Maasai warrior (olmurrani) shooting blunt arrow into the carotid artery of a cow, Olengaitoli village, Kenya
Object Details
- Local Numbers
- M 4 MSI 23.1 EE 59
- General
- Title is provided by EEPA staff based on photographer's notes.
- Local Note
- 57938 34
- Frame value is 8.
- Slide No. M 4 MSI 23.1 EE 59
- Photographer
- Elisofon, Eliot
- Collection Photographer
- Elisofon, Eliot
- Place
- Africa
- Kenya
- Topic
- Cattle -- Africa
- Clothing and dress -- Africa
- Weapons
- Photographer
- Elisofon, Eliot
- Culture
- Maasai (African people)
- See more items in
- Eliot Elisofon Field collection
- Eliot Elisofon Field collection / Kenya
- Extent
- 1 Slides (photographs) (col.)
- Date
- 1959
- Archival Repository
- Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives, National Museum of African Art
- Identifier
- EEPA.1973-001, Item EEPA EECL 11028
- Type
- Archival materials
- Slides (photographs)
- Color slides
- Collection Citation
- Eliot Elisofon Field Collection, EEPA 1973-001, Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution
- Collection Rights
- Permission to reproduce images from the Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives must be obtained in advance. The collection is subject to all copyright laws.
- Genre/Form
- Color slides
- Scope and Contents
- The photograph depicts Maasai ilmurran (warriors), in the cattle kraal, holding a cow while one of them shoots a blunt arrow (olng' oret) with a small bow (enkauo, both together are called inkai) into the carotid artery of the animal. "Pure pastoralism is no longer a reality for most Maasai (Masai). More and more the traditional milk and meat diet occasionally supplemented with blood is being combined with maize, potatoes, beans and other vegetable foods. The main reason for this is that because of population growth, environmental degradation and land alienation, Maasai are no longer able to keep enough animals to feed themselves." [Klumpp D., 1987: Maasai Art and Society:Age and Sex, Time and Space, Cash and Cattle. U.M.I Dissertation Service]. This photograph was taken when Eliot Elisofon was on assignment for Life magazine and traveled to Africa from August 18, 1959 to December 20, 1959.
- Collection Restrictions
- Use of original records requires an appointment. Contact Archives staff for more details.
- Record ID
- ebl-1536870822481-1536871014508-1
- Metadata Usage
- CC0
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