CHAPTER 70
DELIVERY OF TWINS OR MORE CHILDREN AT A TIME ( ABALONGO )
Long before a woman gave birth to twins or more, she was aware of it because she felt their movements. Nevertheless, she never spoke of it to anyone because it was customary for a wife or husband to keep silent about such matters, nor to say when the child would be born. The reason for this was that it was believed that if mentioned or forecast the date of the baby’s birth, the baby could not be delivered safely— either the mother or the baby would die at the time of delivery or that the baby would change into another sort of creature instead of a human being.
Sometimes the mother knew beforehand, from the symptoms - swelling of her legs and a feeling of weakness so that she was unable to stand up. On certain nights the husband or herself would dream about her pregnancy but nothing was said concerning the dream the following day.
Therefore, conception of twins became known to people,other than the mother, only at the time of delivery, the one assisting her (midwife) being the first to know the secret.
After the birth of the first baby, the midwife would notice that another baby was due to be born and she would seem to be much shocked and would pretend to run away, drawing back about 3 yards from the bedside and saying ‘Mundeese mu gulongo?’ meaning ‘Have you brought me to a twin delivery?’ Then she would come forward to assist the mother to give birth to the second baby.
Then other people would know that twins had been born and would become cheerful and beat the drum for the occasion known as ‘Irongo’. This drum would be played daily and dancing take place until the day on which the children were shown to the public.
After the birth of twins or more babies, the midwife left the babies on withered banana leaves or on a bark cloth on which they had been born and the mother was also left uncared for. Then the husband would imiediately send for a godly priestess who practised the god called ‘Lukowe’ as well as for his wife’s parens to whom he would send an unused new hoe with the message. To his own father he would send an old used hoe. The messengers who took these hoes went secretly and were not supposed to greet anyone on the way. Even when they arrived at their destinations they had to keep silent and would secretly take the hoe to the middle of the courtyard and say to the persons to whom the hoe had been sent ‘Ogulongo gwammwe guggwo’ meaning ‘There is your delivery of twins’. Then he would run swiftly homewards while the members of the home in which he had left the hoe would give chase. If they overtook him they held him until he paid a fine of one goat, when they would release him; but if they failed to overtake him, no fine was requested.
That is how the news of a twin or multiple birth was made known to the parents of both husband and wife.
After the birth of twins, the husband acquired another name in addition to his usual ones, and that was ‘Isabirye’ while the mother was given the name of ‘Nabirye’. The grandparents were informed of the birth so that they could observe the taboos concerning the birth of twins. Another person who was sent for after the birth was a woman who was related to the mother of the twins (Nabirye) — she only came to prepare millet porridge for feeding the Isabirye and the Nabirye and other people related to Isabirye or of his clan; this was because people of that clan were only supposed to eat millet porridge and no other food until the twins’ umbilical cords had been cut. This was done by ‘Omusweezi’ who also cleaned thechildren. It was at this time that the porridge woman started to prepare porridge for those who required it and others started preparing food after taking the porridge. As soon as the twins were born, any water or any sort of food found in the house at that time was thrown away, far off so that other children could not find it and eat it, thus spoiling the twins’ taboo. Children who could not resist looking for food were locked into the house where there was nothing to eat or drink, and kept there until the umbilical cords had been cut.
When ‘Omusweezi’ came, she brought her (rattle) which was known as ‘Enyengo’ and some cowrie shells (‘ensimbi’). After her arrival she would ask Isabirye whether he had some ‘ensirnbi and if he had none, she would produce her own and take up two pairs of strings and on each would string four or two ensimbi, so that the face shapes were upwards on the strings. Then each pair was tied around the heads of Isabirye and Nabirye and the parts of the strings bearing the ensimbi had to be exactly on the foreheads with the face shapes of the ensimbi facing outwards. Then the midwife, the nephew and the ‘Omusweezi’ each did the same on their heads or foreheads. These ensimbi were known ‘Empawulo’ on this occasion.
After this, the nephew or niece went to fetch water from a well and when he or she returned, sent for ‘Olukandwa’ tree; when this was brought, the ‘Omusweezi’ tied ‘Ebbombo’ creeping plants around it and offered a razor blade for cutting the umbilical cords to one of the others to do so. The umbilical cords of twins were only cut with a razor blade instead of a reed strip which was used on an ordinary baby.
