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71. Spinning cotton thread, Dumboli, 1994

Description:
A woman in Dumboli spins cotton thread. She holds raw cotton fiber in her left hand. She has attached a strand of fiber to her spindle (gԑndԑ in Nafaanra), and she prepares to set it and the spindle whorl (gԑndԑ kaan in Nafaanra) which weights it in motion with her right hand. The whorl spins inside a small white vessel (possibly an animal skull or turtle shell) resting on a basket lid. The woman sits on a low stool. Various containers used in food preparation sit behind her. The basket on which she is spinning is used to store her equipment when not in use. Seeing women spinning in their homes would have been common before the second half of the 20th century. Archaeologists find spindle whorls in houses on sites dating to the later 18th and 19th centuries. In earlier times, however, it appears that thread was primarily made in market centers rather than in households. Two photos. Dumboli, 1994.
Rights:
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial
Publisher:
University of Victoria Libraries
Location(s) Facet:
Dumboli
Subjects:
Cotton thread; Women's work; Techniques
Subjects Facet:
Handicraft; Spinning; Spindle whorls; Baskets
Identifier:
18
Creator:
Dr. M. Dores Cruz
Contributors:
Dr. Ann B. Stahl
Date searchable:
1994
Date searchable:
1994
Genre Facet:
35 mm slide
Location(s):
Dumboli;8.090342, -2.517137
Date Digitized:
2016
People Facet:
Dr. M. Dores Cruz
Commentary:
Slide scanned by Veronique Plante
Geographic Coordinates:
8.090342, -2.517137

72. Spinning cotton thread, Bondakile, 1994

Description:
A woman in Bondakile spins cotton thread from raw fiber held in her left hand. She holds the raw cotton between her thumb and index finger, using her middle finger to provide tension as she stretches and thins the fibers using her right hand. The thread is wound thickly toward the base of the spindle (gԑndԑ in Nafaanra) above the spindle whorl (gԑndԑ kan in Nafaanra) which is barely visible at the base of the spindle. The woman uses (what appears to be) a turtle shell (carapace) as a surface on which to spin. She has stabilized the shell with a piece of folded cloth which sits on top of an enamel ware plate. A calabash and a plastic bucket site nearby. Spinning was a routine household activity done by women until commercially manufactured cloth became commonplace (second half of the 20th century). Two photos. Bondakile, 1994.
Rights:
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial
Publisher:
University of Victoria Libraries
Location(s) Facet:
Bondakile
Subjects:
Plastic containers; Women's work ; Cotton thread; Techniques
Subjects Facet:
Enameled ware; Handicraft; Spinning; Spindle whorls
Identifier:
36
Creator:
Dr. M. Dores Cruz
Contributors:
Dr. Ann B. Stahl
Date searchable:
1994
Date searchable:
1994
Genre Facet:
35 mm slide
Location(s):
Bondakile;7.986031, -2.546331
Date Digitized:
2016
People Facet:
Dr. M. Dores Cruz
Commentary:
Slide scanned by Veronique Plante
Geographic Coordinates:
7.986031, -2.546331

73. Dipping clay pots in bark solution, Bondakile, 1982

Description:
Potters and their helpers place hot clay jars, just removed from the bonfire, into a solution made from pounded tree bark. They use their long wooden poles to carry the pots to large pottery bowls containing the bark solution. They dip and turn the pot in the solution, allowing it to carbonize on the surface of the hot jar. This finishing step colors the jar's surface and makes its walls less porous which is said to improve its cooking performance. The remains of the bonfire, banked by previously fired broken pots, can be seen in the rear center. Four photos. Bondakile, October, 1982.
Rights:
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial
Publisher:
University of Victoria Libraries
Relation:
https://exhibits.library.uvic.ca/spotlight/iaff/catalog/17-16840
Location(s) Facet:
Bondakile
Subjects:
Potting; Finishing; Women's work; Jars
Subjects Facet:
Firing (Ceramics); Pottery; Handicraft; Pottery making
Identifier:
24
Creator:
Dr. Ann B. Stahl
Contributors:
Dr. Ann B. Stahl
Date searchable:
1982
Date searchable:
1982-10
Genre Facet:
35 mm slide
Location(s):
Bondakile;7.986031, -2.546331
Date Digitized:
2016
People Facet:
Dr. Ann B. Stahl
Commentary:
Slide scanned by Veronique Plante
Geographic Coordinates:
7.986031, -2.546331

