Anthropological notes on Bantu natives from Portuguese East Africa / by G.D. Maynard and G.A. Turner.

  • Maynard, George Darell, 1876-1923.
Date:
1914
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Anthropological notes on Bantu natives from Portuguese East Africa / by G.D. Maynard and G.A. Turner. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    found round Middleburg; they call themselves Mandibile, and speak Zulu. From Matabeleland various raiding impis were despatched into the neighbouring territories. One under Soshangan went west and then south, until having had four leaders, namely, Soshangan, Manekuz, Muzila, and Gungunyana, it was conquered hy the Portuguese in the present Gazaland, and Gungunyana deported. It is interesting to note that the language of the “ Abangoni ”— who, according to this version, are an offshoot of Umzilagazi’s troops, which went north of the Zambesi—is called “ isi Nguni,” and the Shangaans of the present day call the Zulu language “ isi Nguni ” in the same way as the Maxosa people call it “ isi Chaka.” It would appear that the present Shangaans last heard Zulu from the Abangoni,” and when they met it on their return south they called it ‘‘isi Nguni.” The language of the Shangaans appears to have suffered a much greater deterioration from true Zulu than that of the Angonis. There is still another version, namely, that Chaka sent an impi to the Jjimpopo, and that it w'as practically destroyed by fever, the remnant gradually s]weading northward. Pound the Limpopo there are still a few natives who say that they came from the south, and that their fathers died, not fighting, but in some catastrophe. These sketches will serve to indicate how impossible it is to regard even a superior Bantu race as even ayjproximately a pure stock. The women of the conquered races are ahvays the perquisites of the victors. They further indicate the extreme difficulty of obtaining reliable historical accounts of native movements, even when confined to comparatively recent times. The Myfopi. Although beaten by the Rhaangaan they are still a virile race with distinct tribal peculiarities and customs. Formerly both males and females were tatooed with very distinct tribal markings, but of late years this practice has been almost entirely confined to the females. The Inhamhanes may, we think, be described as a heterogeneous collection of many tribes, harassed in turn by the slave-traders, the Shangaans, the Mytopis and others ; they have never had a settled country, or attained any pre-eminence. Although living in a fertile and prolific country, they are of a somewhat inferior physique, and have been considered ‘‘ dogs ” by their more virile neighbours. The Tongas, or natives of Maputaland, have been living for generations in the vicinity of Delagoa Bay, a port> occupied for many generations hy Europeans, Arabs, and Indians. They probably possess, therefore, more alien blood than any of the races already described. In addition, their close proximity to the Rwazies has resulted in a