When all that had been done, the ‘Omusweezi’ took up her ‘ensaasi’ and rattled it saying- ‘You twins come peacefully-with good peace. Do not have a bad feeling towards Isabirye and Nabirye. Also have a good feeling towards your own selves and, be kind to other children. After saying these words, she poured some water on a banana leaf and with both her hands or palms drew the water from the leaf and poured it over the twins together. She then started bathing them one at a time; if she did not pour water over them at the same time, it was believed that one of them would become displeased and thus cause trouble or danger.
After washing the twins and treating the Nabirye, the midwife lifted the first-born twin while the nephew or niece lifted the second one, and took them from the delivery place known as ‘Ekyabai’ to a prepared place for them to stay in. However, if there happened to be an old man in that village who had been the first settler and who had produced twins, he would be offered a hen and ensimbi (in this case meaning money) or a bark cloth, and would be requested to carry those twins instead of having them carried by the midwife and niece. The Nabirye and midwife stayed beside the twins’ bed until the umbilical cords had been out off, when the midwife would then go to her home. She stayed until that time in order to nurse the twins during such a period.
THE PLACENTA
The placenta and other substances which follow the delivery of twins were supposed to be put into two brand new earthen bowls which had never been used before and which had been suspended from an ‘Olukandwa’ tree. The substances were put into them and coverd with lids (two new empty earthen bowls) and then placed behind the twins’ fire place the ashes would be poured over the twins’ bowls by the niece whenever she removed ashes from the twins’ fireplace, until the day on which the twins were taken out from the house.
After all that had been done, the porridge woman came bringing with her a brand new earthen bowl and millet flour. She would prepare some porridge by mixing the flour with water only, as no other flavour or sweetness was allowed. When it was ready she made Isabirye and Nabirye taste it by licking a small bit offered by the woman. This was also offered to everybody else (Isabirye’s relations) who were present. By doing this, it meant the re-openning of cooking and eating food on that day in that particular home in which twins had been born.
The spot where the twins had been delivered was feared by every one as it was believed that if any one passed over that place, his feet would loose their whole skin. The midwife, Isabirye, Nabirye and the twins, as well as the other people in the home would be given a certain medicine called ‘Erye Kilalo’ to wash their feet in so that their feet would not be affected when they pased over that place.
Another entrance was made behind the house in which Nabirye and the twins lived during the period before the day on which the twins were taken out and shown to all, and this entrance was for Nabirye to pass through; whenever she went ouside as she was not supposed to use the same entrance as other people; during this period, she would not see the sun. Therefore, when she went out of the house, she protected herself against the sun with a winnower which she held above her head. The twins were never taken but of the house before that day.
From the time that they were taken out and shown, a barkcloth curtain was put into the room to screen the twins. If any one wanted to look at them, he offered a gift or some anklets to them — this act was known as ‘Okusumika’ (tying a knot) . Each person had to present two gifts, one for each of the twins, and such gifts, normally money (ensimbi) were offered on the day that the twins were taken out and shown to everyone. Such gifts were tied on a bark cloth which would be used to carry the children on the mother’s back and this is known as ‘Engozi’.
A fire was kept burning in the fireplace in the twins’ house, with logs collected by the niece or nephew, and the fire never died out until the day on which the twins were shown outside. Then the ashes were removed and many arrangements were made for that occasion, including a very big feast.
An enclosure made of withered banana leaves was constructed adjoining both ends of the back of the house in which the twins and Nabirye stayed, so that when they wanted to warm themselves in the sun, they went into that enclosure. It was here, also, that they washed or had their baths, until the day when they were taken out and shown to all.
A relation of Isabirye’s was chosen to take all responsibility for performing the twins’ customary ceremonies, and, he was called ‘The Isabirye Nantaloba (Nantagaana), meaning the acting father of twins who does not reject it.’ The appointment of this Isabirye Nantaloba or Nantagaana was decided by the Isabirye himself and other people of his clan who gathered and suggested a man who was a close relation of Isabirye and could even succeed him if he died; they chose him to be the Isabirye Nantaloba and he could not refuse.
