APPENDIX G
Collections of Photographs
by George Weber
Besides the photographic collections described below, here there are, of course, many others. More will be added as adequate information becomes available to us..
Anthropological Survey of India, Calcutta, India
British Library, Oriental and India Office Collection, London, England
Pitt Rivers Museum, Oxford, England (also film material)
Royal Anthropological Institute, London, England
Anthropological Survey of India
The Director,
Anthropological Survey of India
27 Jawaharlal Nehru Road (Chowringhee Road)
Calcutta 700016
India
Tel. +91/33/249 8731, 33, 34, Fax +91/33/249 7696
E-mail ezcc@cal.vsnl.net.in
The Calcutta Portman Manuscript
This werk is kept at the library of the Anthropological Survey of India as H9M 398 P853.
The 26 volumes of what is called the "Calcutta Portman Manuscript" are mostly photo albums - "manuscript" is something of a misnomer - which represent a major collection of Andamanese photographs. With few exceptions Mr. M.V. Portman was the photographer and even the equipment used seem to have been his own (see M.V. Port man for his biography and details of the shenanigans surrounding the origins of the collection). Although hardly any pictures are dated, internal evidence indicate that most of them were shot in the 1890s. As far as we know, Portman did all his work with negative paper originals. The photographs in this collection, however, are all positive duplicate paper prints. The whereabouts of the originals, if they have survived at all, remains largely unknown even though a few have been reported at the British Library in London. In vol 16 of the Calcutta manuscript there is a handwritten note mentioning negatives but these could not be found.
The technical quality of the photographs in this collection varies from acceptable to unusable but with a surprisingly good average considering the age of the prints and their storage in a hot and humid climate. They are today kept in good conditions at the library of the Anthropological Survey at Calcutta. Periods when the library's air-conditioning does not work still occur from time to time, however. Those photographs that have to be classified as unusable have either faded into near-invisibility or have been damaged by the glue that was used at some early time to paste them up. A large number, despite their often unsatisfactory quality, are of considerable scientific value . They show a place, a people and a time for which any kind of photographic documentation is extremely rare. The British Library in London also has a collection of Andamanese photographs (the "London Portman Manuscript; see the entry on the British Library later in this chapter) that duplicates many of the Calcutta photographs and has some that the Calcutta volumes do not have - others are in the Calcutta collection that are missing in London.
The photographs have been glued, most probably during Portman's own time or shortly after his departure in 1900, onto thick gray cardboard. Only the correspondence in vol. 26 is fixed with needles to the same cardboard. The board has not aged well and has a tendency to crumble if not handled with care.
The 26 volumes have been bound up to six different sizes:
|
smallest |
15 x 18 cm (9 x 15 in.) |
vols. 21-25 |
Some of these volumes clearly show the structure of Portman's grandiose uncompleted plan for a full and systematic documentation of all conceivable Andamanese activities and physical characteristics. Others, however, seem to have been thrown together haphazardly and in some haste, but nevertheless remain of some historical value. It is probable that at the more haphazard volumes, particularly 26, were left behind by Portman in 1900 in what seems to have been a rather hurried departure. Please refer to Appendix A for Portman's biography and further background information on his photographic work.
Portman's equipment (the make of which has not yet been identified) was slow, heavy and cumbersome. It did not allow spontaneous snapshots and scenes had to be painstakingly set up (see also the remarks on the Sentineli photographs in the comments to vol. 20 below).
|
vol. 1-3 |
photographs |
full-face and profile portraits |
|
vol. 4 |
photographs |
making adzes and bows |
|
vol. 5-6 |
photographs |
making bows and arrows |
|
vol. 7 |
photographs |
making ropes and huts |
|
vol. 8 |
photographs |
miscellaneous activities |
|
vol. 9 |
photographs |
body painting and scarifying |
|
vol. 10-13 |
anthropometric lists |
connected to portraits in vols. 14-15 |
|
vol. 14-15 |
photographs |
full-face and profile portraits |
|
vol. 16 |
photographs |
full-face and profile portraits graded according to age; also some miscellaneous items |
|
vol. 17-18 |
photographs |
mostly geographical and jungle views |
|
vol. 19 |
photographs |
scenes with individuals and groups of people |
|
vol. 20 |
photographs |
huts and jungle; scenes with individuals and groups of people |
|
vol. 21 |
photographs |
Andamanese portraits |
|
vol. 22-25 |
photographs |
very mixed |
|
vol. 26 |
correspondence |
Volume 1
Contains full face and profile portraits on 25 plates of 15 individuals (8 men, 7 women) of the four Great Andamanese tribes Aka-Bea, A-Pucikwar, Aka-Juwoi and Aka-Kede.
Volume 2
Contains full face and profile portraits on 25 plates of 25 individuals (20 men, 5 women) of the seven Great Andamanese tribes Aka-Bea, A-Pucikwar, Aka-Juwoi and Aka-Kede, Aka-Kol, Aka-Cari and Aka-Jeru.
Volume 3
Contains full face and profile portraits on 26 plates of 17 individuals (11 men, 6 women) of the six Great Andamanese tribes Aka-Bea, A-Pucikwar, Aka-Juwoi, Aka-Kede, Aka-Kol and Aka-Jeru.
Volume 4
Contains a systematic series of large photographs showing the steps needed to make adzes and bows.
Photos 1-4: how a branch is cut off from a mangrove tree
Photos 5-10: how the branch is prepared with the help of another adze to make the handle of a new one
Photos 11-12: how a piece of iron is cold-hammered into the desired shape with a stone and then sharpened by grinding it against another stone
Photo 13: how a strip of cane is prepared
Photos 14-16: how handle and blade are tied together with strips of cane. feathered with bark and leaves and how the cane is then tightened by jamming a piece of wood between blade and cane
Photos 17-18: the finished adze and how it is held
Photos 19-20: how a tree trunk is cut
Photos 21-23: how the trunk is debarked and trimmed into shape with an adze and then polished with a boar's tusk sharpened with a cyrenia shell
Photo 24: how the bow is strung up.
Volume 5
Contains a systematic series of large photographs showing how bows are made ready for use, how bowstrings are prepared and how arrows are made.
Photos 1-7: how a bow is readied for use and various ways of holding arrows
Photo 8: how a bow is unstrung after use
Photos 9-16: how fiber for bowstrings is cut and prepared
Photo 17: how a "quick emergency bow-string" is prepared
Photos 18-21: details of bows (end points, etc)
Photo 24: ways of holding a cyrenia shell used for cutting
Photos 25-27: how arrows are made
Photos 28-30: how arrows are prepared and straightened
Photos 31-34: how the arrowhead is fixed to the arrow
Photos: 35-36: how the point of the arrow is prepared
Photos 37-38: the endpoints of a northern Great Andamanese bow
Photo 39: specialized pig arrow
Photo 40: the making of string
Photo 42: the making of a specialized pig arrow.
Volume 6
Contains a systematic series of large photographs showing how northern-type Great Andamanese bows are made ready for use, how bowstrings are prepared and how arrows are made.
Photo 1: the making of specialized pig arrows
Photos 2-3: how arrow-points are sharpened with a grinding stone
Photos 4-10: the cutting of a tree trunk for a northern-type Great Andamanese bow
Photos 11-21: how a bow is cut roughly into shape, the bark stripped and the result smoothed out and polished
Photos 22-25: showing the unique Andamanese method of stringing and unstringing a bow
Photos 26-27: selection of complete northern-type Great Andamanese bows.
Volume 7
Contains a systematic series of large photographs showing how ropes and harpoons are made and how huts are built.
Photos 1-2: some plant species used in fiber making
Photo 3: how the bark is stripped off
Photos 4-6: how the bark fibber is twisted into string
Photos 7-8: how the material for a specialized turtle harpoon is selected and how such a harpoon is made
Photos 9-11: how the frame of a semi-permanent hut is erected
Photos 12-18: how material for thatch is collected and applied
Photos 19-23: how a temporary hut is erected
Photo 24: unusual hut of a design not elsewhere described, with a storage area as a "second floor"
Photos 25-26: village with several huts in various stages of construction
Volume 8
Contains a thematically jumbled selection of photographs of various sizes.
Photo 1: general view of a village
Photo 2: the drinking bamboo in use
Photo 3: pig feast and how the cyrenia shell (oyster knife) is used
Photo 4: the leaves traditionally used to cover women's genitals are bundled for storage; also shows how the nautilus shell is used for drinking
Photos 5-12: how items are bundled and wrapped for storage and transport, and how they are carried
Photos 13-14: how knives are carried
Photo 15: how small articles are carried in the head-hair
Photo 16: the commonly adopted crouching position
Photo 17: the squatting position
Photo 18: the normal sitting position of men (legs straight and flat, body upright, supporting arms outstretched straight and hands resting just above the knees - a position rarely taken up by women)
Photo 19: the normal sleeping position on the side, with someone waking the sleeper
Photo 20: the normal sitting position of women with crossed legs (a position rarely assumed by men)
Photo 21: woman sitting in the male manner
Photo 22: the famous Andamanese "tearful reunion" when the returning person sits on the lap of the welcoming person (usually the husband returning from the hunt) and both cry loudly for a period that depends on the length the two participants have not seen each other
Photo 23: the "parting ceremony" when a handshake is exchanged and each participant blows briefly on the hand of the other
Photos 24-29: how a torch is made
Photo 30: how scarification is applied (Portman calls it "tattooing")
Photos 31-31: the scarifying pattern on two male southern Great Andamanese backs.
Volume 9
Contains photographs of various sizes, mostly on scarification and body painting.
Photo 2: scarification on the back, chest and stomach of a southern Great Andamanese man
Photo 3: facial paint
Photo 4: recently bereaved widower having white clay put on him by a woman. Portman's own caption reads:
On the death of wife/near relative, the shaven forehead is plastered with a thick cake of white mud (og). He is said to be Aka-Og, does not dance/take part in festivities - until funeral dance which takes place 70 days after burial. Og is then taken off.
Photos 5-6: two other forms of mourning paint applied to heads
Photo 7: woman applying medical scarification on a patient's forehead against headaches and fever
Photos 8-9: medicinal bandages against rheumatism and toothache
Photos 10-11: shows how hot wrappings of mashed plant material are applied to help against lung and chest disease
Photo 12: man with beard and moustache, most unusual among Andamanese
Photos 13-15: how the Andamanese counted with their fingers
Photos 16-18: scarification on backs, chests and arms
Photos 19-22: body paint on males and females
Photo 23: group of six women body painting someone of unidentified sex, assisted by what are probably three men
Photos 24-26: various scarification pattern
Photo 27: woman painting the belly of a man
Photo 28: full-body paint
Photos 29-30: facial paint in red ochre
Photo 31: woman painting red ochre on a man's chest.
Volumes 10-13
Contain completed lists of anthropometric data on 100 male and 100 female Great Andamanese: vols. 10 and 11 of 50 females each (some also appear in portraits of vol. 15) vols. 12 and 13 of 50 males each (some also appear in portraits of vol. 14).
Portman first gives the following average values:
Pulse rate: 95 beats per minute Height: 138.5 cm Respiratory rate: 16 per minute Weight: 85 lbs. 1 oz Body temperature: 99.6 F
Observations on External Characters" lists the following anthropometric data:
|
Color of skin |
Color of eyes |
|
Fold of skin at inner angle of eyes |
Color of hair |
|
Character of hair |
Shape of face |
|
Profile of nose |
Prominence of mouth region (prognatism) |
|
Lips |
Prominence of face transversely |
|
Length and breadth of hand |
Length and breadth of nose |
|
Projection of the head: vortex to root of |
Bi-zygomatic breath of face |
|
Length of upper limb |
Length of orbit |
|
Length of head along its back |
Length of foot |
|
Sitting height |
|
|
Outline drawing of hand with wrist |
Outline drawing of foot |
|
Kneeling height |
Standing height (barefoot) |
|
Height to chin |
Height to sternal notch |
|
Height from internal malleolus to ground |
Span of arms |
|
Breadth of shoulders |
Breadth of hips |
|
Diameters of face (4 measurements) |
Diameters of ear (2 measurements) |
|
Height of umbilicus from the ground |
Bi-orbital nasal arc |
|
Circumference of chest |
Minimum supra malleolar circumference of leg |
|
Maximum supra malleolar circumference of leg |
Length of body from 7th cervical spine to lower end of coccyx |
|
Bi-acrominal breadth |
Bi-iliac crest breadth |
|
Length of arm (acromion to humero-radial line) |
Length of forearm (humero-radial line to tip of styloid process) |
|
Length of thigh (anterior superior iliac spine to external femoro-tibial line) |
Length of leg (femoro-tibial line to end of external malleolus) |
|
Height of external mallelus from the ground |
also: remarks on name, age, temper, character, marital status, etc. |
Volume 14
Contains full-body frontal and profile views on a measuring screen. There are 30 plates on 15 individuals, all adult males.
Volume 15
Contains full-body frontal and profile views on a measuring screen. There are 20 plates on 10 individuals, all females, most adult.
Volume 16
Contains full-body frontal and profile views of male children and adults, graded according to age. A second part from photo 16 onwards shows photographs of Portman's expeditions to the Onge of Little Andaman in the 1880s plus a few assorted items.
A note in this volume also mentions "fourteen additional negatives" which, however, could not be found.
Photo 1: the full-body profile of 6-year old boy
Photos 2-3: the full-body frontal and profile of a 10-year old boy
Photos 4-5: the full-body frontal and profile of a 15-year old boy
Photos 6-7: the full-body frontal and profile of a 20-year old man
Photos 8-9: the full-body frontal and profile of a 25-year old man
Photos 10-11: the full-body frontal and profile of a 30-year old man
Photos 12-13: the full-body frontal and profile of a 35-year old man
Photos 14-15: the full-body frontal and profile of a 40-year old man
Photo 16: jungle swamp on Little Andaman with a small group of Onge
Photo 17: the traditional landing place of outside visitors at Wota-emi on Little Andaman
Photo 18: eight Onge (?) men
Photo 19: HMS "Nancowry" in drydock
Photo 20: the bay on eastern Rutland island named Portman Bay after Portman himself
Photo 21: mangrove thicket with plants used to make belts.
Contains a mixture of mostly geographical and jungle views, some of historical value.
