The advocate. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1901-1913, 1909-09-09
TRIBE
OF NATIVES IN A CSoSE6HAlTIVE!z
~ IiY HIGH STATE, or GaVILT- 4 y
~s.>'. zATI01Ns. I.'3 ! i, ts ~,
Is Discovered In Africa k1o 81 dlISS
4 xs'; s::: il CO.. 80 S
eminent. EIN ,9H%%S% ! Az MI n n SSss

London, Aug n R1y return I'M
expected short xa$ES8 exDeditt0indSsy
which left En- sS Sent nlD er::S33
1907, for 3s Eree II
with the obj US IS 4 ctinE a. SCI /;
entitic inquiry s% custoniBS and
culture of certain native tribes south \
OF latitude 2 s., between the Kwilu /
and .Londami rivers. 4. ,.,..t., II
At the present moment when no
much interest is taken in questions
OF primitive culture and such enig-
matte practices as that of totemism.
IT may be Of Interest to give q brief
account OF what the expedition has
done and Is doing among tribes lit :
tie visited or unknown from this as
pect. IT,, 49,. %3..., ~. I'm.
The expedition was organized by
Mr.. M. 3. To-day, who has resided
for more than seven years in differ
emit parts OF the state, after consul
tation} with Mr.. G.. H. Read, Of the
Ethnographical Department Of the
Department Of the British Museum.
Remarkable Trabe. II. I.
OF the tribes visited by far the
most important and. interesting are.
the Bushongo, the western tribes or
whom were discovered In 1R2A. hy
Wlssmann's expedition. Little, how
ever, has hitherto been recorded OF
them except their skill In handicrafts.
The information now. collected
proves them to be one OF the most
remarkable tribes in :AfItca !, ~ +
IN the first place they. have pre-
served great deal of their. tribal his =
tory and a list of no fewer, than $123
great chiefs was obtained: numerous
connections with the reigns Of Ger
tain Of these rulers. relate the mi.
grafton of the people, their wars, With.
neighboring tribes. and the introdue.
zion or invention of. various useful
arts. - #fS.E .,
Inc tribal organization. liz y3elabts.s$
rate; the head chief is supported by
very large numbsg naanta9s each
with definite Junction. and ,notxoA1v !,
are the subtrtbes represented . at !.
court by officers who fulflil. tie funcL
ton OF, agents-general, but each ham
d1craft possesses a court Representa-
tive. ;. -. 49,.
Skill i'm Handictaft. I. =, {
The skill Of the Bushongo in weav- &
Ing and woodcarving was known be-
lore, but some OF the specimens col
lected far surpass anything which
mas yet been seen; in particular, cer-
tain portrait statues of ancient kings
are most remarkable works of art
and are evidence Of q skill in DOR
tra1ture hitherto unknown In Africa.
outside ancient Egypt. 49,. -
Their embroidered cloths, manu-
factured entirely from pklm-leaf fibre
EXHIBIT the most intricate patterns,
bearing distinct resemblance, in the
case of the older and finer examples,
TO Celtic art; the carved designs on,
their wooden cups and easkets are
somewhat similar.
The information concerning the So
cial organization Of the people proves +,
the existence among them of q de-
cayed form Of totemiBm; but the
elaborate initiation ceremonies which
were performed within the memory
or the older natives, from whom de-
tails were fortunately secured, have
now for the most part been aban-
doned.
Shy and Hostile.
Concerning the tribes to the north
or the Sankuru, the Basonge Memo,
Akela, Bankutu and northern Bate.
tela, less Information could be OBJ.
tanned, owing to their extreme shy
ness and even yelled hostility; they
stand, however, on far lower plane
Of culture. i,.,T
The first two have, like the Bush.
ongo, migrated to their preaent ter
r1tory from the north, and seem CON.
nected by blood with the ashamed
people; the other two are muchttad-
d1cted to canibalism, practice which
In their case Is based on a sincere
liking for human flesh, 4 gf
The Southern Batetela have now
oeen compelled to abandbh the habit. =
More Is known concerning this tribe; [
they served as troops 2pn Tboth sides
during the wars with The Arabs. and
later figured as the leaders ina Sc
rlous revolt. They hAga,A, Nd0pSaa g.
certain Arab customs, but their elab- ,
crate system Of conveying messages
by means Of gong beats, which has
been reported by former travellers.
Ia purely Indigenous.