Scopic Breathing, 19th century onward
In this gallery the photographs from the PJU collection breathe through pictures from different contexts that have striking similarity. I bring these pictures together in Breathing Photographs in order to make conventions tangible that were at play in the 20th century imaginations of ‘Africa’ that Paul Julien built on, consolidated, or contributed to.
This Breathing Photograph consists of 9x12 sheet films PJU-2831 [Mabia] and PJU-2848 [Nkoul Mabia boy Mabia], produced in Cameroon in 1936.
In his 1936 notebook Paul Julien wriote: "In the flickering light of our torches I see a distinct and energetic face with a hautain expression. Mabéa greets me cordially but without the servility of the ordinary chiefs. A leader. [...]"
In his 1936 notebook Paul Julien wriote: "In the flickering light of our torches I see a distinct and energetic face with a hautain expression. Mabéa greets me cordially but without the servility of the ordinary chiefs. A leader. [...]"
This Breathing Photograph consists of three exposures on 6x6 roll film
PJU-921 [Landscapes Chela MuKubal - airplane], produced in Angola in 1960.
![PB 1952 PJU-570_1-3-4 + Color Slides](https://pju.bridginghumanities.com/wp-content/uploads/cache/2021/10/PB-1952-PJU-570_1-3-4-Colour-Slides-1/3945575688.jpg "This Breathing Photograph consists of three exposures on <a href=\"http://pju.bridginghumanities.com/tag-search-results/?categorie=$1#79585/f:roll%20film/p:1\" onclick=\"window.location.reload()\">roll film</a> <a href=\"http://pju.bridginghumanities.com/tag-search-results/?categorie=$1#79585/f:PJU-570/p:1\" onclick=\"window.location.reload()\">PJU-570</a> [bird <a href=\"http://pju.bridginghumanities.com/tag-search-results/?categorie=$1#79585/f:mask/p:1\" onclick=\"window.location.reload()\">mask</a>, <a href=\"http://pju.bridginghumanities.com/tag-search-results/?categorie=$1#79585/f:self-portrait/p:1\" onclick=\"window.location.reload()\">me</a> with <a href="http://pju.bridginghumanities.com/tag-search-results/?categorie=$1#79585/f:Bobongo/p:1" onclick="window.location.reload()">bab.</a>] and a <a href=\"http://pju.bridginghumanities.com/tag-search-results/?categorie=$1#79585/f:35mm%20color%20slides/p:1\" onclick=\"window.location.reload()\">35mm color slides</a>, produced in <a href=\"http://pju.bridginghumanities.com/tag-search-results/?categorie=$1#79585/f:Congo%20Brazzaville/p:1\" onclick=\"window.location.reload()\">Congo Brazzaville</a> in <a href=\"http://pju.bridginghumanities.com/tag-search-results/?categorie=$1#79585/f:1952/p:1\" onclick=\"window.location.reload()\">1952</a>.")
This Breathing Photograph consists of three exposures on roll film PJU-570 [bird mask, me with <a href="http://pju.bridginghumanities.com/tag-search-results/?categorie=$1#79585/f:Bobongo/p:1" onclick="window.location.reload()">bab.</a>] and a 35mm color slides, produced in Congo Brazzaville in 1952.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a 35mm color slide and an exposure on roll film PJU-636 [Road to Neghelli, mudd, phallus stones, Borana well], produced inEthiopia in 1955.
This Breathing Photograph consists of photographs made from the roof of the Khalifa House Museum in 2015, when Sudanese photographer Elsadig Mohamed and I were trying to trace Paul Julien's steps in Khartoum and Omdurman.
We had little prints made to help our search. The print held by Elsadig comes from roll film PJU-314 and offers a view onto the Guba of Al Mahdi.
We had little prints made to help our search. The print held by Elsadig comes from roll film PJU-314 and offers a view onto the Guba of Al Mahdi.
This Breathing photograph consists of a panoramic line drawing of part of Dambarra town, based on ca. two dozen 9x12 sheet film exposures produced in 1934 in Sierra Leonee, and a film clip of 16mm film that appeared on a dvd and has, it seems, not yet otherwise been digitised.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a lantern slide stored behind the tab PJU-2542, and an exposure on roll film PJU-308 produced in 1947.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a spread in Campfires Along The Equator captioned "Lobi baby in reed cradle," and 9x12 sheet film PJU-2542 [Cradle Lobi], produced in present day Burkina Faso in 1935.
The negative and the print in the book are not of the exact same moment, but they must have been produced not long after one another.
The negative and the print in the book are not of the exact same moment, but they must have been produced not long after one another.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a lantern slide stored behind the tab Sierra Leone, and 9x12 sheet film PJU-2381 [Bundu Devil Gbaiima], produced in 1934.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a screenshot of a 1942 newspaper article titled "Dr. Paul Julien's terrain of labour in Africa", a spread in Campfires Along the Equator with a photograph that also appears in the newspaper captioned "Dr. Julien with the Mende Nawphalie devil, Sierra Leone," the lantern slide of this photograph (its negative is no longer available) and 9x12 sheet film PJU-2328, that appears to have been produced just moments before or after the picture that made it into the book.
This is only one of the examples in which Paul Julien's confusion on the names of the masks that were presented to him in Dambarra, despite the list he received from Paramount Chief Moriba Kargobai. He stands here next to Yavie, not Nawphalie.
This is only one of the examples in which Paul Julien's confusion on the names of the masks that were presented to him in Dambarra, despite the list he received from Paramount Chief Moriba Kargobai. He stands here next to Yavie, not Nawphalie.
This Breathing Photograph consists of two exposures on roll film PJU-540 [Ngoubou 2 portraits Babongo] and a 35mm color slide, produced in 1952.
This is one of two Breathing Photographs that gives a panoramic impression of Dambarra. The photographs were produced on August 8th or 9th 1934, when Chief Moriba Kargobai organised several dance performances on the occasion of Julien’s brief stay in his Selenga Chiefdom.
In this Breathing Photograph different performers make their appearance. Note that Julien here, as elsewhere mixes up the Yavie mask (that he calls Yarvie) and Nawphalie.
PJU-2269 [SL Dance Yarvie Dambarra], PJU-2263, PJU-2289 [S L Dambarra, Humoi], PJU-2262 [Devil Dambarra], PJU-2357, PJU-2384, PJU-2379 [Yarvie devil Dambarra SL], PJU-2387 [Mende Dancer Sierra Leone], PJU-2375, PJU-2373, PJU-2304, PJU-2389 [Mende], PJU-2332, PJU-2380, PJU-2341, PJU-2363, PJU-1475, PJU-2335 (Mende), PJU-2284 [Karimou + vriend SL 1934], PJU-2256 [Bundu girl], PJU-2265, PJU-1420 [Zande girl Sierra Leone], PJU-2283 [Mende].
In this Breathing Photograph different performers make their appearance. Note that Julien here, as elsewhere mixes up the Yavie mask (that he calls Yarvie) and Nawphalie.
PJU-2269 [SL Dance Yarvie Dambarra], PJU-2263, PJU-2289 [S L Dambarra, Humoi], PJU-2262 [Devil Dambarra], PJU-2357, PJU-2384, PJU-2379 [Yarvie devil Dambarra SL], PJU-2387 [Mende Dancer Sierra Leone], PJU-2375, PJU-2373, PJU-2304, PJU-2389 [Mende], PJU-2332, PJU-2380, PJU-2341, PJU-2363, PJU-1475, PJU-2335 (Mende), PJU-2284 [Karimou + vriend SL 1934], PJU-2256 [Bundu girl], PJU-2265, PJU-1420 [Zande girl Sierra Leone], PJU-2283 [Mende].
This Breathing Photograph consists of a lantern slide stored behind the tab Kilimandzjaro, and sheet film PJU-1837 [Kilim. from Gillmanspoint], produced in Tanganyika in 1933.
It looks like this is the most extreme crop among the lantern slides in the PJU collection.
It looks like this is the most extreme crop among the lantern slides in the PJU collection.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a spread in the book Campfires Along the Equator including a portrait captioned "Lobi man", and sheet film PJU-2496 produced in present day Burkina Faso in 1935.
This Breathing Photograph is based on the Italian version of Campfires Along the Equator, which includes 14 photographs produced in the years 1933, 1934, 1935 and 1936.
In the captions of the photographs the misunderstanding of the mask Julien identifies as Nawphalie is further disseminated.
Another caption places a photograph in Cameroon. In the register it is said to have been produced in Congo. The caption in the 1941 edition (27.000 copies sold) of the Dutch version of the book speaks of "West Equatorial Africa". A caption in the KRO Radio Magazine, dated 1938 mentions a particular river, but with a Dutch name, "De Beukrivier". The same river is also mentioned in a newspaper article reporting the safe return of Dr. Julien from his 1937. It seems safe to conclude that in this case the register is wrong, and the various publications of the picture point in the right direction.
The date of publication of this Italian edition is for the time being unknown but will be updated after diving into file with the documents related to translations of the book.
In the captions of the photographs the misunderstanding of the mask Julien identifies as Nawphalie is further disseminated.
Another caption places a photograph in Cameroon. In the register it is said to have been produced in Congo. The caption in the 1941 edition (27.000 copies sold) of the Dutch version of the book speaks of "West Equatorial Africa". A caption in the KRO Radio Magazine, dated 1938 mentions a particular river, but with a Dutch name, "De Beukrivier". The same river is also mentioned in a newspaper article reporting the safe return of Dr. Julien from his 1937. It seems safe to conclude that in this case the register is wrong, and the various publications of the picture point in the right direction.
The date of publication of this Italian edition is for the time being unknown but will be updated after diving into file with the documents related to translations of the book.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a lantern slide stored behind the tab Ivory Coast Lobi, and 9x12 sheet film PJU-2509 [Peuhl at Kampti], produced in 1935.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a spread in the book Campfires Along the Equator with a photograph captioned "Silinsi of the Lobi tribe", and 9x12 sheet film PJU-2537 [Dancers LobiBouroun], produced in 1935.
This Breathing Photograph consists of two lantern slides stored behind the tab Sudan, and a six by nine exposure registered as PJU-1508 produced in 1933.
This Breathing Photograph consists of the cover of a report, and 9x12 filmcolor direct positive PJU-NN1154 produced in Congo in 1933.
The report was written in 2008 during an internship by Ben Krewinkel during for Flip Bool and titled "The dark continent imaged/imagined. Africa through the eye of Dutch photographer. Towards a publication and exhibition.
Flip Bool was the head of collections when Paul Julien's photographic legacy was placed in the care of the Nederlands Fotomuseum. Ben Krewinkel runs the Africa in the Photobook website.
The intended publication and exhibition did not materialise.
The report was written in 2008 during an internship by Ben Krewinkel during for Flip Bool and titled "The dark continent imaged/imagined. Africa through the eye of Dutch photographer. Towards a publication and exhibition.
Flip Bool was the head of collections when Paul Julien's photographic legacy was placed in the care of the Nederlands Fotomuseum. Ben Krewinkel runs the Africa in the Photobook website.
The intended publication and exhibition did not materialise.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a lantern slide stored behind the tab Ruwenzori, and an exposure on roll film PJU-308 [Ruwenzori] produced in 1947.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a lantern slide stored behind the tab Liberia, and spread in a booklet kept in a folder with the same name.
The handwriting on the document states: "A small part of the St. Matthew's Gospel in the Bassa Dialect in Dr. Lewis' Bassa characters".
The handwriting appears to be Paul Julien's. He probably brought the booklet with him from his 1932 journey.
The handwriting on the document states: "A small part of the St. Matthew's Gospel in the Bassa Dialect in Dr. Lewis' Bassa characters".
The handwriting appears to be Paul Julien's. He probably brought the booklet with him from his 1932 journey.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a spread in Campfires Along the Equator with a photograph captioned "view onto Freetown", and 9x12 sheet film PJU-2427 [Freetown] that was produced in Sierra Leone in 1934.
A share of the picture in the Facebook group Old Photos of Sierra Leone led to various options of the view, ranging from "Red pump separating Wilberforce & Brookfields", "Kissy Brook" to "the Brook fed by upstream Falls off Mount Aureole, and showing a scenic view of part of Freetown’s East End and Central with their lovely coastal areas."
A share of the picture in the Facebook group Old Photos of Sierra Leone led to various options of the view, ranging from "Red pump separating Wilberforce & Brookfields", "Kissy Brook" to "the Brook fed by upstream Falls off Mount Aureole, and showing a scenic view of part of Freetown’s East End and Central with their lovely coastal areas."