Photo 1: the cutting of a bow
Photos 2-3: Portman's orchid house
Photo 4: hut at Wota-emi on Little Andaman
Photo 5: Portman Bay, eastern Rutland island (named after M.V. Portman)
Photos 6-8: huts on Cape Price on northern Great Andaman
Photo 9: the cutting of a tree trunk for bowmaking
Photo 10: the tennis ground on Ross Island with residential houses in the background
Photo 11: the barracks for European troops on Ross Island
Photos 12-14: the little pile of ballast rocks and wooden beams that is all that remained in the 1890s to mark the site of the wreck of the "Runnymede" 1844, Ritchie's archipelago
Photo 15: the westcoast of South Button Island
Photo 16: the rocky coast of Chirya Tapu at the southernmost tip of South Great Andaman
Photo 17: Ross Island from the sea and looking south, with barracks and residential housing
Photo 18: the northwest coast of South Button Island
Photo 19: Cape Bluff at the northwestern end of South Great Andaman
Photo 20: the southern headland of Port Campbell
Photo 21: the brush-type forest along the shores of Rutland island
Photo 22: the cliffs of Port Campbell as seen from Montgomery Island
Photos 23, 26 and 32: the ship "Ross" at anchor in Breakfast Bay
Photo 24: the western shores of South Button Island
Photos 25 and 27: the jungle on Ritchie's Archipelago
Photo 28: the south side of South Button Island
Photo 29: bamboo thicket
Photo 30: Montgomery Island as seen from the Port Campbell cliffs; five Great Andamanese men are disporting themselves on the rocks in the foreground
Photo 31: another view from the cliffs of Port Campbell
Photo 33: five Great Andamanese men climbing in the branches of a tree on Lawrence Island in Ritchie's Archipelago
Photo 34: "bamboo avenue" at Mt. Harriett, opposite Port Blair
Photo 35: Andamanese village
Photos 36-37 and 39: views of the volcanic Barren Island
Photo 38: the "Deputy's House" (i.e. Portman's own house) on Ross Island
Photo 40bamboo thicket on Mt. Harriett with one Andamanese man
Photo 41: showing the nature of the jungle on North Sentinel Island
Photo 42: Chatham and Ross Islands in Port Blair harbor as seen from Mt. Harriett
Photos 43-44: jungle severely damaged by the cyclone of 1st November 1891
Photo 45: Sentineli communal hut, with Portman's Great Andamanese helpers posing as "Sentineli" (see also comments on vol. 20 below)
Photos 46-47: dense Sentineli jungle
Photo 48: cyclone damage, 1st November 1891.
Volume 18
Contains a miscellany of photographs with no particular unifying theme. The photos to no. 16 are badly faded and so of little value.
Photos 1-2: the wreck of the "Runnymede" (see also photos 12-14, vol. 17)
Photos 3-4: village in Homfray Strait between South and Middle Great Andaman
Photo 5: full-body portrait of a Great Andamanese male
Photo 6: village on Havelock Island on Ritchie's Archipelago
Photo 7: jungle around Homfray Strait
Photo 8: facial portrait of a male
Photo 9: village on Havelock Island, Ritchie's Archipelago
Photo 10: hut from the village of photo 9
Photo 11: jungle-fringed beach on Sir John Lawrence Island, Ritchie's Archipelago
Photo 12: tree on Spike Island
Photo 13: hut on Middle Great Andaman
Photo 14: village on Havelock Island in Ritchie's Archipelago
Photo 15: villagers (about 18 persons, men, women and children) from the village of photo 14
Photo 16: jungle on Middle Great Andaman
Photo 17: waterfall at Koyob-la-tunga
Photo 18: the man with the "humorous" British nickname of "H.E. the Cat"
Photo 19: the ship "Ross"
Photo 20: Grub Island in the Labyrinth islands, off the southwestern coast of South Great Andaman
Photo 21: facial portrait of a woman
Photo 22: portrait of T.E. Tuson who was briefly (1874/75) the British Officer in Charge of the Andamanese
Photos 23-25: portraits of Great Andamanese men
Photos 26-27: views of the "Deputy's House" (i.e. Portman's own house) on Ross Island
Photo 28: portrait of a Great Andamanese man
Photos 29-32: more views of the "Deputy's House" on Ross Island
Photos 33-35: jungle trees
Photo 34: palm trees at Chirya Tapu, at the southern extreme of South Great Andaman
Photo 35: Great Andamanese children with toy bows
Photo 36: the deck of HMINS "Tennasserim"
Photos 37-38: palm trees
Photo 39: ferns
Photo 40: palm trees
Photos 42-48: jungle views
Photo 49: cutting a bow with an adze
Photos 50-54: view over Port Blair harbor from Mt. Harriett
Photo 55: British officers on Ross Island's lawn tennis ground, Sports Day, 1st January 1891
Photo 56: as photo 55 but also showing some Indian staff and 80-100 Great Andamanese watching the occasion
Photo 57: cave and rocks at Puluga-la'ka-bang
Photo 58: three Great Andamanese athletes
Photo 59: the southern headland of Port Campbell
Photo 60: the "Great Cave" at Puluga-la'ka-bang
Photo 61: portrait of a Great Andamanese man
Photo 62: portrait of a Great Andamanese woman
Photo 63: view of the Port Campbell cliffs
Photo 64: Great Andamanese man cutting bamboo shafts
Photos 65-69: cyclone damage to jungle and European houses, 1st November 1891
Photos 70-74: views of volcanic Barren Island
Photo 75: small Sentineli hut with six of Portman's Great Andamanese helpers posing as "Sentineli" (see also comments on vol. 20 below); also visible is some photographic equipment on a tripod
Photo 76: jungle on North Sentinel island with six of Portman's Great Andamanese helpers posing as "Sentineli"
Photo 77: Chatham Island from Haddo on the Port Blair side
Photo 78: full view of South Button Island.
Volume 19
Contains mostly photographs of groups and individuals, including one of the very few identified clear pictures of Portman himself.
Photo 1: posed group of 23 standing Andamanese boys (6 dressed in some form of ecclesiastical garb, the rest naked) with a clean-shaven M.V. Portman himself seated in the center and looking distinctly displeased
Photos 2-3: southern Great Andamanese group of men, women and children in front of a temporary hut
Photo 4: dancing group of five men, one additional man sings and strikes the sounding board
Photo 5: full-body portrait of Riala, declared here to be the "titular king of the Andamans"
Photo 6: two men, one wearing a shell skirt and the other holding a bow
Photo 7: southern Great Andamanese man with bow
Photo 8: twelve Great Andamanese chiefs with Mr. Portman
Photo 9: northern Great Andamanese woman with her collecting utensils
Photo 10: two northern Great Andamanese women with their collecting utensils
Photo 11: southern Great Andamanese man with an arrow
Photo 12: southern Great Andamanese man
Photo 13: Great Andamanese couple, the man holding an arrow, the woman some leaves
Photo 14: an Aka-Kede chief and a woman
Photo 15: man identified only as "from the tribe on Kyd island" (i.e. an Aka-Bea group)
Photo 16: woman
Photo 17: man with arrows and a woman with child
Photo 18: young man
Photo 19: three boys
Photo 20: three women
Photo 21: man with a bindle of arrows
Photo 22: large group of Andamanese men and two Indian convict petty officers
Photo 23: large group of Great Andamanese with Portman (photo faded, individuals barely visible)
Photo 24: unidentifiable group of five Great Andamanese (photo faded)
Photo 25: eight Great Andamanese men.
Contains a mixed assemblage of photographs, including pictures made on North Sentinel Island. Although Portman briefly held prisoner some genuine Sentineli people, no photographs of them have come to light so far. The "Sentineli" (which Portman sometimes mistakenly calls "Jarawa") shown here are in fact posed by hilariously over-acting Great Andamanese that Portman had brought with him as helpers.
Photo 1: two men in a Sentineli hut
Photo 2: jungle on North Sentinel island
Photo 3: "Jarawa" hunting party on North Sentinel Island with 11 men posing as hunters between the buttressed roots of a large tree
Photos 4-6: trees on North Sentinel Island
Photo 7: "Jarawa" spies hiding between the buttressed roots of the same large tree of photo 3 above
Photo 8: "Sentineli" hunters
Photo 9: "Sentineli" hunters taking a rest between the buttressed roots of the same large tree of photos 3 and 7 above
Photos 10-11: the interior of Portman's conservatory
Photo 12: Portman's garden
Photo 13: Aberdeen village at Port Blair
Photo 14: Sikh sentry on duty outside Portman's house
Photo 15: Col. Horsford's bust portrait
Photo 16: portrait of a Great Andamanese man
Photo 17: Phoenix Bay and Chatham Island in Port Blair harbor
Photos 18-20: facial portraits of Great Andamanese men
Photo 21: birds' nests
Photo 22: birds' nests packed up for export
Photo: 23-26: facial portraits of Great Andamanese men
Photo 27: "Mr. and Mrs. Ford's honeymoon group" on board a vessel, 7th March 1894 (as photo 13, vol. 24)
Volume 21
Contains what is called "typical heads of the Andamanese" - 25 plates of 25 individuals (19 men, 6 women) from North, Middle and South Great Andaman.
Volume 22
Contains a very mixed batch of photographs.
Photo 1: Andamanese group
Photo 2: Aberdeen bazaar at Port Blair
Photos 3-4: interior of Portman's orchid house
Photo 5: an Andamanese hut
Photo 6: Interview Island off the westcoast of North Great Andaman
Photo 7: facial portrait of a Great Andamanese man
Photo 8: tree with orchids
Photo 9: facial portrait of a Great Andamanese man
Photo 10: branch of a tree
Photo 11: facial portrait of a Great Andamanese man
Photo 12: view of Middle Strait
Photo 13: facial portrait of a Great Andamanese man
Photo 14: deck and steering wheel of the "Ross"
Photo 15: facial portrait of a Great Andamanese man
Photo 16: Great Andamanese canoe in tow of the "Ross"
Photo 17: facial portrait of a Great Andamanese man
Photo 18: the grave of a British officer's two dogs "Moses" and "Aaron"
Photo 19: facial portrait of a Great Andamanese man
Photo 20: an orchid
Photo 21: jungle view
Photos 22-27: facial portraits of Great Andamanese men
Photo 28: hand holding a seashell
Photos 29-35: facial portraits of Great Andamanese men
Photo 36: hand holding a digging stick
Photo 37: facial portrait of a Great Andamanese man
Photos 38-39: facial portraits of Indian men
Photos 40-43: facial portrait of Great Andamanese men
Photo 45: HMINS "Tennasserim"
Photo 46: two European men and an Andamanese man
Photo 47: landscape with palm trees
Photo 48: jungle seashore
Photo 49: Aberdeen "tank" (=reservoir)
Photo 50: mangrove thicket
Photo 51: an Andamanese man on a rock
Photo 52: an epiphytic plant
Photo 53: an Andamanese man posing before "Alexander anchorage" (a large rock)
Photo 54: the vessel "Ross" in dry dock
Photo 55: the Aberdeen Jetty guardhouse, a turreted brick building that has not survived into the late 20th century.
Volume 23
Contains a very mixed batch of photographs, many badly faded.
Photo 1: epiphytic plants
Photo 2: Aberdeen jetty with its peculiar guardhouse
Photo 3: portrait of British Capt. Falle
Photo 4: jungle view
Photo 5: portrait of British Lt. Pearson
Photo 6: the Aberdeen "tank" (=reservoir)
Photo 7: "T.C." (Thomas Cadell?), European man
Photo 8: portrait of British Lt. Robertson
Photo 9: portrait of a Great Andamanese man
Photo 10: Sports Day on 1st January 1891
Photo 11: portrait of a Great Andamanese man
hoto 12: cyclone damage to the vegetation, 1st November 1891
Photo 13: portrait of a Great Andamanese woman
Photo 14: cyclone damage to the vegetation, 1st November 1891
Photo 15: portrait of a Great Andamanese man
Photo 16: cyclone damage to the vegetation, 1st November 1891
Photo 17: portrait of a Great Andamanese man
Photo 18: the North Sentinel Island jungle
Photo 19: four Great Andamanese women and one Great Andamanese man with one European officer ("Lt. Bruce's 5 o'clock tea party")
Photo 20: jungle view
Photo 21: the British Mrs. Tuson with three Great Andamanese women
Photo 22: the coast of North Sentinel Island
Photo 23: as photo 19 but without Lt. Bruce
Photo 24: caves and ash mounds on volcanic Barren Island
Photo 25: the North Sentinel Island jungle
Photos 26-27: views of volcanic Barren Island
Photos 28-29: portraits of Great Andamanese men
Photo 30: harbor scene with two sailing ships
Photos 31-34: jungle scenes
Photo 37: Indians queue to pay their land rent
Photo 38: quarry
Photo 39: stone steps
Photos 40-41: cat playing
Photo 42: European man holding an arrow; he is surrounded by four Great Andamanese men
Photo 43: Chatham Island taken (as Portman notes) "with the telephoto lens from my house"
Photo 44: group of eleven Great Andamanese men and women
Photo 45: jungle view
Photo 46: boat
Photo 47: small sailing boat with a European man
Photo 48: same group as in photo 44
Photo 49: residential houses on Ross Island
Photo 50: rocks on South Button Island
Volume 24
Another volume of mixed photographs without thematic order.
Photo 1: Phoenix Bay in Port Blair harbor
Photo 2: waterfall
Photo 3: jungle at Portman Bay on Rutland island
Photo 4: Portman's residence taken from E.H. Man's home (the two enemies lived very close together)
Photo 5: scene on Little Andaman
Photo 6: portrait of an Onge man
Photo 7: Portman's greenhouse
Photo 8: portrait of an Onge man
Photo 9: jungle around Mt. Harriett
Photo 10: portrait of a Great Andamanese man
Photo 11: Phoenix Bay in Port Blair harbor
Photo 12: temporary Andamanese hut
Photo 13: Mr. and Mrs. Ford's honeymoon party 7th March 1894 (as photo 27 , vol. 20)
Photos 14-17: Great Andamanese men and women in a temporary hut
Photo 18: eight Onge (?) taking a dip in the sea
Photo 19Great Andamanese man and a woman in a temporary hut
Photo 20: jungle on Rutland Island
Photo 21: full-body portrait of a Great Andamanese man
Photo 22: two temporary huts in Portman Bay, Rutland Island
Photo 23: Europeans aboard the vessel "Mayo"
Photo 24: canoe with Great Andamanese men at Portman Bay, Rutland Island
Photo 25: Great Andamanese man in front of a large hut
Photo 26: "Mang plants" in the jungle
Photo 27: Portman's houseboat in Port Blair harbor
Photo 28: Europeans aboard the vessel "Mayo" (as photo 23 above)
Photo 29: view of Crocodile Creek.
