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 13 year-old girl, Pmuni, holding gourd filled with cow's blood. "The Maasai (Masai) are unique among East African pastoralists in their cultural choice to live exclusively of pastoral foods. They attempt to subsist on a diet solely consisting of the milk, meat and blood of their domestic stock. Their dietary ideal excludes, and their entire culture strongly devaluates, all plants food and game meat." [Kaj Arhem, 1987: Milk, Meat and Blood. Working Papers in African Studies, University of Uppsala.]. This photograph was taken when Eliot Elisofon was on assignment for Life magazine and traveled to Africa from August 18, 1959 to December 20, 1959.
sova.eepa.1973-001_ref28656
Local Numbers
EENG-XII-R9, 10.
General
Title source: Index card based on photographer's notes.
Local Note
Typed index card reads, "D 4 Msi. Masai. Kenya, Olengaitoli (village and name of head man). Men and 13 year-old girl holding gourd of cow's blood. 9/1959. EE. neg.no. XII-R9, 10." The card was written in 1977-79 by Archives staff using source provided by photographer.
Place
Africa
Kenya
Topic
Decoration and ornament
Beadwork
Body arts
Clothing and dress -- Africa
Calabashes
Photographer
Elisofon, Eliot
Culture
Maasai (African people)
See more items in
Eliot Elisofon Field collection
Eliot Elisofon Field collection / Kenya
Extent
1 Negatives (photographic) (b&w, 2 1/4 x 2 1/4 inches.)
Date
1959
Archival Repository
Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives, National Museum of African Art
Identifier
EEPA.1973-001, Item EEPA EENG 01568
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_ref28656
Large EAD
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/xo7a01000bd-5a8f-40f1-aed3-d91fd1ef3303
EEPA.1973-001
EEPA
Record ID
ebl-1536870822481-1536871014609-6