Object Details
sova.eepa.2000-007_ref631
- Local Numbers
- O-136/1951-1953 EEPA 2000-070123
- General
- Title source: Dr. Simon Ottenberg, Professor Emeritus of Anthropology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA.
- Photographer
- Ottenberg, Simon
- Collection Photographer
- Ottenberg, Simon
- Place
- Africa
- Nigeria
- Topic
- Cultural landscapes
- Vernacular architecture
- Religious buildings
- Shrines
- Photographer
- Ottenberg, Simon
- Culture
- Igbo (African people)
- See more items in
- Simon Ottenberg photographs
- Extent
- 1 Slide (col.)
- Date
- 1951-1953
- Custodial History
- Donated by Simon Ottenberg, 2000.
- Archival Repository
- Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives, National Museum of African Art
- Identifier
- EEPA.2000-007, Item EEPA 2000-007-0123
- Type
- Archival materials
- Slides
- Color slides
- 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
- This photograph was taken by Dr. Simon Ottenberg while conducting field research at Afikpo village-group, southeastern Nigeria, from December 1951 to March 1953.
- Original title reads, "Njoko shrine and Ezi Akputa compound gate, looking out towards joint Ezi Akputa compound and Ezi Ukie compound entrance (around the corner to the left) to Elogo ward square, Mgbom Village." [Ottenberg field research notes, O Series,December 1951-March 1953].
- "Religion plays an important role at Afikpo in almost every sphere of life. Everywhere there are shrines to humanlike and nonhuman supernatural forces. Often they are placed at the base of a tree, in a group of natural rocks or specifically constructed rock platforms, or in a shrine house, or are found at farms, along paths, in the commons of villages, in the compounds, sometimes even inside dwelling places. The shrines symbolize the diversity of beliefs, rituals, and history in the village group. Njoku, the yam shrine, which virtually every adult male owns and which is for the fertility of the yam crop and for welfare, is located in the compound, usually near its entrance, and is in the form of a pot. Those of a major patrilineage are often grouped in one shrine, the pots nearest each other representing men of a single agnatic line. A man establishes his when a diviner advises him that the Njoku spirit is calling him, as a result of poor crops or illness." [Ottenberg S., 1968: Double Descent in an African Society; the Afikpo Village-Group. University of Washington Press].
- Collection Restrictions
- Use of original records requires an appointment. Contact Archives staff for more details.
EEPA.2000-007_ref631
Large EAD
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/xo73c521a94-bd06-4a52-a4ff-83c5f92b36fa
EEPA.2000-007
EEPA
- Record ID
- ebl-1536864686513-1536864686725-1