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Description
Note: "Pflügender. Gerne erleichtert ein einsichtsvoller Regierungsbeamter dem Eingeborenen seine schwere und ungeschickt angegriffene Feldarbeit. Das Bamumvolk und auch die umliegenden Stämme haben zur Bestellung der Äcker nur eine kurzstielige Hacke. Es ist dem Neger noch nie in den Sinn gekommen, dass er seine starken Ochsen auch zur Landarbeit heranziehen könnte für ihn ist das Hornvieh nur Schlachtvieh. Der Regierungsbeamte der landwirtschaftlichen Versuchsstation hat mit viel Mühe einige Häuptlinge dazu gebracht, dass sie ihm ihre Ochsen übergaben, damit sie in Pflug und Egge eingefahren werden sollten. Das war harte und oft gefährliche Arbeit, denn nur schwer liessen sich die freiheitgewohnten Tiere zu regelmässiger Arbeit zwingen. Aber es ging. Die Ochsen sollten nun in den Feldern ihrer Herren ihre Kunst beweisen und den Häuptlingen wurden Pflug und Egge zur Verfügung gestellt. Die schwarzen Majestäten lehnten dankend ab. 'Wozu haben wir denn Frauen und Sklaven', hiess es beinahe entrüstet 'Die sollen, wie bisher, die Feldarbeit tun, die Ochsen aber sollen ihre Freiheit geniessen bis irgend ein Familien- oder Volksfest, eine Totenfeier oder ein fröhlicher Tanz ihnen das Todesurteil spricht.'" (Wuhrmann, A., 1917. Beschreibung zu den Lichtbildern aus Bamum. E-30-0,6). Note translation: Ploughmen. There is an insightful Government Official who likes to ease the burden of the heavy work which indigenous people have to do in their fields, often in a rather unskilled way. The people of Bamum and the surrounding tribes have only a short-handled matchet to help them prepare their soil for planting. No African has ever thought of harnessing his strong oxen to ease agricultural work. His cattle are primarily used for slaughter. The official at the Agricultural Research Station used all his powers of persuasion to get some chiefs to hand over their oxen, so that they could be trained in ploughing and harrowing. The task was difficult and often dangerous. The animals are used to their freedom and it takes a lot to force them to take on regular work. And now the oxen were supposed to show off their new skills on the fields of their masters, so the chiefs were also given ploughs and harrows. Their Black Majesties showed themselves grateful, but refused the gift. Why do we have women and slaves? , they asked, almost in anger. They should carry on working in the fields as they have up to now. The oxen should enjoy their freedom until some kind of family or popular festival, a funeral ceremony or a dance, means that they suffer the death penalty. (Anna Wuhrmann 1917, Commentaries to the Slides from Bamum, K.390).
Type
image
Format
b/w positive, paper print, gelatin-silver 5.5 x 8.0 cm.
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