Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-01
MAGIC" ARTICLES
FROM DARK AFRICA
GIVEN TO MUSEUM
Collection Of Witch Doctors
ParaphernaIia Gathered
by Missionary.
BELL WARNS VILLAGERS
WHEN DEVIL is AT HOME
Cultural Objects From Kiva Dis
trict of Belgian Kongo Reveal
Weird Habits.
BY THOMAS r. HENRY.

Ia AAONAh0 he HENRI
The devil dwells in the center of
the village.
The villagers have built a fine house
for him and the priests bring him food
every day. But they have suspended
iron bells over the door to warn them
when he is at home. II the bells are
rung by the wind. the evil one is
inside eating his dinner and his wrath
will fall upon any who disturb him.
One of these bells which hung before
Satan's house is included in a collection
OF magic paraphernalia and cultural
objects from the Kiva district of the
Belgian Kongo presented to the National
Museum by the Rev. Ellen I. Burke of
the Pittsburgh Bible Institute, who has
Just returned from missionary service
In this demon-haunted jungleland of
the Dark Continent.
This is one of the first ethnolopicaI
collections ever brought out of this
country, whose people are just emery
ing from cannibalism and preserve
intact all the magic rites of their fore
fathers. Much OF the occult ritualism
Is still secret.
Boy Forbidden TO Talk.
In the collection of nearly 100 objects
Is grass dress worn by a boy in the
secret bush school, where the youths
are subjected to Spartan training for
manhood. One piece Of this garment is
worn about the waist and another
around the neck. Over the head is a
sheet of white bark cloth upon which
are hung the tails Of all the animals
the boy has trapped. The teacher wears
hoop around his head bearing the
tails and claws of all the creatures of
the jungle. When the boy comes back
10 the village from this school. he is
forbidden to talk, even to his mother.
under threat Of a deadly curse on the
whole family.
Some Of the people worship Mkubwa.
the god of lightning. These wear sne.
clally constructed brass rings about
the neck and arms, specimens of which
are In the collection. They also carry
rattieS and whistles which they sound
violently whenever storm is coming
up. Others worship the sun god and
wear about their heads ornaments of
pig hair and curry shells. These are
supposed to save them from headaches.
the special sign of the displeaSt1re of
Musa. Still others worship the leopard
and wear headbands of leopard's claws.
The collection contains two Jaws Of
the sacred fish Manila, which are
worn about the neck as feticheS or
carried IN the rattleS of the witch doc
tors. These native priests do not de-
pend entirely on magic, but have a
pnarmacopea OF their own. One rem
edy is ground sandstone treated with
certain drugs, which Is eaten by both
doctor and patient. The collection
contains one batch Of medicine done
up neatly in grass tube. The witch
doctors carry an odd rattle, the kay
amba, which they shake over the sick
man as they sing and dance to satan.
The collection contains three magic
wandS used by the priests to drive out
evil spirits, belt or porcupine uuills
and feathers which they wear about
their waists when dancing and the
devils cord" made of leopard hair
and chicken feathers, strung on a grass
string which they wave about the room
OF a sick man. They carry their medi-
cine in hollow horns and carry shells
loose in box with which they exercise
the demons.
Domestic Life Pictured.
The collection affords q vivid pic
ture of the domestic life Of the VIII
layers. It contains several of the
crocheted bracelets used to buy wives.
It requires 200 of these to buy q goat
and about dozen goats to get q de!
sirable wife. These bracelets are the
tangible symbols of wealth and are
worn by men, women and children. A
wealthy man carries several hundred
on his body. OF less value are the brass
and steel bracelets commonly worn
These are hollow and some have
human hair inside. Most natives wear
a woven belt for their money, which
consists of shells and beads. Clam
shells are loose change. Usually In the
purchase of wife several bushels of
these are thrown in as bonus by the
prospective husband The old men OF
the village sit all day long In the sun
shine stringing these shells. A person
of any consequence always keeps q few
bushels for incidental purchases.
The collection contains a whip
made of hippopotamus hide, which is
used by the headmen Of the village to
beat their subjects and by men to
beat their wives. Once purchased, the
wives are the property of their hus-
bands and are beaten frequently. There
is pot of red ochre and coffee beans,
a mixture with which both men and
women paint their bodies on cere-
monial occasions.
Bloody Leaders Ornament Barred.
A gruesome object is a large ele-
plant tooth which the missionary OBJ
tanned from the necklace still worn by
Old Musemi, one of the most famous
ago he killed a dozen chiefs of rival
tribe and the Belgian government had
to send soldiers to suppress him.
There is also a typical cannibal sword
and one of the bows used to kill food
for the ruling chief by his aged father.
Children are children the world over
and the toys of the jungle do not differ
materially from those used By the boys
and girls of Washington. Among them
is a neatly constructed popgun carried
by little boy. An interesting item IS
a cord of the type tied around the calf
and the arm of baby to determine
whether it is growing or not. Another
cord is tied around the stomach at feed
ing time and when it hecvmes~tlght the
infant has had enough.
None too nice in their eating habits,
the natives are fastidious about personal
appearance. The collection contains
family eating bowl from which all help
themselves with their fingers. FORKS
are provided for the chiefs on ceremonial
occasions, but generally they prefer TO
use their fingers. Every one, however,
is provided with a pusher-a wooden
stick used to shove sticky food down the
throat. 1t is essential for eating the
favorite dish, banana nush.
Both men and women carry vanlty
cases made of straw to carry shells.
combs and toothbrushes. The women
are proud of their bark-cloth dresses,
dyed with scarlet berries. The collec-
ton contains two iron razors and