pagan and christian creeds-第9章

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　return　to　this　subject　presently；　and　more　than　once；　with　the　view　of　clarifying　it。　Just　now　it　will　be　best　to　illustrate　the　nature　of　Totems　generally；　and　in　some　detail。

＇1＇　See　Orpheus　by　S。　Reinach；　p。　3。


As　would　be　gathered　from　what　I　have　just　said；　there　is　found　among　all　the　more　primitive　peoples；　and　in　all　parts　of　the　world；　an　immense　variety　of　totem…names。　The　Dinkas；　for　instance；　are　a　rather　intelligent　well…grown　people　inhabiting　the　upper　reaches　of　the　Nile　in　the　vicinity　of　the　great　swamps。　According　to　Dr。　Seligman　their　clans　have　for　totems　the　lion；　the　elephant；　the　crocodile；　the　hippopotamus；　the　fox；　and　the　hyena；　as　well　as　certain　birds　which　infest　and　damage　the　corn；　some　plants　and　trees；　and　such　things　as　rain；　fire；　etc。　〃Each　clan　speaks　of　its　totem　as　its　ancestor；　and　refrains　＇as　a　rule＇　from　injuring　or　eating　it。〃＇1＇　The　members　of　the　Crocodile　clan　call　themselves　〃brothers　of　the　crocodile。〃　The　tribes　of　Bechuana…land　have　a　very　similar　list　of　totem…namesthe　buffalo；　the　fish；　the　porcupine；　the　wild　vine；　etc。　They　too　have　a　Crocodile　clan；　but　they　call　the　crocodile　their　FATHER！　The　tribes　of　Australia　much　the　same　again；　with　the　differences　suitable　to　their　country；　and　the　Red　Indians　of　North　America　the　same。　Garcilasso；　della　Vega；　the　Spanish　historian；　son　of　an　Inca　princess　by　one　of　the　Spanish　conquerors　of　Peru　and　author　of　the　well…known　book　Commentarias　Reales；　says　in　that　book　（i；　57）；　speaking　of　the　pre…Inca　period；　〃An　Indian　（of　Peru）　was　not　considered　honorable　unless　he　was　descended　from　a　fountain；　river　or　lake；　or　even　from　the　sea；　or　from　a　wild　animal；　as　a　bear；　lion；　tiger；　eagle；　or　the　bird　they　call　cuntur　（condor）；　or　some　other　bird　of　prey。〃＇2＇　According　to　Lewis　Morgan；　the　North　American　Indians　of　various　tribes　had　for　totems　the　wolf；　bear；　beaver；　turtle；　deer；　snipe；　heron；　hawk；　crane；　loon；　turkey；　muskrat；　pike；　catfish；　carp；　buffalo；　elk；　reindeer；　eagle；　hare；　rabbit；　snake；　reed…grass；　sand；　rock；　and　tobacco…plant。

＇1＇　See　The　Golden　Bough；　vol。　iv；　p。　31。

＇2＇　See　Andrew　Lang；　Custom　and　Myth；　p。　104；　also　Myth；　Ritual　and　Religion；　vol。　i；　pp。　71；　76；　etc。


So　we　might　go　on　rather　indefinitely。　I　need　hardly　say　that　in　more　modern　and　civilized　life；　relics　of　the　totem　system　are　still　to　be　found　in　the　forms　of　the　heraldic　creatures　adopted　for　their　crests　by　different　families；　and　in　the　bears；　lions；　eagles；　the　sun；　moon　and　stars　and　so　forth；　which　still　adorn　the　flags　and　are　flaunted　as　the　insignia　of　the　various　nations。　The　names　may　not　have　been　ORIGINALLY　adopted　from　any　definite　belief　in　blood…relationship　with　the　animal　or　other　object　in　question；　but　when；　as　Robertson　says　（Pagan　Christs；　p。　104）；　a　〃savage　learned　that　he　was　'a　Bear'　and　that　his　father　and　grandfather　and　forefathers　were　so　before　him；　it　was　really　impossible；　after　ages　in　which　totem…　names　thus　passed　current；　that　he　should　fail　to　assume　that　his　folk　were　DESCENDED　from　a　bear。〃

As　a　rule；　as　may　be　imagined；　the　savage　tribesman　will　on　no　account　EAT　his　tribal　totem…animal。　Such　would　naturally　be　deemed　a　kind　of　sacrilege。　Also　it　must　be　remarked　that　some　totems　are　hardly　suitable　for　eating。　Yet　it　is　important　to　observe　that　occasionally；　and　guarding　the　ceremony　with　great　precautions；　it　has　been　an　almost　universal　custom　for　the　tribal　elders　to　call　a　feast　at　which　an　animal　（either　the　totem　or　some　other）　IS　killed　and　commonly　eatenand　this　in　order　that　the　tribesmen　may　absorb　some　virtue　belonging　to　it；　and　may　confirm　their　identity　with　the　tribe　and　with　each　other。　The　eating　of　the　bear　or　other　animal；　the　sprinkling　with　its　blood；　and　the　general　ritual　in　which　the　participants　shared　its　flesh；　or　dressed　and　disguised　themselves　in　its　skin；　or　otherwise　identified　themselves　with　it；　was　to　them　a　symbol　of　their　community　of　life　with　each　other；　and　a　means　of　their　renewal　and　salvation　in　the　holy　emblem。　And　this　custom；　as　the　reader　will　perceive；　became　the　origin　of　the　Eucharists　and　Holy　Communions　of　the　later　religions。

