"BUNI" 



berries are boiled in a little water, with which a good 

 deal of sugar, if they have any, or honey, has been 

 mixed, and more ghee is added. This mixture is 

 allowed to simmer over the fire for a few minutes ; it 

 is then poured out into one large or several small 

 cups, which are handed round, and the sickly mess is 

 then sipped with the greatest relish, and the berries 

 are eaten. They claim that it possesses marvellous 

 properties, that it relieves fatigue and pains of all 

 sorts, clears the brain and makes "the heart glad." 

 The drinking of buni, involving though it does 

 an unbending formality, is invariably observed before 

 anything can be discussed, before any dance can be 

 begun or any important decision can be taken. 



With discontented Somali it is a good plan to 

 provide a quantity of buni ; they will invariably drink 

 it, and thus comforted, they will talk their fancied 

 wrongs over for hours, perhaps with one of your own 

 trusted men, until very often their anger cools, and 

 everything can be settled in an amicable manner 

 satisfactory to both sides. This coffee therefore formed 

 one of the principal and most important items of my 

 trade goods, and no traveller should attempt a journey 

 into the interior without a plentiful supply of it. 



The Jubaland Somali are very fond of singing and 

 dancing, but they neither use nor possess musical 

 instruments of any kind, not even the tom-tom, of 

 which the Arabs are very fond. They have songs 

 suitable for almost every occasion, many of them being 

 of a religious nature. Of the latter type perhaps the 

 most interesting is the " Song of Thanksgiving," which 

 consists of a solo and chorus, rendering praise to 

 Allah when water has at last been reached after a 

 long and dangerous march. 



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