Cultural Archives
Transcription of Speech by Chief Onyeso of Agukwu Nri
A photograph depicting pages 92 and 93 from Northcote Thomas's Anthropological Report on the Ibo-speaking Peoples of Nigeria, Part III: Proverbs, Narratives, Vocabularies and Grammar. The printed pages feature a bilingual layout, pairing primary indigenous text with English translations. Page …
Excerpt from Anthropological Report on the Ibo-speaking Peoples of Nigeria
A photograph depicting three sequential pages (81, 82, and 83) from Northcote Thomas's 1914 publication, Anthropological Report on the Ibo-speaking Peoples of Nigeria, Part IV: Proverbs, Stories, Tones in Ibo. The pages feature a dual-script format with a primary language …
Portrait of an Igbo Man with Ichi Markings
A monochromatic photographic portrait of an Igbo man presented in a three-quarter profile view. The subject exhibits raised, hypertrophic ridges of Ichi scarification on the cheek, temple, and lateral forehead. His hair is plaited with small, vertical, cylindrical tufts on …
Northcote Thomas Collection: Awgbu Artifacts
A monochromatic photograph documenting a collection of objects acquired by Northcote Thomas in Awgbu (present-day Anambra State, Nigeria) in 1911. The items are arranged in a horizontal line against a light-colored fabric backdrop in an outdoor setting, with a person …
Igbo bu Igbo (Great Igbo)
An audio recording of a folksong titled 'Igbo bu Igbo' (Great Igbo), recorded by Northcote Thomas on December 16, 1910, in Awka. The performance features a female singer utilizing a high-pitched, resonant vocal technique with a repetitive, call-and-response structure. The …
Maiden Spirit Mask (Isi abogefi)
A photograph showing the interior and exterior of an Igbo maiden spirit mask, known locally as Isi abogefi, collected by Northcote Thomas in Agukwu Nri in 1911. The mask is carved from egbu wood and features a white facial surface …
Conversation between John and Nwile
A photograph of two facing pages, 48 and 49, from Northcote Thomas's Anthropological Report on the Ibo-Speaking Peoples of Nigeria, Part III: Proverbs, Narratives, Vocabularies and Grammar. The pages display a transcribed and translated dialogue between two young men: John, …
Speech by Chief Onyeso of Agukwu Nri
An audio recording featuring a re-recording of a speech by Chief Onyeso of Agukwu Nri, translated into standard Central Igbo by Yvonne Mbanefo and read by Oba Kosi Nwoba. The original recording was made by Northcote Thomas during his 1910-11 …
Northcote Thomas Botanical Collections
A photograph depicting a composite montage of three herbarium specimen sheets from the botanical collections of Northcote Thomas, curated at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. The first panel shows a specimen of Psychotria scindaphos from Ubulu, recorded as specimen number …
Ugie Ewere Festival Song
An audio recording of a rhythmic vocal performance by a male ensemble, captured by Northcote Thomas during his anthropological surveys. The recording features a call-and-response structure with energetic, a cappella delivery and descending melodic lines. It was recorded during the …
Physical Type Portraits of Igbo-speaking Communities
A photograph of two album pages featuring eighteen monochrome and sepia-toned portrait prints of human males of various ages. These portraits, known as physical type photographs, are organized in two symmetrical 3x3 grids on a light-colored substrate. The subjects are …
Questionnaire on Dolls
A two-page printed questionnaire from 1906 created by Northcote Thomas, M.A., for publication in the journal Man. The document is a formal inquiry into the cultural significance and use of dolls, categorized by thematic inquiries into physical description, biological mimicry …