--- title: Introductory Chapter Regarding the Kaffirs. — Kaffir folk-lore · full text with trees · page 3 description: Introductory Chapter Regarding the Kaffirs., «Kaffir folk-lore» by George McCall Theal: the whole chapter, every sentence with its dependency tree and pragmatics. It begins: In South Africa the word Kaffir is often used in a general way to signify any black native who is not the descendant of an imp --- [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg71335/2/page/3/) [home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [tales](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/) / [Kaffir folk-lore](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg71335/) / Introductory Chapter Regarding the Kaf… # Introductory Chapter Regarding the Kaffirs. · page 3 [1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg71335/2/) [2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg71335/2/page/2/) **3** The largest amount of information on this subject which I ever obtained was from a group of aged Gaikas, among whom was a celebrated native antiquary.[143](../../143/ "tree and pragmatics") Negatively they replied to my inquiries much better than positively.[144](../../144/ "tree and pragmatics") “Had he been once a chief, such as Xosa or Tshawe?”[145](../../145/ "tree and pragmatics") “No.”[146](../../146/ "tree and pragmatics") “Was he the first man, the father of the nations, the one whom some of the old Fingoes call Nkulunkulu?”[147](../../147/ "tree and pragmatics") “No, not at all; Qamata was never a man.”[148](../../148/ "tree and pragmatics") “Was he the creator of all that we see, the mountains, and the sun, and the stars?”[149](../../149/ "tree and pragmatics") “Perhaps he was, we don’t know; he is greater than all these.”[150](../../150/ "tree and pragmatics") “Where is he?”[151](../../151/ "tree and pragmatics") “Everywhere.”[152](../../152/ "tree and pragmatics") “Does he see all things?”[153](../../153/ "tree and pragmatics") “We think he does.”[154](../../154/ "tree and pragmatics") “Does he help people?”[155](../../155/ "tree and pragmatics") “We ask him to sometimes, and we believe he does.”[156](../../156/ "tree and pragmatics") “Is he altogether good, or altogether bad, or partly good and partly bad?”[157](../../157/ "tree and pragmatics") “We don’t know about that; but we think he is altogether good.”[158](../../158/ "tree and pragmatics") “Are there any others like him?”[159](../../159/ "tree and pragmatics") “No; he is all alone.”[160](../../160/ "tree and pragmatics") “Is there any other name for him?”[161](../../161/ "tree and pragmatics") “In the olden times that was the only name, but now he is called by some u-Tixo,” (a name for God, introduced by missionaries).[162](../../162/ "tree and pragmatics") A superstitious act of a very peculiar kind is somehow or other connected in their minds with prayer to, or worship of, Qamata.[163](../../163/ "tree and pragmatics") In various parts of the Kaffir country there are artificial heaps of stones, and a Kaffir, when travelling, may often be seen adding one to the number.[164](../../164/ "tree and pragmatics") He repeats no words, but merely picks up a stone and throws it on the heap.[165](../../165/ "tree and pragmatics") Why does he do it?[166](../../166/ "tree and pragmatics") That good fortune may attend him,—that he may not be carried away by the river spirit when crossing a stream,—that he may find food prepared for him where he is to rest,—that he may be successful in the business he is engaged in,—or something of the kind that he is thinking of at the time.[167](../../167/ "tree and pragmatics") It is an act of superstition.[168](../../168/ "tree and pragmatics") But old men have told me, when I inquired the object of this act, that “it was for Qamata.”[169](../../169/ "tree and pragmatics") How?[170](../../170/ "tree and pragmatics") They did not know; but their ancestors had done the same thing, and said it was for Qamata; and so they did it too.[171](../../171/ "tree and pragmatics") The influence of the unseen world is ever acting upon the Kaffir.[172](../../172/ "tree and pragmatics") Far nearer to him than Qamata or the spirits of his ancestors is a whole host of water sprites and hobgoblins, who meet him turn which way he will.[173](../../173/ "tree and pragmatics") There is no beautiful fairyland for him, for all these fanciful beings who haunt the mountains, the plains, and the rivers, are either actively malevolent, or mischievous and addicted to playing pranks.[174](../../174/ "tree and pragmatics") To protect himself from them he carries on his person charms in numbers, only to find himself still exposed to their attacks.