OF TREES AND KINGS - POLITICS AND METAPHOR AMONG THE ALUUND OF SOUTHWESTERN ZAIRE

By means of a detailed analysis of the relationship between the politi cal body and a particular species of tree among the Aluund of Southwes tern Zaire, this article demonstrates the specific ways in which tradi tional political structure and ideology are constituted by ritual and vice versa. Secondly, it offers a reflection upon the ways in which ve rnacular concepts are translated into anthropological metalanguage and presents a reconsideration of the currently used concepts of symbol a nd metaphor.