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Volume 2 109 |
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MASTER-MUSICIANS PERFORMING ON GOURD PIANO |
THE MOST FAMOUS BEARD IN CONGOLAND |
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| Among the heterogeneous tribes of the Bantu-speaking peoples, music plays an all-important rôle. In the sowing season, during the harvesting, at state functions and tribal ceremonies, the musician is ever to the fore. But his life is not always free from care, for if a chief discovers a man with the special gift of music, he will often gouge out his eyes to prevent him from wandering far away | He is chief of a troublesome folk, but they are proud of him. Plaited and coiled under his chin is his beard, thin rather, but many feet long. Only on State occasions does he uncoil it for public admiration |