MAKALANGA WOMEN AND GIRLS AT THE MOGABE’S KRAAL, ZIMBABWE
Witchcraft still possesses a tremendous influence over the native mind, although the practice of it is punished by imprisonment, but it is most difficult to obtain evidences in most cases of offence. Before the country was occupied by the British the witch-doctors practically ruled the people, and their influence in many known instances was greater than that of dynastic chiefs. The inclination of the people is to revert to the old practices, and fear of punishment alone prevents them doing so. There is no doubt that some of the infanticides and murders happening to-day are the results of witch-doctors’ machinations.
Though every native appears to have a good idea of medicine and of the uses of certain herbs and roots, and to be able to cure simple complaints, yet the remedies for more serious matters are in the hands of the medicine-men, who keep all such knowledge to their own profession.
A rain-maker for a large present would, until recently, kill a child of one of his many wives, and as long as the mother mourned for her child the rain was supposed to continue.
The Makalanga undoubtedly possess a keener appreciation of music and singing than many of the other native races in this part of the continent. When at work, digging, hoeing, or threshing, they sing continually, and in one morning they will spontaneously render fully a dozen different songs and a large number of extempore recitatives and choruses interspersed, also a few part-songs and catches. They sing going to and returning from labour, and always sing at their work, and when they cease singing one may be certain they are idling. There is far greater harmony and variety of music produced from their pianos, and their songs are brighter and more spirited, than any music or song a Matabele can evolve, and the dreary monotonous chant of the latter is almost entirely absent. The subjects of their songs are numerous, and comprise many items which only a people who live face to face with Nature could sing without offending the decencies as regarded by civilised people, and in these songs the smallest child most lustily joins. They will sing impromptu songs having reference to the tools they happen to be using, or to anything they may chance to see. The Native Commissioner is a great subject of their songs. They have war-songs, lullabies, songs to the bride, to the child just able to walk, to the new moon, to the butter they are making, besides a number of children’s songs.
They also have a large number of proverbs which somewhat resemble those employed at Home, thus:—
| Translation. | English Equivalent. |
|---|---|
| “The grass which is in the belly of the wild ox is his own; that which is in his mouth he might die with.” | “A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.” |
| “Difficulty makes a plan.” | “Necessity is the mother of invention.” |
| “Water spilt cannot be gathered again.” | “No use crying over spilt milk.” |
| “He is strong at the dish”; said of one who does not work, but knows well how to eat. | “He is a good trencherman.” |
| “Comes out with holes in his skins (garments).” | “Escaped by the skin of his teeth.” |
| “A tame dog is the one that eats at the skins.” | “Do not trust one who looks very innocent.” |
| “Who has thrown out my basket of seed?” | “Who has meddled with my affairs?” |
| “The short hare cannot eat the tall grass.” | “Don’t attempt things too high for you.” |
The natives can make fire (sika) very easily. The woods usually selected for this purpose are Zumbani and Bg̊ebg̊a. One piece is rounded, and the lower point is inserted in a small hole in the other wood, and then twirled with the palms of the hands round rapidly till sparks are emitted, and then very dry grass is placed at the bottom of the rounded stick, when it will light. Should the wood be slightly damp, a very small pinch of sand is placed in the hole to increase the friction. The sika sticks can obtain fire almost as quickly as can a magnifying glass.
On felling a tree in clearing a plantation it is a general custom in this district for the native to make a small ring of grass and lay it on the tree stump, and then to spit on the ring and to cover it with a large stone. Natives state, in explanation of this practice, that their people have always done it, but they cannot say for what purpose.
The pottery whorls found in very old native huts are known to many natives, but not to all, for the author has heard natives explaining their purpose to other natives. These whorls had sticks inserted top-fashion through the centre hole, and were spun rapidly between the hands. These were used for drawing the threads from the mass of cotton, also, some say, in producing fire. The children find them and use them for tops. The whorls which are found in ruins, and which are doubtless antique, are made of soapstone and are excellently finished.