"Horse funeral" ceremony, Amachara village, Afikpo Village-Group, Nigeria

Object Details

Local Numbers: O-178/1951-1953 EEPA 2000-070157
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, "Second funeral or the memorial, often called 'horse funeral' or 'horse title' at afikpo, Amachara Village. Something a man does in honor of his father, often years later after his death, as in this case. Otelerri is doing it. Ottenberg joined his matrilineal clan at this event. A sister of Otelerri dancing at the Afikpo market." [Ottenberg field research notes, O Series, December 1951-March 1953].; "When a mature male dies his eldest son is responsible for burial and the funeral ceremony. The burial is followed by a series of related rituals, which generally continue to express the relative positions of the descent groups. The first is the 'goat funeral'. This ceremony is followed by the ritual of placing a shrine pot for the deceased in his ancestral house. At any later time the deceased's eldest son may perform the 'cow funeral', giving his father's matrikinsmen a cow, and a horse as well if he is rich. The ceremony is optional, and is a prestige ritual to honor the father and display the son's wealth." [Ottenberg, 1968: Double Descent in an African Society; The Afikpo Village-Group, Seattle: University of Washington Press, 1968].

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.