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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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  • Different types of groundnuts (peanuts), 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, Kadankan Village, Sierra Leone

  • Fulbe hats on display, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Drum belonging to the village chief, used only for announcement, and 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

  • Round house with thatched roof, Kasasi Village, Sierra Leone

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

  • The weaver, Suma Mannio Mansaray, holding two groups of thread at end of the roll, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Two pairs of silver earrings, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Bafodea chiefdom Court Chairman and his wife, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Communal labor at the Bafodea Town Market site, now abandoned, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

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

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

  • Cloth being stamped by hu ronko shirt preparer Dunto, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

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

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

  • Girls, wearing headties, dancing and singing at the first phase of their initiation rites, Kadanso Village, Sierra Leone

  • Old Muslim protective charm, called hatumere, and APC poster (All Peoples Congress), Kadankan village, Sierra Leone

  • Musician playing instrument, called kunkuma, made of three metal keys on a large wooden box at a memorial, also called second funeral, for a deceased woman, Kakonso Village, Sierra Leone

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

  • Female relatives with metal plates to receive small sums in coins while attending the boys preinitiation dance, Seredugu Village, Sierra Leone

  • Limba Women pounding rice, Kamabonsi Village, Sierra Leone

  • Decorations on slit wood gong, called nkali, Kamagbembe village, Sierra Leone

  • The kututeng, a small rectangular metal lamellaphone, with nine to thirteen slender metal tongues, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Raffia drying on porch, Kakpongpon village, Sierra Leone

  • Binti and Soda performing with Mayoi musical group at memorial, also called second funeral, for the late Alymamy Sayo, Kamagbembe Village, Sierra Leone

  • Announcements on a big tree, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

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

  • Decorated wood storage box belonging to Mami Pati Kamara, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Two samburi drums and a shake-shake used in the Wesleyan Church services, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Old Muslim protective charm, called hatumere, Kadankan village, Sierra Leone

  • Rice storage baskets, recently made, Kadankan village, Sierra Leone

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

  • Traditional embroidered hat with European thread, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Strip-woven cloth made by Pa Suma Mannio Mansaray, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Abandoned Bafodea old site, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

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

  • Belt charm of cloth containing various substances, worn around the waist, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Family of Paul Hamidu Mansaray, Kamagbembe village, Sierra Leone

  • Two walking sticks made by Pa Brema Kamara, the Fadagu diviner, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Short-style hu ronko pants stamped by Momodu Conteh, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Wearing their blue waistcloths, girls who have completed their first initiation watch another girl practicing her preinitiation dance, Siemamaya Village, Sierra Leone

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

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

  • Fadagu Town, Sierra Leone

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

  • Crowning of a new village chief, Kakpongpon Village, Sierra Leone

  • Road work at Kamatentena Village, near Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • The weaver, Pa Modi, rolling gara thread onto big sticks from skein on a small makeshift four-spindle wheel, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

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

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

  • Boy, to be initiated, wearing beaded headband and feminine dress, Sakuta village, Sierra Leone

  • Decorated wood storage box made by Satiba, a Fulbe, Telia Village, Sierra Leone

  • Shuttle used by the weaver Momodu Kuti Conteh, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

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

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

  • Hu ronko shirt being lined by Ali Kamara, 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

  • 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

  • Hammock made by Mohamed Sisay, a Mandingo man, Kamagbembe village, Sierra Leone

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

  • Daba, wife of Pa Salifu Mansaray, showing different ways of wearing a scarf, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

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

  • Decorated wood storage box, Kakpongpon Village, Sierra Leone

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

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

  • Limba boys, to be initiated, wearing headties, beaded headbands and feminine dress, preceding the initiation rite, Kadankan village, Sierra Leone

  • Traditional compound of the village chief, Koin, Guinea

  • 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

  • Ali Yeli, playing the irong gong called kariyan, accompanying Fulbe musicians on Muslim Salikene prayer day, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • During the weeks preceding the final initiation dance, an hired Fulbe musical ensemble accompanies boy practicing his acrobatic dance, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

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

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

  • Four potsherds, found in Bafodea Town old site, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

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

  • Double ax used as protective charm, called saraka, near Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Limba boy, in dress typically worn during the weeks preceding his initiation dance, practices his acrobatic dance, Seredugu Village, Sierra Leone

  • Mohamed Bangura painting a girl figure he carved, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

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

  • Women of various ages dancing, Seredugu Village, Sierra Leone

  • Decorated wood storage box, Kasasi Village, Sierra Leone

  • Two native cloth hats dyed brown stamped by Pa Wosi Conteh, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • The weaver, Pa Modi, laying down native white cotton thread, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Boy, whistle in mouth, in initiation dance costume from the northern area of the chiefdom, showing the cowry-shell face-piece, Kamabonsi Village, Sierra Leone

  • Girl wearing colored kuta headband at her initiation dance, Kakpongpon Village, Sierra Leone

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

  • Sheep for sale, Bindi market, Sierra Leone

  • Back of a Muslim protective charm, called hatumere, Dalarabe Town, Guinea

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

  • Ceremony of measuring the cloth to be used by boy, to be initiated, in the bush, part of the preliminary activities of Limba intiation rites, Sirekude Village, Sierra Leone

  • Front of hunter shirt, woven by Suma Mannio Mansaray, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Standing human figure depicting nkali gong player, carved by a Limba boy, Bafodea Town, 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

  • Iron bit for a horse, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • Traditional round houses with thatched roofs, Hindia Village, Guinea

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

  • Girls, elaborately dressed and covered with heavy oil, perform a last, very controlled dance during final initiation phase, called "washing hands" or "turning" kakunutu, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

  • European black iron pot filled with water and old sword outside the house, part of special rites to protect an initiand boy or girl from harm in the bush, Bafodea Town, Sierra Leone

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

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

  • Kemo, a Fulbe shopkeeper, wearing his kusaibe gown, 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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