24 May /13

Mumbo Jumbo

In his book Travels into the inland parts of Africa (published 1738) Francis Moore, wrote of a monstrous figure which was called upon to adjudicate when a woman disagreed with her man. It was called Mumbo Jumbo and it would communicate in important sounding language, with a hint of religion but very little substance. Rather unfairly to the female population, the “monster” was in fact a man in disguise and he always found in favour of the male.  The secret was divulged to young males in a rite of passage. While the secret may not have survived, the name has, and its meaning remains unchanged to this day.