IDNO

N.19140.ROS

Description

Five tall drums, five large wide drums, and three little drums decorated with cowrie shells, laid out on a leopard? skin in front of a white screen (with visible metal? frame) with a Banyoro? man on either side holding onto it. The man to the left is wearing a kanzu (white tunic) and the man to the right is wearing what appears to be a kanzu covered by a dark European-style jacket. The background consists of a grassy area with an elephant grass fence in the distant background, possibly of the Royal enclosure and there are three people sitting on the grass.

Place

E Africa; Uganda; Bunyoro

Cultural Affliation

Banyoro (Bakitara)

Named Person

Andereya Bisereko Duhaga II (b. 1882 - d. 1924)

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 C30/89/ 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: Image published in Roscoe, J., 1922. The Soul of Central Africa: An Account of the Mackie Ethnological Expedition. (London: Cassell and Co.), p. 218, with the caption: "Bunyoro: Drums used at New Moon Ceremonies”.
For a full description of the New Moon Ceremony, see: Roscoe, J., 1923. The Bakitara (or Banyoro): The First Part of the Report of The Mackie Ethnological Expedition to Central Africa. (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press), pp. 107 - 110.). [ED 3/10/2007]

Context: "Beating the King’s Drums: Once in every six months, at the appearance of a new moon, some special drums of the king were beaten. The chiefs were notified and had to be present at the ceremony, which took place about two in the afternoon, and great crowds of people gathered for this drumming. The king sat on the throne wearing two white bark cloths, and the chiefs were expected to wear their best robes. Four drums were brought before the king, and he was asked which should be beaten, where upon he took two drums sticks and beat on the first, second, third and fourth, and then beat them again in the reverse order and named the one that should be beaten.
The rhythm of the drums was interpreted as beginning with ‘Enemiro’ (be witched) and going on to say, ‘Nations, what do they want? We stand like men because the king is here.’
When the cows came to be milked in the evening the drummers went away until the king had finished his meal, when they returned and one put his drum on his neck and went into the throne-room before the king, beating it. The king took the drum from him and beat it two, four or even six times, as he felt inclined.
Kajumbo was a very sacred drum which was rarely brought out, perhaps once in six years. When it was beaten the king wore white bark-cloths, and all spectators were expected to do so too. On the day of the beating of Kajumbo the king drank no beer.” (Roscoe, J., 1923. The Bakitara (or Banyoro): The First Part of the Report of The Mackie Ethnological Expedition to Central Africa. (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press), pp. 112, 113)

This catalogue record has been updated with the support of the Getty Grant Program Two. [Elisabeth Deane 3/10/2007]