This Breathing Photograph consists of sheet film PJU-2190 [Chamber of Commerce Dakar], produced in 1932, and a lantern slide stored behind the tab Senegal.
This Breathing Photograph consists of 9x12 sheet film PJU-1627 [in the Erica forest, Ruwenzori], a lantern slide stored behind the tab Ruwenzori, the end paper of the 1997 edition of "Eternal Wilderness", and the cover of a Dutch translation of Alejo Carpentier's "Los Pasos Perdidos" in a series of 20th century classics (published in 1999).
PJU-1627 was produced in 1947.
Both books were published by Dutch publishing house Atlas. The print on the end paper mirrors Julien's photograph, which results in a Rorsach like image.
The English title of "Los Pasos Perdidos", originally published in 1953, is "The Lost Steps". The Dutch title "Heimwee naar de jungle" would translate into something like "Homesick"- or "Longing for"- "the jungle".
PJU-1627 was produced in 1947.
Both books were published by Dutch publishing house Atlas. The print on the end paper mirrors Julien's photograph, which results in a Rorsach like image.
The English title of "Los Pasos Perdidos", originally published in 1953, is "The Lost Steps". The Dutch title "Heimwee naar de jungle" would translate into something like "Homesick"- or "Longing for"- "the jungle".
This Breathing Photograph consists of 9x12 black and white sheet films PJU-2941, PJU-2942, PJU-2966, PJU-2973, PJU-2984-2, PJU-3071, and filmcolor direct positive PJU-NN1154, all ['pygmy' or 'pygmies', Alimasi] produced in Congo in 1933.
This Breathing Photograph consists of one exposure on roll film PJU-84 [Nola Berberati - Ken[txou - Douala], and three on roll film PJU-85 [village en route to Barumbi Lake, Jerry], produced in 1938 in Cameroon.
Jerry is mentioned in Julien's notebook as 'his boy'.
It is unclear whether Julien was referring to Lake Barombi en Western Cameroon. He may have taken a trip there from Douala, but there is no lake on the film, nor any other mention of it.
The text on the exposure on roll film PJU-84 translates as "Below: Martin (accidental encounter) with Jerry along the railway track 9-8." Jerry is identified with a J. above his head, Martin with an M.
Jerry is mentioned in Julien's notebook as 'his boy'.
It is unclear whether Julien was referring to Lake Barombi en Western Cameroon. He may have taken a trip there from Douala, but there is no lake on the film, nor any other mention of it.
The text on the exposure on roll film PJU-84 translates as "Below: Martin (accidental encounter) with Jerry along the railway track 9-8." Jerry is identified with a J. above his head, Martin with an M.
This Breathing Photograph consists of four exposures on roll film PJU-438 [Kereng - Mpanyam] and a 35mm color slides, produced in Northern Nigeria in 1950.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a lantern slide stored behind the tab Sierra Leone and 9x12 sheet film PJU-2425 [Graveyard Freetown] produced in 1934.
This Breathing Photographs consists of a spread in one of the editions of Campfires Along the Equator and lantern slide stored behind a blank tab. Triangulating within the collection it has become clear that the negative of this picture, that is no longer available, was produced in 1935.
This Breathing Photograph consists of an announcement of a radio lecture devoted to Julien's ascend of mount Kilimanjaro in the magazine of broadcaster KRO and three 9x12 sheet film produced in Tanganyika in 1933. This 1934 lecture series is titled "Of strange lands and peoples".
PJU-1820 [Masai Moshi], captioned "Masai, lion hunters at the foot of the Kilimanjaro".
PJU-1829 [Kilim. from Gillman's point], captioned "In the crater of the Kilimanjaro".
PJU-1831 [Kilim. from Johannes peak]. captioned "Mount Kilimanjaro seen from the edge of the forest belt".
PJU-1820 [Masai Moshi], captioned "Masai, lion hunters at the foot of the Kilimanjaro".
PJU-1829 [Kilim. from Gillman's point], captioned "In the crater of the Kilimanjaro".
PJU-1831 [Kilim. from Johannes peak]. captioned "Mount Kilimanjaro seen from the edge of the forest belt".
This Breathing Photograph consists of two exposures on roll film PJU-442 [Kagoro - Jos - Yola] and two 35mm color slides, produced in Northern Nigeria in 1950.
This Breathing Photograph consists of 9x12 sheet films PJU-2691 [Pygmies crockery Etekessang] and PJU-2804 [Bibayak crockery etc Etekessang], produced in Cameroon in 1936.
This Breathing Photograph consists of to consecutive exposures on roll film PJU-851 [Burg Doumé, Mission, monkey, en route towards the south], produced in northern Cameroon in 1959.
With Julien are German writer Herbert Kaufmann (1920-1976), and anthropologist Uta Huttenmeister (1935-1995).
With Julien are German writer Herbert Kaufmann (1920-1976), and anthropologist Uta Huttenmeister (1935-1995).
This Breathing photograph consists of two 35mm color slides and three consecutive exposures on roll film PJU-844 [André Bangda
Dimako also see 848], produced in Cameroon 1959.
This Breathing Photograph consists of sheet films PJU-2078 [Wife of Tyerno Ibrahima], PJU-2121 [Wife of Tyerno Ibrah. Wife of Mamadou Alfa], PJU-2134 [Wife of Mamadou Alfa], produced in Guinée in 1939.
This Breathing Photograph consists of two exposures on roll film PJU-636 [Road to Neghelli, mud, phallic stones, Borana well] and three 35mm color slides, produced in Ethiopia in 1955.
This Breathing Photograph consists of two exposures with the inscription "porters near Youk" on roll film PJU-126 [Negaré - Youkounkoun], produced in Guinée Conakry in 1939.
This Breathing Photograph consists of three exposures on roll film PJU-286 [Ngorongoro + Masai], produced in 1947.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a lantern slide stored behind the tab Sierra Leone and 9x12 sheet filmPJU-2306, produced in 1934.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a spread in the book Sons of Cham including a picture captioned "Woman of the Dorobbo tribe," and an exposure on roll film PJU-289 [Shed Donkeys - Inside Crater Ng.], produced in Tanganyika in 1947.
This Breathing Photography consists of a lantern slide stored behind the tab "Ituri Forest Negroes" and 9x12 sheet film PJU-3018 [Walesse Ituri Forest], produced in 1933.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a vintage print in the PJU collection, and a digital image provided by the collection of the Vlisco company in Helmond.
Mr. Fentener van Vlissingen, director of the company, knew Paul Julien personally, and more than once helped him with contacts on the African continent. Decades after the objects depicted on this design were brought to the Netherlands, a Vlisco designer visited Julien for inspiration, finding it, obviously, in the Borfimah that was a souvenir from the 1934 journey to Sierra Leone, and the Leopard Skin that was given to Julien in Liberia in 1932.
Mr. Fentener van Vlissingen, director of the company, knew Paul Julien personally, and more than once helped him with contacts on the African continent. Decades after the objects depicted on this design were brought to the Netherlands, a Vlisco designer visited Julien for inspiration, finding it, obviously, in the Borfimah that was a souvenir from the 1934 journey to Sierra Leone, and the Leopard Skin that was given to Julien in Liberia in 1932.
This Breathing Photograph consists of 9x12 sheet films PJU-1368, PJU-1371, PJU-1374 [Man - Baya tribe, blacksmith at Potopota near Nola], produced in Central African Republic in 1938.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a montage of photocopies of the announcement of the second radio lecture series by Paul Julien devoted to his research trips to 'Equatorial Africa', titled "Between Nile and Congo " in the broadcaster's magazine, and the following 9x12 sheet films. The magazine is dated December 2nd 1933, "mere weeks after Dr. Julien's return of his latest Africa expedition".
The information in the register, if available, is provided between square brackets, followed, when relevant by the translated captions as provided by the magazine.
PJU-1561 [Omdurman Mahdi],
PJU-1570 [Shilluk at Lub], Shilluk of the Upper Nile,
PJU-1579, [Market Omdurman],
PJU-1584 [], Derwishes at the Mahdi's grave in Omdurman
PJU-1596 [Grave Mahdi Omdurman], Shilluk of the Upper Nile,
PJU-1600 [Grave Mahdi Omdurman],
PJU-3153 [], Arabs and Nubians at the market in Omdurman.
The information in the register, if available, is provided between square brackets, followed, when relevant by the translated captions as provided by the magazine.
PJU-1561 [Omdurman Mahdi],
PJU-1570 [Shilluk at Lub], Shilluk of the Upper Nile,
PJU-1579, [Market Omdurman],
PJU-1584 [], Derwishes at the Mahdi's grave in Omdurman
PJU-1596 [Grave Mahdi Omdurman], Shilluk of the Upper Nile,
PJU-1600 [Grave Mahdi Omdurman],
PJU-3153 [], Arabs and Nubians at the market in Omdurman.
This Breathing Photograph consists of two exposures on roll film PJU-958 [Information on film: information on film: 1-9 around Luanda, 10-12 Serpa Pinto. Information in register: Angola, 1962, coast at Luanda - Serpa Pinto (Mulatto girl)]
This Breathing Photograph consist of six 35mm color slides, produced in the Congolese Kivu
region 1947.
This Breathing Photograph consists of sheet films PJU-1419 [Baka pygmy child with amulet Etekessang], PJU-2739 [Baqa child at Etekessang] and PJU-2877 [Child at Etekessang, Bayak] produced in Cameroon in 1936.
This Breathing Photograph consists of the cover of a book titled "The Red Land of the Black Caryatides" by Belgian ethnographer Frans M. Olbrechts (1899-1958) and 9x12 sheet film PJU-1397 [Four Lobi women carrying a burden on their heads], produced in in Ivory Coast.
From Wikipedia: "A caryatid is a sculpted female figure serving as an architectural support taking the place of a column or a pillar supporting an entablature on her head. The Greek term karyatides literally means "maidens of Karyai", an ancient town on the Peloponnese."
The book was published in 1935, the same year that Julien produced the photograph. It is a travelogue in which Olbrechts reports on a journey through West Africa with the goal of collecting objects of material culture, ranging from sculptures to jewels and fabrics, for Belgian collections.
From Wikipedia: "A caryatid is a sculpted female figure serving as an architectural support taking the place of a column or a pillar supporting an entablature on her head. The Greek term karyatides literally means "maidens of Karyai", an ancient town on the Peloponnese."
The book was published in 1935, the same year that Julien produced the photograph. It is a travelogue in which Olbrechts reports on a journey through West Africa with the goal of collecting objects of material culture, ranging from sculptures to jewels and fabrics, for Belgian collections.
This Breathing Photograph consists of 35mm color slides and one exposure on roll film PJU-307 [Ituri Forest], produced in 1947.
This Breathing Photograph consists of and exposure on roll film PJU-41 [Andjek - Bouéma - Bitande], and 9x12 sheet films PJU-2630 and PJU-2689 [Niete river] produced in 1937.
This Breathing Photograph consists of two roll film exposures produced mid 1930s by Dutch anthropologist Sjoerd Hofstra (1898-1983).
The photographs produced by Hofstra, currently partially reside with the Africa Studies Centre at Leiden University and partially with his daughter Marijke Gijswijt-Hofstra. They form an interesting collection in comparison to the photographs Julien produced in the same decade and the same part of Sierra Leone among the Mende.
Hofstra lived in a town named Panguma, further east than the area around Bo, through which Julien tracked. Hofstra's name does appear in Julien's notebook, but it seems like they did not meet because Hofstra was recovering from a severe case of black water fever.
While the two men both made use of their dr. title to gain the trust of the people they met by providing medical services, they had very different approaches to 'anthropology'. Hofstra was an ethnographer, conducting post-doc research for Bronislaw Malinowski, advocated thinking about encounters with 'others' as something that should be enriching for all involved. Julien was of a school with emphasis on physical anthropology, in which the field was primarily linked to, indeed, to biology and medicine.
The pdf of a book titled "Among the Mende in Sierra Leone: the letters from Sjoerd Hofstra (1934-36)", published in 2014 and edited by his daughter, can be downloaded here.
The photographs produced by Hofstra, currently partially reside with the Africa Studies Centre at Leiden University and partially with his daughter Marijke Gijswijt-Hofstra. They form an interesting collection in comparison to the photographs Julien produced in the same decade and the same part of Sierra Leone among the Mende.
