Skip to main content

Search

My Visit
Donate
Home Smithsonian Institution

Site Navigation

  • Visit
    • Museums and Zoo
    • Entry and Guidelines
    • Maps and Brochures
    • Dine and Shop
    • Accessibility
    • Visiting with Kids
    • Group Visits
      • Group Sales
  • What's On
    • Exhibitions
      • Current
      • Upcoming
      • Past
    • Online Events
    • All Events
    • IMAX & Planetarium
  • Explore
    • - Art & Design
    • - History & Culture
    • - Science & Nature
    • Collections
      • Open Access
    • Research Resources
      • Libraries
      • Archives
        • Smithsonian Institution Archives
        • Air and Space Museum
        • Anacostia Community Museum
        • American Art Museum
        • Archives of American Art
        • Archives of American Gardens
        • American History Museum
        • American Indian Museum
        • Asian Art Museum Archives
        • Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives, African Art
        • Hirshhorn Archive
        • National Anthropological Archives
        • National Portrait Gallery
        • Ralph Rinzler Archives, Folklife
        • Libraries' Special Collections
    • Podcasts
  • Learn
    • For Caregivers
    • For Educators
      • Art & Design Resources
      • Science & Nature Resources
      • Social Studies & Civics Resources
      • Professional Development
      • Events for Educators
      • Field Trips
    • For Students
    • For Academics
    • For Lifelong Learners
  • Support Us
    • Become a Member
    • Renew Membership
    • Make a Gift
    • Volunteer
      • Smithsonian Call Center
      • Ambassador Program
      • Museum Information Desk
      • Docent Programs
      • Behind-the-Scenes
      • Digital Volunteers
      • Participatory Science
  • About
    • Our Organization
      • Board of Regents
        • Members
        • Committees
        • Reading Room
        • Bylaws, Policies and Procedures
        • Schedules and Agendas
        • Meeting Minutes
        • Actions
        • Webcasts
        • Contact
      • Museums and Zoo
      • Research Centers
      • Cultural Centers
      • Education Centers
      • General Counsel
        • Legal History
        • Internships
        • Records Requests
          • Reading Room
        • Tort Claim
        • Subpoenas & Testimonies
        • Events
      • Office of Human Resources
        • Employee Benefits
        • How to Apply
        • Job Opportunities
        • Job Seekers with Disabilities
        • Frequently Asked Questions
        • SI Civil Program
        • Contact Us
      • EEO & Small Business
        • EEO Complaint Process
        • Individuals with Disabilities
        • Small Business Program
          • Doing Business with Us
          • Contracting Opportunities
          • Additional Resources
        • Special Emphasis Program
      • Sponsored Projects
        • Policies
          • Combating Trafficking in Persons
          • Animal Care and Use
          • Human Research
        • Reports
        • Internships
    • Our Leadership
    • Reports and Plans
      • Annual Reports
      • Metrics Dashboard
        • Dashboard Home
        • Virtual Smithsonian
        • Public Engagement
        • National Collections
        • Research
        • People & Operations
      • Strategic Plan
    • Newsdesk
      • News Releases
      • Media Contacts
      • Photos and Video
      • Media Kits
      • Fact Sheets
      • Visitor Stats
      • Secretary and Admin Bios
      • Filming Requests

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

Pages

  • « first
  • ‹ previous
  • …
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 6
  • 7
  • 8
  • 9
  • 10
  • 11
  • …
  • next ›
  • last »
  • Hu ronko shirt being stamped by Suma Mannio, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Cloth with black strip, known as tika, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • At the end of their bush period, initiated boys, coming out to their community in single file, wearing their brown native cloths and native cloth cap. They also carry on their shoulder a small decorated wood slit gong. Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Iron smelting furnaces, Sinkunya Town, Sierra Leone

