Portrait of the Ungma Gaonbura's family
B&W photographic print. 'The Gaonbura (government's post or 'headman'), his wife and his son wearing their dancing dresses: The Gaonbura's necklace made of the inner part of conch shells signifies that he has done the mithun sacrifice. At the time of this picture, head-hunting no longer occurre...
| Date(s) of creation: |
December 1923 |
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| Level: |
Item |
| Format: | Archive |
| Main author: | Mills; James Philip (1890-1960); colonial administrator and anthropologist |
| URL: |
http://digital.soas.ac.uk/LOAA004621 |
| URL Description: |
Digital version available online at SOAS Digital Collections |
| Summary: |
B&W photographic print. 'The Gaonbura (government's post or 'headman'), his wife and his son wearing their dancing dresses: The Gaonbura's necklace made of the inner part of conch shells signifies that he has done the mithun sacrifice. At the time of this picture, head-hunting no longer occurred in the Ao country, so that the right to wear the ornaments of a head hunter could be bought. This is the case with his wristlets embroidered with cowrie shells, fringed with red hair and the baldric with its long fringe of red goat's hair which he wears across his chest. This supports the "tail", from which hangs a deep fringe of human hair, with a narrow fringe of red dyed goat's hair above it. The dao which he carries is similarly ornamented. The head-dress is a circlet of bear's fur decorated with hornbill feathers, the number indicating the sacrifices he has completed and the Government expeditions in which he has taken part. His ears bear huge pads of cotton wool, and on his arms a pair of ivory armlets further confirm his high status. Below the knees he wears finely woven red cane leggings decorated with yellow orchid stem, and hollow brass anklets with lead balls inside them which rattle as he dances. The wife of the Gaonbura (government post or 'headman') wears full dance dress. Sheholds an axe-shaped, ceremonial dao in her hand and wears ear ornaments of crystal or glass (tongbang). On her head she has spiral brass rings fixed with a string (yongmen), which among the Chongli only women of the Pongen, somentimes of the Lungkam clan are allowed to wear. The three hornbill feathers in her hair show that her husband or father have performed mithun sacrifices, one for each feather. The chain slung across her body cloth bears many brass bells, showing that she is the wife of a rich man of high status. Her body cloth is of an unusal design for a woman. His parents being well-to-do, the son wears thick brass necklets and a long necklace of the inner part of the conch shell. In his earlobes are o' |
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| Main author: | Mills; James Philip (1890-1960); colonial administrator and anthropologist |
| Extent: |
1 photograph |
| Note: |
Civil servants Families Naga (South Asian people) Ethnic group: Naga Ethnic group: Ao Naga |
| Access status: |
Open |
| Copyright: | Copyright held by J.P. Mills |
| Language: | No linguistic content |
| Scripts: |
Unwritten |
| Physical description: |
9.5 x 7 cm |
| Copies: | Digital version available online at SOAS Digital Collections |
| Format: | Archive |