Theophile Obenga, Readings
in Pre-colonial
Central Africa, Karnak,
London, 1995
The Kingdom of Makoko
Resources
The country of the Andzinziu
has a lot of copper
mines. Also found there in abundance is sandalwood,
both red and grey; the red is called tecula6 and
the grey, which is better prized, is known as
chicongo.7 The natives grind it into a fragrant
powder which they mix with other things to produce
medicine. For instance, when it is mixed with palm oil
and rubbed all over the body, the patient feels its
beneficial effects.
Industries and Technologies
The inhabitants of this country produce palm fabrics in great quantity,
in varied styles and colours. They also produce silk linen.They owe allegiance to a king
who has other princes under his authority. They are very nimble, bellicose
men, quick at taking up arms. They fight on foot.
Their weapons are
different from those of all their neighbours: their bows are small in size
and the wood is covered with snake skin
of different colours. The bowstrings are made of certain
sticks — a kind of reed — which are strong internally
as
well as flexible and slender. The arrows
are short and
slim, made of hard wood: the warriors hold the bows
and arrows in the same hand. They are so fast at shooting
the arrows that with twenty-eight arrows or more in the
same hand that is holding the bow, they are capable of
exhausting all the arrows before
the first one touches ground.
The Andzindzui also use other
arms: axes that are
strangely shaped with the iron part twice as long
as the handle while the lower part of the handle
is shaped as a ball to ensure a better grip. It is
entirely covered with snake skin as was seen
for the bows. Secured at the end of the handle,
the dazzling iron is attached with two copper rods,
some sort of nails as long as the handle. It has two
edges: one which is shaped in a semi circle and is
as sharp as an axe while the other is shaped like a
hammer.
Military Art
In combat, when they have to
defend themselves
against enemy arrows, the warriors are trained to
very rapidly whirl this weapon, thus forming a kind
of circle in the air in front of them. By so doing, the
arrows of their adversaries are stopped and blocked
from their target. Then they place their axes on
the
shoulder and begin to shoot their own arrows.
They also carry on their sides, in sheaths made of
snake skin, short daggers that resemble knives.
They have different belts: those worn by warriors
are made of elephant skin. They are as much as
three inches wide and two inches thick. Since the
skin is very stiff, fire is used to shape these belts
before they are fastened around the bodies
of warriors.
Customs and National Character
These men are very agile and
skilful; they bounce
up and down the mountain like goats. They are
extremely daring and despise death. They are simple,
upright and sincere.They practise circumcision; they
also have the custom of cutting different marks on
their faces using a knife. This is done from infancy
and both the men and women, the rulers and the
ruled are involved.
Dressing
This
is how these people normally dress up: the
common man covers
neither his chest nor his head
(his hair is short and woolly). The nobles wear silk
and other fabrics; on their heads, they wear red or
black caps, hats, velvet birettas from Portugal and
other local headgear. They are all eager to dress
elegantly if they have the means.
The women are
all covered from head to feet in the African way...........