Yoruba Crafts
odd: label: Local Number
content: HSFA 1989.19.1
name: label: Creator
content: Bascom, William Russell, 1912-1981
place: label: Place
content: Africa, West
label: Place
content: Nigeria
topic: label: Topic
content: Weaving
label: Topic
content: Ceramics
label: Topic
content: Carving (Decorative arts)
acqinfo: label: Provenance
content: Received from Berta Bascom in 1989.
creator: label: Creator
content: Bascom, William Russell, 1912-1981
culture: label: Culture
content: Yoruba (African people)
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 1 Film reel (11 minutes, color silent; 400 feet)
unitdate: label: Date
content: 1950-1951
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Human Studies Film Archives
identifier: label: Identifier
content: HSFA.1989.19
objectType: label: Type
content: Collection descriptions
label: Type
content: Archival materials
label: Type
content: Film reels
label: Type
content: Silent films
genre_format: label: Genre/Form
content: silent films
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents
content: Edited film shot in Oyo, Nigeria during field research. This visual record reflects Bascom's approach to the study of African aesthetics, one which integrated an analysis of the social role, status, and function of the artist with his/her individual style, ideas, and technique. Footage records traditional Yoruba craft techniques including pottery making, spinning cotton, dyeing thread and cloth, weaving of ikat cloth on a men's loom, and woodcarving. Also filmed is master Yoruba woodcarver, Duga of Meko, carving and painting a ritual effigy of Shango.

Legacy Keywords: Pottery manufacture of Nigeria ; Spinning of cotton thread Nigeria ; Textiles dyeing of Nigeria ; Weaving laying of warp Nigeria ; Carving woodcarvers Nigeria ; Effigies carving of Shango Nigeria

Please note that the contents of the collection and the language and terminology used reflect the context and culture of the time of its creation. As an historical document, its contents may be at odds with contemporary views and terminology and considered offensive today. The information within this collection does not reflect the views of the Smithsonian Institution or Anthropology Archives, but is available in its original form to facilitate research.