Object class: Membranophones (drums and other instruments that produce sound via vibrating membranes) / Collector: Paul L. Hoefler - Hearst Museum Portal Search Results

Start Over Object class Membranophones (drums and other instruments that produce sound via vibrating membranes) Collector Paul L. Hoefler

Hearst Museum object titled Black-and-white negative, accession number 15-30241, described as Nitrate 4x5 negative. Black and white negative of Sinhalese drummers. Hoefler's original description: "Island of Ceylon. Near Kandy. Drummers in action during the performance of the Kandyian dance. The drummers devote their life to their art and take great pride in their work. It would be interesting to have their comment on the performance of a first-class American snare drummer, for the two methods are worlds apart. Ceylon is a place where the men dress like women, the nobler gentlemen even wearing combs in their hair."

Hearst Museum object titled Black-and-white negative, accession number 15-30503, described as 4 x 5" Black and white negative of musicians and dancers. Hoefler's original description: "Bhopal State, Central India. This young lady was considered very good and won first place in the dance marathon by popular applause. The masked dancer who opposed her was really very much better, but when it turned out that it was a man, great excitement and laughter ensued, followed by the awarding of the first prize to this smiling artist from the village of Kheri. The young man with the long drum was without doubt the star performer of the entire show, his drumming and dancing being really exceptional.

Hearst Museum object titled Black and white negative, accession number 15-32373, described as 4" x 5" Negative. One man from Kiya Be stands with a drum and another musician next to him sits in front of his instrument. A crowd sits behind them.

Hearst Museum object titled Black and white negative, accession number 15-32205, described as 4" x 5" Negative. Two indigenous men fill up water cans at the water hole.

Hearst Museum object titled Black-and-white negative, accession number 15-30246, described as 4 X 5" Black and white negative of a swordsman and three drummers on the Island of Ceylon. Hoefler's original description: "Island of Ceylon. The coming swordsman of the district. This youngster was very clever with the swords, performing some remarkable tricks and also doing a sword dance, wherein he swung two swords with such lightning-like speed that the eye could hardly follow. It is a mystery how he avoided clipping off one or both of his ears during the performance."

Hearst Museum object titled Black and white negative, accession number 15-32596, described as 8 x 10" Negative. Image depicting the women of Masai. Hoefler's original description: "Masai Wives and Maidens. The Masai were once the most powerful of all East African tribes. They are now widely scattered and due to the white man's intrusion and stopping of inter-tribal warfare, many of their ancient customs are dying out. They still maintain, however, the rule of having as many wives as they can arrange to buy. In this district the average price was two steers, two cows, and one drum of honey beer per virgin, with second hand wives somewhat less, the price depending on the law of supply and demand. It is the duty of the women to care for the calves as well as their children. The Masai is a large tribe and widely scattered so that it would be hard to say exactly what the customs of the tribe were, especially now that the white man's intrusion has tended to change their customs. I talked to the old chiefs and can say with authority that they still buy wives with cattle, the price being two steers, two cows, and one drum of honey beer. Of course the prices changed up and down according to the demand and supply, but at the present time the market is firm at the above price. A Masai can have as many wives as he can afford to buy.

Hearst Museum object titled Black-and-white negative, accession number 15-30388, described as 4 X 5" Black and white negative of a man with two drums or baskets. Hoefler's original description: "Bikaner State Northern India. Indian man, seated, with two drums.

Hearst Museum object titled Black-and-white negative, accession number 15-30242, described as 4 X 5" Negative. Black and white negative of the chorus in a Kandyian dance troop. Hoefler's original description: "Island of Ceylon. Members of the chorus in a Kandyian dance troop, and at the extreme right, the star drummer. One of the striking things for the visitor is the fact that the men of Ceylon dress like women according to Western ideas. They wear skirts and grow long hair which they knot on the top of their heads like our ladies did in the Gay Nineties. The nobler gentlemen wear tortoise shell combs in their hair, this custom owing its existence to the fact that gentlemen never carry burdens on their heads as do the lower lasses. It would be impossible, of course, to carry anything on top of the combs, hence the wearing of combs indicates a gentleman.

Hearst Museum object titled Black and white negative, accession number 15-32207, described as 4" x 5" Negative. Two men with rifles while two other men fill up watering cans.

Hearst Museum object titled Black and white negative, accession number 15-32673, described as 8 x 10" Negative. Belgian Congo. Image depicts two pygmies with their bows. Hoefler's original description: "Typical Ifi pygmies. Belgian Congo. Fully equipped for war or for the hunt. These brave and cunning dwarfs will stalk to within a few feet of an elephant and with their short knifes will hamstring the huge animal and then while it is helpless, one stands guard while others run to the nearest villages and by means of the drums call the clans together. Meeting at the hapless elephant they spear him to death, then amid high carnival they feast and dance day and night until the entire carcass has been devoured. Two pygmy men of the Ituri forest. They are fully equipped for the hunt. These brave dwarfs will stalk to within a few feet of an elephant and by means of a short knife will hamstring the huge animal, then while it is helpless, they spear it to death. After the kill the drums sound the call through the dark forest places and the clan collects from far and near to feast until all the flesh has been devoured."