page_title: Bakalai
hierarchical_section_title: Bakalai
caption_attribution_description: English: A group of Bakalai Identifier: journeytoashango01duch (find matches) Title: A journey to Ashango-Land, and further penetration into equatorial Africa Year: 1874 (1870s) Authors: Du Chaillu, Paul B. (Paul Belloni), 1835-1903 Owen, Richard, 1804-1892 Subjects: Natural history Ethnology Publisher: New York, Harper &amp; brothers Contributing Library: The Library of Congress Digitizing Sponsor: The Library of Congress View Book Page: Book Viewer About This Book: Catalog Entry View All Images: All Images From Book Click here to view book online to see this illustration in context in a browseable online version of this book. Text Appearing Before Image: their guns, but leftbehind their woollen-shirts and blankets, and every-thing that was not indispensible. We left Olenda at nine a.m., and pursued a N.-E.direction xmtil we struck the Ovigui river. Wehad to cross this on a bridge formed of a singletree-trunk lying about fifteen feet above the water.We passed it with some difficulty, nearly losing mycamera, owing to the timidity of the carrier whenhalf-way across. From the eastern bank of the riverthe path led to the foot of a high range of hills,which bounds the Ashira plain on this side. Atfour p.m. we encamped for the night on the banksof a small stream. In the evening we had a frightfulthunder-storm, and had to lie down for the night inwet clothes. December 2nd. Resumed our march at six a.m.The path lay along the western foot of the hillyrange, through a dense forest, the rich and variedfoliage of which was dripping with moisture. Nota sound was heard, as we trudged steadily along inIndian file. At nine oclock we came upon a beau- Text Appearing After Image: &lt;&lt; pqO o o Chap. V. OPANGANO PRAIRIE. 91 tiful prairie encircled by a wall of forest. Thisprairie was called Opangano. From it I had a clearview of the Ndgewho mountains. At ten oclockwe arrived at a Bakalai village. Like many of theprimitive villages of this warlike tribe, it was art-fully constructed for purposes of defence. The singlestreet was narrow, barred at each end by a gate, andthe houses had no doors in their outer walls. Thiswould effectually guard the place against nocturnalsurprise by other Bakalai with whom the villagersmight be at war. This mode of construction had alsoanother object, namely, to allow the people to killand plunder any party of traders whom they mightentice into the village and prevent from escapingby closing the two gates. The neighbouring tribes,especially the Ashiras, dread the power and treacheryof the Bakalai. The chief of the village was absent.I bought, fqjc a few beads, a quantity of smoke-driedwild hog of one of the inhabitants. Leaving t Note About Images Please note that these images are extracted from scanned page images that may have been digitally enhanced for readability - coloration and appearance of these illustrations may not perfectly resemble the original work.
context_page_description: The Bakalai, are a Bantu tribe inhabiting a wide tract of land, formerly part of French Congo, between the Ogowe river and 2° south.
  The Bakalai appear to be immigrants from the south-east, and have been supposed to be connected with the Galoa, one of the Mpongwe tribes and the chief river-people of the Ogowe. The Bakalai have suffered much from the incursions of their neighbors the Fang, also arrivals from the south-east, and it may be that they migrated to their present abode under pressure from this people at an earlier date. They are keen hunters and were traders in slaves and rubber; the slave traffic has been prohibited by the French authorities.
  Their women display considerable ingenuity in dressing their hair, often taking a whole day to arrange a coiffure; the hair is built up on a substructure of clay and a good deal of false hair incorporated; a coat of red, green or yellow pigment often completes the effect. The same colors are used to decorate the hut doors.
context_section_description: The Bakalai (Bakale, Bangouens), are a Bantu tribe inhabiting a wide tract of land, formerly part of French Congo, between the Ogowe river and 2° south.
  The Bakalai appear to be immigrants from the south-east, and have been supposed to be connected with the Galoa, one of the Mpongwe tribes and the chief river-people of the Ogowe. The Bakalai have suffered much from the incursions of their neighbors the Fang, also arrivals from the south-east, and it may be that they migrated to their present abode under pressure from this people at an earlier date. They are keen hunters and were traders in slaves and rubber; the slave traffic has been prohibited by the French authorities.
  Their women display considerable ingenuity in dressing their hair, often taking a whole day to arrange a coiffure; the hair is built up on a substructure of clay and a good deal of false hair incorporated; a coat of red, green or yellow pigment often completes the effect. The same colors are used to decorate the hut doors. The villages, some of which are fortified with palisades, are usually very dirty; chiefs and rich men own plantations which are situated at some distance from the village and to which their womenfolk are sent in times of war.
  The Bakalai of Lake Isanga cremate their dead; those of the Upper Ogowe throw the bodies into the river, with the exception of those killed in war. The body of a chief is placed secretly in a hut erected in the depths of the forest, and the village is deserted for that night, in some cases altogether; the slaves of the deceased are (or were) sacrificed, and his wives scourged and secluded in huts for a week. "Natural" deaths are attributed to the machinations of a sorcerer, and the poison-ordeal is often practised. Of their social organization little is known, but it appears that nearly all individuals refrain from eating the flesh of some particular animal.
caption: Bakalai people in an 1874 illustration
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