| Title |
British Cameroons 1937-42 |
| Reference |
GBR/0115/Y3043BB |
| Creator |
Dalrymple, Thomas Hardie, b 1900, doctor |
| Covering Dates |
1937–1942 |
| Extent and Medium |
400 images in 3 boxes and 1 envelope; negative/photograph |
| Repository |
Cambridge University Library: Royal Commonwealth Society Library |
|
| Content and context |
|
Thomas Hardie Dalrymple was born in Rangoon. He was taken to Scotland at the age of 5 and educated at the private school at Bridge-of-Allan and at Glasgow University. He worked as a doctor in Welsh coal mines before joining the Colonial Medical Service on 25th March 1931. He served in Sierra Leone (1931-33), Nigeria (1933-35), Gambia (1935-37) and finally in Nigeria again (1937-1950). He retired in 1950 and remained in Nigeria, opening a private practice at Jos. He finally left Nigeria in 1961 and settled on the Isle of Man.
Dalrymple was an amateur photographer and contributed photographs to various publications.
A collection of negatives (with accompanying notes) each housed in brown paper. Dalrymple's annotations on the sleeves have been transcribed as he wrote them. Two essays are also filed with the negatives: Thomas Dalrymple 'A pagan wake: the funeral celebrations for the father of the chief of Bande' and M.D. Jeffreys 'West African caps', which used Dalrymple's photographs as illustrations.
|
Access and Use
|
Please cite as Cambridge University Library: Royal Commonwealth Society Library, British Cameroons 1937-42, Y3043BB |
| Further information |
|
The West African collection of Thomas Dalrymple can be found at RCMS 113/25.
Indexed
This description was entered by MJC.
|
| Index Terms |
| Africa |
| Cameroon |
| Dalrymple, Thomas Hardie (b 1900) |
| RCS/Y3043BB contains: |
|
1
|
Mountain side villages on the road from N'kongsamba to Bamenda. 56 x 84 mm. The high roofs of grass are used as a store by the inmates. All Pagans and farm bananas, colas and corn. |
7 Mar. 1937 |
|
2
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Pagan girls, Bamenda. 56 x 84 mm. Pagan girls whose only adornment consists of brightly coloured raffia bags, examining cheap Manchester cottons with interest. |
14 Mar. 1937 |
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3
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A 'lady doctor', Bamenda. 56 x 84 mm. A 'lady doctor' - an old woman who specialises in Circumcisions. She attended hospital to see the White Man's method but thought her own was easier and quicker. |
Mar. 1937 |
|
4
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The Fon of Banso. 56 x 84 mm. The Fon showing his feathered headdress with the long upright white feathers in the crown. His crossed necklaces of coloured beads and the King George V medal. |
May 1937 |
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5
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Commencement of the ceremonial drinking of Mimbo, Banso. 84 x 56 mm. The Juju man is seen between the two chindas in their ceremonial regalia. His garb is clearly seen and consists of a deep red gown reaching to his knees and a wooden mask carved as a grotesque face stuck on top of his head. The Mimbo is poured from the long necked calabashes into the artistically worked earthenware pot. |
1937 |
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6
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Mimbo drinking Ceremonial, Banso. 84 x 56 mm. Chindas drinking and discussing the affairs of the district in the courtyard of the Fon's palace. The Juju Man is seen on the right of the picture next to the man with the ceremonial headdress of white feathers, he is in his wooden mask and red cloak. He holds the position for a certain number of years (9) during which time he is fed and housed by the Fon, but must have no dealings with women. At the end of his term of office he is given a farm and a number of wives and holds a high position in the town. The old man in the centre is smoking one of the large brass native pipes. |
1937 |
|
7
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Juju man at Banso. 102 x 76 mm. Juju man at Banso dressed as man and women in costumes of coloured beads and straw skirts, feathered headdresses and the 'women' in suits of stockinette with coloured Tehs. They get Mimbo and salt for dancing at festivals from the Fon. They are of no consequence and during other days have their farms and wives to work for them. Not like the Big Jujus that are kept by the Fon and have no dealings with women. |
1937 |
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8
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Juju man at Banso. 102 x 76 mm. Juju man at Banso dressed as man and women in costumes of coloured beads and straw skirts, feathered headdresses and the 'women' in suits of stockinette with coloured Tehs. They get Mimbo and salt for dancing at festivals from the Fon. They are of no consequence and during other days have their farms and wives to work for them. Not like the Big Jujus that are kept by the Fon and have no dealings with women. |
1937 |
|
9
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Juju man at Banso. 102 x 76 mm. Juju man at Banso dressed as man and women in costumes of coloured beads and straw skirts, feathered headdresses and the 'women' in suits of stockinette with coloured Tehs. They get Mimbo and salt for dancing at festivals from the Fon. They are of no consequence and during other days have their farms and wives to work for them. Not like the Big Jujus that are kept by the Fon and have no dealings with women. |
1937 |
|
10
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Juju man at Banso. 102 x 76 mm. Juju man at Banso dressed as man and women in costumes of coloured beads and straw skirts, feathered headdresses and the 'women' in suits of stockinette with coloured Tehs. They get Mimbo and salt for dancing at festivals from the Fon. They are of no consequence and during other days have their farms and wives to work for them. Not like the Big Jujus that are kept by the Fon and have no dealings with women. |
1937 |
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11
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Juju man at Banso. 102 x 76 mm. Juju man at Banso dressed as man and women in costumes of coloured beads and straw skirts, feathered headdresses and the 'women' in suits of stockinette with coloured Tehs. They get Mimbo and salt for dancing at festivals from the Fon. They are of no consequence and during other days have their farms and wives to work for them. Not like the Big Jujus that are kept by the Fon and have no dealings with women. |
1937 |
|
12
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The Princesses of the Royal House of Banso dancing the N'Jang, Banso. 84 x 45 mm. The N'Jang is the favourite dance of the women whilst the Samba is the men's dance. They keep excellent time to the drums and bamboo hollow trumpets as well as a notched tube of bamboo over which one of the girls rubs a brass ring. 5th from left. Kika, Wingo, Yesha, Winsonrin, Bidsemo, Shuka, Lela, Winsonlin, Diadrum, Yefon, Be, Shemka. |
July 1937 |
|
13
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Market Place in Banso. 109 x 64 mm. Another view of the Market Place in Banso, showing the mountains rising over the town and separated from it by the deep valley. |
July 1937 |
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14
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Wife and daughters of Tangwa, Banso. 84 x 56 mm. Tangwa the head butcher's two young daughters and his new wife in the centre. All looking very happy. |
July 1937 |
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15
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Wife and daughters of Tangwa, Banso. 84 x 56 mm. Tangwa the head butcher's two young daughters and his new wife in the centre. All looking very happy. |
July 1937 |
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16
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A girl of the N'Jarie tribe, Banso. 56 x 84 mm. A girl from the N'Jarie Tribe from the N'Bombo Country. They have very elaborate tattooing on the body done by specialists with a pointed bamboo and ashes. Each cicatrix is a round dome, smooth and of regular size. A piece of bamboo is inserted into the nostrils. They used to practice cannibalism by setting traps of thin dust covered brushwood placed over pits or a chair set on the thinly covered pit in front of the house where the unwary traveller sat and fell in only to be set upon and in the end killed and eaten. Many Banso people say that this is still practiced but officially it does not now exist. |
May 1937 |
|
17
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A girl of the N'Jarie tribe, Banso. 56 x 84 mm. A girl from the N'Jarie Tribe from the N'Bombo Country. They have very elaborate tattooing on the body done by specialists with a pointed bamboo and ashes. Each cicatrix is a round dome, smooth and of regular size. A piece of bamboo is inserted into the nostrils. They used to practice cannibalism by setting traps of thin dust covered brushwood placed over pits or a chair set on the thinly covered pit in front of the house where the unwary traveller sat and fell in only to be set upon and in the end killed and eaten. Many Banso people say that this is still practiced but officially it does not now exist. |
May 1937 |
|
18
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Dispensary [assistant] Bamunka. 59 x 89 mm. |
Aug. 1937 |
|
19
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A woman from Bafreng, Bamenda. 64 x 109 mm. Showing the method of shaving the head when they have conceived. They wear long hair till this occurs. The remaining centre portion is left and mixed with a concoction of Red Camwood powdered and mixed with palm oil which dries hard like clay and is called Nga. The woman here shown has a small bunch of leaves on her back which indicates she is menstruating. |
Oct. 1937 |
|
20
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Woman carrying baby, Bamenda. 39 x 61 mm.neg; print 69 x 96 mm. The common method of carrying baby in the Bamenda division. The child sits astride the mother's back in a sort of hammock of goat skin slung from the shoulders and attached by thongs passing round the waist. The children seem to take to this method naturally and one often sees them helping the mothers and never a word is spoken, each does her 'bit' in getting comfortable. |
Oct. 1937 |
|
21
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Cameroon earrings, Bamenda. 40 x 61 mm. A Fungom woman with the blocks of bamboo stuck in the lobes of the ears which are gradually stretched during childhood. |
Oct. 1937 |
|
22
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Cameroon earrings, Bamenda. 40 x 61 mm. A Fungom woman with the blocks of bamboo stuck in the lobes of the ears which are gradually stretched during childhood. |
Oct. 1937 |
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23
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Baffreng woman and child, Bamenda. 57 x 84 mm. Baffreng woman with her child, she has her head shaved at the sides to show she has conceived and wears the strings in front to show she is suckling a child. The baby girl also has her head shaved as it is taken for granted that as soon as she marries she will also conceive immediately. This is the fervent desire of every girl among the pagans. |
Dec. 1937 |
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24
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Scenes in Bamenda Prison. 62 x 40 mm. |
Dec. 1937 |
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25
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Scenes in Bamenda Prison. 62 x 40 mm. |
Dec. 1937 |
|
26
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Scenes in Bamenda Prison. 62 x 40 mm. |
Dec. 1937 |
|
27
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Scenes in Bamenda Prison. 62 x 40 mm. |
Dec. 1937 |
|
28
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Scenes in Bamenda Prison. 62 x 40 mm. |
Dec. 1937 |
|
29
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Scenes in Bamenda Prison. 62 x 40 mm. |
Dec. 1937 |
|
30
