Efik Divination, Ordeals, and Omens Author(s): Donald C. Simmons Source: Southwestern Journal of Anthropology, Vol. 12, No.

2 (Summer, 1956), pp. 223-228 Published by: University of New Mexico Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/3629116 Accessed: 13/03/2009 19:14
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EFIK DIVINATION, ORDEALS, AND OMENS DONALD C. SIMMONS EFIK of CalabarProvince,Nigeria consultdivinersto ascertain cause the of an unfortunateevent, the verityof an allegation,the guilt or innocenceof an individual,or the perpetrator a heinousdeed.l Unlike some West African of tribes which reportedlyrely on one or two divinatorymethods, the Efik possess severalforms of divination (Efik afia "trap"). Diviners are rarelyspecialists,but usually men who have learnedspecificdivinatorytechniqueswhich they apply on request.Nowadaysdivinationis usuallydone by the abia ibzk (literally"expertof but abia man";the initial morpheme magic-medicine" best translatedas "medicine is probablycognatewith the West Indian word obeah), who is versedin the techniquesof divinationalthoughspecializingin herbalremediesand magic-medicines. betweendivination,ordeal,and omenmay be made.DivinaCertaindistinctions tion is an attempt to discover something that cannot be ascertainedthrough or linguisticmeans.An ordealis a form of divination empiricalexperience ordinary believedto foretell in whichthe accusedrisksbodilyinjury.Omensare phenomena of future events; since the interpretation an omen has already been decided by the societyto which the interpretor belongs,the humanagency involvedis that of observationaccompaniedby subsequentapplicationof the culturally postulated interpretation.Divination and ordeal usually require human manipulationand beyond mere observation.Divination is not limited chronicallyto interpretation future events, but may refer to past or present events. Omens usually concern future events, while ordeals refer to past or sometimespresentevents but rarely, if ever, to future events. Afia ntuen enyin "divinationby pepperof the eye" involvesthe placementof twentyAmomummeleguetaseeds in a calabash.The divinerrubs an ofuz leaf on the suspect'seyes, walks fifteen yardsaway,opens the mouth of the calabash,and aims the calabashat the suspect.The suspectsays "If I am the one who stole the article let the divinationbe againstme, but if I am not the one let the divination free me," whereuponthe diviner slaps the calabash.If the suspect is guilty he cannot open his eyes for the alleged reasonthat the seeds have enteredthem. Afia

THE

for to is 1 The writer gratefulto the NigerianGovernment permission conduct ethnological Province in research Calabar during 1952-53,to the Churchof ScotlandMissionand its misYale University of for and sionaries theirmanykindnesses, to the Department Anthropology, for a grantwhichaidedhis research. 223
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ntokon, reportedto be used more frequentlyby Ibibio than by Efik, is a similar divinatorymethod in which a speciesof peppercalled ntokon okpo is substituted for the Amomummeleguetaseeds. into The divinermakesa small cut on his right hand and rubsmagic-medicine the cut for afia ikpa "whip divination."Then the divinerholds the whip in his right hand and confrontsthe suspect.The guilt of the suspect affects the magicmedicine,causing the diviner to shake and commencewhipping the suspect. In the methodof divinationcalled afia ikpa emi etiedetie"whipdivinationon which one sits" the suspect disrobesand sits on an antelope skin placed with its outer epidermison the ground.The antelopeskin adheresto the gluteal region of the suspect if the suspect is guilty. Efik occasionallyresort to afia ifiet "medicine-broom divination,"reputedto in frequentuse among the Ibibio. The divinerapplies magic-medicine two be to six-inchbroomsmade from the striated husk of the oil palm tree. The suspect holds one broomin each hand and placesthe ends of the broomsagainsthis neck. The broomsarebelievedto squeezethe neck of a guilty person. In afia ayay "divinationof broom"the ends of two normal-sized, three-feetlong brooms,made by tying severalsticks together,are pushedagainst each other so that the ends of the broom sticks mingle. Then the brooms are laid on the with his chestover the mingledsticks. groundand the accusedlies face downwards Two other individualslift the broomhandles.The guilt of the accusedis demonstratedif he is successfullylifted on the brooms.Afia ekpin "divinationby new oil palm leaves"is similarto afia ayag except that new leavesof the oil palm tree are substitutedfor brooms. of Afia ik3J okpoho"divination the okpoholeaf" involvesthe plaitingof eight leavesof the okpohotree. The suspectholds the stems of four leaves and another individualholds the remainingfour stems. The suspect is innocent if the leaves come apartwhen he pulls the stems.In afia aran "divination palm oil" the susby pect rubs his hands with the ofuo leaf and then washeshis hands in boiling palm oil. If the suspect is innocent,his hands will be unharmed;this ordeal has been discardedby the Efik since it is specificallyforbiddenby Nigerian law. The accusedsits on the floorin afia usan "platedivination," a roundchina and is placed on his head. Water, one Amomummeleguetaseed pod, and a leaf plate are put in the plate.The suspectis guilty if the waterfalls on his face, but innocent if water falls on his back. The method of divination called either ekewuraor ndomoconsistsof an antelopehorncompletelyfilled with magic-medicine which to a small bell is attached.The suspect holds the horn and betrayshis guilt if his handsshakethus ringingthe bell.

