EX bibliotheca I. QP^J 2^ 22503052228 > THE TAILED HEAD-HUNTERS OF NIGERIA ' ^’ j> ^! ff;' . • ; , - ^- I- -* ' ’' - K ^., ; «*-'.»i''>'-r ^ "I '**.**V- '. ‘Vi -.fc:‘'- ' --' 1 V r- 'j;'- .t’!: pjA. I i .' ^ A 7'* •.• ''• :-V> « .' •< .y r*'.' ^ T r I *• 1 *> r-il, . •v*.;i'.''->. r’-'Ii ' - L,' - .«• ‘ • -•-.: - I 3 ' V. • . .- ., . /.? li 1.^ / - t«,r; ' • 9 * * I* 4 . > : I »- • . I. ' .1. f , ! ''#••=»' -.V- .-ij ^ T- »«• •V*' **l ^ , -'i .-V'^v V 'Hi- % t * t . ...4 » * •- -., * »• V - • » ' „ ' - - Ttf: bi TW^9b Nickkian Nativks with Tails A Kajjoro woman from Tiiku Tozo and an Attakka woman. See p. 104. THE TAILED HEAD-HUNTERS OF NIGERIA AN ACCOUNT OF AN OFFICIAL’S SEVEN YEARS’ EXPERIENCES IN THE NORTHERN NIGERIAN PAGAN BELT, AND A DESCRIPTION OF THE MANNERS, HABITS, AND CUSTOMS OF SOME OF ITS NATIVE TRIBES BY MAJOR A. J. N. TREMEARNE B.A. (Cantab.), F.R.G.S., F.R.A.I, Sometime Scholar and Prizeman, Christ's College Hausa Lecturer, and First Diploma in Anthropology, Cambridge Of Gray’s Inn, Barrister-at-Law Author of “Hausa Superstitions and Customs," “The Niger <5p the West Sudan,” “ Fables and Fairy Tales," &^c. With 38 Illustrations isf a Map SJECOArn EDITION LONDON SEELEY, SERVICE ^ CO. LIMITED 38 GREAT RUSSELL STREET 1912 —— — — &= %ECEN7 ‘BOOKS Among Congo Cannibals. Experiences, Impressions, and Adven- tures during a Thirty Years’ Sojourn amongst the Boloki and other Congo Tribes, with a Description of their Curious Habits, Customs, Religion, Laws. By John H. Weeks, Cor- respondent to the Royal Anthropo- logical Institute, Author of “Congo Life and Folk-Lore,” With 54 Ulus. 6= Map. Demy 8vo, i6s. net. Through Timbuctu and Across the Great Sahara. An Account of an Adventurous Journey of Exploration from Sierra Leone to the Source of the Niger, and thence across the Great Sahara to Algiers. By Captain A. H. W. Haywood, F.R.G.S., Royal Artillery. With 45 Ulus. Demy 8vo, i6s. net. “ A fascinating book. An attrac- tive record of travel from the first page to the Standard. Second Edition. The Tailed Head-Hunters of Nigeria. An Account of an Official’s 7 Years’ Experiences in the Northern Nigerian Pagan Belt, <5r* some Description of the Manners, Habits, Customs of the Native Tribes. By Major A. J. N. Tremearne, B.A. (Cantab.), F.R.G.S., F.R.A.I. With 38 Ulus. &= Map. Demy 8vo, i6s. net. “ Brilliant. Written by a scholar who knows how to handle a magic pen.” Standard. My Adventures among South Sea Cannibals. An Account of the Experiences and Adventures of a Government Official among the Natives of Oceania. By Douglas Rannie. With 39 Ulus. Map. Demy 8vo, i6s. net. “Fascinating to the last degree.” —Globe. Among the Eskimos of Labrador. A Record of 5 years’ Close Intercourse with Labrador Tribes. By Samuel King Hutton, M.B. With 47 Ulus. 2 Maps. Demy 8vo,i6s. net. “ Humorous, picturesque, and scientific by turns, but always sympathetic in the highest de- gree.” Morning Post. Fore and Aft. The Story of the Fore and Aft Rig from the Earliest Times. By E. Keble Chatterton, Author of “ Sailing Ships and their Story,” fir’c. With 150 Ulus. Sq. Ex. Royal 8vo, i6s. net. General “Cannot but have a great fasci- nation ; absolutely exhaustive.” Liverpool Post. M Second Edition. An Unknown People in an Un- known Land. The Life and Customs of the Lengua Indians of the Paraguayan Chaco, ^310 with Adventures and Experiences mei with during Twenty Y ear.s’ Pioneering and Exploration amongst them. By W. Barbrooke Grubb. With 60 Ulus. £3“ Map. Demy 8vo, i6s. net. “A remarkable volume ... of great value and excellently illus- trated.” Contemporary Review. SEELEY, SERVICE CO. LTD. TO MY WIFE PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION One of my aims in writing this book has been to show how much the uncivilised natives of Northern Nigeria resemble some other aboriginal races, possibly even our own remote ancestors, and, incidentally, to prove that they are by no means as black in many ways as they are painted. Having served in different parts of West Africa for the greater part of ten years, first as a Military then as a Police Officer, and subsequently in a Political and a Judicial capacity, I have possibly a wider view of West African things in general than many writers on the country, and I have endeavoured to be fair to both white and black. The native is certainly not the equal of the European, but surely he is still worthy of sympathetic consideration ! If in discussing African life and characteristics I have occa- sionally introduced examples drawn from other lands, it has not been done with any intention of forcing them into an artificial resemblance, but solely for the sake of comparison, for a custom, which at first may seem strange to the average reader, becomes more easily intelligible through the light thus thrown upon it from other sources. I hope, therefore, that