  • Musicians performing for farm work group near Kamatemgbe farm, outside of Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Pa Suma Mannio Mansaray sewing on a girl brown cloth sheath, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • European cloth stamped by Pa Wosi Conteh, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Cloth of European and native thread, made by the weaver Pa Modi, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Acrobatic dance that marks Gbondokalii, the boys initiation music, preceding the night before going to the bush, Kamabonsi Village, Sierra Leone

  • Two girls who have recently finished their first initiation, wearing a red cloth headband with a central cowry decoration, Telia Village, Sierra Leone

  • The weaver, Pa Modi, putting the beater through, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Young adult males clearing fields at the farm belonging to Suma Mannio, near Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Fulbe weaver making 3-4" wide narrow strip native white band, Kamanda Village, Sierra Leone

  • Kuboli, a wood mask worn by a messenger of the men secret society, appearing publicly during the last day of the preinitiation period for boys, Seredugu Village, Sierra Leone

  • Mud brick dwellings with thatched roofs, Kamagbembe village, Sierra Leone

  • Hu ronko shirt stamped by Suma Mannio, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Wife of the late Pa Bayo, dancing at his memorial, also called second funeral, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Cloth made of orange, yellow, green and blue weft bands, woven by a Limba weaver, near Hindia Village, Guinea

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

  • Nuhu Kamara preparing traditional hunter cap, Kamabonsi Village, Sierra Leone

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

  • Mural paintings among the Limba people, Kakpongpon Village, Sierra Leone

  • Men carrying the new Kadanso Village Chief, the eldest son of the late Pa Hono, Kadanso Village, Sierra Leone

  • Pa Sori Barrie making women hair pieces called kubala, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Lansina Bangura, a male professional dancer, performing with Mayoi musical group, Kamanda Village, Sierra Leone

  • Gara dyed clothes belonging to the Imam of Bafodea Town, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Limba boy, wearing his initiation dance dress, performs acrobatic dance for his initiation rite, Gbondokali, shortly before going to the bush, Kadanso Village, Sierra Leone

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

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

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

  • Hu ronko shirt stamped by Dunto, 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

  • Yoyo Mansaray working on scarf fringes using a bow and native thread, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Standing female figure, carved by a local artist, Freetown, Sierra Leone

  • The weaver, Suma Mannio Mansaray, with holder for woven cloth on his weaving frame, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Women, from Fadagu Chiefdom, hired to perform the Bondo musical instuments at initiation rites for female initiands, Kadanso Village, Sierra Leone

  • Heddles used by the weaver Brema Tarawale, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Small standing human figure, carved by a Limba artist, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Limba drummers accompanying Gbondokali musical ensemble at boys pre-initiation dance, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Girl wearing beaded headband for her initiation dance, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • View of the market main street, Bindi market, Sierra Leone

  • Standing human figures, carved by a Limba boy, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Hairstyles including braids and cornrows among the Limba people, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

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

  • Batoro, a fiber mask worn by a messenger of the men secret society, appears publicly during the last day of the preinitiation period for boys, Kadanso 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, Kakoya Village, Sierra Leone

  • Wearing their blue waistcloths, girls who have completed their first initiation watch boy performing acrobatic dance for his initiation rite, Kadankan village, Sierra Leone

  • Girls, wearing colored beaded headband, dancing and singing at their preinitiation dance, Kadanso Village, Sierra Leone

  • Small wrap-around cloth, called tika, from the old Kamuke chiefdom area, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Two hudondo drums, Seredugu Village, Sierra Leone

  • Miniature pan-roof style house, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Protective charms, called saraka, hanging inside an house, Kasasi Village, Sierra Leone

  • Small basket with separate lid for salt, pepper, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Sword and scabbard belonging to the late Pa Bayo Mansaray, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

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

  • At right, gara dyed twelve-band woman's cloth called tike; at left a seven-band woman's cloth for underneath a waistcloth, as a protective medicine, a saraka, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Several protective charms, called saraka, near Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

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

  • Painted figures carved by Mohamed Bangura, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Young masquerader accompanying Kamandigiri boys group, Sakuta village, Sierra Leone

