MIDWIFERY AND CHILDREN.
Childbirth is an exceedingly simple process, as a rule with the Kaffir;
a native woman only allowing it to interfere with her duties for a few
hours. Abnormal labours are seldom heard of.
Should any difficulty arise, a severe rubbing is sometimes resorted to
by the women in charge.
Whereas this statement holds good for the commonality and some tribes,
yet in others, e.g.: The Basutos, the time and method of childbirth is
very different.
The woman when near her time returns to the kraal of her father, who
pays the expenses if any, and of her mother, who is chief
superintendent of details. Some expert old women of the tribe acts as
midwife.
A special hut is built and kept carefully clean. On the floor is spread
a thick layer of dry cowdung to collect the lochia etc., and the woman
usually sits near this in a crouching position. She may, however, be on
her knees or even lying down. A firm band is tied above the uterus (to
keep it from rising) and this is tied lower down after the birth.
The child is received into the hands of an assistant; and the umbilical
cord, usually forcibly torn asunder several inches from the child’s
abdomen. The cord may, however, be cut or sometimes chewed through by
the midwife. The abdomen is, during the birth, rubbed and pressed, and
the back assisted by an assistant.
In very serious cases and only in extremis an Igqrira elemicisa is
called in, who however, seldom does much more than administer herbs.
To facilitate labour, and strengthen the uterine contractions, the
natives administer the root of the Um-kanzi (Typha latifolia).
Other herbs are used also for the purpose, one igqira being in the
habit of getting his patient stupefied by much smoking of dagga (Indian
hemp).
Two months after the birth of the child the mother reappears in public;
but should the child be still-born, after a shorter interval.
So much for the mother who usually recovers without much trouble.
The Newborn Infant is, to say the least of it curiously treated.
Dr. Casalis in recording the birth of 490 Basuto Children, states that
of these 160 die in infancy, and one is not surprised when one
considers the trying ordeals of their first few days of life.
No sooner is the baby born than the points of its fingers are bled for
luck. The infant is then held in the smoke of a slow fire of aromatic
woods till it sneezes or coughs to show that it is not bewitched. Then
commence its ablutions. It is first thoroughly rubbed all over with a
solution of cowdung and then rubbed clean as possible and rolled in the
skin of a goat or sheep recently killed.
Then commences a course of treatment that is in violation of all laws
of nature and propriety.
Instead of the infant being allowed to use the mother’s milk
“amasabele,” they give it sour curdled milk (a sort of koumiss or
calabash milk) from the cow, the same as that used by adults. This they
force down the throat of the poor little mortal by blowing it into its
mouth and compelling it to swallow. This is continued for three days,
and as a result the bowels become much distended and bowel complaint,
often ending in death, frequently results.
They do this as they believe that the new “Amasebele” new mother’s milk
would cake in the stomach, corrode it, and cause premature decay.
So that if a child be sickly the doctor often ascribes it to the child
having been fed on mothers’ milk too early, which must be purged away
by a course of medicine.
At the end of three days the infant is allowed to take the amasebele or
breast milk. During these three days if necessary, the breasts are
milked by hand.
The Kaffir, not content with the above extraordinary treatment is in
the habit of administering drugs to the newborn infant.
Thus on the day of its birth as a purgative, an infusion made by
steeping in cold water the tubers of the U-jyane (Chlorophyton comosum)
is administered. This is a common infantile aperient but when it is not
obtainable, a paste of the leaves or an infusion of the leaves of the
U-sikiki (Salvia scabia) is administered for the same purpose.
The Zulus have some curious practises, with regard to children.
At the age of about ten days the first “charm” is worked. It consists
of partly burying the infant at some spot near where lightning has been
known to strike. The hole need not be more than a few inches deep. The
mother places her naked infant in the hole, when the Isanuse chewing
some medicine roots, squirts it over the child, muttering an
incantation as he does so.
The child is then taken up by the father, who is usually present, and
handed to the mother. When the ceremony is over, on leaving the spot,
no one dare look back, lest the efficacy of the charm be spoiled. This
operation is supposed to instil courage into the unwitting heart of the
little one; such courage, that even when lightning, the most fearful of
all Silos (beasts) is flashing on every side, and the thunder roars as
if the very earth would burst, he or she may not momentarily close an
eye.
The temporary burying of a child at a later age is thought to be a
deterrent of diseases more especially of fevers and colds.
Mothers of children take their little ones, of any age up to five or
six years, early in the morning some little distance from home, and dig
holes in which each child is placed separately, and into which earth is
thrown until the child can only move its arms and head, the body being
in an upright position. The mothers then walk away, singing songs and
behold them from afar, when they return and release them.
Another charm to prevent sickness is one which is sometimes called
“Umtshopi.”
