The Clever Men |
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| The debates over the classes of “Clever Men” and their established roles within a clan have always been a mystery full of contradictions, controversies and myth. It is a well-established fact that the daily life of the Ka’bi peoples was governed strictly by superstition – creatures of very changeable moods, desires and expressions. They could display passion and loyalty like none other yet is exceedingly cruel within an instant, and then express a caring nature easily again as though nothing had happened – all within a moment in time. Given wrong omens, they could display the coldness of winter with eyes like daggers dissecting your mind like a slaughtered animal. The outcomes of these deep-seated superstitions were many – varying from women never stepping over a man's possessions (a sign of misfortune) to occurrences of broken laws that would bring about death or being a servant of the “Underworld demons”. Then there were those who had few scruples in using such ancient superstitions for their own cunning advantage. These were the “Clever Men”. Their “quackery” was often a cause of contrived death in making one believe that an old enemy or jealous relatives had brought on a family death. There is a matter of native law of which many are unaware - the reasoning for which was never fully explained. It must be recognised that ancient clan law proclaims "a life for a life" or equal punishment to fit the crime. This law unknowingly was the constant cause of great bitterness between white settlers and native clans. When a native was killed by a white man whether his acquaintance was known or not, native law had to be enforced by killing a white man no matter what his given disposition or acquaintance towards them. Inevitably, the raping of a black woman was repaid by that of raping a white woman. Killing, injuring, or taking of native children was repaid in the same manner. The destruction of some ancient sacred place, tree or possession by a white man with intent or not, was met with the appropriate destruction of possessions and livestock replacing their dwindling food supplies. Many tragedies could have been avoided if time had been taken in understanding ancient traditional clan laws. Those that took to such pacts of understanding on land settled were notably near free of retaliatory strife. It was rare for such oaths to be broken. Most Europeans today know little about these “vivid” lifestyles except for the well-promoted point of superstition that extended to psychic death. The greatest fear was that of revenged “bone pointing”. To be cursed in this manner was instant and non-retractable. The act (after consultation with a “Clever Man”) was performed by those seeking revenge; with personal harm in mind; or for the settlement of a long grudge. There were many differing rituals by various clans – the Ka’bi were no different (the ritual will not be discussed on this site). It can be said that kangaroo, wallaby or emu femur was used to create sickness and injury. Human bone meant death. Holders of such devious artefacts took great care not to place pointed bones in their personal direction or that of a close relative in fear that the cursed bones will pass on their sorcery to them. Once the curse for an immediate death was chanted, the unfortunate victims would in due course, die at the period of the next full moon. The advent of time was measured by the cycles of the moon and in multiples of five according to the fingers of the hand. The intended victims were made aware of the curse by means of the “Clever Man’s” occult signs. Once aware of the cursing, the unfortunate victims would recluse themselves and wait for their moment of death. However, relief from the feared ritual was achieved where the perpetrator was identified. He himself became the victim through repellation of the curse back to the initial instigator. The victim in the first instance was then freed to continue his life unabated. The “Clever Man”, too powerful for attack, was left to continue his art. Dhakkan’guini’s (edited) comments on such men were:
From Dhakkan’guini’s narratives, we can establish that there were three classes of “Clever Men”:
Despite all the European “abhorrence’s” of claimed
“primitive” rules and punishments and their case for “A life for a
life” – such laws prevented the cause for ongoing vendettas with catastrophic
clan conclusions. If we considered the same judgemental actions in European society, the
term "kangaroo court" is an apt description – such actions labelled
“barbarous”. Perhaps we should look at our own systems of suitable punishments
that no longer command respect – many crimes would cease out of perpetual fear –
as would have occurred in Ka’bi lifestyles. |
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