ABSTRACT
The Hausas of Tunis and Tripoli, although scattered in houses belonging to people of another race, are banded together by two bonds. They elect chiefs amongst themselves who will apportion the available work (building, etc.) amongst them, and they have bori (spirit) houses or temples with regularly appointed priestesses, the members of which form distinct communities. Neither the chief nor the chief priestess need always be a Hausa, but both will be West Africans, and the woman must be able to speak the language, for she has to direct the performances, but not even this is necessary in the case of the chief, the one at Sfax being able to talk nothing but Arabic. Neither office is hereditary, for special qualifications are required; the man must be honest and possessed of good judgment, the woman must have the virtue of continency—and will almost certainly be a widow or an ancient divorcee. Birth, therefore, has nothing to do with the selection of the person to fill either office.
