The secret of The kiama 



for many generations. The order represents the com- 

 bined intelhgence of the wisest native Africans. It would 

 seem to be the remnant of a "League of Nations" in East- 

 ern and Central Equatorial Africa. Even when shorn of its 

 executive power, nevertheless it continues to be a re- 

 pository of information. These peoples have no written 

 history of the past which we can study, and the only 

 means of gaining an insight into their ancient records 

 is to become one of them and sit with the fathers of 

 the tribe and listen to their recitations. This is what I 

 did and although at the time I was subjected to much 

 criticism, from the official powers that were, I have 

 never once regretted the action that I took, and time 

 has now justified it, so that my severest critics in the 

 past have modified their view to the extent of supporting 

 me. It is now generally regarded that a man in govern- 

 ment service should be fully trained in the knowledge 

 of native custom, mentality and social organization and 

 since my initiation into the Kiama I am glad to see a 

 much more sympathetic attitude towards the so-called 

 "subject races." 



It is a deplorable fact that the invasion of Western 

 civilization and European methods of education are 

 threatening to extinguish local tradition, and in a few 

 years if such methods continue, the romantic story of 

 the past will be entirely lost, for the young African is 

 at the present moment so intoxicated by the new West- 

 ern learning that he has come to discredit the old men 

 and their traditions. 



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