THE AFRICAN NATIVE CHOIR.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume VIII, Issue 42, 17 October 1891, Page 496

THE AFRICAN NATIVE CHOIR.

ONDON, may, with a difference, be likened I unto a mighty spider’s web. The spider k Amusement has an insatiable appetite, and all & is grist that comes to his mill. The * differF ence ’is that the flies of Entertainment are not killed by him, but are rather supplied with ( ample means to live. It may not, at first ; sight, appear complimentary to say that, as h we have our frozen mutton from New Zealand, our roast beef from the States, our eggs from France, and our butter from Kiel, we have also our prime, donne from Canada and Australia, our tenori from martial Poland and musical Italy, our danseuses from everywhere. Before now America has sent us her coloured minstrels, and it is but fitting that South Africa should send us a native choir.

Apart altogether from the marvellous exploits of Stanley in that hitherto ‘ dark horse ’ of continents, Africa contains within her bosom secrets that make us gasp with wonder as to what will be. Her power is stupendous ; her strength enormous, and her possibilities open up a vision to which the wildest of Arabian nights’ entertainments are flat, stale and unprofitable. Who can yet gauge the extent of her auriferous wealth, or the magnitude of her diamond fields ’ Enterprise has done much to open up South Africa, but, as yet, we are merely nibbling at what must prove, in generations to come, a splendid mouthful. There is a fascination in the future of Africa from which it is almost impossible to tear one’s self away. The idea of forming a native choir and bringing them to England originated with the Rev. James Morris, a Wesleyan missionary. He was. however, unable to carry out the idea, and Messrs E. C. Howell (brother of the M.P.), James Henry Balmer, and Walter E. Letty, put the idea into effect and started from Kimberley some seven months ago with four natives, travelling some 3,000 to 4,000 miles, visiting the different Educational Mission Colleges and augmenting the choir en route. Many were the difficulties to be overcome on this long journey. There is a strange prejudice against natives in South Africa. For instance, one hotel proprietor refused accommodation to the Europeans on account af their being connected with the native choir. One town (Worcester, in Cape Colony), refused accommodation to the whole of the choir, and they were compelled to put oil' the next day's concert and leave the town in the night. At another town the European members waited till the hotel keeper had retired, and then gave up their rooms to the natives, and walked about all night. Prejudices were finally overcome and strong sympathies enlisted in the cause. The object of the visit of this choir to England is to interest the public in the internal, social, and material progress of South Africa and its native population, by the establishment of trade and technical schools, for teaching manual handicrafts, domestic economy, cooking, nursing, and such other useful arts as are essential to the future well-being of the native people of Africa. The choir consists of sixteen well-edu-cated natives, representing seven different tiibes. These are Amaxosa, Fingo, Basuto, Tembee, Zulu, Bapedi, and Cape. The provisional patron list in this country contains many well-known names, such as the Duke of Sutherland, the Bishop of London, Lord Knutsford, Mr Burdett Coutts, Sir Donald Currie, and a number of others. Among the female members of the choir, we may single out for remark Johanna Jonkers, a pure Zulu girl, daughter of a woman who suffered terrible hardships at the hands of some Dutch people, who had brought her as a slave out of Zululand, the woman obtaining her freedom by running away from her cruel masters and finding refuge and help in the town of Burgersdorp ; Makhomo Manye, a Basuto girl of the Bapedi tribe —she was a school teacher in the colony, and, besides a good, sound education, she speaks and writes five different languages, displaying a remarkable intelligence and possessing a very plaintive, pathetic mezzo-soprano voice ; Mbikazi Nobengula is of the Fingo tribe ; Malabese Manye, Basuto ; Mrs Xiniwe an Amaxosa, and F. Gqoba. Since their arrival in this country the choir have made many successful appearances in aristocratic circles, the chief being a performance before Her Majesty at Osborne. It is not a little singular that all the South African visitors expected to find their Queen much older-looking than she really is. The fact having been conveyed to Her Majesty that among the singers was a man who had fought against her flag in the Basuto War, the Queen, between the parts of the concert, desired him to be pointed out to her. When this was done Her Majesty rose from her chair and bowed with much ceremony to Semour. The Queen’s reply to the man who made a speech of thanks is worth recording : • I am pleased to see you all here this afternoon, and have admired the singing very much. ’ The Duchess of Teck was present at a garden party given by Mrs Master, and expressed herself charmed by the singing of the choir. The Duke of Sutherland had the choir at a reception at Stafford House, Lord Dysart at one of his garden parties at Ham House, Petersham, and the Bishop of London at Fulham Palace. The choir are engaged to appear at Lady Burdett-Coutts’ house, Stratton-street, Piccadilly. After their successes in town the South African Choir start on a provincial tour under the management of Mr N. Vert. His Excellency Sir Henry Brougham Loch and Lady Loch, have all along taken the deepest interest in this interesting venture, and their enthusiastic patronage has done much to popularise the enterprise. — Ladies' Pictorial.