Professor　Robertson…Smith's　celebrated　Camel　affords　an　instance　of　this。＇1＇　It　appears　that　St。　Nilus　（fifth　century）　has　left　a　detailed　account　of　the　occasional　sacrifice　in　his　time　of　a　spotless　white　camel　among　the　Arabs　of　the　Sinai　region；　which　closely　resembles　a　totemic　communion…　feast。　The　uncooked　blood　and　flesh　of　the　animal　had　to　be　entirely　consumed　by　the　faithful　before　daybreak。　〃The　slaughter　of　the　victim；　the　sacramental　drinking　of　the　blood；　and　devouring　in　wild　haste　of　the　pieces　of　still　quivering　flesh；　recall　the　details　of　the　Dionysiac　and　other　festivals。〃＇2＇　Robertson…Smith　himself　says：〃The　plain　meaning　is　that　the　victim　was　devoured　before　its　life　had　left　the　still　warm　blood　and　flesh　。　。　。　and　that　thus　in　the　most　literal　way；　all　those　who　shared　in　the　ceremony　absorbed　part　of　the　victim's　life　into　themselves。　One　sees　how　much　more　forcibly　than　any　ordinary　meal　such　a　rite　expresses　the　establishment　or　confirmation　of　a　bond　of　common　life　between　the　worshipers；　and　also；　since　the　blood　is　shed　upon　the　altar　itself；　between　the　worshipers　and　their　god。　In　this　sacrifice；　then；　the　significant　factors　are　two：　the　conveyance　of　the　living　blood　to　the　godhead；　and　the　absorption　of　the　living　flesh　and　blood　into　the　flesh　and　blood　of　the　worshippers。　Each　of　these　is　effected　in　the　simplest　and　most　direct　manner；　so　that　the　meaning　of　the　ritual　is　perfectly　transparent。〃

＇1＇　See　his　Religion　of　the　Semites；　p。　320。

＇2＇　They　also　recall　the　rites　of　the　Passoverthough　in　this　latter　the　blood　was　no　longer　drunk；　nor　the　flesh　eaten　raw。


It　seems　strange；　of　course；　that　men　should　eat　their　totems；　and　it　must　not　by　any　means　be　supposed　that　this　practice　is　（or　was）　universal；　but　it　undoubtedly　obtains　in　some　cases。　As　Miss　Harrison　says　（Themis；　p。　123）；　〃you　do　not　as　a　rule　eat　your　relations；〃　and　as　a　rule　the　eating　of　a　totem　is　tabu　and　forbidden；　but　（Miss　Harrison　continues）　〃at　certain　times　and　under　certain　restrictions　a　man　not　only　may；　but　MUST；　eat　of　his　totem；　though　only　sparingly；　as　of　a　thing　sacrosanct。〃　The　ceremonial　carried　out　in　a　communal　way　by　the　tribe　not　only　identifies　the　tribe　with　the　totem　（animal）；　but　is　held；　according　to　early　magical　ideas；　and　when　the　animal　is　desired　for　food；　to　favor　its　manipulation。　The　human　tribe　partakes　of　the　mana　or　life…force　of　the　animal；　and　is　strengthened；　the　animal　tribe　is　sympathetically　renewed　by　the　ceremonial　and　multiplies　exceedingly。　The　slaughter　of　the　sacred　animal　and　（often）　the　simultaneous　outpouring　of　human　blood　seals　the　compact　and　confirms　the　magic。　This　is　well　illustrated　by　a　ceremony　of　the　'Emu'　tribe　referred　to　by　Dr。　Frazer：

〃In　order　to　multiply　Emus　which　are　an　important　article　of　food；　the　men　of　the　Emu　totem　in　the　Arunta　tribe　proceed　as　follows：　They　clear　a　small　spot　of　level　ground；　and　opening　veins　in　their　arms　they　let　the　blood　stream　out　until　the　surface　of　the　ground　for　a　space　of　about　three　square　yards　is　soaked　with　it。　When　the　blood　has　dried　and　caked；　it　forms　a　hard　and　fairly　impermeable　surface；　on　which　they　paint　the　sacred　design　of　the　emu　totem；　especially　the　parts　of　the　bird　which　they　like　best　to　eat；　namely；　the　fat　and　the　eggs。　Round　this　painting　the　men　sit　and　sing。　Afterwards　performers　wearing　long　head…dresses　to　represent　the　long　neck　and　small　head　of　the　emu；　mimic　the　appearance　of　the　bird　as　it　stands　aimlessly　peering　about　in　all　directions。〃＇1＇

