IDNO

LS.26751.WHI

Description

On catalogue card: "N.W. Amazon. 175.66 - 70.
Witoto children.
70 = unidentified, but prob. Witoto.
(5 slides)."

On Catalogue Card for duplicate print P.9268.ACH1: "Witoto types".

A three-quarter length portrait of two Witoto girls, one younger and older, standing facing the camera. Foliage visible in the background of the original negative has been masked out to appear white. [TC 09/06/1999, updated JD 01/11/2019]

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

N.26827.WHI is the copy of the same image from which the background, which depicts foliage, has been blanked out.

Related Image: A duplicate print is at the RAI, reference 36146, and annotated by Whiffen in pencil on the reverse as "types, Witoto."
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]

Related Image: LS.26750.WHI and LS.26752.WHI possibly also depict the girl on the right, in profile and from the rear respectively. [TC 09/06/1999]

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]