There is, among all these tribes [of the Ashanti hinterland], a peculiar horror of a father ever having sexual intercourse with a son’s wife. This idea is seen reflected in the terminology employed to designate the latter’s relationship to her father-in-law, and vice versa. . . . [Among other designations of son’s wife are "child," "mother," "grandmother."] "She is not [they say] your wife; she is not your lover; you may not even sit together on the same mat; she is the same as your daughter; you would be killed by the Spirits if you had sexual intercourse with her; if you even ever dream you do so, you must give a sheep or goat to the Spirits and confess."¹

It will be noted also that among the Banyankole just mentioned classificatory claims yield to incest concepts and that mother’s sister and mother’s sister’s daughter are excluded from these relationships as equivalents of mother and daughter.

¹Rattray, R.S.n/an/an/an/a, , 1: 6 (Clarendon Press. By permission).