ABSTRACT
A chief is buried near the trees planted at his 'coming out' and around the grave a thicket grows up. It is taboo for men to cut saplings or brushwood there and since trees grow very fast in the climate and soil of the Nyakyusa valley, the thicket soon becomes a grove, and there sacrifices to the dead chief are made. Mbyanga and Kabale, two groves which are particularly honoured, were the shrines of founders of expanding lineages. At Mbyanga was planted a cutting of a tree which sprouted from the grave of Mwakisambwe who had first occupied the country in which Mbyanga is situated. A month later a sacrifice was made to Mwaijonga's great-greatgrandfather Mwakisambwe in the grove Mbyanga. The chief Mwaipopo was not concerned this time, but the senior line of Mwaihojo and a junior line who had traditionally the responsibility of providing cows for celebrations at Mbyanga.
