The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1907-04-29
CAKEWAlK IN AFRICA
Kongo First Home of Southern
Dance, Says Starr.
HAS ALL TIT FANTASTIC STEPS


aud Eirua Clapping - Eating OF
Travellers MerrIy "a Joke. He Claims.
Many Carlos Brought Back.
The cakewaik is not of American
origin. 1t had It's beginning in the
wiids Of Africa. not upon the sunny
ptantations Of the south. 1t is a dance
Guadreds and perhaps thousands OF
years old and was an requirement OF
tue negro before he ever set eye upon
America
The origin Of the cakewalk has been
uucarthed 10y Professor Frederick
starr of the department of anthropoi-
ugy Of the IIuivegs;Iiy of Chicago. who
returned to Chicago recently after an
si,sence OF sixteen months year OF
which was spent in darkest Africa
SAYS the Chicago Inter Ocean
Practically the on,y American addi-
;,,n to the dance is the cake. and it is
.,,t at all certain thai there may not
~. seme prehistoric intecet.ent for this.
iir says.
4 always had supposed the cake
walk to he OF American origin" said
Professor Starr. The natives of the
KongO Free State have dance that
has ali the fantastic steps. all the
elaborate attentions, all the eloquent
attempts at grace. the saiutations, the
carrying of the cane and the light. airy
movements that we know here in Amer
lea in the form Of The cakewalk. The
dance is accompanied by sort OF rag
t,uic ,utisc and ha.iGciapping but
there Is no cake.
Professor Starr also exploded the
missionary canaibai joke. The man
WAC made up that perpetual piece Of
hcmor had lively imagination" said
the explorer. Il WAS among many
caaubais, for there are many tribes
ia Africa which s;ill adhere to this
castOnl, but none OF Them ever express
cd q desire to eat ne.
'sFhe natives are not in the habit OF
eating travellers. dare say that few
whlte people have been eaten, but
very few. The particular variety Of
C4eat that may be served at a canni-
baiisttc feast Ia strictly limited in each
trit,e. One tribe may eat only the old
people, another the children. II they
Should die, and still another those who
.:stt IN battle. Etiquette is very strict
ga these matters
Neither Ia It dangerous to travel
tt.rough Africa. The greatest danger
il not from the natives Or from the
Wild animals, hut from the fever. IL
yna approach the natives in the proper
attitude you vii! not nc harmed. But
tu. fever is an enenv. My companion.
Maauei Gonzales, suffered from TWEEN
IT, attacks. Will" had about ten
Professor Starr left the United States
." Sept 49, 1895. accompanied only
i,y his adopted son, Manuel Gonzales,
tis mission being particularly to study
tnc pyglaies OF the upper. KengO He
taitk steamer to- Matadi. Il port on
tts. E0nge about 1870 miles from its
t~outh. From tia;S point he began his
explorations. .. ''.-'t....,i' ~t'.'..a ~
II am nst get ready to advance any
<irw %heory or. to contradict any OLD
"aes." said Professor Starr. How
ever, have established one fact Of
Eie0tiflc Importance. AnthrOpolOgists
tave always supposed the Kongo pec
Gle to be long headed. The contrary is
tcue, and, in fact. they are somewhat
tread headed"
professor Starr found throughout the
regions he visited that the women dc
i'.e work. The bulk OF the food is sup
piled by agriculture. and it is the we
",ea VIII, have to supply it.
ia Africa the men do little but ta.s.
sad they are the greatest takers in the
world he says. They smoke tobacco
aui hemp. For drinks they have a sort
=, beer or Wine made from. sap of palm
"''!h. sugar cane. hnnboo or pineap
i.,rs. Paim wine is the fayOritc bcv-
ecsgc.
Il visited in all twenty eight tribes.
Ut these perhaps. the Hampendes wers
tue worst. They are above Wissmua
fails On the Kasia river They are can.
n;tais and eat taeir slaves. One OF tina
cutefS has il foaGaesS for drinking hui
u,aa blood
viii these people ever reach a high
state of civilization? That is a hard
question. The people of England sxers
earbariaas wkeu the first Romans dis
Covered the isiaad Without the hair
dressings and tattoo marks there is not
murh difference between some peoDle
OF the kongo Free Slate and cur south
err negre."
Professor Starr brought back four or
1--we tons Of collections. including spec
t"e's of rftive implements. weapons
csasme"'--,' :,...hi"g, tool. and furui-
ti.e. Resides oh;s he brought back 700
photographs taken i.y his adopted son,
Haauei Gopzsies.
trrom scientific point of view Pro
fcasor Stars explorations will he i'm
prtaat He has studied The people and
co"atry more thoroughly than any 9th
~ scientist and has brought back mere
stectmcnS.
dig Railroad station la Paris.
there is now heing built at Juvisy,
a., ,Az1.