Jasper County Democrat, Volume 3, Number 31, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 November 1900 — Worshiping a Turtle. [ARTICLE]

Worshiping a Turtle.

At a place called Kotron, on the French Ivory Coast, the natives believe that to eat or destroy a turtle would mean death to the guilty one or sickness among tfie family. The fetich men, of which these are plenty, declare that years ago a ifian went to sea fishing. In the night his canoe was thrown upon the beach empty. Three’days afterward a turtle came ashore at the same place with the man on its back alive and well. Since that time they have never eaten or destroyed one of that species, although they enjoy other species. If one happens now to be washed ashore, there is a great commotion in the town. Firstly, the women sit down and start singing and beating sticks; next a gmall piece of white cloth (color must be white) is placed on the turtle’s back. Food is then prepared and placed on the cloth, generally plantains, rice and palm oil. Then, amid a lot more singing, dancing and antics of the fetich people, it is carried back into tlie sea and goes on its way rejoicing