After deciding to appoint him, they sent a message informing him and the messenger took with him ‘Ebbombo’ (a kind of climbing plant) which he hid on himself. When he arrived at the place, he stayed silent and simply approached the man for whom he had the message, and, without saying anything, threw the ebbombo around the man’s neck (‘nantaloba’). Then the man understood that he had been appointed to be the Isabirye Nantaloba and he just shook his head admiringly and set off for the twins’ place.
If, however, he was not in favour of becoming the Isabirye Nantoloba, he hid himself until he heard that somebody else had been chosen instead.
If the messenger did not find him there, he threw the ebbombo on the roof of the man’s house saying ‘There is your delivery of twins’ and then go away. When the man returned and saw it on his roof, he understood that he had been appointed to be the Isabirye Nantaloba. The messenger was not supposed to greet anyone or say anything or even taste anything until he had thrown the ebbombo around the Nantoloba’s neck; then he could inform the person that his brother had produced twin babies after which he would return This was done in a similar manner to the taking of hoes to report the delivery of twins to the parents of Isabirye and Nabirye.
The duty of an Isabirye Nantagaana was to perform all the customary observations or ceremonies for his brother’ s twins and he lived in the same house as the twins and Isabirye and the Nabirye during the period before the day of taking the twins out. He was not supposed to sleep or have sexual intercourse with any woman, not even with Nabirye although then he was the right Isabirye.
The sign of wearing ‘ensimbi’ (cowrie shells) on the forehead signified that the wearer of such were parents of twins or that they had recently become parents of twins. A woman was also appointed from the Nabirye’s relations to come and look after her sister Nabirye and the twins. She was then known as Nabirye II for the same period. The appointment of Isabirye Nantaloba and Nabirye II was not restricted to old people alone; if the right people were young they were appointed to fill the posts.
On the day that the twins were born, their Isabirye took something, normally a hen or barkcloth to a chief and to Omutaka (a first settler in a village) in order to inform them of the delivery of twins. If Isabirye did not repot the news to his chief and ‘Abataka’, his property would be seized and taken away from him, as the delivery of twins in a village was considered to be a very important thing and had to be reported.
If the twins were still-born, they were treated in the same way as live ones and everything had to be carried out in the usual way for twins, except that dead ones had to be buried soon after, in the usual manner of twins’ burials. The ceremony of taking out the twins also was performed except that instead of the real twins, other living children of Isabirye were substituted for the ceremony; if he had no children, then the children of his brothers would be substituted, according to the sexese of the deceased twins. If the twins had been male, only male children would be used and if they were female, then a female child would be substituted, or if they had been one of each sex, then one of each sex would be used accordingly.
The names which had been given to the deceased twins had to be given to the adopted twins from the time of taking them out and these names had to be kept permanently.
The words used for greeting Isabirye and Nabirye had to be given to the adopted twins from the time of taking thern out and these names had to be kept permanently.
The words used for greeting Isabirye and Nabirye during the period before the taking out of twins were.: — Greeting Isabirye — Kanioko
Isabirye answers — Kanioko
Greeting Nabirye — Bawaiswa Bawuga (‘are bawaiswa bathing/ swimming?’)
Nabirye answers — Bawuga (‘they are bathing/swimming’)
When Isabirye walked about, he carried a walking stick on which he tied a ‘Lukandwa’ and ‘Ebbombo’ plants, ensimbi (cowrie shells) and two wild banana seeds ‘entembe’) so that everyone could see that he was the father of twins who had not yet been taken out. After they had been shown and taken out, he ceased taking his stick with its decorations.
The Isabirye, Isabirye Nantaloba, the Nabirye, Nabirye II as well as the niece all strictly observed the taboos and customs concerning the twins, such as not to have any sexual intercourse during the period preceeding the day of taking out the twins, even though the men had other wives, but they were not supposed to have any contact with them.
Whenever Isabirye and Nabirye were offered food, they had to share it with the twins in the following manner:—
When they took the food, some would be put aside to be divided into two; this would be dipped into the sauce served with the food and put aside on two strips of a banana leaf. These two small bits of food were reserved for the twins. If the sauce contained meat, then two bits of meat would be added to the bits of food. Then he or she would start eating. Even if the food had been served far away from the home where the twins were, the same thing was done, and the food reserved for the twins was brought home and eaten in front of the twins. If it happened to be a drink, beer, water or anything else, the first sip had to be spat out twice on the ground before he or she started drinking. This meant that the twins had been offered their share of the drink.
