IDNO

P.9265.ACH1

Description

On Catalogue Card: “Group of Witoto women by double stemmed palm tree.”

On Catalogue Card for duplicate image LS.26745.WHI: "N.W. Amazon. 175.62, 63.
Group of Witoto men, by double-stemmed palm tree.
- Group of Witoto women.
(2 slides).”

A large group portrait of approximately eighty-eight Witoto women and girls in two rows, with the woman at the back standing and the girls in front row seated. The women and girls are wearing personal ornaments including neck-ornaments, probably made of beads. The group is posing for the camera in front of a 'respected and prized' double-stemmed palm tree, with other trees in the background. [TC 09/06/1999, updated JD 02/10/2019]

Place

S America; Colombia; North West Amazon

Cultural Affliation

South American Indian; Witotoan; Witoto [Huitoto; Uitoto; Ouitoto; Fitita; Guitoto; Hitote; Huitata; Huito; Huitato; Huitota; Komiuvedu; Komiovedu; Murui-Muinane]

Named Person

Photographer

Whiffen, Thomas William

Collector / Expedition

Date

1908 - 1909

Collection Name

Mounted Haddon CollectionWhiffen Collection

Source

Format

Print Black & White

Primary Documentation

Other Information

Publication: Reproduced in Whiffen, T. W., 1915 as Pl. L with the caption “Group of Witoto women by double-stemmed palm tree”.

Related Image: A duplicate print is at the RAI, reference 36189, and annotated by Whiffen in pencil on the reverse as "Witoto."
Photocopies of Whiffen prints at the RAI are in the UCMAA archive, reference W19/1/3. See Whiffen Collection record for further details on RAI collection. [TC 09/06/1999, updated JD 02/10/2019]

Bibliographical Reference: In discussing “the attitude of the Indian towards the abnormal” (Whiffen 1915, p.233), Whiffen relates how “a certain Witoto tribe have a tree that they regard as an object almost of veneration. This palm, as may be seen in the photographs, has a forked stem, the trunk dividing into two some few feet above the ground. I met with no more formulated sign of tree-worship than this ... though they did not worship ... the Witoto looked upon this tree as a thing to be respected, prized, and if it were not meted proper treatment perchance to be feared." [TC 09/06/1999]