Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1858-01-30
From eLivingstones Travels in Central Airica."l
MANNERS AND CUSTOMS IN CENTRAL
AFRICA,

FROM NIlVlnRstOneb travels IN central Africa.
MANNERS AND CUSTOMS IN CENTRAL
AFRICA.
Relation By Blood.-Sambanza gave us de-
tailed account of the political affairs Of the coun-
try, and next morning performed the ceremony
called "kdsendi," for comerting our friendship.
1t is accomplished thus The hands of the parties
ars joined, (in this case Piisane and Sambanza
were the persons engaged } small incisions are
made on the clasped hands, on the pits of the
stomach of each, and on the right cheeks and
foreheads. a small quantity of blood is taken of
from these points in both parties by means of
stalk of grass. The blood from one person is put
into pot OF beer, and that of the second into
another each then drinks the others blood, and
they are supposed to become perpetual friends
or relations. During the drinking of the beer
some Of the party continue beating the ground
with short clubs, and utter sentences by way of
ratifying the treaty. The men belonging to
each then finish the beer. The principals in the
performance of "kasendt' are henceforth con
sidered blood relations, and are bound to disclose
to each other any impending evil,
They now presented each other with the most
valuable presents they had to bestow. Samoan.
"a walked of with Pitsanc's suit of green baze
faced with red, which had been made in Loanda,
and Psane, besides abundant supplies OF food,
obtained two shells.
Monte NJ BedWfying MemSelres.-All the Ba-
ioka tribes follow the curious custom of knocking
out the upper front ieeih at The aye of puberty.
This is done by both sexes and though the un-
der teeth being relieved from the attrition of the
upper, grow long and somewhat bent out, and
thereby cause the under lip to protrude in most
unsighUy way, no young woman thinks herself
accomplished until she has got rid of the up
per incisiors. This custom gives all the Batoka
an uneouth, old-man like appearance. Their
laugh is hldeous, yet they are so attached TO 1t
that even Sebtuane was unable to eradicate the
the practice. lie issued orders that none of the
children living under him should be subjected
to the custom by their parents, and disobedlencc
to his mandates was usually punished with SC.
verify, but notwithstanding this, the children
would appear in the streets without their incisors
and no one would confess 10 the deed.
When questioned respecting the origin of this
practice, the Batoka reply that their object is to
be like oxen, and those who retain their teeth
they consider to resemble zebras. Whether this
is the true reason or not it is difficult to say
but il is noticeable that the veneraton for oxen
which prevails in many tribes should here be as
sociated with hatred 10 the zebra as among the
Bakwains; that this operation is performed al
the same age that circumcision is in other tribes :;
and that here the ceremony is unknown. The
teeth is considered ugly, and, occasionally, when
the Batoka borrowed my looking-glass. the dis
| paragng remark would be made respecting boys
and girls who still retained their teeth. "Look at
the great teeth !" Some of the Aiakololo give
more facetious explanation of the custom they
say that the wife of chief having in quarrel
bitten her husbands hand, he in revenge. or
dercd her front teeth to be knocked out, and all
the men in the tribe followed his example; but
this does not explain why they afterwards knock
| cd out their own.
/ The women here are in the habit of piercing
the upper lip, and gradually enlarging the orihce
until they can insert she'll The lip then ap-
pears drawn out beyond the perpendicular of the
nose, and gives them most ungainly aspect
/ Sekwebu remarked "1hese women want TO
make their mouths like those of ducks; and
indeed, it does appear as if they had the idea
tlat female beauty of lip had been attained by
the OraithorhynchiS pGrddorus alone. This Gus
tom prevails throughout the country Of the Mara
vi and no one could see it without contessing
that fashion had never led women TO freak more
mad.
Oriedl for Uhchcraft.--As we came away
from Monlna's village, witch doctor, who had
been sent for arrived, and all Monina's wives
wen, forth into the fields that morning fasting
! There they would be compelled to drink an in
y
as an ordeal. This ceremony is called "muavi,"
and is performed in this way When a man
suspects that any of his wives has bewitched him.
he sends for the witch doctor, and all the wives
60 forth into the field and remain fasting till
that person has made an infusion of the plant
They all drink it, each one holding up her hand
to Heaven in attestation of her nnocency. Those
who vomit it are considered innocent, while those
whom it purges are pronounced guilty, and put
to death by burning. The innocent return to
their homes and slaughter cock as a thank
offering to their guardian spirits. The practice
OF ordeal is common among all the negro nations
north of the Iambesi. This summary procedure
excited my surprise, for my intercourse with the
natives here had led me to believe that the wo-
men were held in so much estimation that the
men would not dare get rid of them thus. But
the explanation received was this the slight
est imputaton makes them eagerly desire the
test they are conscious of being innocent, and
have the fullest faith in the muavi detecting the
guilty alone; hence they 90 willingly, and even
eagerly, to drink it. When in Angola, half
caste was pointed out to me who is one of the
most successful merchants in that country and
the mother of this gentleman, who was perfectly
free, went of her own accord, all the way from
Ambacs to Cassange, TO be killed by the orde-
al, her rich son making no objection. The same
custom prevails among the Barotse, Bashubia,
and Batoka, but with slight variations. The
Barotse, for instance, pour the medicine down
the throat of a cock or dog, and judge of the
innocence or guilt of the person accused by the
vomiting or purgny of the animal. happened
10 mention TO my own men the water-test for
witches formerly in use in Scotland; the sup
posed witch, being hound hand and foot, was
thrown into pond if she floated, she was con-
sdered guilty, taken out and burned but if she
sank and was drowned, she was pronounced in
nocent The wisdom OF my ancestors excited as
much wonder in their minds as their custom did
in mine.
The PARsoN's RETRDUToN-Thec captu-
lation of Charleston was serious blow to the
American cause ; but the British commander too
Al. La IL Il Il