This reservation of food for the twins was observed until the day of taking them out had passed.
In the case of the offering of something to either Isabirye or Nabirye, the thing was divided into two or had to be in a pair so that two things could be offered to Isabirye or Nabirye. This was done in order not to displease the twins. This only applied to relations or friends of the parents of the twins.
When these Isabiryes, Nabiryes and the niece remained together in the house with the twins, they had to be on very good terms and co-operate because if any ofthem quarrelled or became annoyed, it meant that the twins had been ill-treated. In that case the whole ceremony of taking out the twins which had still to come was ruined so that it could no longer take place. It was, however, improbable that they became annoyed or quarrelled.
The twins’ drumming, known as ‘lrongo’ was kept up throughout the period before the taking out of the twins. Female members of the family and their women neighbours danced dances relating to twins during this period and also performed the beating of the ‘Irongo’ drum, although this Irongo beating was only entrusted to those women or girls who were good at it, while the others sang Irongo songs, clapped and danced around the Irongo drum. One girl would lead an Irongo song and the other’ answered in chorus.
EXHIBITION OR THE TAKING OUT OF TWINS (ABALONGO)
Several days before the day, Isabirye went and notified his relatives and the relatives of Nabirye, as well as the chiefs of the day when his twins would be taken out. Then he returned to make preparations and brew the beer for the occasion. Both Isabiryes and the nephew or niece were supposed to do the cutting down of beer bananas for this occasion and it was Isabirye himself who had to cut down the first beer bananas, followed by his two colleagues.
The beer bananas were buried in a pit dug in Isabirye’s courtyard. Four days later they were ready for brewing by squeezing their juice which was supposed to be ready for the occasion.
On the day that the beer was brewed, Isabirye went out again to inform his parents as well as Nabirye’s parents that the following day was the day on which the ceremony would be performed. In the same way, the father of Nabirye also brewed some beer for taking to the ceremony. On the following day, when the ‘beer’ was ready, Isabirye’ produced a goat for slaughtering in order to have its skin to cover Nabirye’s breasts with. If the twins were boys or a male and female, a he-goat would be slaughtered and when they were both females, a she-goat was killed. In both cases, the goat slaughtered on that occasion was known as an ‘Isai’. The undried skin was given to Nabirye to cover herself and after that it would be hung in the house, a small part of its neck first being cut off and tied on the bark cloth used for carrying the twins on the back, known as ‘Engozi’.
The night before the day on which the brewing took place, the niece or nephew and the midwife went out to another village and stole banana leaves from one of the plantain gardens there. Such leaves had to be cut very carefully so as not to tear them, for no hole was supposed to appear in any of them as they were used for tying the ashes from the twins’ fireplace. Not even the slightest bit of ash had to be dropped on somebody else once it had been put into the leaves and tied up. The leaves were only cut from beer baaanas at night-time. After the leaves had been brought, then the niece went to fetch fresh plantain barks which were used for shovelling the ashes from the twins’ fireplace on to ‘the’ leaves.
Then Isabirye was asked to produce two brand new bark cloths and these would be worn by the niece and the ‘Omusweezi’ when they were in the action of removing the ashes from the fireplace, they were not supposed to dress in any other kind of cloth except these brand new ones produced by the father of the twins.
While all this was going on at night, the niece or nephew, the Isabirye, the Nabirye, Isabirye Nantaloba and Nabirye II ‘all wore some ensimbi on their heads.
When the time came for removing the ashes, some juicy beer was brought in an earthen bowl and the leaves were arranged, after which the niece and the ‘Omusweezi’ tied their head with pieces of bark cloth, covering the head completely, including the eyes, so that the ashes would not blow to any part of their bodies; if this happened, the skin of the part of the body where an ash had dropped went off completely leaving the person quite white.
Both these ash removers, and others, washed in a certain kind of medicine to make them immune from an attack of a disease known as ‘Ekitalo’. This sort of medicine would be brought by the ‘Omusweezi’ or another person who knew it and anyone present could use it.
