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Please be advised that this information was generated on 2021-09-25 and may be subject to change. 606 Rezensionen de la société tamang, une attention plus grande aux Hauptteil bildet die Lautlehre, die aus zwei Kapiteln phénomènes culturels, la spécificité des Ghale par exem­ besteht: Phonetik und Phonologie (15-42) und Morpho- ple, groupe politiquement dominant à Timling, par rap­ phonemik (43-164), wobei im letzteren die komplexen port aux Tamang. “The work ne ver stops” conclut Tom Lautveränderungen dargestellt werden, denen Morphe­ Fricke. On lui donnera volontiers raison sur se point. me beim Zusammen treten bzw. bei der Reduplikation Gérard Toffin unterworfen sind. Der zweite Hauptteil ist der Morpho­ logie (165-411) gewidmet. Die einzelnen Kapitel be­ handeln: Pronomina, lexikalische Affixe, Verbmorpholo­ Galloway, Brent D.: A Grammar of Upriver Halko- gie, Partikel, Nominalmorphologie, Demonstrativa und melem. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1993. Numeralia, Innerhalb der Darstellung der Morphologie 667 pp. ISBN 0-520-09619-3. (University of California nimmt den größten Raum die Behandlung der recht Publications in Linguistics, 96) Price: $ 70.00 komplexen Verbmorphologie (237-360) ein. Der Syntax Halkomelem gehört zur Zentralgruppe der Salish- wird nur ein eher kurzes Kapitel (412-459) eingeräumt, Sprachen und wird in British Columbia am Frazer River da bereits in die Darstellung der Wortarten und ihrer sowie auf dem Südzipfel von Vancouver Island gespro­ Morphologie viel Information über syntaktische Phäno­ chen. Upriver Halkomelem ist eine von drei Dialekt­ mene eingeflossen ist. gruppen des Halkomelem, das insgesamt noch etwa 50 Im dritten großen Block werden recht ausführlich die ältere Sprecher hat. Die Sprache zeigt wie die ande­ wichtigen semantischen Domänen des Upriver Halko­ ren Sprachen der pazifischen Nordwestküste bestimmte melem (460-637) und das verwendete Lexeminventar typologische Charakteristika, zu denen u. a. umfangrei­ präsentiert. Es finden sich Zusammenstellungen der Ver­ che und komplizierte Konsonantensysteme, verbunden wandtschaftstermini, der scherzhaften oder beleidigen­ mit einer Neigung zu Konsonantenhäufungen, gehören. den Bezeichnungen für anatomische Besonderheiten, der Das Lautinventar umfaßt insbesondere glottalisierte Ver­ Krankheiten und der medizinischen Terminologie, aber schlußlaute und Affrikaten, den Unterschied velar versus auch der Begrifflichkeit des Kanufahrens und des Ka­ postvelar, labialisierte Konsonanten sowie stimmloses nubaus, um nur einige hervorstechende Themen zu nen­ / und eine glottalisierte Lateralaffrikate. Die Silbe hat nen. In diesem Block werden, vielleicht etwas versteckt, die Struktur (s)(K)KV(K)(K)(K)(s), so daß im Wortin- als Kapitel 13.3.4 außerdem Sprechereignisse (612-637) nem und am Wollende bis zu vier Konsonanten ohne behandelt, wobei verschiedene Typen wie Erzählungen, zwischengeschalteten Vokal Vorkommen können. Eini­ Lieder oder Alltagsgespräche kurz charakterisiert wer­ ge Besonderheiten im Lautinventar des Upriver Hal­ den. Zwei Karten nebst Legenden informieren schließ­ komelem widersprechen Aussagen der Sprachtypologen lich über das Sprachgebiet sowie über die Toponymik über universale Eigenschaften von Sprachen: so gibt des Halkomelem. es nur ein Nasalphonem m, nicht aber ein Nasal n, Der Autor beschäftigt sich seit 1970 intensiv mit nur postvelare (uvulare) Verschlußlaute q und q} sowie verschiedenen Salish-Sprachen. Mit der vorliegenden velare mit Lippenrundung kw und k’w, nicht aber die Grammatik, der aktualisierten und erweiterten Fassung einfachen velaren Laute k und ks (diese sind in den einer Dissertation aus dem Jahre 1977, wird das Upri­ n Salish-Sprachen der Zentralgruppe aufgrund historischer ver Halkomelem so kenntnisreich und umfassend doku­ Lautveränderungen zu c bzw. c’ geworden). mentiert, wie es für kleine und dem Aus sterben nahe Das Halkomelem ist in starkem Maße polysynthe- Sprachen sehr selten ist. Michael Dürr tisch, wobei ein umfangreiches Morpheminventar, über­ wiegend Suffixe, sowie verschiedene Reduplikationsmu­ ster Anwendung finden. Das Zusammentreffen von Be­ Gebre-Igziabiher Ely as, Aleqa: Prowess, Piety, and standteilen innerhalb eines Wortes ist dabei oft mit Laut­ Politics. The Chronicle of Abeto Iyasu and Empress veränderungen verbunden. Die morphologische Kom­ Zewditu of Ethiopia (1909 - 1930). Ed. and transl. by R. plexität zeigt sich vor allem beim Verb; auch sind viele K. Molvaer. Köln: Rüdiger Köppe Verlag, 1994. 