Franz Taibosh

Franz Taibosh (or Taaibosh; c. late 1860s–early 1870s – September 1, 1940), billed as "Clicko: the Wild Dancing Bushman" or simply "Clicko" or "Klikko",^[1] was a South African-born circus performer, noted for his short stature.

Taibosh in 1925

Biography

Taibosh was born c. late 1860s–early 1870s, in the Sneeuberge of what is now eastern South Africa, to a shepherd father and a mother who died shortly after birthing him. A member of the Korana, a subgroup of the Griqua people, he descended from leaders of a 17th- and 18th-century Korana clan. He spoke Khoemana.^[2]

As a child, Taibosh worked as a shepherd with his father and brothers. From the 1870s until his withdrawal from shepherding, his family's land was purchased by a series of English developers, of which included Maurice James Hall, who terraformed it by removing a pond and releasing ostriches onto the land to control the growth of clovers, which are poisonous to sheep. Taibosh previously continued sherpherding eith his family, except for his landowners, but was later selected to become a housekeeper.^[2]

Taibosh underwent Ulwaluko, a Xhosa rite of passage in which boys are circumcised. He claimed to have served for the British during the Second Boer War as a post rider, during which he began performing when he danced for soldiers. Following the war, he worked for farmer William Roberts until 1912, when he became a professional performer.^[2] He traveled to England in 1913^[3] and performed his traditional dances while backed by instrumentals. Beginning in 1916, he performed in minstrel shows in the United States^[4]—reported by The New York Times as the first San to do so.^{[note 1][5]} He was chosen because he exemplified common stereotypes of the San: a short stature—4 ft 3 in (1.30 m);^[5] attributed to experiencing droughts throughout his childhood—wrinkly skin, and a muscular physique. He was billed as "Clicko: the Wild Dancing Bushman" because he spoke a language with click consonants.^[1]

He contracted with Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus and was managed by Irishman Paddy "Captain" Hepston.^[2] Hepston did not pay him, with Ringling lawyer Roy A. Cook discovering Taibosh starved in an apartment in Bridgeport, Connecticut, and terminating the contract.^[6] While in the United States, he met Daisy Earles, also a short performer.^[2] In an interview, Earles claimed he showed romantic interest, and that she rejected him because she was already married.^[2]

Taibosh continued working with Ringaling until his retirement 1939. In his later life, he enjoyed gardening, which he had done while housekeeping as a child. He died on September 1, 1940, with his obituary in The New York Times reporting that scientists of the American Museum of Natural History estimated him to be aged 115.^[2][5]

Footnotes

1. Taibosh was mislabelled as San when he was in fact Korana. Though, his mother was presumed San due to his short stature as an adult.