Portrait of Rillo, dobashi

B&W photographic print. 'Rillo, a dobashi (interpreter). A note on the back says "taken by Barnes". A dobashi, or interpreter, not only performed that important task, but was a vital liaison between the British officer and the tribal people whom he was administering. Dobashis were hand picked fo...

Full description

Archive & Special Collections PP MS 58/02/N/01 Open

Date(s) of creation: April 1919
Level: Item
Format: Archive           
Main author: Barnes.
URL: http://digital.soas.ac.uk/LOAA004677
URL Description: Digital version available online at SOAS Digital Collections

collection SOAS Archive
id PP_MS_58.02.N.01
recordtype archive
scb_item_location Archive & Special Collections
item_location Archive & Special Collections
scb_loan_type Reference only
callnumber PP MS 58/02/N/01
callnumber_txt PP MS 58/02/N/01
callnumber-sort PP MS 58/02/N/01
prefix_number 01
title Portrait of Rillo, dobashi
scb_date_creation April 1919
scb_level Item
level_sort 8/Collection/Sub-Collection/Sub-Sub-Collection/Sub-Sub-Sub-Collection/Series/Sub-Series/Sub-Sub-Series/File/Item
scb_extent 1 photograph
author Barnes.
author_facet Barnes.
authorStr Barnes.
author_letter Barnes.
format Archive
description B&W photographic print. 'Rillo, a dobashi (interpreter). A note on the back says "taken by Barnes". A dobashi, or interpreter, not only performed that important task, but was a vital liaison between the British officer and the tribal people whom he was administering. Dobashis were hand picked for the job and, given that there were dozens of often mutually incomprehensible Naga languages, a particular case being heard in a village might involve two or more dobashis translating between the aggrieved parties, and into Naga-Assamese for Mills, who spoke that language fluently. This form of Assamese bore little resemblance to the classical Assamese of the plains, but was used as an essential lingua franca, because villages barely an hour's march away might not be able to speak each other's languages.'
scb_access_status Open
scb_copyright Copyright held by J.P. Mills
language No linguistic content
language_search No linguistic content
scb_scripts_material Unwritten
scb_physc_charac_tech_reqs 9.5 x 7 cm
note Naga (South Asian people)
Ethnic group: Naga
Ethnic group: Western Rengma Naga
Ethnic group: Rengma Naga
scb_url http://digital.soas.ac.uk/LOAA004677
scb_url_description Digital version available online at SOAS Digital Collections
hierarchy_top_id_raw PP MS 58
hierarchy_sequence PP_MS_58.0002.00N.0001

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