The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1879-03-20
THEY DON'T MIND FLRAs.
The PeeoIIarItiez ana HabHta Of the zulu
EKGGsrss
New York World
New York World.


The Zulu Kzfirs are 3 fine, muscular
race of men, very black. and infinitely
superior in every respect to the Finios
Tor " dogs,' for such in the Kafir isn>
guage is the literal Interpretation of the
word), who were formerly slaves to the
Kaffirs. The Ksfirs live in huts or
's kraals," made of mud, the framework
being composed of young trees or plant
saplings, inteTlaced until they resemble 2
gigantic bird-c cage. The floors, also of
muI, are generally covered with q few
mats, the sole furniture being one or two
cooking pots. These huts in the warm
weather literally swarm with feas, and
would be perfectly uninhabitable for
Europeans. The Kafirs live almost en-
tirely upon beef and Indian corn or
mealies. They cook the latter in the
musk or beat it with stones until it re-
sembIes sort of coarse -four, when it is
either boiled or made into bread They
also consume large quantities of milk.
Pigs end poultry are also reared, but
generally for sale to the settlers. The
civilized Kaffir, with few exceptions, is
an incorTigible drunkard, and when under
he influence of drink both quarrelsome
ana dangerous. Nearly all the hardest
and most mental work is performed by
the women, who are mere slaves to their
masters
Like most native races the Kafirs are
unexceptionslly hospitable, and stran-
| ger jOuTneying frC N other towns has
simply to enter the first house he comes
to to insure a welcome. A young msn
desiring q wife must present the father
of his intended bride with so many head
of cattle, generally twelve, but varying
in number according to the means OF the
would be bridegroom or the value the
parent places on tho daughter. Gases
exist of hopeful men who have been
working for yeSTs for the parent of their
| intended, and Though the heyday of their
| youth is passed, still toll on in celibacy.
Nearly all the Finjos and q great portion
| of the Ksfirs have been christianized
and among these the marriage ceremony
| is performed in the usual manner by the
missionaries. There are 8 great number
of native teachers ana young girls in the
mission stations, who attend schools
| daily and on Sundays go to divine SER
vice, some in full European costumes,
others in long flowing robes of cotton OF
muslin, and some even in the usual red
| blankets, with their faces 4Tightfully dis.
| figured by red paint. These latter are
IL q mIHO1ILy dLl4 aI0 greatly NOOkSu
down upon by their more civilized neigh
bors, by whom they are called the "wild
Kafirs." Among the heather portion
the necessary number of csttle is turned
over by the bridegroom to the father OF
the bride, who is forthwith given as q
! receipt, and no further marriage rites are
necessary.
Chi. is are universally respected. Not
q single incident of infidelity to one is
known. A Ksfir will willingly sacrifice
all his worldly possessions or lay down his
life tor his chief. Each tribe has one
great chief, who takes rank by heredi-
tary descent, and several petty chiefs.
The native dress of the KAfirs-worn
alike by both sexes-is simply a red
blanket, made of coarse cloth, covering
the shoulders and reaching nearly to the
ground. A man invariably carries an
assegal or spear, with which he often
kills the wild buck which abound in
every forest.