336 AFRICA SPEAKS 



manner in which the drumsticks are used in relation to 

 this opening. 



Hardly had the sun come over the horizon, when the 

 Httlei men began to dance near the large hut which the 

 local Momvu use as a council house. We were using 

 it as sleeping quarters, and the sound of the drums 

 and tom-toms soon had us out of bed. Tliis dance was 

 participated in by all members of the family, from the 

 oldest woman down to the smallest child. Even the 

 wee babies were there on their mothers' backs, and it 

 was a most amusing sight to watch their tiny heads 

 bob up and down as the mothers pranced and swung 

 to the rhythm of the music. I found these dwarf 

 people wilHng to do whatever they were asked. They 

 would run where others walked, but would soon tire of 

 everything except dancing, and after a httle while 

 would say, "Our strength is gone, we must rest." 



Before noontime, a hundred or more had come in 

 from the forest to join our camp. Their first act 

 was to construct themselves huts of banana leaves 

 and palm branches. This task required almost half an 

 hour's time. Men and women worked together, and 

 wliile the men cut the leaves the women wove them 

 into a beehive-shaped hut. Skins and other household 

 furnishings were placed inside, a fire was started out- 

 side the entrance, and behold, the new arrivals were at 

 home to callers I 



Next they went to have a look at the strange men 

 with fair skins, for some of them had never before 

 seen a white man. Greetings were exchanged, and 

 then our friends would join the dance, or go in search 

 of old acquaintances, for gatherings such as this are 

 very rare. 



