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Culture Documents
AKongobaptismisdoneregularlytochildrenorunder7years.
RememberyouMUSTaskthengangaifthechildcanbeinitiated,thisis
onewayyoinitiateachildundersevenyearsthisisoneway:
7TatangangainsidetheNsoNganga(CasaTemplo)willmakeacircle
aroundthechildisbeenbaptizedwith7plantsofthenpungo,andwith
theplants(nkanda)oftheMambaNdianbila(Sacredbath)theheadofthe
childiswashedandafterthatastheTataspraytheLangoMatariis
pourovertheheadandsingingandprayingtothenpungoforthechild,
asthechildisbeenbaptizedforhisprotection,everytatashouldask
forsomethinggoodforthechildasheisbeenbaptized.
whilethisceremonyisgoingonisadvisabletohaveTatasoftrustto
avoidsomeoneaskingsomethingbad,thatcouldbringproblemsforthe
childwholelife,whilethebaptizimisgoingoneachtatamusthavea
nsunga(cigar)andeverytimeastheceremonyisbeendone,smokeonthe
headofthechildbeenbaptizedisblownandLangoMatariispour,while
alltheTatasaresingingandprayingthroughouttheceremonyaround
thebaptized,bytheendtheTataNdimustasktonpungoiftheceremony
hadbeenproperlydoneandnothingismissing.
Sometimesthenpungomightsuggestsomethingelseshouldbedoneforhis
protection.