IDNO

N.19713.ROS

Description

A crowd of Banyoro? people at the New Moon Dances inside the Royal enclosure. The Royal? drums are just visible behind a number of dancers wearing kanzus (white tunics), printed cloth and other forms of traditional dress. In the background to the right there is a native-style hut in the grounds of the Royal enclosure.

Physical Condition: Glass plate negative in good condition. [ED 17/1/2008]

Place

E Africa; Uganda; western Uganda; Western District; 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

Glass Negative Halfplate

Primary Documentation

Other Information

This negative was kept in glass negative box marked C32/4/ by the cataloguer. The glass negative box was kept in box marked C32/ by the cataloguer.
Previously stored on Shelf 4, in group of 4 wooden boxes numbered 180.

Publication: 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. 160, Plate XX, with the caption: "New Moon Dancers.” Similar image published in Roscoe, J., 1922. The Soul of Central Africa: An Account of the Mackie Ethnological Expedition. (London: Cassell and Co.) p. 208, with the caption: "Bunyoro: Dance at New Moon Ceremonies”.
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” and p. 144, Plate XVIII, with the captions: "Drums being carried for the New Moon ceremony” and "Drummers awaiting the signal to begin the dance at the New Moon festival” and p. 145, Plate XIX, "The New Moon dance begins”.
For a detailed description of the New Moon festival, please 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 8/11/2007]

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]

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 8/11/2007]