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9/13/1950 - Water, and Other Things by John B. George

INSTITUTI OF CURRENT WORLD AFFAIRS JBG District Commissioner Water Other Things Bharamulo Lake Province Tanganyika Territory East Africa September Mr alter S Rogers Institute Current rorld Affairs Fifth Avenue Near York Ne York Dar Mr Rogers If native Nazinza Tribe Biharamulo belng fifteen years likely married great orries matter getting water Your house cooking meals posho ground ashing cooking eating clothes boles If husband educated clerk Nhite Bana tribe other shaving Or maybe lucky without shave fashion tribe using razor beaten tribe smelters The razor sharp rubbing against inside Usually squats heels looks piece cracke glass between papyrus reeds garden fence Bodies ashed every seven laying Skin animal placing bowel heate squat If husban afford slice brown Bana clothes Indian store cents But important cooking ashng bathing getting water young looking forward money buying wives As senior large rould become exempt carrying The carrYing places One spring Biharamulo about minutes thirty coming eight gallon Only smarter romen debbe petrol gallons glass fulls motor feeder front Indian store Or circle Indian clock trenty fifth thirty inutes Years German Banas spring square lined light colored Bana turns stone dries Since change going stone stream A small JBG II there agree4 everyone slowly halved bottom roiled blacken Two there usually waiting especially during morning One enjoy gossip neighbor women spring restful place sha4ed trees close enough village visited enough women husband lingering there The young unmarried Wazinza often around atering places husbands happen place private The other watering place bridge roamI which receives overflo spring It center perhaps steps across The trouble twice black especially during grass burning month season burnt grass falls Then people passon other tribes often break understanding their boSies If Soap taste water drinking sometimes causes sickness The takes The water carrying loads usually eight gallons because Biharamulo motor The drivers carry extra debbes which twenty cents sometimes throw Two these debbes length short balance center shoulder They balance earthen large ibash banana carry learn short quick steps springing water If break heating crack easily On should always unless there carried With single calibash course carry wrapped against upper sarong debbes cross bouncing noise splashing inside Of course husband object leaving house It arkinside house girls around likely spears poisoned arrows The bride price something think about everyone And because fever sleeping sickness order having babies Most before circumcision JBG II There getting water going little stone center filling debbes curve spouts stick hollow bamboo This water comes center square means piece bamboo ground The witchcraft device valley which makes noises firin hunters pushes stream water through another bamboo after first pulling ground water reaches shooting noises witchcraft device rests until This water clear given spouts running there least minutes weather But trouble water costs money You clerk stone penny before water through spout For earns shilling whose family needs debbes water Sometimes itchcraft device fails chief messenger explained right device broke Now eakly making noises pushing water The broken cannot mended tribal qqite Bwana hundred journey motorcar white There bigger witchcraft device bigger might brought Biharmul water would given nothing The Postmaster Bwana Bwanas East But Elders saying Bwanas Would spray tsetse flies And water carrying marks married woman If there water carry husbands would larger cassava fields women planting cultivating A clean house needs water The boiling posho evening especially there piece Long boiled posho squeezes thumb gravy stays You scoup through gravy piece Most husbands night munched sweet potato On working under Bwana three times They stronger harder But their homes always wanted If husband earns shillings month would drink water except alking middle JBG II Instead w0ul6 drink three calibashes course water drink water after march would debbe drink gallon Wazinza without wanting safari drink The Banas different without water strange ideas about water grink The guest Big Bwana always bottle water safari Four bottle forgotten sunrise until almost sundo water When arrived Ntare Big Chief cross asked servant Ntare water The servant glass wiped turban filled Chief water The Bwana looked through glass It water Of course since stream flowing water doodoos little through there larger doodoo jerks swims The Bwana looked water after water He moved inside mouth though wanted badly drink But cross everyone until water bottle brought porter safari The Bwanas queer They refuse drink fresh water because doodoos right drink water after doodoos cooked taste spoiled smoke It thing Nazinza picked Nhite habits would women gather fires boiling drinking water Sincerely John B Received New York