596 pp. nominale Formen im Halkomelem von verbalen Grund­ ISBN 3-927620-20-3. (Studien zur Kulturkunde, 104) elementen abgeleitet. Dem Sprecher einer europäischen Preis: DM 128,- Sprache so selbstverständlich und obligatorisch erschei­ This edition of an heretofore unpublished chroni­ nende Kennzeichnungen wie Tempus und Numerus sind cle of the reign of the Ethiopian “interim”-ruler Iyasu im Halkomelem optional, dagegen sind Angaben zu (1913-1916) and his successor Empress Zewditu (1916- Raumlage und Gestalt von Objekten stark aus differen­ 1930) is a valuable historical source on a remarkable ziert; auch spielt die Kategorie Kontrolle in der Gram­ though brief period in modern Ethiopian history written matik eine zentrale Rolle, d.h. es muß bei Handlun­ by an Ethiopian insider. It is also an impressive piece of gen durch verschiedene Flexionssufiixe gekennzeichnet text-critical and historical editing by Dr. R. K. Molvaer, werden, ob die Handlung als vom Subjekt absichtlich earlier known from his work on Ethiopian literature and herbeigeführt angesehen wird oder ob nicht. society. “A Grammar of Upriver Halkomelem” gliedert sich The book gives the original text in Amharic (266 pp.) in mehrere Teile. In der Einleitung (1-14) werden An­ as well as in English translation (254 pp.), accompanied gaben über die Datenerhebung gemacht und es wird ein by a preface, introduction, postcript, and an appendix by Abriß der Forschungsgeschichte gegeben. Den ersten the editor. The title of the chronicle, “Prowess, Piety,

Anthropos 90.1995 Rezensionen 607 and Politics”, does not appear in the Amharic original lectuals discussing its history and society, despite there and is presumably the addition of the editor. being a growing number of foreign-educated people. The translation of the text is faithful and very good, Gebre-Igziabiher Elyas was the son of such a person but the editor’s practice of frequently adding alternative (Aleqa Elyas Hailu, who studied in France), and was words or phrasings in brackets (though we were warned a highly educated man, being well-versed in the tradi­ for it by himself, 12) makes it tiresome reading. I will tional Ethiopian fields of Ge’ez literature and poetry, not give examples of instances where the alternative Church culture and history. He was employed at the words (or spelling) are just superfluous for understand­ Court by Empress Zewditu, and later (perhaps with ing, because they are too many and are not points for some reluctance) by Haile Sillasie, who sent him first argument. to the provinces to be a schoolteacher for more than The text is divided in 104 brief “chapters.” The style ten years. In 1944, just after the liberation of Ethiopia is anecdotal, without much of an overall narrative struc­ from Italian fascist rule, Gebre-Igziabiher was again ture weaving the various episodes together in. a coherent asked to write the chronicle, on the basis of an earlier whole. But the account is chronological, presenting the manuscript which was destroyed by the invading Italians events happening in a certain year. Characteristic is also in 1936. But the publication of this last version was the frequent use of biblical allusions and parallels. The never authorized by Haile Sillasie, There were always text contains many dialogues and verbatim statements of tensions between the two, related to the fact that (20) protagonists. Also, interesting poetic verses (e.g., praise in 1930, Gebre-Igziabiher - in a move characteristic poems) made by contemporaries on certain events and for Ethiopian political culture - had destroyed all the persons are cited. Much of the text seems to be based on papers and notes relating to Zewditu (for whom he had notes made by the author during events he witnessed. worked as personal secretary), to prevent Haile Sillasie The editor has annotated the main text in 861 notes, from using them “against her.” This friction attests to which fulfill an essential role. They are a tour de force, the fact, so far not extensively researched, of how much containing a wealth of information on historical dates, Haile Sillasie’s behaviour, values, and politics were - backgrounds of events, complex family relationships, contrary to his carefully polished image - disputed by etc. There is also an excellent index, useful for checking many people within leading strata in Ethiopia. (Another and comparing the many personal names in the text. good example of such criticism is a very interesting Although this work can, by its nature, not be used memoir of Gaitachew Bekele, The Emperor’s Clothes. as an authoritative inteipretation of the Iyasu-Zewditu A Personal Viewpoint on Politics and Administration period, it has new information on many points, e.g., in the Imperial Ethiopian Government, 1941-1974. East military campaigns, power rivalry, political