The Roamer of the PlainMrs. Kercher Background Information

The Baronga Tribe A group from southeastern Africa in the

country of Mozambique Bantu-speaking language The group is a part of the Thonga nation Live in small villages The villages have a hereditary leader

who is aided by a council of family heads

Totemism The belief focused around a mystical relationship

between a group of people and a specific plant or animal.

This practice developed when people first began to cultivate the soil.

It reflects their dependence on the natural world. Early farmers believed that animals have human

emotions and that they are equal or superior to humans in intelligence and strength. Therefore, this belief fostered respect.

The Tale Told by Henry Junod and first published

in 1898. Unlike a myth, which conveys

supernatural power, this tale conveys the psychological power that the fear of supernatural phenomena can have over the human mind.