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2/17/1956 - Sonjo Tribe: III A Biography by Robert F. Gray

INSTITUTE OF CURRENT WORLD AFFAIRS RF6 Barclays Bank Sonjo Tribe Arusha Tanganyika III A Biography February Dear Iro Rogers In seeking information Sono herbs I across young Gidiya Budway recommended elders competent authority subject Gidiya number trips forest search medicinal herbs which I preserved Of important future identification perhaps analysis Being expert native botany gnise useful trees shrubs maIing arrow shafts digging sticks maIcing apparatus other implements I explaining different herbs sometimes referred medical episodes which happened family became familiar family history knowledge_ about herbs other remedies Sonjo medicine Gidiya I found biography interesting itself provides concrete illustrations someo features Sono society Inthis letter I shall sketch Gidiyas history letter I shall outline Sonjo medical system which Gidiya helped understand A slender youth about tventy comparatively light complexion Gidiya youngest Of children father senior these ildren infan later Gidiya father Budway member village Water Board having succeeded father osition dignity prestige inheriZed little wealth livestock By investing resources brothers three wives bride price relatively goats At first prosper remained found necessary sedond Wife children being goats goats hildreno Gidiya never brothers Jasio Presumably assimilated their stepfathers society indistinguishable other Masai except probably bilingual having Sonjo language their mother With increased these goats later bride price brough daughters Budway regarded moderately wealthy Gidiya eldest brother Sionedi inherited father membership Water Board received largest share property estate stock He married three wives The Author Intervie Gidiya children oldest being unior warriors Since father death Sionedi family competent progressive exchanged goats cattle cattle raising first introduced years Gidiya holds eldest brother respect looIs father He still leaves goats Stonedi because established himself table indepen household The eldest sister Namuhobo married honest villager She three children safely birth fourth The husband lacked means obtaining another hischildren their grndmother idiyas mother vigorous woman All people believe amuhobos death caused adultery which connitted failed confess order receive absolution ritual purification The child survived thanks administra purification rites after birth It believed child sinful birth liable developepilepsy later To prevent Namuhobos child subjected further purification rites three Ife normal healthy arting uncles goats Budways third child The elders amily postmortem diagnosis _nkeny dangerous malady which children highly susceptible which ortuna prevented sinple prophylactic measure Thisprocedure curative applied consists making small incision under breast scapula pinch alIalinesalt applied heals heavy cicatrice As every Sonjo child receives preventive treatment usually before three actual disease seldom typical Symptoms known In Gidiyas brother treated preventively nkenyehe diagnosed early enough curative treatment according Sonjo theory might saved Yadoi Gidiya second ister married After children family found Sonjo iunigrated settlement Iqgurumani shore La Natron Yadois husband carries honestead alone children specializing raising narrow gourd which flourishes climate Gidiya occasionally visit making journey Bast Escar_pment through rhino infested Another sister Ndinyi widow She lives husband house section lineage To children others having Gidiya little doesn Ino cause death children Although inherited husband broher chooses widow rather If another ished marry hough rould brother rights children Gidiya emories fourth Beneya onlyl three older played child She pretty betrothed early bride She contracted tuberculosis dreaded shortly before marriage This disease known Gidiyat family father Beneya given large quantities broth being killed specially purpose condition deteriorated A Sonjo specialist called attempted which believed principal pathology disease cupping blood As resort Gidiya father la6ai cupper repute treatment She after returning journey The black sheep family Gidiya third brother Lomba stout hulking never hence little medical interest Lomba hates loves nddrink Even small according Gidiy shared erding duties Lon could trusted flock often leaving Gidiy double responsibility He often stels which takes bushwith cronies feast always relative sohtie chred theft reprimanded elders He friendly likeable fellow before I realized borrowed thirty shillings plausible promises repayment Budway third birth This woman about three years causes believed which would supernatural A previously brother married belongin cksmi Waturi The smiths romen potters They livestock allowed ltivate crops They endogamous group supposed intermarry other Sonjo A years three young Snjo decided break taboo marry 17aturi girls The girls comely their bride price The young returned working Arusha contact Christians lohamedans weakened their belief tribal 10rei The brother Gidiyas stepmother first marry agirl aturi Exactly later sister About other married Vtaturi One later