Raffia and bamboo poles drying at the edge of a ward common, Ndibe village, Afikpo Village-Group, Nigeria

Object Details

Local Numbers: O-154/1951-1953 EEPA 2000-070137
General: Title source: Dr. Simon Ottenberg, Professor Emeritus of Anthropology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA.

Archival Repository: Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives, National Museum of African Art

Collection Rights: Permission to reproduce images from the Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives must be obtained in advance. The collection is subject to all copyright laws.

Scope and Contents: This photograph was taken by Dr. Simon Ottenberg while conducting field research at Afikpo village-group, southeastern Nigeria, from December 1951 to March 1953.; Original title reads, "Ngwo mats for use in roofing, Ndibe Village square." [Ottenberg field research notes, O Series,December 1951-March 1953].; "The groves, usually small and near the Afikpo villages, are either of palm trees, raffia, or bamboo, a recent introduction to Afikpo. Raffia and bamboo groves, which are located in swampy areas or along stream banks, and whose products are mainly used in housebuilding and not sold for cash, are normally controlled by a single male lineage. They are considered by the Afikpo to be matrilineage, not personal, property." [Ottenberg S., 1968: Double Descent in an African Society; the Afikpo Village-Group. University of Washington Press].

Collection Restrictions: Use of original records requires an appointment. Contact Archives staff for more details.

Other Archival Materials: Simon Ottenberg Papers are located at the National Anthropological Archives, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution.