憑霊の政治学 : ブソガのアバスエジ

Abasewzi (sing, omuswezi) in Busoga, Uganda, are believers in spirits called emisambwa whose natures are represented by heroic figures, natural forces or the like. They observe special taboos and customs, such as not eating of fish or not cooking plantains in company with nonbelievers. They have their own spirits, for which they work as mediums. These spirits belong to persons, lineages and offices of chiefs of abaswezi according to the natures of the spirits. A ritual for the spirit called enfumu takes place, for instance, when someone becomes seriously ill and he is told by diviners that he is afflicted by the spirit of his lineage. In this case, all the members of the lineage should attend the ritual and wait with dancing and singing until the spirit comes and possesses one of the lineage members. Goats are sacrificed and a shrine (eisabo) is built for the spirit. He who is possessd should become omuswezi. Characteristically, these rituals of emisambwa are held by the local abaswezi under their own chiefs, since they are responsible for everything about the spirits. The tribal organization of abaswezi is constructed in a form based on a hierarchy of chieftainships. It has several grades of chiefs and councils with a constitution. Abaswezi as a whole have the privilege of performing the rituals and levying fees on villagers. Their chiefs' territories are not simple communities of believers, but, like those of political chiefs, their ruling domains where all the inhabitants are subjected to their power. In fact, their hierachy of chieftainships is exactly patterned on the model of the political chieftainships in Busoga. Abaswezi rule people as the political chiefs do. Their ritual fee is a counterpart of the political chiefs' fee which they get in their judicial moots, symbolizing their inalienable power over the ritual order and welfare of the inhabitants. In a sense, abaswezi chiefs are competing with political chiefs, though their spheres of influence are different. The association of abaswezi is, however, not a secret society like similar associations in Bunyoro or in Sukuma. Their spirit rituals are open throughout and initiated persons are given no secret knowledge. They always proclaim themselves by wearing peculiar ornaments, by playing special music and dancing, and particularly by open spirit possession. It is this frequent open spirit possession which is performed on the occasion of the spirit rituals or elsewhere that lends abaswezi their reputation and authority. In spite of this openness, these abaswezi are extremely feared like witches or sorcerers, because they show to the common villagers their ability of controling emisambwa which are, generally speaking, evil. These spirits are believed to harm people by receiving someone's prayer or curse, and the common people, therefore, hate the spirits, rituals and abaswezi. It means that open and unhesitating spirit possession in front of the villagers is a confession of convinced abaswezi or even their declaration against the established social values. There is a remarkable ambivalence in common villagers' attitudes toward the rituals of, say, their own lineage's spirit. It is anyway a symbol of the lineage solidarity which is highly valued among them. It is difficult to refuse to participate in rituals for the benefit of sick lineage mates. On the other hand, they don't like to have anything to do with abaswezi because they are dangerous and immoral heretics, who are against such publicly recognized beliefs as Christianity. There are always conflicts among the kinsmen concerning the attendance of the rituals. It is in this aspect that abaswezi can be seen as intruders in the internal affaires of lineages.