Young maidens are here the performers. When “Umtshopi” is to be played,
these maids rise early in the morning and go to some brook or riverside
where grows, a kind of long, broad leaved rush, which they pull, and
fashion into a fantastic kind of dress, thus:—
A rope is plaited sufficient to go round her waist, on this she works
the reeds, so as, to form a fringe or kind of kilt which will touch the
ground when she moves. Another is made to fasten round the chest under
the arms, and a third thickly worked is worn round the neck so as to
conceal the arms and bust. A hat is then made in the same manner, only
the rushes are burned so as to stand up, thus giving the girl in this
green costume, the appearance of a moving bunch of grasses.
Each girl being thus arrayed, they set out on a round of calls to the
kraals of the neighbourhood. Each chants a weird song, dancing,
gyrating in a most fantastic manner, frequently increasing the effect
of their grotesque appearance by wild whoops and unearthly yells, until
the smaller children begin to scream of sheer fright; for now the
mothers forcibly lay down on the ground all the younger ones, who
cannot be persuaded to do so, and an Umtonjane jumps over each one,
from the tiny mite just learning to crawl, to urchins of from twelve to
fourteen years of age.
After all the little ones of the kraal have been “jumped” the
performers go off and kindling a fire, burn their “Umtshopi,” a process
of some difficulty and duration owing to the greeness of the reeds. Any
garment or ornament which a girl may happen to wear while playing
“Umtshopi” must be burnt, otherwise the efficacy of the charm is quite
destroyed.
Among the charms practiced to prevent sickness from visiting a kraal is
the “Umkuba” or custom of the girls herding the cattle for a day. No
special season of the year is chosen for this custom. It is merely
enacted when diseases are known to be prevalent. On such an occasion,
all the girls and unmarried women of a kraal rise early in the morning,
dress themselves entirely in their brothers’ or men’s skins, and taking
their “knobkerries” and sticks, open the cattle pen or kraal, and drive
the cattle away from the vicinity of the homestead, none of these
soidisant herds returning home until sunset, when they bring the cattle
back. No one of the opposite sex dares go near the girls on this day,
or speak to them.
Seriously deformed children are left in the open veldt with the hope
that the spirits, who bewitched them will relent and either cure them
or take them away. Usually carnivora manage the latter alternative.
The method of doctoring children though curious is on the whole
rational.
When the child is sick, emetics or purgatives are used. If the former,
the usual way of laying the child on its back and holding its nose is
adopted. If the latter, a decoction is prepared, a short piece of small
reed is obtained. The mother takes the liquor into her mouth and
inserting one end of the reed into the child’s fundament, blows the
mixture into the bowels giving the picanini what she thinks sufficient.
The Placenta is burned, with the lochia mixed with cowdung, and as far
as I can find out there is no superstition attached to its disposal
such as exists in the Highlands of Scotland and in Ireland. The infant
is first rolled in a fresh goat skin and no special treatment of the
navel adopted.
Mother’s Milk. Deficiency is almost unknown, but a foster mother is
usually ready to supply the needful in such a case.
When the infant dies, or is still-born, the breasts are emptied by the
mother or an older child and allowed to dry up as soon as possible. No
herbs are used specially for that purpose.
Pregnancies. Dr. Casalis gives some useful statistics on this subject
amongst the Basutos.
100 women, chosen hap-hazard, had 490 children, 215 boys, 275 girls, of
which 330 were alive and 160 dead.
Of the 100 women, 30 had from 8–9 children; 62 had from 3–6; and 7 from
1–2.
Six had twins, and only one was sterile, but as many as 45 had aborted
at one time or another during her child-bearing period. And he remarks
“The relative frequency of girls to boys is not abnormal; nor is the
number of pregnancies unusually large, in fact one would expect a
larger amongst savages, were it not for the fact that here a mother
suckles her babe for two years, and so usually avoids pregnancy for
that period. The Sesuto have a proverb, ‘Many babes spoil the womb.’”
Sterility, is extremely rare and a great disgrace to Mosuto woman, who
will do anything rather than be considered sterile.
The general practice of Kaffir tribes is to send the sterile wife back
to her father if she prove sterile after a fair trial; and to demand
back the “lobola” i.e. her cost price.
Twins are not looked upon with favour although if they be females they
are welcomed.
In this connection, one must remember that the female is the labourer,
and when she marries, her father receives several head of cattle as
“lobola,” or purchase price of his daughter: hence their welcome.
Miscarriages are mostly attributed to witchcraft, but the sufferers
therefrom are sometimes treated medicinally.
a. The Um-kwinti (Gazania pinnata) is drunk in infusion of all its
parts.
b. The Isi-kolokoto (Sansevieria thyrsiflora) an infusion of the root
being used.
c. The In-gcelwane (Bulbine latifolia) of which a decoction of the root
and stalk is taken.
