IDNO

LS.125553.TC1

Description

On Catalogue Card: "W. Africa. Arts & Crafts. Nigeria. 58.
Ilorin: Yoruba women potters."

A Yoruba woman "potter at work at a pottery site in Ilorin. In the background are shed structures and a certain kind of large pottery called aamu, traditional water coolers."
"Pottery making is an industry dominated by women. Women potters are often independent producers, although they collaborate for the purpose of firing. Potters often work in their family compounds, and it is a craft that is peculiar to certain families...
Various forms and styles of pottery are produced in the various pottery sites around Ilorin metropolis: aamu (decorated water coolers), ape (open mouth bowls), isaasun (soup bowls), agbada (fryers), oru (pitchers), and kolo (pottery money saving boxes). Other forms of pot, which are no longer in great demand such as the ikoko-aro (large dye pot), and ikoko-isa (large fermentation pot), are made on request." [Information provided by Fadoju, Rethinking Relationships Research, JD 02/12/2020]

Place

W Africa; Nigeria; Kwara State; Ilorin

Cultural Affliation

Yoruba

Named Person

Photographer

Fegan, Ethel Sophia (Miss)

Collector / Expedition

Date

circa 1928 - 1935

Collection Name

Teaching Slide CollectionFegan Collection

Source

Format

Lantern Slide Black & White

Primary Documentation

Other Information

Context: This image was researched by Fadoju as part of the 'Rethinking Relationships Research Outputs - Nigeria', Horniman Museum, who provided the following information: "This is a photograph made in Ilorin of a potter at work at a pottery site. In the background are shed structures and a certain kind of large pottery called aamu, traditional water coolers.
Pottery is among the oldest surviving traditional craft found in different parts of Nigeria. Dating back to the Stone Age, pottery has survived into the present era. Pottery making is predominantly a woman’s craft in Yoruba. In most Yoruba communities, potters, often women, set up their workshop in a particular part of the community, an area called Eebu, a pottery site where they carry out their day to day activities. An eebu consists of a series of sheds and work areas. The volume of sheds in a pottery site often depends on the number of potters practising in the area. The shed usually serve as store for clothes, food, tools, the finished and the unfinished pottery products. Moulds and stands for pots are kept in front of the sheds. The hearth for firing moulded pots is set up close to the work area for easy, and proper monitoring during firing.
Ilorin, where this photograph was made, is popular for her artistry in pottery. It is an important centre of pottery, producing both pupa (red) and dudu (black) pottery wares. Some modern pottery sold in the open market in Ilorin bear emblematic engravings which resemble marks found inside bowl isaasun (pottery) relics from old Oyo kingdom. This fact lends credence to the likelihood that women potters from old Oyo kingdom migrated and settled in Ilorin after the collapse of the kingdom in 1837, hence the resemblance in pottery forms.
Pottery making is an industry dominated by women. Women potters are often independent producers, although they collaborate for the purpose of firing. Potters often work in their family compounds, and it is a craft that is peculiar to certain families. Families that traditionally specialize in pottery often intermarry in order to preserve the continuation of the craft as control is exercised over who may be taught pottery craft. However, women who do not belong to traditional family of potters can act as middle-women who facilitate local and long distance trade in pottery.
Various forms and styles of pottery are produced in the various pottery sites around Ilorin metropolis: aamu (decorated water coolers), ape (open mouth bowls), isaasun (soup bowls), agbada (fryers), oru (pitchers), and kolo (pottery money saving boxes). Other forms of pot, which are no longer in great demand such as the ikoko-aro (large dye pot), and ikoko-isa (large fermentation pot), are made on request." [Information provided by Fadoju, JD 02/12/2020]

Biographical Information: Ethel Sophia Fegan (1977 - 1975) was born in Kent. Training firstly as a librarian, she worked as a "librarian of Girton College (1918-30), becoming an Honorary Fellow of the College in 1948. She also worked with Dr A C Haddon to build up the Haddon Library, and under his influence took the Cambridge Diploma in Anthropology (1929). After a sabbatical year in Nigeria (1928-29) she was appointed Lady Superintendent of Education for the Nigerian Government (1930-35) and in this role was a pioneer in the first official attempt to educate the women of that area.
She stayed in Nigeria, as a lay worker at Zaria Leper Colony (1938-39 and again 1945-46) for the British Empire Leprosy Relief Association, before resuming library work, investigating library conditions in British West Africa for the Carnegie Corporation of New York, working in various libraries in the UK and training Africans for library work at Achimota College on the Gold Coast, continuing to work well into her retirement. She was awarded the George V Jubilee Medal for her educational work in Africa.
On her return to Britain, Ethel Fegan worked as a volunteer in Cambridgeshire County Archives until she was over 90." [Source: Janus, http://janus.lib.cam.ac.uk, JD 2/7/2009]