Most of the Angoni men, however, adopt the Zulu
fashion of covering the glans penis with a small wooden case or
the outer shell of a fruit. The Wa-Yao have a strong sense of
decency in matters of this kind, which is the more curious since
they are more given to obscenity in their rites, ceremonies, and
dances than any other tribe. Not only is it extremely rare to see
any Yao uncovered, but both men and women have the strongest
dislike to exposing their persons even to the inspection of a
doctor. The Atonga and many of the A-nyanga people, and all the
tribes west of Nyassa (with the exception possibly of the
A-lunda) have not the Yao regard for decency, and, although they
can seldom or ever be accused of a deliberate intention to expose
themselves, the men are relatively indifferent as to whether
their nakedness is or is not concealed, though the women are
modest and careful in this respect." (H.H. Johnston, _British
Central Africa_, 1897, pp. 408-419.)
In Azimba land, Central Africa, H. Crawford Angus, who has spent
many years in this part of Africa, writes: "It has been my
experience that the more naked the people, and the more to us
obscene and shameless their manners and customs, the more moral
and strict they are in the matter of sexual intercourse." He
proceeds to give a description of the _chensamwali_, or
initiation ceremony of girls at puberty, a season of rejoicing
when the girl is initiated into all the secrets of marriage, amid
songs and dances referring to the act of coition.
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