This photograph was taken by Dr. Simon Ottenberg while conducting field research at Afikpo village-group, southeastern Nigeria, from September 1959 to December 1960.
Original title reads, "Afikpo Eke market, early January 1960. Smith's articles for sale, across the road from the market. Fire stands, hoe blades, brackets for canoe, yam tester (iron rod to tell whether boiled or cooked yam is done), yam hoe blade." [Ottenberg field research notes, September 1959-December 1960, Part I].
"The major Afikpo trading center is eke market, named for the day on which it meets. It is one of a connected series of markets found in adjoining village-groups to the west and north, which generally meet on different days of the four-day Igbo week. Men and women from Afikpo trade regularly in almost all of these markets. While they contain similar goods, they differ in price and the available quantities of certain products. Orie is a farm day. The next day, aho, is a small market day. Nkwo, which follows, is also a farm day. This is followed by eke, the major Afikpo market day, when no farm work is done." [Ottenberg S., 1968: Double Descent in an African Society; the Afikpo Village-Group. University of Washington Press].
Local Numbers:
282/1959-1960
EEPA 2000-070499
General:
Title source: Dr. Simon Ottenberg, Professor Emeritus of Anthropology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA.
Other Archival Materials:
Simon Ottenberg Papers are located at the National Anthropological Archives, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution.
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Collection Rights:
Permission to reproduce images from the Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives must be obtained in advance. The collection is subject to all copyright laws.
