- Collection type
- Object
- Description
- Tassel of plant fibre attached to a string belt decorated with bright blue beads, worn like a tail at the back of the waist by married women. [JC 20 2 2002]
- Cultural groups
- Luo
- Date / Period
- Date made: Before 1913
- Date collected
- By 1913
- Acquisition information
- Donated: 1913
- Materials and processes
- Material Bead, Material Glass, Material Plant Fibre, Material Animal Hide Skin, Process Strung
- Dimensions
- Length: max 342 mm bead string, doubled
- Object numbers
- Accession number: 1913.26.1
- Research and responses
Examined by Gilbert Oteyo and Jeremy Coote in August and September 2002 as part of the British Academy funded project 'Luo Histories and Material Culture at the Pitt Rivers Museum': Waist ornament (chieno / olemo) consisting of a strip of hide (approximately 700 mm long) on to which have been strung blue glass beads. The two ends of the hide strip seem to have been made to be tied at the front. The 'tail' (approximately 230 mm long) is formed of thousands of now yellowish plant fibres. It is not clear whether these are separate strands bound together or whether they have been formed by the splitting of a single plant stem into separate strands. Where the 'tail' hangs from the hide 'waist' string, it has been 'bound' with a type of string that does not appear to be of plant or synthetic origin, but may possibly be made of the same sort of animal ligament that is used to make the strings of musical instruments. Such ornaments were worn by married women. It was made for a new bride by the wife of the bridgegroom's elder brother or cousin and given to the bride on the morning after her wedding. From then on it could be used as part of dress for dances and ceremonies. Such an ornament can be seen being worn in two photographs in the Museum's collections taken by E. E. Evans-Pritchard (EP: L.59 and 61) and in a photograph by Coutanoh showing women dancing (B6.2a). [JC 20 9 2002]
Search terms: Ornament, Clothing, Marriage, Waist Ornament