other stricken month after marriage recovered illness thanks prompt action family performing purification rites sacrifices ancestor spirits Since these tragedies there further marrying Waturi girls taboo tronger I found impossible obtain description medical conditions these As causes believed supernatural there interest noting remembering symtoms pathological processes After death Gidiya stepmother younger children married Gidiyas earliest memories concerned herding father goats little toddler three nerborn lambs which house until strong herded young stock Later ching flock consisting females young animals These I house night taien pstures village morning IIe liked herding seriously At about father about miles village This corral surrounded thorn fence It contained shelters built sometl village hoUses strongly reinforced walls I eeping leopards hyenas thatched instead ground Gidiya manned another brother cousin The small responsible flock hundred goats sheep At night animals shelters barricaded entrance slept which raised above goats In morning milked female animals flocr pasture returning cooked brought village Jilk flock divided portions drunk village In afternoon goats again graze watered being brought evening The hazards herding goats losing animals which stray attacks animals Shortly after being Gidiya guilty losing whole flock through carelessness grazing contentedly glade minutes chatter other goats IIe searched could themselves Bo Peep sheep That evening village father The warrior class village called searched night All flock found Gidiya severelyreprimanded father beaten Sometimes happens errant herdboys Thereafter never animal through carelessness On occasions though flock attacked leopards Usually leopard simply seized beasts wantonly killed twelve before taking A leopard twice broke shelter night goats Gidiya tipped commotion The herdboys carried small arrows instructed ageinst leopards hyenas might provoke attack Gidiya became skillful shooting guinea partridge welcome addition After spending several months herdboy usually relieved brought village years spent mostly other herdboys relative isolation population The herding which herdboys acquire passed grown After under going ition entering grade junior warrior longer required goats interests center other matters Gdiya circumcised twelve He excited frightened doesn remember about knowledge ceremony comes mainly later observations other being circtuncised A candidate circumcision sponsored maternal relative available This counsels brave supports during operation which performed outside athers house presence elders arriors The father himself remains inside iouse drinking friends Ite tries appeo nonchalant listens closely hopes dis__ crying fromthe For three after operation Gidiya Stayed house being uncle allowed touch hands Then before fourth arrows house other circumcised together They crept throug village stealthily roman entered They stayed lorest returned unobserved after This program followed every months As their wounds healed walked about tryin birds their arrows For every scraped Rats snakes earning killer marks snake thirty marks Gidiya filled marks second He estimates hundred birds fortunate handful The birds skinned stuffed grassy wooden which headdress With circumcision 6idiya grade kijori uncircumcised initiation known lebardani In grade considered unclean avoided women In evenings would other ebardani dance wearing birdtroph Durin period required errands tubers junioP warrior class their orders He beaten disobeyers Finally newly circumcised village healed Kuriri initiation ceremony Gidiyas father other fathers ofinitiates brewed large batch honey killed goats entertaining friends during daysof ceremony For first given instructions elders concernin duties customs warriorhood which about iatedo Then Gidiya shaved prepared cloth ornaments On third there dance which lebardani discarded their stuffed obirds cloths wooden throvin iving younger brothers They cloths distinctive ornaments painted their bodies ochres regarded warriors batana motana junior grade The devoted dance warriors This ceremony marked notion previous class junior arriors grade senior warriors The previous senior warriors elders The initiation ceremony every seven Of youth serves warrior grade As junior warrior Gidiya asiein village young warriors Their mothers turns preparing could together group Gidiya longer goats Instead accompanied father older brother learn irrigating fields constructing tending hiyes He spent mates sining dancing At frequent intervals planned feasts forest The leader group elected initiation instruct several junior wrriors provide apiece They would usuall given these animv their fathers elder brothers The would maize along streams forest miles village There until their goats inished eating sleeDing during coming villac night dance plaza The goats would boiled The broth which regarded strengthening itself infused barks various shrubs drunk freely Some these barks ievedto strengthen dancing while others supposed enduranceby thickening blood These herbs therapeutically Sonjo medical practice certain other barks psychic effect warrior grade The milder these drugs narcotic effect producing sense