Volume 25
Contains what looks like a hastily pasted-in collection of facial portraits with no further identification. Scattered between the portraits are a number of unconnected photos listed below.
Photos 2 and 17: view of Port Blair harbor
Photo 21: door of Portman's conservatory
Photo 38: silver bowl
Photo 46: Great Andamanese group of about 20 cooking a pig
Photo 51: Great Andamanese boy climbing in a tree
Photo 52: sifting clay at the "tank" (=reservoir) at Aberdeen, Port Blair, in March 1890.
Volume 26
Contains some of Portman's correspondence between 1890 and 1899, especially that dealing with his museum and library contacts and relevant to his fight for his position and to continue his photographic work. The correspondence is discussed and described in Portman's biography, Appendix A.
Oriental and India Office
96 Euston Road
London NW1 2DB
England
Fax +44/171/412 7858 and 7641
E-mail oioc-enquiries@bl.uk
The British Library's Oriental and India Office has a huge collection of historical photographs. Only those containing information relevant to the Andaman Islands (and a few relevant to the Nicobar Islands) are listed here. These photographs are spread over several series (i.e. stored in different boxes and in different contexts) as follows:
|
Manuscript Series
C356 |
Photo Series 103 |
|
Photo Series
125/2 |
Photo Series 125/5 |
|
Photo Series 127 |
|
|
Photo Series 188/1 |
Photo Series 188/2 |
|
Photo Series 188/3 |
Photo Series 188/4
|
|
Photo Series 188/5 |
Photo Series 188/6 |
|
Photo Series 188/7 |
|
|
Photo Series 268 |
Photo Series 355 |
|
Photo Series 440 |
|
|
Photo Series 447/1 |
Photo Series 447/3 |
|
Photo Series 447/6 |
Photo Series 447/7 |
|
Photo Series 512 |
Photo Series 775 |
Mss Eur C356/(006)
ca. 1912
Photographer unknown
Government House. Port Blair.
Mss Eur C3561(007)
ca. 1912
Photographer unknown
The Chief Commissioners hill resort, Mt. Harriet. Port Blair, 1200
feet high.
Mss Eur C356/(008)
December 1912
Photographer unknown
Garden party on Viper Island, Port Blair.
Mss Eur C356/(009)
ca. 1912
Photographer unknown
The Cellular Jail, Port Blair harbor and Ross Island looking
eastwards.
Mss Eur C356/(010)
ca. 1912
Photographer unknown
Scene on the mainland, opposite Ross Island.
Mss Eur C3561(011)
ca. 1912
Photographer unknown
Ross Island from the mainland - the island is only a little over half
a mile long.
Mss Eur C356/(012)
ca. 1912
Photographer unknown
North-west corner of Ross Island. Here are the butchery, bakery and
various commissariat stores; also swimming bath.
Mss Eur C356/(013)
ca. 1912
Photographer unknown
Andamanese. the aborigines of these islands. Negrito, only found
here, in parts of the Malayan peninsula and the Philippines.
Mss Eur C356/(014)
ca. 1912
Photographer unknown
Andamanese man and woman in full dress.
Mss Eur C3561(015)
ca. 1912
Photographer unknown
Andamanese dance. The hollow tree, struck by the foot, produces a
drum-like noise which gives the time.
Mss Eur C3561(016)
ca. 1912
Photographer unknown
Group of Andamanese with the dogs they use in hunting wild pigs.
Mss Eur C356/(017)
ca. 1912
Photographer unknown
Andamanese in dug-out canoes shooting fish with bows and arrows.
Mss Eur C356/(018)
ca. 1912
Photographer unknown
A large sword fish caught here [?Andaman Islands]. ThePhoto
is a bad one. If you half close your eyes and look at it, it looks
rather like a man. It was 17 feet 5 inches long and a gruesome
looking beast.
Photo 103/(003)
ca. 1912
Photographer unknown
Table Island Lighthouse.
Photo 103/(023)
ca. 1912
Photographer unknown
Table Island Lighthouse.
Photo 125/2(001)
ca. 1880s
Photographer Bourne & Shepherd
Prisoners at dinner, Ross. Andamans.
Photo 125/2(002)
1880s
Photographer Bourne & Shepherd
Port Blair harbor.
Photo 125/2(003)
1890s
Photographer Bourne & Shepherd
Viper Island, Port Blair habor.
Photo 125/2(004)
1880s
Photographer Bourne & Shepherd
Aberdeen, Port Blair.
Photo 125/2(005)
1900s
Photographer Bourne & Shepherd
Barracks at Port Blair.
Photo 125/2(006)
1890s
Photographer Bourne & Shepherd
Chatham Island, Port Blair harbor.
Photo 125/2(007)
1900s
Photographer P.A. Klier
View looking west from terrace of Government House, Port Blair.
Photo 125/2(008)
ca. 1895
Photographer P.A. Klier
Hall and staircase of Government House, Port Blair.
Photo 125/2(009)
ca. 1895
Photographer P.A. Klier
West front and main approach to Government House, Port Blair.
Photo 125/2(010)
ca. 1895
Photographer P.A. Klier
Back of [Government] House. south side unfinished, Port
Blair.
Photo 125/2(011)
ca. 1905
Photographer P.A. Klier
Government House, north front, unfinished, Port Blair.
Photo 125/2(012)
ca. 1895
Photographer P.A. Klier
Ball and dining room with dinner table in the NE half of Government
House, Port Blair.
Photo 125/2(013)
ca. 1895
Photographer P.A. Klier
Ball and dining room showing table laid for dinner in the NW half of
Government House, Port Blair.
Photo 125/2(014)
ca. 1895
Photographer Johnston & Hoffmann
A corner of the drawing room at Government House, Port Blair
-Photograph taken by a visitor.
Photo 125/2(015)
1900s
Photographer Johnston & Hoffmann
Corner of the drawing room looking into the ball room and hall at
Government House, Port Blair -Photograph taken by a visitor.
Photo 125/2(016)
1896
Photographer Rev. C. Low
Mt. Haughton, Port Blair, from Viper Island.
Photo 125/2(017)
1876
Photographer unknown
Fanny's shells - Port Blair.
Photo 125/2(018)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
Unidentified headland, Andaman Islands.
Photo 125/2(019)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
[Unidentified headland, Andaman Islands]
Photo 125/2(020)
1880s
Photographer Bourne & Shepherd
Bazaar at Ross Island.
Photo 125/2(021)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
Said to be 'Unidentified volcano, Andaman Islands' [which can
only be Barren or Narcondam Island].
Photo 125/2(022)
1890s
Photographer unknown
South Button Island, where the best edible bird's nests are
found.
Photo 125/2(023)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
River scene, Andaman Islands.
Photo 125/2(024)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
River scene, Andaman Islands.
Photo 125/2(025)
1880s to 1890s
Photographer unknown
Huts and natives on Little Andaman with MV. Portman.
Photo 125/2(026)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
River scene, Andaman Islands.
Photo 125/2(027)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
River scene, Andaman Islands.
Photo 125/2(028)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
Coastal scene, Batti Malv, Nicobar Islands.
Photo 125/2(029)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
Group of Andamanese or Nicobarese women.
Photo 125/2(030)
1890s
Photographer unknown
Car Nicobarese.
Photo 125/2(031)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
Coastal scene, Batti Malv, Nicobar Islands.
Photo 125/2(032)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
Batti Malv coast, Nicobar Islands - landing only possible in a calm
sea.
Photo 125/2(033)
1890s
Photographer unknown
Nancowry harbor, Nicobar Islands.
Photo 125/2(034)
1890s
Photographer unknown
Nancowry harbor, Nicobar Islands.
Photo 125/2(035)
1890s
Photographer unknown
Nancowry harbor, Nicobar Islands.
Photo 125/2(036)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
Rock outcrop, Andaman or Nicobar Islands.
Photo 125/2(037)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
Beach scene with mangroves, Andaman Islands.
Photo 125/2(038)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
Volcano, probably on Barren Island.
Photo 125/2(039)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
Unidentified headland, Andaman Islands.
Photo 125/2(040)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
Coastal village, Andaman or Nicobar Islands.
Photo 125/2(041)
1890s
Photographer unknown
Jungle scene, Andaman or Nicobar Islands.
Photo 125/2(042)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
Coastal scene, Andaman or Nicobar Islands.
Photo 125/2(043)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
Cave, Andaman or Nicobar Islands.
Photo 125/2(044)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
Scarification on the chest of an Andaman Islander.
Photo 125/2(045)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
Unidentified headland, Andaman Islands.
Photo 125/2(046)
1872
Photographer unknown
The murderer of Lord Mayo (the Vice-Roy of India, Lord Mayo, was
assassinated by a convict in the Andaman Islands 1872).
Photo 125/2(047)
1890s
Photographer unknown
The coast of Barren Island volcano.
Photo 125/2(048)
1890s
Photographer unknown
Andaman Islanders in dugout fishing boat.
Photo 125/2(049)
1900s
Photographer M.V. Portman
Volcano, probably on Barren Island.
Photo 125/2(050)
1890s
Photographer unknown
West foreshore of Ross Island, looking north.
Photo 125/2(051)
ca. 1900
Photographer unknown
Government House, Port Blair.
Photo 125/2(052)
ca. 1900
Photographer unknown
Government House, Port Blair from the north-east.
Photo 125/2(053)
ca. 1900
Photographer unknown
Government House, Port Blair.
Photo 125/2(054)
ca. 1900
Photographer unknown
The Cellular Jail on Aberdeen.
Photo 125/2(055)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
Jungle scenery, Andaman or Nicobar Islands.
Photo 125/2(056)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
Coastal scenery, Andaman or Nicobar Islands.
Photo 125/2(057)
1890s
Photographer unknown
Coastal scenery, Andaman or Nicobar Islands.
Photo 125/2(058)
1890s
Photographer unknown
Landscape in the Andaman or Nicobar Islands.
Photo 125/2(059)
1890s
Photographer unknown
Unidentified headland, Andaman or Nicobar Islands.
Photo 125/2(060)
1890s
Photographer unknown
Unidentified rocky landscape, Andaman or Nicobar Islands.
Photo 125/2(061)
1890s
Photographer unknown
Unidentified coastal scene, Andaman or Nicobar Islands.
Photo 125/2(062)
1890s
Photographer unknown
Hut and grave at Teressa Island, Nicobar Islands.
Photo 125/2(063)
1890s
Photographer unknown
Unidentified European building, Andaman or Nicobar Islands.
Photo 125/2(064)
1890s
Photographer unknown
Malacca Village, Nancowry harbor, Nicobar Islands.
Photo 125/2(066)
1900s
Photographer unknown
East side of Ross Island, looking south, showing convict working
sheds.
Photo 125/2(067)
1900s
Photographer unknown
European Barracks, Ross Island, from Government House grounds.
Photo 125/2(068)
1900s
Photographer unknown
Aberdeen from Ross Island, showing Cellular Jail on Atalanta Point,
Port Blair.
Photo 125/2(069)
1900s
Photographer unknown
Coconuts on east shore of Ross Island looking north.
Photo 125/2(070)
1900s
Photographer unknown
Volunteer Headquarters, Ross Island.
Photo 125/2(071)
1900s
Photographer unknown
Officers' tennis courts, Ross Island.
Photo 125/2(072)
1900s
Photographer unknown
Ross Jetty, Port Blair.
Photo 125/2(073)
1900s
Photographer unknown
The northern part Ross Island, showing European Barracks, lighthouse
and flagstaff.
Photo 125/2(074)
1900s
Photographer unknown
Ross IslandPhotographed from the top of the unfinished Cellular Jail,
showing foundations of the jail's east wing, Port Blair.
Photo 125/2(075)
1900s
Photographer unknown
Unloading an elephant from a steamer, Port Blair(?).
Photo 125/2(076)
ca. 1890s
Photographer unknown
Officers of the local garrisonPhotographed in front of the tennis
pavilion, Port Blair.
Photo 125/2(077)
ca. 1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
Portrait of an Andaman Islander.
Photo 125/2(078)
ca. 1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
Portrait of an Andaman Islander.
Photo 125/2(079)
ca. 1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
Portrait of an Andaman Islander.
Photo 125/2(080)
ca. 1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
Portrait of an Andaman Islander.
Photo 125/2(081)
ca. 1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
Portrait of an Andaman Islander.
Photo 125/2(082)
ca. 1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
Portrait of an Andaman Islander.
Photo 125/2(083)
ca. 1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
Jungle scene with Andaman Islanders.
.Photo 125/2(084)
ca. 1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
Jungle scene with Andaman Islanders.
Photo 125/2(085)
ca. 1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
Forest scene and hut in thje Andarnan Islands
Photo 125/2(086)
ca. 1900s
Photographer unknown
Government House, Port Blair.
Photo 125/2(087)
ca. 1900s
Photographer unknown
The Drawing room of Government House, Port Blair.
Photo 125/2(088)
ca. 1900s
Photographer unknown
The hall and staircase of Government House, Port Blair.
Photo 125/2(089)
ca. 1897
Photographer unknown
Porte-cochère, Government House, Port Blair - designed by
R.C.Temple in iron barrel-hoops and prison bars and made out of those
materials by convicts in 1897.
Photo 125/2(090)
ca. 1897
Photographer unknown
Porte-cochère, Government House, Port Blair.
Photo 125/2(091)
ca. 1897
Photographer unknown
Porte-cochère, Government House, Port Blair.
Photo 125/2(092)
ca. 1897
Photographer unknown
Porte-cochère, Government House, Port Blair.
Photo 125/2(093)
ca. 1900s
Photographer unknown
Unloading an elephant, Port Blair(?).
Photo 125/2(094)
ca. 1900s
Photographer unknown
Unloading an elephant, Port Blair(?).
Photo 125/2(095)
ca. 1900s
Photographer unknown
Port Blair(?).
Photo 125/2(096)
ca. 1900s
Photographer unknown
The Chief of the Military Police's bungalow,Photographed from the
signal tower on Ross Island.
Photo 125/2(098)
ca. 1900s
Photographer unknown
Dilthaman Tank [reservoir] from the block,Aberdeen school on
left, Port Blair.
Photo 125/2(099)
ca. 1900s
Photographer unknown
Chatham swimming bath with water shoot in centre, Port Blair.
Photo 125/2(100)
1900s
Photographer unknown
Cellular Jail, Port Blair.
