Aka ancestor post

103 x 76 mm | Print gelatin silver

There are records relating to alternative images that we do not have scans for in the database:
1998.344.186.1 - Negative film nitrate , (103 x 76 mm)

Condition:

Residual chemical staining [EE 1989]

Date of Print:

Unknown

Previous PRM Number:

EP.D.186

Previous Other Number:

O 2

Accession Number:

1998.344.186.2

Description:

Bundles of thatching grass piled in the centre of a homestead in the foreground. Beyond is a branch placed in the ground close to two huts on hill Sillok, with some corn cobs hanging from it. Although one informant told Evans-Pritchard that this indicated that twins had been born. However, since one or more of these posts were to be found near almost every homestead, it is likely that they were associated with family ancestral spirits. One informant confirmed this understanding to Evans-Pritchard, saying that the posts (named derga) were important during times of harvest ceremony. The language of the Aka people of Jebel Sillok to the south of the Tabi hills is part of the Berta group of languages. They called themselves Fa-c-aka or people of Aka.

Photographer:

Edward Evan Evans-Pritchard

Date of Photo:

1926 December

Region:

Blue Nile Jebel Sillok

Group:

Aka (Sillok)

PRM Source:

Edward Evan Evans-Pritchard

Acquired:

Donated 1966

Other Owners:

E. E. Evans-Pritchard Collection

Class:

Religion , Settlement , Ritual , Ritual , Shelter

Keyword:

Building House

Documentation:

Original catalogue lists in Manuscript Collections. Additional material in related documents files. [CM 27/9/2005]

Primary Documentation:

PRM Accession Records - Accession Book Entry [p. 98] 1966.27 [1 - 24] G[ift] PROFESSOR E. E. EVANS-PRITCHARD; INST. OF SOCIAL ANTHROPOLOGY, 51 BANBURY RD. OXFORD - 1966.27.19 - S. SUDAN, DARFUNG. VARIOUS TRIBES. Box of negatives in envelopes, [1 - 242] & 1966.27.20 - Box of prints of these negatives [refers to object 1966.27.19] [1 - 242], in envelopes.

Manual Catalogues [typewritten, entitled "Ingassana"] - 186. Huts with ceremonial posts. (Sillok). O.2

Notes on card mount m/s pencil - "RCS spots 11/11/86 EE"

Other Information:

In Ethnological Observations in Dar Fung, Sudan Notes and Records XV Part I, 1932, page 6, E. E. Evans-Pritchard notes that 'There are a number of tree stems to be seen, erected near almost every group of houses, sometimes two or three together, and one informant told me that these are put up whenever there are twins. He said that if both twins were to live then they would put up two of these posts, which are called derga. He asserted that twins, presumably their spirits, climbed up these posts to see "Allah", and that they do this even when they are grown up. Some of these posts had corn hanging on them, where it was drying for seed. Another informant gave me the impression that they posts had something to do with an ancestor cult. He said that every head of a family had one, but not every man in community, and that at a harvest ceremony people placed their shields against them, and relatives grouped themselves together near the posts to eat a little bread and drink some beer.' [Chris Morton 19/2/2004]

Recorder:

Christopher Morton 19/2/2004 [Southern Sudan Project]