Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-10-17
ABYSSINIAN WOMEN.
civic and Religious MarriaSe-Their
Curious SMperstiliOnS.

II
Romance is rare in Abyssinia. When a girl
mas reached the discreet age OF eight or nine
Sne Is considered TO be in the matrimonial
market. If she owns few cattle or some
other desirable property, q boy with half her
wealth generally proposes to her father for her,
and bargain is driven over her quite as If she
had no more sentiment in her than COW,
which doubtless is often the case. The engage
ment lasts usually three or four months.
Though the groom often sees his prospective
fither-in-law, he never lays eyes upon the
bride unless he can bride some female friend to
allow him a stolen glance. The bride-tO-be
| may previously have romped with her
intended for years, but she would run
screaming away if he were now to appear before
her. In some parts of the country the super
stition is rife that any woman leaving her
| fathers house between betrothal and marriage
draws near. the girl is washed, an event SO rare
as to call for special note, in pond where a
| certa In saints day Is celebrated for being the
epoch of the sole annual abIution of most of the
Inhabitants, and n ddss or bower of green
branches over a frame of stakes is erected. In
this q great feast is given on the day before
the marriage. All the hungry idlers round
about strive by hook or crook to get in, and,
squatting down on the ground, they gorge them
selves with the quivering raw meat of the COW
that has just been killed and with other Abys-
snian deiicacies. The distinguished guests
head and getting them well creased for their
pains. Meanwhile a similar least is given in
the grooms abode, and next morning he starts
out with his friends, and from six to twelve
dTEees or bridesmen. They rig themselves up
in all the plumage they can possibly borrow
and on approaching the brides house, fire off
their guns and have a sort of sham fight with a
view, perhaps, to allay the grOom's nervousness.
when the happy man has taken the seat Of
honor in the bridal bower his bride is brought
In, wrapped up in a cloth almost like a mummy,
and placed upon a STOOL Then the groom is
before him; they crook their fingers together
un9er the cloth, or, perhaps, kiss one another,
and after any priest or elder present has given
some sage advice, the marriage settlement of
what each is TO bring is finally entered upon,
the last, but not the least important part of the
ceremony.
Such are the civil marriages, lightly entered
into and as lightly broken. On the shortest no
tice ana for the slightest cause a couple will
separate, the property being usually divided,
the man taking the boys, the woman the girls.
Church marriages are more rare and are
have partaken of the Holy Sacrament together
they are united until DEATH
.. Women often call each other such names as
my heart" ''my mirror, my enchantment,"
and men address women as soft lips" pretty
friend; "man-slayer." There seems to be a
great desire to conceal the real Names and this
Is due to singular superstition. The
Abysssinians believe, rs did the ancient Jews,
mat the devil often takes possession of individ-
garded with peculiar awe; they are supposed
on occasions to change themselves into hyenas;
into any human being whose true name
they can discover and play all man
ner OF antics, hence II Is very desirable to re-
main anony nous. The devil possessing person
is usually called Boud0. and he does such an ex-
tensve business that many people have found
it worth while TO claim the power of exercising
him. These eXOrcists are u public nuisance
One of them steals into u group and prOnOunceS
the mystic word Bouda. when all are glad
enough to give something in order to escape
the accusation of being possessed. If gifts are
not forthcoming. the eXOrcist has the right to
make every one smell connection OF foul
herbs and bones, and he VINO fiinches is ac-
cused. Generally women are the ones to be
cursed with the Bouda, and any traveller in
Abyssina will have some such story as the
following to relate: One of his female ser
Nants-never does a man make journey
in the country without a little host of them
complains OF faintneSS and soon after sunset
she lapses into uncOnsciousness. The natives
declare she is possessed, and by the weird
may be seen crouching around her rigid BODY
The traveller holds liquid ammonia under her
nose without effect; nothing short of vivisection
seems likely to move her, and, as the case is
beyond him, he gives IL up to the amateur or
professional eXOrciSt, who soon appears. The
woman laughs or raves soon as the exorcist
comes near her; she bites and kicks and imi-
tates the unearthly noise made by the hyena.
Halt dozen men find Ii hard work to hold her.
but, after binding her with leather thongs, they
carry her to grassy spot, and the cOnjurer be-
gins operations He lays an amulet on the pa
vile compound, and the moment her madness is
somewhat abated he begins dialogue with the
Boudo, who answers in the woman's voice. The
devil Is invited to come out in III name of all
the saints, but a threat to treat him with some
red hot Goals Is usually more potent and after
he has promised to obey he seeks to delay his
exit by asking for something to eat. Filth and
dirt are mixed and hidden under BUSH when
the woman crawls to the sickening repast and
gulpS il down with avidity. Then she raises a
stone that would tax the strength of three men,
whirls it round her head and fails senseless to-
the ground. When she RECEIVERS she knows
nothing Of what has taken place. Though this
possession By the BOutd is probably often only
feigned, there have been cases which have puZ-
zled the most intelligent of observers 1t has
been thought to resemble hysteria or epilepsy
but, whatever il may be, it is well adapted to
investing AbySsinian women with additional
interest, to giving man one more motive for
that incessant study of wOman's complex ma
ture, everywhere necessary and desirable.