Photo 125/2(101)
1900s
Photographer unknown
Wireless station above South Point.
Photo 125/2(102)
1900s
Photographer unknown
From wireless station, looking north, Port Blair.
Photo 125/2(103)
1900s
Photographer unknown
From high-level road near Dudh line looking toward Jangli Ghat, Port
Blair.
Photo 125/(104)
1900s
Photographer unknown
From near top of Signal Hill, looking north.
Photo 125/2(105)
1900s
Photographer unknown
From high-level road looking Wt towards Viper Island, Port Blair
harbor.
Photo 125/2(106)
1900s
Photographer unknown
From the high-level road above Middle Pt. Station looking NW, Port
Blair.
Photo 125/2(105)
1900s
Photographer unknown
From Deputy. Commissioner's compound looking SE, Port Blair.
Photo 125/2(108)
1900s
Photographer unknown
Aberdeen reclamation and recreation grounds, Port Blair.
Photo 125/2(109)
1900s
Photographer unknown
Phoenix Bay.
Photo 125/2(110)
1900s
Photographer unknown
From the Deputy Commissioner's compound, looking NE, Port Blair.
Photo 125/2(111)
1900s
Photographer unknown
From Signal Hill slopes, looking east, Port Blair.
Photo 125/2(112)
1900s
Photographer unknown
Old tenninus of tram-line on Bamlungta Creek, Middle Andaman (NB. The
line now [1900s] extends about three miles Eurther down the
creek).
Photo 125/2(113)
1900s
Photographer unknown
From same point as above (i.e. no. 31, 125/2(112)) but looking N
showing tram line to Bamlungta Creek, Middl Andaman.
Photo 125/2(114)
1900s
Photographer unknown
On the tram line to Bamlungta Creek, Middle Andaman.
Photo 125/2(115)
1900s
Photographer unknown
Bamlungta Forest camp, from forest rest house, looking east, Middle
Andaman.
Photo 125/2(116)
1900s
Photographer unknown
Bamlungta Forest camp, from Hospital, looking W, Middle Andaman.
Photo 125/2(117)
1900s
Photographer unknown
From a point near the Senior Medical Officer's house on Ross Island,
looking N.
Photo 125/2(118)
1900s
Photographer unknown
From near Settlement Mess Stores, looking W. Port Blair Andaman.
Photo 125/2(119)
1900s
Photographer unknown
From Ross boat jetty showing club and tidal observatory on left, Port
Blair.
Photo 125/2(120)
1900s
Photographer unknown
From sea wall showing Treasury guard right, Club and Tidal
Observatory left, Port Blair.
Photo 125/2(121)
1900s
Photographer unknown
The Elpanam at Mus, Car Nicobar, Nicobar Islands].
Photo 125/2(122)
1900s
Photographer unknown
The Mission compound, Mus, Car Nicobar, Nicobar Islands.
Photo 125/2(123)
1900s
Photographer unknown
Part of Mus village, Car Nicobar, Nicobar Islands.
Photo 125/2(124)
1900s
Photographer unknown
The 'Sunbeam' entering Nancowry harbor, Camorta, Nicobar Islands.
Photo 125/2(125)
1900s
Photographer unknown
Entrance of Nancowry harbor from deck of 'Sunbeam,' Camorta, Nicobar
Islands.
Photo 125/2(126)
1900s
Photographer unknown
Nancowry harbor from near Cemetery, Camorta, Nicobar Islands.
Photo 125/5(015)
1890s
Photographer unknown
Unidentified church, possibly at Port Blair.
Photo 125/5(016)
1890s
Photographer unknown
Interior of unidentified church, possibly at Port Blair.
Photo 125/5(017)
1890s
Photographer unknown
Unidentified church, possibly at Port Blair.
Photo 127/(096)
1872
Photographer unknown
Sher Ali, the assassin of Lord Mayo.
Photo 127/(099)
1872
Photographer unknown
Sher Ali, the assassin of Lord Mayo.
Photo 188/1(001)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
Rima. Man of the Aka Bojigiab [A-Puciwar] tribe, Middle
Andaman, age about 40 years, a man of quiet and inoffensive
character.
Photo 188/1(002)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
Rima. Profile view of the preceding man's face.
Photo 188/1(003)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
Woichela. A married woman of the Aka Bojigiab [A-Pucikwar]
tribe, Middle Andaman, age, about 33 years.
Photo 188/1(004)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
Woichela. A profile view of the preceding woman's face.
Photo 188/1(005)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
Niali. Man of the Aka Bojigiab [A-Pucikwar] tribe, Middle
Andaman, age, about 37 years.
Photo 188/1(006)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
Niali. Profile view of the preceding man's face.
Photo 188/1(007)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. PortmanBiala. A married woman of the Aka Juwai
[Oko-Juwoi] tribe, Middle Andaman, age, about 27 years. She
is known as Yulu Biala, Yula (a creeper, blossoming in November)
being her flower name.
Photo 188/1(008)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
Biala. A profile view of the preceding woman's face.
Photo 188/1(009)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
Lokala. Man of the Aka Bojigiab [A-Pucikwar] tribe, Middle
Andaman, age, about 36 years. He is the Government Agent, in the
Middle Andaman, and is of a tractable and quiet disposition. Wears a
necklace of dentalium octogonum shells.
Photo 188/1(010)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
Riala. Man of the Aka Kede tribe, Middle Andaman, age about 35 years.
He is Government interpreter for the North Andaman, and is a
remarkably intelligent and useful man, speaking several
languages.
Photo 188/1(011)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
Riala. Profile view of the preceding man's face.
Photo 188/1(012)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
Niali, A married woman of the Aka Bojigiab [A-Pucikwar]
tribe, Middle Andaman, age about 33 years. She is known as Pataka
Niali, Pataka (a tree common on the sea coast, which blossoms in May)
being her flower name.
Photo 188/1(013)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
Niali. A profile view of the preceding woman's face.
Photo 188/1(014)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
Lura. Man of the Aka Yeri [Aka-Yeru] tribe, North Andaman,
age about 24 years. He wears a necklace of human bones, smeared with
red ochre and oil, and his forehead is painted with white earth
tala-og.
Photo 188/1(015)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
Mebul. Man of the Aka Bea-da [Aka-Bea] inland
[eremtaga] tribe, South Andaman, age about 40 years. He is
known as the Me~bul pala-pich, or Hairy (pala-pich) Mebul because of
his having the uncommon adornment of a slight beard and
moustache.
Photo 188/1(017)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
Wologa. A married woman of the Aka Bea-da [Aka-Bea] tribe,
south Andaman, age about 26 years. She is known as Chairapa Wologa.
Chairapa (a thorny creeper, like the common cane, blossoming in July)
being her flower name.
Photo 188/1(018)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
Wologa. A profile view of the preceding woman's face.
Photo 188/1(019)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
Riala. Man of the Aka Bea-da [Aka-Bea] tribe, South Andaman,
age about 37 years. He is commonly called Ria Tegbul, i.e. Ria Dugong
[sea cow] from his prowess in killing these creatures.
Photo 188/1(0020)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
Riala. Profile view of the preceding man's face.
Photo 188/1(021)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
Ira. A married woman of the Aka Bojigiab [A-Pucikwar] tribe,
Middle Andaman, age about 34 years. She wears a necklace of shells,
Ola-da. She is known as Pataka Ira, Pataka (a tree common on the sea
coast, which blossoms in May) being her flower name.
Photo 188/1(022)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
Ira. A profile view of the preceding
Photo 188/1(023)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
Woichela. Man of the Aka-Juwai tribe, Middle Andaman, age about, 31
years. He is quiet, and of very good temper: very plucky, and docile.
The tattoo marks on his neck are clearly shown.
Photo 188/1(024)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
Kauremo. A married woman of the Aka Kede tribe, Middle Andaman, age
about 32 years. She wears a necklace of small shells, Chali. She is
known as Yulu Kauremo, Yulu (a creeper, blossoming in November) being
her flower name.
Photo 188/1(025)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
Kauremo. A profile view of the preceding woman's face.
Photo 188/2(001)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
Uta shell held in right hand. Outside of shell visible.
Photo 188/2(002)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
Uta shell held in the right hand. Inside of the shell is visible.
Photo 188/2(003)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
Adze making .
Photo 188/2(004)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
Adze making. The superfluous part of the branch is now lopped off,
and a cut is made in the tree to the proper depth, below, and close
to it.
Photo 188/2(005)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
Adze. A similar cut is then made, above, and at some little distance
from the handle.
Photo 188/2(006)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
Adze making. With a few downward blows the piece suitable for the
haft of the new adze is now split off.
Photo 188/2(007)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
Adze making. This is taken home, and the face of it, where the blade
is to be fastened is first trimmed smooth.
Photo 188/2(008)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
Adze making. The back is then similarly trimmed, and chopped close in
the same curved line as the handle.
Photo 188/2(009)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
Adze making. The end is then cut to the right length, and
smoothed.
Photo 188/2(010)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
Adze making: another view showing the method of cutting, and the way
the tool is held.
Photo 188/1(011)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
Adze making: the adze with which the work has so far been done having
become blunt, is sharpened with a piece of sandstone, which the
Andamanese manufacture into whetstones called talag.
Photo 188/2(012)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
Adze making. The bark is now beaten off the new adze haft. It will be
seen from this that the Andamanese use the reversed adze as a hammer.
The haft is then trimmed to balance well in the hand.
Photo 188/2(013)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
Adze making. A piece of iron having been chosen as a blade for the
new adze, it is laid on one stone and pounded into shape with
another, a long and tedious proceeding, as heat is never used by the
Andamanese in working iron.
Photo 188/2(014)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
Adze making. The new blade having been pounded into shape is now
sharpened by rubbing on a piece of smooth hard stone.
Photo 188/2(015)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
Adze making. The haft and blade being complete, the next thing is to
connect them, and this is done with a strip of cane, the polished
outside being used.
Photo 188/2(016)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
Adze making. The blade is then placed on the haft; strips of Chaura
bark, and sometimes leaves also, are placed over it; and the whole is
tied firmly together with the cane.
Photo 188/2(017)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
Adze making. View showing the way in which the cane is finally
fastened.
Photo 188/2(018)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
Adze making. A long wedge of wood is then taken, pushed in between
the strips of Chaura bark, which were placed there to prevent the
wedge touching either the blade or the cane fastening, and ... is
hammered home...
Photo 188/2(019)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
Adze making. A view of the finished adze.
Photo 188/2(020)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
Adze making. A view showing the exact way in which an adze is
held.
Photo 188/2(021)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
Bow making. The South Andaman bow Karam-da.
Photo 188/2(022)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
Bow making. Cutting the branch.
Photo 188/2(023)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
Bow making. Shaping the bow.
Photo 188/2(024)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
Bow making. Shaping the bow.
Photo 188/2(025)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
Bow making. Smoothing the shaped bow with a sharpened pig's tusk.
Photo 188/2(026)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
Bow. Stringing the bow.
Photo 188/3(001)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
Pig arrows Ela-da.
Photo 188/3(002)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
Manufacture of arrow connector.
Photo 188/3(003)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
A method of sharpening arrows.
Photo 188/3(003)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
A method of sharpening arrows.
Photo 188/3(004)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
A method of sharpening arrows.
Photo 188/3(005)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
Bow making. The Chokio bow of the North Andamanese tribes.
Photo 188/3(006)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
Bow making. The tree is then cut close to the ground, as shown.
Photo 188/3(007)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
Bow making. The workman goes round the tree from left to right,
cutting as shown.
Photo 188/3(008)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
Bow making. The fallen tree is then cut to a suitable length for a
bow, the whole trunk being examined and the best part selected.
Photo 188/3(009)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
Bow making. Andamanese cutting off the selected piece.
Photo 188/3(010)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
Bow making. Carrying home the log. Observe the way the adze is
carried: pushed through the waistband of the workman.
Photo 188/3(011)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
Bow making. The log is erected against a tree, rock, or other
support, and roughly hewn into shape; commencing on the left side
about halfway up, and cutting down to the ground, the workman
sitting, crouching, or standing, as necessary.
Photo 188/2(012)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
Bow making, Andaman Islands. The right side of the face of the bow is
then cut to shape.
Photo 188/3(013)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
Bow making. The face of the bow is trimmed, the rough cuts being
smoothed.
Photo 188/3(014)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
Bow making. The Lower end of the bow is then roughly hewn into
shape.
Photo 188/3(015)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
Bow making. The upper end is then similarly hewn to shape..
Photo 188/3(016)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
Bow making. The center is then roughly cut out.
Photo 188/3(017)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
Bow making. The bow is then laid flat on the ground, and the back of
it trimmed.
Photo 188/3(018)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
Bow making. The rough cuts in the back are then trimmed smooth.
Photo 188/3(019)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
Bow making. The bow is then thinned and brought to shape by fine cuts
with the adze.
Photo 188/3(020)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
Bow making. The bow is then scraped smooth with the Cyrena shell.
Photo 188/3(0021)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
Bow making. It is planed with the pig's tusk pilichada, until it is
perfectly smooth. It is seldom waxed.
Photo 188/3(022)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
Bow making. Stringing the bow 1.
Photo 188/3(023)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
Bow making. Stringing the bow 2.
Photo 188/3(024)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
Bow making. This picture shows how the bow is held when used.
Photo 188/3(025)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
Bow making. Unstringing the bow.
Photo 188/3(026)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
ThisPhotograph shows the Chokio, the North Andamanese Bow, when
strung. The peculiar S-curve similar to that of the South Andamanese
bow is noticeable.
Photo 188/3(027)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
The view shows the Chokio, the North Andamanese bow, unstrung. The
back of the bow is visible.
Photo 188/4(001)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
Shooting with the South Andaman bow, Karam-da. The bow is then
reversed for use, and this view shows a man in the act of shooting
with it.
Photo 188/4(002)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
Shooting with the South Andaman bow, Karam-da. Different ways in
which the hands are held in the delivery of the arrow. One
method.
Photo 188/4(003)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
Shooting with the South Andaman bow, Karam-da. Delivery of arrow.
Another method.
Photo 188/4(004)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
Shooting with the South Andaman bow, Karam-da. Delivery of arrow.
Another method.
Photo 188/4(005)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
Shooting with the South Andaman bow, Karam-da. Delivery of arrow.
Another method.
Photo 188/4(006)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
Shooting with the South Andaman bow, Karam-da. Delivery of arrow.
Another method.