After the leaves had dried slightly in the sun, they were placed near the fireplace with the two fresh plantain barks or fibres and, a hoe. Then the niece and the ‘Omusweezi’ carefully placed the leaves on the ground or in old empty earthen pots, after which the niece took the beer and sprinkled it over the ashes. When this had been done, she took the hoe and started digging up or removing the ashes and putting them on the leaves, using the plantain shovels to remove the ashes over which she kept on sprinkling the beer. During this time the ‘Omusweezi’ rattled the ensaasi without saying a word. When she reached the two covered earthen bowls containing the placenta, etc., she took them up as they were and placed them in the ashes on the leaves and tied them securely. All the remaining ashes were tied in several leaves, enough for one person to carry.
During the same night, immediately before the ashes had been securely tied in the banana leaves, the Isabirye produced a he-goat which was slaughtered on the spot. Then it was eaten by those who had been living in the same house with the twins no other person could eat it for fear that the taboo for the twins might be spoiled as other people had not observed them. Some of the goat’s blood was sprinkled on the ashes.
After all the meat of that goat, known as ‘embuzi ey ekisiki’ (‘the goat for taking at night by a big fire’) the three people who performed the removing of the ashes i.e. the niece, the ‘Omusweezi’ and the midwife, took up the parcels of ash and quietly carried them to a remote place which was known only to the three of them, such as in a bush or jungle, a swamp or in a separate village, or on top of an ant hill which was supposed to be surrounded by a very dark thicket. The parcels were left intact and they returned to the twins, going back a different way from the track by which they had come. At the place of the twins, the Irongo drum was beaten throughout the night until the next day, while songs for the twins were sung.
The following day when the beer was ready, Isabirye produced two goats which were regarded as proper for the occasion of taking out the twins. These goats were killed and cooked, as well as plenty of other food, while the Nabirye’s parents brought mores cooked food, a goat if possible or a hen and beer. The porridge woman also killed a goat if she could afford it, or a hen, and brought it with her along with some other food.
As many of Nabirye’s relations that could come did, and her parents came dressed in special bark cloths which were small in size with knots on their shoulders so that they did not cover all their bodies and showed some private parts of their bodies. When all these people came, they stayed together, far from the main house of Isabirye. Isabirye and Nabirye also prepared themselves and dressed in a similar scandalous’ way as Nabirye’s parent had, and carried a small calabash containing beer in their hands. Isabirye Nantaloba, Nabirye II, the niece and the ‘Omusweezi’ also dressed in a similar way and each also carried a small calabash of beer in readiness for a certain game which took place in due course; all the people took part and the game was carried out in such a way that each person poured some beer over another. These preparations took place in the house where all arrangements for the occasion had been made. People on both sides tied ebbombo plants on their heads and on their bodies. Irongo drum was beaten continuously and any women who wished, kept on dancing.
At about 2 or 3 o’clock in the afternoon, when all the arrangements were ready, the midwife took up one of the twins and carried him outside to where the Irongo drum was, and started singing, wagging the child, with these words in the song - ‘Ahali abaana hensaba meaning - ‘I beg where the children emerge’ and the rest answer ‘Saba’ (‘beg’). She continues doing this and singing while she goes back into the house and returns three times, then she stops.
Then the Isabirye and the Nabirye, as well as all the other people, come out of the house and answer the midwife’s song. The Nabirye takes the other twin while the Isabirye starts singing another song thus ‘Nabirye mbaire nkwenda aye toiha kyoya’ meaning ‘I have been loving you Nabirye but you don’t remove your pubic hair’ and the other answer : ‘Neiha, neiha, neiha’ meaning ‘I do remove it off myself’ three times.
