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Simon Ottenberg photographs of Limba and Afikpo Peoples

National Museum of African Art

Object Details

Photographer
Ottenberg, Simon
Collector
Ottenberg, Simon
Place
Nigeria
Sierra Leone
Guinea
Africa
Occupation
Weavers
Topic
Beadwork
Headdresses -- headgear -- Africa
Rites and ceremonies -- Africa
Clothing and dress -- Africa
Cultural landscapes
Music
Dance
Photographer
Ottenberg, Simon
Culture
Fulbe (African people)
Igbo (African people)
Mandingo (African people)
Limba (African people)
Fula (African people)
See more items in
Simon Ottenberg photographs of Limba and Afikpo Peoples
Summary
The collection primarily includes photographs of Limba peoples taken by anthropologist Simon Ottenberg during field research in northern Sierra Leone within Bafodea Town, the capital of Wara Wara Bafodea Chiefdom, and Guinea, from October 1978 through July 1980. The collection also includes photographs taken while conducting field research at an Afikpo village-group, in southeastern Nigeria, from January 30, 1988 to February 5, 1988 and in 1992.
Biographical / Historical
Simon Ottenberg (1923-) is Emeritus Professor of Anthropology at the University of Washington. He studied under Melville J. Herskovits and William R. Bascom at Northwestern University. He was a 1970 Guggenheim fellow. He has written at least seven scholarly books and has curated numerous exhibitions.
Extent
3145 Slides (photographs) (color)
Date
between 1978-1992
Custodial History
16 photographs taken by Pa Huff, a Wesleyan Methodist Minister, at Bafodea old town and new town were donated to Ottenberg in 1999 by former field assistant Paul Hamaidu Mansaray.
Archival Repository
Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives, National Museum of African Art
Identifier
EEPA.2005-001
Type
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Slides (photographs)
Color slides
Black-and-white transparencies
Arrangement note
The collection is arranged into two series by peoples, and further arranged by location. Arrangement Series 1: Limba Peoples, Sierra Leone and Guinea, 1978-1980 Subseries 1.1: Field Research, Year One, October 1978-August 1979 Subseries 1.2: Field Research, Year Two, September 1979-1980 Series 2: Afikpo Peoples, Guinea and Nigeria, 1988, 1992
Processing Information
Finding aid by Eden Orelove, 2018. Slides digitized in 2017.
Rights
Permission to reproduce images from the Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives must be obtained in advance. The collection is subject to all copyright laws. Photographs by Pa Huff, Hamaidu Mansaray, and Labelle Prussin are restricted. In these cases, the photographer's permission is required for access and publication of images.
Genre/Form
Color slides
Black-and-white transparencies
Scope and Contents
The collection primarily includes photographs of Limba peoples taken by anthropologist Simon Ottenberg during field research in northern Sierra Leone within Bafodea Town, the capital of Wara Wara Bafodea Chiefdom, and Guinea, from October 1978 through July 1980. The collection also includes photographs taken while conducting field research at Afikpo village-groups in Guinea and southeastern Nigeria, from January 30, 1988 to February 5, 1988 and in 1992. There are also some photographs by Pa Huff, a Wesleyan Methodist Minister, Venice Lamb, and Professor Labelle Prussin.
Restrictions
Use of original records requires an appointment. Contact Archives staff for more details.
Related Archival Materials note
Related EEPA collections include: EEPA 1996-020 and EEPA 1994-012 (video-recorded interviews conducted by Ottenberg), and EEPA 2000-007 (photographs taken in Southeastern Nigeria within the Afikpo Village Group). Simon Ottenberg Papers are located at the National Anthropological Archives, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution.
Related link
Record ID
ebl-1536868297930-1536868298400-0
Metadata Usage
CC0

In the Collection

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  • Knife and bell used as protective charm, called saraka, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Muslim protective charm, called hatumere, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Girl, accompanied by her followers, wears colored beaded headband at her preinitiation dance, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Women drop pestle over their backs at a memorial, also called second funeral, for a deceased person, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • The Fulbe weaver, Mabo, putting threads into heddles, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Bag and protective charms, called saraka, belonging to an hunter, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Daba Kamara firing clay pots, Kamanda Village, Sierra Leone

