The Lehi banner. [volume] (Lehi, Utah) 1891-1917, 1907-01-24
LEAD SIMPLE LIFE
CUSTOMS or THE NEGROES OF
TIE GOLD COAST
Divorce Is Rare ooeurrenee-Moth'
sr Love One Of Thelr Strongest
Points-Strict Laws as TO
Property Rights.


It Is said that divorces are rave
among those tribes who lead a simple
life undlsturbed As with civilized
people. marriage cannot be dissolved
without formality. Processes Of the
gold coast only have the privilege q
separating from their husbands with.
ont formalty. Some white clay hand.
cd 90 the husband is a sign OF dis
MISS
Common people, on the other hand,
have TO appear before the chiefs, who
decide the case II they present the
wifi, with a piece Of white clay, she
must mark the trees Of the principal
streets Of the village as sign that
she is no longer welded wife. u
the divorce is granted 20 the man, the
NlfP's family must return the equiva-
lent OF the purchase money
Old age among the true negroes, az
among many other peoples, Is held In
high esteem says the Southern Work
man Contrary TO the popular notion
the family life Of many African tribes
before they came in contact with
European civilization was beautiful
The large family prevails.
There Is probably no race in which
offspring Is so highly prize, as anon
the negroes Infantlcide Is rare he
in comparison with Polynesia an
Melsneisa They rejoice at the bir
Of child. In this respect they az.
much like Europeans. Mother love
Is very strong II mans mother and
his wife they say. are on the point OF
drowning and he can save only one
he must save the mother. for II the
wife is lost he may marry another, but
! he will never find a second mother.
The original right to private owner
ship Of land Is acquired as with us
either by fec or alodum IL IS said
/ that tenure Of land among the Daho
| meys and Bechuanas is in fee simrle
In asst Africa it is everywhere allautal
on the gold coast prope soil
I is acquired by bringing nj
| yat.on. All the land In l1r
Z hood Of a town Is conside he
longing TO the inhabitants generally
and The man who FIRST cuts down the
bush end grows a crop is regarded as
the proprietor Of that portion.
Among some west African tribes
/ there is under native law, no com
munitv in goods between a mau and
/ his wife Each keeps se~arate estate
women owning and holding property
under Identical conditions with men
The laws of inheritance vary. IL
some cases the brother idherirsi II
some the eldest or most Influential
son; in some the chief slave. The un
DERIVING idea in the inheritance o
property seems 10 he TO keep tn,
wealth Of the house, /. o. the estate
together This Is somewhat similar
to the idea UNDERLYING The English Law
/ of Inheritance The strong and IA,
cunning, as with us, defraud the veal
ont Of property, particularly womcr
and children who have no powerful
relatives
In 7rile n abuses there Is a definite
and acknowledged law, which az
appeal can be made by rsons % al
/ classes provided they n p the mean,
Of setting the machinery of the law il
motion There are Wills but they ar,
! not tho rule Gifts take the place O
Wills. A rich man gives things dur
ing his lifetime to his friend or favor
tie wife or child or slave, so that h,
can zoe that they get what he wshel
them 10 have