July-2019

62 / HERITAGE / Conservation
HERITAGE / 63
“Ceremonial
masks are worn to
prevent drought”
Young Barabaig in northern
Tanzania during the courtship
season. The girl wears a zebra
headdress, beaded armlets,
incised plastic bracelets and
a skirt made of goat hides.
The brass ghijichka necklace
reflects the wealth of her
family and the dowry required
by the bride.
LEGACY FOR THE FUTURE
In the 1990s, following their first 15
years of fieldwork, Beckwith and Fisher
devoted themselves to a Pan-African
project focused on the human life cycle.
Even though the resulting double-volume
book, African Ceremonies, covered 42
ceremonies across the continent, they
knew that their work was not complete.
“There were still very important
ceremonies to record that had not taken
place during the ten years of our fieldwork
or that had not been accessible
due to political upheaval, drought or
closed borders,” write the authors. “We
have therefore spent the last twelve
years conducting more fieldwork, with
the purpose to create a book that preserves
the legacy of Africa’s ancient
traditions in photographs and stories for
future generations. Our photographic
archive covers more than 150 different
African cultures and consists of over
half a million photographs, videos, illustrated
journals and themed exhibitions.
Our vision is that this archive will find a
home in a university or museum so that
future generations of Africans and
students across the world can access
and learn from the wonders of our
shared African heritage.”
Right page: Rendille men during
the generational Herr Heroon (bull
ceremony) in northern Kenya,
where all nine Rendille clans from
across the desert unite. Hundreds
of warriors gather in multicoloured
textiles and beaded jewellery,
enhanced by stylish red-andwhite
football socks. The young
men carry long wooden staffs,
indicating their warrior status,
which they use during the dances
to propel themselves higher as
they leap into the air.
“Our photographic archive
covers more than 150 different
African cultures”