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There Are No Such Things As Marriages In Uganda; There Are No
Ceremonies Attached To It.
If any Mkungu possessed of a pretty
daughter committed an offence, he might give her to the king as a
peace-offering; if any neighbouring king had a pretty daughter,
and the king of Uganda wanted her, she might be demanded as a
fitting tribute.
The Wakungu in Uganda are supplied with women
by the king, according to their merits, from seizures in battle
abroad, or seizures from refractory officers at home. The women
are not regarded as property according to the Wanyamuezi
practice, though many exchange their daughters; and some women,
for misdemeanours, are sold into slavery; whilst others are
flogged, or are degraded to do all the menial services of the
house.
The Wakungu then changed the subject by asking, if I married a
black woman, would there be any offspring, and what would be
their colour? The company now became jovial, when the queen
improved it by making a significant gesture, and with roars of
laughter asking me if I would like to be her son-in-law, for she
had some beautiful daughters, either of the Wahuma, or Waganda
breed. Rather staggered at first by this awful proposal, I
consulted Bombay what I should do with one if I got her. He,
looking more to number one than my convenience, said, "By all
means accept the offer, for if YOU don't like her, WE should, and
it would be a good means of getting her out of this land of
death, for all black people love Zanzibar." The rest need not be
told; as a matter of course I had to appear very much gratified,
and as the bowl went round, all became uproarious.
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