UGANDA JOURNAL.


 Wora yam ceng ikoko cam man.
 My Father, you asked for this food long ago.
 Cam tin dong en: bin ie dong.
 Here is the food to-day: then come.
 Ilwong omeggiwu duc, cam mewu en.
 Call all your brothers, here is the food for you.
 After such an invocation, he addresses the onlookers in order that they also
may take part in the offering. He says:
 Wun lokakawa, an alwongo wun pi wora.
 Relations of mine, I have called you for my father.
 Ma an atyeto: wubin ka mio cam igi.
 For whom I have drawn lots: come to give him to eat.
 Ma an amio ki woragi.
 The food I give to my father.
 Tin amako dyel en.
 Behold here is the goat.
 Wamii ki wora dong en.
 Let us give it then, to my father.
 He having extended this invitation, one of the ,elders takes his place and acts
as master of ceremonies; holding the goat by the rope he says the following:
 In wkaro tin dong an amio cam mewu.
 Ancestors, behold to-day I give your food.
 Wukel latinni wan waribo wun ki latinni.
 Bring here your son; we unite you to your son.
 Cam mewu dong en.
 Here is your food.
 Wubin ducu ka keto cingwu.
 Come ye all and place your hands upon it.
 Kom nyok man.
 Upon this goat. (').
 This formula comprises two parts: the first is an invitation to the souls of
the ancestors to come near the Abila; the second is an invitation for the placing
of hands upon the victim as a sign of their good pleasure, or their displeasure,
as the case may be. When the prayer is over the elders stroke the back of the
goat either out of fear of those who are armed with spears or to cause the
animal to defecate or to urinate. (The natives attribute it simply to the influence
of the ancestors, and not to any of the above reasons given.)

 (i) Such invocations lead us to believe that the Abila is dedicated primarily to the
grand-father rather than to the father,