Here, as with not a few of the Bechuana tribes where Christian missionaries have begun to labour, a good proportion of the young people have professed to embrace the new doctrines, while the elders have clung to their heathen institutions. It soon became evident to Montsua that, although circumcision was not uniformly discarded, the young men and young women were reluctant to take part in the accustomed marriage orgies, and that many of the established festivities were very thinly attended. Amongst these ancient ceremonials was a dance known as the reed-dance, performed through the towns by a number of men in procession, blowing with such vehemence upon reed-pipes, that nearly always one or more of them would either drop down dead during the progress, or would subsequently die from the acute emphysema of the lungs brought on by the exertion. With reference to this time-honoured performance, Montsua gave notice that he should only undertake not to interfere with the “bathu ba lehuku,[1] on condition that they all joined in it as heretofore. The dance was ordered by authority, but the converts, instigated by Molema, Montsua’s own brother, refused to obey the king’s injunction. Molema was himself urged on by Yan, the present black Barolong Christian preacher.
Baffled on this occasion, by the advice of his rain-doctor Montsua next required that the followers
- ↑ According to Mr. Mackenzie, the bathu ba lehuku are “the people of the word;” the people who receive God’s word.