euphoria The stronger stimulating cause irritability excitement vergin frenzy It frequently happens warriors imbibe heavily these barks seizures furur while dancing during which Catatonic blindly attack their comrades spectators In condition always seized their friends restrained until passes It seems these psychological element their etiology pharmocological It expected everal warriors while dancing course feast A young taken quantity Of stimulating anticipates coming stronoly threshhold tolerance undoubtedly lowered Six months after initiation Gidiya already attended feasts first father consumption The death unexpectedas disease progressing steadily abandonned Budway himself reconciled impending death affairs order desig nating youngest favorite Gidiy Burial death His brothers helped Gidiya shallow grave rocky ground house Gidiya slaughtered smothering The skinwas removed Half bottom grave lowered flexed position rested right The other placed grave filled first would bruised stones A large stone place grave The immediate family house while brought neighbors For Gdiya state ritual impurity He prepared meals allowed speak touch anyone I village gatezay On fourth adults grave A sacrificed spilled grave libation spirit The eldest prayer Father ambageu We treated earthly father Well We Please allow others grant children health cause flocks increase Gidiya haved woman river bathe rejoined society again Budway known regard inheritance property before death The eldest senior given large share property second largest share Gidiya eldest junior rankin tlird inheritance Gidiya inheritanc consisted tenty goats beehives fields valley bottom valuable sandy slope At property trUst eldest brother junior varrior expected manage livestock fields In military duties which would formerly expected subject called government roads other public projects In first years after initiation served three month tours government first atbuilding stone bridge Loliondo thesec0 cutting Much spare spent companions dancing singing village attending dances other villages His eldest brother succeeded father water elder taught principles water control Gidiya helped irrigate family fields beehives Two years after initiation Gidiya fortune world He first Loliondo where obtained garden District Officer salary shillings month Four months later D Nairobi where night watchman Eurppean Because which learned speak understand Kikuyu during three months Na irobi Gidiya believes Sonjo Kikuyu tribes sprang common origin His employer thentook ombasa there Gidiya Mombasa after bought railroad ticket Voi almost missed first train through mounting strange aption From Voi continued Moshi thenhitchhiked Arusha It become customary young Sonjo raise capial fling trading market With their traditional knowledge handling judging often quite successful Goats found Tanganyika wherever cattle raised alsoin areas where cattIeare barred tetse At every Cattle auction trading thOugh usually small scale The Son traders visit uctions throughout central Tanganyika bring Arushato profit African butchers Vien G idiya arrived Arusha touch Sono colony joined friends trading expedition One compan grade other senior warrior previous experience uying selling goats Gidiya borrowed money which addedto savings shillings investment The three Tabora Singida continued train Shinyana sireOf Dr Williamson fabulous diamond walked remote cattle Sukumaland They bought goals Gidiya share being ndiantrucks anmals Arusha After goats average price shillings Gidiya clear shi11ings tsetse infested areas Store sason The Masai dubious about start because their theory cause Of trypanosomiasis cattle They agree tsetse prima vector disease believe trrnsmitted ating grass contaminatedby tsetse urine In first experiment feeding severe emaciated diedprobably result overeating starved condition The Pasai feared contaminated refused their cattle This government scheme teaching Soon afterwards second Shinyanga group Sonjo bought goats This drove goats Arusha taking fifteen journey Near Issimingur ounta attacked company Masai moran Three Sonjo herdsmen ahead flock while rtwelve still eating round The Masai clubbed herdsmen goats while other Sonjo party The whole company pursued Masai heard first poisoned arrows whistl through The goats recovered brought safely Arusha where Gidiya prbfit shillings On third expedition auction Dongabesh Barabaig country bought goats these Arusha found ls600 shillings which comfortable fortune young Sonjo He shillings friend about leave auction Singida planned return shillings That night party first aainst rules junior warrior drink drunk In morning shillings missing He shillings which after buying himself raincoats blanket ornaments returned Sonjo remaining money eldest brother according custom Arriving Gidiya grieved fiancee during absence His betrothal seven Ndolisi celebrated before initiation bride price goats After father death shambas inherited cultivated Ndolisi mother ousins daughter The crops these fields divided between Ndolisi mother Gidiya edest brother exchanged goats which added Gidiya flock three Fo years Gidiya fields irrigating clearing previous years stubble He allowed speak betrothed approach close watched