Congo life and folklore

by John H. Weeks

“For many reasons,” replied Bakula, “I would like to come and learn to read, write, do carpentry and hear more about God; but this station is a long way from my home, and my family will not let me come so far. My uncle lives in the Ngombe district, and perhaps they will let me go to the mission school there.”

“Well, you can learn there as well as here; but I should have liked you to live with me,” and there was a note of tenderness in the teacher’s voice, and tears were not far from his eyes as he spoke to the lad. And after a quiet talk with my owner about what he had heard at the services, and expressing the hope that they would see each other again soon, the white man and Bakula separated, never to meet again on earth.

Bakula had frequently tried to induce Old Plaited-Beard to have some conversation with the white man, but had failed every time, not through lack of earnestness and persistency on Bakula’s part; but because of the old man’s superstitious fear and hatred of white men. The discussions on the subject had been long and often loud, and when Old Plaited-Beard was unsuccessful in proving his charges of witchcraft against the white man, or failed in proving that the white man bought up dead bodies and sent them to Mputu, he then fell back on another accusation: that the white men had come to steal their country from them.

On one occasion Bakula led the white man towards the place where Old Plaited-Beard was sitting; but no sooner did the superstitious old man see him coming in the distance than he ran into the inner room of the nearest house, and would not come out until he was assured that the white man had gone.

Early next morning Bakula and his party, accompanied by Kapitau and some followers, started on their return journey. On the road Old Plaited-Beard and the Kapitau had long talks, and although the prejudiced views of the old man were received with coldness by the King’s deputy, yet in one point they agreed, and that was “that the white man would rob them of their country and make them all slaves.”[^[51]]

Wherever we stayed for a night the people paid most humble homage to Kapitau, as representing the King, and supplied him with plenty of food and palm-wine; consequently every evening was spent in feasting and drinking, and there was scarcely a night that the elders of the party went to bed sober.

On arriving at Satu’s town Kapitau and his companions received a great ovation. The people crowded the road to set eyes on the man who had been sent by the great King of Congo to confer a title on their own chief. They vied with each other in shouting, clapping, and beating their mouths. Drums were thumped, ivory horns blown, and guns fired; and the din was such that it seemed more like pandemonium let loose for a riot than a friendly welcome to an honoured visitor and guest. To show due respect to the King’s deputy a good house was given him, and an abundant supply of food. In two or three days the party was rested and the necessary preparations for the ceremony were completed.

On the appointed day a large crowd gathered, composed of Satu’s mother’s clan, who were especially called. Those members of his father’s clan who desired to be present were welcomed, but all other clans were carefully excluded. The assembly formed a large circle, in the centre of which a leopard’s skin was spread and a seat placed on it.

The Kapitau went up to Satu, who was sitting among his people, and hooking his index finger in the little finger of Satu’s left hand, led him up to the leopard’s skin, and walking him round it as far as the tail, told him to step over it. Then, leading him to the front of the chair, he seated him in it, whereupon the crowd of onlookers slapped the loosely closed fists of their left hands with the palms of their right hands.

The Kapitau put on the new noble’s head some lemba-lemba leaves, and wetting his hands with palm-wine, pressed them to Satu’s temples, to the back and front of his head, to his shoulders and to his knees. This was to make him throb with life, wise in the head, strong in body and legs. This ceremony was repeated three times, and a blessing was pronounced in the following words: May you be happy and lucky, and when you speak may your words be heard (i. e. obeyed) by the people. And again the crowd shouted and clapped.