In December 1933 Diana Powell-Cotton travelled with her father Percy to East Africa. They first visited Sudan, before arriving in Jubaland, in what was then Italian Somaliland, in March 1934. They travelled together until the beginning of July when Percy Powell-Cotton returned home. Diana continued her trip, spending the next 10 months travelling from Mogadishu down the coast to the border with Kenya. Although she was ‘alone’ in the sense that she was now travelling without her father, she was accompanied by a group of Somali men who she employed along the way, included translator Hassan Scek Ali and boat captain Bara Haji.
Diana collected over 2000 objects and took hundreds of photographs on this journey. Of particular interest are the photographs which she took of the people she met, including those who worked for her and the people that made some of the objects she collected. In 2022 we are working on researching and sharing these images more widely.
Diana recorded information about the people she photographed. Some of her captions and field work notes include information that is inaccurate or offensive. Where Diana’s words are reproduced it is intended as a starting point to understanding the collection. We recognise that Diana’s captions do not tell the whole story of these photographs. Our aim is to make them more accessible and to record more information about the people and places depicted in a way that is respectful and responsive to feedback.
The digitisation, research and cataloguing of these photographs was completed by Kathleen Lawther, made possible through a Headley Fellowship with Art Fund.
We are grateful to Faiz Mohammad Shee, Said Omar Maalim, Yusuf Omar Maalim and Arabia Bakari, Abira Hussein, Safia Jama and Women’s Inclusive Team for their support with this project.
Unrecorded Names
Many of the portraits of Somali people are anonymous because Diana Powell-Cotton did not record their names in her diary or field notes. We are working to add more information to our records about these photographs.
These photographs were originally captioned `Road-making under the Italian government` and were taken on 20th December 1934, near `Naftagur`. Diana Powell-Cotton visited Somalia at a time when the Italian colonial government was working to expand its territory in East Africa. She did not record any information about these young men who were working on constructing new roads. She photographed the machinery they were using, their vehicles and their tent.
Museum reference numbers: PHOTO.2.22.47.6, PHOTO.2.22.47.1-5
#UnrecordedNames #SomaliHistory #italiansomaliland #colonialhistory
Somali Harti Warsangali man, a baker, photographed by Diana Powell-Cotton on 30th March 1934, Kismayo (Museum reference number PHOTO.2.22.21.4).
The second images shows the interior of the bakery (PHOTO.2.22.23.1). Diana`s diary for the day reads `Out in morning to get more things. Saw bakery, large square oven where all white bread of town is baked. Wooden flour chest and table where loaves are made. Photo`ed baker.`
#Somalia #VintageSomalia #Kismayo #Jubaland #UnrecordedNames #FoodAndDrink
A woman carrying her baby in a sling with a woven dish on her head. The original caption for this photo was `Food dish as hat`. It`s unclear whether it is a hat that resembles a food dish, a dish that the woman has repurposed to shade herself from the sun, or if she is just carrying the dish on her head.
Taken near #Afmadow 1934.
Museum reference number PHOTO.2.22.24.2
#Somalia #VintageSomalia #somalinomad
#NomadicLife #UnrecordedNames
Recovered Names
The names of these individuals have been recovered through archival research and in collaboration with members of the Somali Bajuni diaspora.
N’dhee Avisa (right) and another elder, possibly a friend or family member, Koyama Island, 1934.
N`dhee Avisa was from Koyama Island and would most likely have been the village elder who showed Diana around the old ruins. (Diana recorded in her diary for 18th October 1934: ‘Up at break of dawn and out to see village escorted by chief and other old men…People most friendly and respectful and one might think white women usually came prodding round the houses and buying things.’)
PHOTO.2.22.75.11
#LivingLineages #BajuniIslands #Koyama #VintageSomalia #RecoveredNames
Portrait of Issa Mahamud, one of the young men employed by Diana and Percy Powell-Cotton during their hunting trip around Afmadow, early 1934.