＇1＇　The　Golden　Bough　i；　85with　reference　to　Spencer　and　Gillen's　Native　Tribes　of　Central　Australia；　pp。　179；　189。


Thus　blood　sacrifice　comes　in；　and（whether　this　has　ever　actually　happened　in　the　case　of　the　Central　Australians　I　know　not）we　can　easily　imagine　a　member　of　the　Emu　tribe；　and　disguised　as　an　actual　emu；　having　been　ceremonially　slaughtered　as　a　firstfruits　and　promise　of　the　expected　and　prayed…for　emu…crop；　just　as　the　same　certainly　HAS　happened　in　the　case　of　men　wearing　beast…masks　of　Bulls　or　Rams　or　Bears　being　sacrificed　in　propitiation　of　Bull…gods；　Ram…gods　or　Bear…gods　or　simply　in　pursuance　of　some　kind　of　magic　to　favor　the　multiplication　of　these　food…animals。

〃In　the　light　of　totemistic　ways　of　thinking　we　see　plainly　enough　the　relation　of　man　to　food…animals。　You　need　or　at　least　desire　flesh　food；　yet　you　shrink　from　slaughtering　'your　brother　the　ox'；　you　desire　his　mana；　yet　you　respect　his　tabu；　for　in　you　and　him　alike　runs　the　common　life…blood。　On　your　own　individual　responsibility　you　would　never　kill　him；　but　for　the　common　weal；　on　great　occasions；　and　in　a　fashion　conducted　with　scrupulous　care；　it　is　expedient　that　he　die　for　his　people；　and　that　they　feast　upon　his　flesh。〃＇1＇

＇1＇　Themis；　p。　140。


In　her　little　book　Ancient　Art　and　Ritual＇1＇　Jane　Harrison　describes　the　dedication　of　a　holy　Bull；　as　conducted　in　Greece　at　Elis；　and　at　Magnesia　and　other　cities。　〃There　at　the　annual　fair　year　by　year　the　stewards　of　the　city　bought　a　Bull　'the　finest　that　could　be　got；'　and　at　the　new　moon　of　the　month　at　the　beginning　of　seed…time　＇？　April＇　they　dedicated　it　for　the　city's　welfare。　。　。　。　The　Bull　was　led　in　procession　at　the　head　of　which　went　the　chief　priest　and　priestess　of　the　city。　With　them　went　a　herald　and　sacrificer；　and　two　bands　of　youths　and　maidens。　So　holy　was　the　Bull　that　nothing　unlucky　might　come　near　him。　The　herald　pronounced　aloud　a　prayer　for　'the　safety　of　the　city　and　the　land；　and　the　citizens；　and　the　women　and　children；　for　peace　and　wealth；　and　for　the　bringing　forth　of　grain　and　all　other　fruits；　and　of　cattle。'　All　this　longing　for　fertility；　for　food　and　children；　focuses　round　the　holy　Bull；　whose　holiness　is　his　strength　and　fruitfulness。〃　The　Bull　is　sacrificed。　The　flesh　is　divided　in　solemn　feast　among　those　who　take　part　in　the　procession。　〃The　holy　flesh　is　not　offered　to　a　god；　it　is　eatento　every　man　his　portionby　each　and　every　citizen；　that　he　may　get　his　share　of　the　strength　of　the　Bull；　of　the　luck　of　the　State。〃　But　at　Athens　the　Bouphonia；　as　it　was　called；　was　followed　by　a　curious　ceremony。　〃The　hide　was　stuffed　with　straw　and　sewed　up；　and　next　the　stuffed　animal　was　set　on　its　feet　and　yoked　to　a　plough　as　though　it　were　ploughing。　The　Death　is　followed　by　a　Resurrection。　Now　this　is　all　important。　We　are　accustomed　to　think　of　sacrifice　as　the　death；　the　giving　up；　the　renouncing　of　something。　But　SACRIFICE　does　not　mean　'death'　at　all。　It　means　MAKING　HOLY；　sanctifying；　and　holiness　was　to　primitive　man　just　special　strength　and　life。　What　they　wanted　from　the　Bull　was　just　that　special　life　and　strength　which　all　the　year　long　they　had　put　into　him；　and　nourished　and　fostered。　That　life　was　in　his　blood。　They　could　not　eat　that　flesh　nor　drink　that　blood　unless　they　killed　him。　So　he　must　die。　But　it　was　not　to　give　him　up　to　the　gods　that　they　killed　him；　not　to　'sacrifice'　him　in　our　sense；　but　to　have　him；　keep　him；　eat　him；　live　BY　him　and　through　him；　by　his　grace。〃

＇1＇　Home　University　Library；　p。　87。


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