The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1879-09-19
AN EXTRAORDINARY PEOPLE.

An kAINAOnDANARI fEUfLEs
Civilized Race In Central Africa.
From the London Times.l
At the meeting of the British AssOcia-
ton at Sheffield on August %, the well
known African explorer, Commander
Cameron, who was received with APP
plause, apOlOgized for not having his pa
per prepared, but he did not believe, in
detailing the manners and customs of
the people of Urua, in Central Africa,
this would be drawback. Urua was
one of the largest native States in Afri-
ca. 1t was bounded on the east by Tan
ganyika, on the north by independent
tribes in Manguema, on the west by
Ulunda, and on the south by mountains
south of the lake of Bangueolo. The
Great Chief was KasongO, and the race
was perhaps the most civilized in Cen
trail Africa. The Chief claimed Divine
one were slaughtered at the grave, and
the one whose life was not taken was
handed over to the Chiefs successor.
The spirit of the deceased Prince was
supposed to pass into the body of the
successor. The center of the religion of
the people was an idol, which was held
in great reverence.
The idol was placed in the midst of a
dense jungle, and it had for wife one of
the sisters of the reigning sovereign.
Under the principal Chief were smaller
Chiefs, who collected and paid over to
the sovereign tribute. He had seen this
tribute come in, and some of it must
have come from distant parts of the
country. There was a numerous class
of wizards in the country who did a large
trade in idols and charms. Many of the
wizards were ventrilO4uists, and in this
way the idols were made to give answers
to the questions put to them. Caste was
very clearly defined in the race. No one
dare sit down in the presence of the
Chief without permission, which was
very seldom granted. In one case
where, in the travellers presence, a ma
tive had neglected etiquette, severe pun
ishment was about to be inflicted, but the
traveller saved the offender.
Authority was maintained by mutila-
ton. Hands, feet, ears, noses, were
mutilated, and the natives did not seem
to mind it much. One woman had cut
off her own ears. This woman was one
of Kasongo's wives; he had about I, 900
of them. She asked permission to mu-
tilate herself, and she did it at once.
The body guard of the Chief was COM
posed to a great extent of mutilated
people, whose affection for the Chief
seemed in no way decreased; indeed, it
would appear that mutilation strength
ened their regard for their Chief. A
laugh The name of the idol was
Kungwe Banza, and profound rever-
ence was shown to it. Fire was obtain
ed by friction from fire block, and in
one case Chief used the shin bone of
one of the other Chiefs who had been
conquered. The dress of the people
was very simple, consisting of an apron.
Members of the royal family wore three
large skins, and junior members of the
family wore aprons of green monkey
skins.
The hair dressing of this people was
curious, varying more with districts
than with rank. In some cases it was
worked up into four ring plaits crossed
at the top of the head like a crown, and
surrounded at the bottom with band
of cOwries or other shells. Skewers
were inserted in the hair, one end of
which could be used in tattOOing. The
people were not a hairy race, but they
managed to grow their boards long, and
plated them like Chinaman's pigtail,
usually putting at the end of each
lump of mud to weight it. Some of the
boards reached to the waists. The
women, not having boards to amuse
with, were tattOOed exten-
sively. TattOoing usually commenced
ut the age of seven, and might be COM
pleted about the age of twelve or four
teen, which was the time for marriage.
Beautiful patterns were used, and the
was done in raised cuts.
husband, when he was
with his wife, cut off these
raised pieces, and the woman could not
appear in public again; she was not re-
ceived into society until she was retat-
tOOed. laughter
He saw one of their weddings, which
was very curious. The festivities lasted
several days. A ring was formed of the
natives, two men with big drums being
in the middle. The drums were played
and the people round danced. The
bride was brought ont, dressed in feath-
ers and other finery, on the shoulders of
two or three women; she was taken in
to the middle of the ring, and was jump
ell up and down on the shoulders of
the women. The bride threw shells and
beads about, for which there was a
as the possession of them was
to confer luck. Ultimately
the husband came into the ring, and
putting the bride under his arm carried
her off. Laughter The means of
was by drum signals.
They had call on the drum, for every !
body's name, and they could ask ques-
lions and convey intelligence over hum
lreds of miles, and receive answers al
most Immediately. In war messages
we're constantly sent enormous dis
Iances to bring up achievements or to
stop their coming. The mass of the
people lived in huts on dry land, but
here were one or two executions to this. |