ABSTRACT
Hie person who carries out divinations is called a chitaha or tahi by the Luena and Chokwe. As the same method may be used to discover whether witchcraft or some other supernatural agency has been at work, the diviner is also the witch-finder, and a few tahi specialise in this kind of work. The person responsible for “curing” the illness after its cause has been discovered (for example, the person who exorcises the mahamba) has several names: he is called ngangai2) by Lunda and Luena, chimbanda or chimbuke by Luena and Luchazi, mbuke by Chokwe.(3) The cure is performed by administer ing “medicines” or yitumbo to the patient, but more especially by ritual to avert the “cause” of the illness. (Some herbal medicines are used, but these are closely coiyiected with the ritual.) The diviner or tahi may be also a specialist in “cures”, but this is not essential;(4) the tahi may, after divination, recommend his clients to the nganga, chimbandat or mbuke.
