IDNO

P.50098.ACH2

Description

"Didinga girls arriving at a dance." [Shepstone’s caption]

On Catalogue Card for duplicate lantern slide: Uganda Borders. 55.44 - 48.
Africa, East.
Didinga. (5 slides)
Didinga dance, for description see photographs. Men and women draw up in separate lines opposite each other. The dance is accompanied by singing only, the participants in the main jumping rhythmically up and down. From time to time girls break away from their line and after (see next card)
55.44 - 48 (cont.)
Taking a few slow tentative steps, accelerate and throw themselves into the arms of a male dancer selected by them, who receives the girl between his knees which are bent and open for the purpose. The impact, if successfully carried out, is accompanied by a sharp crack of the meeting bodies. She rests for a few seconds in the arms of her partner, (see next card)
55.44 - 48. (cont.)
Who then disengages and conducts her back to her own line (see slides 47, 48). To prevent injury from the force of the impact a leather skirt is worn round the waist during this dance, even by unmarried girls. Men decorate themselves with feathers and clay and coloured patterns, women with ochre. Dancing sticks are generally carried by men, but no weapons are permitted.

Place

NE Africa; Sudan; Southern Sudan; ?Didinga Hills

Cultural Affliation

Didinga

Named Person

Photographer

?Shepstone, Harold James; ?Driber, Jack Herbert

Collector / Expedition

Driberg, Jack Herbert

Date

circa 1923 - 1932

Collection Name

Unmounted Haddon Collection

Source

Format

Print Black & White

Primary Documentation

Other Information

P.50014.ACH2. to P.50110.ACH2. were found in envelope now marked C210/7/. This was found in another envelope now marked C210/ which came from the wooden drawer 1.

Place: The Place field was previously recorded as being "Africa", but the envelope is inscribed with Didinga, Longarim, and Topotha, which are cultural groups of southern Sudan. The Place field has been amended accordingly. [Source: Ethnologue 15th Edition, JD 2/6/2009]

Date: The prints, P.50017.ACH2 and P.50052.ACH2, from the same series have a stamp dated "22 No 1927" adhered to their reverse. Prints P.50044.ACH2 and P.50053.ACH2 are inscribed with "9-6-32". P.50054.ACH2 is inscribed Feb 1923. Therefore the date circa 1923 - 1932 has been added to the other prints from the series. [JD 11/6/2009]

Photographer: Prints P.50018.ACH2, P.50070.ACH2, and P.50091.ACH2 are signed on the reverse with "H.J. Shepstone". Prints P.50044.ACH2 and P.50046.ACH2 are stamped on the reverse with "From H. J. Shepstone. 139 Broomwood Road, Clapham Common, London S.W." This name has been added to the Photographer’s field. [JD 11/6/2009]