NO WELCOME

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 69, Issue 266, 23 August 1949, Page 3

NO WELCOME

CHIEF-ELECT AND WHITE BRIDE CAPE TOWN, Aug. 22. Seretse Khama, chief-elect'of Bamangwato Tribe of Bechuanaland, with his white wife, a London typist, Ruth Williams, reached Serowe, the capital of Bamangwato yesterday. The tribal Regent, Tshekedi Khama, Seretse’s uncle, who ' had sworn to leave if the white queen arrived, was conveniently absent, so were most of the tribal chiefs. No one welcomed the couple to the. mud hut city, where Ruth hopes one day to rule as queen. Apart from a few naked picanninnies there was no one to cheer. ACCLAIMED AS “GODDESS" (Rec. 11.0) CAPE TOWN, Aug. 22. The women of the Bamangwato tribe to-day acclaimed the former London typist, Ruth Williams, as “goddess.” Her husband, Seretse Khama, is chiefapparent of the Bamankwatos. Wearing a floral dress, the “white goddess” spoke briefly to the tribe in Sechijana, the tribal language. Native women screamed a welcome in high-pitched voices which could be heard everywhere in the village of Palapye where the Kliamas are living. Some South African however, were not so enthusiastic about her arrival. The Nationalist “Die Burger” called her a “foolish, ignorant young woman.” The newspaper added: “There exists in the Union a certainty that our own colour problem will be detrimentally influenced if Seretse Khama and his while wife are permitted to assume Bamangwato chieftainship.”