  • Bands of native woven cloth tied up in the usual manner, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

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

  • Chisel used by the wood carver Mohamed Bangura, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Painted mask carved by Mohamed Bangura, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Kambia Village, Sierra Leone

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

  • Women in ashobi dress dancing and singing with the Rainbow group, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Limba boy, wearing his initiation dance dress, performs acrobatic dance for his initiation rite, Gbondokali, shortly before going to the bush, Kadanso Village, Sierra Leone

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

  • Secular Limba musical ensemble known as Poro, Sirekude Village, Sierra Leone

  • Decorated house posts in a traditional round house, Kamaka Village, Sierra Leone

  • Yomaya Village, Guinea

  • The Fulbe weaver, Mabo, making a beater used in weaving, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Muslim protective charm, called hatumere, Kakonso Village, Sierra Leone

  • Heddles made by the weaver Suma Mannio, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Gara dyed native made cotton scarf, belonging to Yoyo Mansaray, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Kamatemgbe Farm, outside of Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Girls, accompanied by their followers, return from the stream to the village for a last, very controlled dance during final initiation phase, called "washing hands" or "turning" kakunutu, 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

  • Members of the women secret society, Bondo, returning from the bush with the kampa platform, Kakonso village, Sierra Leone

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

  • At the end of their bush period, initiated boys, coming out to their community in single file, wearing their brown native cloths and native cloth cap. They have taken off their small decorated wood slit gong and now face the Chief of Wara Wara Bafodea Chiefdom. Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Limba boy, wearing his initiation dance dress, performs acrobatic dance for his initiation rite, Gbondokali, shortly before going to the bush, Kadanso Village, Sierra Leone

  • Musician performing for farm work group 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

  • Young adult males clearing fields at the farm belonging to Suma Mannio, near Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Limba girl with creative hairstyle including braids and cornrows, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • During the weeks preceding the final initiation dance, Kalaway, an hired musician from Fadagu Chiefdom, accompanies boys practicing their acrobatic dances, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Stamp used by Momodu Conteh, hu ronko shirt preparer, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Sword, scabbard and a charm belonging to the late Pa Bayo Mansaray, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Coming out seventh-day ceremony for a newborn Fulbe girl, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

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

  • Worshippers attending Prayer Day, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • The weaver, Pa Modi, weaving gara dyed warp, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Iron gongs on an iron rod worn by a warrior before battle, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Yoyo Mansaray preparing a gara dyed native made cotton scarf, called lisa, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Huyensi stool used by Salifu Mansaray while carving a slit wood gong called nkali, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Two new wooden combs made by a village blacksmith, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Dwellings, part of Kapengta section, Yomaya Village, Guinea

  • Old gun belonging to Pa Wosi Conteh, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

Pages

  • « first
  • ‹ previous
  • …
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 6
  • 7
  • 8
  • 9
  • 10
  • 11
  • …
  • next ›
  • last »
Silver rings worn on left hand fingers of Alimamy Salifu Mansaray, Chief of Wara Wara Bafodea Chiefdom, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone
View Slideshow
There are restrictions for re-using this image. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page .
International media Interoperability Framework
IIIF provides researchers rich metadata and media viewing options for comparison of works across cultural heritage collections. Visit the IIIF page to learn more.
View manifest View in Mirador Viewer
View Finding aid

Footer logo

Link to homepage

Footer navigation

  • Contact Us
  • Job Opportunities
  • Get Involved
  • Inspector General
  • Records Requests
  • Accessibility
  • EEO & Small Business
  • Shop Online
  • Host Your Event
  • Press Room
  • Privacy
  • Terms of Use

Social media links

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • LinkedIn

Get the latest news from the Smithsonian

Sign up for Smithsonian e-news

Get the latest news from the Smithsonian

Email powered by BlackBaud (Privacy Policy, Terms of Use)
CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.
Back to Top