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Carriers arriving at Mankon. 40 x 62 mm. My carriers arriving at Mankon Rest House which is situated in the Chief's Compound. The entrance gate is seen with the guard houses, the juju sticks up in the centre and the plinth on the right. |
Dec. 1937 |
|
31
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Scroll posts, Mankon. 63 x 104 mm. The two forked branches stripped of bark, the forks are painted with rings of red paint made from cam wood and Palm Oil, alternated with rings of brown stain made from diluted cow dung. The 'scroll' at the base is a closely woven piece of matting with horizontal wavy lines in red alternating with light brown and composed of the same materials. Alongside this to the left is a piece of grass matting with three bamboo supports to stiffen it. In front and at the base of the 'scroll' is a shallow hole filled with rice and covered with broken bits of calabashes. The whole thing is to indicate a dance will take place. The post on the right represents a man and the one on the left a woman. The 'scroll' is placed against the 'male' post to indicate the dance is primarily for men, the next day it was placed against the 'female' post and the dance was for the women. Under each post is buried a sacrificed 'billy' and a 'nanny' goat as sacrificing a man and a woman and burying them under each respective post is now forbidden by British Rule. |
Dec. 1937 |
|
32
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Dance at Mankon. 104 x 63 mm. The first thing that happened was the distant singing which drew nearer and then some of the wives of the chief came dancing into the compound from their quarters. They danced a sort of lunging step and were all linked hand to hand, they circled the entire compound in an anti-clockwise direction all the time chanting their dirge. Note that all native dances are in a clockwise direction except at funeral celebrations which seems to have some connection with the reversal of processes in the civilised countries at funerals. |
Dec. 1937 |
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33
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Dance at Mankon. 53 x 40 mm. After the encircling of the entire compound the women formed into a long line, all the time chanting and clapping their hands to the time of the dirge. They then started a sort of 'follow my leader' all the time keeping up this peculiar skipping lunging step. They passed through many intricate patterns but always in an anti-clockwise direction. |
Dec. 1937 |
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34
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Dance at Mankon. 63 x 40 mm. After some time they broke up and stood about in groups chanting and beating time with their hands then formed up into two long lines and faced each other. The two foremost women then linked hands and there was a sort of 'tug-of-war'. This happened three times and most of the participants were the younger members of the chief's harem. |
Dec. 1937 |
|
35
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Dance at Mankon. 62 x 40 mm. As many of the people had to come from a considerable distance, some had been trekking in for four days, it was about ten a.m. before the Fies began to arrive. Here is one of the Fies marching on to the ground followed by his orchestra and gunners. The orchestra consists of drummers, flute players, trumpets of elephant tusks and rattles of metal and wood. |
Dec. 1937 |
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36
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Dance at Mankon. 62 x 40 mm. Soon after their arrival, despite the distance many of them had come the old Fies started to dance and were followed by their drummers and gunmen. At first each orchestra kept up the good work but as the fies came in and the orchestras increased in number they broke away and joined with the dancers leaving the Chief's orchestra in command. Here are seen some of the groups of Fies dancing the queer little shuffling steps again in an anti-clockwise direction whilst the gunmen let off volleys in the midst of the party and the smoke from their guns hides the trees in the background. |
Dec. 1937 |
|
37
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Dance at Mankon. 99 x 64 mm. The Chief's orchestra stood around the two posts already mentioned and the women formed a ring and danced round the Fies and their followers who were nearer the orchestra. As before the anti-clockwise direction was adhered to all the time. As more and more people arrived from the outlying towns and isolated farms they formed outer rings until the whole compound was one mass of bobbing humanity with orchestras, singing and gunfire. |
Dec. 1937 |
|
38
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Dance at Mankon. 100 x 64 mm. At different times the Orchestra would leave the juju sticks and come shuffling and lunging up to the rest house, followed by masses of the dancers who with the beat of the drums and the gallons of Mombo were getting completely abandoned, They were led usually by the Chief's sister who acts as the Queen Mother and is seen in the centre foreground dressed in coloured silks with a garland of green leaves. |
Dec. 1937 |
|
39
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Dance at Mankon. 62 x 50 mm. The orchestra would after a short time back away to the Juju sticks again as they are doing here their variegated costumes of brilliant greens, blues and reds with their weird and many shaped hats making a very pretty picture. The Chief's sister and Queen Mother is seen on the left of the flute players. |
Dec. 1937 |
|
40
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Dance at Mankon. 62 x 40 mm. The Fies again formed up and danced round in the centre circle next to the orchestra whilst the women formed into the outer circle all dancing and shuffling round. |
Dec. 1937 |
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41
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Dance at Mankon. 62 x 40 mm. Towards the late afternoon the large numbers dancing necessitated the ring being formed round the compound and with the drums, the flutes and the Mimbo the chief could hold his dignity no longer so left his throne and dressed in his German uniform and white suit joined the merry throng. As he shuffled round with his Fies on either side of him the chief women moved out and formed up to 'salute' him. |
Dec. 1937 |
|
42
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Dance at Mankon. 62 x 40 mm. The Fies on either side of the chief were so elated that they kept up an incessant gunfire with their native blunder-busses. Here they are seen shooting and reloading and in the midst of the smoke the chief can just be seen. They are all flintlock guns and much laughter greeted the fies as often they would prance forward towards the centre of the ground with great show, kneel down and press the trigger only to be rewarded with a faint 'click' as the gun misfired with damp powder. |
Dec. 1937 |
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43
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Dance at Mankon. 62 x 40 mm. The women advancing to salute the chief, they shuffled forwards and at times broke into a short run as they followed him round the field. All the time they let out a high pitched 'cooing' cry and tap the mouth with the closed fingers. |
Dec. 1937 |
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44
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Dance at Mankon. 62 x 40 mm. The women saluting the Chief and honouring him by bowing and bending the knees whilst the foremost dusts the leaves and twigs and even imaginary dirt from his vicinity with her bare hands. The remainder keeping up the incessant 'cooing' call and clapping their hands to the beat of the drums. |
Dec. 1937 |
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45
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Dance at Mankon. 62 x 40 mm. The women running forward and then receding after bowing to the chief whilst the eldest and most honoured wife keeps on brushing the ground in front of him. |
Dec. 1937 |
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46
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Dance at Mankon. 62 x 40 mm. After dancing round the edge of the compound the chief got very excited and mounting the plinth he proceeded to execute a sort of a jig on his own whilst cheered on in his efforts by the equally excited populace. The glittering eagle mounted helmet and silver cuirasse looked rather out of place but certainly created a sensation among the people. |
Dec. 1937 |
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47
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Dance at Mankon. 100 x 64 mm. The Chief tiring of his dancing called for his rifle and gave a fiery speech intermitted with shots into the air to stress some important point. |
Dec. 1937 |
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48
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Dance at Mankon. 75 x 104 mm. It was obvious that music, women and wine made the Chief forget the dignity of his office but after his little dance and exhibition with his rifle he sobered up and gave a very good little speech to the people telling them all visitors were their guests and there must be no thieving or fighting and they must after this party return to their farms and tend their crops, not only for market but for feeding their families. |
Dec. 1937 |
|
49
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Dance at Mankon. 43 x 40 mm. Gunners and Fies saluting the Chief after he returned to his throne by running forward with a prancing step then kneeling down and firing their native blunderbusses that make a terrific explosion and emit clouds of acrid smelling smoke. |
Dec. 1937 |
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50
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Dance at Mankon. 62 x 40 mm. With all the excitement and the desire to outdo each other many of the gunners and the Fies when firing did so with the guns pointing down and so endangered the people. Whenever this was noticed, the Chindas of the Chief rushed out and arrested the wrongdoer who was promptly marched off to spend his time in silent meditation on his evil deed. |
Dec. 1937 |
|
51
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Dance at Mankon. 34 x 40 mm. At one time in the proceedings the firing low of the gunners got so bad that the Chief lost his temper and joined his Chindas in the rush to arrest the evildoers. Everyone took part in the chase of these men and it was obviously looked upon as great fun by the younger members though the older people realised the danger if this indiscriminate shooting was allowed to go unchecked. |
Dec. 1937 |
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52
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Dance at Mankon. 62 x 40 mm. One of the arrested gunners being led away by some of the Chief's chindas whilst two other chindas are seen striding across the compound to catch another man who has been seen firing low. |
Dec. 1937 |
|
53
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Chief of the Ngemba tribe at Mankon. 62 x 40 mm. The Chief of the Ngemba Tribe at Mankon his capital which has a population of over 5000 people. He is dressed in his Silver Eagle mounted German helmet and glittering brass studded silver cuirasse, given to him when Germany ruled the Cameroon. His seat is a native stool covered with minute coloured beads and he has his carpet of leopard skin denoting his Royal rank. |
Dec. 1937 |
|
54
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Chief of the Ngemba tribe in German uniform at Mankon. 59 x 102 mm. The Chief very kindly agreed to let us photograph him in his uniform of which he is naturally extremely proud and wears on all important and official occasions when he is the centre of envy from all the other chiefs who only have their native dress. |
Dec. 1937 |
|
55
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Chief of Ngemba tribe and entourage at Mankon. 62 x 40 mm. The chief then retired for a short time only to reappear in his Native dress when he came to the Rest House to 'salute' us. He was accompanied by four of his sons, his chindas and his two train-bearers whilst behind him and a little to the left are seen two of the horn blowers who kept up an incessant trumpeting on their elephant tusks. |
