UGANDA JOURNAL.


 Furthermore, as great importance attaches to these Abila in the different
stages of an African's life, one would think that they would be built rather quick-
ly, and that care would be taken to maintain them, in view of their object of
worship. Yet this is not done. Years and years frequently elapse before anything
is done in the line of erecting an Abila in the village of the ancestors. During a
trip which I made through the village of Koc Amar, I encountered an old chief
whose family failed to build an Abila. I asked the reason for this neglect in so
important a matter. He told me that the time for erecting it was not ripe. He
pointed out the exact spot where he intended to erect it. It was just beneath a
stately tree, above the grave of twins, (Rut). Once the Abila is built and has
been inaugurated with the customary sacrifices, they do not take care of it, as
one would suppose. In many villages, I noticed that the Abila were dilapidated,
and when I asked the reason for this apparent neglect, the natives explained
that they would build another, or that they would put the old one in condition
whenever the need for this would arise; i.e., the occasion for a new sacrifice. It
is as well to remark here that the sacrifices are not nearly so frequent as was
remarked in a recent article. Those who offer the sacrifices are expected to make
them once or twice yearly, when there is the crop-oblation about November or
December, and in weather suitable for hunting, usually in February or March.
The other occasions for offering sacrifices are indicated by the Ajwaka, and
these are very few in number.

 When the one who has built the Abila changes place and goes to a new
village, he abandons the first one and takes with him a branch or two of the
sacred tree in order to plant it near the new Abila, at the time when the new
ceremonies are conducted.
 The Abila is dedicated to the so-called Kwaro, an ancestor. Just who
this ancestor is, is not known in all cases; for he is not always closely related to
the one who is building it.

 The fact is, the A bila is sometimes called Abila pa wora (The Abila of my
father) and at other times it is called Abila pa kwaro, (the Abila of my ancestors).
It is called Abila pa wora when it has been dedicated only to the father of the
one who built it. When it is dedicated to the father and grandfather or the
great-grandfather, or to the chief of the clan, it is then called Abila pa Kwaro,
the temple of the ancestors. Under this name are included all the people whom
they wish to remember. It is called Abila pa kwaro regardless of the number of
smaller temples.
 At this stage it is well to see if, in the dedication of such temples, consider-
ation is given only to the masculine branch of the family tree or if the feminine"
branch is likewise taken into consideration when the generic name Abila pa
kwaro is applied.
 I would answer affirmatively. There are cases in which one finds two temples,
the second one much smaller than the first, or even at times of the same di-
mensions. I sought for an explanation of this fact, and the builder told me that