Notes on the mungongi ritual of the Balovale tribes

SYNOPSIS

The mungongi ritual of the Lunda, Luvale, Luchazi and Chokwe is the means of entry into an association which in the past discharged funerary duties. The account of the initiation here presented is believed to be the first to be published and earlier information on the mungongi and its role in society is critically examined. The initiated become tudangu whose different titles and activities are described and examples of their secret language are given both hitherto undocumented. The funerary role of the tudangu which is now rarely discharged is described and the virtually extinct chiwila association of women is related to the mungongi in this context. An attempt is made to explain why the funerary functions of the tudangu are becoming obsolete although initiation into the mungongi order is still relatively widespread.