By the Mbuti tribe of the DR Congo, the Black Guineafowl is considered to have such power to cause an illness. Several animals are thought to be sources of evil. The type of disease and its graveness vary, depending on the animals eaten. The most powerful and dangerous ones are avoided for most of the […]
Tag: Democratic Republic of Congo
Bird stories, Bateleur Terathopius ecaudatus
The Mbuti tribe believes that if a pregnant woman or her husband eat this bird, a baby with an extraordinary large head may be born to them. The Tembo tribe of the Congo consider the species as a cure. Its feathers and claws are used to cure benign epilepsy. For the medical treatment, feathers and […]
Bird stories, African Pied Wagtail
It is so called because of its thin legs. It is said that someone who eats it must die. Its nest it used to heal asthma after tattoos are made on the ailer’s chest. In the Tembo tales, this bird was good at singing and the dog was good at dancing. Then one day it […]
Bird stories, African Olive Pigeon
Because of its song “Ngiuu, Ngiuu,†the Tembo people think that it is ill and about to die. It is also called “Chitinga†(= crown) because it has a crown on the head. It is a kingly bird. Edible. Kizungu, B., et al. ETHNO-ORNITHOLOGY OF THE TEMBO IN EASTERN DRC (FORMER ZAIRE): PART ONE, KALEHE […]
Bird stories, African Dwarf Kingfisher
The birds associated with elephants are a species of hornbill (kohekohe), yellow- spotted barbet (bururu) and amasanginbo (unidentified small birds). It is said that, if men approach an elephant, these birds fly around the elephants, making a noise at the ears to inform the elephants of danger. The dwarf and pygmy kingfishers (manganlako) are also […]
Bird stories, the Great Blue Turaco
There is a food taboo for this totemic animal of a particular clan. The clan members cannot eat this animal called ngini-so (things prohibited), or ngini-so-su (things prohibited to us), which symbolize their membership of a particular clan. Should one eat such a prohibited animal, his teeth would fall out. There are other birds avoided […]