MRS. W. H. ANDERSON by MRS. W. H. ANDERSON

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D.C. · Feb 25, 1915

MRS. W. H. ANDERSON

By MRS. W. H. ANDERSON

The Native of the Kraals as I Know Him—No. 3

MRS. W. H. ANDERSON

The people we are working for are the Baila and Batonga tribes. They have a few marked characteristics. They are strong, tall, well-built men and women. The women always carry the load, and it is always carried on the head, even if it is nothing more than a piece of bark. Enormous loads are carried in this manner. Since the white man came into the country, the people wear a little clothing, but in their villages they are generally arrayed in nature’s garb.

The true Baila wear long cones on the back of the head. These are sometimes built a yard high. They are doing away with this custom now, for they say it would be hard to fight the white man should they ever have to do so, for by taking hold of this cone he might cause one much pain; so now it is seldom built higher than six inches.

The Batongas do not have this custom, but both tribes knock out the four front teeth. They look hideous enough. When asked why they do this, they reply, “We do not want to be like the zebra, we want to be like the cattle.” The teeth are generally knocked out when the child is about twelve years old. It is a very primitive process, too. They take a nail or a stone and set it against the tooth and push it out. It takes four or five persons to hold the victim. I have had children come to me to have their teeth pulled after they had been broken off. They are hard to get, but I have always succeeded, and they tell me, “When we have any more to be knocked out, we will have you pull them.”

They are very generous to one another with their food. They seldom talk against members of their own tribe, but one of another tribe will tattle quickly enough. It is a rare thing for one to speak of the wrongdoing of another.

Morally their character is very low. Lying is looked upon as an accomplishment, and a man who can deceive cleverly is considered to have great wisdom. They are so accustomed to telling lies that they often do it when the truth would be to their advantage. Why do they do this?—Because they have heard nothing but lies all their lives. They have not been taught the value of truth. I have often thought that they were capable of telling the biggest falsehoods on the shortest notice of any people in the world. Stealing is a common thing. Consequently every man is suspicious of his neighbor. If you ask them why they do it, they will tell you that it is not they, but the evil spirit in them.

Their names always mean something, as Chongo, rainbow; Hanyaba, beans; Twambo, stories; Myanda, roots; Mayinza, summer; Lupenga, sorrow; Chibea, pet; Mukuni, wood. Have you never heard of Mr. Bean, Mr. Wood, and Mr. White? They are very keen on having the white man give them names. Knowing that their names always mean something, the white man always makes the names he gives mean something too, to the next employer. They usually mean traits of character, as lazy, lice, matches, porridge, crazy, jam, etc. The natives will invariably give as their new name the name given by the white “boss.” Of course they do not know what it means.

There are many things which we have to endure and which seem ridiculous to us. The native does many things which at the time are very trying, but which, when they become history, are very amusing. The natives must be watched all the time. They do not get a chance to do so much mischief for me, for they know that I am likely to appear on the scene at any moment. I do not turn the kitchen over to the “boy” as some do. I gave a boy a glass fruit bottle of cream to shake, for this is a primitive way of churning, and presently I heard a queer noise. I thought my butter had gone. I went out to see, and sure enough his curiosity had got the better of him, and he had to see inside. So he opened the bottle, and out came the butter. I asked him what was the matter, and he replied, “It just came out.”

Most of the white men in the country are not married, so are compelled to get on with untaught native boys to do their housework. The native is always anxious to obtain a job as cook for the white man, for he likes to lick out the dishes and clean up the table for the “boss.” One man was telling me he came in very hungry and thirsty one evening, and his boy of course had a good drink of tea ready for him; but he found that the boy had used his smoking tobacco instead of the tea. The boy wanted to put sage in the sausage to make it real good, but instead it was nicely flavored with tobacco leaves. Another man came in unexpectedly and found the kitchen boy washing his old dirty shirt in his cooking pot. A government official came past his kitchen about mealtime, and seeing the boy sitting flat on the floor with a pot of pumpkin between his knees, taking it out with his hand and throwing it with a chug into the dish, inquired, “Who is having pumpkin here today?” The boy replied, “It is for my boss.” He said he resolved to stay away from the kitchen after that, especially near mealtime. For what the eye does not see, the heart does not grieve.

A lady, telling of her experience, said she had a boy who had had no training. She went into the kitchen and saw his face wet with perspiration, so told him to wash. He grabbed the tea towel and rubbed his dirty face with it. She said, “Jackalash, what are you doing?”—“Nothing.” “Why do you take the tea cloth to rub the perspiration from your face?”—“You told me to wash.” “Yes, but that is not washing. I want you to wash in water.” “Well,” said Jackalash, “there was water on my face,” showing her the tea cloth. He was a happy-go-lucky sort of lad, and would never hurry or worry, devoting the entire morning to the washing of the breakfast dishes. He would first take the plates and lick them clean, then admire the pattern on them, trace them all round with his fingers, and call other boys to come and admire them, too. After that he would think of washing them, and would take the pail and saunter leisurely to the river. After a while he would return, sit flat on the floor to wash them, for fear they would fall off the table. These are a few of the experiences with which we are confronted continually. One time a boy did not fancy washing dishes very much, so he put them down and had the dog lick them out. When he was reprimanded for it, he said, “They are clean, aren’t they?”

The native sees no use for anything unless it can help him work or fills him. One day I was coming from the garden with some cut flowers. As I met the boy, I asked him if he would like one. He asked if it was kudya (food), and I told him that it was only a flower, but that he might have it if he liked. “No,” he said, “you better keep it.”