Photo 188/4(007)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
Shooting with the South Andaman bow, Karam-da. Delivery of arrow.
Another method.
Photo 188/4(008)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
Unstringing the South Andaman bow. Karam-da. To unstring the bow is
again placed in the same position as for stringing, the end being
pulled down by the left hand and the string lifted off with the
right.
Photo 188/4(009)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
The South Andaman bow. The bow string is made from Yolba (Anadendron
paniculatum) fiber, a low bush with long scandent shoots. The view
shows an Andamanese cuffing off with a Cyrena shell, the long shoots
from which the fier is to be scraped.
Photo 188/4(010)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
The South Andaman bow: making the bow string. The bundle of shoots is
brought home and laid by the man's side; ... in this position he
scrapes off the bark and teases out the fiber with a Cyrena shell.
The pieces of fiber are laid across his left shin.
Photo 188/4(011)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
The South Andaman bow: making the bow string. Back view of a man
teasing Yolba fiber.
Photo 188/4(012)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
The South Andaman bow: making the bow string. Scraping the bark
off.
Photo 188/4(013)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
The South Andaman bow: making the bow string. Cutting the shoots into
pieces at the joints.
Photo 188/4(014)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
The South Andaman bow: making the bow string. Rolling the fiber into
twine.
Photo 188/4(015)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
The South Andaman bow: making the bow string. Two of these pieces of
twine are then twisted together thus, and the cord made is used,
after being waxed, for a variety of purposes besides bow strings,
such as nets, etc.
Photo 188/4(016)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
The South Andaman bow: making the bow string. Four or five pieces of
the twisted twine, and pieces of the loose fiber are then twisted
together, held between the first and second toes of the worker, who
sits in this position.
Photo 188/4(017)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
The South Andaman bow: making the bow string. Stripping bark from the
cinnamon tree.
Photo 188/4(018)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
View of the South Andaman bows strung.
Photo 188/4(019)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
View of the South Andaman bows unstrung.
Photo 188/4(020)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
The South Andaman bow. The lower end of unstrung bows, showing how
the loose end of the string is secured to the bow.
Photo 188/4(021)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
Lower end of South Andaman bows when strung.
Photo 188/4(022)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
Upper end of a South Andaman bow. The string at this end is never
removed from the bow. Notice that in these bows the stringing and
unstringing is always done at the lower end, contrary to the custom
with European bows.
Photo 188/4(023)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
Making the South Andaman bow. Method of holding the pigs tusk when
smoothing or planing the wood of the bow. The tusk is sharpened by
scraping the edge with a shell. The incised dog tooth ornamentation
on the bow can be seen.
Photo 188/4(024)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
Andamanese cutting bamboo. The long ones are used as shafts for the
turtle harpoon, the short shoots as arrow shafts
Photo 188/4(025)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
Andamanese cutting Ridi, a kind of crooked bamboo, thin and with
short joints, which is generally used for arrow shafts. It has to
have the buds, etc cut off with the Cyrena shell and is then smoothed
and straightened over the fire, and with the teeth.
Photo 188/4(026)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
Making the South Andaman arrow. A series of notches are cut with a
Cyrena shell round the end of the arrow shaft, in order that fingers
holding it may not slip.
Photo 188/4(027)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
Making the South Andaman arrow. The nick in which the bow string goes
is then cut at the same end as the shaft.
Photo 188/4(028)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
The Pig Arrow or Ela-da.
Photo 188/4(029)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
Making arrows, South Andamans. The shaft is then held as shown in
this illustration, and the bark scraped off with a Cyrena shell. The
shell is held with the inside nearest the wood, and is pulled towards
the operator.
Photo 188/4(030)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
Making arrows. When the bark is off, the arrow shaft is roughly
straightened between the teeth thus.
Photo 188/4(031)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
Making arrows. The shafts are then heated over a small fire, and
straightened by hand. The straightness is judged by the eye, as in
the picture, and when satisfactory the shafts are stood up round the
fire as shown, to dry slowly.
Photo 188/4(032)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
Making arrows. They have one end notched to prevent the fingers from
slipping when holding them, and a nick is cut for the bow string at
the same end.
Photo 188/4(033)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
Making arrows. Attaching the arrow head to the shaft.
Photo 188/4(034)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
Making arrows. Attaching the arrow head to the shaft.
Photo 188/4(035)
1890-93
Photographer M.V. Portman
Making arrows. Attaching the arrow head to the shaft.
Photo 188/5(001)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
Chokio. Bow of the North Andaman tribes. ThePhotograph shows the
lower ends of these bows when unstrung, the backs of the bows being
visible. This end is shorter and blunter than the upper end.
Photo 188/5(002)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
Chokio. Bow of the North Andaman tribes. The upper ends of the bows,
when unstrung. Back, front, and side are shown.
Photo 188/5(003)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
Rope making. The strongest rope used by the Andamanese (and it
possesses very considerable strength), is made from strips taken of
the inside of the bark of the Alaba-da tree (Melochia velutina) ...
shown in the picture.
Photo 188/5(004)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
Rope making. Andamanese cutting a branch of Alaba-da. A branch of the
tree is cut off, as shown in the picture, and taken away.
Photo 188/5(005)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
Rope making. The workman then holds the log in this position, and
raises the bark at one end, by inserting the Cyrena shell, which is
then held in his mouth while he tears off the strips of bark with his
hands.
Photo 188/5(006)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
Rope making in the Andaman Islands. Three or four of the strips are
taken, twisted loosely together, and another strip is wound carefully
over them from right to left.
Photo 188/5(007)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
Rope making. String, such as that described in the previousPhotograph
is not used by itself, and two such strings have to be twisted
together into a rope. The picture shows how this is done.
Photo 188/5(008)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
Rope making in the Andaman Islands, View showing how the ball of cord
is passed round.
Photo 188/5(009)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
Making a turtle harpoon. A circular piece of rod iron a quarter of an
inch in diameter and nine inches long is worked to a sharp point at
one end, and twine is wound, with wax, round the other end until a
knob is formed.
Photo 188/5(010)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
Making a turtle harpoon. View of an Andaman bamboo jungle from which
the shafts of turtle harpoons are cut. They are smoothed with a shell
knife, straightened by hand and heat, and stood up to dry, in a
manner similar to ... the pig arrows.
Photo 188/5(011)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
Hut building -in the Great Andaman Islands. Construction of a
chang-da or hut of the second class.
Photo 188/5(012)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
Hut building in the Great Andaman Islands. Construction of a
chang-da. The front stakes are then connected by a stout cross-piece
securely tied on with cane.
Photo 188/5(013)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
Hut building in the Great Andaman Islands. Construction of a
chang-da. The front and back of the hut are then connected by two
stout sticks, parallel, projecting a foot in front of the hut and
about 18 inches behind.
Photo 188/5(014)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
Hut building in the Great Andaman Islands. Construction of a
chang-da. The leaves for thatching are in the meanwhile collected,
generally by women. Cane leaf is mostly used, the view showing a
single leaf.
Photo 188/5(015)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
Hut building in the Great Andaman Islands. Construction of a
chang-da. The leaf as gathered is however of no use, so it is split
in two down the middle...
Photo 188/5(016)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
Hut building in the Great Andaman Islands. Construction of a
chang-da. Making the thatch.
Photo 188/5(017)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
Hut building in the Great Andaman Islands. Construction of a chang-.
Making the thatch. View of the backs of the workers. The finished
thatch can be seen.
Photo 188/5(018)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
Hut building in the Great Andaman Islands. Construction of a
chang-da. Making the thatch. Outer side of the thatch when
finished.
Photo 188/5(019)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
Hut building in the Great Andaman Islands. Construction of a
chang-da. Making the thatch. View of the inner side of a piece of
thatch. Tassels of cane fiber can be seen tied at intervals to the
cane ribs ... only for ornament.
Photo 188/5(020)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
Hut building in the Great Andaman Islands. Construction of a
chang-da. The completed hut.
Photo 188/5(021)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
Hut making in the Great Andaman Islands. Construction of a temporary
hut.
Photo 188/5(022)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
Hut making in the Great Andaman Islands. Construction of a temporary
hut. Uprights and cross-pieces are then put up as shown, the front of
the hut being five feet high, and the back three feet high.
Photo 188/5(023)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
Hut making in the Great Andaman Islands. Construction of a temporary
hut. Rafters are then tied, from the front to the back of the
hut.
Photo 188/5(024)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
Hut making in the Great Andaman Islands. Construction of a temporary
hut. The bundles of leaves are then tied on to these rafters at
intervals of about two inches.
Photo 188/5(025)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
Hut making in the Great Andaman Islands. Construction of a temporary
hut. Completed hut.
Photo 188/5(026)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
View of an Andamanese village.
Photo 188/5(027)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
View of an Andamanese village. Another view of the same village at
the opposite end.
Photo 188/5(028)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
View of an Andamanese village. Back view of a village, from the sea
shore. It will be noticed that the huts all face inwards, and only
the backs are visible.
Photo 188/6(001)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
View of an Andamanese village under a grove of coconut palms. The
general appearance and height of the huts is shown.
Photo 188/6(002)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
A man drinking from a bamboo Gob-da. The Andamanese generally store
their drinking water in bamboos about eight feet long, having all the
joints but the end one knock through with another smaller bamboo.
Photo 188/6(003)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
Andamanese eating pig.
Photo 188/6(004)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
Opening a Cyrena shell, with the single valve of another Cyrena. This
is probably the first 'oyster knife' known.
Photo 188/6(005)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
Andamanese drinking from a nautilus shell.
Photo 188/6(006)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
View showing a bundle of leaves being tied up, and the parcel when
tied. The particular leaves are Obunga-da, the leaf apron worn by the
Andamanese women.
Photo 188/6(007)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
View showing bundle wrapped up ready for carrying on the back.
Alaba-da rope, called Betmo-da is always used for tying up these big
bundles, and the large loop of rope which passes around the carrier's
chest is here shown.
Photo 188/6(008)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
Small bundles. Such articles as cooked food, fruits, and other
eatables are wrapped in the leaf of the Licuala, Kapa-da ... Such
bundles are carried in the hand, or stuck in the waist belt.
Photo 188/6(009)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
Andamanese wrapping up a large bundle. This is only done when
Andamanese move on to another village.
Photo 188/6(010)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
Showing an Andamanese carrying one of these bundles. To ease the
cord, where it crosses the front of the arm, the thumb is
inserted.
Photo 188/6(011)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
Showing an Andamanese carrying a cooking pot. These pots Buj-da are
not very common and are treasured by the Andamanese.
Photo 188/6(012)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
The bucket Dakar-da is similarly carried.
Photo 188/6(013)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
Cham-cho-da. This is a knife Cho-da consisting of a strip of cane
sharp at both ends. At the handle a few strands of Yolba' twine are
whipped on. This knife is only used for cutting articles of food.
Photo 188/6(014)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
Showing how the Cham-cho-da is worn.
Photo 188/6(015)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
Small articles such as iron arrow barbs, long thin ribs of leaves, as
in the picture (used in modem times by the Andamanese as pipe
cleaners) ... are kept by the Andamanese man in his hair which is
generally long and matted.
Photo 188/6(016)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
Attitude of an Andamanese when crouching, or watching for
something.
Photo 188/6(017)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
Andamanese squatting on his heels. This attitude is never assumed for
long, and it is generally used when a man goes to the hut of another
for a few minutes conversation, when he sits thus, outside.
Photo 188/6(018)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
This is the attitude generally assumed by the Andamanese when sitting
in his hut. His back is usually leant against a log, or an upright of
the hut.
Photo 188/6(019)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
Andamanese rousing another from sleep. The attitude of the sleeping
man is that usually assumed by the Andamanese. They are very
irritable if suddenly awakened, and might seize their bow and arrows
and shoot someone (not necessarily the offending party).
Photo 188/6(020)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
Andamanese women often sit in this position [cross-legged],
which is seldom assumed by the men.
Photo 188/6(021)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
Andamanese woman sitting in the usual position in a hut. The back
generally leans against a log or some such support.
Photo 188/6(022)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
Meeting. When Andamanese meet after a long separation (long to them
may mean a few weeks), they cry, this custom applying to both
sexes.
Photo 188/6(023)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
Parting. When parting, there is no crying, but the two parties take
each other's right hands, and, in turn, each blows on the hand of the
other. They can give no reason for this, except that of custom.
Photo 188/6(024)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
Torch making. Block of Tog-da resin used for burning.
Photo 188/6(025)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
Rim-da resin, used to make Kangata-buj-da.
Photo 188/6(026)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
To make a torch Tog-patnga-da, the resin is pounded between two
stones, and then thickly strewn between bundles of dried leaves.
Photo 188/6(027)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
A third resin, used as a torch is Lapi-da, a bundle of which is shown
... The shape of the bundle [somewhat like a handbag with a long
handle] should be noted.
Photo 188/6(028)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
These dried leaves are then bound up thus, very tightly, with Yoto, a
thin tough creeper.
Photo 188/6(029)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
Two torches Tog-patnga-da. The larger one is bound with Yoto, and the
smaller with Alaba fiber. The upper ends have been burnt.
Photo 188/6(030)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
Tattooing, or more properly. scarifying, is done in the South
Andamans with thin flakes of quartz, so chipped as to have a sharp
edge.
Photo 188/6(031)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
Showing the tattooed [scarified] patterns on the stomach of a
South Andaman man.
Photo 188/6(032)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
Showing the patterns on his back. Beyond the rule, that in all the
Southern tribes the tattooing [scarificationl is done in patterns
with small incisions, the style of pattern, and the place, is a
matter of taste.
Photo 188/7(001)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
The chest and stomach of a man of the South Andaman group of tribes,
showing the pattern of tattooing, or scarifying, common to this
group.
Photo 188/7(002)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
The tattooed [scarified] back of the same subject as
188/7(001). The whole body is thus tattooed, but the face, the
genitals, the palms of the hands, and the ears are not tattooed. The
fingers and feet are tattooed.
Photo 188/7(003)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
The tattooed [scarified] leg of a man of the South Andaman
group of tribes. The women of this group are tattooed as much as, and
in a similar manner to the men. These markings have all been cut with
a flake of quartz.
Photo 188/7(004)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
The arm of a man of the North Andaman group of tribes, showing
parallel lines of tattooing [scarification] encircling the
arm. These marks are cut with the blade of a pig arrow.
Photo 188/7(005)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
Scarification ceremony, North Andamans.
Photo 188/7(006)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
The tattooed [scarified] backs of men of the Aka-Kede.
