. The Baganda . special men were kept for putting the skins upon them andrenewing the fetiches in them, when necessary. Other royaldrums were kept in the ro)al enclosure, and one or two menwere in constant attendance to beat them, and to accompanythe beat with the grunt or howl of wild animals, when visitorswere announced to the King. The drums for the temples were next in importance afterthe royal drums; they had their own rhythm, and all containedfetiches ; they were sounded at the time of the new moon orsome special feast. I GENERAL SURVEY OF THE COUNTRY, ETC. 29 A particular drum was attac
. The Baganda . special men were kept for putting the skins upon them andrenewing the fetiches in them, when necessary. Other royaldrums were kept in the ro)al enclosure, and one or two menwere in constant attendance to beat them, and to accompanythe beat with the grunt or howl of wild animals, when visitorswere announced to the King. The drums for the temples were next in importance afterthe royal drums; they had their own rhythm, and all containedfetiches ; they were sounded at the time of the new moon orsome special feast. I GENERAL SURVEY OF THE COUNTRY, ETC. 29 A particular drum was attached to each chieftainship andconferred with the office on each chief; it was known andrecognised by the whole country. For dancing and for drinking feasts a long drum was usedwith the bottom end left open ; this drum was also carriedwhen chiefs were journeying, and was beaten to encourage. ;FIG. 7.—DRUMS, USED FOR DANCING them and to keep them from feeling tired, when they hadlong distances to walk. A young man carried the drum, beatthe rhythm with his hands, and sang songs accompanied bythe fife, and all the followers joined in the chorus and kepttime with their steps. The people when carrying loads, orwhen on a march, loved to be accompanied by the drum, and,if they had no drum, they sang songs, and set the time formarching by the song. 30 THE BAGANDA chap. The Baganda were remarkably good runners and walkers,and could carry a load of some thirty pounds weight a distanceof thirty miles in a day. When the King engaged a new drummer for any of theroyal drums, he gave him a woman, a cow, and a load ofbarkcloths. No woman might touch a drum when she wasmenstruating; she had to keep at a safe distance, lest it shouldkill her, and she should defile the drum. When a drum belonging to a clan required a new skin, theleading members of the clan had to assist in supplying it.
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, bookidbaganda00joh, bookyear1911
