Profits from the palm grove products sale are redistributed among the village grade, Mgbom village, Afikpo Village-Group, Nigeria

Object Details

Local Numbers: O-239/1951-1953 EEPA 2000-070210
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, "Palm kernel collection day, in which men collect palm kernel bunches from the Mgbom Village palm grove and sell them. Money goes to the village elders to use as they wish. As usual, palaver over the shares and much talk and argument." [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. Palm groves, which produce cash crops in the form of fruits or wine, are generally under the control of a matrilineage male who lives nearby, and hi is also said to control the land on which the trees stand. Only occasionally does a major patrilineage own a grove of tree or a water area. If it has a palm grove this is usually in ebo land, and the young men's grade sees that it is rented out or that young men of the lineage collect the fruits at the proper times and turn at least part of the profits back to the grade. In either case the funds become lineage property under the ultimate control of its elders." [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.