Hofstra lived in a town named Panguma, further east than the area around Bo, through which Julien tracked. Hofstra's name does appear in Julien's notebook, but it seems like they did not meet because Hofstra was recovering from a severe case of black water fever.
While the two men both made use of their dr. title to gain the trust of the people they met by providing medical services, they had very different approaches to 'anthropology'. Hofstra was an ethnographer, conducting post-doc research for Bronislaw Malinowski, advocated thinking about encounters with 'others' as something that should be enriching for all involved. Julien was of a school with emphasis on physical anthropology, in which the field was primarily linked to, indeed, to biology and medicine.
The pdf of a book titled "Among the Mende in Sierra Leone: the letters from Sjoerd Hofstra (1934-36)", published in 2014 and edited by his daughter, can be downloaded here.
This Breathing Photograph consists of, respectively, filmcolor direct positive and black and white 9x12 sheet film sheet films PJU-3157 and PJU-2702 [Yokadouma ], produced in 1936.
This Breathing Photograph consists of 9x12 sheet films PJU-1512, PJU-2024 and PJU-2026 [Ngorongoro], produced in Tanganyika in 1947.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a spread in the book Sons of Cham captioned "A part of Dr. Julien's caravan in the East African savanna", a lantern slide, and an exposure on roll film PJU-292 [Oldeani - Mwanza], produced in Tanganyika in 1947.
This Breathing Photograph consists of two lantern slides stored behind the tab "Ituri Pygmies" and 9x12 sheet film PJU-2952 [Near Alimasi pygmies], produced in 1933.
This Breathing Photograph consists of two exposures on roll film PJU-310 [Monigi - Kinyamahura] and 9x12 sheet film PJU-1683 [Pygmies at Monigi], produced in 1947.
This Breathing Photograph consists of three exposures on roll film PJU-804 [Foulbe at Maroua], and a 35mm color slide produced in Cameroon in 1959.
This Breathing Photograph consists of 9x12 sheet films PJU-1762 [My tent at Yaida] and PJU-1765 [Staff Yaida 1. Emilius 2. Lazarus 3. me 4 Issa (hunter)], produced in Tanganyika in 1947.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a lantern slide stored behind the tab Sierra Leone and 9x12 sheet film PJU-2409 [Freetown], produced in 1934.
The picture shows some of Freetown's signature board houses.
The picture shows some of Freetown's signature board houses.
The Breathing Photograph consists of an exposure on roll film PJU-531, produced in 1952, and its use with a brief article in local newspaper for the The Hague area "Het Vaderland" [The Fatherland], published March 24th 1966.
Below are selected translated quotes from the text.
"We Spoke With ...
Dr. Paul Julien
Dark Africa
The house in Wassenaar is full of treasures of art. And since it is the home of a man had made so many journeys to Africa, one expects that these treasures are witnesses thereof. And they do - in a humble way. One finds many more specimens of old Spanish art, Balinese art, icons, crucifixes from Easter-Europe etcetera. [...]
Mr. Julien has written four popular-scientific books about his African journeys: Campfires Along the Equator, The Eternal Wilderness, Pygmies (which he currently rewrites) and Sons of Cham. He has three more laid out. But let us forget Africa for a moment, including those territories in which the once extinct cannibalism has returned. [...]
Soon he will retire. "I am weighed down by the richness of my fields of interest!" he says, and he has a point. "I hope to expand my anthropological studies in the future."
Below are selected translated quotes from the text.
"We Spoke With ...
Dr. Paul Julien
Dark Africa
The house in Wassenaar is full of treasures of art. And since it is the home of a man had made so many journeys to Africa, one expects that these treasures are witnesses thereof. And they do - in a humble way. One finds many more specimens of old Spanish art, Balinese art, icons, crucifixes from Easter-Europe etcetera. [...]
Mr. Julien has written four popular-scientific books about his African journeys: Campfires Along the Equator, The Eternal Wilderness, Pygmies (which he currently rewrites) and Sons of Cham. He has three more laid out. But let us forget Africa for a moment, including those territories in which the once extinct cannibalism has returned. [...]
Soon he will retire. "I am weighed down by the richness of my fields of interest!" he says, and he has a point. "I hope to expand my anthropological studies in the future."
This Breathing photograph consists of a screenshot of the Breathing Photograph in the Secondary Breathing Category based on 9x12 sheet film PJU-2412, a 10000 Leone banknote including the famous Cotton Tree in central Freetown, and a picture of the "Premisses of Dr. T.G. Reffel at the corner of Percival and Siaka Stevens (formally [sic] Westmoreland street. The site is now occupied by Electricity House.
The Breathing Photograph was appropriated by a descendant of Dr. Reffel's and, in turn, shared with Rex Leopold, who is an active members of a Facebook group devoted to Old Photos of Sierra Leone.
The following information was added to the photograph(s):
"As was hoped, a nephew to Dr Thomas George Reffell Jnr reacted to my RFI in a most educative telecon of a family home rich in history, although neither its year of construction nor the source of that smashing photograph could be pinpointed. My understanding however is that the house was built by the Doctor’s father and namesake; the Hon Thomas George Reffell, a member of the then Legislative Council, who lived there with wife Winifred and their two children T.G.R Junior and daughter Ola, for “very many” years until his death in 1930.
Dr T.G. Reffell ran a Surgery and Nursing Home adjacent to the building on Percival StreeT until his death in 1952.
The property was eventually sold by the surviving family to the GoSL during the tenure of Alhaji Hon Dr Muhammad Sanusi Mustapha as Minister of Finance in the Cabinet of Prime Minister Sir Albert Margai (1964-67), which led to the building’s demolition followed by the construction of Electricity House before Sir Albert left office in 1967.
The home’s marvellous interior as mentioned by Melbourne, was said to have indeed been akin to a premium class Museum, decorated with topnotch paintings, sculptures and sparkling artefacts signed by world renowned heavyweights."
In response to this Breathing Photograph the following comment was sent by Charles Nicol: "Stunning pictures thank you! Dr T. G. Reffell's daughter Ola Bruce married Victor Bruce and moved to Trinidad where he was Governor of the Central Bank at one time also. She was a gracious lady, a generous doyen of the arts for many years in Trinidad - and in Tobago, her husband's family home."
The Breathing Photograph was appropriated by a descendant of Dr. Reffel's and, in turn, shared with Rex Leopold, who is an active members of a Facebook group devoted to Old Photos of Sierra Leone.
The following information was added to the photograph(s):
"As was hoped, a nephew to Dr Thomas George Reffell Jnr reacted to my RFI in a most educative telecon of a family home rich in history, although neither its year of construction nor the source of that smashing photograph could be pinpointed. My understanding however is that the house was built by the Doctor’s father and namesake; the Hon Thomas George Reffell, a member of the then Legislative Council, who lived there with wife Winifred and their two children T.G.R Junior and daughter Ola, for “very many” years until his death in 1930.
Dr T.G. Reffell ran a Surgery and Nursing Home adjacent to the building on Percival StreeT until his death in 1952.
The property was eventually sold by the surviving family to the GoSL during the tenure of Alhaji Hon Dr Muhammad Sanusi Mustapha as Minister of Finance in the Cabinet of Prime Minister Sir Albert Margai (1964-67), which led to the building’s demolition followed by the construction of Electricity House before Sir Albert left office in 1967.
The home’s marvellous interior as mentioned by Melbourne, was said to have indeed been akin to a premium class Museum, decorated with topnotch paintings, sculptures and sparkling artefacts signed by world renowned heavyweights."
In response to this Breathing Photograph the following comment was sent by Charles Nicol: "Stunning pictures thank you! Dr T. G. Reffell's daughter Ola Bruce married Victor Bruce and moved to Trinidad where he was Governor of the Central Bank at one time also. She was a gracious lady, a generous doyen of the arts for many years in Trinidad - and in Tobago, her husband's family home."
This Breathing Photograph consists of two 35mm color slides.
The man on the pictures can be identified because he and his young companion appear on roll films PJU-848 and PJU-844 with a mention of his name in the description.
In his thesis, political scientist Gildas Allan Ofoulhast-Othamot mentions that André Bangda "reigned over [Dimako for] a thirty years period [...] and became the facilitator of forest harvesting in the area."
In the notebook of his 1959 trip Paul Julien mentions that "André Bangda has gathered all the pygmies around him. Reason they are gone everywhere. And origin of disagreements with other chiefs."
The man on the pictures can be identified because he and his young companion appear on roll films PJU-848 and PJU-844 with a mention of his name in the description.
In his thesis, political scientist Gildas Allan Ofoulhast-Othamot mentions that André Bangda "reigned over [Dimako for] a thirty years period [...] and became the facilitator of forest harvesting in the area."
In the notebook of his 1959 trip Paul Julien mentions that "André Bangda has gathered all the pygmies around him. Reason they are gone everywhere. And origin of disagreements with other chiefs."
This Breathing Photograph consists of a lantern slide stored behind the tab Sierra Leone, and sheet film PJU-2320 [Coastal market, Freetown], produced in 1934.
Responses to a share of the picture on Facebook led to the conclusion that this has to be a picture of King Jimmy market.
Responses to a share of the picture on Facebook led to the conclusion that this has to be a picture of King Jimmy market.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a spread in the book Campfires Along the Equator with a photograph captioned "Creek in South Western Cameroon," sheet film PJU-2630 [Niete river], produced in 1936, and a lantern slide stored behind the tab 'Cameroon landscapes' of the same picture.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a clip of 16mm film, and corresponding 9x12 sheet films PJU-2386, PJU-2425 and PJU-23433 [graveyard Freetown], produced in 1934 in Sierra Leone.
Upon the handing over of Paul Julien's legacy to the Nederlands Fotomuseum in Rotterdam, the 16mm film material was passed on to Eye Filmmuseum in Amsterdam.
Digitalized versions of video reproductions made by Mr. Adolfse during the 1990s have given me the most comprehensive overview of this part of the collection. Eye Filmmuseum made reconstructions of the fully edited films that include titles on Liberia, the 1933 journey down the Nile, and "Bibayak".
Included in the files Mr. Adolfse shared with me were "an amateur copy" and a Betacam one. In 2018 the Betacam tapes were handed over by Mr. Adolfse to the Nederlands Fotomuseum. It took me a while to find a good opportunity to see the tapes and add, yet another, reproductive layer to them that made it possible to make film fragments and their corresponding photographs breath again.
While it could be argued that what happens here is Primary Breathing, I place these clips in the Tertiary Breathing category because of the stages in their making and my role in their current appearance.
Upon the handing over of Paul Julien's legacy to the Nederlands Fotomuseum in Rotterdam, the 16mm film material was passed on to Eye Filmmuseum in Amsterdam.
Digitalized versions of video reproductions made by Mr. Adolfse during the 1990s have given me the most comprehensive overview of this part of the collection. Eye Filmmuseum made reconstructions of the fully edited films that include titles on Liberia, the 1933 journey down the Nile, and "Bibayak".
Included in the files Mr. Adolfse shared with me were "an amateur copy" and a Betacam one. In 2018 the Betacam tapes were handed over by Mr. Adolfse to the Nederlands Fotomuseum. It took me a while to find a good opportunity to see the tapes and add, yet another, reproductive layer to them that made it possible to make film fragments and their corresponding photographs breath again.
While it could be argued that what happens here is Primary Breathing, I place these clips in the Tertiary Breathing category because of the stages in their making and my role in their current appearance.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a copy of an interview in local weekly (Sunday) paper "De Rotterdammer" of November 7th 1959 titled 'Dr. Paul Julien twenty times to Africa for science' with the quote "One tribe alone would take a lifetime" as subtitle, and 9x12 sheet film PJU-2842 [Yokadouma dwarfs], produced in 1936.
The publication includes four portraits made, apparently, during the interview in Paul Julien's home in Wassenaar. On one of them his wife Elly is behind the a grand piano. The picture is captioned with “this is how the scientific articles and the more popular books for the general audience in casa Julien come to being. ‘I always have to play the piano as he writes,’ his wife states. Otherwise it just won’t work.”
The publication includes four portraits made, apparently, during the interview in Paul Julien's home in Wassenaar. On one of them his wife Elly is behind the a grand piano. The picture is captioned with “this is how the scientific articles and the more popular books for the general audience in casa Julien come to being. ‘I always have to play the piano as he writes,’ his wife states. Otherwise it just won’t work.”