decisions, Lansing 1993.) state policy, and on the power-politics of leading nobles, Gebre-Igziabiher’s view of lyasu is fairly conven­ among them Ras Teferi Mekonnin, the later Emperor tional, but balanced. His description largely reflects the Haile Sillasie I. The chronicle gives new versions of majority opinion of the time in the leading circles of the stories and rumours, so important in Ethiopian history, country. But he also mentions positive things done by about the actions and the lot of these leading persons in the young leader, such as new lawmaking and church- early 20th-century Ethiopia, the inteipretation of which and mosque-building activities (never crowned king or is still partly open. It can thus be used as a major emperor), and inevitably also his much disputed be­ source on that period. A large part of the information haviour (womanizing, spending much time in hunting given was already known in the oral traditions of leading and other leisure activities, impredictable actions, not families and of certain regions, and some of it will, due listening to advice, and his senseless and unprovoked to its petty nature, now be fairly insignificant. But the violence, e.g., massacring and enslaving the “Gimira” historical picture as a whole vividly evokes the values people south of Jimma) for whom he has already been and outlook of the leading strata and of the nature of widely condemned. The chronicle confirms, although politics of the era. In this limited sense, the book can more with a tone of regret rather than severe condem­ be used as a reference work on the period. But it is to nation, that lyasu was simply not enough of a strong be seen as a typical “native historiography” - its claim or smart character to find a balance between the temp­ is to be no more than a chronicle of events and actions tations his powerful position exposed him to and the based on the author’s experience as an eyewitness as call of duty as the national ruler. An interesting ques­ well as on the interviews he had with people who were tion about lyasu has always been whether he, the son eyewitnesses - without being set in a wider academic of the converted ex-Muslim Wello king Ras Mikael, debate. It has no weighing of evidence, no critical use of was “sympathetic” to Islam (i.e., wanted to convert, as sources, and no attempt to inteipret or explain the course his powerful noble opponents later said) or not. This of events except in a general moral sense. Nevertheless, chronicle shows that in his actions he favoured both the the information is very important, and often fascinating Muslims and the Orthodox Christians with privileges to read. and rewards, and that he was trying to accommodate This work stands in a long Ethiopian tradition of both, without being really committed to either, certain­ chronicle-writing. It was, of course, produced in a time ly not to Islam. Would his policy have matured and when Ethiopia did neither have a system of academic would he have given less offence to many people, lyasu higher education nor a well-developed class of intel­ might, perhaps, have devised a better solution to the

Anthropos 90.1995 608 Rezensionen problems of national identity and identification among who, up to the moment of his arrival, were rather isolate, the religiously and ethnically diverse population of the with some slight islamic influence but not yet touched country. But that his policies were always controversial by Christian missions. in many ways is evident from various episodes, e.g., his The German editors have done a quite important forbidding the public mourning for emperor Menilek in service both to ethnologists and to the Tangale people December 1913, his incessant traveling around and his because the materials Father Hall collected long ago are seeking support among lowland Muslim (Afar, Somali), firsthand ones, relating the religious beliefs and attitudes and his ignoring and insulting important sections of the of an African people living in the traditional way. leading nobles, mainly from Shewa. All this is not new, The volume is centered on religion but the diligent but told in great detail in the chronicle. Interesting is the reader will note very useful even if brief expositions recorded reaction of lyasu to the invitation of an Italian on social and economic organization, on the Tangale’s envoy to come to Italian-held Eritrea and be supported Weltanschauung - i.e., on nature, man, and supernatu­ by the authorities there in his quest to regain the throne: ral -, on village’s life, traditional medicine and its prac­ he resolutely rejected the offer (412), so that he was a titioners, and chiefly on witchcraft, a dominant