IDNO

N.19314.ROS

Description

Royal fetishes on a table set against a white wall background. There appear to be a number of fetishes on the table, however, it is not clear what materials the fetishes are made of - animal skin/ fur, horns and cowrie shells appear to be the materials used. According to Roscoe: "Fetishes were almost invariably horns of wild animals, buffalo-horns being the most venerated, though claws of large beasts of prey, such as lions, might also be used if the fetish was needed for wearing round the neck or under the arm, or for carrying on a shield” (Roscoe, 1923, p. 46).

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 C30/267/ 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: Roscoe, J., 1922. The Soul of Central Africa: An Account of the Mackie Ethnological Expedition. (London: Cassell and Co.), p. 189, with the caption "Bunyoro Fetishes”. [ED 5/10/2007]

Context: "Among the Bantu peoples sickness and death are seldom attributed to any other cause other than magic or supernatural influence, that is to say, the influence of some ghost, for the ghost is the only supernatural agency that they understand. They may, and in most cases do, attribute the action of the ghost to human persuasion or conduct, for not only may an alien ghost be incited, by some person who bears a clan or some member of it a grudge, to work evil, but a friendly ghost a ghost belonging to the clan, will ever watch carefully over the behaviors of its own family, and will cause illness in order to bring to the notice of the clan or the family any infringement of law or custom. The procedure followed in Bunyoro is, in its main points, typical of that of the other pastoral clans” (Roscoe, J., 1922. The Soul of Central Africa: An Account of the Mackie Ethnological Expedition. (London: Cassell and Co.), p. 188). [ED 5/10/2007]

Context: "Fetishes and Amulets: Fetishes were almost invariably horns of wild animals, buffalo-horns being the most venerated, though claws of large beasts of prey, such as lions, might also be used if the fetish was needed for wearing round the neck or under the arm, or for carrying on a shield. In the hollow of the horn or claw was put something prepared by the men who claimed to be the manufacturers of fetishes for the different gods. Thus two fetishes, outwardly the same, might be dedicated to quite different gods.
People carried fetishes about with them on certain occasions, using for this purpose small horns or claws, while each house possessed its large fetishes, some for guarding the household from dangers, while others belonged entirely to individuals. Though a fetish might fail its wearer in time of need, it was never admitted to be useless but the failure was explained by saying that some greater power, perhaps the fetish of a greater god, had been at work on that occasion” (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. 46). [ED 5/10/2007]

This catalogue record has been updated with the support of the Getty Grant Program Two. [Elisabeth Deane 5/10/2007]