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 ZAPOTECA

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ZAPOTECA

him to Calicut in India (28 May, 1498). In 1499 Gaina returned and took possession of Zanzibar, where he established an Augustinian convent. These religious settled at Pate and Mombasa, while the Dominicans settled at Mozambique and the Jesuits in the valley of the Zambesi.

The Portuguese were not destined to long retain this immense stretch of coast; after varying fortunes they were definitely exjielled in 1698 by the Arabs of Maskat. In 1858 Seiyd Medjid, Sultan of Zanzibar, declared himself independent. However, explorers and missionaries were beginning to attract attention to these regions: we may mention in particular the names of Ivrappft and Rebmann, Father Horner, Livingstone, Speke, and Grant, Burton, Baker, and later Cameron and Stanley. After the foundation of the Association Internationale Africaineby Leopold II, King of the Belgians, Germany and England deci- ded to divide up these lands, leaving France to assert its ancient claims over Madag.iscar, and Italy to attempt a settlement on the Somali coast. At present, British East Africa (or Imperial British East Africa), comprises thelslands of Zanzibar and Pemba, British protectorates, and the portion of the continent lying between the River Djuha on the north and on the south a line running from Vanga, round the northern base of Kilima-Ndjaro, to Victoria Nyanza about 20° N. lat. South of this Hne hes German East Africa, extending to the River Ruvuma. The chief port in the British section is Mombasa, the terminus of a railway running through the high pla- teaus of Kikuyu to the north of Victoria Nyanza, thus connecting the Indian Gcean with the basin of the Nile; and in the German, Tanga and Dar-es-Salaam, the termini of two railways, one running through the regions of Sambara, Pare, and Kilima-Ndjaro, and the other towards Tanganyika. European cultiva- tors are gradually arriving, plantations extending, industries developing, and the face of the country changing year by year.

The old Portuguese religious do not seem to have worked among the natives; at least no trace of their influence survives. They were chaplains to the Euro- pean garrisons rather than missionaries: one hundred and thirty years after their disappearance. Father Fava, Vicar-General of St-Denis (Reunion) was sent by his bishop, Mgr. Maupoint, to take up the inter- rupted work. Accompanied by two priests, a physi- cian, and six nuns, he arrived at Zanzibar about the end of IStiO; the first Ma,ss wa.s celebrated at midnight on Christinas, in a large Arab house, where the beauti- ful cathedral now stands. Three years later the house was confided to the Congregation of the Holy Ghost, and Father Horner took possession of it. His first work was the repurchasing of slaves in the market — where from fifty to sixty thousand were sold annually — and the education of children. The missionaries soon went to Hagamoyo, on the opposite coast, and began to establish from year to year, in suitable locali- ties, little Christian colonies, which spread their influence .around, in proportion to the number of catechists that could he siipported. In 188.3 the mis- sion was erected into a vicariate Apostolic, with Mgr. R. de Courmont as first titular. It extended origi- nally from Cape Guardafui to Cape Delgado, with a coast-line of about 1.500 leagues, and no limits in the interior. But in 1880 the lake district had been confided to the Missionaries of Notre-Dame dWfrique (of Algiers) — the White Fathers; by a Decree of If) Nov., 1S.S7, the southern region, from 7° S. lat. to Cape Delgado, was detached and entrusted to the German Benedictine Congregation of Ste-Odile, with its headquarters at Dar-e.s-Salaam (see below) ; in 1904 the Prefecture .\postolic of Benadir wa,s erected for the Trinitarians; in 190.5 the Mission of Kenia wa-s separated, being recently m.ade a vicariate Apostohc and entrusted to the Italian missionaries of the

Instituto de la Consolata (Turin). Finally, the Con- gregation of the Holy Ghost divided its original mission of Zanquebar into three vicariates: Zanzibar, under British protectorate, except the enclave of Kenia and the interior missions; Bagamoyo, erected in 1906; and Kilima-Ndjaro, established in 1910.

These newly-created vicariates show the rela- tively rapid development of the Catholic missions for some years past in this part of Africa, with Zanzibar as its centre. At the same time Protestant missions were being established and multiplying. At Zanzi- bar the LTniversities' mission, whose beautiful church is erected on the site of the ancient slave-mart, dates from the same time as the Catholic mission: its influence extends towards Nya.ssa and the L^sambara. .\t Mombasa and its environs the Church Missionary Society has been well established since 1840. Other English societies are spread through t he interior. But it is especially in German East .\frica that different German Protestant societies are found in large num- bers, displaying a jealous and too often aggressive activity. After all, Catholics and Protestants have in all these regions a common enemy, Islamism, the .spread of which has been facilitated rather than retarded by the European conquest, especially in the German territory. In face of all these elements, the native fetichism is bound to disappear rapidly, not doubtless in all its practices, but as a distinct religious element. East Africa in a comparatively short time will be partly Mussulman, and partly Christian. At present there are between thirty and forty thousand Catholics in the five Vicariates Apostolic of Zanzibar, Kenia, Kilima-Ndjaro, Bagamoyo (q. v.), and Dar- es-Salaam. The latter, called also Southern Zanque- bar, comprises about a million inhabitants; in 1912 there were 3967 Catholics, 2600 catechumens, 14 missionary priests, 18 lay-brothers, 56 catechists, 11 principal stations, 36 secondary posts, 66 schools, 2577 pupils, 15 orphanages, and 464 orphans.

Reclcs, Noutdle Geographie Universelle, VAfrique MeridionaU (Paris, 1888); Handbook of East Africa (London, 1894); Reich- .\RD, DexUsch (Est-Afrika (Leipzig, 1892); Piglet, Les missions calholiques francaises an XIX' siMe, Missions d'Afrique (Paris, 1902) ; Missiones calholicas (Rome.)

A. Le Roy.

Zapoteca Indians, a powerful and numerous Mex- ican tribe located chiefly in Oaxaca and Guerrero, forming with the Mixteca and Mazateca the Zapote- can linguistic stock. At the time of the conquest of Mexico they were independent of the .\ztec, whom they resembled in customs; they were defeated by the Spaniards only after several campaigns between 1522 and 1527, not submitting finally till 1.5.51. They %vere a sedentary race and well advanced in civilization, living in large villages and towns, in houses con- structed with stone and mortar. They recorded the principal events in their history by means of hiero- glyphics, and in warfare they made use of a cotton armour. The well-known ruins of Mil la have been attributed to them and were claimed by them to be the tombs of their ancestors.

They had an elaborate religious .system, and human sacrifices were offered. The modern Zapolecas are verj- intelligent, progressive, and hard-working; they make good soldiers and political leaders, and are ex- cellent citizens. Benito Juarez, President of Mexico, was a full-blooded Zapoteca. They number almost 300,000, and with their kinsmen 7.50,000. Many of them still speak only their native Indian language. Though they are now Cathohcs, some of their ancient beliefs and practices, such as burying money with the dead, still survive. The first missionaries among the Zai)otecas were Bartolom(5 deOlmeda, aMercedarian, and Juan Diaz, a secular priest, who was martyred by the natives in Quechula near Tepeaca for having over- thrown their idols.

GiLLOW, ApuenUt hiMricot (Mexico. 1889).

A. A. MacEblean.