| Kalulu | |
|---|---|
Kalulu in a suit |
|
| Born | Ndugu M’Hali ca. 1865 Africa |
| Died | 28 March 1877 Kalulu Falls on the Lualaba river |
| Cause of death | drowning |
| Other names | Ndugu M’Hali |
| Education | briefly at Wandsworth |
| Religion | Christian |
Ndugu M’Hali or Kalulu (ca. 1865 – 28 March 1877) was an African personal servant and adopted child of the explorer and journalist Henry Morton Stanley. Kalulu died young but in his short life he visited Europe, America and the Seychelles. He had a book dedicated to him, a model in Madame Tussauds, and was a guest at Dr. Livingstone's funeral.[1]
M’Hali was born in Africa and became Henry Morton Stanley's favourite after being given to him at Tabora in Tanzania. M'Hali was freed but was renamed by Stanley. His original name was "Ndugu M’Hali" which meant "My friends brother".[1] Stanley toyed with a number of names but settled on Kalulu. Stanley says it meant baby antelope but other sources translate it as Rabbit God.
Some see their relationship as homosexual but there is no firm evidence.[1] After Stanley found Dr. Livingstone he returned to England and decided to take Kalulu with him. He was Stanley's constant companion and Stanley would record his reactions to new things. He commented on how good he was after drinking wine and upset after trying mustard. He and other passengers on a train were amused when Kalulu complained that he found ice-cream too hot to eat. Stanley went on a lecture tour to America and to Paris and Kalulu went with him. At one point they were delayed in the Seychelles and whilst there and in London, Stanley had visiting cards made for himself with Kalulu in the background. Moreover Stanley wrote and published a book called "Kalulu, Prince, King and slave" in 1873.[1] The book has been called a homosexual love story and it describes a growing friendship between a character called Kalulu (an "Apollo"), who is older than the real Kalulu and another boy called "Selim" (Stanley's translator in Africa was called Selim).
Kalulu dined with members of society and wore western clothes. He posed for a statue of himself at Madame Tussauds and when Dr. Livingstone died he walked with Stanley in the funeral procession.
Stanley was sent back to Africa under a mission supported by the Daily Telegraph in London and the New York Herald as an “ambassador of two great powers.” He was to take with him an “army of peace and light” and this included his servant Kalulu. Stanley was to map central Africa and report on the slave traders[2] who Stanley had lectured against whilst in England.
M’Hali died in Kalulu Falls on the Lualaba river (a feeder for the River Congo) when one of the expedition's canoes was taken over the waterfall. He and five others were killed. Stanley was upset and renamed the Livingstone Falls after Kalulu. Unlike many new names that Stanley gave to places, the title of Kalulu Falls stuck.[3]