Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1893-03-25
oNcE 4 POWERFUL NArlon.
rue Important Past Of the Now Pitifai
and rimorouS AIashonns.

Tie Important Past Of the Now P,,ira,
aud rimorous Mashonas.
Mr.. Theodore Bent has made some
surprising discoveries with reya,d ~
the inhabitants OF Mashonaland ac-
cording TO the New York Sun. Eight
years ago Montagu Kerr described
shese natives as very timid people
liYlng among the rocks and erannies
o. the hills. where they kept a con
slant outlook for the approach ~ ia
dreaded Metabeles. Their enemies
iof many years had kept them In a
state Of terror. Mr.. Bend saws that
"a spite OF their timid nature he be-
lleYed when he saw them last yea,.
that their race had seen better DAYS
a. they retained traces or a higher
civilization in their skill III smelling
ron their carvings and musical in
strnmcnts.
They called themselves the Maka-
ianga, name which did not signify
much 70 the explorer until ne re-
turned to civilization. when he began
70 read the works Of early Portuguese
travellers
ln the book written 300 Years ago
by Dos santos. who WAS far more
careful and accurate writer on A..ica
than most 81 his contemporaries. MIR.
Bent was astonished 10 find this state
meni referring TO the region Of Ma
shonaland:
"Ail these Kailirs they call Mocar-
angas, because all talk the Mocaranga
language. The Monamatapa and an
his yassals ARE Mocarangas. name
which they have because they live IN
the land Of the Mocaranga which is
the best and most polished Of all Tho
kaiilr languages | have seen.
Here we have the sam. name as
ire Makalanga by substituting. as the
P0rtngese always did. for ]. Other
conclusive testimony with regard TO
the identity q tie two peoples has
been discovered rs MIR. Bent: and Il
may BE- regarded AS established that
the iimid Makaiangas Of to-day are
the descendant, 81 the once powerful
organization known ia the sixteenth
century ~ the empire OK Monomntapa,
a powerful kafiir organization like
the Matabeles " to-day which fell to
pieces on The account ~ internal dis
sensions. and finally became a prey 10
the Zulu horties The descriptions
which Don santos gives ~ the Maka-
laugas 81 Munamaiapa correspond cx-
aetly with the habits and customs Of
the present inhabitants lie tells Of
the annual sacrifice 20 the spirits 81
their ancestors. the in'erccssOr- for
them between God and man. the beer
drinking. the iron smelling. the Ma
shonalnnd piano. the weekly day Of
rest during the blowing season and
other customs which identify hem
with the people Of tn-day
MIR Brent has also been ablc 10
avail himself ~ The writings OF Ara
bic historians who lived I0D9 years
ago, whose descriptions 81 the man
ners and customs n the people living
Ia this region connect them with the
present race Hence, IL seems very
clear that the country now called
Newfoundland has been inhabited for
at least l.n0p years By the ancestors
% the present barbarou. race. q race
which ut nnctime had power and some
degree 81 civilization. due probably
to Its intercourse with foreign traders;
but 1t has again fallen into n condition
OF harbarism.
During tho blowing season every
sixth day l. called Gods day. when
the people abstain from work. The
DAY Is invariably devoted by the men
to drinking beer and lying an the
rocks. Tho Mashuna piano consists
of more than twenty iron notes fixed
20 scale on square piece Of wood
and played on q calaha-h to bring out
the sound. The natives are musical
race. and easily pick up tunes 70 play
on this instrument
The anihropolngi~t evidently has
an inviting field 70. research J., the
study OF The Makalangat, whose Ian.
guagc is A. vet little known, The
natives are very reserved with regard
Ia their customs and religious ot'
-pTygnpCs.