name” (ɛb-usueni [ ˩ \ ˩ ˩ ] “name-
mentioning charm”) and a
charm speaking by itself (oʋi‿ɛɽ̃i^
ʋ̃i [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˦ ˩ ] “son of the Under-
world”) procure them more
clients than the other oracle
doctors have. This fact, together
with their acting as witch
doctors, enables them to make
a living by being doctors only,
without additional farm work.
Their knowledge of herbs is,
however, said to be smaller than
that of the eb-ɔɽ̃ɔ̃mila [ ˩ ˥ ˦ ˩ ˩ ].
An ɔb-akpɛlɛ [ ˩ \ ˩ ˩ ] is mostly an
Olokũ [ ˥ ˥ ˦ ] priest, i.e. not a
priest at a public shrine, but he
has a bigger Olokũ shrine in his
house than an ordinary Olokũ
shrine. Many of his clients come
to his Olokũ shrine and bring
things for the yearly Olokũ
sacrifice (eh-olokũ [ ˩ ˥ ˥ ˦ ]). The
oracle method is learnt in about
six months’ time. During this
time the pupil keeps his akpɛlɛ
[ ˩ ˩ ˩ ] in a pot at his Olokũ
shrine (which nearly every adult
possesses). Charms are also put
into the pot, and the akpɛlɛ
has first been charmed by the
teacher, a full communal Olokũ
priest. Afterwards the akpɛlɛ
is put on an ukpabɔ [ ˩ ˩ ˩ ] tray
and taken to some cross-roads
(ada [ ˩ ˩ ]) where it is charmed
again and buried with the charm
for a fortnight “in order to see
the truth”. (Ada being a meet-
ing place for witches, spirits,
etc., anything hidden there sees
them.) Akpɛlɛ and Ogwɛga have
to be familiar with witches be-
cause they procure food for the
witches by indicating pacifica-