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Afia ukpohzde "key divination"utilizes a Bible and a key. The blade of the key is inserted between the pages of the Bible with the handle of the key left outside the coversof the Bible. The Bible is then bound tightly with string, and the accusedsays, "If I am the one who did this, let the key turn; but if I am not the one let the key be steady."The accusedis guilty if the key turns. Most Efik state the key may be placed in any portionof the Bible, but one informantinsists the key must be placed betweenchaptersseven and twenty of St John's Gospel. This methodof divinationis only used by childrenor adolescents small matters, in and has been introducedamong the Efik within the last century since the first missionaries arrivedin 1846. Hutchinson mentions several additional methods of divination.2Afia ayara consistsof rubbinga solution of pepperand water on the eyelids of the suspect; if the eyes are not burnedthe accusedis innocent.In afia idet ibom "divination by the tooth of the ibomsnake"the divinerplaces a tooth of the ibomsnake (carpet viper?) under the eyelid of the suspect; if the suspect can eject the tooth by rolling his eyes he is innocent. The diviner holds the skull of a chimpanzee in afia ibuot idizk "divinationby head of a chimpanzee," and draws two lines, one with white chalk and the otherwith charcoal;if the suspectis innocenthe will "divinationof ear" consists of be irresistiblydrawn to the white line. Afia utoW a needle through the earlobe of the accused; the needle pushes easily pushing throughthe earlobeif the accusedis innocent. The Efik believethe esereor Calabarbean (Physostigmavenenosum)possesses the power of destroyingwitchcraft.An individualaccused of witchcraftusually demandedhis right to undergothe Calabarbean ordeal in order to establishhis innocence.The suspect ate eight Calabarbeans, and then drank an infusion of several ground Calabarbeans and water. If the suspect possessedwitchcraft,his mouth shook and mucus came from his nose, but if innocent of witchcraft, he lifted his right hand and then regurgitated.If the poison continuedto affect the suspect after he establishedhis innocence,the suspect receivedan infusion of the excrementof a personof the same sex mixed with water previouslyused to wash the externalgenitalia of a female. If the ordeal revealedguilt, the suspect died without aid, and the corpsewas throwninto the forest. Britannica3 alkaloidsknownas Calabarine two Accordingto the Encyclopaedia and physostigmine (eserine) compose one percent of the Calabar bean. Physostigmineaffects the salivary,bile, lachrymal,and sweat glands, raisesblood pressure, constricts the pharynx, causes violent regurgitation,stimulates the vagus
2 Thomas J. Hutchinson, Impressionsof Western Africa (London, 1858), pp. 156-158. 3 Vol. 4, p. 542, 1947.

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nerve and later depressesthe intracardiacmotor ganglia causing prolongation centerin the medullaoblongata. of diastoleand paralysisof the respiratory Nigerian law forbidsthe use of the Calabarbean, and possessionof the bean entails fine and imprisonment. However,some Efik keep one bean in their pocket book or with a cache of coins in order to prevent witches from "drinking"the money; the rainbow (Efik akpatre) signifies a witch is "drinking"money from the houselocatedat the point wherethe rainbowintersects ground. the Mbiam is a magical liquid which possessesthe power of killing anyone who swears a false oath in its name. In former days, when the Efik governedtheir own internalaffairs,the use of mbiamwas confinedto tradingagreements insure to fulfillmentof contract,on wives to insurefaithfullnessin the absenceof the husslaveswho wererequired swearthey would never to band,and on newly-purchased However,sinceNigerian law has declaredthe Calabarbean ordeal attemptescape. illegal, mbiamis now given to individualssuspectedof witchcraft.The suspect denies the accusationof witchcraftand climaxeshis denial by drinkingthe magic liquid;if the accusedsworefalsely, the magicliquid will soon kill him. The Efik possessa specialmethodof determining whethera sacrificemade to revoke a curse spoken by a close relative, especially a mother to her child, is acceptableto the supernatural powers.If the motherrevokesa curse on the same day as she cursed, she stands at the spot where she uttered the curse, holds a chicken egg in her right hand, and, commencingat the left eye of the child, rotatesher right hand clockwisearoundthe child'shead. Then she drops the egg on the ground,pours a small amountof wine from a bottle held in her left hand into a cup, and pours the wine from the cup onto the ground while she verbally revokesher curse.If the curseis revokedwithintwo weeksof utterancethe mother must sacrificea hen. She and the child go to the spot wherethe cursewas spoken, and the motherturns the hen clockwisearoundher child'shead. Next the mother rubsthe hen on everypart of the child'sbody while saying "All that I said should be revoked:voice enters;voice goes out." She then decapitates hen and throws the the carcasson the ground.The curseis revokedif the carcasslies on the left side after muscularcontraction ceases,but if the carcasslies on the right side the curse is unrevoked.Similarly,if the revocationof the curse occurs after two weeks of utterancethe mothermust sacrificea goat; if the decapitatedcarcasslies on the left side the curseis revoked,but if on the rightside the curseis unrevoked. Should the observations informthe familythat the curseis unrevoked, family immedithe who ately consultsan abia ib4k or medicine-man will arrangeto revokethe curse. Omensare numerous. salivadropsfrom the mouth it signifiesthe individual If will soon eat a heartymeal. If one sneezesor bites the tongue while eating, some-

