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17 At the Back of the Black Man's Mind By R. E. Dennett
Then NEFUKU formed his people under a Cachew tree, the men near the trunk of the
tree, the women to the left, and the children to the right, the drummers opposite to the
men. A man began a song and dance by wriggling, rubbing his stomach with one hand
and beating his chest with the other and emitting a great shout. He sang, and as he
danced round the circle (inside) he bowed from time to time to those just in his vicinity,
and as he did so they clapped their hands. Then they all sang and wriggled. Other men
joined this singer and danced round with him. They became quiet, and then the singer
treated them to a trill that Adelina Patti might be proud of. He beat his throat with the
side of his hand and brought the effect out that way. Then as he came down to the level
of an ordinary singer, the crowd once more joined in with its lala, lala, lala. Then a
stranger (a servant of the Congo State), took his place and as he wriggled round and
with a graceful curve bowed to his neighbour he found that the latter was looking the
other way and did not give him the welcome clap-clap of hands, so he retired. Two
ladies, good looking in their way, now modestly stepped into the circle. Dressed in red
with silver anklets, and about thirty pounds of china olive beads about their waists, they
appeared to await the orders of the singer or master of the ceremonies. He sprinkled
some rum upon their heads to give them courage. They looked as if they would rather
not be there, and I have no doubt wished themselves among their cooking-pots. They
made two or three attempts to dance, but finally their shyness overcame them and they
ran away back to their places. An old lady, very heavily weighted with beads, took their
places and, wriggling, seemed to defy the world.
NENIMI was still seated under the Cachew tree receiving his guests, when a small
procession was noticed coming from the S.W. It consisted of a man (dressed in a light
blue coat and a cloth of blue and white checks, who also wore a white helmet), and his
wife and two children in European clothes, and two or three other women. An opening
was made for them in the crowd surrounding NENIMI, and the man, whose name was
MARFINI, knelt down in front of his prince placing one of his children on either side of
him. He spoke for some time in the usual flowery strain, and then turning his eyes
upwards prayed NZAMBI to look down upon them and bless the great NEAMLAU to be.
His little children, his wife and the women, when he commenced to pray, bowed their
heads and buried their faces in their hands. All around listened patiently and
respectfully, and when he had finished by saying AMEN, AMEN, NENIMI rubbed his
hands in the earth and made the sign of the cross upon MARFINI'S forehead, and then
blessed and dismissed them.
Yet one more procession, this time led by the gallant Gabba, and it was the longest of
them all. A man carrying a basin of food headed it, then came the old man. And now a
man carrying a girl, just out of the paint house, 12 upon his shoulders. She carried a
looking-glass in her hand, and continued to admire herself in it; then came women
carrying bottles on their heads, old blue glass ware, the lid of a cigar box with a picture
on it, a small box, old books and plates; the bugler and drummer bringing up the rear.
12 See p. 69; also West Africa, March 21, 1903, P. 293, and Laws of the Bavili
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