A Giant People - Watussi of Africa, 1939

more than a thousand years ago there came to the highlands of East Central Africa the watusi a giant race who conquered the agricultural natives of the region now known as Rwanda today still ruling over 2 million subjects inhabit the Rolling Hills the Watusi live in neat houses of clay and thatched straw the family of Prince muaro are preparing for breakfast one of their many wutu servants has brought water with young Palm leaves for hand towels other servants on containers of food prepared in the nearby kitchen food for the wutu farmers peas bananas all in clean wooden containers ready for serving members of the family are seated behind a low clay platform which on occasion serves as a fireplace the refined features of Prince mu carago bespeak his Noble lineage as he chats with his son Prince Kiri while princess mukari attends her little daughter using the fireplace as a serving table the servant places in wooden bowls for each member of the family the boiled rice beans peas and bananas sliced with a bamboo knife the little princess prefers bananas fresh gathered from nearby Gardens intimate relationship exists between Father and Son the Young Prince will someday inherit the Family Properties farmlands servants and cattle in line with age old practice among Watusi nobility today with breakfast over father and son are going out to inspect their cattle it is only when the prince Rises that we appreciate his height more take leave of the princess mother they pass out of the thatched house and after farewell out through a gate in The Stockade which encloses the buildings with her young daughter at her side the princess takes up a morning activity the weaving of an ornamental wall matat this is made of reeds and grasses dyed in various colors such geometrical designs are characteristic of watusi orientation of walls and clothing Since cattle play such a prominent part in Watusi life it is natural that the young Prince's clay toys should represent the Royal cows this servant girl the personal attendant of the mother now requests that she inspect the broad trays of coffee drying lying in the sun another feature of household routine and a part of the education of the young daughter and then on to oversee the churning the Watusi depend for their food chiefly upon dairy products milk curds and butter the churns are jugs of cleverly carved wood scrupulously clean and covered by cones of closely woven grasses meanwhile Prince muaro and his son are are inspecting one of the treasured Royal herds cows with huge horns often measuring 10 ft from tip to tip the head herdsman has called attention to an ailing animal the prince sends his son off to play with some comrades before he begins the incantations which are calculated to restore the cow to Health in company with other Lads of the nobility Prince kagiri plays the game of igos so much like back gam more familiar to us this game is played only by members of the nobility there comes a Interruption a young messenger hurrying in announces that a leopard has been cited lurking among the trees near the Royal [Music] cattle the f father must be warned at once the Young Prince is to summon Bowman and Spearman from the wutu hunters telling them that Prince muaro himself will direct the hunt straight to the Hut of muganda head man of his father's Hunters goes the Young Prince with his message [Music] [Music] after the hunters have been summoned the Young Prince returns to his mother who gives him his dancing costume for a rehearsal with the Royal pages to be a page is a privilege eagerly sought after by all growing boys of the Watusi meanwhile replacing his father who is busy with the hunt he has another duty to supervise the ceremonial Dance of the wutu farmers subjects of the Watusi nobility this dance occurs at planting time each year high into the air go the crude hoes of the workers who wear a ceremonial Garb that represents the green foliage of growing crops this is an occasion of fun to all [Music] concerned now the Young Prince calls for the second stage of the ceremonial where the dancers arranged in two long [Music] rows with the added duty of supervising the home men's dance Prince Kiri is late for his part in the dance of the king's Pages Chief rasiri the Court's teacher of traditional dances Brusly orders the prince to hurry an attendant quickly helps him on with a ceremonial skirt bead necklaces and headdress of banana fibers there is great competition for a place among the king's Pages who spend four years at the Royal Court the wutu servants having finished their dancing now wait while their comrades bring on a hollowed log vessel and jars of fermented honey and milk for the drinking that will end the festivities in his father's absence the Young Prince must supervise this also a duty for which the dancing master excuses him the Wahu have their own type of drinking straws Large Hollow reads which have been set all about the vessel of milk and honey the Young Prince gives the signal [Music] the Royal Pages at rest from their dancing are thoroughly enjoying the affair having acted for his father the Young Prince rejoins his companions and seems to share in their amusement at the antics of the servant farmers a little later as he sets off for home the chant of the returning leopard Hunters comes to him from the distance eagerly he looks to see whether the hunt has been successful then dropping his ceremonial robes he dashes off to join his father and The Party The Hunt has indeed been a success after an affectionate greeting the prince proudly exhibits the Quarry with delight the Young Prince examines the dead leopard no longer a menac to the precious herds finally evening comes and the day's routine is ended with the washing of the feet by a household servant the prince's mother tenderly places the young daughter in her bed a bed built into one side of the house a bed of Reed mats closed off from the night air by a hand decorated curtain of woven reads the Young Prince too is ready for rest upon his bed of mats after a fond good night from his mother the light dry reads blazing on the clay Hearth are carried out and nightfalls upon the Royal Watusi household