carefully distance pleased Ndolisi plump healthy talked laughed never dignity Her father wives child daughter Although darling family spoiled Budway thought choosing favorite Already could apply digging stick tireless rhythm dance One morAi while Giiiya Shinyanga buying goats noticed small itchy pustule As lesion developed indurated ulcer glands swelled father recognized symptoms diagnosed m_ori_mu anthrax She immediately confined house thought detrimental disease should Strike As plain water believed harmful given eetened honey Local medication powdered herbs juice certain Was applied purose loosening lesion according Sonjo medicine removed patient survive The respond treatment after onset sickness Ndolisi death meant goats Gidiya brothers refun bride price Gidiya longer position settle planned another trading enterprise Taking goats visit sister shore Lake Natron there bartered g0ats Zhe narrow gourds climate Nguramani These calabashes desired I decorate cowry shells containers Carrying gourds Ngorongor walking three country where dodge rhino avoid lasai bands which might robbed precious burden He gourds fasai cattle auction Shillings andpromptly invested money goats Then Arusha other traders vhere goats shillings Once started means obtaining Gidiya getting crowded Arusha pickpocket relieved Later journey found buttoned pocket razor money For being Gidiya attempts increase worldly possessions lapsed junior warriors lived village ACcording these young supposed celibate lives strictly enforced The Sonjo which taken libidinous youths their sexual desire Nowadays there laxity these matters senior warriors allowed marry junior Warriors often affairs heart They pursue unmarried maidens though expected confine their attentions married women Gidiya mixed several affairs which brought notoriety philand companions caught rendezvousing three young wives husbands They hauled before Board fined Another affair concerned frivolous woman encouraging young One mixed rivals arrived tryst simultaneously In mutual frustration started fighting sticks charged disgraceful conduct fined The enmity between lasted present Seven years since Gidiya initiation class junior warriors initiated Gidiya became senior wrrior eligible marry flock goats increased about animals He about seriousness looking suitable found wanted Kadivi This sought after father demanded bride price Of goats He already turned number suitors passing adivi reached marriage unengaged Gidiya offer accepted goats immediately A month later Gidiya brother goats hundred Gidia assigned house section village belonging clanand built house brothers grade mates The marriage ceremonies performed promptly young couple settled housekeeping Kadivi energetic cultivator wantedmore shambas Gidiya inherited So sister Ngurumani bouiht calabashes which peddled villages region earning profit shillings He bought goats cheaply could lasai friend Irusha Tith proceeds bought three fields cultivation enough needs family future He started build flock possesses goats A after marriage Kadivi announced She pregnant She shaved painted glossy black witha mixture One sisters Gidiyas cousins classified sisters likeie These women borne children stayed Kadivis house Gidiya required slaughter family feast A small squoare elaborately decorated beads Kadivi suspended Later beads removed necklace The oatskin garment For three months Of pregnancy Kadivi working fields house From Ii Ie ritual performed ensurea birth child The delivery uneventful which informed people Kadivi faithful After birth Gid obliged tokill goats separate ceremonies On fourth young brought house shaved given beads other small presents introduced society In second month brous first He given Lorigei This invented mother Sonjo every child brand which requires inventiveness parents After birth villagers stopped calling Gidiya started calling Baba Lori Lorigei Father Lorigei weaned Before years should ready manage father Sometime Gidiya hopes Kadiv announce second pregnancy Gidiya something outside dealt equal terms strangers other cultures Knd learned something other religions Christian lohamedaa pagan For instance discuss quite perceptively differ ences between Protestant Catholic missions As result broadening exnerience tends reject social values S0njo recognizes anachronism their customs little future tribe organized present despite experience faith Sonjo religion seems remain Gidiya accompanied Betty visit Kisangiro Ve arrived during siesta nobody about walked directly temple photographs Gidiya afraid explained sacriligious anyone enter temple precincts unless wearing garments I naturally excused stayed behind vhile ahead photographs though stayed discreet distKnce enter compound Nevertheless Gidiya later elders guiding U temple fined goats I instructed wrote certificate triplicate tstifying guided usand there ansgression tribal responsibility solely His conscience affair remained guilty though I suspect rather supernatural penaly being cursed pries Gidiya deeply discontented several times asIed uermanen employmen mainly I think fromSonjoo The oflife offers scope restless energy ening imagination lacks social power prestige initiating Changes Sincerely Robert F Gray ReceivedNew York