[W. African; generally thought to be a. F. joujou toy, plaything.] An object of any kind superstitiously venerated by West African native tribes, and used as a charm, amulet, or means of protection; a fetish. Also, the supernatural or magical power attributed to such objects, or the system of observances connected therewith; also, a ban or interdiction effected by means of such an object (corresponding to the Polynesian taboo).
1894. Amanda Smith, Autobiog., xxvii. 215. The first thing we saw on entering was … a large juju, the head of an elephant.
1897. Mary Kingsley, W. Africa, ii. 38. I shall never forget one tribe I was once among, who, whenever I sat down on one of their benches, used to smash eggs round me for ju-ju. Ibid., xi. 239. The extinguisher-shaped juju filled with medicine and made of iron is against drowning—the red juju is ‘for keep foot in path.’ Ibid., 396. There is always a fire-doctor, who by means of ju-ju, backed as ju-ju often is by sound common sense and local knowledge, decides which is the proper day to set the grass on fire.
1897. A. Boisragon, The Benin Massacre, ii. 29. The Niger Coast … is still the land of Juju. Juju here is everything, religion, superstition, custom, anything.
1900. H. Bindloss, Ainslie’s Ji-Ju, i. 10. The black head-men haye got the fetish priests to put a ‘Ju-Ju’ or taboo on the water-ways.
b. attrib.
1897. Mary Kingsley, W. Africa, 19. These other charms are supplied by the ju-ju priests. Ibid., 278. They desired to collect the head of a gentleman for their Ju Ju house.
1897. Rear-Adm. Rawson, Disp., in Daily News, 8 May, 6/3. In the main ju-ju compound the smell of human blood was indescribably sickening.
1897. A. Boisragon, The Benin Massacre, ii. 30. Nothing seemed to be celebrated properly in this Juju land unless it was accompanied by the death of some unfortunates.
Hence Jujuism, the system of beliefs and observances connected with jujus, jaju religion; Jujuist, an observer of or believer in this.
1897. Mary Kingsley, W. Africa, 455. He is regarded by good sound ju-juists as leading an irregular and dissipated life. Ibid. (1899), W. Afr. Stud., App. i. 559. Not only is the teaching of Christianity opposed to Ju-Juism, but it is also opposed to the whole fabric of native customs other than Ju-Juism.
