"Why Do The Women Wear
These Things?" We Inquired Of The Old Chief, Chinsunse.
Evidently
surprised at such a stupid question, he replied, "For beauty, to be
sure!
Men have beards and whiskers; women have none; and what kind
of creature would a woman be without whiskers, and without the
pelele? She would have a mouth like a man, and no beard; ha! ha!
ha!" Afterwards on the Rovuma, we found men wearing the pelele, as
well as women. An idea suggested itself on seeing the effects of the
slight but constant pressure exerted on the upper gum and front
teeth, of which our medical brethren will judge the value. In many
cases the upper front teeth, instead of the natural curve outwards,
which the row presents, had been pressed so as to appear as if the
line of alveoli in which they were planted had an inward curve. As
this was produced by the slight pressure of the pelele backwards,
persons with too prominent teeth might by slight, but long-continued
pressure, by some appliance only as elastic as the lip, have the
upper gum and teeth depressed, especially in youth, more easily than
is usually imagined. The pressure should be applied to the upper gum
more than to the teeth.
The Manganja are not a sober people: they brew large quantities of
beer, and like it well. Having no hops, or other means of checking
fermentation, they are obliged to drink the whole brew in a few days,
or it becomes unfit for use.
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