Distrust, dominion, fear, evil spell, fetish, blood are important elements of the hunters of the Mandé country. They are dreaded and respected for their powers, as far as to say that they are the only ones to send "rockets", that they are the only ones to be able to protect you wherever you are, that they are the only ones to be afraid of others of their own kind.
The watering of fetishes is a specific ceremony and yet it is so common for these descendants of Soundjata Keita.
The hunter delicately puts its fetishes on half of the gourd; he takes Kola walnuts, puts a small amount as an offering and bites into the last one. He sets fire to a mixture of soil and powder, and at the same time covers his face with his hands. He then takes his rifle and let the smoke go inside the cannon of the rifle; for a long moment he asks his fetishes for protection and assistance for the hunting. Delicately, once the ceremony has ended, he puts his fetishes back in his bag, bites into another walnut and goes hunting.
Of course, I cannot understand how, before even leaving, he knows exactly what game he is going to catch, I cannot understand why when he shows me that hill far away he knows that a doe is there, I cannot understand why he trusts me enough to tell me about his secrets.
Sub-Saharan Africa knows mysteries white people will never understand but sometimes the hunter gives "keys" to participate, only for a few moments, in this silent world.
The watering of fetishes is a specific ceremony and yet it is so common for these descendants of Soundjata Keita.
The hunter delicately puts its fetishes on half of the gourd; he takes Kola walnuts, puts a small amount as an offering and bites into the last one. He sets fire to a mixture of soil and powder, and at the same time covers his face with his hands. He then takes his rifle and let the smoke go inside the cannon of the rifle; for a long moment he asks his fetishes for protection and assistance for the hunting. Delicately, once the ceremony has ended, he puts his fetishes back in his bag, bites into another walnut and goes hunting.
Of course, I cannot understand how, before even leaving, he knows exactly what game he is going to catch, I cannot understand why when he shows me that hill far away he knows that a doe is there, I cannot understand why he trusts me enough to tell me about his secrets.
Sub-Saharan Africa knows mysteries white people will never understand but sometimes the hunter gives "keys" to participate, only for a few moments, in this silent world.
