by twenty-eight of his
wives
finally, having walked around the rectangular square, the stones of which
a century ago, the blood of people being sacrificed was stained
time for the "annual holiday", the prince took the place intended for him
seat on a throne covered with magnificent carvings. Around
his wives settled down.
"Thunder Dance" is an example of a strangeharmony,
existing between the primitive customs of these people and the forces
nature. this harmony is inaccessible to logic and incomprehensible to
representatives of the civilized world, but she simply and
quite naturally perceived by the consciousness of the natives.
a slender man ran onto the dance floor, waving
sosiabi - a long dancing rod with a sharp and shiny
bronze hatchet at the end. With sharp movements of the rod he
drew a zigzag of lightning in the air. The drum beats created
the impression of distant thunder. the dancer began to spin in place
at an ever-accelerating pace. then, holding the staff in his teeth, he began
make unimaginable figures. gradually joined him
others. wriggling in the dance, they sometimes bowed so low that
touched their foreheads to the ground. the dancer with the baton ran around like a man possessed
along the wall of people surrounding the platform, waving his staff and
Almost hit the audience with it.
At the beginning of the dance there was not a cloud in the sky. Taking a look
by chanceupward, I noticed that the sky began to become cloudy
clouds. the dance continued, thunder rumbles were heard, even more
inspiring the dancers. With screams and grimaces they made
wild jumps. I felt that I was gradually being captured
madness that took possession of them, but it did not prevent me from experiencing
anxiety at the thought that the heavy clouds that have gathered above us
will prevent me from taking pictures.
Prince Axo seemed to sense my concern. He
He bowed his powerful torso close to me and said in my ear:
"It won't rain, we don't let it rain without a rain dance"
I took advantage of every moment to film, trying
capture all the details of this spectacle. but the sky soon became cloudy
so much so that it became impossible to continue filming. The air was
hot and humid, the temperature clearly exceeded one hundred degrees
Fahrenheit. The thunderclaps were approaching, merging with the roar
drums I was waiting for lightning to flash and explode
shower but there was another clap of thunder, and the dance suddenly
stopped.
the dancer with the baton made a final pirouette and fell to the ground
almost at the prince's feet. white foam appeared on his thick lips.
from the way he prostrated himself on the ground, there was no doubt
that he had truly reached the point of complete exhaustion. He literally
danced until he lost consciousness.
the prince turned to me, and on his saggy lips appeared
smiling, he raised his eyes to the sky. The sun was shining brightly again in the thick
blue sky The threat of rain has passed.
- this time we staged this spectacle for entertainment, -
he said laughing, “but in the forests such entertainment is sometimes
ends badly for the priests - they are killed if there is thunder
accompanied by rain.
Again I couldn’t help but think about Lusungu, about her reluctance
make weather predictions. Until today I still haven't
I understand why it didn’t rain, I can only suspect
that Prince Axo had his own, unknown to me
weather service.
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