Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1912-09-12
Mothers Hold Mass Meeting
and Protest Against Inva-
sion Of Rolls.
PREFERS eARB TO BEADS

There is a dreadful stir down in the
little port Of %Inhambane. East Africa.
a town of about 1000 persons-Portu-
guese, Arabs. Hindus. Parsees. half
castles and negroes-all because the
governor ordered native women to
adopt European fashions.
A week or two of mothers meetings
resulted in plans for a strike against
the outlandish fol-de-rols of socalled
civilization.
And back they went to the altogeth-
er. plus a few beads, with a slit drap-
cry of monkey skins. a la directoire.
as a rob ~d'occasion.
Anyone who knows the native In her
habitat must appreciate her position
and sympathize with her in the protest
against being made to appear a fool.
That is exactly what happens when
she dons European clothes. She de-
murs. just as Americans would II Chi
na. having conquered the United
States. Insisted on their taking to
queues and bandaged feet.
The native about Inhambane is a
"Kaffir," which. however. Is only a
generic term serving to distinguish
him from Il Hottcntot or a Bushman.
The native home Is a kraal. q COL
lection Of houses, usually situated on
an eminence, though 1t may be nothing
~ bANt ~ AOA1 ~ eAS INV NON&0k SOOAA
try about Inhambane, which lies In a
land Of cocoanut groves and malaria
breeding mAngrove swamps.
Social Line Drawn On Wives.
If 1t be q chieftain's kraal the hut
which faces the cattle kraal will be the
home Of the great" wife. usually chos-
Ell later than the other wives, so that
her son may have n better chance OF
inheriting his fathers leadership.
On h III side lis the hut of the
right hand wife. usually the first wife.
Her son may not succeed" unless all
h other wives have failed to supply
az heir.
tfnes n charms. The left hand wife
is known as h wife of the ances-
tors" for upon her rests the RESPONSE
bility Of providing an heir in case the
great" wife has no son.
r From the walls and roof hang arti-
cles of all sorts-calabashes. old blank
cts. dirty pots. medicines, spoons.
ncr arc piles of mats. assagais. sticks
and dried OK skins. In another a calf
tied to a roof pole. Hens roost about
,shere they please in the roofing. Big
black beetles scuttle across the floor.
The menagerie also includes several
" sheep or two. To make the beds
means to clear out the rubbish any
where on the floor and spread down a
mat and a wooden pillow.
The tiny children. con,ical little tots,
are gu!ltless of even a rag. unless 1t be
q single thread of beadwork strung
about the loi1s purely for decorative
effect. They look top-heavy. and seem
constantly to be just on the point Of
falling down. They are utterly with
u self-consciousness. and always are
laughing. q v when they are crying.
Girls of 10 or Whereabouts are the fami-
~ nurse maids. and sometimes they are
only slightly larger han their charges.
The women invariably have a fine
carriage. the curve Of their backs be-
ing graceful M stately. the natural
result OF carrying heavy burdens upon
their heads. They are physically we'll
conditioned. their value consisting
largely in good physique and ability
to work hard.
Fatness is deemed an element OF
beauty. The fatter they are the pref