Dec. 1937 |
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56
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Chief of Ngemba tribe and entourage at Mankon. 62 x 40 mm. The Chief then followed by his four sons, the train bearers and the trumpeters with their elephant tusk trumpets set out to complete a tour of the compound. |
Dec. 1937 |
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57
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Chief of the Ngemba tribe in German uniform at Mankon. 70 x 102 mm. Probably the last remaining specimen of Imperial Germany. |
Dec. 1937 |
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58
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'Alexander', Mankon. 67 x 89 mm. 'Alexander' the assistant surgeon at Bamenda Hospital. About 4ft. high he is a 'character' and has had a most interesting life under German and British rule. |
Dec. 1937 |
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59
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Sister of the Chief of Bafut, Mankon. One of the sisters of the Bafut Chief wearing her leopard skin girdle denoting her Royal connection and her necklaces of unglazed porcelain German beads. The leopard skin is the royal insignia throughout the whole Bamenda Division and nobody is allowed to have one except the Chiefs. The skins of all leopards caught are sent into the Chief as soon as possible. It is interesting to note the Leopard is the Royal animal as it was in Ancient Egypt and is associated only with Kings, both there and throughout West Africa. It also appears in the Early British Armorial Bearings. |
Dec. 1937 |
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60
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Daughter of Chief of Bafut. 76 x 103 mm. A daughter of the Chief of Bafut proudly displaying her Leopard skin girdle and German necklaces with a black silk tassel at the back. Her wrists and ankles are encased with brass bracelets. |
Dec. 1937 |
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61
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Daughter of Chief of Bafut. 76 x 103 mm. The daughter of the Bafut Chief then gave us a little exhibition of the dance performed in front of her Royal father and the other chiefs. The shuffling of the feet with the slight bent knees, and the bending forward of the body to the rhythmic beat of the drums is quite effective when well performed by a large number of women. |
Dec. 1937 |
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62
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Bafut woman, Mankon. 76 x 103 mm. A Bafut woman guest at the ceremonies with her shaved head and girdle of cowrie shells as a fertility fetish. |
Dec. 1937 |
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63
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Bande woman, (?) Mankon. 64 x 103 mm. A Bande woman with a peculiar ear ornament consisting of a porcupine quill cut short and a small pendant of beads hanging from it in front of the lobe. She also as well as small twigs and blades of grass has a garland of leaves about her neck to indicate that one of her relations has given birth to twins. |
Dec. 1937 |
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64
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Bafut woman, Mankon. 76 x 103 mm. A Bafut woman dressed for the party with her necklaces of German beads, her brass bangles and anklets and her cowrie shell jiggedar for fertility though the two little strings with cowrie shells attached and hanging in front show she is still sexually taboo on account of suckling a child. |
Dec. 1937 |
|
65
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Bafut woman, Mankon. 76 x 103 mm. A Bafut woman dressed for the party with her necklaces of German beads, her brass bangles and anklets and her cowrie shell jiggedar for fertility though the two little strings with cowrie shells attached and hanging in front show she is still sexually taboo on account of suckling a child. |
Dec. 1937 |
|
66
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Bafut girl, Mankon. 76 x 103 mm. A proud young lady at the dance, showing off her numerous black jiggedars and a band of hide decorated with old German military buttons. Her sexual taboo is well advertised by the number of black strings she has hanging in front. |
Dec. 1937 |
|
67
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Dancing girls Mankon. 76 x 103 mm. "Les can-can girls" - a group of dancing girls with small bells and rattles attached to their ankles and concealed by a cleverly twined covering of leaves and grass. |
Dec. 1937 |
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68
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Daughter of the Chief of Bafut, Mankon. 76 x 103 mm. One of the daughters of the Chief of Bafut with her numerous necklaces of German beads and a cord of silk with a tassel. Some of the tattooing is seen on her shoulder and back, but her whole body was a mass of intricate patterns. |
Dec. 1937 |
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69
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Bafut woman, Mankon. 76 x 103 mm. Another well dressed lady at the dance. She proudly displayed her hide hip-band studded with old German buttons and her numerous jiggedars of soft black stick joined with grass rings. Her legs were coloured red with powdered red cam wood. |
Dec. 1937 |
|
70
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Gunner at dance at Mankon. 77 x 103 mm. One of the gunners with a draped skirt of white narrow red stripes and a broad purple band. He has a raffia hat surmounted with dark blue feathers and his sachet had a fringe of bells. |
Dec. 1937 |
|
71
|
Juju man, Mankon. 61 x 96 mm. A Juju man who was acting as police to keep order. His waist was covered with small calabashes acting as powder horns whilst snail shells were garlanded round his neck. |
Dec. 1937 |
|
72
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Gunner at dance at Mankon. 104 x 64 mm. A young gunner with his feathered headdress and old brass studded flintlock gun. |
Dec. 1937 |
|
73
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Gunner at dance at Mankon. 64 x 90 mm. Another gunner with his native made hat of dark blue cotton pulled out to form small tags or 'rays'. He also wears one of the thick ivory bangles so common among the men of the Bamenda Division. |
Dec. 1937 |
|
74
|
Gunner at dance at Mankon. 40 x 62 mm. This old warrior turned up complete with his gun, showing the goat hide shield to protect him against misfires. His manjong sword on its lizard skin covered sheath with a small bell attached to the wickerwork handles, a fly-switch and his drinking horn in his 'hip-pocket'. |
Dec. 1937 |
|
75
|
Gunner at dance at Mankon. 76 x 103 mm. Another gunner with his stoppered calabash powder box, a fullani sword, a fly switch and not a care in the world. |
Dec. 1937 |
|
76
|
Gunner at dance at Mankon. 76 x 103 mm. One of the gunners - Wonga - Fie Alakume - sees a joke either in the camera or the photographer! He is wearing one of the 'rayed' hats made entirely of cotton by the men in the Bamenda Division. |
Dec. 1937 |
|
77
|
Juju man, Mankon. 76 x 103 mm. A Juju man with his leopard skin headdress with snail shells attached to the crown. In his right hand he holds a sort of rattle of pleated fibre with hard seeds inside whilst his left hand holds the forerunner of the Swastika, which is also used as a charm. |
Dec. 1937 |
|
78
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Juju man, Mankon. 76 x 103 mm. A Juju man with his leopard skin headdress with snail shells attached to the crown. In his right hand he holds a sort of rattle of pleated fibre with hard seeds inside whilst his left hand holds the forerunner of the Swastika, which is also used as a charm. |
Dec. 1937 |
|
79
|
Juju man, Mankon. 76 x 103 mm. Another Juju man with his cow head headdress and his neck festooned with the long cylindrical ends of calabashes and snail shells. |
Dec. 1937 |
|
80
|
Juju man, Mankon. 65 x 103 mm. Another Juju man selected by the chief to keep order and to prevent robbery. |
Dec. 1937 |
|
81
|
Juju man, Mankon. 76 x 103 mm. A Juju man with a goat skin headdress, who acted in the capacity of policeman. These police were necessary to prevent any disputes as people had come from all over the country and many were the hereditary enemies of the people of Mankon. |
Dec. 1937 |
|
82
|
Juju man, Mankon. 76 x 103 mm. A Juju man with his well feathered headdress and his Manjong sword by his side. |
Dec. 1937 |
|
83
|
The Bambatu, Mankon. 62 x 102 mm. The Bambatu - one of the guests in his native hat of cotton in blue and white, which the men make themselves, has a 'quiet one' on his own. |
Dec. 1937 |
|
84
|
Juju man, Mankon. 76 x 103 mm. One of the 'good' juju men with his feathered headdress and forked gong made from local iron rudely fashioned. He danced about and threw himself into all sorts of contortions. |
Dec. 1937 |
|
85
|
Juju man, Mankon. 76 x 103 mm. He is here seen close up with his gong, leopard skin bag and his knowing old face surmounted by his feathered headdress. |
Dec. 1937 |
|
86
|
Flute player, Mankon. 64 x 108 mm. A flute player with his hood of blue velvet embroidered with red silk, and the gown of many hues with native designs. He had on the ivory bangle worn by all the 'big men'. The flute is played with one finger at the base to control the tones and attached to it is a complicated knot of what looked like Tie-tie grass. |
Dec. 1937 |
|
87
|
Three wives of Chief of Mankon. 85 x 70 mm. Three of the younger wives of the Chief of Mankon carrying water in calabashes and kerosine oil tins. Two are sexually taboo as is seen by the small strings in front but the girl in the centre is still free to visit anyone she likes as she has not yet conceived. They all have jiggedars of cowrie shells to ensure fertility. |
Dec. 1937 |
|
88
|
Decorated Bamenda cap [Fig. II in West-African Caps]. 62 x 40 mm. A decorated Bamenda hat. These small cap-like headdresses fit closely on to the head and are made from native cotton, many skilful and varied designs are seen usually in blue as this is the common native dye. |
Dec. 1937 |
|
89
|
Bamenda cap, Mankon. 40 x 62 mm. The owner of another pattern of hat crown in blue and white enjoying 'one for the road'. |
Dec. 1937 |
|
90
|
Bamenda cap, Mankon. 40 x 76 mm. Another pattern of hat crown. Crowns were originally somewhat like a Persian cap or Fez - almost the blood-brother of the red velvet cap of maintenance of the English Kings. Caps of special shape, Fez-like or like that of a Chef are today still the sign of Royalty among the Pagan Tribes of the Bamenda Division. The cloth caps with cloth 'spikes' may be an imitation of the radiated or rayed crowns of ancient Egypt. |
Dec. 1937 |
|
91
|
Bamenda cap, Bamenda. 60 x 93mm. Fez shaped Bamenda cap in blue and white. [Fig. VII in West African Caps.]. |
Dec. 1937 |
|
92
|
Bamenda cap, Bamenda. 68 x 95 mm. The 'rayed' cap of white cotton with blue rays. [Fig. X in West African Caps]. |
Dec. 1937 |
|
93
|
Bamenda cap, Bamenda. 56 x 91mm. A 'rayed' cap with the rays made in such a way that they lie flat. [Fig.XI in West African Caps]. |
Dec. 1937 |
|
94
|
Bamenda cap, Bamenda. 76 x 103 mm. A Bamenda cap shaped like the modern chef's cap, the lower part is of raffia and the crown of blue-black feathers. [Fig.V in West African Caps]. |
Dec. 1937 |
|
95
|
Bamenda cap, Bamenda. 61 x 98 mm. A fez shaped cap in blue and white cotton [Fig.VIII in West African Caps]. |
Dec. 1937 |
|
96
|
Bamenda cap, Bamenda. 69 x 87mm. A cotton cap in blue and white with the tied fillet and the knot behind [Fig. IV in West African Caps]. |
Dec. 1937 |
|
97
|
Bamenda cap, Bamenda. 65 x 81mm. A fez shaped cap with the crown band and tied fillet. |
Dec. 1937 |
|
98
|
Bamenda cap, Bamenda. 60 x 88 mm. A rayed cap with the crown band and the tied fillet of the Egyptians [Fig. IX in West African Caps]. |
Dec. 1937 |
|
99
|
Chief of Babungo, Bamenda. 64 x 82 mm. The Chief of Babungo with his cap shaped like a horned crown. The crown band is of cotton with the tied fillet and the crown is composed of two bunches of blue-black feathers standing out on either side. [Fig. VI in West African Caps]. |
