. The Baganda . BOYS AND GIRL 1\ USUAL DRESS. promotion would be certain. In other cases a boy remainedwith his relative, until war broke out, when he accompaniedhim on the expedition, and perhaps distinguished himself inbattle. Much depended upon the boy himself: if he wasidle, he might go unnoticed, and never rise to be anythingmore than a peasant. Once a boy had gained favour with achief, he could obtain barkcloths or the means to buy boys, who were less clever, soon found their level asassistants to peasants, taking part in barkcloth making, fence II BIRTH, INFANCY, AND PUBERTY
. The Baganda . BOYS AND GIRL 1\ USUAL DRESS. promotion would be certain. In other cases a boy remainedwith his relative, until war broke out, when he accompaniedhim on the expedition, and perhaps distinguished himself inbattle. Much depended upon the boy himself: if he wasidle, he might go unnoticed, and never rise to be anythingmore than a peasant. Once a boy had gained favour with achief, he could obtain barkcloths or the means to buy boys, who were less clever, soon found their level asassistants to peasants, taking part in barkcloth making, fence II BIRTH, INFANCY, AND PUBERTY 77 making, and house building, while every time their turn cameto supply food for the over-chief, they had to carry it to himto the capital. Boys had a free and happy life while thetime of herding lasted ; they met together daily, and whilethe animals browsed, they had ample time for all kinds of. FIG. 17.—BAGANDA BOYS WRESTLING. games. Their chief game was the throwing of a stick(kubariga); the stick was fairly stout, and about eighteeninches long; each boy was armed with two such sticks, andtook turns in throwing them. The players marked a line atwhich to stand, and threw the sticks with such force that,when one struck the ground on its end, it went end over endfor some distance. The boy whose stick fell short of the 78 THE BAGANDA CHAP. Wrestlingand othergames. Others had to pick it up and throw it at the stick of one ofhis opponents ; if he struck it, well ; but if he failed, theother boy. took up his stick, and with it struck a blow at thestick which had failed to hit it, and tried to break the latter ;then they all threw again. Those who were the most skilledalways sent their sticks flying to a safe distance, out of dangerfrom their antagonists. The national game was wrestling ; this was indulged in bymen and boys alike ; even the King frequently took part in
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, bookidbaganda00joh, bookyear1911