  • Natural landscape around the village, Kambia Village, Sierra Leone

  • Groundnuts, shelled nuts and millet drying, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Boy wearing undyed native shirt, Kamanda Village, Sierra Leone

  • Bakunto, a men's secret society (Gbangbani) gong, inside Yeredi Mansaray blacksmith shed, Kamagbembe village, Sierra Leone

  • Sample of stamp work made by Momodu Conteh, hu ronko shirt preparer, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • European suit, stamped by Dunto, tailored by Muctaro Conteh, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Girl with wooden bowl, Kayago Village, Sierra Leone

  • Girls, elaborately dressed and covered with heavy oil, return from the stream to the village for a last, very controlled dance during final initiation phase, called "washing hands" or "turning" kakunutu, Kayago Village, Sierra Leone

  • Four dyed brown hats made of native cloth, stamped by Momodu Conteh, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Limba boys, on the shoulders of their followers, returning from the bush where they were dressed in an elaborate costume and beaded band hanging down the front of their chest, shortly before performing final acrobatic dance for their preinitiation period, Kasapena Village, Sierra Leone

  • Mohamed Bangura, a wood carver, making an animal figure, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Standing female figure, carved by Salifu Mansaray, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Abandoned Bafodea old site, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Daba Kamara shaping clay pots, Kamanda Village, Sierra Leone

  • Back of hu ronko shirt stamped by Momodu Conteh, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Limba musician playing multi-stringed instrument called kulayketa, Kadanso village, Sierra Leone

  • At the end of their bush period, initiated boys wearing their brown native cloth and unusual embroidered cloth cap. Seredugu Village, Sierra Leone

  • Limba woman playing horn to call farm work group in for lunch near Kamatemgbe farm, outside of Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Members of the women secret society, Bondo, dancing and singing after the female initiands has been moved off into the bush, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Street scene, looking south, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Chief of Fadagu Chiefdom and Chief of Wara Wara Bafodea Chiefdom, in their hammocks, Kadanso Village, Sierra Leone

  • Standing human figure depicting a drummer, carved by a Limba boy, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Leather and metal charm worn around the neck belonging to the late Pa Bayo Mansaray, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Front of three hu ronko shirts stamped by Dunto, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Kamabungbu Village, Sierra Leone

  • Elevated pot shrine, Kamakumba village, Sierra Leone

  • Two hu ronko shirts stamped by Pa Wosi, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • The weaver, Suma Mannio Mansaray, winding up recently dyed gara warp native thread, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Broken walking stick made by Pa Brema Kamara, the Fadagu diviner, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Protective charm, called saraka, at the farm belonging to Suma Mannio, near Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Tamoi, a female dancer, performing with kukangtan musical group at a memorial, also called second funeral, for a deceased person, Kakpongpon Village, Sierra Leone

  • Stamps used by Pa Wosi Conteh, hu ronko shirt preparer, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Side view of rolled up thread, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Pa Salaifu Mansaray, his wives and granddaughter, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Female dancer wearing magical protective shirt, called saraka, accompanied by Fulbe flute and gourd rattle musicians, Kamabonsi Village, Sierra Leone

  • Tapping palm wine, near Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Rainbow, a large, youthful contemporary ensemble performing music, dance, song and masquerade, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Mohamed Bangura, a wood carver, making an animal figure, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • View of a mud brick wall, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Hu ronko shirt stamped by Pa Wosi, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Low single-pole loom used by the weaver Momodu Conde, Kamanda Village, Sierra Leone

  • Cloth woven by Bulu, mixed native and European white warp, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • The weaver, Suma Mannio Mansaray, stringing thread through heddles, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Village meeting place, called barrie, Telia Village, Sierra Leone

  • Native white thread seven band wrap-around cloth, called tika, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Women holding decorated gourd spoon and wearing beaded headband, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Mohamed Bangura, a wood carver, making an animal figure, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Mayoi musical group at memorial for a non-Muslim Limba village head, Kadanso Village, Sierra Leone