Dec. 1937 |
|
100
|
Woman with bush umbrella, Bamenda. 66 x 100 mm. A woman wearing the bush umbrella or sunshade of the type worn in the Banso and Bamenda districts. It is built on a bamboo frame that also forms the head piece and over the frame is stretched a closely woven matting of dried grass. It is light, adequately covers the wearer, and a child if she has one with her, allows both arms to be free and is absolutely waterproof. |
Dec. 1937 |
|
101
|
Juju figures, Bafut. 62 x 40 mm. Two of the Juju figures standing in the clearing in front of the Chief's gateway at Bafut. They have an array of bead covered long necked calabashes in front of them as well as a bead covered stool, a cheap glass decanter and some Toby jugs all placed upon a very beautifully worked Bikom cloth in blue and white. |
Dec. 1937 |
|
102
|
Juju figures, Bafut. 62 x 40 mm. A close up of the group, showing the beautifully worked Bikom cloth with its marvellously intricate pattern. The carved stool from Babanki Tungo but covered with small beads. Two long necked native calabashes, two decanters and Toby jugs from Brum, some native pottery and two more long necked calabashes worked in native designs with small coloured beads. The male juju figure in skirt of beads holds a drinking horn in the right hand whilst the female holds a calabash in the left hand. Behind, attached to long bamboo poles are the Bikom cloths that are carried in front and over the chief as a sort of awning. |
Dec. 1937 |
|
103
|
Juju figures, Bafut. 40 x 62 mm. A close-up of the two Juju figures showing the man nearest the camera with his head covered by a rayed cap with tied crown band and fillet. The woman with cowrie shells on the head to indicate she has conceived, and waist band for fertility for the women of the tribe. Both figures are of carved wood with a complete covering of small tubular black beads attached with some sort of native glue and in a most regular manner as not a piece of the wood was seen. |
Dec. 1937 |
|
104
|
Juju sticks, Bafut. 40 x 62 mm. Two Juju sticks similar to the ones seen at Bafut only with different designs and on separate mounds with a buried spear between. Each should cover a human sacrifice but in these enlightened days goats were used instead. A small calabash toad in front of each stick and they contained Mimbo, it is 'Chief's Mimbo' as small pieces of grass are seen in the neck of the calabashes. |
Dec. 1937 |
|
105
|
Rest house, Ngussi. 62 x 40 mm. Ngussi Rest house of Karaboard and pam leaf roofing. It is quite a comfortable rest house though very small, has a leaky roof and seems to be the ancestral home of the sand and sweat-flies. |
5 Feb. 1938–6 Feb. 1938 |
|
106
|
Mother and child, Ngussi. 62 x 40 mm. How mother goes to work, the basket suspended from her forehead and the baby on her shoulders. These women manage to carry really terrific weights. |
6 Feb. 1938 |
|
107
|
Juju pots, Mekete. 40 x 62 mm. Juju pots in a Juju hut on the roadside, the custom is that every man must on marriage contribute a pot of dye in the near future. |
6 Feb. 1938 |
|
108
|
Juju shrine, en route to Mouambong. 62 x 40 mm. The shrine to the Juju, Noket. It consists of a fenced in circle containing old pots and rubbish and behind a hut of grass. He is a good Juju. |
6 Feb. 1938 |
|
109
|
Mouambong. 62 x 40 mm. We at last come to Mouambong, a typical Bakossi town, little clusters of huts in a forest clearing, then more trekking to another little cluster and so on for perhaps an hour or more. The walls of the huts are of wooden logs and the roof of palm fronds. |
6 Feb. 1938 |
|
110
|
Mouambong. 62 x 40 mm. An hour after reaching the first 'suburb' of Mouambong we at last dragged ourselves into the main cluster of huts that composed the town, it was another half hour however before we climbed the last hill (seen in the background) to the rest house. |
6 Feb. 1938 |
|
111
|
Housebuilding, Mouambong. 40 x 62 mm. The scaffolding rises as the apex of the roof is reached. The roofs, considering the materials, are beautifully symmetrical. |
6 Feb. 1938 |
|
112
|
Water carrier, Mouambong. 56 x 72 mm. One of the little girls that came up every morning and evening with wood and water for me, about 10 of them came every time on the orders of the chief as the Rest House must always have plenty of both or there is trouble for the old boy. |
6 Feb. 1938 |
|
113
|
Court house, Mouambong. 84 x 57 mm. The Old Bailey at Mouambong - the Native Court House. |
7 Feb. 1938 |
|
114
|
Setting out from Mouambong to Nyasoso. 62 x 40 mm. We set out from Mouambong for Nyasoso. Galadema, the cook's mate with the kerosine tin that is the oven, nurse in his uniform and Michael in white with the carriers stretching in a long line ahead. |
8 Feb. 1938 |
|
115
|
Victoria Bay with the little Cameroon Mountain behind, Victoria. 62 x 40 mm. |
Mar. 1938 |
|
116
|
Bringing in palm fruit, D.W.H. Mbonge. 62 x 40 mm. Bringing in wheelbarrow loads of palm fruit from the palm oil plantation to the factory for oil extraction. |
24 Jan. 1938 |
|
117
|
Roadside juju, en route Mbonge. 40 x 62 mm. A juju on the roadside from Bai to Mbonge consisting of a couple of sticks, on one an egg, some grass and piece of banana, on the other a pineapple stalk. I never learnt what this was for. |
25 Jan. 1938 |
|
118
|
Farmer crossing Mungo River, Bai-Mbonge. 40 x 62 mm. A farmer crosses the Mungo River to Mbonge with his wheelbarow on his head rather than pay the ferry charge. |
Jan. 1938 |
|
119
|
Crossing stream, en route to Bole. 60 x 42 mm. We cross a stream by means of a derelict canoe as there was no bridge or tree trunk, and enter a bamboo forest en route Bole from Mbonge. |
26 Jan. 1938 |
|
120
|
Paying Mkpandi labourers, nr. Bole. 60 x 42 mm. Payment of the Mkpandi labourers at Bole on the new road. |
Jan. 1938 |
|
121
|
Labourers awaiting payment, nr. Bole. 60 x 42 mm. Gangs with their 'Head-men' waiting their turn for payment. |
Jan. 1938 |
|
122
|
Headman collecting pay, nr. Bole. 84 x 57 mm. "Name, Gang, District, Town?" The head man comes up first to give particulars and get his pay. |
Jan. 1938 |
|
123
|
Headman 'signing' for pay, nr. Bole. 84 x 57 mm. This is what you do: - the Headman being shown how to make his finger prints against his name as a receipt. |
Jan. 1938 |
|
124
|
Mkpandi labourers 'signing' for pay, nr. Bole. 62 x 40 mm. The Mkpandi labourers making their thumb marks opposite their names on the paysheets as a receipt of receiving their pay. |
Jan. 1938 |
|
125
|
Labourers' paysheet, nr. Bole. 40 x 62 mm A paysheet showing the thumb print against each man's name. |
Jan. 1938 |
|
126
|
John Dixon inspecting paysheets, nr. Bole. 62 x 40 mm. John Dixon the A.D.O. (Mbonge Bert) looks over the pay shees at Bole. |
Jan. 1938 |
|
127
|
Residency garden, Buea. 40 x 62 mm. The terraces and the gardens of the residency at Buea. |
Mar. 1938 |
|
128
|
Village in oil palm belt, en route Douala. 40 x 62 mm. A village midst the oil palm belt taken from the train en route Douala. |
Apr. 1938 |
|
129
|
Douala. 40 x 62 mm. The Palais de Justice and Pagolo Douala. |
Apr. 1938 |
|
130
|
The entrance to the market, Douala. 42 x 60 mm. |
Apr. 1938 |
|
131
|
The market, Douala. 42 x 60 mm. |
Apr. 1938 |
|
132
|
Looking towards the water front, Douala. 42 x 60 mm. |
Apr. 1938 |
|
133
|
Women wood carriers at Nyasoso. 42 x 60 mm. |
9 Feb. 1938 |
|
134
|
African hut, Nyasoso. 42 x 60 mm. |
9 Feb. 1938 |
|
135
|
Koupe Mountain, Nyasoso. 62 x 40 mm. Koupe Mountain at Nyasoso. Juju devil on top called Ekum - very bad Juju if man has witches he consults Ekum but if not strong or healthy he dies. |
9 Feb. 1938 |
|
136
|
Rest House, Tombel. 62 x 40 mm. |
9 Feb. 1938 |
|
137
|
Loum, Central French Cameroons. 62 x 40 mm. |
9 Feb. 1938 |
|
138
|
Typical valley scene with bush, Tombel-Nyasoso. 62 x 40 mm. |
11 Feb. 1938 |
|
139
|
Forest clearing, Tombel-Nyasoso. 40 x 62 mm. A forest clearing where travellers sleep - the bamboos laid on the ground keep the jujus and animals away as they have been blessed by a juju man. |
11 Feb. 1938 |
|
140
|
Mungo River. 62 x 40 mm. |
12 Feb. 1938 |
|
141
|
Mungo Ferry. 62 x 40 mm. The Mungo Ferry with my carriers and loads on the return trek. |
Apr. 1938 |
|
142
|
Mungo Ferry. 62 x 40 mm. Loads going up the ferry ramps. |
Apr. 1938 |
|
143
|
Loading up the lorry, Mungo. 62 x 40 mm. |
Apr. 1938 |
|
144
|
Native bush bandage. 62 x 40 mm. |
June 1938 |
|
145
|
The carriers in the 'bush' between Kiwo and Nchanti. 57 x 110. |
June 1938 |
|
146
|
Manjong House, N'kor. 84 x 57 mm. Manjong House at N'kor where I lived. Carvings coloured with crude native paint, red, black and white. Bamboo walls are typical pattern. |
June 1938 |
|
147
|
Interior of house at Nbeno. 108 x 64 mm. Where I stayed at Nbeno. A typical house. Bamboo walls - ground sheet over bed to keep off rain, clothes on rope. |
June 1938 |
|
148
|
Cicatrices on woman's arm. 56 x 84 mm. Turtle or lizard design on an old woman's arm at Nbeno. It is formed by raised weals the operation being done in her youth. Fertility sign or totem. |
June 1938 |
|
149
|
Bread eating competition. 84 x 56 mm. |
June 1938 |
|
150
|
A typical Tse-tse breeding stream on the Kumba-Malende rapid. 40 x 62 mm. |
June 1938 |
|
151
|
Cleared stream bank, location unknown. 62 x 40 mm. Ineffectual attempts at clearing the stream bank to stop tse-tse breeding. 500 yds. on either bank should be cleared. Cost?.?.?. |
June 1938 |
|
152
|
Douala. 62 x 40 mm. Douala early morning, with thunder clouds in the West lit by the rising sun. |
31 May 1938 |
|
153
|
Hausa Chief's orchestra, location unknown. 84 x 56 mm. The Hausa chief's orchestra - the trumpets make a noise very much like the bagpipes. Note the curved drum sticks. |
June 1938 |
|
154
|
Hausa musicians, location unknown. 56 x 84 mm. |
June 1938 |
|
155
|
Hausa chief, location unknown. 84 x 56 mm. The Hausa-chief below his yellow and red umbrella on a brass stand. The Hausa spectators in their white head dresses and coloured gowns. |
June 1938 |
|
156
|
Hausa woman drummer, location unknown. 56 x 84 mm. Hausa woman drummer dressed in red and silver nose ornament. The man repeats what she says and shouts adulations and flattery all the time to the chief or whoever is present if he is a 'big man'. |
June 1938 |
|
157
|
Two Juju men at Banso. 56 x 84 mm. |
1938 |
|
158
|
Two Juju men impersonating women. 56 x 84 mm. |
1938 |
|
159
|
A juju man impersonating a woman. 56 x 84 mm. |
1938 |
|
160
|
Bamenda Market. 62 x 40 mm. Purchasers at the gown dept. at Bamenda market. Women are from Bamenda N'Kwele. Only after marriage do they wear brass on the waist strings and mud on the hair. |
1938 |
|
161
|
Mat maker with native loom B'da. 40 x 62 mm. |
1938 |
|
162
|
A Wum woman with ear rings of bamboo. 40 x 62 mm. |
1938 |
|
163
|
A Wum woman. 40 x 62 mm. |
1938 |
|
164
|
Close-up of cocoa growing at Ndoi. 40 x 62 mm. |
Jan. 1938 |
|
165
|
Roof of Roebuck's house, Kumba. 40 x 62 mm. The roof of Roebuck's house, all bamboo supports with palm fronds. |
1938 |
|
166
|
Baskets made from palm fronds and used for storing cocoa, Kilinie. 40 x 62 mm. |
1938 |
|
167
|
The beach at the Pirate Islands. 62 x 40 mm. |
Sept. 1938 |
|
168
|
Children with the remains of the whale, Pirate Isles. 62 x 40 mm. |
Sept. 1938 |
|
169
|
The ascent to the town from the shore up the 15ft. Cliffs. 40 x 62 mm. Houses protected by rock formation, Pirate Isles. |
Sept. 1938 |
|
170
|
Village children climbing the ramparts from the village street, Pirate Isles. 62 x 40 mm. |
Sept. 1938 |
|
171
|
Native made fish hooks used to catch big fish, Pirate Isles. 62 x 40 mm. It was this hook that caught the whale. |
Sept. 1938 |
|
172
|
"Modern Africa", Calabar. 39 x 47 mm. Miss Seville, Government Telephone Operaor from Lagos going on leave to Calabar. The modern African Miss is only a few steps behind her London 'sisters' when it comes to fashions. |
2 Apr. 1939 |
|
173
|
Ya-o-Fa, Banso. 40 x 62 mm. The senior Ya is the Fon's actual mother, once selected she retains the title all her life. She may only marry a Fai or Tante and she must not work on a farm. All her social inferiors must clap hands in front of her (men and women alike). She can only marry one man in her life and does not pass on her title to her children. When the Fon dies the mother of his successor if alive becomes the senior Ya, otherwise Fai Ndzendzen must choose a girl from among the Eon's daughters. The former Ya takes second place but retains all her privileges. For further information see notes in Albums dealing with tour from 1937 to 1938. |