the general observa- tions on customs and ideas will be useful to those commencing the “ study of man,” and that the notes on the head-hunting tribes, being quite new, will interest even those who are more advanced. A description of certain subjects, with which it has been im- possible to deal here, will be found in the Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute, Vol. xlii. Life in West Africa is a medley of sensations. There are many intensely exciting moments, there are days when one is absolutely in the depths of despair, but even at these times some- thing may happen, with the light-hearted natives about one, which will divert one’s thoughts into a totally different channel. xi PREFACE as gallant in many Perhaps when under fire, the black soldier— a smile by some quaint ways as his white comrade—will provoke prepare meals remark concerning the enemy; or the cook will singing all the time as quite unconcernedly within arrow range, more serious than the burning if there were no danger to be feared of the pudding. “^ a couple of years to forget the One is liable after an absence of correspond- madding crowd ” of insects, the annoyances of official noise, the dust, and the ence, the irritating revenue returns, the excitement and the beauty of dirt, and to remember only the this mood he is West Africa; and if he sits down to write in rose. It is only by re- likely to see everything tinted couleur de being thus reminded ferring to brief entries in note books, and by that I can recall the of the circumstances connected therewith, serious enough at worries which, though negligible now, seemed only one aspect, I the time. And, as I do not wish to describe “ not on account of have in places purposely laid a complaint,” people, white or any grudge against Northern Nigeria, or its a true and living picture black, but because I wish the book to be of officials of the Colonial Office and of life in that country. The work, but there is no the local Government have done splendid need to expect them to be more than human. consciously, more often The native is a humorist, sometimes to understand his unconsciously, and I have usually been able in a comfortable joke when with him. And though, when sitting clearly, while the arm-chair, the amusing incidents stand out dim distance, accompanying pin-pricks gradually fade into the plenty of laughter in the air of the it is safe to say that there is West Coast for every one if he can only see it. A. J. N. T. Blackheath, 1912 . June 28 , Xll CONTENTS CHAP. PAGE I. Impressions of West Africa • ... 17 II. Arrival ........ 24 III. Up Country ....... 30 IV. Headquarters ....... 39 V. A Benue Province ...... 48 VI. Mohammedans v. Pagans ..... 61 VII. A Boundary Commission ..... 75 VIII. The Tailed Head-hunters ..... 91 IX. “Heads and Tails” ...... 103 X. Tribute Troubles . .115 XI. Habitations 131 XH. Some Exciting Arrests ..... 144 XIII. Customs and Superstitions ..... 161 XIV. Customs and Superstitions {contimied) . .176 XV. Customs and Superstitions {continued) . 193 XVI. A Mutiny . .211 XVH. Courtship, Marriage, Divorce, and Child-birth 224 XVIH. Food and Drink ....... 241 XIX. Music and Dancing ...... 249 XX. A Punitive Patrol ...... 272 XXI. Occupations ........ 287 XXII. Modes of Travelling ..... 304 XXHI. Hausa Folklore ....... 320 Xlll ILLUSTRATIONS Nigerian Natives with Tails ..... Frontispiece PAGE The “ Great North Road ” to Kumasi 20 Tlie River Niger—A Sandbank .... 26 The River Niger—On It . 26 Dusky Beauties ....... .S2 Yoruba People of Igbaja ...... 34 A New Force ........ 40 A Distinguished Visitor ...... 50 A Filani Chief ........ 64 Kajji of Women Mersa ...... 76 Kagoro Women of Tuku Tozo ..... 92 Kajji Chiefs ........ 104 Hairdressing Extraordinary ..... 108 Lip Ornaments ....... 110 Kajji Youths of Mersa ...... 116 A Goat-house ........ 122 A Head-hunter’s Habitation ..... 132 A Kajji Compound ....... 136 Yoruba Houses ....... 138 A Corduroy Road ....... 146 A Kajji Granary ....... 146 Ugly but Revered ....... 162 Some Kajji Dandies ....... 178 Ashanti Men ........ 214 Ashanti Houses ....... 214 XV ILLUSTRATIONS PAGE Beans 24-2 Music Hath Charms 250 • • • • • 252 . • • A Kajji Dance . A High Stepper 262 A Ceremonial Dance 264 Basket-making 288 Bull-baiting 297 The Biter Bit 297 Wet Travelling 306 • • • .316 A Native Canoe . • • • A Kajji Joint-family Residence . • • .316 Home Industries 322 Good-bye to Jemaa 330 XVI THE TAILED HEAD-HUNTERS or NIGERIA CHAPTER I IMPRESSIONS OP WEST AFRICA HAD always wanted to go to West Africa, and when given the choice to proceed I as a Special Service Officer to join the Expedition in Ashanti in 1900 instead of going back to South Africa to join the Australian Regiment, which was due to return home, I eagerly seized the opportunity of visiting that fascinating country.