IDNO

N.19070.ROS

Description

Out of focus image of what appears to be a group of Bahima? people within a fenced-off enclosure made from elephant grass? dancing to drums made from water-pots? or making pots?. The backs of two seated men wearing cloth (in the traditional toga-style) are visible in the foreground. The men appear to be making pots?.

Physical Condition: Film is yellow/brown colour.

Place

E Africa; Uganda; ?Ankole; Kashenyi

Cultural Affliation

?Bahima

Named Person

Photographer

?Roscoe, John R.

Collector / Expedition

Roscoe, John R. [Mackie Ethnological Expedition, Uganda, 1919 - 1920]

Date

1919 - 1920

Collection Name

Roscoe Collection

Source

Format

Film Negative Black & White

Primary Documentation

Other Information

This negative was kept in an envelope marked C30/16/ by the cataloguer. The envelope was kept in box marked C30/ by the cataloguer.
Previously stored on Shelf 4, in group of 4 wooden boxes numbered 180.

Publication: Similar image published in Roscoe, J., 1922. The Soul of Central Africa: An Account of the Mackie Ethnological Expedition. (London: Cassell and Co.), p. 94 with the caption: "Ankole Dancing to Drums made from Water-pots”. [ED 3/1/2008]

Context: "The national dress of the Bahima is, as we should expect, made from the hides of cattle. These hides are dressed first by stretching them out in the sun; numbers of wooden pegs, 6 inches or 8 inches long, are used, and the skin drawn out in every direction and pegged into the earth, leaving a clear space underneath it for the air to pass. When the skin is thoroughly dried it is rubbed on the smooth side with butter and worked; this is continued until the skin is perfectly soft and can be folded up like a bit of linen.” (Roscoe, J., 1907. "The Bahima: a Cow Tribe of Enkole,” The Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland, Vol. 37, pp. 93 - 118.). [ED 13/9/2007]

This catalogue record has been updated with the support of the Getty Grant Program Two. [Elisabeth Deane 12/9/2007]