Sexual taboos are not, however, the only
restrictions faced by a pregnant woman and her
husband. In fact, among the same Gurunsi
people, the woman and the man must avoid deal-
ing with the cultivation of the Earth or touching
metal. Similarly, among the Ingassana people,
carrying fire is prohibited for both the expectant
mother and father. Tools or weapons made of
iron must also be removed from the sleeping
quarters of a pregnant woman to avoid attract-
ing lightning, as is the case among the Akamba
and Kikuyu people.
Another set of taboos, quite common in Africa,
are food prohibitions related to pregnancy. For
instance, a pregnant Lele woman will not eat fish
to avoid upsetting the spiritual world. This is due
to the association of fish with spirits known as
mingehe, which play an essential role in daily Lele
affairs. The mingehe’s abode is the deepest part of
the equatorial forest, where they like to dwell in
streams, thus their affinity with fish.
Finally, in some other societies, a woman must
be secluded following some point in the course of
her pregnancy. For instance, a pregnant Ibo
woman must live in isolation after the fifth month
of her pregnancy.
Again, all those measures are taken to protect
the unborn child and the mother because preg-
nancy is highly valued by all.
Ama MazamaSeealsoAncestors; Fertility; Taboo
Further Readings
Douglas, M. (1954). The Lele of Kasai. In D. Forde
(Ed.),African Worlds: Studies in the Cosmological
Ideas and Social Values of African Peoples
(pp. 1–26). London & New York: The International
African Institute and Oxford University Press.
Jacobson-Widding, A., & van Beek, W. (Eds.). (1990).
Creative Communion:African Folk Models of
Fertility and the Regeneration of Life(Acta
Universitatis Upsaliensis. Upsala Studies in Cultural
Anthropology, 15). Stockholm, Sweden: Almqvist &
Wiskell International.
Mbiti, J. (1990).African Religions and Philosophy.
London: Heinemann.
PRIESTS
Priests and priestesses first appeared in Africa.
The earliest priests were thehem-netcher, that is,
servants of the god, in ancient Kemet. They were
officials in the sense that their offices were deter-
mined by the authorities of the state. The pur-
poses of the priests were numerous: They were
responsible for ensuring that the state was well
run and that the proper ceremonies and rituals
were performed for the ancestors and deities.
The priesthood was a powerful caste. Kings and
leaders of local communities appointed some priests,
whereas others inherited their positions from their
fathers. Still others, it is said, could purchase the
priestly office for a price. Once a person occupied the
post of priest, he could maintain a comfortable
lifestyle. Among the duties of the priests were copy-
ing texts, proofing the copies of others, ensuring that
a certain number of people learned to write the lan-
guage, and looking after the economics of the partic-
ular temple to which they were assigned. Inasmuch
as the temple was the place of the god, it meant that
the activities inside the enclosure were all related in
some way or another to the god. Workshops used to
repair statues, building blocks, blacksmith shops,
and food vendors all had a role to play in maintain-
ing the economic order of the temple. In fact, the
temple served as hospital, library, and residence for
some of the higher priests.Duties of the Priests
Although the duties of the hem-netcher were var-
ied, they were also standard and consistent. The
priest prepared offerings to the god and led
processions and rituals devoted to the god. As
keepers of the gates, they maintained order and
discipline throughout the temple grounds, thus
creating a spirit of piety. They were the only ones
who could access the area of the divine image.
The high priest, or hem-netcher tepi, was in
charge of the administration of large temples
where there were many hem-netchers. This person
was a high-ranking official usually associated
with the per-aa (the pharaoh) in some respect.
Variously, the high priests were the sons-in-law of
the king, and at other times they were related to538 Priests