Photo 188/7(007)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
The tattooed [scarified] backs of men of the Aka-Kede
tribe.
Photo 188/7(008)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
The tattooed [scarified] chest of a man of the Aka-Kede tribe
.
Photo 188/7(009)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
Body painting in the Andaman Islands.
Photo 188/7(010)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
Body painting in the Andaman Islands. The head of an Andamanese man
being painted with Tala-og.
Photo 188/7(011)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
Body painting in the Andaman Islands. Smearing Koiob, a dark red
pigment, onto the upper tip of an Andamanese man.
Photo 188/7(012)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
Body painting in the Andaman Islands. Koiob is also smeared on the
body in straight or zigzag lines as shown.
Photo 188/7(013)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
Body painting in the Andaman Islands. Head of an Andamanese painted
with Tala-og and a smear of Koiob on the nose and upper lip.
Photo 188/7(014)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
Body painting in the Andaman Islands. Painting the head of a widower
with og.
Photo 188/7(015)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
Andamanese man in mourning for a near relation.
Photo 188/7(016)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
A widow would have the whole of her head plastered over with a thick
coating of Dela over which a wash of og would be put, as shown, the
hair growing underneath it.
Photo 188/7(017)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
Andamanese man being bled by a woman.
Photo 188/7(018)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
A man suffering from rheumatism in his left.
Photo 188/7(019)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
The man in the illustration is suffering from toothache.
Photo 188/7(020)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
When suffering from any chest or lung disease an Andamanese will tie
a band of human bones round his chest, stuffing between the band and
the skin certain leaves., to which medicinal virtues are supposed to
be attached.
Photo 188/7(021)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
Back view of the same man seen in 188/7(020)
Photo 188/7(022)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
Showing a man with the unusual adornment of a very small beard
and.
Photo 188/7(023)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
An Andamanese cannot really count beyond two. After that number his
statement becomes indefinite, as 'a few', 'several', 'many', 'very
many'. For one he would stroke his nose with his forefinger, as
shown.
Photo 188/7(024)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
For two an Andaman Islander would strike his nose with his second
finger as shown.
Photo 188/7(025)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
For three or more an Andaman Islander would use the third finger, and
also the remaining fingers of the other hand, saying 'another'.
'many', etc.
Photo 188/7(026)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
The tattooed [scarified] back of a man of the North Andaman
group of tribes.
Photo 188/7(027)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
The tattooed [scarified] chest and stomach of a man of the
North Andaman group of tribes.
Photo 188/7(028)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
The tattooed [scarified] arm of a man of the North Andaman
group of tribes, showing a combination of circles and zigzags
Photo 188/7(029)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
Andamanese painted, one with gray mud, (og), which at a distance
gives him the appearance of being clothed; and one painted in pattern
with white earth (Tala-og).
Photo 188/7(030)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
A group of Andamanese men painted with og and Tala-og.
Photo 188/7(031)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
A group of Andamanese women painted with og. The three markings
across the breats are very common. There are no superstitions
attached to this painting, which is done for pleasure, coolness,
ornament, and to keep off vermin.
Photo 188/7(032)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
Making the pig. The thick band which connects the head of the pig
arrow Ela is made as shown.
Photo 188/7(033)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
Making the pig arrow. To ornament arrows and other articles the
Andamanese bind a thin twine over with strips of the bark of an
orchid, Dendrobium secundum which has been roasted till it turns of a
straw colour.
Photo 188/7(034)
1890s
Photographer M.V. Portman
Making the pig arrow. The last operation in the making of a pig arrow
is the coating of it with a thick prepared red wax, Kagnata-Buj.
Photo 268/(27)
ca. 1895
Photographer unknown
Colonel R.C. Temple in his office, Andaman Islands.
Photo 268/(28)
1890s
Photographer unknown
The Barracks, Ross Island, Port Blair.
Photo 268/(29)
1890s
Photographer unknown
Steam yacht at anchor, probably in Nancowry harbor, Camorta, Nicobar
Islands.
Photo 268/(30)
1890s
Photographer unknown
The Barracks, Ross Island, Port Blair.
Photo 355/1(124)
ca. 1872
Photographer unknown
The scene of the assassination of the Vice-Roy of India (Lord Mayo
was assassinated by a convict in the Andaman Islands 1872).
Photo 355/1(125)
1872
Photographer unknown
View of the jetty at Hope Town, Port Blair, scene of the
assassination of the Vice-Roy of India.
Photo 355/1(126)
1870s
Photographer unknown
Port Blair from Ross Island.
Photo 355/1(127)
1870s
Photographer unknown
Port Blair from Ross Island.
Photo 440/1(002)
1890s
Photographer Bourne & Shepherd
Group of Andaman Islanders performing a dance.
Photo 440/1(003)
1890s
Photographer Bourne & Shepherd
Group of Andaman Islanders displaying body paint.
Photo 447/1(055)
1870s-1880s
Photographer unknown
Port Blair, the great penal settlement of the Andaman Islands where
between 12 and 14 thousand male and female convicts are kept.
Photo 447/1(056)
1870s-1880s
Photographer unknown
Viper Island, Port Blair harbor.
Photo 447/3(033)
1880s
Photographer unknown
Indian Government dispatch vessel Quantung, 6 x 9 pr. Armstrong R.M.L
gun, guard ship at Port Blair in place of IGS Hugli.
Photo 447/3(034)
1880s
Photographer W.W. Hooper
Hope Town with jetty where Lord Mayo was assassinated, Port
Blair.
Photo 447/3(035)
1880s
Photographer W.W. Hooper
Convict jail, Upper Island(?).
Photo 447/3(039)
1880s
Photographer W.W. Hooper
European Soldiers' Barracks, Ross Island, sea view facing north.
Photo 447/3(040)
1880s
Photographer W.W. Hooper
View of Barracks for Europeans, Ross Island.
Photo 447/3(041)
1880s
Photographer unknown
Unidentified Indian Government dispatch vessel, probably in the
Andaman Islands.
Photo 447/3(042)
1880s
Photographer W.W. Hooper
Chatham Island convict settlement, Port Blair harbor.
Photo 447/3(043)
1880s
Photographer W.W. Hooper
View of Aberdeen, Ross Island, showing l.G.Sr. [Indian Government
Steamer] Quantung and B.I.S.N. [British India Steam
Navigation] Company's Satara.
Photo 447/6(001)
ca. 1880
Photographer unkown
IGS [Indian Geological Survey?] Constance, 2 x 9 pr.
Armstrong RML guns. Tender to Guardship at Port Blair, employed on
surveying duties 1878-80.
Photo 447/6(042)
1920s
Photographer unkown
Squadron at anchor, Port Blair. Left to right: Investigator,
Elphinstone, Abu, Minto.
Photo 447/6(043)
ca. 1920s
Photographer unknown
RIM Squadron under way: from left to right Abu with broad pendant of
the RIM, Investigator, Elphinstone, Minto.
Photo 447/6(044)
ca. 1920s
Photographer unknown
RIM Squadron under way, from left to right Minto, Elphinstone,
Investigator, Abu.
Photo 447/7(001)
ca. 1900
Photographer unknown
Unidentified lighthouse, possibly in the Andaman Islands.
Photo 477/7(002)
ca. 1900
Photographer unknown
Table Island Lighthouse, northern Great Andaman Islands.
Photo 512/(001)
1860s
Photographer unknown
Nancourie Harbour, Nicobar Islands.
Photo 512/(002)
1860s
Photographer unknown
Village on Nancourie Island, Nicobar Islands.
Photo 512/(003)
1860s
Photographer unknown
Nicobarians.
Photo 512/(004)
1860s
Photographer unknown
Nicobarians.
Photo 512/(005)
1860s
Photographer unknown
Nicobarians.
Photo 512/(006)
1860s
Photographer unknown
Nicobarians.
Photo 512/(007)
1860s
Photographer unknown
Nicobarians.
Photo 775/(001)
ca. 1930s
Photographer unknown
Native dancers, Port Blair.
Photo 775/(002)
ca. 1930s
Photographer unknown
View at Andaman Islands.
Photo 775/(003)
ca. 1930s
Photographer unknown
Entrance to Cellular Jail, Port Blair.
Photo 775/(004)
ca. 1930s
Photographer unknown
Andamanese settlement.
Photo 775/(005)
ca. 1930s
Photographer unknown
Main Street, Port Blair.
South Parks Road
Oxford OX1 3PP
England
Tel. +44/1865/270927, Fax +44/1865/270943
E-mail elizabeth.edwards@prm.ox.ac.uk
The museum holds an excellent collection of photographs that is especially strong on the Great Andamanese ca. 1870 to 1910 but also includes some very rare material on Papua-New Guinean Negrioid pygmies in the Lord Boyne Collection.
|
The E.H. Man Collection (B 30) |
The Portman Collection (A 51) |
|
The Lord Moyne Collection (B 28) |
The Radcliffe-Brown Collection (A 23 and A 24) |
|
Suydam Cutting films (X98 and IX 132) |
The E.H. Man Collection (Photo Series PRM B30)
E.H. Man (for his biography see Appendix A) and G. Dobson: shot between 1872 and 1902 in the Andaman and Nicobar islands of Great Andamanese and Shompen. A few were published in Man's book of 1885 and 1932.
B 30 1.g
1901
photographer E.H. Man
Aka-Bea man with scarified chest.
B 30 2.b
1875
photographer E.H. Man
Aka-Bea canoes: in the foreground the traditional outrigger, in the
backout anoutrigger-less dug-out.
B 30 2.d
1876
photographer E.H. Man
Aka-Bea group posing before an Andamanese Home (?). The demonstrate a
variety of body paint pattern (including mourning and rejoicing),
ornaments (incl. ancestral bones), a band for carying infants and
other items.
B 30 3.h
1876/77
photographer E.H. Man
An Aka-Bea man and woman wearning necklaces of ancestral bones as
well as sarifications on their arms.
B 30 4.f
1877
photographer E.H. Man
Aka-Bea group showing bows and arrows, women in boda, one man
wears shorts.
B 30 5.b
1878
photographer E.H. Man
Woman wearing a necklace of fingerr-bones. Man with bucket, bow and
arrows, an adze in his belt and an ancestral skull on his
shoulder.
B 30 5.e
1878
photographer E.H. Man
E.H. Man with five young Aka-Bea men.
B 30 6.a
1872
photographer G. Dobson
Portrait of Maia Biala of the Rutland Island Aka-Bea and his wife,
seated on the steps of an Andamanese Home, both smoking pipes.
B 30 9.b
1886
photographer E.H. Man
Group photograph of coastal Shompen (the "tame Shompen") of Great
Nicobar.
B 30 10.i and 10.j
1886
photographer E.H. Man
Shompen portraits.
B 30 12.c
1886
photographer E.H. Man
Shompen group of two men, a woman and a child. All wear necklaces and
two men wear bamboo ear-plugs. Man points out in a note that Shompen
is pronounced Shom-pain with the "pain" pronounced as French
pain (bread).
B 30 13.c
1886
photographer E.H. Man
Shompen group photograph of twelve adults and two babies, showing
traditional clothing and ornaments.
B 30 18
1875?
photographer unknown
Two northern Great Andamanese men, one wearing a boda, the
other a shell-decorated cincture.
B 30 19.b
1875
photographer E.H. Man
Aka-Bea arrows and body-paint pattern.
The Lord Moyne Collection (Photo Series PRM B28)
The photographer for these pictures was Lady Broughton rather than Lord Broughton. She took the photographs on a yachting tour in and around the Indian and Pacific Oceans 1935. Relevant to us here are the photographs of Andamanese Onge, Malaysian Semang, Philippine Aeta, and a variety of Papua New Guinean people, including the Ayome and Ramu River Negritoid pygmies. Some of the photographs were published in Lord Moyne's book of 1936 (Walkabout - A Journey in Lands Berween the Pacific and Indian Oceans. London: William Heinemann)
B 28. 4.1
Onge mother with child.
B 28. 4.3
Onge group.
B 28 4.7
Onge canoe.
B 28 4.13
Two Semang negrito from the Malay Peninsula, with an European
doctor.
B 28 4.15
Semang hut.
B 28 4.16
Semang blowpipe.
B 28 4.21
Philippine Aeta Negritos from Zambales, with Europeans.
B 28 4.22
Zambales Negrito in profile.
B 28 4.24
Close-up of Zambales Negrito with bow and arrows.
B 28 4.26
Canoes from Eilanden, Papua-New Guinea.
B 28 4.37
Man from the Sepik River (Papua New Guinea) with elaborate skin
mutilations (scarification).
B 28 4.61
Negrito-like group of two men and three women from the Ramu River
(Papua New Guinea).
B 28 4.75
Aiome Negrito-like pygmies from Papua New Ginea, with two
Europeans.
B 28 4.76
Two Aiome women with two Europeans.
B28 4.77
Ayome woman.
B 28 4.78
An Ayome man with a pot.
B 28 4.79
Two Aiome hunters with an European man between them.
B 28 4.80
Five Aiome hunters with two Europeans left and right of the
group.
B 28 4.85
Aiomne hunter with characteristic head covering.
B 28 4.86
Ayome woman in profile with slight steatopygia.
B 28 4.88
Aiome woman with decorations and belts.
B 28 4.89
Old Ayomee woman with mats and decorated teeth.
B 28 4.90
Aiome man with an axe.
B 28 4.103
Onge outrigger canoe.
The Portman Collection (Photo Series PRM A51)
Shot mostly during the years 18890 to 1893 as part of Portman's grandiose and never complete project of documenting all Andamanese activities. These photographs are are duplicate positives made (probably by Portman himself) from his paper positive originals. The whereabout of the originals is unknown. For background information to these photographs see the Portman biography in Appendix A. None of these photographs have been published but all (and more) are also in the Calcutta Portman Manuscript and some are also in the British Library Collection.
A 51 / 3 and 4
Frontal and profile portrait: the Aka-Bea woman Woichela, aged ca.
32.
A 51 51 / 7 and 8
Frontal and profile portrait: the Aka-Juwoi woman Biala, aged ca.
27.
A 51 / 10 and 11
Frontal and profile portrait: the Aka-Kede man Riala, aged ca. 35.
Described as a popular singer, intelligent but of violent temper.
A 51 / 15 and 16
Frontal and profile portrait: the Aka-Bea Eremtaga man Mebul, , aged
ca. 40. Described as being unusual in having a slight moustache, he
is said to be a good hunter, of "tractable disposition" and
courageous.