belief staunch nationalist is no longer in doubt. and fear of the single as well as the community. The plot to (successfully) overthrow lyasu and re­ The Supreme being, Yamba, living in the sky, is too place him with Zewditu as queen is given due attention, far away for receiving a cult, even if respected; the world with many names and details, as are the ensuring battles and human life are dominated by a crowd of spirits, at Segale and Meqdala, which were won by Ras Teferi’s benevolent or malignant: in the midst are very important party (who of course became the crown prince and tutelary spirits (shoro) of the individual, house, waters, regent in 1916). The crucial role of War Minister Habte- farms, and so on, The same importance have the spirits Giorgis is duly acknowledged here. After this power of the dead, who necessitate being objects of the cult change, the chronicle is mainly devoted to the evolving and the memory of the living: otherwise they will pun­ policy of Ras Teferi, to his appointments, his modern­ ish the survivor. Life after death is conceived as the ization efforts, and his foreign relations and travels, all same as on earth and for that reason the soul needs before his coronation in 1930 of course. Also details prayers, sacrifices, and offerings, mainly of food. Every of domestic and foreign (Italian, British, and French) individual, animal, and even unanimated things have a intrigues are described. The 89th chapter contains the soul (shirum): only witches with the second sight can description of the coronation ceremony (in 1928) of Ras see spirits, demons, and souls. Teferi/Haile Sillasie as king (not as emperor). Religion, i.e., respect and fear, are present in human As the Postcript says (557), the chronicle has no fully behaviour, from farming and collecting the crops to the negative judgement on lyasu. Neither does the author birth of a son, from marriage to war, from pregnancy state that there were very good reasons to depose him at to head-hunting, from sickness to death. The village is the time. The rest of this Postcript has some further literally enclosed in a number of sacred places, from information on the history of lyasu during and after the village’s tree to the sacred grove, and even the hut his deposition: on the old question of whether he was where people live has its sacred spots; most important considering conversion to Islam during his long stay in is the central place of the compound, where men meet. Harar, on his flight to the Afar and Somali lowlands, I find the editors and the author’s daughters decided his imprisonment at Fiche and later at Gara Mulleta, for the best in leaving the manuscript as near to the and the mysteries around his (and Zewditu ?s) death. original as it was possible: in this way we have in front Many questions still have not been clarified beyond the of us a very important chapter of a native African culture usual level of Ethiopian political gossip and hearsay. before the big changes of the following half-century. The editor feels, however, that the historical role, his A world where man respected his gods and gods were character, and the nature of Iyasu’s rule have not been interested in man and his conduct. Ernesta Cerulli properly assessed, and pleads for a reconsideration, even a “rehabilitation” (569). J. Abbink Har ring, Sidney, L.; Crow Dog’s Case. American Indian Sovereignty, Tribal Law, and United States Law Hall, John S.: Religion, Myth, and Magic in Tan­ in the Nineteenth Century. Cambridge: Cambridge Uni- gale. Ed. by H. Jungraithmayr and J. Adelberger. Köln; versity Press, 1994.301 pp. ISBN 0-521-46716-0. Price: Rüdiger Koppe Verlag, 1994. 215 pp. ISBN 3-927620- £ 14.95 46-7. (Westafrikanische Studien, 5) Preis: DM 54,- Obwohl sich die Vereinigten Staaten ein Rechtssy­ This book is published 70 years after its composition stem geschaffen haben, das sich in nicht wenigen Fällen on the field by a protestant missionaiy, John S. Hall, a der '‘Indianerproblematik” annimmt und - wenngleich scottish, very respectful of the indigenous culture and auch eine ambivalente Beurteilung durchaus möglich ist traditions and also well cultivated, mainly in the field of - die besondere Stellung der Indianer darin hervorhebt, languages. He studied Hebrew, Arabic, French, and later wurden diese Besonderheiten doch in den Forschungen on Hausa, the lingua franca of the area, the Bauchi Prov­ zur US-amerikanischen Rechtsgeschichte bislang weit­ ince in north-eastern Nigeria, where the Rev. worked gehend ausgespart. Vor allem trifft dies auf bestimmte among the Tang ale, a tribe of some 70,000 individuals lokale oder zeitlich begrenzte Untersuchungsfelder zu;

Anthropos 90.1995