Object Details
Photographer
Elisofon, Eliot
Collection Photographer
Elisofon, Eliot
Collection Citation
Eliot Elisofon Field Collection, EEPA 1973-001, Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution
Scope and Contents
The photograph depicts a 'Lutumbo Lwa Kindi', member of the highest rank of 'Kindi', the most important level among the five 'Bwami' grades. He wears "hat made of canvas covered with shells, cowries, and buttons, and surmonted by an elephant tail (Biebuyck 1973). The hat is called 'Mukuba wa Maseza' (Biebuyck and Van den Abbeele 1984) and is worn daily." [Cameron E., 1995: Lega Hats: Hierarchy and Status. Crowning Achievements, UCLA Fowler Museum of Cultural History]. During his trip to Congo (now Democratic Republic of Congo), Elisofon visited the Lega people at Kalima and its surroundings in the Maniema region. This photograph was taken when Eliot Elisofon was on assignment for American Broadcasting Company and traveled to Africa from early December 1966 to early February 1967, visiting Congo (now Democratic Republic of Congo).
sova.eepa.1973-001_ref28275
Local Numbers
Negative number OA 71264, C-11, 26A.
General
Title source: Index card based on photographer's notes.
Local Note
Typed index card reads, "C 3 Lga. Lega. Zaire, near Kalima. A Lutumbo Lwa Kindi, member of the highest grade in the Bwami Society, wearing elephant tail hat. 12/31/1966. EE. neg.no. OA 71264, C-11, 26A." Identification from: Biebuyck, Daniel. Lega Culture, 1973. Berkeley and Los Angeles. The card was written in 1977-79 by Archives staff using source provided by photographer.
Place
Africa
Congo (Democratic Republic)
Topic
Portraits
Leaders
Clothing and dress -- Africa
Photographer
Elisofon, Eliot
Culture
Lega (African people)
See more items in
Eliot Elisofon Field collection
Eliot Elisofon Field collection / Congo (Democratic Republic) / EENG / 1966
Extent
1 Negatives (photographic) (b&w, 35mm.)
Date
1966
Archival Repository
Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives, National Museum of African Art
Identifier
EEPA.1973-001, Item EEPA EENG 01182
Type
Archival materials
Negatives (photographic)
Black-and-white negatives
Negatives
Collection Rights
Permission to reproduce images from the Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives must be obtained in advance. Where noted, some images remain under the copyright of Life/Shutterstock. The collection is subject to all copyright laws.
Genre/Form
Black-and-white negatives
Negatives
Collection Restrictions
Use of original records requires an appointment. Contact Archives staff for more details.
EEPA.1973-001_ref28275
Large EAD
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/xo7ce41d744-8eb5-4701-a351-62a3a96b431d
EEPA.1973-001
EEPA
Record ID
ebl-1536870822481-1536871012745-1