Austrian Motorcycle Expedition Through Africa, Capetown to Cairo film
odd: label: Local Number
content: HSFA 1979.1.1
name: label: Creator
content: Bohmer, Josef
place: label: Place
content: Africa, North
label: Place
content: Africa, Eastern
label: Place
content: Egypt
label: Place
content: Sudan
label: Place
content: Kenya
label: Place
content: South Africa
topic: label: Topic
content: Lotuko (African people)
acqinfo: label: Provenance
content: Received from Josef Bohmer in 1979.
creator: label: Creator
content: Bohmer, Josef
culture: label: Culture
content: Zulu (African people)
label: Culture
content: Kikuyu (African people)
label: Culture
content: Arabs
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 1 Film reel (37 minutes, black-and-white silent; 1365 feet, 16mm)
label: Extent
content: Linear feet
unitdate: label: Date
content: 1935-1936
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Human Studies Film Archives
identifier: label: Identifier
content: HSFA.1979.01
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 of a motorcycle expedition by six Austrians who traversed Africa from October 1935 to March 1936. Footage documents the rigors of overland travel on motorcycle as well as encounters with three tribal groups: Zulus in South Africa, Kikuyu in Kenya, and Latukas in the Sudan. Film includes ceremonial dance at a Zulu wedding, Zulu homesteads, and activities around a mission school; Kikuyu women on the way to market and in a market and distinctive ear ornamentation worn by these women; and Latuka homesteads and kraals. Also included are shots of Victoria Falls, expedition members with African bearers climbing Mt. Kilamanjaro, crossing the Nubian Desert, and logistics of setting up a mobile camp.

Collection also contains sound recordings and annotations (recorded narratives), photographs, field notes and maps.

Legacy Keywords: Dwellings circular thatched Zululand ; Schools mission schools South Africa ; Dance weddings Zulu South Africa ; Hair wearing of Zulu South Africa ; Markets marketwomen Kikuyu Kenya ; Corrals kraals Latuka Sudan ; Mutilation ear lobes Kikuyu Kenya ; Adornment ear ornaments Kikuyu Kenya ; Tents use in expedition camping ; Motorcycles Putsh as overland transport Africa ; Water wheels ox-driven Sudan ; Architecture Great Pyramids Egypt ; Language and culture

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.