The name is absent

represented the spiritual newness of the individual. The application of the
banana leaves often involved walking through the arch seven times giving it
added meaning which is why it is viewed as an instrumental symbol type.

The list covered in this Oath Symbol Type section represents some of the
symbols that were used in different Mau Mau oathing ceremonies; this is far from
being a complete list. As a result, the model has been designed to treat this as a
separate object because the symbols were not fixed. It is questionable if a
complete list is even possible based on the dynamic nature of oathing
ceremonies. After all oathing administrators had flexibility in the symbols they
used. They were trusted to make sure the initiates were accepted into Mau Mau.
Therefore, they used whatever they needed to invoke the spirits, and they
followed the guidance of the higher power in determining what to use and what it
was to represent. They also used what was available at the particular oathing
time.

The symbol types presented are displayed and described as examples of
the complexity, impromptu nature, and cleverness of the ceremonial acts and
embedded gestures in order to create a performance that would impact
participants. The symbols were powerful because of their cultural and historical
group association. For example, holding a sword and moving it over the head
seven times while uttering oathing statements was an act that was designed to
invoke the power of the oath.⁶² The collection of symbols was assembled for
each particular oath instance to create a Mau Mau oath experience that would
unify, strengthen, create secrecy, and prepare participants for war.

⁶² KNA MLA 1/986 - CC 103/54 Rex vs. Rueben Mbwika, p. 2

98

<<   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   >>

More intriguing information