A 51 / 23
Profile only: the Aka-Juwoi man Woichela, aged ca. 31 years. Said to
be quiet and of even temper.
A 51 / 24
Profile only: the Aka-Kede woman Kauremo, aged ca. 32 years.
The Radcliffe-Brown Collection (Photo Series PRM A23 and PRM A24)
These photographs were taken 1906 to1908 during A.R. Radcliffe-Brown's expedition (for his biography see Appendix A) to the Andamans. Some were published in Radcliffe-Brown's book of 1922 (reprinted 1932 and 1948).
A 23 a.21
Peace-making dance.
A 23 a.23
Village dance at an Andamanese home.
A 23 a.25
Girl decorated with and sitting on pandanus leaves in a hut, during a
puberty rite.
A 23 a.34
Man getting ready for the dance, showing use of white clay body
painting.
A 23 b.50
Woman with tools and piples in her belt.
A 23 a.51
Wives body-painting their husbands.
A 23 b.51
Fishing canoes with the "mother ship" in the background.
A 23 a.59
Group fishing with bows and arrows.
A 23 c.61
Girls in fashionable cothing.
A 24 / 6
Moi Lepto, an Akar-Bale village with sounding board in
foreground.
A 24 / 13
Akar-bale man with bow and arrows.
A 24 / 15
Northern Great Andamanese woman with scarification.
A 24 / 16
Northern Great Andamanese woman in profile with leafe belts.
A 24 / 17
Two southern Great Andamanese unmarried girls.
A 24 / 20
Northern Great Andamanese woman.
A 24 / 21
Northern Great Andamanese mother with baby.
A 24 / 23
Girl decorated with and sitting on pandanus leaves in a hut, during a
puberty rite.
A 24 / 25
Hunter fishing with bow and arrows.
A 24 / 26
Northern Great Andamanese peace-making ceremony.
A 24 / 27
Saying bood-bye between to northern Great Andamanese men.
A 24 / 28
The northern Great Andamanese Turtle-eating Ceremony.
A 24 / 30
Five Great Andamanese men showing different body-painting
pattern.
A 24 / 32
Heavily painted man, also wearing a chaplet of bones on his head.
A 24 / 33
Heavily painted woman with clay on her forehead as a sign of
mourning.
The Suydam Cutting Films (X98 and IX132)
In the Museum's collection are two 35 mm black-and-white films taken by Mr. Suydam Cutting around 1932. Mr. Cutting was a friend of the Rockefeller family and travelled around the world, filming for his patrons. His book "The Foreox and Other Years", London 1947 describes his travels, including his visit to the Andaman islands.
Film 1 shows (in this sequence) scenery, physical types, dances, lnauching a canoe, fishing with spears, fishing with bow and arrow, fishing with net, basket-making, hair-dressing, string-making, making a dug-out canoe, canoe paddling, canoe poling, canoe towed by a launch
Film 2 shows (in this sequence) harpooning from a canoe, bringing in a dugout, butchering a dugong (sea cow), boys frolicking in the sea, hunting turtle, butchering turtle, cleaning up and eating turtle, turtle dance, travelling with a canoe
The Royal Anthropological Institute
The Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and
Ireland
50 Fitzroy Street
London W1P 5HS
United Kingdom
Tel. +44/171/387 0455, Fax +44/171/383 4235
E-Mail rai@cix.compulink.co.uk
The Institute holds an extensive collection of Andamanese and Nicobarese historical photographs. We give here the text and listings as supplied by the Institute for their Andamanese collection.
2. Lady Broughton/Lord Moyne Photographs
6. Boreham and Radcliffe-Brown Photographs
E.H. Man was an administrator in the Andaman Islands between 1869 and 1901.
Photographs of Andamanese taken probably between 1875 and 1880. Almost entirely of what is now known as the South Andaman group of tribes and principally of the Aka-Bea and Puchikwar tribes. Many are photographs of Andamanese resident in "Homes" near Port Blair, established in 1863 by the administration for the settlement of Andamanese in an attempt to "civilise" them. Man was in charge of the Homes from 1875 to 1879. He also made a number of visits to the Nicobar Islands.
The Man collection takes the form of two albums (in boxes 81 and 82), a number of loose photographs, most of which are duplicates of the prints in the albums (in box 128), and five boxes of glass negatives (boxes 2, 3, 4, 38 and 39). Some photographs exist in both print and negative form, others in only one or the other form. Practically all those that exist only in glass negative form are those with accession numbers over 34438. New, small format copy negatives have been made of the prints in the two albums. There are glass negatives for many of the photographs in the albums, and where this is the case it is indicated.
Contacts have been made of most of the glass negatives, and are in the loose leaf books above the catalogue boxes.
There are full captions for the prints in the album in box 81 but very few, and those brief, for those in the album in box 82. Many of the prints in the album in box 82 are duplicates of those in the album in box 81, however, and have been given the same accession number. A number of the loose photographs in box 128 have now been matched with photographs in the two albums, and a small number with photographs which only exist in glass negative form. Most of the loose photographs have captions on the backs. The images have been listed with all available information, including that in the album (if they are included there) and that on the backs of loose prints.
Only images which are definitely of the Andaman Islands or of Andamanese in the Nicobar Islands are included in this list. There are some images in the Man collection (included in the full list of photographs by Man) which may be of the Andaman Islands but might also be of the Nicobar Islands. These are mostly of colonial stations.
Some of the photographs in the R.A.I. Man collection were published in books and papers by Man and others, and where this is the case the captions included with them are also included here. References are to the following publications:
Man E.H. 1883. "On the Aboriginal Inhabitants of the Andaman Islands," Journal of the Anthropological Institute, vol. XII
Man E.H. 1885 (republished 1932) On the Aboriginal Inhabitants of the Andaman Islands. London:, Royal Anthropological Institute
Man E.H. 1923. A Dictionary of the South Andaman Language (reprinted from the Indian Antiquary). Bombay: British India Press
Man E.H. 1932. The Nicobar Islands and their People. London: Royal Anthropological Institute
Whitehead G. 1924. In the Nicobar Islands. London: Seeley, Service and Co.
Box 81
1. 'Andaman Islands. Port Blair Harbour from Government House.' Catalogued.
2. 'Port Blair Harbour: Principal anchorage off Ross Island.' Catalogued. Glass negative.
3. Typical Permanent Hut in Kwang-Tung Harbour (Middle Andaman). Loose print of this image in box 128 gives caption: 'Communal Hut at Mot-Kunu in Port Anson Harbour (North-East of Spike Island).' Published in A Dictionary of the South Andaman Language as Plate iv, where it has the caption: 'Visitors from Port Blair to Communal Hut in Andaman Strait.' Also published in On the Aboriginal Inhabitants..., where it has the caption: 'Communal hut at Mot-Kunu in Port Anson Harbour.' Catalogued. Glass negative.
4. 'Port Blair: Andamanese poling canoe and shooting fish in creek'. Loose print of this image in box 128 gives caption: 'Shooting fish in Tidal Creek near Port Blair'. Catalogued. Glass negative. Published in A Dictionary of the South Andaman Language as Plate iii, with caption: 'Shooting fish while poling along a creek near Port Blair.' Also published in On the Aboriginal Inhabitants... as Plate IX, where it has the same caption.
5. 'Andamanese long resident in Port Blair. Catalogued. Duplicate appears in album in box 82, after no. 110.
6. 'Andamanese long resident in Port Blair'. Loose print of this image in box 128 has caption on back: 'Group at the Home in Port Blair, Andaman Islands. March 1901.' Published in A Dictionary of the South Andaman Language as Plate xii (lower half) where it has caption: 'Fig. b. Port Blair "Home" inmates, 1901.' Catalogued.
7. 'Native of North Andaman: showing the three rows of "tatu" marks characteristic of the northern tribes' . Loose print of this image in box 128 has caption on back: 'Specimen of tattoing as performed among the northern tribes of Andamans'. Published in A Dictionary of the South Andamanese Language as Plate xi (middle), where it has caption: 'Fig b. Back-tattoing as practised by the Yerewa tribes (see Dict'y p. 24).' Catalogued.
8. 'Andamanese long resident at Port Blair'. Loose print of this image in box 128 has caption on back: 'Group at Port Blair, Andaman Islands. March/01.' Caption on loose image indicates names of two of individuals in photograph: second from left is Luke and far right is Woichola. Published in A Dictionary of the South Andaman Language as Plate xi (left side), where it has caption: 'Fig a. Natives of Great Andaman at Port Blair "Home".' Catalogued.
9. 'Andamanese long resident at Port Blair. Catalogued.
10. 'Andamanese at Kyd Island Home.' Loose print of this image in box 128 has caption on back: 'Group at the Home on Kyd Island, Andaman Islands.' Catalogued.
11. 'Andamanese long resident in Port Blair'. Published in A Dictionary of the South Andaman Language as Plate vii (lower part), where it has caption: 'Types of inmates of the "Home" at Port Blair (cir. 1900).' Catalogued.
12. 'Andamanese giving time to dancers: the man by stamping on sounding-board and the women by clapping their hands on the inner portions of their thighs.' Loose print of this image in box 128 has no caption. Catalogued. Glass negative; half of 12/55, stored numerically at 12.
13. 'Andamanese dancing to accompaniment of sounding-board'. Published in A Dictionary of the South Andaman Language as Plate v, where it has caption: 'Natives of Great Andaman at Port Blair, dancing.' Also published in On the Aboriginal Inhabitants..., as Plate XII, where it has caption: 'Andamanese dancing: the conductor marking time with sounding-board.' Catalogued. Glass negative.
14. 'Andamanese long resident at Port Blair.' Loose print of this image in box 128 has caption on back: 'Group at the Home in Port Blair, Andaman Islands.' Catalogued.
15. 'Andamanese long resident at Port Blair.' Loose print of this image in box 128 has no caption. Catalogued.
16. 'Andamanese at the Home in Kwang-Tung Harbour' . Loose print of this image in box 128 has caption on back: 'Hut at Port Anson, Andaman Islands. Kwangtung Harbour.' Catalogued.
17. 'Andamanese equipped for a hunting expedition'. Loose print of this image in box 128 has caption on back: 'Scene at Cadell Bay in the North Andamans.' Catalogued.
18. 'Natives of North Andaman.' Catalogued. Glass negative.
19. 'Andamanese in canoe at Interview Island'. Loose print of this image in box 128 has caption on back: 'At S. end of Interview Island' . Published in About the Aboriginal Inhabitants... where it has caption: 'A turtle hunt.' Catalogued. Glass negative.
20. 'Onges: Natives of Little Andaman.' Catalogued.
21. 'Onges: Natives of Little Andaman'. Loose print of this image in box 128 has no caption. Published in A Dictionary of the South Andaman Language as Plate xi (right side) where it has caption: 'Fig. c. Natives of Little Andaman.'
Box 82
95. 'View from Aberdeen (Mt. Pisgah [?]).' Loose print of this image included in the album has notes on the back indicating the identity of various parts of the view. These include Ross Island, Aberdeen jetty, Aberdeen barracks, Aberdeen village, cemetery, Mt. Harriet, 'the famous swamp, now a coconut plantation, south portion of swamp, a coconut plantation.' This is a composite print made up of three separate photographs. We have a glass negative of the far right portion only, which is numbered 95. Catalogued.
96. 'View from Govt. House.' Catalogued.
97. No caption. Perhaps colonial administrative headquarters on Ross Island, Andaman Islands. Uncatalogued.
98. No caption. Perhaps colonial administrative headquarters on Ross Island, Andaman Islands. Uncatalogued.
99. No caption. Perhaps colonial administrative headquarters on Ross Island, Andaman Islands. Uncatalogued.
100. No caption. Perhaps colonial administrative headquarters on Ross Island, Andaman Islands. Uncatalogued.
101. No caption. Sailing ships at anchor in harbour, probably in Andaman Islands. Uncatalogued.
102. No caption. Sailing ship at anchor in harbour, probably in Andaman Islands. Uncatalogued.
103. No caption. Interior of Anglican church, probably in Andaman Islands. Uncatalogued.
104. 'Mt. Harriet bungalow.' Uncatalogued.
105. 'Annandale garden'. Uncatalogued.
106. 'Kwangtung'. Crew and passengers on board ship. Uncatalogued.
110. No caption. Group of Andaman Islanders. Probably residents of Port Blair (see R.A.I. no. 5). Catalogued.
111. No caption. Group of Andaman Islanders. Probably residents of Port Blair (see R.A.I. no. 5). Catalogued.
182. 'Barren Island Volcano (1015 ft) photo'd by me about Dec. 88.' Additional note probably by unidentified photolibrarian: 'MAN Andaman Islanders p. 315. 75 m SSW of Narcondam, 42 m E of [?] and Andaman Islands.' Published in A Dictionary of the South Andaman Language as Plate ii (a map included with this publication shows the position of the island).
112. No caption. Group of Andaman Islanders. Probably residents of Port Blair (see R.A.I. no. 5). Uncatalogued.
Box 128: Mounted Photographs
183. No caption. Andaman Islanders. Uncatalogued. New whole plate modern copy negative.
185. No caption. Loose unmounted print of this image also in this box has caption on back: 'Group at Arong village (Car Nicobar).' In Centre is individual indicated on back to be 'Fritz (an Andamanese).' Published in Whitehead's In The Nicobar Islands as lower half of plate facing p. 53, where it has caption: 'A group of Nicobarese standing in front of a small hut with an Andamanese visitor in the middle of the front row; taken at Arong on the west coast of Car Nicobar.' See also no. 34535, of which no. 185 is a cropped version. Uncatalogued.
Box 128: Unmounted Photographs.
35684 'Convict workshops at Phoenix Bay, Andaman Islands, Mch/0l' (caption on back of prints). Image consists of two prints stuck together. Uncatalogued.
35906 'Andamanese archers Mch/0l' (caption on back of print). Uncatalogued.
35907 'Women at the home at Port Blair, Andaman Islands Mch/0l' (caption on back of print). Uncatalogued.
35908 'Tennis courts and pavilion on Ross Island, Andaman Islands, from Post Office 1901' (caption on back of print). Uncatalogued.
35909 No caption. Andamanese, probably at Port Anson, Kwangtung harbour (see nos. 16 and 35910). Uncatalogued.
35910 'Kwangtung harbour, Mch/01. Hut at Port Anson, Andaman Islands' (caption on back of print). Uncatalogued.
