You are here

La Messa che se dice p[er] questi deserti e sempre alla Campagna non havendo Chiesa si pone l’altare portatile sotto un Arbore; e la gente sta t[u]tta alla campagna 1: altar Portatile 2: Sacerde che celebra 3: Dembo1 che stà alla messa 4:paggi, 5: altri paggi piu grandi 6: macotti2 7: cortigiani 8: pagio che p[er] lo piu tiene la Pipa da fumare de suo Sig:e

The Mass that is said in these deserts is always in open air since there are no churches the portable altar is placed under a Tree and people are all outdoors 1: Portable altar 2: Priest who celebrates 3: Dembo who is at mass 4: pages 5: other older pages 6: macotti 7 courtiers 8: page who what is more holds the smoking pipe of his Lord

  • 1. Referring to the Dembos or Ndembo. See Madeira Santos, "Écrire le pouvoir en Angola."
  • 2. From Kimbundu, makota: important person. See "os maiores" in Bernardo Maria de Cannecattim, Collecção de observações grammaticaes sobre a lingua bunda, ou angolense (Lisbon: Impressão regia, 1805), 145-46.
Do you have insights you'd like to share? We welcome comments that help further the conversation about this object (such as references of comparative material, notes on translation, etc.) Comments are moderated prior to appearing on the site.