Anuak stirrer
Other views of this artifact:
Accession Number:
1936.10.47
Country:
Sudan
Region:
[Southern Sudan]
Cultural Group:
Anywaa [Anuak]
Date Made:
By 1936
Materials:
Wood Plant
Process:
Carved
Dimensions:
Max L = 585 mm Max W across base arms = 105.5 mm Max Diam body at top = 12 mm, at base = 16 mm Max W arms = 9.5 to 10 mm [RTS 28/6/2004].
Weight:
111.1 g
Local Name:
agweya
Other Owners:
Presumably collected by Evans-Pritchard during his period of fieldwork amongst the Anuak between early March and May 1935 [RTS 18/6/2004].
Field Collector:
Edward Evan Evans-Pritchard
PRM Source:
Edward Evan Evans-Pritchard
Acquired:
Donated 1936
Collected Date:
March - May 1935
Description:
Wooden stick with roughly straight body with varying round to oval section, from which a series of 10 knobs protrude at various angles, representing the stumps of smaller branches that have been roughly trimmed off from the main shaft.
The bark has been largely stripped off, leaving a few patches behind.
At the base of the stick two side branches have been left as longer pieces, extending at acute angles from the body.
This was presumably the base of the tool, which was used to stir porridge.
The underside of the base is irregularly cut and roughly oval in plan view.
Although complete, the object has numerous cracks that run down the length of the body on all sides, and there are some holes through one of the side branches that may represent former insect activity.
The wood is slightly yellowish brown in colour (Pantone 728C) with a darker reddish brown bark (Pantone 476C).
It has a length of 585 mm, with a width across the stirring arms of 105.5 mm; the body has a diameter of 12 mm near the top, measures 16 by 15.5.
at its centre and has a diameter of 16 mm near the base, while the stirring arms have a diameter of 9.5 to 10 mm.
The object weighs 111.1 grams overall.
Collected by Evans-Pritchard during his period of fieldwork amongst the Anuak between early March and May 1935 (E.E. Evans-Pritchard, 1940, The Political System of the Anuak of the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan, p. 3).
This object was used by the Anuak for stirring porridge, and has the local name agweya. Food stirrers of this type are also found amongst groups such as the Acholi, Lango, and Kakwa of Uganda (see M. Howell & K.P. Wachsmann, 1953, Tribal Crafts of Uganda, p. 164, pl. 39E or possibly 39F).
Rachael Sparks 19/08/2005.
Collected by Evans-Pritchard during his period of fieldwork amongst the Anuak between early March and May 1935 (E.E. Evans-Pritchard, 1940, The Political System of the Anuak of the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan, p. 3).
This object was used by the Anuak for stirring porridge, and has the local name agweya. Food stirrers of this type are also found amongst groups such as the Acholi, Lango, and Kakwa of Uganda (see M. Howell & K.P. Wachsmann, 1953, Tribal Crafts of Uganda, p. 164, pl. 39E or possibly 39F).
Rachael Sparks 19/08/2005.
Primary Documentation:
Accession Book Entry
[p.
410] - 1936 [insert] 10 [end insert] E.
EVANS-PRITCHARD, M.A., Exeter College, Oxford.
- Specimens collected by himself in the EASTERN SUDAN, while travelling with a Grant from the
Rockefeller
Leverhulme Trustees, viz: [p.
414] [insert] 47 [end insert] -
Agweya
, swizzle-stick for stirring porridge, ANUAK.
Card Catalogue Entry - There is no further information on the catalogue card [RTS 30/1/2004].
Written on object - Agweya, porridge-stirrer, ANUAK, E. SUDAN. d.d. E. Evans-Pritchard, 1936 [RTS 28/6/2004].
Pitt Rivers Museum label - AFRICA, SUDAN ANUAK Wooden stick with branched end used to stir porridge. Donated by Evans-Pritchard 1936 [El.B 'DCF 2004-2006 What's Upstairs?' 6/4/2005]
Card Catalogue Entry - There is no further information on the catalogue card [RTS 30/1/2004].
Written on object - Agweya, porridge-stirrer, ANUAK, E. SUDAN. d.d. E. Evans-Pritchard, 1936 [RTS 28/6/2004].
Pitt Rivers Museum label - AFRICA, SUDAN ANUAK Wooden stick with branched end used to stir porridge. Donated by Evans-Pritchard 1936 [El.B 'DCF 2004-2006 What's Upstairs?' 6/4/2005]
