AFRICAN WOMEN

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22260, 7 November 1935, Page 4

AFRICAN WOMEN

A MAYOR'S ADVENTURE

Stories about some of Africa's indomitable women were told at tho British Commonwealth League conference held recently in London, by Miss Georgiana Gollock, a well-known authority on African tribal customs, states an English writer. She told of the unfortunato visit paid by tho Mayor of Johannesburg, when seeking recruits for tho war to tho redoubtable Queen of Swaziland. When he went into her hut tho Queen had him bound and asked him why he did not go to tho war himself. During this friendly call ho told her that he had just succeeded in providing Johannesburg with a water supply. She replied magnificently, "Water? When I want water I make rain." In many parts of Africa tho markets aro managed by women. On one occasion the men altered the marketday for their own convenience, whereupon tho women went 011 strike and no market was held till their day came round.

In Calabar district recently, when it was decreed that the women were to bo enumerated, they objected, saying that when the men were numbered they were taxed, and as the women had had to earn half the money for tho men's taxes they did not see why they should be numbered and presumably taxed too. They flocked together to resist the order, and, though only armed with sticks, they managed to murder several people. They could talk, too. A commission was set up to find out why they behaved in such a way. "Their answers," said Miss Gollock, "filled a large book."