[175](../../175/ "tree and pragmatics") This superstition influences all his acts and gives a tone of seriousness to his character.[176](../../176/ "tree and pragmatics") The rites of religion consist merely in sacrifices to appease the spirits.[177](../../177/ "tree and pragmatics") These are numerous.[178](../../178/ "tree and pragmatics") On great occasions they are performed by individuals who act the part of priests, on ordinary occasions by heads of families.[179](../../179/ "tree and pragmatics") The meat of the animal sacrificed is eaten, for the hunger of the spirit is allayed with the smoke.[180](../../180/ "tree and pragmatics") No sacred days or seasons are observed.[181](../../181/ "tree and pragmatics") A corollary to the belief in malevolent spirits is the belief in witchcraft.[182](../../182/ "tree and pragmatics") Certain persons obtain from the demons power to bewitch others, and thus sickness and death are caused.[183](../../183/ "tree and pragmatics") The same individual who acts as a priest acts also as a witch-finder.[184](../../184/ "tree and pragmatics") In olden times the person whom the witch-finder pronounced guilty was liable to confiscation of property, torture, and even death.[185](../../185/ "tree and pragmatics") The priest and witch-finder professes also to have the power of making rain, and of causing the warriors of his clan to be invulnerable in battle.[186](../../186/ "tree and pragmatics") When following any of these occupations, he attires himself most fantastically, being painted with various colours, and having the tails of wild animals suspended around him.[187](../../187/ "tree and pragmatics") Before the supremacy of the Europeans it was seldom that the individual who filled this office died a natural death.[188](../../188/ "tree and pragmatics") Sooner or later he would fail to cause rain to fall when it was needed, or warriors whom he had made invulnerable would be struck down, or something else would happen which would cause him to be regarded as an impostor.[189](../../189/ "tree and pragmatics") He was then generally tied hand and foot and cast into the first stream at hand.[190](../../190/ "tree and pragmatics") Nevertheless, implicit confidence was placed in his successor, until he, too, met the same fate.[191](../../191/ "tree and pragmatics") Sometimes a person intimates that he has received revelations from the spirit world.[192](../../192/ "tree and pragmatics") He is really a monomaniac, but if his statements are believed his power at once becomes greater than that of the highest chief, and his commands are implicitly obeyed.[193](../../193/ "tree and pragmatics") The snake is treated with great respect by the Kaffirs.[194](../../194/ "tree and pragmatics") If one is found in a hut, the people will move out and wait patiently until it leaves.[195](../../195/ "tree and pragmatics") The owner will say that it is perhaps the spirit of one of his ancestors who has come to visit him in this form.[196](../../196/ "tree and pragmatics") It may be only an ordinary snake, he will add, but it is not advisable to run any risk, lest harm should befall his house.[197](../../197/ "tree and pragmatics") In the division of labour the cultivation of the ground falls to the woman’s share, as does also the collection of firewood, and the thatching of the huts.[198](../../198/ "tree and pragmatics") A man who meddles with work of this kind is regarded as an intruder into a domain not his own.[199](../../199/ "tree and pragmatics") The females look upon it as pertaining to them, just as in England they look upon housework.[200](../../200/ "tree and pragmatics") The descent of property is regulated in the same manner as the succession to the chieftainship.[201](../../201/ "tree and pragmatics") Many of their manufactures display considerable skill and ingenuity.[202](../../202/ "tree and pragmatics") Foremost among these must be reckoned metallic wares, which include implements of war and husbandry, and ornaments for the person.[203](../../203/ "tree and pragmatics") Iron and copper are now obtained in trade from Europeans, but when the country was first visited, the Kaffirs were found in possession of these metals, and to the present day a few stubborn conservatives prefer to smelt ore for themselves, as their ancestors did before them.[204](../../204/ "tree and pragmatics") There are certain families to whom the working in metals is confined, the son following the father in his occupation.[205](../../205/ "tree and pragmatics") This is the case with every kind of manufacture, and no one pretends to know anything about a trade which does not belong to his own family.[206](../../206/ "tree and pragmatics") In many parts of the country iron ore of excellent quality is abundant, and this they smelt (or rather did so until recently) in a simple manner.