Museum reference number: PHOTO.2.22.2.1
#HuntingandFishing #RecoveredNames #Somalia #VintageSomalia #Jubaland
This photograph shows Asha Bakari wearing a face mask known as ‘liwa’ made from Sandalwood. Asha Bakari, like others in this collection, has living relatives who were able to identify her due to her close resemblance to her daughter.
Museum reference number: PHOTO.2.22.77.10
#LivingLineages #bajuni #Somalia #recoverednames
Crafts
A selection of images showing people working on crafts included pottery, weaving and woodcarving. Diana collected examples of Somali crafts which are on display in the Powell-Cotton Museum.
This set of photos of pot making has been uploaded in the order that Diana Powell-Cotton arranged them in her photo album. The last image in the carousel shows the index page from the album, which reads:
`PAGE VII POT MAKING.
Somali; Rahanwin; Eile.
At Gelib [Jilib]; 0.30N; 42.50 E;
L.3. [PHOTO.2.22.66.3] Decoration.
K.1. [PHOTO.2.22.65.1] Potter at work. Note pillow to support thigh.
K.12. [PHOTO.2.22.65.12] Ditto.
L.6. [PHOTO.2.22.66.6] Top part of pot is complete. Wheel is lifted. Note wood disc beneath.
L.4. [PHOTO.2.22.66.4] Base of pot - Pot is neck downwards on wheel. Top of walls are beaten thin.
L.5. [PHOTO.2.22.66.5] A sausage has been added, & is worked up to a point, then closed over & patted down to a dome shape.`
The photographs have been given new reference numbers since they have been digitised. The Powell-Cottons used a system of letters, numbers, roman numerals and sometimes the names of the type of film they used to differentiate between photos. With over 30,000 photographs in the collection from all the family`s activities, this can get confusing. In a modern museum, each object or photograph needs a unique number to identify it.
#Somalia #SomaliCrafts #Pottery #somalipottery #Crafts #UnrecordedNames
A man, probably Mohammad Bari, who carved many wooden objects while working for the Powell-Cottons, carving a wooden headrest while at camp.
PHOTO.2.22.3.6
#SomaliCrafts #WoodCarving #Somalia #RecoveredNames #Crafts
WaGosha woman standing in the doorway of a hut. The wooden doorway is decorated with carvings. Probably taken near Jilib, 1935.
Museum reference number: PHOTO.2.22.66.2
#Somalia #VintageSomalia #SomaliCrafts #SomaliHomes #Woodcarving #UnrecordedNames #Crafts
Food and Drink
These photographs show food preparation and agricultural work, as well as people at wells and at markets.
Madi Ali Mahadhi and other Bajuni men turtle fishing.
`These are two men hoisting a turtle onto a canoe. Now banned, turtle fishing used to be very popular, and the turtle was highly valued for meat, oil and medicinal value. The gentleman hoisting the turtle from a smaller boat was called Madi Ali Mahadhi. He was readily recognised by his long pointed ears. Adult green turtles would weigh over 100kg showing how strong these fisher folk were to be able to carry them on and off the boats.`
PHOTO.2.22.40.10, PHOTO.2.22.40.9, PHOTO.2.22.40.8
#LivingLineages #BajuniIslands #Fishing #HuntingAndFishing #FoodAndDrink
Somali Harti Warsangali man, a baker, photographed by Diana Powell-Cotton on 30th March 1934, Kismayo (Museum reference number PHOTO.2.22.21.4).
The second images shows the interior of the bakery (PHOTO.2.22.23.1). Diana`s diary for the day reads `Out in morning to get more things. Saw bakery, large square oven where all white bread of town is baked. Wooden flour chest and table where loaves are made. Photo`ed baker.`
#Somalia #VintageSomalia #Kismayo #Jubaland #UnrecordedNames #FoodAndDrink
Somali Darod Ogaden woman making butter, surrounded by children. Moti, Afmadow, April 1934.
While Diana Powell-Cotton was camped near Afmadow to hunt big game with her father Percy, she visited neighbouring huts and took photographs.
She wrote in her diary: `Went to some huts nearby in evening. Saw for first time wooden butter rockers with hole in centre into which basket fits.`
This photo shows one of the stages in the butter making process.
