IDNO

P.57225.RDG

Description

Two Upoto men playing dance drums with a third man playing a standing drum, while seven other Upoto men either stand or sit around in a group. The men have extensive cicatrisation on their face, chest and arms, and distinctive hair styles. They all wear loin clothes and a variety of neck and wrist ornaments. The players appear to have been posed for the camera as all the men are looking directly at the photographer. In the background is a thatched shelter with open sides.

Place

C Africa; Republic of the Congo; Upoto [Bopoto]

Cultural Affliation

Named Person

Photographer

Smith, Kenred (Rev.)

Collector / Expedition

Ridgeway, William

Date

circa 1895 - 1914

Collection Name

Ridgeway Collection

Source

Smith, Kenred (Rev.)

Format

Print Black & White

Primary Documentation

Other Information

P.57192.RDG to P.57260.RDG were found in C274/1/ which came from C274/. The latter was kept in Wooden Drawer VI.

Place: Bopoto is situated almost at the extreme north of the great ‘Horseshoe Bend’ (in 2 deg 7’ N. lat.) [Source: ‘The Upper Congo as a Waterway’, Rev. George Crenfell, in The Geographical Journal, Vol. 20, No 5 (Nov 1902) pp. 485-498. JSTOR Online. JD 4/10/2006]

Place: A BMS mission was established in Upoto (Bopoto) in 1890. [Source: ‘Protestant missions and the History of Lingala’ William J. Samarin, in Journal of Religion in Africa, Vol. 16, Fasc. 2 (June 1986) pp. 138-163, JSTOR Online, JD 4/10/2006]

Source: The source date is mentioned in the Museum’s annual reports for the year 1905 (see page 21):
"V. Photographs. ...
1338. Thirty-five photographs (6" x 4.5" and smaller) of the natives of Bopoto. Congo Free State. Taken by the donor, the Rev. Kenred Smith." [JD 3/27/2013]

Biographical Information: See Biographies file for information on Reverend Kenred Smith. [JD 14/6/2007]

Publication: The photograph has been digitised for the European Collected Library of Artistic Performance (ECLAP) and is accessible on the portal http://www.eclap.eu/drupal/. [SG 30/10/2012]

This catalogue record has been updated with the support of the Getty Grant Program Two. [JD 2/7/2007]