IDNO

N.19292.ROS

Description

It is possible that this scene depicts a crowd watching "the solemn procession to the courtyard of the seventh sacred hut” (Roscoe, 1922, p. 210) as part of the New Moon ceremony. In the centre of the foreground, a man wearing white, possibly a kanzu (white tunic) is seated on the grass with many other Banyoro? people wearing both cloth and bark-cloth (to the left). In the centre of the background, the profile view of one of the Sacred Guild (one of the King of Bunyoro’s special councillors) is just visible by the crown of monkey-skin hanging down like a beard. Walking in front of him, there are many spear-bearers carrying the sacred? spears in a procession towards the seventh sacred hut?

Place

E Africa; Uganda; Bunyoro; Hoima

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 C30/245/ 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(s) published in Roscoe, J., 1922. The Soul of Central Africa: An Account of the Mackie Ethnological Expedition. (London: Cassell and Co.), p. 212, with the caption: "Bunyoro: New Moon Ceremonies. Sacred Spears” and p. 210, with the caption: "Bunyoro: New Moon Ceremonies. The King advancing along the sacred pathway, preceded by spear-bearers.” [ED 9/10/2007]

Context: According to Roscoe, on one of the days of the New Moon Ceremony "Crowds gathered outside the throne-room to see the King start on his way to the place of judgment, and the Royal standard-bearers waited his appearance” (Roscoe, J., 1922. The Soul of Central Africa: An Account of the Mackie Ethnological Expedition. (London: Cassell and Co.), p. 210). Amongst these, three carried the Royal spears. These men were named Mahere, Kaizireijo and Mutasimbulwa (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. 109). There was also a fourth man, named Olukandula who "carried a kind of two-toothed rake” (Roscoe, 1923, p. 109). According to Roscoe these emblems were especially significant to the Banyoro because they "were to show that the people were once in bondage in Bukedi on the east of the Nile and had to cultivate the earth” (Roscoe, 1923, p. 109). Following which he wrote: "These men walked backwards before the King as far as the Queen’s reception room and then went round by the courtyards of the huts as the King went through the huts and met him as he came out to the Queen’s reception room and then went through the huts and met him again at the last courtyard. Here they stood with their emblems till the king set out on his return journey, when they went round the outside of the huts again and met him as he came out of the queen’s reception room” (Roscoe, 1923, p. 109). [ED 9/10/2007]

This catalogue record has been updated with the support of the Getty Grant Program Two. [Elisabeth Deane 9/10/2007]