A Nuer dance
   58 x 55 mm   | Print gelatin silver 
     
   
 
 
Condition: 
staining right hand side [12/86 EE] 
Date of Print: 
Unknown 
Previous PRM Number: 
EP.N.VI.6 
Previous Other Number: 
44 (A141) 
 
Accession Number: 
1998.355.251.2 
Description: 
Two men at the entrance to Evans-Pritchard's tent perform a leaping movement (rau) with spears held in the right hands, whilst next them a group of men and women are also dancing. 
The location is Yakwach cattle camp on the Sobat which Evans-Pritchard revisited in July 1935. 
Dances were more a feature of village life than cattle camps since people had more ready access to other social groups, and often accompanied ceremonies such as marriages. 
Such events were the main arena for courtship among Nuer youth, and often took the form of mock battles between village groups. 
The proximity of the tent suggests that this dance was held at the end of the day (see shadows) possibly at Evans-Pritchard's instigation. 
Photographer: 
Edward Evan Evans-Pritchard 
Date of Photo: 
1935 July 
Region: 
[Southern Sudan]  Upper Nile  Sobat River  Yakwach 
Group: 
Nuer Lou 
PRM Source: 
Edward Evan Evans-Pritchard 
Acquired: 
Donated 1966 
Other Owners: 
E. E. Evans-Pritchard Collection 
Class: 
Dance , Weapon , Shelter 
Keyword: 
Dance Accessory , Spear , Club , Tent 
Activity: 
Dancing 
Event: 
Dance 
Documentation: 
Original catalogue lists in Manuscript Collections. Additional material in related documents files. [CM 27/9/2005] 
Primary Documentation: 
Accession Book Entry [p. 
98] 1966.27 [1 - 24] G[ift] PROFESSOR E. 
E. 
EVANS-PRITCHARD; INST. 
OF SOCIAL ANTHROPOLOGY, 51 BANBURY RD. 
OXFORD 1966.27.1-16 S. 
SUDAN. 
NUER TRIBE. 
Sixteen negative albums containing negatives 
and
 prints of photographs taken by donor during field-work. 
All listed in albums. 
Added Accession Book Entry - [p. 
98 in right hand column, in pencil] Catalogue room.
Manual Catalogues [index taken from album book VI, ms ink] - 6. Dancing
Note on print reverse ms pencil - "44 A141" & print front border ms ink - "NUER VI/6"
 
Manual Catalogues [index taken from album book VI, ms ink] - 6. Dancing
Note on print reverse ms pencil - "44 A141" & print front border ms ink - "NUER VI/6"
Other Information: 
The same group appear in another image [1998.355.52] which is indexed as Yakwach camp among the Lou. 
[Chris Morton 28/6/2004] 
Recorder: 
Christopher Morton [28/6/2004] [Southern Sudan Project] 
  