This Breathing Photograph consists of a lantern slide stored behind the tab Sierra Leone, and sheet film PJU-2379 [Yarvie devil Dambarra], produced in 1934.
This Breathing Photograph consists of the book cover and dust jacket of 1990s pocket and luxury editions of Paul Julien's third book Pygmies, originally published in 1953, and exposures on roll films PJU-567 and PJU-17, which are part of the designs.
These photographs were produced in, respectively, 1952 and 1936.
These photographs were produced in, respectively, 1952 and 1936.
This Breathing Photograph consists of three lantern slide versions of 9x12 sheet film PJU-1938, stored behind the tab Liberia.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a detail of an undated magazine publication titled "A Dutch warehouse on the coast of West Africa" from Paul Julien's personal document collection, and 9x12 sheet film PJU-1894 [Dutch Consulate Monrovia] produced in 1932.
The photograph in the magazine is captioned "The "Dutch House" on Ashmun Street where a O.A.C. employees live and also the Dutch Consulate-General is housed". O.A.C. stands for East [Oost] African Compagny.
The photograph in the magazine is captioned "The "Dutch House" on Ashmun Street where a O.A.C. employees live and also the Dutch Consulate-General is housed". O.A.C. stands for East [Oost] African Compagny.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a postcard, a digital collage by Babak Fakhamzadeh of the Wesley Methodist church published on his website Once Salone
, a digital copy of the postcard Fakhamzadeh used for his collage, and sheet film PJU-2440 [Freetown near Konde], produced in 1934.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a clipping the September 1st 1997 edition of Dutch regional newspaper Haagsche Post, with an exposure on roll film PJU-567 [Fam Clerc and I, with Bab.</a Dyéngé], produced in 1952.
The article appeared on the occasion of the new edition of Paul Julien's third book titled Pygmeeën and first published in 1953. Its headline is "A discoverer of what is now over" and it includes a portrait made in the office of Julien's home in Wassenaar produced by Maurice Nelwan.
The picture on the left is captioned "A photograph from over fifty years ago, with Pygmies in Africa."
The article appeared on the occasion of the new edition of Paul Julien's third book titled Pygmeeën and first published in 1953. Its headline is "A discoverer of what is now over" and it includes a portrait made in the office of Julien's home in Wassenaar produced by Maurice Nelwan.
The picture on the left is captioned "A photograph from over fifty years ago, with Pygmies in Africa."
This Breathing Photograph consists of a lantern slide
stored behind the tab Sierra Leone, and 9x12 sheet film PJU-2440 [Freetown near Konde], produced in 1934.
The main building in the picture is the Wesley Methodist church, located on Lightfoot Boston Street.
The main building in the picture is the Wesley Methodist church, located on Lightfoot Boston Street.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a triptych of photographs made in Omdurman in 2015, and two 35mm color slides produced in January 1948, at the tail end of the 1947 journey through East Africa, of the Guba of Al-Mahdi, which had then just been re-opened.
Elsadig Mohamed, the photographer who I worked with in Sudan, and I looked through the guest books still kept in the guba, but could not find Julien's signature.
The interior and view is of the house of one of the descendants of Muhammad Ahmad bin Abd Allah, aka Al-Mahdi who had himself been collecting historical materials about his ancestor's grave and was therefore highly interested in the photographs in Paul Julien's legacy.
Elsadig Mohamed, the photographer who I worked with in Sudan, and I looked through the guest books still kept in the guba, but could not find Julien's signature.
The interior and view is of the house of one of the descendants of Muhammad Ahmad bin Abd Allah, aka Al-Mahdi who had himself been collecting historical materials about his ancestor's grave and was therefore highly interested in the photographs in Paul Julien's legacy.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a clip of 16mm film, and corresponding 9x12 sheet films PJU-2309 and PJU-2336 [Freetown], produced in 1934 in Sierra Leone.
Upon the handing over of Paul Julien's legacy to the Nederlands Fotomuseum in Rotterdam, the 16mm film material was passed on to Eye Filmmuseum in Amsterdam.
Digitalized versions of video reproductions made by Mr. Adolfse during the 1990s have given me the most comprehensive overview of this part of the collection. Eye Filmmuseum made reconstructions of the fully edited films that include titles on Liberia, the 1933 journey down the Nile, and "Bibayak".
Included in the files Mr. Adolfse shared with me were "an amateur copy" and a Betacam one. In 2018 the Betacam tapes were handed over by Mr. Adolfse to the Nederlands Fotomuseum. It took me a while to find a good opportunity to see the tapes and add, yet another, reproductive layer to them that made it possible to make film fragments and their corresponding photographs breath again.
While it could be argued that what happens here is Primary Breathing, I place these clips in the Tertiary Breathing category because of the stages in their making and my role in their current appearance.
Upon the handing over of Paul Julien's legacy to the Nederlands Fotomuseum in Rotterdam, the 16mm film material was passed on to Eye Filmmuseum in Amsterdam.
Digitalized versions of video reproductions made by Mr. Adolfse during the 1990s have given me the most comprehensive overview of this part of the collection. Eye Filmmuseum made reconstructions of the fully edited films that include titles on Liberia, the 1933 journey down the Nile, and "Bibayak".
Included in the files Mr. Adolfse shared with me were "an amateur copy" and a Betacam one. In 2018 the Betacam tapes were handed over by Mr. Adolfse to the Nederlands Fotomuseum. It took me a while to find a good opportunity to see the tapes and add, yet another, reproductive layer to them that made it possible to make film fragments and their corresponding photographs breath again.
While it could be argued that what happens here is Primary Breathing, I place these clips in the Tertiary Breathing category because of the stages in their making and my role in their current appearance.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a spread in Sons of Cham containing a picture captioned "Masai Moran (warrior)", and sheet film PJU-1821 [Masai Moshi] produced in 1933.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a lantern slide stored behind the tab Sierra Leone, and 9x12 sheet film PJU-2261 [bridge or bush SL], produced in 1934.
This Breathing Photograph consists of an exposure made in Nengbema in 2020 in which a print of sheet film PJU-2255 is held up next to a death announcement of the late Philip Nallie.
Philip Nallie was the last born son of Jacob Nallie, the man on the print.
At the time Paul Julien produced the portrait of Jacob Nallie in Sierra Leone in 1934 Jacob Nallie was the Paramount Chief. He mentions the photograph in his notebook, but the negative is in the register only identified as 'Mende'.
Philip Nallie was the last born son of Jacob Nallie, the man on the print.
At the time Paul Julien produced the portrait of Jacob Nallie in Sierra Leone in 1934 Jacob Nallie was the Paramount Chief. He mentions the photograph in his notebook, but the negative is in the register only identified as 'Mende'.
This Breathing photograph consists of the title page of one of the publication in Belgian magazine Ons Land in 1932 titled "Through the black republic, as a blood hunter through Liberia", two lantern slides stored behind the tab Senegal, and 9x12 sheet film PJU-2188 [Dakar], produced, also, in 1932.
The photograph is captioned "Dakar, capital of French West Africa, where Drs. Julien ended his track through the black continent. The picture shows the palace of the governor near Dakar."
The photograph is captioned "Dakar, capital of French West Africa, where Drs. Julien ended his track through the black continent. The picture shows the palace of the governor near Dakar."
The Breathing photograph consists of a lantern slide stored behind the tab Sierra Leone, and 9x12 sheet film PJU-2371 [Leper, Bo], produced in 1934.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a clip of 16mm film, and corresponding 9x12 sheet films PJU-2324, PJU-2325 [Tabe near Baiima], PJU-2382 [Chief [Nuyaba] Baiima] produced in 1934 in Sierra Leone.
Upon the handing over of Paul Julien's legacy to the Nederlands Fotomuseum in Rotterdam, the 16mm film material was passed on to Eye Filmmuseum in Amsterdam.
Digitalized versions of video reproductions made by Mr. Adolfse during the 1990s have given me the most comprehensive overview of this part of the collection. Eye Filmmuseum made reconstructions of the fully edited films that include titles on Liberia, the 1933 journey down the Nile, and "Bibayak".
Included in the files Mr. Adolfse shared with me were "an amateur copy" and a Betacam one. In 2018 the Betacam tapes were handed over by Mr. Adolfse to the Nederlands Fotomuseum. It took me a while to find a good opportunity to see the tapes and add, yet another, reproductive layer to them that made it possible to make film fragments and their corresponding photographs breath again.
While it could be argued that what happens here is Primary Breathing, I place these clips in the Tertiary Breathing category because of the stages in their making and my role in their current appearance.
Upon the handing over of Paul Julien's legacy to the Nederlands Fotomuseum in Rotterdam, the 16mm film material was passed on to Eye Filmmuseum in Amsterdam.
Digitalized versions of video reproductions made by Mr. Adolfse during the 1990s have given me the most comprehensive overview of this part of the collection. Eye Filmmuseum made reconstructions of the fully edited films that include titles on Liberia, the 1933 journey down the Nile, and "Bibayak".
Included in the files Mr. Adolfse shared with me were "an amateur copy" and a Betacam one. In 2018 the Betacam tapes were handed over by Mr. Adolfse to the Nederlands Fotomuseum. It took me a while to find a good opportunity to see the tapes and add, yet another, reproductive layer to them that made it possible to make film fragments and their corresponding photographs breath again.
While it could be argued that what happens here is Primary Breathing, I place these clips in the Tertiary Breathing category because of the stages in their making and my role in their current appearance.
This Breathing Photograph consists of two six by nine exposures on film PJU-142 [Wadi Halfa - Khartoum], produced in Sudan in 1933.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a spread from the book Sons of Cham with a photograph captioned "Elderly Masai woman with head chain and copper surutaya ear hangers", a lantern slide stored behind the tab Masai, and an exposure on roll film PJU-286 [Ngorongoro + Masai] produced in 1947.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a lantern slide stored behind the tab Sierra Leone and 9x12 sheet film PJU-2346 [Freetown], produced in 1934.
This Breathing Photograph consists of the following fifteen exposures, produced in 1933.
9x12 sheet film: PJU-2943 [pygmy ddance Alimasi]
PJU-2947, PJU-2963, PJU-2994 [pygmies Alimasi]
PJU-2981 [Alimasi]
six by nine negatives: PJU-3020, PJU-3022, PJU-3026, PJU-3030, PJU-3034, PJU-3035 [pygmies Alimasi], PJU-3042 [dance Alimasi]
PJU-3028 [Efé hunter with bow and arrow, Democratic Republic of Congo]
PJU-3032 [Elderly pygmies]
9x12 sheet film: PJU-2943 [pygmy ddance Alimasi]
PJU-2947, PJU-2963, PJU-2994 [pygmies Alimasi]
PJU-2981 [Alimasi]
six by nine negatives: PJU-3020, PJU-3022, PJU-3026, PJU-3030, PJU-3034, PJU-3035 [pygmies Alimasi], PJU-3042 [dance Alimasi]
PJU-3028 [Efé hunter with bow and arrow, Democratic Republic of Congo]
PJU-3032 [Elderly pygmies]
This Breathing Photograph consists of a review of a lecture held November 14th 1956, and 9x12 sheet films PJU-2783 and PJU-2938, produced respectively, in 1936 and 1933.
The lecture was held for the leisure club of NAM staff in Rijswijk. NAM is the company that is mining petroleum in the Netherlands in Rijswijk, from where, according to Wikipedia, an oil field was mined from 1954 until 1994. The text is published in a magazine titled "Our Company".
The review starts like this: "It was a truly commendable thought of the board of our leisure club to invite Dr. Paul Julien to present us with a lecture illustrated with projected photographs and films. Dr. Julien is without a doubt known by all of us, either through his books or through his radio causeries."
The focus of the lecture was on 'pygmies', also the title of Julien's most recent book at te time. Julien is appraised as a selfless man helping pygmies and researching them and their religion. He is mentioned as having undertaken 19 anthropological expeditions through "Central Africa" at the time. The following paragraph describes the lecture:
"After the lights in the hall were switched off, one picture after the other appeared on the screen. In a captivating, often humorous way the narrator gave and explanation with the different images."
The reviewer continuous in a tone similar to the one deployed by Julien himself in his radio lectures: "We tracked with him through the dense forest and swamps to discover a trace of the pygmies. It is not easy to gain the trust of these primitive people. The speaker had himself experienced the "age of the small mirrors", but currently the pygmies are no longer to be satisfied with those. Currently one asks for a machete or something like that. [...]"
