Land and peoples of the Kasai

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About this book

"Land and peoples of the Kasai : Being a narrative of a two years' journey…." by M. W. Hilton-Simpson is a travel narrative and ethnographic account written in the early 20th century. It follows a two-year expedition across the Kasai and Sankuru basins of the Congo, documenting landscapes, river travel, and the lifeways of peoples such as the Batetela, Basonge, Bushongo, and Bankutu. Readers can expect close, first-hand observations of customs, music, material culture, and field methods, set against the realities of colonial transport, trade, and missions, with a declared focus on science rather than politics. The opening of the narrative explains how a planned Sahara journey was abandoned, leading to a Congo expedition organized with ethnographer Emil Torday (with museum backing and a painter in tow), logistical support from the Kasai Company, and cooperation from the colonial administration.