IDNO

LS.26748.WHI

Description

On catalogue card: "N.W. Amazon. 175.65.
Woman (Witoto) wearing tight ligatures on leg, which cause the calves to swell."

On Catalogue Card for duplicate print P.9272.ACH1: "Witoto woman with leg ligature".

A full-length portrait of a Witoto woman wearing a wrist-ornament and leg and ankle ligatures. Her feet and hair have been retouched in the negative to create detail. The woman is standing facing the camera in front of a white background. [TC 09/06/1999, updated JD 01/10/2019]

Place

S America; Colombia; North West Amazon

Cultural Affliation

South American Indian; Witotoan; Witoto [Huitoto; Uitoto; Ouitoto; Fitita; Guitoto; Hitote; Huitata; Huito; Huitato; Huitota; Komiuvedu; Komiovedu; Murui-Muinane]

Named Person

Photographer

Whiffen, Thomas William

Collector / Expedition

Date

1908 - 1909

Collection Name

Whiffen CollectionTeaching Slide Collection

Source

Whiffen, Nöel H.

Format

Lantern Slide Black & White

Primary Documentation

Other Information

See P.9269.ACH1 record for notes on Whiffen’s use of physical anthropology.

Related Image: A duplicate print is at the RAI, reference 36149, and annotated by Whiffen in pencil on the reverse as "Witoto - note ligatures."
Photocopies of Whiffen prints at the RAI are in the UCMAA archive, reference W19/1/3. See Whiffen Collection record for further details on RAI collection. [TC 09/06/1999], updated JD 22/10/2019]

Biographical Reference: Although Whiffen’s book is primarily ethnographic, he also uses the methods of physical anthropology. He mentions physical appearance when discussing the differences between tribes and language groups (Whiffen, T. W., 1915: 57-58). In Appendix 1, (ibid: 269-279) His discussion of "physical characteristics", is illustrated with photographs. Appendix II postulates the "Mongoloid origin" of Amazonian peoples (ibid: 280-281), while Appendix IV is a series of "colour analyses and measurements" charts of physical statistics (ibid: 283-290). [TC 01/06/1999]

Source: In MAA Correspondence Box 1934 is a letter from Noel Whiffen donating his "brother's collection of lantern slides" to the museum, on behalf of the Whiffen family. Louis Clarke replied. The gift is also noted in the annual report for that year in the list of accessions (UCMAA 1934: 3), which mentions that "the collection of lantern slides has also been increased by gifts from ... Mr N. H. Whiffen ... "
For full details see Whiffen Collection record. [TC 09/06/1999, updated, JD 02/10/2019]