Skip to main content

Group of Bundu girls in dancing costume, Jowati, Upper Mendi, Front view, 1890 - 1899

 Item
Reference Code: GBR/0115/RCS/Y30446F/9

Scope and Contents

152 x 108 mm. A group portrait of five Bundu dancing girls in traditional costume: '...The dancing costume consists of a netting of country cotton worn over the body. Long bushy branches of palm-leaf fibre are suspended from the thickly plaited bangles of the same fibre round the arms and wrists: various sebbehs or gree-gree charms hang from the neck, and short knickerbockers of country cloth tied above the knees with country string complete the toilet. To these knickerbockers are fastened small pieces of hollow iron with little rings loosely hanging from them, which, as the dancing goes on, jingle not unpleasantly, for country iron gives out a somewhat rich sound. The chief feature of the get-up is, however, the dressing of the girls' faces with ... wojeh, composed of white clay and animal fat.

The girls dance to the music of the seghura [see print 4] ... and also to the sangboi or tom-tom of the men. The girls not only dance together in a miniature ballet but execute very excellent pas seuls (a one person dance) in the most creditable and pretty manner ... At the conclusion of the entertainment the girls are escorted back to their place of concealment - the whole affair being conducted in the most orderly and decorous fashion.' (Alldridge 1901, pp. 138-9).

Dates

  • Creation: 1890 - 1899

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

From the Fonds:

Unless restrictions apply, the collection is open for consultation by researchers using the Manuscripts Reading Room at Cambridge University Library. For further details on conditions governing access please contact mss@lib.cam.ac.uk. Information about opening hours and obtaining a Cambridge University Library reader's ticket is available from the Library's website (www.lib.cam.ac.uk).

Language of Materials

English

Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

Good condition, apart from slight overall yellowing.

Existence and Location of Originals

To view image:

http://www.dspace.cam.ac.uk/bitstream/1810/1236/1/RCSPC-Y30446F-009.jpg

To use this image or obtain a copy please refer to our Terms of Use:

http://www.lib.cam.ac.uk/rcs_photo_project/gallery1.html

Related Materials

For a different view of these Bundu girls, see Y30446F/10.

Bibliography

For a general description of the Bundu, a women's secret society, see (Alldridge 1901, Chapter XIV). Photograph is reproduced in (Alldridge 1901, figure 45).

General

SG.

Date information

DateText: The date is approximate..

Finding aid date

2003-03-21 14:32:50+00:00

Includes index.

Repository Details

Part of the Cambridge University Library Repository

Contact:
Cambridge University Library
West Road
Cambridge CB3 9DR United Kingdom