74. Potting clay source, Bondakile, 1982

Description:
A young boy stands at the base of the clay pit where potters from Bondakile mine the clay they use for making pottery. Soils from upper and lower levels are mixed together to make a workable potting clay. Children help relatives who are potters to dig and process the clay. Two photos. Bondakile, October, 1982.
Rights:
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial
Publisher:
University of Victoria Libraries
Relation:
https://exhibits.library.uvic.ca/spotlight/iaff/catalog/17-16834
Location(s) Facet:
Bondakile
Subjects:
Potting; Children's work
Subjects Facet:
Pottery making; Clay mining; Handicraft
Identifier:
15; 14
Creator:
Dr. Ann B. Stahl
Contributors:
Dr. Ann B. Stahl
Date searchable:
1982
Date searchable:
1982-10
Genre Facet:
35 mm slide
Location(s):
Bondakile;7.986031, -2.546331
Date Digitized:
2016
People Facet:
Dr. Ann B. Stahl
Commentary:
Slide scanned by Veronique Plante
Geographic Coordinates:
7.986031, -2.546331

75. Preparing the firewood for firing clay pottery, Dorbour, 1994

Description:
Afua Donkor, a Nafana potter, selects and places fuel as she prepares to fire clay soup pots (chiin sinyjͻlͻ in Nafaanra) that have been slipped red. Other clay pots sit nearby awaiting firing, some in a headpan. The pots are carefully stacked on top of the wood and additional fuel placed on top. Additional firewood is stacked behind and in front lays the bark that she will use to cover the clay pots before lighting the bonefire. Once lit, the bonfire will burn for between 30 and 60 minutes, after which the fired pottery will be hardened, useable and ready for sale. Two photos. Dorbour, 1994.
Rights:
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial
Publisher:
University of Victoria Libraries
Location(s) Facet:
Dorbour
Subjects:
Soup pots (chiin sinyjolo); Bonfire; Headpan; Potting; Jars; Slipping
Subjects Facet:
Firing (Ceramics); Firewood; Pottery; Handicraft
Identifier:
21; 29
Creator:
Dr. M. Dores Cruz
Contributors:
Dr. Ann B. Stahl
Date searchable:
1994
Date searchable:
1994
Genre Facet:
35 mm slide
Location(s):
Dorbour;8.090342, -2.517137
Date Digitized:
2016
People Facet:
Dr. M. Dores Cruz
Commentary:
Slide scanned by Veronique Plante
Geographic Coordinates:
8.090342, -2.517137

76. Bonfire firing of clay pots, Adadiem, 1994

Description:
Potters in Adadiem place bark over clay pots that have been stacked on top of a bed of firewood. The bonfire has been lit and the bark serves as additional fuel. More red-slipped clay pots sit behind, waiting for the next firing. One woman carries a child on her back. The bonfire will burn for between 30 minutes and an hour, after which the pots will be ready for use or sale. Abena Donkor (far right) assists while Solomon Kojo, young boy in brown shorts, looks on. Two photos. Adadiem, 1994.
Rights:
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial
Publisher:
University of Victoria Libraries
Location(s) Facet:
Adadiem
Subjects:
Potting; Bonfire; Women's work; Adadiem
Subjects Facet:
Firing (Ceramics); Firewood; Pottery; Handicraft
Identifier:
22; 30
Creator:
Dr. M. Dores Cruz
Contributors:
Dr. Ann B. Stahl
Date searchable:
1994
Date searchable:
1994
Genre Facet:
35 mm slide
Location(s):
Adadiem;8.082874, -2.552821
Date Digitized:
2016
People Facet:
Dr. M. Dores Cruz
Commentary:
Slide scanned by Veronique Plante
Geographic Coordinates:
8.082874, -2.552821