Apr. 29 1939 |
|
174
|
Ya-o-Fa, Banso. 40 x 62 mm. Dressed in her official dress, a raffia hat which she wears in front of the Fon. A porcupine quill in her nose the septum of which has been pierced. A red Teh or strip of cloth suspended from her waist girdles. Beads crossed over her chest. |
29 Apr. 1939 |
|
175
|
Fai Ndzendzen, Banso. 40 x 62 mm. Fai Ndzendzen dressed in his usual attire, kilt and hat which is of a special pattern and no other man can wear a similar hat. Title hereditary and is one of the most important men in the country. He is the Senior Kebai of the Yemulong (House of the inner Mulong Society with very limited membership) -See Banso Notes No.I. - Necklace of leopard teeth, a Royal insignia. |
24 May 1939 |
|
176
|
A close-up of Fai Ndzendzen, Banso. 40 x 62 mm. |
24 May 1939 |
|
177
|
Fai Tankum, Banso. 40 x 62 mm. Fai Tankum, the next in seniority to Fai Ndzendzen and so he wears the insignia of Royalty in the shape of a necklace of leopard teeth. |
24 May 1939 |
|
178
|
Fai Ndzendzen the next man to Fai Tankum, Banso. 40 x 62 mm. |
24 May 1939 |
|
179
|
Fai O Shube, Banso. 40 x 62 mm. Fai O Shube the next in seniority to Fai Ndzendzen. |
24 May 1939 |
|
180
|
Fulani cattle, Kishong. 62 x 40 mm. Fulani cattle on the mountains at Kishong north of Banso. The cattle resemble highland cattle seen in Scotland but have a hump on their backs. |
28 May 1939 |
|
181
|
Fulani herdsmen, Kishong. 62 x 40mm. Discussing price of the cattle with a prospective purchaser. They are good business men despite their polished manners and shyness. |
28 May 1939 |
|
182
|
Fulani encampment Kishong. 62 x 40 mm. A typical Fulani encampment, the little beehive shaped huts of grass over the framework of twigs and the doors all facing to the leeward. Behind are the sweeping mountains. |
28 May 1939 |
|
183
|
Wife of Ardo Juli, Kishong. 62 x 42 mm. One of the three wives of Ardo Juli the Fulani Chief of Kishong. She is standing outside the fence at her house which though beehive in shape and consisting of grass laid over pliable branches, is warm and rainproof, and is very snug and comfortable inside. She wears her cloths in the typical style somewhat like a Roman toga. |
28 May 1939 |
|
184
|
Mother with sick child, Banso. 62 x 40 mm. The mother sits in the sun with her ailing child, she wonders what is the matter with him and as the native medicines have failed to benefit him she thinks someone is 'wishing him evil'. |
6 June 1939 |
|
185
|
Father with sick child, Banso. 62 x 40 mm. The father is then called and the ailing child shown to him, one of his older wives looks on in an interested manner. She assumes the stooping posture that all wives assume in the presence of their husbands or a superior person. |
9 June 1939 |
|
186
|
Father of sick child consulting witch doctor, Banso. 62 x 40 mm. The husband, having agreed that there is some grounds for suspicion as to who is causing this illness of his child, goes and arranges with Ngangam the witch doctor who understands the actions of Ngam the Tarantula. They then arrange the price for the work of Ngangam and proceed to the spot where the spider lives. |
9 June 1939 |
|
187
|
Consulting Ngam, the tarantula, Banso. 62 x 40 mm. Ngam - A Tarantula. It has powers of judging the evil one and is in many cases consulted, the man who understands what it says is called Ngangam in Banso. Four pieces of banana tree trunk are placed round the hole leading to the lair of Ngam. Then pieces of split bamboo representing the names of the suspected persons are put in the space radiating from the hole. |
9 June 1939 |
|
188
|
Ngam, the tarantula, emerging, Banso. 62 x 40 mm. The stage having all been set, the watchers see a slight movement of the earth round the hole leading to the spider's lair, gradually two long hairy legs appear and then out comes the spider, it rests a moment and then starts in an uncertain manner to walk round its lair. |
9 June 1939 |
|
189
|
Ngam, the tarantula, Banso. 62 x 40 mm. Ngam walks round the enclosure and stops at each bamboo, at times fingering one, this is said by the people to be his method of contemplating whether that particular person is the guilty one or not. |
9 June 1939 |
|
190
|
Ngam, the tarantula, Banso. 62 x 40 mm. Ngam has passed round the enclosure and has turned one of the pieces of bamboo to point in the opposite way to the others, the person this piece represents is the guilty person. |
9 June 1939 |
|
191
|
Ngam, the tarantula, Banso. 62 x 40 mm. Having made his decision Ngam now returns to his lair and the Ngangam has only to decide on the gravity of the crime and whether the person committing it was intending to do so or whether it was just that she, or he, was influenced by some other evil spirit who caused them to do this thing quite unintentionally and perhaps unknowingly. Some people are regarded as always having a bad influence wherever they go. |
9 June 1939 |
|
192
|
Flogging of wife, Banso. 62 x 40 mm. The decision of the spider having been made known and the wife having been shown to be the evil one and one who was trying to hurt her child so as to make her husband think it was some of his other wives and so cause him to get rid of them, she is flogged and driven from the compound by her irate husband. |
9 June 1939 |
|
193
|
Abdominal tattooing, Banso. 40 x 62 mm. The 'arrow & circle' abdominal tattooing seen in almost every Banso girl, whether it is Phallic or not has yet to be decided. Some think it the sign of sun worship. But very debatable. |
18 June 1939 |
|
194
|
My house, Banso. 62 x 40 mm. My house at Banso-evening. From the front garden looking from the north. The new plinth I have built is seen at the far end of the house. |
June 1939 |
|
195
|
My house, Banso. 62 x 40 mm. My house, from the front garden. The rose trees leading to the front steps and the new plinth on the right. My chair is out for afternoon tea on the verandah. The new wireless pole is also seen erected. The window on the right is my bedroom window. |
June 1939 |
|
196
|
My house, Banso. 62 x 40 mm. My house looking from the south of the garden with the new plinth and bamboo wireless mast I erected. The covered way leads to the bathroom. |
June 1939 |
|
197
|
Bamassi clay pot, Banso. 62 x 40 mm. Clay pot made by the potters of Bamassi, the women are the best artists in this work. Note the snake design, these pots sell for about 1/-. |
June 1939 |
|
198
|
Yela, senior wife of Fon, Banso. 40 x 62 mm. Yela - the senior wife of the Fon. She was his first wife and has fallen into a little disgrace as she is rather free with her talk and says things that are considered 'risque'. Fon's wives are not supposed to think of risque things and far less say them. They are supposed to be dignified, servile, and have no feelings at all. |
June 1939 |
|
199
|
Yela, senior wife of Fon, Banso. 40 x 62 mm. Yela the senior wife of the Fon. Note the black Jiggedars or waist bands, when a woman is suckling her child she wears red waist bands and that means she is sexually taboo. She returns to live with her people and for the next three years her husband cannot cohabitate with her. (others do !!! nuf sed!). |
June 1939 |
|
200
|
Banso mat maker. 53 x 42 mm. A Banso mat maker passes along one of the hillside paths to the market. He is dressed in the traditional 'kilt' and by holding his spear over his right shoulder takes the weight of the mats. On the hillside is one of the square roofed houses of Banso, only the Fon and the high Fais are permitted to have oblong roofed houses. |
19 June 1939 |
|
201
|
At entrance to Banso Market. 62 x 40 mm. At the entrance to the market, a very serious discussion between a palm wine seller, his wine in the calabash and the goat sellers. |
18 June 1939 |
|
202
|
Bamassi, pot sellers, Banso. 62 x 40 mm. The earthernware pot sellers from Bamassi. The typical Banso people strolling about, the girls with their waist strings 'Aggedsrs' and the red cloth draped in front 'Teh'. In their hands their raffia shopping baskets, very fine raffia work is done in the area. The effect of cheap Japanese cottons is seen in the hideous garb of the men and women who are mostly mission people and consider themselves very superior to what they call 'The Bush woman'. |
18 June 1939 |
|
203
|
Village headman in Banso Market. 62 x 40 mm. An old Village Head man stops in front of one of the 'general stores' to inspect the raffia bags. A 'bush cat' skin is exposed also for sale and will someday adorn the costume of a dashing Fai as a bag, the forepaws will be the handle. The shop keeper arranges his wares which seem to consist of bags, bananas, corn, yams and Bush cat skin. |
18 June 1939 |
|
204
|
Potato sellers from Yeae at Banso. 62 x 40 mm. Potato sellers from Yeae, most of the potatoes come from this town about 2 hours walk north of Banso and are always carried in 4 handled baskets so the women can transfer the heavy weight basket to another woman when they are tired without having to put it on the ground and then raise it again. |
18 June 1939 |
|
205
|
Butcher's stalls, Banso Market. 45 x 36 mm. The Butcher's stalls, the butchers are by far the aristocrats of the West African markets and are the wealthiest men in the town. |
18 June 1939 |
|
206
|
Buying jewellery, Banso Market. 40 x 62 mm. neg. Three ladies consider the gems in the Jewellery department. These cheap C-Sloviakan [sic] and Japanese bangles of coloured celluloid are sold at 3 penny each and are very valuable to the local ladies. |
18 June 1939 |
|
207
|
Bargaining, Banso Market. 40 x 62 mm. Three ladies in the haberdashery department have an altercation with the local Mr. Selfridge. Bargaining is brought to a fine art when the seller adds 200% to the retail price and the buyer wants the goods at 200% under wholesale price. |
18 June 1939 |
|
208
|
Bororo woman, Banso Market. 62 x 40 mm. A Bororo woman, carrying her child in the usual Bororo position shocks the cloth seller by her valuation of his goods. The argument as to price waxes fast and furious but is all part of the game and the sellers would feel hurt if the buyer paid the original price asked for the goods. The bargaining is part of the fun though to witness it one would think that a fight would develop at any moment. |
18 June 1939 |
|
209
|
Banso hunter. 62 x 40 mm. A young hunter of Banso with his home-made Cross Bow and arrows, these apparently were copied from the type used by the Portuguese when they discovered the West Coast. |
June 1939 |
|
210
|
Banso wood carving. 62 x 40mm. Banso door. |
June 1939 |
|
211
|
Red cam wood sellers, Banso Market. 62 x 40 mm. Red cam-wood sellers at market, they have the wood dust all mixed with water and sell it in small cakes, to advertise their wares they have reddened their feet and legs with the stuff. |
July 1939 |
|
212
|
Cam wood seller, Banso Market. 62 x 40 mm. A cam wood seller with the little cakes of mixed wood dust and water on her bamboo table and surrounded by prospective customers. The Fon, his daughters and the Fais all wear it on their legs and arms. |
July 1939 |
|
213
|
Cam wood sellers at the Market, Banso. 57 x 85 mm. neg. with contact print. Cam wood sellers at the Market with their products on the Banso tables made from strips of Bamboo. |
July 1939 |
|
214
|
Yeh woman, Banso. Neg. and 2 contact prints 58 x 84 mm. Woman of Yeh with a four handled basket called Nko. The baskets are made in Nsungli. The basket is full of potatoes value 1 ½ d but can be used to carry any produce. |
July 1939 |
|
215
|
Njari girl's coiffure, Banso. Neg. and contact print 75 x 104 mm. Head of Njari girl showing the style of hairdressing they affect. |
June 1939 |
|
216
|
Cam wood sellers, Banso Market. 62 x 40 mm. Cam wood sellers in Banso Market with their legs covered with the red dust to advertise their wares. |
Sept. 1939 |
|
217
|
Shovel sellers in the market. 62 x 40 mm. Shovel sellers in the market - the shovels or hoes, are made in Oku by native craftsmen and sell at 1/3 ea. Much discussion occurs before purchases on the relative merits of each piece. |
Sept. 1939 |
|
218
|
