IDNO

P.57239.RDG

Description

A Upoto? man sits playing a mbira (thumb piano) while a woman kneels next to him using a pounder and mortar. Both have extensive facial cicatrisation, and the woman has a band of cicatrisation around her waist. The couple sit in front of a wooden hut with a thatch roof.

Place

C Africa; Democratic Republic of the Congo; ?Upoto; ?Monsembi [Bopoto]

Cultural Affliation

Named Person

Photographer

Smith, Kenred (Rev.)

Collector / Expedition

Ridgeway, William

Date

circa 1895 - 1914

Collection Name

Ridgeway Collection

Source

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: This photograph appears to be part of a series relating to the BMS missions in Upoto (Bopoto) and Monsembi (Munsembi, Monsembe, Bonsembe) . See P.57228-57251.RDG. These locations have been added to the place fields. [JD 14/6/2007]

Group: From the cicatrization patterns it is probable that the couple are from Upoto (Bopoto). Compare with P.57230.RDG, P.57238.RDG, P.57225.RDG, versus P.57231.RDG which are of Monsembe men. [JD 19/6/2007]

Publication: A cut-out of this image and related text are published in Smith, K., 1920. Congoland: A Book for Young People (Carey Press, London) p.31, and captioned :
"A Home-made Musical Box."
In the Author's Note, p.ix, Smith makes the acknowledgement:
"While most of the photographs have been taken with my own little camera, I am indebted for others to the kindness of several of my fellow missionaries in Congoland."
[Full text available at https://archive.org/details/congolandbookfor00smit, JD 21/2/2014]

Photographer: This photograph appears to be part of the series of prints annotated as being “K. Smith’s Congo phot.” See P.57233.RDG. The record has been amended accordingly. [JD 14/6/2007]

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

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