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one has just mentionedhis name and is gossipingabout him. When an individual goes to a riverbankand tries to cut a fish with his machete,but cuts a crabinstead, it foretellsan unsuccessfulday of fishing (hencethe proverb"firstcutting you cut a crab" used if one does somethingwhich is unsuccessfulfrom the beginning). If the sun shines during rain a leopardis giving birth under a dracaenatree. If a bee, or some say a firefly, comes into the house it portends the arrival of a stranger.If a personkills a wasp he will never have children,but if many wasps live underhis roof the personwill enjoy good luck. If someonesees a fish-eagleon his right side whentravelingon the riverit portends good luck in the immediatefuture. Should the pied kingfishersound its call on the right side of a fisherman signifiesmany fish will be caught that day. it In these instanceswhethergood or bad is foretold dependson which side of the individualis the lucky side. Efik determinethis by observingwhat happensafter having seen these birds severaltimes; for most personsthe right side is the lucky side. Vultures are regardedas good omens if they arriveat the end of a sacrifice (hence the proverb"God loves the personthe vulture comes to"). However, it is an unluckyomen if a vulturedescendsinto a marketbefore the marketdisperses. If vulturesdo not come to a new market,the market will never prosper.If the seagull, called inuen ekpo "birdof ghost," criesin the early eveningsomeonewill soon die. Should cows bellowloudly in the night someonehas just died or is about to die; if someoneis sick everyonein the compoundawakesat the bellow of a cow and gathersaroundthe patient for fear he will die. If a man's penis turns towardthe right on tumescencehis first child will be male, but if it turns towardthe left the first child will be female. If the right leg is kicked or scuffed on the ground as one walks, somethinggood will happen.If a personhas a quiveringof the uppereyelid he will soon see somethingexceptionally beautiful,but if the lowereyelid quiverssomeonedearhas just died for whom the personwill shed tears when informedof the death. If one hears a ringing in the ears, or becomesweak and feels unhappy,it signifiesa close relativehas died. If a dog digs a hole someonewill soon die and be buried,henceEfik usuallydrive the dog away and refill the hole. Should a small babyput leaves, sand, and water into a pot and pretendmany people are having dinnerthe parentsfear anotherchild will soon be conceivedby them; Efik regard the birth of a baby prior to the previouschild being able to walk as very bad since they believe parents endangerthe health of the present if child who will suffer mirasmus a sibling is born before he can walk. If a young child licks his spoon often he will not have a beard when he grows up. A child

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bornon a gloomyday will eventually If uncouth. one standswith his become backto a coffin looksin a mirror the reflection the coffin will see a and he at of smallbird;if the birdturnsandlooksat the viewer portends earlydeathfor an it the viewer. If a person in wakes the morning seescertain and individuals the firstseen as on thatday,he will haveeithera veryhappyor veryunhappy depending on day whether person sawmakes luckyor unlucky. the he him whose sightbrings People an unluckyday are knownas idiakokut usen "badsight day";such persons, enemies whose to are usually sightis unpleasant the beholder, fearedandif their voiceis heardoutside houseone remains the insideto avoidseeingthem.People whose are eti sightbrings goodfortune denominated okutusen"good sightday." Efik compare dreams deathsincetheysay onecantravelto far placesand to in with friends dreams, as in deatha person converse deceased just goesto meet Efik his ancestors. lacka stereotyped of dream causation manybelieve but theory dreams causedby akpasuyekikere"strong are for thought," if one thinksof oftenhe willeventually dream aboutit. Certain dreams future something portend events.Dreamsof illnessportend illnessto the dreamer. a husband If dreams of an unborn If of child,the childwillbe stillborn. onedreams buyingfreshfish, a wall, unexpectedly or on a plastering defecating, stepping excrement relative willdie soon.Whenonedreams losingan upperincisor portends demise of it the of a parent, if the toothis otherthanan incisor portends deathof a but it the If different relative. one dreams the illnessof a relative of whomone has not seenfor several it months signifies relative strongandhealthy. the is Dreams of are as is mediikime"witch eating regarded verybad,andsignifysomeone putting in cine" foodandgivingit to thedreamer a dream makethedreamer in to become a witch.
CONNECTICUT STAMFORD,