My sitting room, Banso. 62 x 40 mm. My sitting room in the Banso House. The door on the right leads to the bedroom. |
Oct. 1939 |
|
219
|
Fon Chinda in Banso Market. 62 x 40 mm. A Chinda of the Fon parading through the market carrying 'Kekeng' (a certain tree with long leaves on the receipt of which the reciprocant must go immediately to the Fon) which means all must attend a given spot to hear News the Fon wishes to tell. This is how news regarding all matters is passed to the people. On this occasion it was to hear that war existed between Britain and Germany. |
6 Sept. 1939 |
|
220
|
People flocking to hear news, Banso Market. 62 x 40 mm. The people flocking to the place where the news will be called. Old women still sit smoking beside their market produce, preferring to wait till they hear the News from some of the younger and more agile persons. |
6 Sept. 1939 |
|
221
|
Listening to announcement, Banso Market. 62 x 40 mm. Four of the more refined 'ladies' prefer to stand on the hill where they will hear the voice of the Kinsawai (the man who calls the News) rather than mix with the 'vulgar motley' - the crowd are seen gathering in the distance. |
6 Sept. 1939 |
|
222
|
Kinsawai announcing News, Banso Market. 62 x 40 mm. The Kinsawai calls the News whilst the Tantohs stand behind him, (The Tantoh look after all the King's affairs and are very important men.). |
6 Sept. 1939 |
|
223
|
Reading Governor's message to people, Banso. 62 x 40 mm. The Native Administration Court Scribe reads the Governor of Nigeria's message to the people, in pidgin English and Doulai, a N.A. Dogari (police man) puts it into Banso language for the benefit of the mixture of traders and market people who have come - Bamuns, Babbas, Nsunglis, Bums, Kakas, Bawayjus, Fulani, Mbororo, Hausas and Bansos. |
6 Sept. 1939 |
|
224
|
'Monica', Banso. 40 x 62 mm. 'Monica' a Banso woman of the R.C. Mission whose country name is Baati and in order to copy her 'white sisters' to her own satisfaction has allowed her hair to grow long. |
1 Oct. 1939 |
|
225
|
Dance at Fai Mamu's compound, Kimbaw. 62 x 40 mm. From time to time Big men have dances in their compounds, the reason is hard to find and there usually are different reasons connected with family matters. |
Nov. 1939 |
|
226
|
Dance at Fai Manu's compound, Kimbaw. 62 x 40 mm. The dancers are usually from some other Big Man's compound and bring with them their Jujus - in this case men draped with grass and wearing a cow mask - Nyam si Juim. They are held by ropes and are threatened by the dancers with cutlasses. |
Nov. 1939 |
|
227
|
Bamenda Fort from inside inner yard, Bamenda. 62 x 40 mm. |
Nov. 1939 |
|
228
|
Carvings at Bali Rest House, Bali. 40 x 62 mm neg. with 68 x 111 mm. print. The carvings on the posts at the Bali Rest House, they depict the unfaithfulness of the Fon's wife and the penalty paid by her, the man and the child. |
Nov. 1939 |
|
229
|
Carvings at Bali Rest House. 40 x 62 mm neg. with 68 x 111 mm. print. The whole story is depicted on the roof supports and shows the early stages of the liaison, the discovery and the unfaithful wife and her lover being hanged as well as the child. They were stood on a horse. |
Nov. 1939 |
|
230
|
Hausa girl, Batebo. 35 x 51 mm. neg. with 75 x 109 mm. print. A little Hausa dame at Batebo on Christmas Day with all her finery on. She used to be Galadema's lady but ran away from him and now is a lady of easy virtue and doing well. |
25 Dec. 1939 |
|
231
|
Ibo facial markings, Bamenda. 40 x 62 mm neg. with 68 x 111 mm. print. An Ibo with facial markings that represent the wings of a hawk among other things. A very rare thing to see now a days. |
9 Jan. 1939 |
|
232
|
Ibo tribal markings, Bamenda. 40 x 62 mm. neg. with 84 x 111 mm. print. These tribal markings were used in the old days when wars were frequent and thus the captors knew the area from which their prisoners had come. |
Dec. 1939 |
|
233
|
Ibo tribal markings, Bamenda. 40 x 62 mm. neg. with 84 x 111 mm. print. This particular boy shows the markings indicating he comes from between Owerri and Onitsha. The two sides of the face have not the same design. |
Dec. 1939 |
|
234
|
The Ya, Ndu. 57 x 84 mm. neg. with 72 x 111 mm. print. The Ya, the sister of Chief William Nfomi, as his mother is dead she is recognised as the Queen Mother. |
9 Jan. 1940 |
|
235
|
The Chief and the Ya, Ndu. 84 x 56 mm. neg. with 111 x 79 mm. print. The Chief and the Ya together with their leopard teeth necklaces. |
9 Nov. 1940 |
|
236
|
Chief William Nfoni, Ndu. 56 x 84 mm. neg. and contact print, and 75 x 109 mm. print. Chief William Nfoni with his hat of porcupine quills and leopard tooth necklace. Expelled from R.C.M. as when becoming Chief married father's wives. |
9 Jan. 1940 |
|
237
|
Women assembled in forest glade, Ntumbo. 53 x 40 mm. (emulsion without gelatine support). The women all assembled in the forest glade and after singing and gesticulating, formed up into a crowd and still singing, marched to the Chief's compound. |
10 Jan. 1940 |
|
238
|
Dance at Ntumbo. 42 x 59 mm. neg & contact print. The dance then commenced by the women in their own time forming a rude circle and shuffling round and round the drummers, all gesticulating. Even those carrying babies joined in. |
10 Jan. 1940 |
|
239
|
Dance at Ntumbo. 66 x 42 mm. Singing and yelling the wives shuffle around the drummer, some waving leafy branches and doing little dances on their own. |
10 Jan. 1940 |
|
240
|
Chief's sister dancing, Jiggajeri. 84 x 56 mm. neg. and contact print. |
10 Jan. 1940 |
|
241
|
Chief's sister begging for food, Jiggajeri. 84 x 56 mm. neg. |
10 Jan. 1940 |
|
242
|
I arrive at Mbem on trek. 35 mm. neg and contact print. |
1 Feb. 1940 |
|
243
|
I arrive at Mbem on trek. 35 mm. neg and contact print. |
1 Feb. 1940 |
|
244
|
Hausa woman, Mbem. 56 x 69 mm. Avion, a Hausa lady of easy virtue who used to be so promiscuous in her choice of friends that the married women paid boys to attack her and remove an eye. She was an excellent photographer's model. |
4 Feb. 1940 |
|
245
|
A little Mbem girl. 56 x 84 mm. neg and contact print. |
7 Feb. 1940 |
|
246
|
A little Mbem girl. 46 x 75 mm. neg. and contact print. |
7 Feb. 1940 |
|
247
|
Mbem musical instrument. 56 x 84 mm. neg. and 79 x 111 mm. contact print. A primitive 'Jew's Harp' used by the Mbems, it consists of a string of fibre stretched tight between a bent bamboo and tapped with a stick whilst the teeth control the note. |
7 Feb. 1940 |
|
248
|
Group of girls, Mbem. 62 x 40 mm. The Beauty Chorus. The people from this hilly country where there are no flat pieces of ground are small, well built with very muscular limbs. |
6 Feb. 1940 |
|
249
|
Girls awaiting medical treatment, Mbem. 40 x 62 mm. A few visitors turn up at my Rest House in the hope of getting some medicines - usually for imaginary ailments. They are for the most part healthy, tough little people. |
6 Feb. 1940 |
|
250
|
Group of girls, Mbem. 62 x 40 mm. Some of them followed me around to see what I was up to with the camera so I snapped them whilst they thought I was taking something else. |
6 Feb. 1940 |
|
251
|
Cowrie skirt, Mbem. 40 x 62 mm. neg and 79 x 111 mm. contact print. Close-up of the little 'kilts' the girls wear - this is the fashionable and much prized dress of the ladies of the Mbem area. |
6 Feb. 1940 |
|
252
|
Group of girls, Mbem. 40 x 62 mm. neg. and 78 x 111 mm. contact print. Another group of gossipers at the market. |
6 Feb. 1940 |
|
253
|
Cowrie skirt, Mbem. 40 x 62 mm. neg and 79 x 111 mm. contact print. |
6 Feb. 1940 |
|
254
|
Mbem wedding. 62 x 40 mm. The guests all assembled drinking in front of the bride's house, the pot of Mimbo supplied by the groom is in the centre. |
8 Feb. 1940 |
|
255
|
Mbem wedding. 62 x 40 mm. One of the bride's maids sits pleating herself a head band beside the corn bin. The assembled guests can be seen in the background. |
8 Feb. 1940 |
|
256
|
Mbem wedding. 62 x 40 mm. A group of brides wash and cover themselves with cam wood till their bodies are a dull red colour, in a nearby stream. |
8 Feb. 1940 |
|
257
|
Mbem wedding. 62 x 40 mm. More guests arrive, many from far off parts, to drink and eat. The bride is in the but that forms the background. Her bridesmaids are 'dressing' her up for the wedding with all the finery they can collect, everyone gives her a bangle or an earring or some small decoration. |
8 Feb. 1940 |
|
258
|
Mbem wedding. 40 x 62 mm. neg and 79 x 111 mm. contact print. One of the bridesmaids with her chaplet and cord necklace from which dangles a halfpenny as an ornament. Cartiers of Bond Street would not survive long in Mbem Area. |
8 Feb. 1940 |
|
259
|
Mbem wedding. 40 x 62 mm. neg and 79 x 111 mm. contact print. Another bridesmaid proudly poses for her picture to show off her nose button, string necklaces and pleated jiggedars. |
8 Feb. 1940 |
|
260
|
Mbem wedding. 35mm neg. Bridesmaids washing and applying the red cam wood to their bodies. |
8 Feb. 1940 |
|
261
|
Mbem wedding. 35mm neg. Bridesmaids washing and applying the red cam wood to their bodies. |
8 Feb. 1940 |
|
262
|
Mbem wedding. 35mm neg. Bridesmaids washing and applying the red cam wood to their bodies. |
9 Feb. 1940 |
|
263
|
Mbem wedding. 35mm neg. Bridesmaids washing and applying the red cam wood to their bodies. |
8 Feb. 1940 |
|
264
|
Mbem wedding. 35mm neg. Bridesmaids washing and applying the red cam wood to their bodies. |
8 Feb. 1940 |
|
265
|
Mbem wedding. 35mm neg. Bridesmaids washing and applying the red cam wood to their bodies. |
8 Feb. 1940 |
|
266
|
Mbem hairdressing. 56 x 85 mm. contact print and 78 x 111 mm. print. |
eb. 1940-Feb. 1940 |
|
267
|
Mbem hairdressing. 56 x 85 mm. contact print and 78 x 111 mm. print. |
Feb. 1940 |
|
268
|
Mbem hairdressing. 56 x 85 mm. contact print and 78 x 111 mm. print. |
Feb. 1940 |
|
269
|
Mbem hairdressing. 56 x 85 mm. contact print and 78 x 111 mm. print. |
Feb. 1940 |
|
270
|
Mbem hairdressing. 56 x 85 mm. contact print and 78 x 111 mm. print. |
Feb. 1940 |
|
271
|
Mbem hairdressing. 56 x 84 mm. neg and 84 x 112 mm. print. Hairdressing and other adornments of the little Mbem ladies. |
Feb. 1940 |
|
272
|
Mvwe coiffure. 56 x 84 mm. A rather attractive style in bush coiffure on a little Mvwe girl. Great skill and ingenuity is sometimes shown in the cutting of the woolly crop. |
10 Feb. 1940 |
|
273
|
Mvwe woman. 56 x 84 mm. One of the old Mvwe ladies who adheres to the iron rings on her necklaces, Mvwe market. |
10 Feb. 1940 |
|
274
|
Mvwe woman. 56 x 84 mm. neg and 84 x 113 mm. print. The old Mvwe lady showing the mass of iron bracelets, necklaces and rings on iron cables round her neck. |
10 Feb. 1940 |
|
275
|
Young Mvwe girl. 56 x 84 mm. neg. and contact print. A young market girl with her white fibre waist strings and fibre fringe kilt at Mvwe market. |
10 Feb. 1940 |
|
276
|
Young Mvwe girl. 56 x 84 mm. neg. and contact print. A young market girl with her white fibre waist strings and fibre fringe kilt at Mvwe market. |
10 Feb. 1940 |
|
277
|
Mvwe coiffure. 56 x 84 mm. Another style of hairdressing, this style involves rolling the hair into small tails and anointing it with oil from a particular tree. The whole head shines with the oil. |
10 Feb. 1940 |
|
278
|
Market scene at Mvwe. 60 x 69 mm. neg and 84 x 114 mm. contact print. |
10 Feb. 1940 |
|
279
|
Market scene at Mvwe. 62 x 40 mm. A heated discussion at the Market over the price of an anene, one-tenth of a penny: The beautiful baskets are seen scattered about with their various patterns. |
10 Feb. 1940 |
|
280
|
Drinking Palm wine, Mvwe. 62 x 40 mm. The capacity for even young girls for drinking palm wine is marvellous and seems to have no affect on them. Here is one bright young thing draining a calabash of the wine. |
10 Feb. 1940 |
|
281
|
Patients waiting for medicine at Mvwe Market. 109 x 61 mm. neg. and contact print. |
10 Feb. 1940 |
|
282
|
Different styles of dress at Mvwe Market. 109 x 64 mm. neg. and contact print. Also showing the beautifully made local baskets the women carry on their shoulders. |
10 Feb. 1940 |
|
283
|
Incident on Mvwe-Shi road. 60 x 73 mm. neg. & contact print. Tasha gets amorous on the road to Shi when we meet two girls and he receives a promise they will follow him to Shi. He proves his 'love' by fondling the ladies' breasts. |
11 Feb. 1940 |
|
284
|
Shi. 62 x 40 mm. We arrive at Shi. The light sand coloured round huts of the town on their plinths and the clean village streets made a pretty picture. |