Then the Nabirye also starts her song ‘Banange Kankineku, Banange Kankineku, Banange Kankineku’ meaning ‘Please let me dance for a while’ three times, and the others answer ‘Kola, kola, kola, Kina., Kina, Kina’ meaning: - ‘Do, do, do. Dance, dance, dance’. Then she continues ‘Bwenti bwenakola, nazaala Waiswa: nti bwenti bwenakina nazaala Tenywa; nti bwenti bwenekina nazaala Unja; nti bwenti bwenakina hwa, hu, hu, hu, etc.’ meaning ‘This is how I did and produced Waiswa, produced Tenywa. produced Babirye, produced Unja I tell you this is how I danced and produced Waiswa; how I danced and produced Tenywa; how I danced and produced Babirye; how I danced and produced Unja and that this is how I danced hwa, hu, hu,hu,. etc.’. She dances that way drawing her legs apart showing how she used to make them when in intercourse which resulted in twins. Then Nabirye II also starts her song having these words ‘Isabirye, Isabirye, yeyampangula Nabirye, Isabirye yeyampangula, etc. ‘meaning ‘It is Isabirye, Isabirye who overcame me. Nabirye, it is Isabirye who overcame me. It is Isabirye, Isabirye who overcame me and the others answer : ‘Yeyaluwangula, Yoyaluwangu1a (Oluzaalo)’ meaning !It is he who succeeded in giving it (pregnancy) to you’ etc.
Then the father of Nabirye also starts singing : - ‘Tinakajye Olwomwaana nolwandeeta; Tinakajye olwomwaana nolwandeeta’ meaning ‘I wouIdn’t have come. I came because of the child’ twice, and the others answer;
“Olwomwaana nolwandeeta; Olwomwaana nolwandeta, Olwana.” meaning, “I came for the sake of the child’ three times.’
In the course of the songs, both Isabirye’s father and mother-in-law quickly approach the group in which Isabirye and Nabirye are and quickly drink from their own beer calabashes but without swallowing it, they spit it over Isabirye and Nabirye or else they pour it over them straight from the small calabashes. In response Isabirye and Nabirye do the same to them. Then all the people rush to pour beer from their small calabashes over each other, so that everyone became wet. This was followed by a group of people from
Isabirye’s in-laws removing the grass from the roof of Nabirye’s house while the people of Isabirye’s group try to defend it by preventing them from doing so. Isabirye’s group fight the other group until they overcome them; this is done three times and after the other group have been overcome, all the people take off the bbombo plants from their bodies and throw them on to the roof of Nabirye’s house. In the meantime Isabirye’s group start chasing away people of the other group who run away, leaving behind everything arranged for eating, such as food and a large quantity of meat, but later they would return to eat.
The food eaten on that day by both groups after the fight is known as ‘Envangano’ (a meal shared between two parties after their quarrel or fight in order to forget all about it) and friendship is resumed. All such food on this day is collected by the niece and brought into the house where it is eaten. Isabirye and Nabirye are the first persons to eat the food (which is the only food eaten that day) then the others start eating. After eating, Isabirye produces some money (a reasonable amount) and puts it into the food baskets which contain the food from his in-laws, this money being taken as a reward for what they have done. The reward for the porridge woman is not included in this because hers has to be different. That ends the day’s ceremony and the people return to their homes to wait for the following day, known as the day for tying the twins and the day on which the slaughtered goats would be eaten. Therefore, on the following day, all relatives come. Isabirye produces a new food basket, a new cooking pot and also a new earthen bowl, a kind of a net bag for storing bowls, etc. and produces two new bark cloths. One of these Nabirye and he are supposed to sit on and the other is cut into several bandages.
He also brings a small bark cloth beaten from the bark of a kind of fig tree known as Insole fig tree. With this small bark cloth the twins’ umblical cords had to be tied by the midwife who wrapped the whole thing in bandages recently cut from a bark cloth. All this was performed in the presence of all relatives, in-laws and others who had come to see, while the new food basket was placed in front of Isabirye and Nabirye. The wrapped umbilical cords were regarded a human twins.
Any of those present at this ceremony who had brought gifts for the twins presented them by kneeling before the twins’ parents and dropping or placing such gifts in the food basket while the twins were still being tied.
Only one piece of cloth used to tie the child on the mother’s back was prepared for the twins and it was tied tightly by means of threads made from a banana fibre of a certain type of plantain known as ‘Malira’ plantain.
The gifts were composed of cowrie shells, ensimbi, known as moneys, and anklets/armlets, which were supposed to be kept tied on that piece of cloth belonging to the twins, together with the piece of the goat’s neck skin which had been given to Nabirye to cover her breasts with it also had to be tied on. After the tying of all the thing