PJU-2938 is here captioned as "Drummer of the Efé Pygmy tribe." PJU-2783 as "Elderly Pygmy woman of the Bakah Tribe (Southern Cameroon)."
Both are "From Dr. Paul Julien's book Pygmeeën".
The lecture was held for the leisure club of NAM staff in Rijswijk. NAM is the company that is mining petroleum in the Netherlands in Rijswijk, from where, according to Wikipedia, an oil field was mined from 1954 until 1994. The text is published in a magazine titled "Our Company".
The review starts like this: "It was a truly commendable thought of the board of our leisure club to invite Dr. Paul Julien to present us with a lecture illustrated with projected photographs and films. Dr. Julien is without a doubt known by all of us, either through his books or through his radio causeries."
The focus of the lecture was on 'pygmies', also the title of Julien's most recent book at te time. Julien is appraised as a selfless man helping pygmies and researching them and their religion. He is mentioned as having undertaken 19 anthropological expeditions through "Central Africa" at the time. The following paragraph describes the lecture:
"After the lights in the hall were switched off, one picture after the other appeared on the screen. In a captivating, often humorous way the narrator gave and explanation with the different images."
The reviewer continuous in a tone similar to the one deployed by Julien himself in his radio lectures: "We tracked with him through the dense forest and swamps to discover a trace of the pygmies. It is not easy to gain the trust of these primitive people. The speaker had himself experienced the "age of the small mirrors", but currently the pygmies are no longer to be satisfied with those. Currently one asks for a machete or something like that. [...]"
PJU-2938 is here captioned as "Drummer of the Efé Pygmy tribe." PJU-2783 as "Elderly Pygmy woman of the Bakah Tribe (Southern Cameroon)."
Both are "From Dr. Paul Julien's book Pygmeeën".
This Breathing Photograph consists of ten exposures on roll film PJU-520 [Flash photographs Babongo near Sibiti finger prints] and five exposures on roll film PJU-521 [Babongo portraits (a.o. with little dog)], produced in Congo Brazzaville in 1952.
This Breathing Photograph consists of 9x12 sheet films PJU-1552 and PJU-1558, and a 35mm color slide, produced Sudan in 1947.
This Breathing Photograph consists of photographs produced in 2019, and sheet film PJU-2201 [Gorée], PJU-2203 [Gorée near Dakar] and PJU-2204 [Gorée] produced in 1932.
Judith is a Dutch photographer. In 2019 she lived on the island of Goré with her son. I asked them whether they were up for a re-photography mission with the photographs made by Paul Julien in Senegal.
They were. This led to several Breathing Photographs.
In addition, Judith Quax told me, the searching for the right locations resulted in valuable engagements and conversations with people that otherwise would never have taken place.
Judith is a Dutch photographer. In 2019 she lived on the island of Goré with her son. I asked them whether they were up for a re-photography mission with the photographs made by Paul Julien in Senegal.
They were. This led to several Breathing Photographs.
In addition, Judith Quax told me, the searching for the right locations resulted in valuable engagements and conversations with people that otherwise would never have taken place.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a clip of 16mm film, and 9x12 sheet film PJU-1990 [Krutown Monrovia], produced in 1932
Upon the handing over of Paul Julien's legacy to the Nederlands Fotomuseum in Rotterdam, the 16mm film material was passed on to Eye Filmmuseum in Amsterdam.
Digitalized versions of video reproductions made by Mr. Adolfse during the 1990s have given me the most comprehensive overview of this part of the collection. Eye Filmmuseum made reconstructions of the fully edited films that include titles on Liberia, the 1933 journey down the Nile, and "Bibayak".
Included in the files Mr. Adolfse shared with me were "an amateur copy" and a Betacam one. In 2018 the Betacam tapes were handed over by Mr. Adolfse to the Nederlands Fotomuseum. It took me a while to find a good opportunity to see the tapes and add, yet another, reproductive layer to them that made it possible to make film fragments and their corresponding photographs breath again.
While it could be argued that what happens here is Primary Breathing, I place these clips in the Tertiary Breathing category because of the stages in their making and my role in their current appearance.
Upon the handing over of Paul Julien's legacy to the Nederlands Fotomuseum in Rotterdam, the 16mm film material was passed on to Eye Filmmuseum in Amsterdam.
Digitalized versions of video reproductions made by Mr. Adolfse during the 1990s have given me the most comprehensive overview of this part of the collection. Eye Filmmuseum made reconstructions of the fully edited films that include titles on Liberia, the 1933 journey down the Nile, and "Bibayak".
Included in the files Mr. Adolfse shared with me were "an amateur copy" and a Betacam one. In 2018 the Betacam tapes were handed over by Mr. Adolfse to the Nederlands Fotomuseum. It took me a while to find a good opportunity to see the tapes and add, yet another, reproductive layer to them that made it possible to make film fragments and their corresponding photographs breath again.
While it could be argued that what happens here is Primary Breathing, I place these clips in the Tertiary Breathing category because of the stages in their making and my role in their current appearance.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a lantern slide stored behind the tab Liberia, and 9x12 sheet film PJU-2012 [mission Monrovia], produced in 1932.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a film clip recorded in 2020 at the cemetery next to Christ the King school, and sheet film PJU-2416 [Graveyard Bo Mission Father Scheer].
It was not possible to identify the graves shown on the photograph. The workers on site pointed us towards the grave of Father Scheer himself. The inscription tells me that he lived in Sierra Leone for two decades after he helped Paul Julien, August 1934.
It was not possible to identify the graves shown on the photograph. The workers on site pointed us towards the grave of Father Scheer himself. The inscription tells me that he lived in Sierra Leone for two decades after he helped Paul Julien, August 1934.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a clip of 16mm film, and lantern slide PJU-10989
The title at the beginning of the Breathing Photograph translates into "Liberia, from Monrovia to the Niger. Recorded by Drs. Paul Julien."
Upon the handing over of Paul Julien's legacy to the Nederlands Fotomuseum in Rotterdam, the 16mm film material was passed on to Eye Filmmuseum in Amsterdam.
Digitalized versions of video reproductions made by Mr. Adolfse during the 1990s have given me the most comprehensive overview of this part of the collection. Eye Filmmuseum made reconstructions of the fully edited films that include titles on Liberia, the 1933 journey down the Nile, and "Bibayak".
Included in the files Mr. Adolfse shared with me were "an amateur copy" and a Betacam one. In 2018 the Betacam tapes were handed over by Mr. Adolfse to the Nederlands Fotomuseum. It took me a while to find a good opportunity to see the tapes and add, yet another, reproductive layer to them that made it possible to make film fragments and their corresponding photographs breath again.
While it could be argued that what happens here is Primary Breathing, I place these clips in the Tertiary Breathing category because of the stages in their making and my role in their current appearance.
The title at the beginning of the Breathing Photograph translates into "Liberia, from Monrovia to the Niger. Recorded by Drs. Paul Julien."
Upon the handing over of Paul Julien's legacy to the Nederlands Fotomuseum in Rotterdam, the 16mm film material was passed on to Eye Filmmuseum in Amsterdam.
Digitalized versions of video reproductions made by Mr. Adolfse during the 1990s have given me the most comprehensive overview of this part of the collection. Eye Filmmuseum made reconstructions of the fully edited films that include titles on Liberia, the 1933 journey down the Nile, and "Bibayak".
Included in the files Mr. Adolfse shared with me were "an amateur copy" and a Betacam one. In 2018 the Betacam tapes were handed over by Mr. Adolfse to the Nederlands Fotomuseum. It took me a while to find a good opportunity to see the tapes and add, yet another, reproductive layer to them that made it possible to make film fragments and their corresponding photographs breath again.
While it could be argued that what happens here is Primary Breathing, I place these clips in the Tertiary Breathing category because of the stages in their making and my role in their current appearance.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a picture made in Mr. Adolfse's sitting room in 2014 with a poster size advertisement for the 1997 edition of Paul Julien's third book pygmeeën placed on a cupboard, the cover of the book itself in hard-cover and paperback editions, and the exposure on roll film PJU-17 that features on it.
Mr. Adolfse told me that he knew this had to be the cover the moment he laid eyes on the picture and that the publisher had immediately agreed.
Mr. Adolfse told me that he knew this had to be the cover the moment he laid eyes on the picture and that the publisher had immediately agreed.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a clip of 16mm film, and corresponding 9x12 sheet film PJU-2365, produced in 1934 in Sierra Leone.
During screenings of the film in Sierra Leone in 2020, viewers informed me that the man is chasing away birds from the rice fields with a particular type of slingshot and stones.
Upon the handing over of Paul Julien's legacy to the Nederlands Fotomuseum in Rotterdam, the 16mm film material was passed on to Eye Filmmuseum in Amsterdam.
Digitalized versions of video reproductions made by Mr. Adolfse during the 1990s have given me the most comprehensive overview of this part of the collection. Eye Filmmuseum made reconstructions of the fully edited films that include titles on Liberia, the 1933 journey down the Nile, and "Bibayak".
Included in the files Mr. Adolfse shared with me were "an amateur copy" and a Betacam one. In 2018 the Betacam tapes were handed over by Mr. Adolfse to the Nederlands Fotomuseum. It took me a while to find a good opportunity to see the tapes and add, yet another, reproductive layer to them that made it possible to make film fragments and their corresponding photographs breath again.
While it could be argued that what happens here is Primary Breathing, I place these clips in the Tertiary Breathing category because of the stages in their making and my role in their current appearance.
During screenings of the film in Sierra Leone in 2020, viewers informed me that the man is chasing away birds from the rice fields with a particular type of slingshot and stones.
Upon the handing over of Paul Julien's legacy to the Nederlands Fotomuseum in Rotterdam, the 16mm film material was passed on to Eye Filmmuseum in Amsterdam.
Digitalized versions of video reproductions made by Mr. Adolfse during the 1990s have given me the most comprehensive overview of this part of the collection. Eye Filmmuseum made reconstructions of the fully edited films that include titles on Liberia, the 1933 journey down the Nile, and "Bibayak".
Included in the files Mr. Adolfse shared with me were "an amateur copy" and a Betacam one. In 2018 the Betacam tapes were handed over by Mr. Adolfse to the Nederlands Fotomuseum. It took me a while to find a good opportunity to see the tapes and add, yet another, reproductive layer to them that made it possible to make film fragments and their corresponding photographs breath again.
While it could be argued that what happens here is Primary Breathing, I place these clips in the Tertiary Breathing category because of the stages in their making and my role in their current appearance.
This Breathing photograph consists of 9x12 sheet films PJU-1396and PJU-1774 [Maniok caravan at Potopoto], probably produced in 1938 in what is now the Central African Republic.
This Breathing Photograph consists of the dust jacket to Campfires Along The Equator in the editions published by Scheltens & Giltay (between 1953 and 1959), and a pictures published in all the editions with the caption "Dr. Julien with two pygmy children of the Motaba river".
The negative of this picture is no longer available, but PJU-1442 [Liganga peace treaty] must have been made moments earlier or later.
The negative of this picture is no longer available, but PJU-1442 [Liganga peace treaty] must have been made moments earlier or later.
This Breathing Photograph consists of an undated announcement of an illustrated lecture concerning "The primitive mountain tribes of the Bauchi Plateau" and and exposure on roll film PJU-428 [market at Manok] produced in 1950.
From the documents in the PJU collection it looks like Paul Julien wrote most of his lecture announcements himself. In this case an announcement for one lecture, is used for another one. The suggested edits include replacing "display of slides" by "lantern slides" [literally here light-images], "primitive mountain tribes" by "savages", and correcting the spelling of Julien's last name.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a publication in Dutch magazine Katholieke Illustratie in 1953, and the full frames of photographs published with it.
The title of the article translates into "The dead girl from the forest". The text is part of chapter IX of Pygmies, titled "Among the Efé of the Nduye."
The pictures are derived from and captioned as:
- PJU-3013 '"Then this is the hardest part of the journey..." Some pygmies with two negroes near Chamunyonge's village.'
- PJU-2938 '"Everywhere in the village the drums are beaten." A drummer of the Efé tribe.'
- PJU-1752 '"For the first time in the history of anthropology a pygmy skeleton was on its way to Europe." The head of the skeleton dr. Paul Julien brought with him.'
- PJU-1727 'A woman of the tribe of the Basúa-pygmies'
- PJU-1734 '"Small, shy groups of Efé come to the village." An Efé pygmy of the Ituri Forest.'
