IDNO

N.19234.ROS

Description

A crowd of Banyoro? people at the New Moon Dances inside the Royal enclosure; many hold drums of various sizes and wear traditional dress or the kanzu (white tunic). Some of the crowd hold small drums decorated with cowries shells, whilst others hold long thin drums. Four of the King’s sacred drums, (probably made from mugairi and muhumba; sacred trees used especially for Royal Drums) are just visible in the midground. In the background to the left there is a native-style hut in the grounds of the Royal enclosure.

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 C30/188/ 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., 1923. The Bakitara (or Banyoro): The First Part of the Report of The Mackie Ethnological Expedition to Central Africa. (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press), p. 144, with the caption: "Drums being carried for the New Moon ceremony.”
Similar images also published in Roscoe, J., 1923., p. 129, Plate XVII, with the caption: "People assembling in the Royal Enclosure for the New Moon festival,” p. 144, Plate XVIII with the caption: "Drummers awaiting the signal to begin the dance at the New Moon festival,” p. 145, Plate XIX, with the caption: "The New Moon Dance begins”. [ED 24/1/2008]

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). [ED 25/1/2008]

Context: "New Moon Ceremonies: When the New Moon was due, a watch was kept for it from the top of a mound in front of a gate of the royal enclosure. Here a priest stood with a drummer, and round them were the royal bandsmen with drums, flutes, and other wind instruments. Hundreds of people assembled around the mound.
When the moon appeared, Bamuroga, the principal chief and head of the Sacred Guild, went to the king and said "You have outlived the moon and your people are a fighting people and rejoice with you. May you conquer.” The king went to the door of the throne room where he pronounced a blessing on the country, after which he sent word to the priest that the band should strike up and the festivities begin. For seven days the bands played, and dancing and rejoicing went on in the royal enclosure; then everyone adjourned to the enclosure of the king’s mother for a day, and that to the chief medicine man for another day, making nine days in all. Inside the royal enclosure in front of the king, any man might dance, but no woman who was not of royal blood; women of pastoral or agricultural families had to dance outside. The royal bands had to play continuously during this time except for a short rest between six and seven o’clock in the morning, when they snatched a little sleep. One or two at a time retired for food or rest, but the music might not cease” (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 - 108). [ED 11/10/2007]

Drums: "The king had a special carpenter, called Ababaija, who was responsible for his drums, milk-pots, and meat-dishes. The drums of the chiefs were also under the control of the king, who alone could give a chief permission to use one and who provided him with it. The drum-makers did not belong to any special clan, but they were all serfs and were all under the direction of Ababaija.
The trees used for drums were kirikiti, the sacred tree and used especially for royal drums, mugairi, and muhumba. The drum-maker when going to cut down the tree had to observe the usual taboos and to keep apart from his wife the previous night.” (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), p. 230.). [ED 12/11/2007]

Context: Roscoe’s perspective on spending time in the King’s old capital, Hoima: "Here too I had the exceptional opportunity of seeing old times brought, as it were, to life again, for the King was good enough to arrange and carry out for my benefit a week’s pageant, so that I was able to follow the milk customs and the new moon ceremonies as they were actually performed.” (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), p. ix). [ED 11/10/2007]

This catalogue record has been updated with the support of the Getty Grant Program Two. [Elisabeth Deane 25/1/2008]