35912 'A vista near the N.D.O.'s bungalow at Viper Island, Andaman Islands, 1901' (caption on back of print). A pencilled cross on back of print marks the position of a colonial building named 'Buknipure' (?)
35913 'Back of the Wren [?] house. Officers Mess on Ross Island, Andaman Islands 1901' (caption on back of print). Uncatalogued.
35914 'Indian officials of the Penal Settlement, Andaman Islands, 1901' (caption on back of print). Two men marked on back as being 'Adolph' and 'Obed Shah [?].' Uncatalogued.
35915 'N.E. view of Government House, Ross Island, Andaman Islands, 1900' (caption on back of print). Uncatalogued.
35916 'M.V.P.'s bungalow 1900. An officer's bungalow at Aberdeen, Andaman Islands' (caption on back of print). Old catalogue card attached to print adds 'M. Portman's bungalow'. Uncatalogued.
35917 'Men of the Home at Port Blair, Andaman Islands Mch/01' (caption on back of print). Uncatalogued.
35920 'E.H. Man in 1875 with natives [Andamanese] (the five authors of the Letters to Jumbo)' (caption next to print). Also 'to face contents page.' Published in A Dictionary of the South Andaman Language, as Plate i, to face p. 8, where it has caption: 'The five joint authors of the letters to Jambu with Mr. Man, 1879. 1. Biala-idal 2. Ira-jodo 3. Ira-koro 4. lora ("Henry") 5. woi ("Tom").' Also published in On the Aboriginal Inhabitants... as Plate I, where it has caption: 'E.H. Man in 1875 with native boys, the five joint authors of the "Letters to Jambu" in 1879 (see p. 60, Alexander J. Ellis's report)' [this is in the same book). Uncatalogued.
35922 '"Elphinstone" or [?] "Shahjeba"' [?] Mch/01. General view of Ross Island,Andaman Islands' (caption on back of print). Uncatalogued.
35923 'Great Andaman canoes, large plain and outrigger varieties' (printed caption next to print). Published in On the Aboriginal Inhabitants..., where it has the same caption. Also published in A Dictionary of the South Andaman Language as Plate vii (upper part), where it has caption: 'Fig a. Showing the two descriptions of canoes (see p. 37).' Also published in 'On the Aboriginal Inhabitants of the Andaman Islands'as Plate VII, where it has the caption: 'Two Andamanese canoes with a group of aborigines and Jemadar Ahmed (head petty officer of the Homes). The nearer canoe is a large specimen of the out-rigger description, styled cha-rigma-, and the further one represents an ordinary size "dug out" called gilyanya-, such as has been commonly made for some years past by the South Andamanese (bojig-ngi-ji).' Uncatalogued.
Probably Man
Same captioning on back (originally in box 4).
35894 'Cellular jail, Mch/1901. Cellular jail at Aberdeen, Andaman Islands.'
35895 'P.B. Church, Mch/1901. Church on Ross Island, Abndaman Islands.' Glass negatives with no corresponding prints in the collection
34462 Two Andamanese men. Published in On the Aboriginal Inhabitants... as Plate VII, where it has the caption: 'To speed the parting guest.' Glass negative, box 38.
34463 Andamanese man and woman, profile. Published in On the Aboriginal Inhabitants... of the Andaman Island' as left side of Plate VIII, where it has the caption: 'Male and female adults, showing profiles, together with the mode of wearing the bone, wooden and other necklaces, etc. and the character of the ordinary tattooing marks on trunk and limbs.' Published in On the Aboriginal Inhabitants... as right half of Plate III, where it has caption: 'Andamanese man and woman, showing profiles.' Glass negative, box 38; two copies of same image on negative.
34464A Andamanese man in European formal dress, profile. Published in The Nicobar Islands as Plate VII (right side of plate), where it has caption: 'A native of Car Nicobar (aged about 19 years), who could read and write Hindustani like a munshi, having lived at Ceylon since 7 years old'. Glass negative, box 38, 34464A/34464B.
34464B Same man as 34464A, front view. Glass negative, box 38, 34464A/34464E.
34474 Andamanese paddling outrigger canoe. Glass negative, box 38.
34475 Group of Nicobarese with Andamanese. Same group as no. 34459. Glass negative, box 39.
34496 Two Andamanese (?) men walking in a stream. Published in The Nicobar Islands as Plate II, where it has caption: 'La-Ful Creek in Dry Season, Great Nicobar.' (La-Ful is a Shom Pen village in Great Nicobar; see no. 34469). Glass negative, box 4.
34531 Group of Andamanese men, one about to climb tree. Glass negative, box 4.
34532 Group of Andamanese with 5 Europeans. Glass negative, box 4.
2. Lady Broughton/Lord Moyne Photographs
Photographs taken by Lady Broughton on the expedition organized by Lord Moyne to South East Asia, New Guinea and the Pacific. Many of the photographs were published in Moyne, Lord, 1936. Walkabout. A Journey in Lands between the Pacific and Indian Oceans. London and Toronto: William Heinemann Ltd.
Box 130
Five photographs from Andaman Islands, all of Onge.
All accessioned but uncatalogued.
7132 Inscribed 'Onge. Photo, at Jackson's Creek, Little Andaman Islands. Pres. by Lord Moyne, June 1936.' [mother and child] . Published in Walkabout Plate 96, right half.
7160 Inscribed 'Onge. Photo, at Jackson's Creek, Little Andaman Islands. Pres. By
7134 Lord Moyne, June 1936'. [outrigger canoe]. Published in Walkabout Plate 91.
7161 Inscribed 'Onge. Photo, at Jackson's Creek, Little Andaman Islands. Pres. Lord Moyne June 1936'.
7165 Inscribed 'Onge. Photo, by Jackson's Creek, Little Andaman Islands. Pres. by Lord Moyne, June 1936'. Published in Walkabout Plate 96.
7166 Inscribed 'Onge. Photo, at Jackson's Creek, Little Andaman Islands. Pres. by Lord Moyne June 1936'. Published in Walkabout Plate 94, left half.
Photographs taken by M.V. Portman, who worked in the
administration of the Andaman Islands (exact dates?).
(Note Andaman Association: for a biography and exact dates see
Appendix A Portman).
Box 146
Vol. 2 (Adze and Bow making) of a series of albums he made showing
Andamanese technological processes. The bow is the South Andaman
bow.
26 photographs, all catalogued.
Lantern Slide Box marked
'Dobson/Portman - Andamans
Hildburgh - India/Sri Lanka
Ainu Coloured Lantern Slides.'
Contains 7 of the images of stages in Adze making included in the album in box 146. These have different accession numbers:
Slide no. 14955 = Album print no. 812
Slide no. 14953 = Album print no. 813
Slide no. 14952 = Album print no. 818
Slide no. 14951 = Album print no. 822
Slide no. 14950 = Album print no. 821
Slide no. 14948 = Album print no. 819
Slide no. 14947 = Album print no. 820.
HS Box 86
Photographs by G. Dobson, a zoologist who photographed in the
Andaman Islands on only one occasion. 4. 5. 1872. Photographs taken
at Port Blair, of groups of Andamanese.
6 photographs, all catalogued.
Lantern Slide Box marked
'Dobson/Portman - Andamans
Hildburgh - India/Sri Lanka
Ainu Coloured Lantern Slides.'
Contains two of the images included in box 86, but with different accession numbers:
Slide no. 14939 = Print no. 5758
Slide no. 14938 = Print no. 5759.
In this box there is also a lantern slide of an image not included as a print in box 86. This is a different shot of the couple in no. 5758 ('Chief and his Wife').
This is being catalogued.
Rogers was Deputy Conservator of Forests at some time in the late 19th and early 20th century. Exact dates unclear but must include 1902 and 1903 when some of the photographs were taken. Appears also to have been in charge of the "Homes" (see above, photographs by Man). Photographs are of Onge of Little Andamans, of Jarawa, South Andamans (one taken at Port Blair), of Andamanese at Port Blair. Others are of Andamanese in unspecified places. Some images are held in both glass negative and print form, others only in one or the other form. Where there are both glass negatives and prints of an image, these have different accession numbers. Glass negatives are all in box 54.
N.B. The accession book notes that there are lantern slides of some of the images (those on glass negatives nos. 33508 [print no. 1520], 33517 [print no. 1521], 33518 [print no. 1516], 33519 [print no. 1519], 33520 [print no. 1503]) but these have not been located so far.
Prints, Box 4
1502 'Onge temporary dry weather hut on N. Cingwe (?) Island' Uncatalogued. (Note Andaman Association: "Cingwe" must refer to the Cinque Islands, between Rutland Island and Little Andaman).
1503 'Andamanese in camp (man and wife)' (probably Aka Balawa people; see no. 1516). Uncatalogued. Glass negative no. 33520 box 54.
1507 'Coryphe sp. palm tree in fruit, bamboo plantation (?) Port Blair Harbour, June 1902 C.J.R.' Uncatalogued.
1509 'Coryphe sp. palm tree bamboo flat Port Blair Harbour June 1902 C.J.R.' Uncatalogued.
1511 'Andamanese canoe Ron Island, Port Blair C.J.R.' Uncatalogued.
1515 Andaman Islanders shooting fish with bow and arrow. Captioned on back in pencil as Rogers, although appears to have been taken at same time as no. 35439, so may be Onge visitors to Rutland Island taken by Boden Kloss. Glass negative of this image with accession number 33506 in glass negative box no. 54.
1516 'Aka Balawa woman ornamenting her girdle' (caption on back of print). Two copies of this print. Uncatalogued. Glass negative no. 33518 box 54.
1517 '[Captured] Jarawa woman and child. [Hostile] in S. Andaman. [Probably 26/02/02-16/03/02 .Photog C.J. Rogers]' (caption on back of print; parts in square brackets have been added to original caption later, in red biro). New W/P copy negative made 1987, same accession no. Uncatalogued.
1518 'Outside of Jarawa hut at Pochang N. end of S. Andamans. Sei Censors reprint of Andamans for Matron Cars' (? last sentence) (caption on back of print). Uncatalogued.
1519. Woman 'grooming' man (probably Aka Balawa woman; see no. 1516). No caption. Two copies of this print. Uncatalogued. Glass negative no. 33519 box 54.
1520. 'Andamanese women making nets Stewart Sound, N. Andamans' (caption on back of print) . Two copies of this print. Uncatalogued. Glass negative no. 33508 box 54 (N.B. number on negative written reversed so that contact is wrong way round).
1521 Man and woman engaged in craftwork (woman with palm leaves, man with rotan), child looking on. Perhaps Aka Balawa people (see no. 1516). Uncatalogued. Glass negative no. 33517 box 54.
1522 Group of Andamanese by base of large tree. No caption. Six copies of this print. Uncatalogued. Glass negative no. 33505 box 54.
4425 'Ongees 13 mile creek [?], Little Andamans, Jan 1903 CGR' (caption on back of print). Uncatalogued. Glass negative no. 33516 box 54.
Glass negative box 54
33504 Andamanese dancing outside hut. Uncatalogued.
33505 See print no. 1522, box 4.
33507 Group of Andamanese. Uncatalogued.
33508 See print no. 1520, box 4.
33509 Group of Andamanese. Uncatalogued.
33510 Group of Andamanese with European. Uncatalogued.
33511 Group of Andamanese with European. Uncatalogued.
33512 Group of Andamanese with European women and outrigger canoe. Uncatalogued.
33513 Andamanese dancing outside hut (taken at same time as 33504). Uncatalogued.
33514 Group of Andamanese. Uncatalogued.
33515 Group of Andamanese with European on beach. Uncatalogued.
33516 See print no. 4425, box 4.
33517 See print no. 1521, box 4.
33518 See print no. 1516, box 4.
33519 See print no. 1519, box 4.
33520 See print no. 1503, box 4.
6. Boreham and Radcliffe-Brown? Photographs
Three Photographs which may be by R. Boreham, ex Commissariat Officer or perhaps by Radcliffe-Brown.
Original captions have been added to in red biro. One photograph (no. 1504) was originally captioned as having been taken after the 'Kings Dinner' on 30.12.1902 (held to celebrate the declaration of Edward VII as Emperor of India and to which some 300 Andamanese from all over the Islands were invited) . Another (no. 1506) is noted in red biro as probably having been taken after Kings Dinner; this is of a group which includes someone originally captioned as Chief Sion Bali or Boya (red biro clarifies this as 'Snowball (or Boya)'. The third photograph, no. 1505, has no significant original caption but the red biro notes that this is probably by R. Boreham. The original caption of no. 1504 has the Kings Dinner as taking place on 31.12.03 but this has been corrected to 31.12.02. The red biro notes that both of the two other photographs were probably taken on the same date, 31.12.02.
All uncatalogued.
N.B. Nos. 1505 and 1506 may be Radcliffe-Brown's - see backs of prints.
On RAI Wall
Two photographs, one of white child with Andamanese, one of Andamanese man and wife. Apparently taken on brief visit, perhaps with census party in 1911.
35500 and 33079 New negs. Uncatalogued.
With Man prints in box 128
35896, 35897, 35898, 35899 Groups of natives.
35900 Natives on board ship with white child (same as in photograph on wall).
35901 Natives in canoes about to board ship.
Glass negative box 4
34539 Andaman Islander shooting fish with bow and arrow, Onge visitor to Rutland Island. Published under this caption facing p. 190 in: C. Boden-Kloss, 1903, In the Andamans and Nicobars, London: John Murray. 1903.
34540 Houseboats?
Box 4 (prints)
1515 Andaman Islanders shooting fish with bow and arrow. Appears likely to have been taken at same time as no. 35439, so may be Onge visitors to Rutland Island. Glass negative of this image with accession number 33506 in glass negative box no. 54 (possibly Boden Kloss; new negs. and prints, stated to be Rogers in pencil on back).
Box 4
35927 Postcard with inscription 'The three Onges of Andamans. These were taken a few years ago and have not been seen since as such their blood has not been grouped [unreadable signature] Ross 4.1.39'. Also has 'Ruggles-Gate Andamans ? 1940' written crosswise on it.
10. LSE Lantern Slide Collection
Included here are the Andaman images included in the LSE Lantern Slide collection.
None are catalogued.
X.b.l. 'Andamans.' LSE catalogue adds: 'Andamans dancing while man beats time on sounding board'.
X.b.2. 'Andamans.' Appears to be a shot of the same scene as X.b.l from another angle.
X.b.12. 'Andamans.' LSE catalogue adds: 'Andamans (with bows).'
(Monica Janowski, February 1992)
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