11 Feb. 1940 |
|
285
|
A giant in Shi. 64 x 109 mm. He was about 8 ft. tall and a striking figure of a man. |
11 Feb. 1940 |
|
286
|
Corner of village, Shi. 62 x 40 mm. A corner of the village with the excited groups meeting to discuss the arrival of the Doctor. |
11 Feb. 1940 |
|
287
|
Village scene, Shi. 62 x 40 mm. Meal time and whilst the youngsters polish off their mid-day meal an old lady from a distant farm sits and smokes her pipe in Peace. |
11 Feb. 1940 |
|
288
|
Funeral at Shi. 62 x 40 mm. Shortly after our arrival a child died in the town, the body was covered with cam wood and laid out in front of the mother's house on bamboo whilst the elder people sat around the native bier. They cried and kept up a long toneless chant whilst shaking iron rings with leopard tooth shaped bells attached. As one tired he or she would retire and leave another to ring the bells whilst he or she did a shuffle dance on their own. |
11 Feb. 1940 |
|
289
|
Funeral at Shi. 62 x 40 mm. The child lies surrounded with kola nuts and ground nuts as well as bits of guinea corn signifying the young life that has departed. Behind is seen a man with a basket shaker in which are a number of dry seeds and from which he keeps up a constant rattling noise - the old lady kneeling behind the corpse has one of the iron rings with the tooth shaped attachments which jingle when shaken. All are covered in cam wood. |
11 Feb. 1940 |
|
290
|
Funeral at Shi. 62 x 40 mm. The father of the bereaved wife arrived on the scene whilst a youth in the shade of a hut started to point out that the mother had given birth to four children and two had died which was apparently a significant point and one which was dealt with later on. |
11 Feb. 1940 |
|
291
|
Funeral at Shi. 62 x 40 mm. The husband commenced a harangue stating that he was convinced of the evil in his wife's belly and wanted his dowry back, when he would return to his own country and never see the wife again. |
11 Feb. 1940 |
|
292
|
Funeral at Shi. 62 x 40 mm. Meanwhile two of the old mourners sat aside with their rattles of iron, too overcome to play them, and wept. Whether at the death of the child, the suggested Juju in the wife or the accusations of the husband I could not discover. |
11 Feb. 1940 |
|
293
|
Funeral at Shi. 62 x 40 mm. The chief, father of the woman, then produced the dowry, twenty 'shoves' queer shaped bits of iron which are currency here, and a goat, and had a lot to say about the question of whether or not the Juju was in the husband or not. The husband sat at the foot of the bier on which lay the child, in a dejected attitude. In front of the chief are two bundles of grass credited with Juju powers and with which he spat and touched the family of the wife. |
11 Feb. 1940 |
|
294
|
Funeral at Shi. 62 x 40 mm. The Chief then went round the members of the wife's family spitting and touching their hands with the bundles of grass to swear them to some oath, proving there was no evil on their part. In the end, after dusk, the child was buried on this spot outside the parent's house, a stick placed over the grave and much grass, guinea corn stalks and kolas draped on the stick. Sometimes if the death of a Kaka child is not traced to a definite cause the body is placed in a grave under a bush path in the belief that the evil doer who caused the child's death, on passing over the grave will receive a sickness from which he too will die. The parents, father and relations next day visited the Ngambe (Spider Juju) man to find out why the child had died. At no time did they consult me even though they knew I was a doctor. |
11 Feb. 1940 |
|
295
|
Funeral at Shi. 102 x 59 mm. neg. and contact print. Then followed a sort of lull whilst everyone sat about considering the matter and what steps they should take before consulting Ngambe. The wife sat disconsolately in the shade of the hut in the background, but took no part in any of the discussions. |
11 Feb. 1940 |
|
296
|
Funeral at Shi. 109 x 59 mm. A grass bag containing some sort of fetish was then laid over the now distended stomach of the dead child who lay surrounded as seen by stalks of Guinea corn. |
11 Feb. 1940 |
|
297
|
Funeral at Shi. 59 x 101 mm. Another mourner then commenced to beat out a weird sort of tempo on a funnel shaped iron bell whilst the wailing again commenced in a higher pitch. |
11 Feb. 1940 |
|
298
|
Funeral at Shi. 73 x 60 mm. Another of the wife's relatives having spoken on the relative evil of the woman and the man, the husband stands up to say a few more things about his doubts as to the wife not being a witch. The wife is seen in the background to the right of the woman holding the child in the shadow of the hut. |
11 Feb. 1940 |
|
299
|
Funeral at Shi. 95 x 59 mm. neg. & contact print. More speakers followed and so the harangue went on till dusk fell then the child was buried. The wife is seen in the shadow of the hut on the left. |
11 Feb. 1940 |
|
300
|
Funeral at Shi. 89 x 60 mm. neg. & contact print. The Medicine Grove with the House round which is hanging a fringe of grasses, a sign that there is no admittance except for the authorised. A stone monolith is seen in the grove. |
11 Feb. 1940 |
|
301
|
Mvwe girl. 56 x 84 neg. and contact print. A cheery little Mvwe girl who is very proud of all her modern finery. |
11 Feb. 1940 |
|
302
|
Mvwe girl. 56 x 84 mm. neg. and 84 x 111 mm. Little Miss Mfumte sees a joke despite the White Man's madness in Europe. |
11 Feb. 1940 |
|
303
|
The medicine house, Ntong. 40 x 62 mm. The Medicine House and grove with the Medicine Man and his fetishes placed beside him. The whole country is bound up with Juju, medicine men and fetishes for everything. |
12 Feb. 1940 |
|
304
|
Ntong. 62 x 40 mm. Scene in the village. |
12 Feb. 1940 |
|
305
|
Ntong. 44 x 35 mm. neg. and 110 x 79 mm. print. Evening, a lady returns home to cook after a day on the farms. |
12 Feb. 1940 |
|
306
|
Cannibal, Kwaja. 40 x 51 mm. neg. and 75 x 111mm. print. An old cannibal who fought in the Fulani wars in this area, he says they did not eat human flesh for the love of it or for hunger, but to gain the qualities of their enemies. |
13 Feb. 1940 |
|
307
|
A scene in the Mfumte village of Kwaja. 62 x 40 mm. |
13 Feb. 1940 |
|
308
|
Funeral at Lus. 40 x 62 mm. Most of the older women were dressed as this one - a chief's daughter - in their finery with a bunch of leaves at the back. |
13 Feb. 1940 |
|
309
|
Mfumte girls, Lus. 84 x 56 mm. neg. and 114 x 84 mm. print. Two cheery little Mfumte ladies with their masses of nose sticks. |
14 Feb. 1940 |
|
310
|
Mfumte girls, Lus. 56 x 84 mm. A pretty little Mfumte girl with her ring earrings, iron lip ornaments and necklaces. |
14 Feb. 1940 |
|
311
|
Look-out place used by the Nsungli sentinels during the Fulani wars, Binkar. 62 x 40 mm. |
19 Feb. 1940 |
|
312
|
Woman farming, Tamunken-Nkambie. 44 x 40 mm. Woman of Tamunken farming with her basket for food on her back. |
22 Feb. 1940 |
|
313
|
A Medicine grove at Nkungie. 53 x 40 mm. |
24 Feb. 1940 |
|
314
|
Grinding corn, Nkungie. 62 x 40 mm. A girl grinding the corn to make foufou for the dance, they are adepts at this with two stones which are polished with use. |
24 Feb. 1940 |
|
315
|
Woman in European clothes, Nkungie. 63 x 98 mm. Seldom if ever having seen a white woman these girls were firmly convinced that they were following the Feminine European fashion in dress. This Albino was dressed in a yellow imitation felt hat, red and blue sweater, red skirt, bright blue stockings and huge imitation leather shoes. The boys to foster this habit assure the girls who have never travelled that they are wearing the latest European Ladies Fashions. |
25 Feb. 1940 |
|
316
|
Mbembe woman and son, Nkungie. 63 x 92 mm. An Mbembe woman arrives on her way to Nkambie market and chats with her young son who was very thrilled at the dancing. She did not have any 'dress' clothes. |
25 Feb. 1940 |
|
317
|
Old women, Nkungie. 45 x 62 mm. Some of the older ladies who have no charms to offer the young Tiko labourers and therefore no atrocious costumes to wear sit and discuss the events of the day. |
25 Feb. 1940 |
|
318
|
Dancers in European clothes, Nkungie. 62 x 40 mm. More of the fashionable dancers. |
25 Feb. 1940 |
|
319
|
Girls in European clothes Nkungie. 62 x 40 mm. Three 'Sylphs' arrive for the dance arrayed in their finery which has been loaned to them by the Tiko labourers for favours rendered. In this way the girls are all being ruined. |
25 Feb. 1940 |
|
320
|
Girls in European clothes Nkungie. 62 x 40 mm. Three 'Sylphs' arrive for the dance arrayed in their finery which has been loaned to them by the Tiko labourers for favours rendered. In this way the girls are all being ruined. |
25 Feb. 1940 |
|
321
|
Woman at dance, Nkungie. 40 x 62 mm. Mother comes to see the dance but can't participate owing to having her child with her. |
25 Feb. 1940 |
|
322
|
Njari women, Nkungie. 65 x 64 mm. Another picture of the three Njari women chatting during the dance - perhaps they saw the joke in the dress of the dancers. |
26 Feb. 1940 |
|
323
|
Nkungie - Berabi road. 109 x 64 mm. The road as it passes from spur to spur along the narrow edge with a long drop on either side. |
26 Feb. 1940 |
|
324
|
Njari girls, Nkungie - Berabi track. 62 x 40 mm. Three Njari girls chatting whilst one applies cam wood to her body preparatory to visiting another town. |
26 Feb. 1940 |
|
325
|
Mbembe cicatrization, Jaffo. 44 x 62 mm. Cicatrization on the back as well, as a close up of the Mbembe women's dress style. |
27 Feb. 1940 |
|
326
|
Njari cicatrization, Ako. 46 x 109 mm. neg. and contact print. Cicatrization on two young girls. A well done cicatrization extending from the shoulders to the gluteal fold. Most Njari women have cicatrization performed when adolescent. |
28 Feb. 1940 |
|
327
|
Cicatrization on two young girls, Ako. 40 x 62 mm. |
28 Feb. 1940 |
|
328
|
Musician, Ako. 61 x 79 mm. neg. and 85 x 111 mm. print. A boy playing a home made Mbembe fiddle made from a calabash, goat skin and palm fronds. |
29 Feb. 1940 |
|
329
|
Wife of Chief of Ako. 40 x 62 mm. One of the wives of the Chief entering her Corn Bin by means of the tree branch which acts as a ladder and which is lowered down on the inside for her to reach the corn. |
29 Feb. 1940 |
|
330
|
Scene en route Ako-Mbande. 62 x 40 mm. neg. & contact print. Typical picture of Mbembe, the palm and forest covered hills half hidden in the haze. We pass from the palm tree down the valley and up over the distant hill. |
1 Mar. 1940 |
|
331
|
Girls at Mbande. 62 x 40 mm. Three girls having a chat while waiting for their medicine. |
1 Mar. 1940 |
|
332
|
Girls at Mbande. 62 x 40 mm. Three girls having a chat while waiting for their medicine. |
1 Mar. 1940 |
|
333
|
Njari cicatrization, Mbande. 62 x 40 mm. Three Njari women at Mbande showing their cicatrizations on the back and stomach. |
1 Mar. 1940 |
|
334
|
Village scene, Akonko. 109 x 64 mm. A family scene with the palm fibres drying on the house roof opposite which are used as the only form of female attire. |
2 Mar. 1940 |
|
335
|
Grinding corn, Akonko. 109 x 64 mm. neg and contact print. Woman grinding corn at her house in the morning - in front of her are the stones over the openings of the graves of her ancestors. |
2 Mar. 1940 |
|
336
|
Akonko girl, Akonko. 63 x 109 mm. neg and contact print. An Akonko girl folds her 'dress' before putting it on in the morning. |
3 Mar. 1940 |
|
337
|
Early morning at Akonko. 62 x 40 mm. A boy calls on the hairdresser who wields a knife made from native iron and stone sharpened. On left are the tombstones of the family. |
3 Mar. 1940 |
|
338
|
Two families sit down to prepare and eat their morning meal, Akonko. 62 x 40 mm. |
3 Mar. 1940 |
|
339
|
Message women, Akwato. 62 x 40mm. Three message women with their necklaces of iron chatter at the market. |
4 Mar. 1940 |
|
340
|
Message girls, Akwato. 64 x 108 mm. Two little Message girls sit and gossip at market, they have all got long crooked walking sticks. |
4 Mar. 1940 |
|
341
|
Crossing the Nzungli Plateau, en route Lassin-Ngonzim. 85 x 58 mm. neg. and contact print. The carriers crossing the Nsungli plateau on the way home. |
9 Mar. 1940 |
|
342
|
Portrait of Fai Bisen, Kimbaw. 56 x 84 mm. neg. and 85 x 113 mm. print. Fai Bisen, his beard is pleated in the old local style. |
