Apatani shaman during a ritual procession
This man is Nada Bida, a shaman, wearing the distinctive costume of that specialist : He holds a ritual fan, made of hornbill feathers, with a cane-work handle, and he wears a necklace of expensive conch-shell beads, large hoop earrings and a woven headdress : From one end of the metal skewer throug...
| Full title: |
Apatani shaman during a ritual procession [electronic resource] English. |
|---|---|
| Format: | Photo |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
[S.l.] :
[s.n.],
1945.
|
| Series: |
SOAS Digital Library.
FURER. RSA. PHOTOS. |
| Subjects: | |
| Online access: |
Click here to view record |
| Summary: |
This man is Nada Bida, a shaman, wearing the distinctive costume of that specialist : He holds a ritual fan, made of hornbill feathers, with a cane-work handle, and he wears a necklace of expensive conch-shell beads, large hoop earrings and a woven headdress : From one end of the metal skewer through his hair knot hang several thin metal chains : Under his ordinary outer shawl, he wears a jacket and just visible here, a shaman's shawl decorated in a special pattern : this photograph was taken as he was leading a procession through the paddy fields during an Apatani feast Murung (Feast of Merit), : Each year, several Apatani families celebrate this three-week long feast, involving mithun and cow sacrifice, and complex gift-giving between the feast sponsor and various kin and ceremonial friends : During the procession, which takes place more than a week after the large animal sacrifice on the first day, the shaman leads a long line of young boys and men belonging to the sponsor's clan : Some of those boys are seen here, and one of them holds a brass plate, which is struck with bamboo sticks during the procession. |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
[S.l.] :
[s.n.],
1945.
|
| Subjects: | |
| Series: |
SOAS Digital Library.
FURER. RSA. PHOTOS. |
| Access: |
© 1945, The Estate of Christoph von Fürer-Haimendorf. The Estate is currently (2015) represented by Nicholas Haimendorf, son of Christoph von Fürer-Haimendorf. ----- Creative Commons (by-nc-nd). -- This image may be used in accord with Creative Commons license Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs. |
| Place of Publication: |
India -- Arunachal Pradesh -- Lower Subansiri District -- Apatani River valley. |