Museum reference number: PHOTO.2.22.24.5
#Aqalsomali #butterchurning #SomaliHistory #VintageSomalia #SomaliHomes #FoodAndDrink
Homes and Families
As a female traveller, Diana took many candid photographs of the women and children who she met, as well as families posing in front of their homes.
Somali Ogaden Darod Mohamed Zuber man and his two children, photographed by Diana Powell-Cotton in Jubaland, 1935.
Museum reference number: PHOTO.2.22.51.1
#VintageSomalia #HornofAfrica #HomesandFamilies
As well as photographing Aqal Somali huts,
Diana visited villages with Somali and Bantu populations. Some of the different styles of home in one area are shown in these images. The following are Diana`s notes on the photos:
PHOTO.2.22.70.4 `Hauia` (Hawiye)
PHOTO.2.22.70.5 `Tunne`
PHOTO.2.22.70.6 `Somali`
PHOTO.2.22.70.7 `Somali Rahanwin and Bantu tribes`
PHOTO.2.22.70.8 `Koran school`
PHOTO.2.22.70.9 `Somali Digil and other tribes and Bantu`
#SomaliHomes #Somalia #VintageSomalia
#HomesAndFamilies #NomadicLife
Family photographed near Ras Kiambone, 2nd November 1934.
Diana Powell-Cotton`s diary for the day reads: `H [Hassan, Diana`s interpreter] and I to see Bon settlement about 20min in bush. Some 6 houses – two beautiful women – all very friendly and welcoming. Houses very rough nearly covered with grass and the usual shelters built into the trees.
One woman has lovely twins – must have been 1 – 2 years, still taking milk; husband explained that the goats were giving no milk now! ...Bed is skins spread on ground – no stuff – cooking pots, honey bag – people looked well fed and kids bonny. Got photos. `
Museum reference numbers: PHOTO.2.22.38.2-4, PHOTO.2.22.38.7
#Somalia #VintageSomalia #SomaliHomes #HornofAfrica #HomesAndFamilies
Hunting and Fishing
Diana spent the first part of her travels hunting with her father Percy Powell-Cotton. She took pictures of the men who they hired to help them track and hunt animals, as well as photographing Bajuni Islands fishermen later in her trip.
Portrait of Issa Mahamud, one of the young men employed by Diana and Percy Powell-Cotton during their hunting trip around Afmadow, early 1934.
Museum reference number: PHOTO.2.22.2.1
#HuntingandFishing #RecoveredNames #Somalia #VintageSomalia #Jubaland
This photograph is a portrait of Adio wa Aweso as a boy. It is a wonderful example of the power of knowing people`s stories beyond what is captured by the camera, as explored in our Living Lineages display.
Diana captioned the photograph: ‘Fish trap, Bagiun. At Fuma, village on mainland, 0.40 S; 42.30 E’
We now know that Adio wa Aweso later grew up to become a fisherman. He was married to Mwanahalima and had two sons, Hussein wa Adio and Shenyalo wa Adio.
Museum reference number: PHOTO.2.22.37.4
#LivingLineages #HuntingandFishing #Fuma #SomaliBajuni #Bajuni #VintageSomalia #HornofAfrica #IndianOcean
Image 1: Sinei Omar, a Somali man who worked as a skinner for the Powell-Cottons during the hunting portion of their trip, near Afmadow. Museum reference number: PHOTO.2.22.3.9
Image 2: Sinei Omar (left) with another skinner, Salem Ba`amer, working on animal skins. They prepared skins which were shipped back to England to be mounted as taxidermy. Today several specimens of mammals from Somalia are on display in the Powell-Cotton museum. Museum reference number: PHOTO.2.22.57.9
#recoverednames #huntingandfishing #Somalia #VintageSomalia
Music, Dance and Celebration
These images show people playing musical instruments, dancing or dressed for dance, and celebrating Eid al-Adha in Kismayo in March 1934.
This photo is a portrait of Dhakiya wa Shali who was a poet and a singer very famous around Chovaye island for her provocative lyrics. In this photo she is holding a kayamba which is a percussion instrument used even today in many African cultures. Dhakiya held her instruments in high regard and had given her kayamba a nickname `wa mbinguni` in Swahili meaning something from the skies or clouds or from the heavens.