- PJU-1735 'Chief of the Basúa pygmies, who sojourn the southern Ituri Forest'
- PJU-1732 "Dr. Paul Julien, who is one meter sixty four tall, with two adult dwarf adults of the southern Ituri Forest."
- PJU-1651 "'Everywhere the forest was cut through with little creeks, above which towers a constant dark roof of leaves." A capture in the Ituri forest.'
- PJU-547 '"Once the dwarves are used to my presence, I cautiously start the serological research ." Dr. Paul Julien takes a couple of drops of blood from a pygmy.'
These pictures were produced in 1952, 1947, or during or after the 1933 expedition.
The title of the article translates into "The dead girl from the forest". The text is part of chapter IX of Pygmies, titled "Among the Efé of the Nduye."
The pictures are derived from and captioned as:
- PJU-3013 '"Then this is the hardest part of the journey..." Some pygmies with two negroes near Chamunyonge's village.'
- PJU-2938 '"Everywhere in the village the drums are beaten." A drummer of the Efé tribe.'
- PJU-1752 '"For the first time in the history of anthropology a pygmy skeleton was on its way to Europe." The head of the skeleton dr. Paul Julien brought with him.'
- PJU-1727 'A woman of the tribe of the Basúa-pygmies'
- PJU-1734 '"Small, shy groups of Efé come to the village." An Efé pygmy of the Ituri Forest.'
- PJU-1735 'Chief of the Basúa pygmies, who sojourn the southern Ituri Forest'
- PJU-1732 "Dr. Paul Julien, who is one meter sixty four tall, with two adult dwarf adults of the southern Ituri Forest."
- PJU-1651 "'Everywhere the forest was cut through with little creeks, above which towers a constant dark roof of leaves." A capture in the Ituri forest.'
- PJU-547 '"Once the dwarves are used to my presence, I cautiously start the serological research ." Dr. Paul Julien takes a couple of drops of blood from a pygmy.'
These pictures were produced in 1952, 1947, or during or after the 1933 expedition.
This Breathing photograph consists of a lantern slide stored behind the tab "Pygmies general mixed", and 9x12 sheet film PJU-2808 [Nkom's family at Mpan], produced in 1936.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a publication in a not specified local Dutch newspaper on December 31st 1963 including a picture captioned "The grandmothers of the Maszitribe [sic!] have as one of the delicate tasks: taking care of and educating the children" and an exposure on roll film PJU-285 [Masai], produced in 1947.
The article has a rather nostalgic tone in which Julien professes his love for the African continent. The text concludes with the words "I am afraid that last year's journey to Angola (where, actually, it is quieter than the spectacularising newspaper publication made us believe) was not the last one. I also hope so".
It was. Julien continued to travel for a couple of decades, but no longer to the continent where (post-colonial) conditions had become too complicated for him to achieve his goals. He would, however, still lecture about his, according to this publication, 24 African expeditions.
The publication includes a photograph made in Paul Julien's home in Wassenaar.
The article has a rather nostalgic tone in which Julien professes his love for the African continent. The text concludes with the words "I am afraid that last year's journey to Angola (where, actually, it is quieter than the spectacularising newspaper publication made us believe) was not the last one. I also hope so".
It was. Julien continued to travel for a couple of decades, but no longer to the continent where (post-colonial) conditions had become too complicated for him to achieve his goals. He would, however, still lecture about his, according to this publication, 24 African expeditions.
The publication includes a photograph made in Paul Julien's home in Wassenaar.
This Breathing Photography consists of a lantern slide stored behind the tab Liberia and 9x12 sheet film PJU-1948 [Monrovia], produced in 1932.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a spread in Eternal Wilderness with a photograph captioned "Baby of the Yekenga tribe (Motaba territory)", and 9x12 sheet film PJU-1358 [Baby at Liganga], produced in 1938.
This Breathing Photograph consist of a lantern slide stored behind the tab Liberia and 9x12 sheet film PJU-2405 [Krutown Freetown], produced in 1934.
This Breathing Photograph consists of an announcement of a series of three illustrated lectures titled "The Pygmies of Equatorial Africa" and an exposure on roll film PJU-555 [Research Bab. microscope], produced in 1952.
The caption of the picture with the announcement translates into:
"Dr. Paul Julien during the blood research of the Babendzéré Pygmies."
The lectures were to be held on three successive Fridays, October 1955 at the VU [University] in Amsterdam. The programme was built up as follows:
"1st evening.
Exploration history and contemporary spread of the African dwarf peoples. Some recent discoveries. Examples of the physical anthropology of the dwarf peoples.
2nd evening.
Social and economical position of the pygmies. Dependency on negroes and the development of the pygmy world. Examples from the material culture.
3rd evening.
Religion and worldview of the African dwarfs. Hunting territories and offerings. Influence of modern times."
The caption of the picture with the announcement translates into:
"Dr. Paul Julien during the blood research of the Babendzéré Pygmies."
The lectures were to be held on three successive Fridays, October 1955 at the VU [University] in Amsterdam. The programme was built up as follows:
"1st evening.
Exploration history and contemporary spread of the African dwarf peoples. Some recent discoveries. Examples of the physical anthropology of the dwarf peoples.
2nd evening.
Social and economical position of the pygmies. Dependency on negroes and the development of the pygmy world. Examples from the material culture.
3rd evening.
Religion and worldview of the African dwarfs. Hunting territories and offerings. Influence of modern times."
This Breathing Photograph consists of a lantern slide stored behind the tab Nilots and 9x12 sheet film PJU-1571, produced in 1933.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a publication in Dutch magazine Katholieke Illustratie in 1953, and the full frames of photographs published with it.
The negatives are the following 9x12 sheet films:
- PJU-2783 [Akoumbeng Zoulabot Nkoul, here captioned: '"A small, friendly, wrinkled face looks up to me solemnly." Akoumbéng, the old, silent Bakah-woman, who narrated her tragic life to dr. Paul Julien'],
- PJU-2850 [Mpan, here captioned: '"Have a dry hut built of Akoumbéng". A camp of the Bakah pygmies. In the foreground one sees the entrances to the huts, which are constructed of twigs and leaves.'],
- PJU-2739 [Bakah child at Teguessang, here captioned '"Nothing is more affectionate than a pygmie child, once a stranger won its trust". Dr. Paul Julien with a small Bakah pygmy'], - PJU-2740 [Bayak dancer at Mpan, here captioned as '"After a short break the roar of the drums commenced and the number of dancers quickly increased." A Bakah dancer.']
All produced in 1936, and
- PJU-1667 and PJU-1453 [Batwa Kingi, here captioned: 'Pygmies of the Batwa tribe'],
produced in 1947.
The title of the article translates into "The Tragic History of Akoumbéng by Dr. Paul Julien". Bigger than the title is the quote "her husband and all of her children are dead".
Akoumbéng, the text tells us, lost her husband as well as all of her children. In the story Julien narrates of the special bond he experiences between himself and Akoumbéng, in which he presents her as a grateful and honourable person who is upgraded to a person of wealth through his gifts to her, and in return passes her share in a honey harvest on to him. In his 1936 notebook Julien mentions that Akoumbéng has a daughter with eight children of her own. In the book the elderly woman is with "a young woman who I had seen in her company before".
The text of the article is an adaptation of chapter XV in, and one of the pre-publications in the same magazine of, the book Pygmies.
The negatives are the following 9x12 sheet films:
- PJU-2783 [Akoumbeng Zoulabot Nkoul, here captioned: '"A small, friendly, wrinkled face looks up to me solemnly." Akoumbéng, the old, silent Bakah-woman, who narrated her tragic life to dr. Paul Julien'],
- PJU-2850 [Mpan, here captioned: '"Have a dry hut built of Akoumbéng". A camp of the Bakah pygmies. In the foreground one sees the entrances to the huts, which are constructed of twigs and leaves.'],
- PJU-2739 [Bakah child at Teguessang, here captioned '"Nothing is more affectionate than a pygmie child, once a stranger won its trust". Dr. Paul Julien with a small Bakah pygmy'], - PJU-2740 [Bayak dancer at Mpan, here captioned as '"After a short break the roar of the drums commenced and the number of dancers quickly increased." A Bakah dancer.']
All produced in 1936, and
- PJU-1667 and PJU-1453 [Batwa Kingi, here captioned: 'Pygmies of the Batwa tribe'],
produced in 1947.
The title of the article translates into "The Tragic History of Akoumbéng by Dr. Paul Julien". Bigger than the title is the quote "her husband and all of her children are dead".
Akoumbéng, the text tells us, lost her husband as well as all of her children. In the story Julien narrates of the special bond he experiences between himself and Akoumbéng, in which he presents her as a grateful and honourable person who is upgraded to a person of wealth through his gifts to her, and in return passes her share in a honey harvest on to him. In his 1936 notebook Julien mentions that Akoumbéng has a daughter with eight children of her own. In the book the elderly woman is with "a young woman who I had seen in her company before".
The text of the article is an adaptation of chapter XV in, and one of the pre-publications in the same magazine of, the book Pygmies.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a spread in Campfires Along the Equator with a picture captioned "Chief of the Mende tribe", 9x12 sheet film PJU-2255, and a lantern slide stored behind the tab Sierra Leone.
The 'Mende chief' was, in 2020, identified as Jacob Nallie, from Nengbema, who is also mentioned in Paul Julien's 1934 notebook.
The 'Mende chief' was, in 2020, identified as Jacob Nallie, from Nengbema, who is also mentioned in Paul Julien's 1934 notebook.
This Breathing Photograph consists of two diagrams and a lantern slide stored behind the tab "Pygmies mixed", concerning "polygamy".
The diagrams have also been published in the book Pygmies.
The diagrams have also been published in the book Pygmies.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a lantern slide stored behind the tab Sierra Leone and 9x12 sheet film PJU-2347 [Court of Moyamba], produced in 1934.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a spread in the book Eternal Wilderness with a photograph captions "Sufferers of sleeping sickness of the Lobitribe at Bourounbouroun, with painted recipes", and 9x12 sheet film PJU-1364 produced in 1935 in Ivory Coast.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a 35mm color slide and two consecutive exposures on roll film PJU-636 [Road to Neghelli, mudd, phallus stones, Borana well], produced inEthiopia in 1955.
This Breathing Photograph consists of two six by nine exposures registered as PJU-3092 [Bastiaan family], produced in 1933.
The Breathing Photograph consists of a lantern slide stored behind the tab Sierra Leone, and 9x12 sheet film PJU-2369 [Sacred Fish of Yamandu], produced in 1934.
This place is described by Paul Julien in the first chapter of "Campfires Along the Equator" in which he positions himself as an explorer and claims to have been the first person to have climbed Mount Kunon.
This place is described by Paul Julien in the first chapter of "Campfires Along the Equator" in which he positions himself as an explorer and claims to have been the first person to have climbed Mount Kunon.
This Breathing Photograph consists of sheet films PJU-2249, PJU-2270 [Kunon summit seen from south-west, SL] and PJU-2342 [Summit Mount Kunon, SL] produced in 1934.
TB 2019 Trippenhuis Presentation
This Breathing Photograph consists of an announcement, actually an invitation, for an illustrated lecture held at the society of a Dutch high school, at some point after 1950, since it addresses "the interior of Central and Eastern Nigeria" which "belong to the most primitive of Africa", and sheet film PJU-1732 [Musitapa Pygm. Itoeri-zuid], produced in 1947 and here captioned as "Dr. Paul Julien, with two Basua pygmies, southern Ituri Forest.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a lantern slide stored behind the tab Bassari Coniagui, and an exposure cut from a roll film and registered ad PJU-2178 [Modi Hamidou Foulah chief of Guingan] produced in Guinea in 1939.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a lantern slide stored behind the tab 'Pygmies' mixed II' and a drawing stored in a folder 'diagrams' among the documents in the PJU collection.
A version of the diagram appears in the book Pygmies.
The diagram gives figures concerning "the living children per married female Bakah." The statistics are based on "169 research women with 451, which leads to an "average number of children per married female" of 2,67.
A version of the diagram appears in the book Pygmies.
The diagram gives figures concerning "the living children per married female Bakah." The statistics are based on "169 research women with 451, which leads to an "average number of children per married female" of 2,67.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a lantern slide stored behind the tab Liberia, and 9x12 sheet film PJU-1908 [Krutown], produced in 1932.
