Azaghvana E-Book 2003 - Flipbook - Page 366
spear grass (tharɗe), two diagonally across the chest and shoulders and one around the waist.
Another plant called hamtiwe was wound around the neck with the fruits hanging over the
chest. This plant gave its name to the first stage of dzum zugune.
Each of the performers had two men attached to them, called zal ɗuf ɗala and zal fstaha. The
first had not yet performed dzum zugune, whereas the second had already done so. The second
man, zal fstaha, helped to finalise the dress of his performer by attaching crotal bells made of
brass to his waist. All the other local men who had already performed dzum zugune were
present. Then they all went to another local place nearby called Fkagh ga Maruwa. There the
beginners of dzum zugune danced in their special dresses for the next few days. After the
performance of the dance, ngwa hamtiwe was over. The performers then went to take off their
dresses.
Next, those who had already performed ngwa hamtiwe in the previous guinea corn year put
their dresses on to start ngwa garda, the first step of the second stage. They too had their zal
fstaha to assist them. The diagonal chest and shoulder sashes were now made of sheepskin
decorated with cowrie shells. The speargrass sashes were wound around the neck, where the
plant hamtiwe had previously been worn. The speargrass was worn in five layers. On top of
the sheepskin around the hips, a band of black and white cotton was wound around the waist.
They held a ceremonial knife or sickle called ndange in their hands.
The performers of ngwa garda now gathered with the performers of the third stage, ngwa
yiye, at a local place called Fkagh Gwatadhe. The ngwa yiye performers were in their third
guinea corn year of dzum zugune. They wore long black cotton robes and traditional war
helmets covered with strips of sheepskin. In one hand they held an iron sword called magrata,
and in the other hand a stick which they brandished in a threatening manner towards those
performing the first step of the second stage, the already mentioned ngwa garda.
During this performance, the ones doing ngwa yiye were called thah lusa, meaning 'black
cow', and those doing ngwa garda were called thah tva, meaning 'red cow'. While the 'black
cows' were waving their sticks in the air at the 'red cows', the 'red cows' were kneeling to
demonstrate obedience towards the 'black cows', to show recognition of their seniority.
At this point it should be mentioned that the celebration was not a matter of age, but rather
one of being further advanced in the performance of dzum zugune. A person could have been
40 years of age and been a 'red cow', and at the same time someone of 30 years of age could
have been a 'black cow', and therefore his senior.
The performers of the second stage then prepared to run downhill to a place called Yawa. A
trumpet was blown and the race began. Each of the participants held a stick in the air,
decorated on top with a ram's beard and entwined with coloured bands. Since the age range
was very mixed, the first to reach the local place Yawa was usually one of the younger
performers. He threw his stick into a certain target point at the finish and was therefore
considered to be the winner of the race.
Immediately after the red cows had started their race downhill, the performers of the third
stage, dressed in their black cotton robes, set off from the upper place Fkagh Gwatadhe for
the house of the senior Dghweɗe rainmaker. Nearby the rainmaker’s house was a cylindrical
hole about two feet deep, filled with animal manure. This hole was ancient and had existed
since the very first performance of dzum zugune.
The senior rainmaker then removed the top layer of manure and replaced it with a fresh layer.
The performers of the third stage, the black cows, were calling out: 'Yi Ye, Yi Ye, Yi Ye'. A
group of young warriors then came along calling out: 'If there is a stranger around here, he
should be killed'. Next, the rainmaker planted a special spear which had been kept in his
house, in the dunghole. This performance was called nzav ruwa, meaning 'the planting of the
spear'.
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