THE OLD CHIEF GOES HOME

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 6, 6 July 1929, Page 18

THE OLD CHIEF GOES HOME

Africa has seen a strango ceremony in tho burial of Kinanjui. Hi was a kingly-looking man who had great power over others, and fortunately for the Government lie was its friend Thirty years ago he was appointed Paramount. Chief of the Kikuyu tribe, and it is unlikely that another will be appointed in his stead. No one could really fill bis place. Each headman will rule over his own village, and there will be no overlord except King George across the sea. Kinanjui was not a Christian, bni he had Christian ways and Christian friends Members of the Anglican, Roman Catholic, and Scottish Churches came to his grave and prayed over it in turn. The Govfiriitnent was rep,e sented by Mr. Maxwell Chief Native Commissioner who saluted the coffin as it. entered the burial ground, and made a little speech about the dead chief, as the Romans made orations over the bodies of their friends. Then therf were prayers from priests and clergymen, and Kinanjui was laid in his la.st bed and the earth covered him. And then something was done which suddenly showed the huge gul* which stretched, after all, between Kinanjui and his Christian friends A goat was killed, and its skin was placea on the grave. There was no other native rite, no prayer was offered, no hymn sung For the pagan death is the end of all, a dark and sorrowful end. Only the Christian lays his dead away with beautiful words of love and hope and consolation. The pagan lays a goat skin on tho grave to say, "A great chief is buried here," and that is all. "