Читать книгу Primitive Time-reckoning. A study in the origins and first development of the art of counting time among the primitive and early culture peoples онлайн

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Where two rainy seasons separated by dry seasons occur, a fuller division of the year presents itself. The Babwende have five seasons:—ntombo, from the first rains at the end of September or beginning of October to the ceasing of the great rains at the end of January; kianza, the lesser dry season, to the beginning of the great rains in February; ndolo, the latter part of the rainy season up to sivu, the dry season, which begins in June; and mbangala, in August and September, when the grass withers and is burnt up[294]. The Wadschagga count:—the great rainy season, 4 months; the time of dew, 2 months; the season of heat, about 2 months; the so-called lesser rainy season, 1–2 months; the great heat, about 3 months[295]. The seasons of the Banyankole are determined by the rains. The longer period is termed kyanda and usually has six months: the lesser, akanda, has four, and there are two months called itumba. During the six months very little rain falls, then come a few days of rain followed by four months of dry weather, and after that two other months of rain[296]. A very striking example of the crossing and overlapping of the seasons is afforded by the Bakongo. They have sivu, the cold season, at the beginning of the dry season which commences about May 15; mbangala, the dry season with little or no dew, July to the middle of October, including also mpiaza, the grass-burning season, second half of July, August, and September; masanza, early light rains, latter part of October, November, and December; nkianza, short dry season, most of January and the early part of February; kundi, nsafu, fruit season, end of February to May, including kintombo, heavy rains, March, April, and nkiela, the time when the rains cease, from the beginning to the middle of May[297].