The costume of the Barotse is simple, consisting of
the skin of some small animal attached to a belt of grass
or leather; another skin hangs down behind. In cold or
wet weather they cover the shoulders with a skin, usually
of antelope, which they also use to wrap round them at
night. Another mode of dress is the “ setsiba,” which is
said to have come into vogue since the time of Livingstone.
This “ setsiba ” is a piece of calico, which is passed
through the belt so as to hang down in front, then
gathered between the legs, and passed through the belt
behind, hanging down at the back.
Their ornaments are many. The most usual is the
circlet worn round the calf; it is made of copper wire
or cord® placed very close together just where the calf
begins. In these regions you never see more than three
rings on each leg. Round the waist is a belt, either
of lizard skin or covered with shells, beads, or buttons.
The women sometimes wear a band round the chest,
passing over the breasts. Round the neck hang strings
of beads—big ones of all colours; and little beads
(less sought after) are sometimes worn on a leather
band in patterns; snake skins rolled round the neck
also serve as necklaces, while charms are very much
appreciated. .
Every man carries a small scoop of iron, which is
used to clean out the nose, to take snuff, to scrape off
the perspiration, mud from the feet, to cut fruit, and
to insert snuff deep inside the nose.
Men and women wear the hair short, but a few let
it grow to about seven or eight inches long. ^ Some wear
a band on the forehead where the hair begins to grow.
They use wooden combs, and some fasten to the back
of the head a little string of beads two or three inches
in length. They also stick feathers in their hair (ostrich
plumes preferably), also hares’ and ducks’ feet, while some
even wear a serpent’s skin round a plait of hair mi the
forehead. The women carry their “ nose-cleaner” stuck
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in the hair. | They all have their ears pierced. The
commonest kind of earring is from one to half a dozen
circles of copper wire. Others wear a ring of beads, and
some, less smart, merely a button, or a fairly long and
thick piece of wood. Nearly all (men included) wear pins
and needles of wood, and carry a snuff box—either a
horn or a cartridge—while some have pieces of horn or
ivory. Rings are very unusual. The commoner bracelets
are of plaited straw or string, of .which they wear as
many as twenty. Then come bracelets of giraffe, buffalo
or hippopotamus skin, with a few of copper: while those
of ivory are worn only by royalty. It is customary
for hunters to wear bracelets made from the entrails of
animals. Women smear their hair and skin with ochre
as an ornament; but this privilege, as I have said is
reserved to the marriageable.
Among the Mashukolumbwe and Matoka two or four
of the front teeth are drawn out. Other tribes file the
incisors. They are usually, though not always, covered
with scar-like designs on the stomach, below the breasts
and on the arms. Sometimes you find some of them with
drawings, generally in blue, on the forehead and beneath
the eyes.
The weapon most in use is the assegai, without which
a man never travels; the boatman takes it with him to
cross the river, the shepherd to the' fields. It is used for
everything. As a means of defence they either thrust
or throw it. It serves also as a pickaxe and spade to
dig out holes, and plant branches wherewith to make a
shelter. It is a knife to cut grass, twigs, and meat. It
is a razor for feast days, and used to cut the hair; in
short, it is the indispensable instrument of their everyday
life. The more highly-placed natives have guns,
generally old muskets (Tower pattern, 1807), which they
handle very skilfully. The chiefs nearly . all possess
Martini-Henrys, and some also knives. Hatchets assume
all sorts of shapes. To cut wood they simply employ a
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