This Breathing Photograph consists of the dust jacket of Eternal Wilderness, a lantern slide of the picture that is used for it, and 9x12 sheet film PJU-3318 [Boussoura flute player at Bassari], of the same event but with the flute player in a slightly different position.
The negative of the picture on the book cover is no longer available.
Both pictures were produced in Guinée in 1939.
The negative of the picture on the book cover is no longer available.
Both pictures were produced in Guinée in 1939.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a lantern slide stored behind the tab Sierra Leone, and 9x12 sheet film PJU-2412 [Cotton Tree, Freetown], produced in 1934.
See the presence of this photograph in the Scopic Breathing category for information about,Dr. Reffel the owner of the house here seen on the right side of the photograph.
See the presence of this photograph in the Scopic Breathing category for information about,Dr. Reffel the owner of the house here seen on the right side of the photograph.
This Breathing photograph consists of an announcement of an illustrated lecture titled "Among the primitives of the Bauchi Plateau (Central Nigeria
)", and an exposure on roll film PJU-531 [Loekiboe + I, landscapes, road Zanaga], produced in Congo Brazzaville in 1952.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a lantern slide stored behind the tab Ivory Coast Lobi, and 9x12 sheet film PJU-2523 [Peuhl Kampti], produced in 1935.
This Breathing Photograph consists of five prints stored in an envelope of "Photographs of Initiation masks, Angola", and six by nine negatives PJU-3093, PJU-3094, PJU-3096, PJU-3097, and a picture of which the negative is not in the collection but that is related to a scene on PJU-981, all produced in 1962.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a lantern slide stored behind the tab Ivory Coast Lobi, and 9x12 sheet film PJU-2489 [Peuhl pastoralist at Kampti], produced in 1935.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a spread in Eternal Wilderness with a picture captioned as "Mbato child suffering from sleeping sickness", and 9x12 sheet film PJU-2565 [Child Akouré (Mbato)], produced in present day Burkina Faso in 1935.
This Breathing Photograph consists of two exposures each on roll films PJU-997 [Research Kwarra, tree] and PJU-1002 [Research and groups Mama Kwarra], produced Northern Nigeria in 1962.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a lantern slide stored behind the tab Watutsi, and an exposure on roll film PJU-300, produced in 1947.
This Breathing Photograph consists of three 35mm color slides, and seven consecutive exposures on roll film PJU-249 (Dodoma - Kondoa Irangui), produced in 1947 in Tanganyika.
This Breathing Photograph consists of an announcement cycle of three illustrated lectures on "Races and Peoples of the Nile", illustrated with an exposure on roll film PJU-249 captioned as 'Initiate of the Gogo tribe".
This Breathing Photograph consists of a spread in Zonen van Cham including a picture captioned "Wagogo initiate with reed mask", and an exposure on roll film PJU-249 [Dodoma - Kondoa Irangui], produced in 1947.
This Breathing Photograph consists of an announcement of an illustrated lecture for an "agricultural study club" on a 14th of November, and an exposure on roll film PJU-284, produced in 1947, here accompanied by the caption "Masai woman".
"Among East African Steppe Peoples.
East Africa forms, in ethnographical terms, a world of its own and differs, as for as it concerns its human inhabitants, completely from the central and western parts of this continent.
While Central and West-Africa's population consists mainly of negroes, East Africa shows a highly variegated mix of races and tribes in which, apart from negroes and relates peoples, Hamitic tribes are encountered and others of which the origins are unclear, but who most likely belong to the oldest African peoples.
Of two such tribes, the strangely primitive Wakindiga, who are currently almost extinct and the powerful turbulent pastoralist Masai people, Paul Julien will, aided by an extensive series of lantern slides and film, provide a deep and thoroughly human image."
"Among East African Steppe Peoples.
East Africa forms, in ethnographical terms, a world of its own and differs, as for as it concerns its human inhabitants, completely from the central and western parts of this continent.
While Central and West-Africa's population consists mainly of negroes, East Africa shows a highly variegated mix of races and tribes in which, apart from negroes and relates peoples, Hamitic tribes are encountered and others of which the origins are unclear, but who most likely belong to the oldest African peoples.
Of two such tribes, the strangely primitive Wakindiga, who are currently almost extinct and the powerful turbulent pastoralist Masai people, Paul Julien will, aided by an extensive series of lantern slides and film, provide a deep and thoroughly human image."
This Breathing Photograph consists of a lantern slide and sheet film PJU-2359 [Mende, spinning woman, Moyamba], produced in Sierra Leone in 1934.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a vintage print and sheet film PJU-2975 [excavation skeleton Chamunyonge], produced in 1933.
As far as I know this photograph has, different from the story, never been published. The 'story truth' contradicts here the truth shown by the photograph. The skeleton of the young Efe woman that was excavated and subsequently taken to the Netherlands where it was donated to the museum of Utrecht University where it, for the time being, seems to have gone missing.
As far as I know this photograph has, different from the story, never been published. The 'story truth' contradicts here the truth shown by the photograph. The skeleton of the young Efe woman that was excavated and subsequently taken to the Netherlands where it was donated to the museum of Utrecht University where it, for the time being, seems to have gone missing.
This Breathing photograph consists of a lantern slide stored behind the tab Sierra Leone, and sheet film PJU-2419 [near Baiima], produced in 1934.
This Breathing Photograph consists of two lantern slides stored behind the tab Senegal, and 9x12 sheet film PJU-2188 [Dakar], produced in 1932.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a vintage print stored in a folder dedicated to "Ivory Coast", the text on its back, and sheet film PJU-1400 [1. Yavo Kounche Lobi 2. Liguaté Da Birifor 3. Tuoni Da Birifor] produced in 1935.
The text of the back of the print is partially in Dutch and in partially in French. The date on it appears to be November 27, 1975. Julien asks "Are these Lobi or Birifor?" and requests for the photograph to be returned to his home address.
The reply, in another person's handwriting confirms this and mentions the numbers and names written onto the negative. I wonder whether I misread the 7 in the date, as this would mean Julien made his inquiry four decades after the production of the photograph.
The text of the back of the print is partially in Dutch and in partially in French. The date on it appears to be November 27, 1975. Julien asks "Are these Lobi or Birifor?" and requests for the photograph to be returned to his home address.
The reply, in another person's handwriting confirms this and mentions the numbers and names written onto the negative. I wonder whether I misread the 7 in the date, as this would mean Julien made his inquiry four decades after the production of the photograph.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a lantern slide stored behind the tab Senegal, and 9x12 sheet film PJU-2199 [Gorée near Dakar], produced in 1932.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a spread in Eternal Wilderness with a photograph captioned "Female dancers at Zoadiba (Southern-Cameroon)", and 9x12 sheet film PJU-2729 [Mejang Girls Zoadiba], produced in 1936.
This Breathing Photograph consists of 35mm color slides produced, it seems, in Sabani (the same place that appears a.o. on PJU-307) in 1947.
This Breathing Photograph consists of two consecutive exposures on roll film PJU-307 [Ituri Forest], produced in 1947.
This Breathing Photograph consists of an picture produced in 2013, when I took part in The Batwa Experience in Buhoma, Uganda, and 9x12 sheet film PJU-1656, produced in 1947.
Please read the text Pygmy zombies in hyperspace by anthropologist Stan Frankland for a critical analysis of 'pygmy performativity', and see this article in the Guardian for an example of how this mode of (re)presentation persists.
Please read the text Pygmy zombies in hyperspace by anthropologist Stan Frankland for a critical analysis of 'pygmy performativity', and see this article in the Guardian for an example of how this mode of (re)presentation persists.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a spread from a missionary magazine published in 1961 with an In Memoriam of John Collins, "the unforgettable bishop" who Paul Julien met in 1932, when he produced 9x12 sheet film PJU-1988 [Father J. Collins Monrovia Liberia].
The Magazine was part of Paul Julien's own collection of documents and stored in a folder labelled "Liberia", which also contains letters by 'Father' Collins dated 1949.
The Magazine was part of Paul Julien's own collection of documents and stored in a folder labelled "Liberia", which also contains letters by 'Father' Collins dated 1949.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a lantern slide stored behind the tab Sierra Leone, and 9x12 sheet film PJU-2385, produced in 1934.
This Breathing Photograph consists of the cover (a construction of front, spine and back) of the French edition of Campfires Along the Equator (published in 1952) and the sheet film used for the photographs published on it: PJU-3067 [Loron Galgouli], PJU-1486 [view on Liganga], PJU-4752 [Lobi women], PJU-2746v [Maria + Jean Djodom at Kongolo].
This Breathing Photograph consists of a lantern slide stored behind a blanc tab, and 9x12 sheet film PJU-1734, produced in 1947.
This Breathing Photograph consists of two pages in monthly magazine "The Hague Tourist" of the N.R.V. (Dutch Travel Association) containing a printed version of a lost negative, captioned "Floating bridge over the Diani River" and of sheet film PJU-1957 [Bondwi Liberia] produced in 1932 and captioned "Village of theKpelle tribe, central Liberia".
The former is also printed on a spread in Campfires Along the Equator with the same caption, and as several lantern slides. The spread and one of the lantern slides are included.
The article in the magazine announces two lectures, to take place February 1933. The lectures will be illustrated "with numerous photographs and film by the speaker who will tell us of his expedition through Central and Northern-Liberia and neighbouring territories in the Upper Niger delta, a territory that is, while not available within the N.R.V. travel portfolio, highly interesting.
The text mentions that this is not the first lecture by Julien for this association, and the talks through some of the hardships Julien experienced on his journeys, and the content of the two lectures.
Not that Julien corrected each mention of the title Drs. He finished his doctorate in 1933 making him a Dr.
The former is also printed on a spread in Campfires Along the Equator with the same caption, and as several lantern slides. The spread and one of the lantern slides are included.
The article in the magazine announces two lectures, to take place February 1933. The lectures will be illustrated "with numerous photographs and film by the speaker who will tell us of his expedition through Central and Northern-Liberia and neighbouring territories in the Upper Niger delta, a territory that is, while not available within the N.R.V. travel portfolio, highly interesting.
The text mentions that this is not the first lecture by Julien for this association, and the talks through some of the hardships Julien experienced on his journeys, and the content of the two lectures.
Not that Julien corrected each mention of the title Drs. He finished his doctorate in 1933 making him a Dr.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a lantern slide stored behind the tab Sierra Leone, and 9x12 sheet film PJU-2414 [Freetown], produced in 1934.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a spread in Campfires Along the Equator with a picture captioned "Female devil of a Bundu Society, Sierra Leone", and sheet film PJU-1460, produced in 1934.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a lantern slide stored behind the tab Sierra Leone, and 9x12 sheet film PJU-2395 [Mende], produced in 1934.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a spread in Campfires Along the Equator with a picture captioned "Mende dance mask", 9x12 sheet film PJU-1475 produced in 1934, and a lantern slide thereof stored behind the tab Sierra Leone.
The negative of the photograph printed in the book is no longer available, negative and lantern slide do show the same mask, produced from a different vantage point.
The negative of the photograph printed in the book is no longer available, negative and lantern slide do show the same mask, produced from a different vantage point.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a lantern slide stored behind the tab Sierra Leone, and 9x12 sheet film PJU-2419 [Near Baiima], produced in 1934.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a picture shared in the Facebook group "Old Photos of Sierra Leone" with, for the time being, unknown provenance, and 9x12 sheet film PJU-2316 [Freetown - Moyamba], produced in 1934.
In Old Photos Of Sierra Leone, the bridge was identified as Orugu Bridge: "the Orugu Bridge - the only bridge on the [Sierra Leone Railway] to have this particular combination of both concrete and lattice piers. That is what distinguishes it from the Congo Town (Tengbeh Town) bridge which has only concrete piers (and it is much shorter). The Orugu Bridge was famous as the tightest curved railway bridge in the world. It survived intact until 2012 when it was cut down by scrap metal thieves."
In Old Photos Of Sierra Leone, the bridge was identified as Orugu Bridge: "the Orugu Bridge - the only bridge on the [Sierra Leone Railway] to have this particular combination of both concrete and lattice piers. That is what distinguishes it from the Congo Town (Tengbeh Town) bridge which has only concrete piers (and it is much shorter). The Orugu Bridge was famous as the tightest curved railway bridge in the world. It survived intact until 2012 when it was cut down by scrap metal thieves."
This Breathing Photograph consists of a publication about Paul Julien in a Dutch regional newspaper published September 2001, and 9x12 sheet film PJU-2882, here captioned as "Mr. Paul among the pygmies in Cameroon".
