Moru Misa beehive cover

1979.20.35

Sudan

[Southern Sudan] Western Equatoria ?Lui ?Lanyi

Moru Misa

By 1979

Cane Plant

Basketry , Split , Woven

Total L = 485; body L = 350, W = 310, th = 18.5; vertical struts W = 12 to 14 mm, th = 5.5; horizontal strips W = 6 mm [RTS 30/6/2005].

376.8 g

Purchased by Patti Langton for 12 1/2 piastres between 27th January and 5th February 1979 as part of the British Institute in Eastern Africa's Expedition to the Southern Sudan [RTS 15/6/2004].

Patti Langton

Patti Langton

Purchased 1979

Between 27 January and 5 February 1979

Beehive cover, with a framework made from short lengths of roughly cut grayish brown cane (Pantone 7530C). Each piece has been split down its centre, leaving a convex outer face and flat inside face, in some cases with a shallow groove down the length with traces of burning, suggesting that a heated tool may have been involved in preparing the strips. These have been grouped in 7 pairs, lined up vertically with a gap of 20 to 30 mm between each set. Each strip is of similar length, except one at the centre which extends for a further 136 mm above the top edge of the frame, perhaps serving as a handle or a peg to fit the lid in place. A series of narrower cane strips have been woven horizontally across this frame to create the body of the cover. These have dark brownish gray bark left in place on their outer surface (Pantone warm gray 11C), and have been cut on the inside face, exposing the lighter yellow of the surface below (Pantone 7509C). Each strip has been woven alternatively over and then below each pair of vertical struts, before wrapping around the body of the final pair. This creates a thicker border to the frame on either side. At the top and bottom edges, the strips are also woven obliquely over the first couple of rows to form a secure border. The object is complete, with some minor fraying of the wood, particularly at the sides of the frame. It has a weight of 376.8 grams, with the body being 350 mm long, 310 mm wide and 18.5 mm thick; the total length, with 'handle' is 485 mm; each vertical strut is around 12 to 14 mm wide and 5.5 mm thick, while the horizontal strips are 6 mm wide.

Purchased by Patti Langton for 12 and a half piastres sometime between 27th January and 5th February 1979 as part of the British Institute in Eastern Africa's Expedition to the Southern Sudan. Although the place of collection was noted, the expedition was collecting Moru material during these dates at the settlements of Lui and Lanyi, in Western Equatoria. Langton does not record the Moru Misa name for this type of object. For the beehive body, see 1979.20.34.

Beekeeping is one of the businesses in Western Equatoria currently being supported by US AID programmes, in conjunction with the New Sudan Honey Producers Association (NSHPA) (http://www.apiconsult.com/south-sudan.htm). Other Nilotic groups have also made use of basketry beehives; see, for example, Schweinfurth's description of Bongo practices: "Generally these hives are long cylinders, which midway have an opening about six inches square. The yield of honey, wild or half-wild, is very large, and of fine quality: the bees belong to the European species" (G. Schweinfurth, 1873, In the Heart of Africa Vol. I, p. 291).

Rachael Sparks 6/9/2005.

Accession Book Entry [p. 185] - 1979.20 (.1 - 206) P[urchase] MISS PATTI LANGTON, DEPT. of ETHNOLOGY & PREHISTORY, OXFORD. Collection made by Patti Langton during the British Institute in East Africa's expedition to the Southern Sudan; Jan. - April 1979. The collection was made in three culture areas during the dry season. The amount paid for each object is listed if the information is known. In Jan. 1979 £1 is equivalent to 95 piastres (pt.) Sudanese. This documentation is based largely upon Patti's own list of objects and her notes on these. Sometimes objects included in the Pitt Rivers alottment of the collection do not appear on her list and have been added here. See Related Documents file as well. [pp 185 - 186] 1979.20.1 - 42 SOUTHERN SUDAN the MORU MISA The Moru Misa live about 100 miles west of Juba, the capital of the Southern Sudan. Part of the collection was made in Lui, a small town which has had extensive church and missionary activity over the past 50 years (excluding the period of civil war) and which now boasts a church, a hospital and a number of schools. The rest of the Moru Misa collection was made at Lanyi, 15 miles away, where the paramount chief of the area, Chief Elinama, arranged for people to bring artifacts for us to buy. Although money is known to the Moru, its use is limited and the concept of selling belongings is foreign to them. Hence the low prices and the relatively small number of artefacts. The Moru Misa are a geographical section of the Moru people. The Moru practice agriculture for subsistence; they do not keep cattle any longer. [p. 190] 1979.20.35 Beehive cover made of twigs woven through a split cane frame. Total L = 49 cm., W = 33 cm. Coll. by P. Langton, 12 1/ 2 pt.; no. 301A.
Additional Accession Book Entry [in red biro under accession number] - A5-F32-32.

Card Catalogue Entry - There is no further information on the tribes catalogue card [RTS 2/6/2004].

Pitt Rivers Museum label - SOUTHERN SUDAN, MORU MISA tribal area. Beehive cover. Pat Langton coll., no. 301a. 1979.20.35 [plastic coated label with metal eyelet, tied to object; RTS 30/6/2005].

Related Documents File - 1979.20 contains a typed packing list, which has been annotated; a typed list of objects arranged by Langton collection numbers and with pencil and biro annotations, and a handwritten list of objects by museum number, essentially repeating this information and annotated with PRM photo numbers in red. This handwritten list seems to be the direct source for the accession book entry. This object appears on Langton's list as a pencilled addition, with additional information 'collected by PJL' [RTS 12/1/2004].