Pitt Rivers Museum Luo Visual History

photograph scan of PRM number 1998.349.277.1

1998.349.277.1 (Film negative)

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Key Information

Photographer

Edward Evan Evans-Pritchard

Description

A man holding the spears (tong) of Kager, the founder of a sub-clan in Alego location. The Kager clan (or sub-clan) live both in Alego and Ugenya Locations. The man holding it is not named but may be the clan custodian of the spear and this may be his homestead where he keeps it. Unlike the Alego and Kogelo spear, here the tong Kager takes the form of three spears, with similar blades all barbed at the base. [Gilbert Oteyo 9/9/2004]

Cultural Group

Luo

Region

Nyanza

Pitt Rivers Source

Edward Evan Evans-Pritchard

Research Notes

Alego location was once composed of one clan under the leadership of a man called Alego. Alego's spear (tong) of leadership was revered. After him many other Luo clans were formed by his children or wives and other followers and because of disputes, claims and counter claims about leadership, each sub-clan decided to have their own leadership spear. Each made their spear blade in a distinctive style and any clan elder or man who made his own personal spear tried to copy this blade form. [Gilbert Oteyo 9/9/2004]

Date of Photograph

1936

Accession number

1998.349.277.1

Further Information

Photographic Process

Negative film nitrate

Date Acquired

Donated 1988

For citation use:
Pitt Rivers Museum Luo Visual History "1998.349.277.1" 6 Jun. 2008. Pitt Rivers Museum. Accessed 19 Nov. 2015 <http://photos.prm.ox.ac.uk/luo/photo/1998.349.277.1/>.

© Pitt Rivers Museum