  • Kamadendena Village, Sierra Leone

  • Street scene, looking north, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • View of the abandoned Kakoya old site, Kakoya Village, Sierra Leone

  • An old board prepared in the traditional way with an adze, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Mandingo musician with his balaphon at memorial for a non-Muslim Limba village head, Kadanso Village, Sierra Leone

  • Gara dyed clothes belonging to the late Imam of Bafodea Town, on display for sale, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Abandoned Bafodea old site and Mission Hill, near Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Suma Mannio Mansaray making a fana used to shake rice free from chaff, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Cloth band, alternating stripes of native and European white warp thread, Kamanda Village, Sierra Leone

  • Small decorated wood slit gong used by initiated boys at the end of their bush period. Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Two arrows bought from Salifu Mansaray, son of the former Town Chief of Bafodea Town, Mamadu Mansaray, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Samba carrying water from the pipe faucet, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Narrow strip native band woven by a Limba weaver, Yomaya Village, Guinea

  • Carol Barnard Ottenberg, the author's wife, Freetown, Sierra Leone

  • Warp native thread roll woven by Pa Modi, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Small painted animal figure depicting a dog, carved by Mohamed Bangura, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • The witch catcher, Seku, at work before the house of the Paramount Chief of Wara Wara Bafodea Chiefdom, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Hu ronko shirt stamped by Pa Wosi Conteh, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • At the end of their bush period, initiated boys, wearing their brown native cloths and native cloth cap, announce to friends and relatives that their initiation is just about finished. They also carry on their shoulder a small decorated wood slit gong. Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Daba Kamara shaping clay pots, Kamanda Village, Sierra Leone

  • Suma Mannio Mansaray making a fana used to shake rice free from chaff, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Carved Gbangbani men's secret society horn, with cowrie shells, Sierra Leone

  • Threshing rice on land belonging to Tene, near Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Triangle cut-out designs on outside wall of house, Kambalia Village, Sierra Leone

  • Natural landscape around the village, near Hindia Village, Guinea

  • Followers of initiated girls before returning from the stream to the village for a last, very controlled dance during final initiation phase, called "washing hands" or "turning" kakunutu, Sakuta Village, Sierra Leone

  • Two sons of the Chief of Kasongo, wearing traditional Limba hunter's caps, Telia Village, Sierra Leone

  • New road between Sokerella site and Sirekude Village, Sirekude Village, Sierra Leone

  • Gara dyed native cloth, made by a Fulbe weaver, Koin, Guinea

  • Eight pottery pieces found in Bafodea Town old site, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Female relatives, with decorated gourd spoon, of a Limba boy before he performs acrobatic dance for his initiation rite, Gbondokali, shortly before going to the bush, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Fulbe dancer accompanied by musicians on Muslim Salikene prayer day, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Kasapena Village, Sierra Leone

  • Sword belonging to the late Bafodea Town Chief, Mamadu Mansaray, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Limba women weeding rice field in the Mantia River swamp area, near Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Acrobatic dance performed by boy to be initiated, preceding the night before going to the bush, Sirekude Village, Sierra Leone

  • Back of hu ronko shirt prepared by Momodu Conteh, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Cloth band with Shetland wool weft, made by the weaver Pa Modi, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Limba women weeding rice field near Kamatemgbe farm, outside of Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Boy, whistle in mouth, about to perform acrobatic dance that marks Gbondokalii, the boys initiation music, preceding the night before going to the bush, Kadanso Village, Sierra Leone

  • Prayer area outside traditional dwellings, Kambia Village, Sierra Leone

  • The newly crowned Youth Leader, Alpha Musa, carried in a hammock, Kadanso Village, Sierra Leone

  • Cloth band, alternating stripes of native and European white warp thread, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Limba woman with mfuta hairstyle, attending boys acrobatic dances during the weeks preceding final initiation dance, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Hu ronko shirt stamped by Sunkiye, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

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Silver rings worn on left hand fingers of Alimamy Salifu Mansaray, Chief of Wara Wara Bafodea Chiefdom, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone
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