77. Shaping a clay pot, Dorbour, 1994

Description:
Yaa Tenabrԑ, a Nafana potter, stands as she begins to pull a clay lump upwards and outwards, using a draw-and-drag (direct pull) technique to form the walls of a clay pot. The clay rests on a metal plate (kpankpa in Nafaanra) supported by a wooden stump. She moves clockwise around the stump, using her left hand to draw clay up from the center of the lump and her right hand to shape and thin what will become the walls of the pot. As she pulls and smooths the clay, she forms the upper body and rim of the pot. The finger marks visible at this stage of the pot's forming show the direction in which she pulls the clay as she works. These marks will be smoothed away as she continues to form the pot. She uses a maize cob (bedjukaan in Nafaanra) as a tool to shape and smooth the pot's walls. She uses a spatula-like tool to thin and further smooth the surface. When she is finished forming the body and rim, she will set the clay jar aside to dry on the wooden pallet on which it rests. Once dry, she will add a rounded base to the pot. Five photos. Dorbour, 1994.
Rights:
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial
Publisher:
University of Victoria Libraries
Location(s) Facet:
Dorbour
Subjects:
Potting; Women's work; Forming; Dorbour
Subjects Facet:
Pottery making; Handicraft
Identifier:
26
Creator:
Dr. M. Dores Cruz
Contributors:
Dr. Ann B. Stahl
Date searchable:
1994
Date searchable:
1994
Genre Facet:
35 mm slide
Location(s):
Dorbour;8.090342, -2.517137
Date Digitized:
2016
People Facet:
Dr. M. Dores Cruz
Commentary:
Slide scanned by Veronique Plante
Geographic Coordinates:
8.090342, -2.517137

78. Forming the base of a clay pot, Dorbour, 1994

Description:
Ama Donkor, a Nafana potter, sits as she uses moist clay to form the base of a soup pot (chiin sinyjͻlͻ in Nafaanra). She is adding the base to a body and rim that she made the day before and set aside to dry. The clay pot rests on a metal plate that she can turn as she works (kpankpa in Nafaanra). She adds small lumps of clay as she gradually builds the rounded base of the pot. Three photos. Dorbour, 1994.
Rights:
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial
Publisher:
University of Victoria Libraries
Location(s) Facet:
Dorbour
Subjects:
Potting; Headpans; Women's work; Soup pots (chiin sinyjolo); Forming; Dorbour
Subjects Facet:
Pottery making; Handicraft
Identifier:
31
Creator:
Dr. M. Dores Cruz
Contributors:
Dr. Ann B. Stahl
Date searchable:
1994
Date searchable:
1994
Genre Facet:
35 mm slide
Location(s):
Dorbour;8.090342, -2.517137
Date Digitized:
2016
People Facet:
Dr. M. Dores Cruz
Commentary:
Slide scanned by Veronique Plante
Geographic Coordinates:
8.090342, -2.517137

79. Large clay pit west of Bui Village, 1989

Description:
Two men (left) stand on the edge of a deep pit previously mined by potters from around Bui Village as a source of potting clay. The deep clay pit was used before the mid-20th century when potters were still practicing their craft east of the Banda hills. The clay pit was located along a stream which drained into the Black Volta on its south bank, on the road leading west from Bui Village. The pit was located in an area later flooded by the rising waters of Bui Lake after construction of the Bui Dam. A red-and-white 2 meter photo scale stands upright in the pit to show the pit's depth. West of Bui, 1989.
Rights:
Creative Commons Attribution--NonCommercial
Publisher:
University of Victoria Libraries
Date:
1989
Location(s) Facet:
Bui
Subjects:
Potting
Subjects Facet:
Handicraft; Clay mining; Pottery making
Creator:
Dr. Ann B. Stahl
Date searchable:
1989
Genre Facet:
35 mm slide
Format:
Image
Location(s):
8.288707, -2.279565
Date Digitized:
2016
Commentary:
Slide scanned by Veronique Plante
Geographic Coordinates:
8.288707, -2.279565

80. Mat weaving, Sabiye, 1994

Description:
A man in Sabiye weaves a fiber mat (dԑnglԑ in Nafaanra) using 'gbannaa'. The mat is rolled and he works on its outer edge. Mats like these were pliable and used in a variety of ways. People slept on them within their houses. When people died, they might be wrapped in one of these valuable mats before being buried. Two photos. Sabiye, 1994.
Rights:
Creative Commons Attribution--NonCommercial
Publisher:
University of Victoria Libraries
Date:
1994
Location(s) Facet:
Sabiye
Subjects:
Men's work
Subjects Facet:
Handicraft; Basket making; Mats
Identifier:
26; 29
Creator:
Dr. M. Dores Cruz
Date searchable:
1994
Genre Facet:
35 mm slide
Location(s):
Sabiye;8.068359, -2.352164
Date Digitized:
2016
Commentary:
Slide scanned by Veronique Plante
Geographic Coordinates:
8.068359, -2.352164