Mangbetu Chief Teingu and wives. Mongomasi village, Congo (Democratic Republic)

The photograph depicts Chief Teingu and wives at a court dance. "The woman dance's costume consisted of a bark skirt dyed black (nekobu or nebapi). This skirt was not completely closed behind and over the open part, she wore the oval apron called ngebe. In front, over the skirt, she also wore a colobus monkey skin. During most dances, she carried a fly whisk (nomwe) in one hand and sometimes a rattle (nangbara). She wore a straw hat, dyed black or of natural color, decorated with feathers of birds. The man's dance costume consisted of a large piece of barkcloth with alternating natural-colored and black strips. The belt securing the barkcloth around the waist was of animal skin -leopard for chief- with attached charms and hanging animal pelts. Some hats, decorated in front with the red tail feathers of grey parrots, were formely reserved for chiefs." [Schildkrout E., Keim C., 1990: African Reflections, University of Washington Press]. During his trip to Congo (now Democratic Republic of Congo), Elisofon visited the Mangbetu people living in Mongomasi village, Isiro region. This photograph was taken when Eliot Elisofon was on assignment for National Geographic and traveled to Africa from March 17, 1970 to July 17, 1970.