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area there is a central site for dancing, which takes the form of a large circle of beaten mud, surrounded by a low wall which serves as seats for spectators and keeps the dancing area free of rain-water. It may be added that villages are frequently known by thew name of the person who first founded the village, or by the name of one of his more distinguished descendants. For purposes of defence the Mambila dig trenches across the main road leading to their villages.
As regards weapons spears are used at the present time, but they are of comparatively recent introduction.Groups of blacksmiths have been associated with the Mambila for a considerable time, but they are of foreign origin and have not even yet become absorbed. The Mambila state that in ancient times they had no iron, and that their only weapon was the fibre-stringed bow and wooden pointed arrow. They had no hoes and carried out their agricultural operations by means of digging-sticks. When they first obtained the iron hoe-head they used it without affixing a handle. At the present time the hoe is fixed to the iron handle by the primitive method of binding with palm-fibre. Their shields are made of two layers of woven strips of palm branch, the layers being bound together with palm fibre. They are made in two sections which are woven together vertically and strengthened by a wooden cross-piece, which lies under the grip and takes the force of a blow of a spear or arrow. At the upper and lower end of the shield a circular section is cut out to permit of seeing and moving easily. A number of porcupine quills are stuck into the meshes of the shield on the inner side. These are used in retreat, being thrust into the ground to catch and injure the feet of a pursuing assailant.
The Mambila use short swords of the type illustrated in the accompanying photograph. The design is, as far as I know, characteristic of the Mambila, but it is possible and indeed probable that this type of sword was introduced from some tribe of the French Cameroons. [Notes11]
The Mambila are excellent pipe-makers. Their pipes are characterised by a wooden plug at the base of the bowl, on removal of which the pipe can be easily cleaned. The pipes are burnished by being put across damp grass while still hot.
Among musical instruments two types of single membrane drums were observed, one being open and the other closed at
Plate 60
A Mambila Hoe A Mambila sword and sheath