[207](../../207/ "tree and pragmatics") Forming a furnace of a boulder with a hollow surface, out of which a groove was made to allow the liquid metal to escape, and into which a hole was pierced for the purpose of introducing a current of air, they piled up a heap of charcoal and virgin ore, which they afterwards covered in such a way as to prevent the escape of heat.[208](../../208/ "tree and pragmatics") The bellows by which air was introduced were made of skins, the mouthpiece being the horn of a large antelope.[209](../../209/ "tree and pragmatics") The molten iron, escaping from the crude yet effective furnace, ran into clay moulds prepared to receive it, which were as nearly as possible of the same magnitude as the implements they wished to make.[210](../../210/ "tree and pragmatics") These were never of great size, the largest being the picks or heavy hoes used in gardening.[211](../../211/ "tree and pragmatics") The Kaffir smith, using a boulder for an anvil and a hammer of iron or stone, next proceeded to shape the lump of metal into an assagai head, an axe, a pick, or whatever was required.[212](../../212/ "tree and pragmatics") The iron was worked cold.[213](../../213/ "tree and pragmatics") In this laborious operation a vast amount of patience and perseverance was exercised, and the article when completed was very creditable indeed.[214](../../214/ "tree and pragmatics") Copper is worked into a great variety of ornaments for their persons.[215](../../215/ "tree and pragmatics") This metal is found in certain parts of the country, but it is now generally obtained in trade from Europeans.[216](../../216/ "tree and pragmatics") Hardly less remarkable was their skill in pottery, an art rapidly becoming lost since the introduction of European wares.[217](../../217/ "tree and pragmatics") Vessels containing from half a pint to fifty gallons were constructed by them of earthenware, some of which were highly ornamented, and were almost as perfect in form as if they had been turned on a wheel.[218](../../218/ "tree and pragmatics") Though they were frequently not more than an eighth of an inch in thickness, so finely tempered were they that the most intense heat did not damage them.[219](../../219/ "tree and pragmatics") These vessels were used as beer pots, grain jars, and cooking utensils.[220](../../220/ "tree and pragmatics") In the manufacture of wooden articles, such as spoons, bowls, fighting sticks, pipes (since the introduction of tobacco), rests for the head when sleeping, etc., they display great skill and no little taste.[221](../../221/ "tree and pragmatics") Each article is made of a single block of wood, requiring much time and patience to complete it, and upon it is frequently carved some neat but simple pattern.[222](../../222/ "tree and pragmatics") Baskets for holding grain, rush mats, bags, and drinking vessels made of grass are among the products of their labour.[223](../../223/ "tree and pragmatics") Rush bags are made so carefully and strongly that they are used to hold water or any other liquid.[224](../../224/ "tree and pragmatics") Skins for clothing are prepared by rubbing them for a length of time with grease, by which means they are made nearly as soft and pliable as cloth.[225](../../225/ "tree and pragmatics") Ingenious as they are, the men are far from being industrious.[226](../../226/ "tree and pragmatics") A great portion of their time is spent in visiting and gossip, of which they are exceedingly fond.[227](../../227/ "tree and pragmatics") They are perfect masters of that kind of argument which consists in parrying a question by means of putting another.[228](../../228/ "tree and pragmatics") They are not strict observers of truth, and, though not pilferers, they are addicted to cattle lifting.[229](../../229/ "tree and pragmatics") According to their ideas, stealing cattle is not a crime; it is a civil offence, and a thief when detected is compelled to make ample restitution; but no disgrace attaches to it, and they have no religious scruples concerning it.[230](../../230/ "tree and pragmatics") Such, in brief, are the Kaffirs, the people among whom the following stories are current.[231](../../231/ "tree and pragmatics") [1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg71335/2/) [2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg71335/2/page/2/) **3** - ← previous: [page 2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg71335/2/page/2/) - next →: [Story of the Bird That Made Milk. I.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg71335/3/) - ↑ back to [Kaffir folk-lore](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg71335/)