Why the kennel prefix is Bayenzi
I spent six months trying to think of a suitable name for the Kennels
One day I was asked by Helen Church to babysit her new born pups for the day. I had met new mum Diva only a couple of times and she was understandably wary about me being left alone with her. With some gentle growls she quickly let me know she needed no help. I decided sitting with my back to the bitch box was the best option for all of us.
Helen has a huge selection of Basenji books so I took the chance to research kennel names. So with a baleful eye peeking at me from a tiny gap the bitch box I settled down to find a name for my kennel.
The first name I liked was Dinka. Veronica Tudor-Williams tells he following story about the Dinka people in her book "Fula Basenji of the Jungle"
We were going down one road when a most attractive sight came towards us. Two young girls of about ten with arab type features, the most lovely bodies small high breasts, narrow waists and hips, and long legs. They were of course, naked, but at fifty yards away from us they disappeared into the bushes and put little leather aprons. Then they continued on down the path towards us with smiling faces. However John had noticed something he wanted. One of the girls was wearing a beaded Azande belt . These Azande belts in fact any Azande beadwork, is now rare, and John set his heart on getting this belt.
We looked into our bag of goodies which we had brought with us for barter, and John came across the ideal exchange a silk Hardy Amies Scarf. He waved it front of her, and then draped it round his hips, next round her hips. She got the idea and she and John disappeared into the bushes. Then a few minutes later John came out holding the Azande belt in triumph. Then Dinka girl had tied the scarf draped into a point. At the back she had tied it into a bow and from the bow dangled three little bells which she had been wearing round her neck.
I thought this such a charming story and felt that Leila was a dainty little bitch who would honour the name so I shortlisted Dinka for Kennel name.
Then I read this wonderful story in Land and Peoples from the Kasai by Hilton Simpson his account of an expedition to the Kasai and Congo in 1907
We engaged two native lads, Buya who was a Bayenzi and Benga. The Bayenzi are a tribe of cannibals: the Bapende , to which Benga belonged, are not. We once overheard the following conversation on cannibalism: "You Bapende" scornfully remarked Buya "you kill dogs and eat them." "well " replied replies Benga you Bayenzi can't talk, you eat men." This caused an outburst of indignation on the part of the little cannibal. It is all very well to eat your enemies when you have killed them in battle, that is the natural thing to do, but no decent person would think of eating his best friend. You Bapende are disgusting you think nothing of eating dogs, greatest friend of man.
This from a people who had never been in contact with so called civilised people has to be one of the world’s greatest tributes to the dog.
So without further ado, Bayenzi it was. One day I will name a dog Buya Boy in honour of that proud little cannibal
One day I was asked by Helen Church to babysit her new born pups for the day. I had met new mum Diva only a couple of times and she was understandably wary about me being left alone with her. With some gentle growls she quickly let me know she needed no help. I decided sitting with my back to the bitch box was the best option for all of us.
Helen has a huge selection of Basenji books so I took the chance to research kennel names. So with a baleful eye peeking at me from a tiny gap the bitch box I settled down to find a name for my kennel.
The first name I liked was Dinka. Veronica Tudor-Williams tells he following story about the Dinka people in her book "Fula Basenji of the Jungle"
A Dinka girl with her Basenjis
We were going down one road when a most attractive sight came towards us. Two young girls of about ten with arab type features, the most lovely bodies small high breasts, narrow waists and hips, and long legs. They were of course, naked, but at fifty yards away from us they disappeared into the bushes and put little leather aprons. Then they continued on down the path towards us with smiling faces. However John had noticed something he wanted. One of the girls was wearing a beaded Azande belt . These Azande belts in fact any Azande beadwork, is now rare, and John set his heart on getting this belt.
We looked into our bag of goodies which we had brought with us for barter, and John came across the ideal exchange a silk Hardy Amies Scarf. He waved it front of her, and then draped it round his hips, next round her hips. She got the idea and she and John disappeared into the bushes. Then a few minutes later John came out holding the Azande belt in triumph. Then Dinka girl had tied the scarf draped into a point. At the back she had tied it into a bow and from the bow dangled three little bells which she had been wearing round her neck.
I thought this such a charming story and felt that Leila was a dainty little bitch who would honour the name so I shortlisted Dinka for Kennel name.
Then I read this wonderful story in Land and Peoples from the Kasai by Hilton Simpson his account of an expedition to the Kasai and Congo in 1907
We engaged two native lads, Buya who was a Bayenzi and Benga. The Bayenzi are a tribe of cannibals: the Bapende , to which Benga belonged, are not. We once overheard the following conversation on cannibalism: "You Bapende" scornfully remarked Buya "you kill dogs and eat them." "well " replied replies Benga you Bayenzi can't talk, you eat men." This caused an outburst of indignation on the part of the little cannibal. It is all very well to eat your enemies when you have killed them in battle, that is the natural thing to do, but no decent person would think of eating his best friend. You Bapende are disgusting you think nothing of eating dogs, greatest friend of man.
This from a people who had never been in contact with so called civilised people has to be one of the world’s greatest tributes to the dog.
So without further ado, Bayenzi it was. One day I will name a dog Buya Boy in honour of that proud little cannibal