Customs of African Tribe

Hokitika Guardian, 3 April 1923, Page 1

Customs of African Tribe

PAR 1,1 A.MEXT OF WHISPERS. .Mr I). \\ . Sirke, Xative Commissioner, Northern Rhodesia, gives a highly interesting account of the country of tlie late Paramount Chief l.ewinikn who visited this country lur King Edward's Coronation in Ring - in “BaroLsdand.” ■V remarkable fact about the Barot-e language is that it is to-day an “almost artificially manufactured tongue wliii-li had come into existence during the last fifty years—Sikololo.” The real Simzi or Siluyi language■--which the original Bcchwaua invaders of a hundred years ago brought with them is. Mr Xtirlu- saps, “gradually dying: mit. and to-day is known but to a It w of the blood royal, sons of iinliiuaodieers of State and the like.” ( o.vnxuous toexcib. i he llarot-e “Kolia.” or Parliament, it. may hrVstated without making an invidious eomparisoii. “sit- daily.” Tlici. i- also the Cliief’.s Privy Council. the “Sikalit.” which sits in two sbilts. bv night and by day. Privacy i- carried almost to extremes, since “conversation i s held entirely in wliis-P-rs.” In the Parliament the “junior members of each division speaks tirst." mat the “Xgambelti." or Prime Miiii-tcr. winds, up tlie debate. Agreement is - ignilied by clapping bands. When a matter i s .'.tiled “word i. .cut to the Chief, who sends word back by the ‘a:m- man a- to hi-, approval or otherwise.” In the event of disapproval tlie Prime Minister “goes to the Chief and explains the matter and urges lie, acceptaueo of the ruling of ibe Kotla.’’ It ail sounds rather like our own prirI’anientary manoeuvres in the. time cl' say George the Third. Like most African Tribes, the linroUe lane their peculiar customs. “Triplets are very rare and are considered had. One is killed, and two left alive, the reason being that the mother has on.lv two breasts.”

Ij ii hecomrs known, that a woman. Married or single, has proem cd abortion. .she is taken by the ollu r women cl the village and the hair of lur head is pulled out bv the roots. AI EX DO WOMEN'S WORK.

"I lie usual di\isi ni uf labour between l be sexes is reversed among the AH liida tl ihe.

These people will often admit they arc the slave to their womenfolk. The average J.nmla womans' daily work itishiog. which they do by wading along the sides of streams, pushing a large wicket basket in front ol them. I lie Alunila men use the hoe as well as the axe. and tend their gardens. grind meal for porridge, plaster their bills, and do alt the work that is generally supposed bv other tribes to he women > work only.

If very close relatives in Uarolsckiml meet, in addition to ‘caking and kissing hands, they ‘ . pray each other with spittle.” Men seldom eat with their wives, as a man who does so is considered greedy o nthe principle that being stronger than his wife he will grab the largest and best portions. There are interesting photographs. The frontispiece shows the late Paramount Chief l.ewaniko seated ; at a respectful distance his kneeling body si rvatit, holds reverentially with both hands the sacred symbol of civilisation

- the C'liiei*s top-bat. Attention .should be given, Sii 11. li. Johnston urges, to tlie relation that WV'stem Baru.seland bears to tb. “growing menace of South A.L'icn. 'the spread of the Kalahari Desert, the drying up of once fully habitable land, the cause of ruin in South AuIjola. iu Eastern Datmu-aiand. and the va.-t dead region, north, cast south ml w»:•>! ot Lake Ngarni.