ix WA-KIKUYU 113 



Boys run about without any clothes, but even the 

 smallest girls wear leather aprons. Older girls and 

 women wear a leather petticoat of curious shape 

 fastened round the waist ; it has two curious pointed 

 lappels hanging in front. The upper part of the body 

 is protected by a leather cloak, which is worn for 

 warmth, but with no idea of concealing the figure. 



When the girl is old enough for marriage she wears a 

 band of beads across her forehead, which is also 

 ornamented with shells. The women also wear ear- 

 rings, armlets, and anklets. 



The iron they require is obtained from ore found in 

 the country and smelted by their own smiths, who are 

 able to make all the iron articles required, such as 

 iron wire, chains, rings, ornaments, spears, swords, 

 hoes, hammers, collars, &c. They are specially good at 

 making iron wire which is used for the purpose of 

 ornament. At times copper wire is obtainable for 

 chain-making. 



The Wa-Kikuyu also make useful pottery. The 

 women are the potters and they mould the soft 

 material by hand. Their methods of hair-dressing are 

 described on p. 156. 



Goats play such an important part in the domestic 

 economy of the Masai and the Wa-Kikuyu that they 

 demand some consideration. It is an easy thing to 

 distinguish a horse from an ass when they are seen in 

 real life, but if one is asked to describe or even 

 enumerate the distinguishing points of these two 

 familiar animals the matter is not quite simple. The 

 points which distinguish goats from sheep are less 

 marked and fewer. The Wa-Kikuyu make no distinc- 

 tion between sheep and goats : even zoologists find it 

 difficult to draw a satisfactory line of distinction between 

 them. A typical he-goat has a beard, long angulated, 

 transversely wrinkled horns, and a strong odour. Sheep 

 and goats are prized for their milk, flesh, and skins. A 

 man's wealth is estimated by the size of his flocks and 



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