Thus My Landlord At Kamalia Was Called Karfa, A Word
Signifying To Replace, Because He Was Born Shortly After The Death
Of One Of His Brothers.
Other names are descriptive of good or bad
qualities - as Modi, a good man; Fadibba, father of the town, etc
Indeed, the very names of their towns have something descriptive in
them, as Sibidooloo, the town of ciboa-trees; Kenneyeto, victuals
here; Dosita, lift your spoon.
Others appear to be given by way of
reproach - as Bammakoo, wash a crocodile; Karrankalla, no cup to
drink from, etc. A child is named when it is seven or eight days
old. The ceremony commences by shaving the infant's head; and a
dish culled dega, made of pounded corn and sour milk, is prepared
for the guests. If the parents are rich, a sheep or goat is
commonly added. The feast is called ding koon lee (the child's
head-shaving). During my stay at Kamalia I was present at four
different feasts of this kind, and the ceremony was the same in
each, whether the child belonged to a bushreen or a kafir. The
schoolmaster, who officiated as priest on those occasions, and who
is necessarily a bushreen, first said a long prayer over the dega,
during which every person present took hold of the brim of the
calabash with his right hand. After this the schoolmaster took the
child in his arms and said a second prayer, in which he repeatedly
solicited the blessing of God upon the child and upon all the
company.
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