THE WESTERN WORLD

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 56, Issue 60, 21 December 1935, Page 9

THE WESTERN WORLD

AS SEEN BY MATABELE WARRIOR Chief Kumalo, the Matabele warrior who went to England to play the part of his ancestor, Lobengula, in a British film, recently with his two native attendants, spent a few days in seeing the marvels of London, stated an English paper recently. The chieftain’s comments, made in the picturesque language of simile and metaphor commonly used by his people, form a revealing sidelight on the world’s greatest city, as seen for the first time by a South African native nobleman who had never proviously been beyond Bulawayo. The marvels of the underground railway impressed the chieftain, but his remark was to the point. “The moving stairs, and the rushing trains, are wonderful,” he remarked. “But to go beneath the earth thus is to become a mole; besides there is nothing to see from the train!” A visit to the Crystal Palace brought forth further comments. “See!” said Kumalo, pointing to the statues in the huge building. “We in Africa give offerings to tlie spirits of our Great Ones; but you make images of them in stone, so that their memory may never fade, and their children’s children may see and remember.” He noticed a classical figure with how and quiverful of arrows. “Did the white man, too, make war with bow'?” he asked. “Why, then our .very method of warfare originated with the white man!”

The changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace delighted the three African tribesmen. As warriors, they are .vastly impressed by the splendour and' precision of the military display, and the physique and fine bearing of the guardsmen drew forth admiring comments from the old campaigner. The Natural History Museum delighted them; they were amazed that the white men of Britain could bring their children to see the stuffed forms of beasts from South Africa, well known to themselves.

But Kumalo’s greatest adventure took place at Croydon’s Airport, where Imperial Airways, authorities received him and his two companions, and] showed them the wonders of modern flight. They had, of' course, seen aeroplanes in flight, but had never seen such a machine at close quarters. They sat in the huge four-engined Paris aeroplane, and marvelled at its size and comfort. Then a flight was suggested m a smaller machine. At first the chief demurred. “But you have seen the great machines fly in the air, O chief, said one of his attendans. “How much easier, therefore, mast it be for that little one to fly!” Eventually, Kumalo accepted the invitation, and was soon high over Bonder. He was delighted by the sight of huge buildings dwindling to the size of toys, and of tiny streets crowded with people like ants. “Are you still fearful?” asked Mr Posselt, the retired! Native Commissioner from Rhodesia, who is acting as the chief’s adviser and interpreter. “Not now,” replied Kumalo. “Once the warrior enters the battle, lie forgets all fear!” Kumalo’s summing-up of his impressions is touching in its obvious sincerity. “My eyes are tired with looking at marvels,” be said. “My jaws are stiff with talking of the marvels we have seen. But O white men, who have made so many wonders, why have you not yet conquered death?”