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Description
Note: "Ca. 1912." (Ch. M. Geary 1988:78). - "Spinnerin. In Kuti, der 'landwirtschaftlichen Versuchsstation' lebte in den Jahren 1913-15 ein deutscher Beamter, der 'das Herz auf dem rechten Fleck' hatte und die Eingeborenen wie gleichwertige Menschen behandelte. Er interressierte sich lebhaft für alles, was der Neger aus eigener Initiative fertig brachte und freute sich über alles was dem Schwarzen gelang. Er versuchte ohne aufdringlich zu sein den Neger auch für unsere Art zu arbeiten zu begeistern und brachte so viel Neues unter das Volk. Ein europäisches Spinnrad ist auch sein Geschenk. Zuerst wollten unsere Weiblein von dem surrenden und schnelllaufenden Ungetüm nichts wissen es ging ihnen wohl zu schnell aber nach und nach leuchtete ihnen das fremde Ding doch ein und mit fabelhafter Schnelligkeit erlernten die geschickten braunen Hände die Kunst unserer Grossmütter, und fröhlich surrend dreht sich nun täglich im hoch gelegenen Fumban das Rädchen, das sich vor Jahrzehnten wohl im gemütlichen Stübchen einer nordeutschen Matrone gedreht hatte!" (Wuhrmann, A., 1917. Beschreibung zu den Lichtbildern aus Bamum. E-30-0,6). Note translation: "c. 1912." (C.M. Geary 1988:78). - "Woman spinning. A German official lived in Kuti, the Agricultural Research Station, in 1913-1915. He was a good man. He treated the natives as his equals. He had a lively interest in everything which the Africans achieved on their own initiative and was enthusiastic about everything they managed to do. Without forcing it he tried to interest them in our ways of doing things, and so was responsible for initiating a lot of change. He presented a European spinning wheel to the people. At first our little [sic] women didn't want anything to do with this monster which hummed and went so fast. But by and by they realised what it could do for them, and then the clever brown hands learned our grandmothers' skills amazingly fast. And so this little wheel, which decades ago was turned in a comfortable sitting room by some North German lady now hums merrily away every day in our plateau town of Fumban." (A. Wuhrmann, 1917, "Commentaries on Slides from Bamum", K.386).
Type
image
Format
b/w positive, paper print, gelatin-silver 11.0 x 8.7 cm.
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