Homage at Piltdown
VISIT OF KIBBO KIFT KINDRED
A WEIRD CEREMONY
Anyone in the neighbourhood of Barkham Manor, Piltdown, the residence of Mr. Robert Kenward, during the weekend, would have discovered a strange and apparently very primitive encampment. Some 25 men, women and children could be seen dressed in attire of a most primeval character and for the most part barefooted. living in tents of various designs, fashioned according to experience, and decorated with the totems of their occupants. The tribe flag floated over the camp and represented Mercator's Projection, and at one side stood a carved standard hearing a plaster model of a human skull. The campers were members of a world wide, society known as the Kibbo Kift Kindred, boasting some 1,000 members of wood and nature craftsmen in England. who had come to Piltdown to carry out ancestral worship.
It will doubtless be remembered that some twelve years ago the skull of a prehistoric man was found in a gravel pit on the estate of Mr. Kenward, together, with two thigh bones of a mammoth, which had been fashioned into some kind of instruments or tools, proving that this man dated back to the time when this prehistoric animal roamed the country. The late Professor Charles Dawson made the discovery, when visiting Mr. Kenward. The Kindred believe that the age in which this man lived was the discovery of the evolution of life. No particular attention was intended for the Piltdown man, but to the discoveries of his time. Piltdown being the most convenient spot to visit and also where the last and oldest remains have been found.
A Plaster Skull
A plaster copy of the skull, which is now in the Natural History Museum, was made by a member, and was fashioned and placed on a wooden standard. On one side was the following inscription “Ecanthropus. Dawson II, Piltdown Man of Dawn, discovered 1913 by Professor Charles Dawson. F.8.A.. F.G.S., in a gravel pit at Piltdown in the Weald of Sussex." On the front were the totem signs of the Kindred and of the members who carried out the work.
It was found impossible to fulfil the desires of (he Kindred, which was that a pilgrimage on foot should be made from Trafalgar-square to Piltdown. but the standard bearing the skull was carried in relays by various members, starting on Monday, and arriving early on Saturday at Piltdown, the other members reaching there later in the day. travelling by road and rail.
The previous Saturday members of the Kindred walked from Trafalgar-square to the Museum in costume to hear particulars of the skull.
The “K” symbol is one of the signs of the Kindred. Frequent meetings, or “things * as they are known from the old Norse word are held, but the Great All Thing is held at Whitsun each year. One great idea is that everyone should be useful and work in the way desired. This is carried out in the way of dress, tents, totems, etc., which are all the work of the members’ own hands.
The Ceremony
The chief ceremony took place on Saturday afternoon and was a weird and interesting procedure being enacted close to the spot where the skull was found, Several members of the public witnessed the event. From the camp near by came three figures wending their way through the stately trees.
The leader, Batwing, was attired in a russet hued robe, with leather front and with the cowl drawn over his head. He also carried the staff of authority, issued by the White Fox, Mr. John Hargrave, of King's Langley. founder of the Kindred, which was carved with the White Fox's totem. There is also a smaller totem issued for minor events which is a small tablet that can be sent through the post. Batwing also carried a scollop shell, the symbol of pilgrimage. With him was Tigermouth, the keeper of the Fire, whose principal portion of dress was a voluminous dark blue cloak lined with yellow and blue symbols under which he wore a green costume. The last figure was Rolf the Ranger, attired in blue.
Arriving under a larch tree, Tigermouth proceeded to enkindle the sacred flame by friction. In the meantime Moccasin, the Herald, had assembled the remainder of the party and marshalled them to the spot. They were led by the model of the skull. Two boys and a girl bore a wooden token in the form of the letter “K” which was to be placed on the spot of the discovery of the skull. The tribe flag was carried by a boy behind whom was a little girl carrying a huge cake on a pewter dish followed by Deathwatch carrying a knife. The skull was erected behind the fire and the token laid in front. The ceremony was in accordance with the rites of the kindred and significant of the event celebrated. The Herald having reported the fulfilment of his duties and Batwing having shown his authority to conduct the homage, the latter welcomed the members of the kindred and also others present. The keeper of the flame “with fire pledged and purged this place sacred to the K.K” Rolf the Ranger read the “Psalm of the Piltdown Man” which ran as follows:-
“A man's name shall go down into darkness, but his discovery shall live Though darkness may cover his habitation, in the light of day his discovery shall remain. “
Batwing then asked the members to meditate awhile on “ their words of great wisdom.” after which he went on:—
” While the light shines yet in our pupils; While the breath of life beats in our pulses, Let us go forth to do our work and to labour until the evening.
The forgotten dead live in the remembrance of the living. I am a Piltdown man; as art thou. We have come here to do him honour.
Peace be unto Adam Piltdown.
Arise, (he Kibbo Kitt) and give the sign. The sign consisted of the lifting of the right arm and the exclamation “Hough.”
TOKEN ERECTED
The token was then erected in the place occupied by the skull and bore the inscription : “ ln honourable memory of the Man of Dawn this token was placed here by Pilgrims of the confraternity K.K., the woodcraft Kindred, this twelfth day of July, K.K. VI., being the year 1924 of the Christian era. Henceforth let none be without remembrance”
Deathwatch then cut the cake and distributed it among the members as a token of friendship. The ceremony concluded with the members each placing a stone at the foot of the token and making the sign, after which they moved off to the camp in single file. The camp was afterwards visited by the members of the public, among whom was Sir A. Smith Woodward, the great authority on the Piltdown skull.
Among the Kindred was a leader of the Bund or Young National Fraternity, big band of 8.000, and a leader of the Wandervogel, a big youth movement, similar organisations to the Kindred in Germany.
Tea was served on the lawn of Barkham Manor by kind invitation of
Mr. Kenward. A member of the Kindred has recently been to Lewes to make a copy of the Saxon plough in the Museum there, a model of which will be used in the celebration of Plough Monday, which falls on the first Monday after Epiphany, and was the day in which in olden times the rustic population returned to their regular labours after the Christmas festivities. The camp broke on Sunday night. There is to be an annual visit to Piltdown to see that the token is in order.
There is large amount of information about K.K. on the internet. For example: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kibbo_Kift