Kanaga masquerade during the Dama ceremony, near Sanga, Mali

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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 kanaga mask is part of a costume traditionally worn only for the dances of the Dama funerary ceremonies,and is accompanied by particular drum rythms from particular drums which generate specific dances. Only initiated, circumcised members of the all-male Awa secret society dance the kanaga." [Harris M., 1989: Visual tropes: The Kanaga Mask of the Dogon people of West Africa, Yale University]. This photograph was taken when Eliot Elisofon was on assignment for Westinghouse Film and traveled to Africa from October 26, 1970 to end of March 1971.

sova.eepa.1973-001_ref28776

GUID

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/xo7bf49b83d-f61b-47e8-99e3-d467d078c4ac

Local Numbers

EENG-VII-13, 7.

General

Title source: Index card based on photographer's notes.

Local Note

Typed index card reads, "E 1 Dgn. Dogon. Mali, Sanga region. Kanaga masked dancers. 12/1970. EE. neg.no. VII-13, 7." The card was written in 1977-79 by Archives staff using source provided by photographer.

Place

Africa

Mali

Topic

Masquerades

Works of art in situ

Clothing and dress -- Africa

Masks

Wood-carving

Photographer

Elisofon, Eliot

Culture

Dogon (African people)

See more items in

Eliot Elisofon Field collection

Eliot Elisofon Field collection / Mali

Extent

1 Negatives (photographic) (b&w, 35mm.)

Date

1970

Archival Repository

Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives, National Museum of African Art

Identifier

EEPA.1973-001, Item EEPA EENG 01688

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_ref28776

Large EAD

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/xo7bf49b83d-f61b-47e8-99e3-d467d078c4ac

EEPA.1973-001

EEPA

Record ID

ebl-1536870822481-1536871014997-5

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