THE MAKONDÉ.
DR. LIVINGSTONE’S LAST EXPEDITION — MAKONDÉ — JUNGLE — NATIVES WILLING TO WORK — THEIR FOOD — NUMBER REDUCED BY SLAVE TRADE — MODE OF SALUTATION — PERSONAL APPEARANCE — MAKONDÉ WITHOUT A PARAMOUNT CHIEF — METAMBWÉ — MATUMORA THEIR CHIEF — THEIR IDEA OF GOD — TATTOOING — RAIN SCARCELY KNOWN ON THE EAST COAST — THE MAKOA, KNOWN BY HALF-MOON FIGURE — A RAIN-MAKER — VILLAGES REMARKABLE FOR CLEANLINESS — POTTERY, HOW MADE — SINGULAR CUSTOM.
When this work was published, the celebrated explorer, Dr. David Livingstone, who had done so much in opening to the civilized world the great continent of Africa, had disappeared in its interior. In the beginning of 1866 he started from Zanzibar, on the East Coast, on that journey which at length terminated with his life in the village of Ilala, in April, 1873. By the providential preservation of his journal we are favored with the results of his explorations, and learn of the tribes and peoples whom he visited, and has described with so truthful and fascinating a pen.
No inconsiderable portion of this work is derived from the travels of Dr. Livingstone. It seems important, therefore, that his contribution to a knowledge of the uncivilized races, made since this work was issued, should, so far as our space will permit, be appended to it.
In March, 1866, Dr. Livingstone, having left Zanzibar, arrived in Mikindany Bay, which is about twenty-five miles north of the Rovuma River. Starting from Pemba, on the north side of the bay, April 4th, he entered the country of the Makondé.
The path lay in a valley with well-wooded heights on each side; and with the tall grass towering over the head, and now and then a jungle to be cleared, and no air stirring, the entrance upon his seven years’ journeying was difficult and oppressive.
In passing through the jungles, though they offered no obstruction to foot-passengers, it was necessary to heighten and widen the paths for the tall camels. The Makondé of the village were very willing to aid Livingstone in this work, as wood-cutters or carriers. He organized a party of about ten jolly young men, paying each a yard of calico per day. Being accustomed to make clearing-places for their gardens, they worked with a will. They were perfectly satisfied with their small compensation. Using tomahawks, climbing and young trees disappeared before their steady and vigorous blows like clouds before the sun. This work, however, told upon them in two or three days. The tallest men became exhausted soonest. Not being a meat-eating people, except one is fortunate enough to kill a wild hog or antelope, their physical strength was not equal to any prolonged demand for hard work. They will not eat the flesh of beasts like that of the leopard and lion, which is readily eaten by other tribes, and the reason they give is, that these animals devour men. Such a fact refutes the allegation that this tribe are guilty of cannibalism.
In the open spaces were cleared gardens for maize, cassava, and sorghum. The soil being very fertile and with no rocks, very heavy crops of these products are obtained. The cassava bushes grow to the height of six or seven feet. Food is very plenty and cheap. Just before Livingstone’s visit, they had been ravaged by the Mazitu, who had carried away many of their people as slaves. The Mehambwé, a branch of the Makondé tribe, had also three months before been invaded, and robbed of all their food, so that they were obliged to send in every direction for provisions.
The Makondé have been very greatly diminished in numbers since the slave trade was introduced, one village making war upon another, kidnapping as many as possible to sell them to the Arab slave-dealers. They ascribe diseases and death to witches, and when one of a village dies, the whole population move off, saying “That is a bad spot.” They pray to their mothers when dying or overtaken by any disaster. Livingstone’s Somalie guide, Ben Ali, represented that they had no idea of a deity or a future state, and believe in nothing but medicine. All the head men of the villages pretend to be or are really doctors. Livingstone, however, discovered some consciousness of the existence of a God. They get large quantities of the gum-copal, which attracts the coast Arabs as an article of commerce. The people have the belief that in the vicinity of the kumbé, or gum-copal trees, the more ancient trees stood and must have dropped their gum upon the ground. They therefore dig for it, and will give as a reason for want of success at any time, “In digging, none may be found one day, but Mulungu (God) may give it to us on the next.”
Bhang, which is a species of hemp, is not smoked, but only tobacco. They raise no sheep or goats, but only fowls, pigeons, and ducks. Honey is so abundant that a gallon-pot and four fowls were given for two yards of calico. One of their modes of salutation is to catch each others’ hands and say, “Ai! ai!” but the more common custom is to take hold of the right hand and say, “Marhaba” (welcome).
The Makondé are all independent of each other, and have no paramount chief. Their physical characteristics are well-formed limbs and body, small hands and feet, medium height, and manly bearing. Their lips are full but not excessively thick; their foreheads are compact, narrow, and low; the alæ nasi are expanded laterally.