This information was recovered from the recollections of elders from the Bajuni community, thanks to Faiz Mohammad Shee. Prior to this work, the caption given to the photo by Diana Powell-Cotton was simply `Baguin [the Italian spelling of Bajuni] woman with musical rattle`.
Museum reference number: PHOTO.2.22.41.5
#Bajuni #BajuniIslands #SomaliBajuni #Chovaye #Kayamba #VintageSomalia #MusicDanceAndCelebration
Mushunguli man wearing leg rattles photographed by Diana Powell-Cotton, 12th July 1934.
The location is recorded as `Mashen Gulli village, called Bagamoyo` with the grid reference 0.5 N; 42.45 E
Museum reference numbers: PHOTO.2.22.42.7, PHOTO.2.22.42.8
#Somalia #VintageSomalia #HornofAfrica #Jubaland #MusicDanceAndCelebration
Eid al-Adha celebrations in #Kismayo #Somalia 26th March 1934, photographed by Diana Powell-Cotton.
Museum reference numbers: PHOTO.2.22.21.2, PHOTO.2.22.21.1, PHOTO.2.22.20.10-12
In Diana`s diary she described the festivities:
`Tried a Somali sweetmeat called [not transcribed] made of flour, sugar and butter; too floury but good. As evening happened, dancing began; groups of people surrounding each dance and air filled with sound of throbbing drums. A Somali slave woman dancing to two hand drums, coming forward with stamping feet and swaying pelvis, waving her arms, she worked across circle, usually ending by lunging towards a musician or covering his head with her scarf, then going back among group of women, to begin again later. Once she collapsed at my feet, to my embarrassment; this dance is called “Ghiarile”
Another called He’le – danced always by Shaghai Somalis, consisted of 5 men and 5 girls dancing towards each other, then turning and dancing away; the men stretching their hands over the girls’ heads, good deal of foot work; girls in white, heads covered; very solemn, bodies quiet.
Tombra – a dance taught Bagiun Somalis by Sudanis; 3 drums …….and a harp , men and boys dancing to and fro round and round, women on one side, men on other.
Sar’luget – Somalis; 5 or 6 men dance in circles to drums, very lively and full of movement mime? ! singing. Running dance. Arabs; Shikari. Drums in front keep moving, and men follow, dancing with sticks and singing.
Glorious sunset behind palms, nearly dark when we came back and huts are all lit up.`
Note on the diaries: These diaries were handwritten by Diana in 1934 and posted back to her home in Kent where typed copies were made. These were later transcribed by a museum volunteer. The words used here are Diana`s and have not been edited, but there may be spelling or transcription errors which have been missed because the Museum team do not have enough knowledge of Somali cultures. We are happy to correct any errors or go back to the original handwritten notes to check information.
#eidmubarak
#MusicDanceAndCelebration
Nomadic Life
Photographs of Somali aqal, the traditional portable hut, and images of people transporting their possessions and their animals.
Somali Darod Ogaden Mohamed Zuber women and their babies, photographed near Afmadow in early 1934.
Museum reference numbers: PHOTO.2.22.58.2, PHOTO.2.22.58.1
#VintageSomalia #NomadicLife
Somali market, wells, and sim sim press, Mogadishu, 22nd March 1934.
Before travelling to Kismayo, Diana and Percy Powell-Cotton spent at least one day in Mogadishu, but the only photograph in the albums labelled as being in Mogadishu is the last photo in this post, of a sim sim press. Looking at the sequence of the photographs and comparing them with the dates the Powell-Cottons travelled, it seems that these five photos showing people at a market were the only ones Diana took in or near Mogadishu.
Museum reference numbers: PHOTO.2.22.17.1-5
#mogadishu #Somalia #NomadicLife
People watering their camels at newly built wells in Afmadow, 1934.
Museum reference number: PHOTO.2.22.1.6
#NomadicLife #Afmadow #VintageSomalia #HornofAfrica
