Neck ornament of plant seeds strung on a twisted plant fibre thread. Worn by young men during circumcision ceremonies. [MdeA 14/11/2007]

Collection type: Object
Description: Neck ornament of plant seeds strung on a twisted plant fibre thread. Worn by young men during circumcision ceremonies. [MdeA 14/11/2007]
Long description: Neck ornament made of plant seeds which have been strung on a plant fibre thread. There are 97 seeds in total. They are largely whiteish grey in colour. The seeds have been perforated vertically through the centre and are strung end to end on twisted plant fibre thread. There are two pieces of thread which have been tied together. The ends of the thread have been tied together to form a necklace and to prevent the seeds slipping off the thread. The strings of seeds are worn by young men during circumcision ceremonies. Several strings of seeds are worn at the same time. The strings of are worn diagonally across the breast, going from the neck to under the arm, several strings going in one direction and several in the other. [MdeA 20/11/2007]
Geographical reference: Uganda
Africa > Eastern Africa > Uganda; Mbale District
Cultural groups: Gisu; Bagisu
Person: Field collector Suzette Heald; PRM source Suzette Heald
Date / Period: Date made: Before 1967-1969
Date collected: 1967 - 1969
Acquisition information: Donated: 08/11/2006
Materials and processes: Material Plant Seed, Material Plant Fibre Yarn, Process Strung, Process Perforated
Dimensions: Length: max 520 mm approx, Length: max 11 mm each seed, approx
Object numbers: Accession number: 2006.93.8
Research and responses: According to the donor "On the re-stringing. This must have been done in Bugisu - possibly many times. There were a lot of business dealings with people at the lake so fishing wire would be possible." See Related Documents File for full details. [MdeA 20/11/2007]
Associated publications: See Heald, Suzette 1999. Manhood and Morality: Sex, Violence and Ritual in Gisu Society, London and New York: Routledge. [MdeA 13/11/2007] According to the donor the circumcision regalia in this collection was collected from one of the young men in the film Imbalu: Ritual of Manhood of the Gisu of Uganda, made by Suzette Heald and R. Hawkins in 1988. University of California, Los Angeles. Distributed by the Royal Anthropological Insititute. [MdeA 13/11/2007]

Search terms: Ritual and Ceremonial, Ornament, Bead, Ceremonial Object, Neck Ornament