Menstruation. The first arrival of this, the average age being 14
years, is made the occasion of great ceremonies, which vary, however,
greatly in different tribes, thus:—Amongst the Sesutos, the maiden is
sent to the Native school (kept for the purpose by a woman), and turned
in what is known as a “Bale.” Much difficulty is experienced in finding
out what exactly takes place; but from what one gathers, there is no
removal of parts, as in circumcision in the male. The result of the
treatment is that the labia minora are considerably elongated,
sometimes very much so, and the female thus converted into an animal of
lust and desire. It is notorious that the Basuto women are excessively
immoral. According to them adultery is not an immoral act, unless there
has been complete possession.
Ho fuba in Sesuto (adultery) means to have complete intercourse, and if
followed by conception is punished usually by fining. A few head of
cattle or less, clearing the culprit even if she be a wife.
Papali (play), however, is an innocent flirt, and here the elongated
labia minora comes into use.
An old Basuto once said “Were it not for this custom all our woman
would repeatedly become pregnant, and thus spoil their children.”
Chiefs frequently lend their wives to their headmen, that they may
“raise children to their kraal.”
Among the Zulus and most of the other Bantu tribes the custom is
different.
The maid is confined with others in a separate hut. She has her own mat
to lie on, made of a peculiar kind of grass called “Nxopo,” her own
cooking pot and eating utensils. Only her nearest female relatives are
allowed to approach. She never touches flesh with her hands, using for
this purpose a forked stick, and she never uses milk.
(This practice of never using milk at menstrual periods is almost
universal throughout the Bantu races and most strictly adhered to. I
cannot find out any stated reason for it.)
She is not allowed to go near the father’s hut, nor to wander near the
kraals of the calves or cattle, or the other huts.
A special beast is killed for her, and the first cut, viz.:—A slice
from between the right shoulder and the ribs is reserved for her use.
No one is allowed to use the meat before her share is removed.
On the tenth day she covers up her face and goes to her home, preceded
by her nurse. Sour milk (a sort of Koumis) is poured out for her. She
drinks some, gargles her throat and spits it out on to some dry
cowdung.
Her nurse follows suit and then runs out, calling out “So and so has
drunk milk, so and so has drunk milk.”
The second stage, that of rejoicing and, sad to relate, general
immorality then commences. The friends are called together and the
girls now “Intonyani,” dress themselves in fantastic fashion in reeds,
go through wild dancing with much feasting and dancing and excitement.
Then follow orgies impossible in civilization. The old people go to
their huts, content to leave these newly fledged maidens and the youths
of the gathering to spend the night together. Free love becomes the
order of the day. Complete connection is not supposed to take place,
and should a girl conceive as a result, the reputed father may be
forced to marry her, and pay a fair premium “lobola” to the father.
This is not, however, essential, a fine often being accepted.
During the few days of this “Intonyane” festival the “Intonyanis” go
about from kraal to kraal. It is now the custom of the mothers to lay
their scared infants on the ground for the girls to jump over them,
thus performing “Umtshopi” i.e. charming away sickness.
After their ceremonies all the articles including dress, hut, fork,
mat, &c., &c., of the “Intonyane” used during the ceremony must be
burned.
Circumcision “Ubukweta” is universally practised amongst the Bantus.
Its origin is lost in antiquity, and it is held by many as proof that
the Bantu is the descendant of peoples, who emigrated from central Asia
and are allied to the Jewish nations.
This rite is performed on the boys at puberty, and is partly civil, in
that it introduces boys to the rights of manhood; and partly religious
in that it imposes on them the responsibility of conforming to all the
rights and ceremonies of their superstition.
It is performed by one of the old men of the tribe by cutting. The
instrument used being by no means sharp; but the wish to be, or appear
a man, prevents signs of suffering. The hemorrhage is stopped by
application of astringent juices mixed with clay; or in some tribes by
winding from the point of the glans up round the penis a long strip of
pliable goat skin, which article is afterwards much valued and
carefully preserved.
A number of youths from the same kraal are done at the same time, and
during the healing process are set apart from their fellows in a
locality some distance from the kraals, where they must provide for
themselves in every way. They are then called “Abakweta” and keep many
restrictions and observances, which I do not propose to describe here,
suffice it to say that when the soreness passes off, they are allowed
unlimited licence, and as a consequence the rite has very much
degenerated into an unthinkably immoral custom. Free love with the
Abakweta not being considered improper amongst the young women and
“Intonyane.”
CONCLUSION.
The foregoing pages prove, I think, to us that the Kaffir races, as
represented by their “Amagqira,” possess no mean amount of knowledge of
disease and its treatment, and their extensive use of herbs show in an
astonishing degree, the valuable information which the tribes possess
of the therapeutic actions and uses of the vegetable kingdom as it
exists in those parts of the country which they inhabit.
FINIS