From "In the Heart of Africa,' by Adolphus Frederick, 
Duke of :Mecklenburg (Cassell & Co.) 
CICATRISATIONS ON A MKONDJO WOMAN 
The study of the tattooings and skin-markings found in the 
whole of Central Africa is an extremely remarkable one. It de- 
mands very great diligence and very special and detailed mvesti- 
gation to trace the origin and significance of the custom. For 
instance, Wiese found patterns which constantly recurred, but 
were frequently accompanied by changing side-marks among the 
hundreds which he copied. According to the statements of the 
natives, they betokened signs of lineage by which the various 
races recognized their own folk. The ornamental scarrmgs are 
brought about by an inflammation or artificial irritation of the 
skin, which is scratched or incised with a knife, according to the 
pattern desired. The wounds are smeared over with vegetable 
matter and dirt, which causes them to swell up to an extraordi- 
nary extent. We saw skin-puffings on the foreheads of the Ban- 
gala, the chief race of the Middle Congo territory, swollen up to 
about two centimeters Countless variations may be found 
among which the half-moon shape occurs most frequently. 
fill performance of 1.50 
to 1.60 meters (5 feet).* 
With Weidemann's as- 
sistance, I was enabled 
by means of an excellent 
cinematograph apparatus 
to obtain a few capital 
pictures of these note- 
worthy performances, 
and their reproduction in 
Germany aroused great 
interest. 
Prizes in the shape of 
"gold" chains and simi- 
lar objects were then dis- 
tributed. The "Tait dia- 
mond" ornaments, which 
I had brought with, me 
as special gifts of honor, 
found great favor with 
the trinklet-loving Wa- 
tussi. Rings, stars, 
brooches, etc., were at 
length so coveted that 
my tent was in a con- 
tinual state of siege, and 
I was obliged to keep my 
admirers at arm's length, 
so as not to exhaust 
completely my stock of 
"precious jewels." 
We were also given an 
opportunity of seeing a 
set of dances, which dif- 
fered in no material re- 
spect in their character 
from those I had watched 
in the Masai steppe and 
among the coastal tribes. 
There was no musical 
accompaniment to the 
majority of the 11 dif- 
ferent kinds of dances 
which we observed, such 
as is usual with all the 
terpsichorean exercises 
of the negro people. In 
spite of this, however, 
there was no lack of 
rhythm. These dances 
were based on ideas bor- 
rowed from the animal 
kingdom, and were exe- 
cuted singly or in groups 
accordingly. 
*The world's record for a 
running high jump is 6 feet 
55/^ inches. 
.182 