19 June 1940 |
|
343
|
Fon of Banso. 62 x 40 mm. Whilst awaiting the arrival of the Chief Commissioner, the Fon sat under his umbrella in the Old Market whilst the Chindas danced the Samba in the distance. Between the Chindas and the Fon danced the Kebai and here Fai Ndzendzen is seen prancing up to salute the Fon. The other Fais swing their posteriors to a constant chant of 'Oooh-OOOO'. |
Sept. 1940 |
|
344
|
Dance at Banso. 62 x 40 mm. The excitement rose as the drums boomed out the beats of the Samba and the Kebais whirled and gyrated faster and faster in company with the lesser beings who mingled with them. |
Sept. 1940 |
|
345
|
Juju man, Laroku. 63 x 82 mm. neg. and contact print. |
Nov. 1940 |
|
346
|
View in the Chief's woman's quarters, Laroku. 59 x 78 mm. The high houses with the corn stores on the ceiling and the large baskets suspended from the walls. |
13 Nov. 1940-Nov. 1940 |
|
347
|
Dance at Laroku. 109 x 63 mm. The Grandstand and Royal Enclosure at the dances in front of the Chief's Quarters. The Royal ladies took up their stance beside my lavatory which is seen on the right. |
13 Nov. 1940 |
|
348
|
The Chief in Takabu, Laroku. 62 x 40mm. The walls of the Chief's houses festooned with all sorts of fetishes, baskets, pots, masks, bunches of feathers, etc. |
13 Nov. 1940 |
|
349
|
The Calabash of Mimbo. 62 x 40mm. The drink is brought and the carriers cluster round with their drinking cups ready; Tasha makes a speech befitting the occasion. |
13 Nov. 1940 |
|
350
|
Spectators at a dance, Laroku. 62 x 40 mm. |
13 Nov. 1940 |
|
351
|
A lady of Laroku. 45 x 39 mm. |
13 Nov. 1940 |
|
352
|
Some of the spectators at the dance, Laroku. 62 x 40 mm. |
13 Nov. 1940 |
|
353
|
Abdominal cicatrization, Laroku. 52 x 40 mm. The abdominal cicatrization is in most cases carried round the side of the waist and in rarer cases up over the shoulder blades. |
13 Nov. 1940 |
|
354
|
Chief's wife at the door of her house, Laroku. 40 x 62 mm. |
13 Nov. 1940 |
|
355
|
Milk and butter seller, Lassim. 56 x 84 mm. A fullani milk and butter seller at Lassim. Came from the encampment about 10 miles away up on the mountains to the west of Lassim. |
1940 |
|
356
|
The Chief of Ndu's bodyguard of spear bearing daughters, Ndu. 62 x 40 mm. |
25 Dec. 1940 |
|
357
|
Mask used by Jujus, Kimbaw. 78 x 104 mm. |
29 Dec. 1940 |
|
358
|
Nsungli house construction, Ndu. 63 x 63mn. House construction in Nsungli, the bamboo walls completed and then the flat ceiling bamboo put in place for the fixing of the roof. |
11 Jan. 1941 |
|
359
|
Coiffure of girl at Ngu. 76 x 89 mm. neg. and 84 x 114 mm. print. The girls of the area seem to cultivate different hair styles, this young lady favours the severe style in a straight line from the top of the forehead to the ears with a small triangle in front. |
19 Jan. 1941 |
|
360
|
Dance at Mbem. 62 x 40 mm. Women carrying baskets of food, women with children in their arms and women with both prance around oblivious to the heat and dust whilst two slightly intoxicated ladies dance some special erotic dance. |
26 Jan. 1941 |
|
361
|
Dance at Mbem. 62 x 40 mm. Midst the milling mob all completely under the influence of gallons of palm wine women who seem to be more abandoned than the others continue to execute their own special dances. |
26 Jan. 1941 |
|
362
|
Dance at Mbem. 64 x 78 mm Wine soaked girls and dancers cuddle and squeeze in public, a thing never seen in W.A. normally where men and women don't even walk together. |
26 Jan. 1941 |
|
363
|
Dancers at Mbem. 62 x 40 mm. Two dancers in a small clearing in the long corn stalks, one wearing the peculiar feathered headdress that certain members affect, but both wearing a sort of kilt. Both kept up the whistling all the time. |
26 Jan. 1941 |
|
364
|
Chum dancers, Mbem. 62 x 40 mm. The Chum dancers rush into the ring whistling like birds whilst all spectators crouch. |
26 Jan. 1941 |
|
365
|
Dance at Mbem. 62 x 40 mm. The confused masses of people and Chum Jujus in the clearing whilst the Jujus prepare to circle round in the dance whilst whistling and the people crouch as they pass. |
26 Jan. 1941 |
|
366
|
Dance at Mbem. 62 x 40 mm. The Chum rushing into the ring of spectators whistling as they run. The people are seen crouching as they pass them. |
26 Jan. 1941 |
|
367
|
Dance at Mbem. 62 x 40 mm. The crouching crowds as the Jujus pass through them. |
26 Jan. 1941 |
|
368
|
Girl from Nwar at Mbem. 40 x 62 mm. Another little lass from Nwar or She area, ready to set out on her homeward trip after a real hectic, unrestricted in any way period of pleasure. |
26 Jan. 1941 |
|
369
|
Girl at Ngu. 62 x 40 mm. Vanity is not confined to Europe, as even a dusty, dusky, half naked little bit of womanhood spent over an hour with her small broken mirror and wooden comb. |
3 Feb. 1941 |
|
370
|
Compound scene, Ngu. 62 x 40 mm. A compound scene so typical of Mbaw. Heat, dirt, grime, disease and nothing to do all day. |
3 Feb. 1941 |
|
371
|
Hausa orchestra, Ngengenduse. 62 x 40 mm. On arrival at Ngengenduse the usual Hausa orchestra turned up to welcome us. It consisted of three rogues who never did a bit of work but got their money by singing songs of praise to anyone they thought had money to give. |
8 Feb. 1941 |
|
372
|
Hausa orchestra, Ngengenduse. 62 x 40 mm. The noise this trio made was remarkable, the flutist blew as hard as he could, the drummer banged away and the old rogue who engineered the show yelled his hardest. |
8 Feb. 1941 |
|
373
|
Sacrificial grove, Nsop. 108 x 63 mm. The presence of ants after a sacrifice shows that it has been accepted by the gods. On the death of the Chief, a goat is sacrificed and the blood is poured on to the large central stone in the centre of the grove. |
9 Feb. 1941 |
|
374
|
Monolith in Chief's compound, Nsop. 64 x 108 mm. After the sacrifice of the goat on the death of the Chief, a fowl is sacrificed and a feast held by the Murong Jujus and the old residents of Nsop - people who own a Mimbo Bush and are thus not strangers to the area. The Monolith in the Chief's compound is the scene of annual dances but has nothing to do with any sacrifices. |
9 Feb. 1941 |
|
375
|
Scene at Jijjajeri. 62 x 40 mm. The usual gang of chatterers sit under the tree in the shade, telling their tales to each other whilst the women milk sellers do a roaring trade. |
11 Feb. 1941 |
|
376
|
Cloth merchants, Jijjajeri. 62 x 40 mm. Cloth merchants and sellers of jewellery made from tin and odd bits of brass do well in this thriving Hausa town. |
11 Feb. 1941 |
|
377
|
Cloth sellers, Jijjajeri. 62 x 40 mm. The pagan girls cannot resist the bright colours of the cloths laid out to lure them and do all they can to become the possessor of a yard or so which they drape round their shoulders. |
11 Feb. 1941 |
|
378
|
Beer house, Jijjajeri. 62 x 40 mm. Daddy takes mother to the local beer house - known as pito houses and run by the husbandless Hausa ladies. People of all ages drink the strong beer. |
11 Feb. 1941 |
|
379
|
'Bush girls' at market, Jijjajeri. 40 x 62 mm. Little girls from the bush who have got on all their finery to attend the market but get nervous when they arrive and keep to the huts fringing the area. |
11 Feb. 1941 |
|
380
|
Spoons for sale in Jijjajeri market. 62 x 40 mm. The maker had his wares all set out in rows and priced according to size and design, from a halfpenny to one and a halfpenny each. They far outdo the cheap European spoons as they are cheaper, lighter and easily cleaned and float on top of the milk whereas spoons either have to be placed on the ground or sink to the bottom of a milk filled calabash. |
11 Feb. 1941 |
|
381
|
Market Scene, Kimbaw. 108 x 63 mm. |
16 May 1941 |
|
382
|
Bali -Kumbat woman, Banso-Bamenda Road. 64 x 108 mm. Bali -Kumbat woman with her little sporan of grasses and the little grass tail at the back [and carrying a woven basket on her head]. |
7 June 1941 |
|
383
|
Yam farm on the road side, Banso-Bamenda (Bamunka). 95 x 64 mm. |
4 Sept. 1941 |
|
384
|
Owa Mbelefo, Wum woman, Bemenda. 64 x 95 mm. Owa Mbelefo turns round to show the back style of the Wum dress which consists of a 'tail' of thick dried fibres fixed to the numerous beaded waist strings. |
16 Sept. 1941 |
|
385
|
Women carrying water, Bafut. 62 x 40 mm. Women carrying bottles of water from the spring to their houses. Normally they use calabashes but no doubt they feel superior with a bottle, and realise it is lighter. |
19 Oct. 1941 |
|
386
|
Medicine grove, Bafut. 62 x 40 mm. Bafut vied with Laroku in the number of Jujus one found all over the place as well as the number of Medicine groves. Here under a shady tree is another sacred area with a large monolith of seven sided stone. |
19 Oct. 1941 |
|
387
|
Bafut woman and child. 46 x 95 mm. A Bafut woman with her child, these women all wear numerous necklaces of large beads with the largest and longest bead in the centre. Some of the beads are really old and said to come from Genoa and could purchase 10 slaves each. All these women have cowrie shells suspended from their girdles in front. |
Sept. 1941 |
|
388
|
Bafut boy. 64 x 96 mm. A little Bafut boy with a home made crown of banana leaves of which he is inordinately proud. |
19 Sept. 1941 |
|
389
|
Mafor Bambulwe, an old Bambulwe woman, Bamenda. 64 x 91 mm. |
22 Sept. 1941 |
|
390
|
Drum of the Bali Chiefs, Bali. 62 x 40mm. The ancient drum of the Bali Chiefs used to summons all his people such as at time of war. It is a solid tree trunk, hollowed out with a slot on the upper surface and end carvings. |
30 Oct. 1941 |
|
391
|
Woman's costume, Bali. 35 x 40 mm. The only dress they wear is a small fringe of strings at the back. In this area the fringe is short whilst in others it may extend down to the knees. |
30 Oct. 1941 |
|
392
|
Old woman, Bali. 51 x 40 mm. An old Bali woman carrying home her water supply in a calabash from the village stream. Women work to a ripe old age. |
30 Oct. 1941 |
|
393
|
Medicine grove, Bafut. 62 x 40 mm. A scene of one of the numerous medicine groves around Bafut, one of the peculiar seven sided monoliths is seen at the junction of bush paths leading to the town. |
11 Dec. 1941 |
|
394
|
Juju house, Bafut. 62 x 40 mm. The village is surrounded by small forests and this is a glimpse of the Bafut Juju house in the village square as you enter past the Chief's compound. |
19 Nov. 1941 |
|
395
|
Bafut girl. 40 x 62 mm. The women all effect strings of white unglazed beads with native designs on blue and red both round the neck and waist. Also numerous bangles adorn each wrist. |
19 Nov. 1941 |
|
396
|
Girl on way to market, Bali. 40 x 62 mm. A little girl dressed up for Bali market with crossed strings of white beads across her body. |
28 Nov. 1941 |
|
397
|
Kola tree, Banso. 40 x 62 mm. As Kola trees are hereditary and represent the wealth of the owner, great trouble is taken to ensure that no thieving occurs, thus fetishes are put on the trees, these will bring sickness to any thief. In olden times thieving was punished by death, though the trial by the spider must have led to many innocent people being falsely sentenced. Old faiths die hard as Mission influence has been here for over thirty years. |
30 Nov. 1941 |
|
398
|
Domestic scene, Bafut. 62 x 40 mm. A domestic scene at the corner of a compound where the youngster gets his bath midst gurgles of delight. |
11 Nov. 1941 |
|
399
|
Nyange, a Bamendankwe woman, Bamenda. 40 x 62 mm. Nyange, a Bamendankwe woman with her child. Again, being mountain people they are short in stature with thick muscular thighs and broad chested. |
Dec. 1941 |
|
400
|
Nyange, a Bamendankwe woman, Bamenda. 40 x 62 mm. They usually wear one or at the most, two waist strings from which a few fibres form a fringe in front but they wear several necklaces of beads like the Dante people. |
Dec. 1941 |
|
401
|
Decorated door, Kimbaw. 57 x 42 mm. A well decorated door with local carvings. This work with the introduction of nails and planks is fast disappearing. |
3 Jan. 1942 |
|
402
|
Market scene, Kimbaw. 62 x 40 mm. Two well fed and well groomed ladies disport themselves at the first market of the New Year. |
4 Jan. 1942 |
|
403
|
Menang Jujus, Bamessing. 62 x 40 mm. Menang Jujus on the road to Bamessing on their way to a Meeting. |
Jan. 1942 |
|
404
|
Menang Juju, Bamessing. 62 x 40 mm. |
Jan. 1942 |
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