The natives of British Central Africa

								


THE NATIVES OF BRITISH CENTRAL AFRICA
The Native Races of the British Empire



                               THE NATIVES

                                    OF

                          BRITISH CENTRAL AFRICA



                                    BY

                                A. WERNER



                        WITH THIRTY-TWO FULL-PAGE

                              ILLUSTRATIONS



                                  LONDON

                           ARCHIBALD CONSTABLE

                            AND COMPANY, LTD.

                                   1906



         Edinburgh: T. and A. CONSTABLE, Printers to His Majesty

                               IN MEMORIAM

                                 J. R. W.

                         ELMINA, AUGUST 16, 1891



                         ... ‘Desiderio ...

                         Tam cari capitis....’

CONTENTS

                                                                      PAGE



    LIST OF PLATES                                                      xi



                                CHAPTER I



                              INTRODUCTORY



    Geography. Botany: bush-fire. Climate. Fauna: beasts, birds,

      fish, insects,                                                     1



                               CHAPTER II



                               INHABITANTS



    Classification of tribes. Physical characters. Keloids and

      tribal marks. Ear ornaments. Tooth-chipping. Hair,                24



                               CHAPTER III



                          RELIGION AND MAGIC—I



    Ancestor-worship. Offerings. Mulungu. Mpambe. Chitowe.

      Evil spirits. Spirits of the dead. Dreams. Morality,              46



                               CHAPTER IV



                          RELIGION AND MAGIC—II



    Creation. Origin of death. Lake Nyasa. Rain-making. Charms.

      Witchcraft. Lycanthropy, Divination. Food tabus. Dances,          70



                                CHAPTER V



                   NATIVE LIFE—I. CHILDHOOD AND YOUTH



    Villages. Huts. Birth. Naming. Dress. Childhood’s rights.

      Games. Plastic art-work. Daily life,                              99



                               CHAPTER VI



                             NATIVE LIFE—II



    Initiation. Marriage. Division of labour. Meals. Food.

      Hut-building. The bwalo. Affection,                            123



                               CHAPTER VII



                              FUNERAL RITES



    Wailing and mourning. The grave. Inheritance. The cause of

      death. Ordeal,                                                   154



                              CHAPTER VIII



                         ARTS, INDUSTRIES, ETC.



    Agriculture: Maize, tobacco, gardens, etc. Hunting, trapping.

      Ant-catching. Fishing. Weaving. Basket-making. Bark