"Muhamedanischer Gottesdienst in Kapstadt." ("Mohammedan service in Cape Town."). To the left and right a row of African men and boys with flat drums. In the center two men kneeling. They hold swords against each others neck. Behind them a kind of decorated sedan with flags on both sides. Behind the sedan a couple of men and boys and another man with a flat drum. To the left, parts of stairs. The men drumming and the ones in the center wear a white shirt and a dark sash. Imprinted on the image: "Muhammed. Gottesdienst. Kapstadt. No. 519." ("Mohammedan service. Cape Town. No. 519."). In reality evidently not a service but a ceremony held in the open air. Probably (given the tambourines and flags) the festival in the third month of the Muslim calendar, at which - in many parts of the Muslim world - al-Habshy's anthem "Maulid" (or "Mawlid") is recited, commemorating the birthday of the Prophet. -- Photography faded.
If you're wondering about permissions and what you can do with this item, a good starting point is the "rights information" on this page. See our terms of use for more tips.
Share your story
Has Calisphere helped you advance your research, complete a project, or find something meaningful? We'd love to hear about it; please send us a message.
