IDNO

N.19601.ROS

Description

A ‘beehive’ hut of the Busoga region with an open doorway. In the background there appears to be an elephant grass? fence.

Place

E Africa; Uganda; Busoga District

Cultural Affliation

Basoga

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 C31/213/ by the cataloguer. The envelope was kept in box marked C31/ by the cataloguer.
Previously stored on Shelf 4, in group of 4 wooden boxes numbered 180.

Building: "The huts of the Basoga were beehive in shape, like a large inverted basket of reeds or elephant grass, supported on poles which were firmly imbedded in the ground. The huts are carefully finished and the floors were made of earth, smoothed and beaten hard, and smeared with black clay mixed with cow dung, which gave a hard smooth surface.
There were a few taboos to be observed when building. When the man gathered the grass for the thatch, his wife might not come near it or see it before it was on the house. When the dwelling was ready, a girl was sent to bring fire from some house near. She entered the new house with this, and, having lit the central fire, she rushed out with the smoke clinging about her. This was supposed to make the smoke in future go out of the house and not hang about to stifle people. No food might be cooked in a new house nor might anyone live in it until the wife had visited her parents and brought from them a fowl which she cooked there.
A man sent for his friends to help him in the building, and other friends brought food which his wife cooked. The work men were supplied with this food and beer, and the work might take as long as the man wished.
When people entered a new house, the husband went first with his shield and spear and placed them on the right side of the doorway. The woman then came, bring with her seism prepared for a meal. She sent for a neighbours, who carried in the stones on which the pots had to stand while cooking, and put them in their place.” (Roscoe, J., 1924. The Bagesu and other tribes of the Uganda Protectorate: The Third Part of the Report of the Mackie Ethnological Expedition to Central Africa. (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.), p. 114.). [ED 13/12/2007]

This catalogue record has been updated with the support of the Getty Grant Program Two. [Elisabeth Deane 4/1/2008]