The article, with the headline "The Last Adventurer" is based on a visit by the writer to the home in which Paul Julien lived until his early in the year of the publication. The introduction of the text emphases Julien's position as the last explorer in the Netherlands and mentions that his photographic legacy has found a new home in the collection of the Nederlands Fotomuseum in Rotterdam.
Note that the photograph was cropped, but given an artificial negative frame in the design that suggests a full frame reproduction.
The article, with the headline "The Last Adventurer" is based on a visit by the writer to the home in which Paul Julien lived until his early in the year of the publication. The introduction of the text emphases Julien's position as the last explorer in the Netherlands and mentions that his photographic legacy has found a new home in the collection of the Nederlands Fotomuseum in Rotterdam.
Note that the photograph was cropped, but given an artificial negative frame in the design that suggests a full frame reproduction.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a lantern slide stored behind the tab Sierra Leone, and 9x12 sheet film PJU-2268 [Snake trap, Sierra Leone, Mende], produced in 1934.
This breathing Photograph consists of a vignette in Campfires Along the Equator produced by Paul Julien's brother Charles, and 9x12 sheet film PJU-1460, produced in 1934.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a lantern slide stored behind the tab Sierra Leone, and 9x12 sheet film PJU-2265, produced in 1934.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a spread in Campfires Along the Equator including a picture captioned as [Girl, returned from the Bundu forest (Sierra Leone)], and 9x12 sheet film PJU-2256 [Bundu Girl], produced in 1934.
This Breathing Photograph consists of colorised prints of 9x12 sheet films PJU-1420 [Zande Girl] and PJU-2256 [Bundu Girl].
When I met historian Prof. Arthur Abraham (1945-2020) and showed him the photographs and film produced by Paul Julien in Sierra Leone in 1934 he sighed "I wish they had color, I wish it had sound".
Meanwhile Olivette Barnette, senior educational and cultural officer at the National Museum of Sierra Leone was eager to plan an activity with the Museum Club in relation to my investigations. With Prof. Abraham’s remarks in mind I proposed to invite members of the club to interpret some of the photographs by colouring them. Olivette liked the idea and we asked Prof. Abraham to judge the results. He did. I had no idea that this would be the last time we would meet in person. Looking up his year of birth I found out that he died on our shared birthday. His 75th, my 46th.
Press was invited for the moment outcomes of the judging. This resulted in this report.
When I met historian Prof. Arthur Abraham (1945-2020) and showed him the photographs and film produced by Paul Julien in Sierra Leone in 1934 he sighed "I wish they had color, I wish it had sound".
Meanwhile Olivette Barnette, senior educational and cultural officer at the National Museum of Sierra Leone was eager to plan an activity with the Museum Club in relation to my investigations. With Prof. Abraham’s remarks in mind I proposed to invite members of the club to interpret some of the photographs by colouring them. Olivette liked the idea and we asked Prof. Abraham to judge the results. He did. I had no idea that this would be the last time we would meet in person. Looking up his year of birth I found out that he died on our shared birthday. His 75th, my 46th.
Press was invited for the moment outcomes of the judging. This resulted in this report.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a lantern slide stored behind the tab Sierra Leone, and 9x12 sheet film PJU-2341, produced in 1934.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a crop from one of the title pages of the feuilleton by Paul Julien in Belgian magazine Ons Land, and 9x12 sheet film PJU-1948. Both the year of production and of publication is 1932.
Note that half of the photograph was mirrored.
The caption of the photograph is "Kroe negroes at Krutown near Monrovia". The title of the feuilleton "Right Through the Black Republic. As Blood Hunter in Liberia".
Note that half of the photograph was mirrored.
The caption of the photograph is "Kroe negroes at Krutown near Monrovia". The title of the feuilleton "Right Through the Black Republic. As Blood Hunter in Liberia".
This Breathing Photograph consists of a lantern slide stored behind the tab Sierra Leone, and 9x12 sheet film PJU-2283, produced in 1934.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a diagram titled "ordinance of a stretched body profile" and 9x12 sheet film PJU-1435, produced in 1935.
This Breathing Photograph consists of eleven exposures on roll film PJU-285 [Masai], and one, separated negative filed as PJU-283 [Masai also Doidoi-game, Child. Beautiful woman].
The latter appears to have been cut from the former, possibly for publication purposes. The negatives were produced in Tanganyika in 1947.
The latter appears to have been cut from the former, possibly for publication purposes. The negatives were produced in Tanganyika in 1947.
This Breathing photograph consists of a spread from the book Zonen van Cham with a picture captioned as "Married Masai women", a lantern slide of the same picture stored behind the tab Masai, and an exposure on roll film PJU-285, produced in 1947.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a lantern slide stored behind the tab Senegal, and 9x12 sheet film PJU-2186 [station Dakar], produced in 1932.
This Breathing Photograph consists of reproductions of an exercise book containing a letter to Paul Julien by Adamu Maicibi, and a vintage print of an exposure on roll film PJU-1005 [Village Kwarra + surrounding. Adamu Maicibi + fam. little old lady].
In his correspondence Adamu Maicibi, a school teacher who was Paul Julien's research assistant in Northern Nigeria in 1962, answers several questions asked by Julien in an earlier letter. Adamu also explicitly requests an enlargement of a photograph that was already sent to him. How that question relates to the print that was, when I encountered it tucked away between the empty last page of the exercise book and its back cover is unclear.
In his correspondence Adamu Maicibi, a school teacher who was Paul Julien's research assistant in Northern Nigeria in 1962, answers several questions asked by Julien in an earlier letter. Adamu also explicitly requests an enlargement of a photograph that was already sent to him. How that question relates to the print that was, when I encountered it tucked away between the empty last page of the exercise book and its back cover is unclear.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a screenshot from a methodist mission website and six by nine negative PJU-1863 [Harley family Ganta Liberia], produced in 1932
The photograph only appeared to be significant after I finally read the books written by Barbara- and Graham Greene about their journey through Sierra Leone and Liberia, which took place, respectively, one and three years after Julien's. They all met George and Winifred Harley at their missionary station. There is a letter among the Liberia documents in the PJU collection from Mrs. Harley to Paul Julien that I have not yet digitised. Placed on my to do list. To be updated after.
The photograph only appeared to be significant after I finally read the books written by Barbara- and Graham Greene about their journey through Sierra Leone and Liberia, which took place, respectively, one and three years after Julien's. They all met George and Winifred Harley at their missionary station. There is a letter among the Liberia documents in the PJU collection from Mrs. Harley to Paul Julien that I have not yet digitised. Placed on my to do list. To be updated after.
This Breathing photograph consists of various views from the Kano mosque produced throughout the 20th century, encountered over the years, and two exposures on roll film PJU-418, produced in 1950.
Included are photographs by John P. Hutchinson (1970), Beverly McGraw (1968), Jenny Griffin (1963), Philip Curtain (August 1955) and Hamo Sassoon (undated)
Included are photographs by John P. Hutchinson (1970), Beverly McGraw (1968), Jenny Griffin (1963), Philip Curtain (August 1955) and Hamo Sassoon (undated)
This Breathing Photograph consists of a lantern slide stored behind the tab Ivory Coast Lobi, and 9x12 sheet film PJU-2519, produced in 1935.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a spread from Campfires Along the Equator captioned "Birifor warrior, Black Volta", and a 9x12 filmcolor sheet film of the same seen filed as PJU-3110 [Lobi], produced in 1935.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a clipping from a 1938 issue of magazine of the broadcaster for which Paul Julien delivered his radio talks, and the fifth instalment of a series on "His latest expedition among the Pygmies of West-Equatorial Africa", and a cropped version of PJU-2725.
The caption to the picture translates into: "Should dr. Julien stay on one location in the forest, then he builds himself a hut to live in, for which corrugated steel plates are carried along. Below the iron lean to roof is the mosquito net under which he sleeps. Otherwise the hut remains open."
The caption to the picture translates into: "Should dr. Julien stay on one location in the forest, then he builds himself a hut to live in, for which corrugated steel plates are carried along. Below the iron lean to roof is the mosquito net under which he sleeps. Otherwise the hut remains open."
SB MP 1932 PJU-1948 ons land, nr. 4, blz.106
This Breathing Photograph consists of a lantern slide stored behind the tab Sierra Leone, and 9x12 sheet film PJU-2420 [near Moyamba, Sierra Leone], produced in 1934.
This Breathing Photograph consists of two lantern slides stored behind the tab Angola and six by nine negatives PJU-3094 and PJU-3096, produced in 1962.
This Breathing photograph consists of a Vintage Print stored in a document folder dedicated to Congo, and 9x12 sheet film PJU-2958 [my house at Watsa, Father Costermans], produced in 1933.
On the back of the prints there are notes written by two different people. On the bottom half of the print is written: "Your servant during a baptism ceremony on the barza of the Mamoro house (Mayanga)."
From the word 'servant' there is an arrow to a note by Paul Julien: "Father B.J. Costermans O.P., Watsa, Kibali, Ituri" B.K.
On the back of the prints there are notes written by two different people. On the bottom half of the print is written: "Your servant during a baptism ceremony on the barza of the Mamoro house (Mayanga)."
From the word 'servant' there is an arrow to a note by Paul Julien: "Father B.J. Costermans O.P., Watsa, Kibali, Ituri" B.K.
This Breathing photograph consists of a lantern slide stored behind the tab Sierra Leone, and 9x12 sheet film PJU-2273</a [compound chief Moyamba], produced in 1934.
The 'chief' is Paramount Chief Julius Gulama.
The 'chief' is Paramount Chief Julius Gulama.
This Breathing Photograph consists of the front and back of a vintage print, four lantern slides placed behind the tab Nilots, and 9x12 sheet film PJU-1800 [Shilluk], produced in 1933.
The back of the vintage print includes notes for the lithographer on how to prepare the picture to be printed in the KRO Gids, the magazine of the broadcaster of the radio talks by Paul Julien.
The back of the vintage print includes notes for the lithographer on how to prepare the picture to be printed in the KRO Gids, the magazine of the broadcaster of the radio talks by Paul Julien.
This Breathing Photograph consists of two successive exposures on roll film PJU-519 [Bab. near Sibiti, Father Olsthoorn], produced in Congo Brazzaville in 1952.
This Breathing Photographs consists of different maps exploring the notions 'tools', 'methods', 'the archive', and 'materiality' in relation to Paul Julien's legacy.
The map includes various editions of Julien's first book 'Campfires Along the Equator', published between 1940 and 1993, alongside an example of the dramatic crop of sheet film PJU-2746 and optical tools used to look and look again as a mode of re-search in the most literal sense of the word.
This mapping exercise was done as part of a workshop with students and colleagues at Minerva Art Academy.
The map includes various editions of Julien's first book 'Campfires Along the Equator', published between 1940 and 1993, alongside an example of the dramatic crop of sheet film PJU-2746 and optical tools used to look and look again as a mode of re-search in the most literal sense of the word.
This mapping exercise was done as part of a workshop with students and colleagues at Minerva Art Academy.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a lantern slide stored behind the tab Kano, and an exposure on roll film PJU-417 [Kano City views. types (swings)], produced in 1950.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a spread in the book Campfires Along the Equator including a picture captioned "Chief of Moyamba (on the right) and family", based on 9x12 sheet film PJU-2343, produced in 1934, and a lantern slide stored behind the tab Sierra Leone.
The chief, Julius Gulama, was a prominent figure in the country at the time. His name is not mentioned by Julien.
The chief, Julius Gulama, was a prominent figure in the country at the time. His name is not mentioned by Julien.
This Breathing Photograph consists of sheet film PJU-1431 [Boma F] and a lantern slide based on it that is placed behind the tab "Sanga Negroes"
This Breathing Photograph consists of a newspaper report on Paul Julien's 1962 journey to Angola and sheet film PJU-2739 [Baqa Child at Teguessang], produced in 1936.
The headline of the report, published by "De Telegraaf", translates into "a people not yet able to talk". Julien wrote next to it "Nonsense from De Telegraaf."
The caption of the photograph states "Dr. Paul Julien comforts one of the children before taking blood".
The rest of the article translates into:
“Since 1926 I move from one tribe to the next, from the Pygmies to the Bantoe-negroes and from the Watutsi to the Hottentots. I have learned to love these people and it is hard to say goodbye to that.” Said the Dutch anthropologist of world fame dr. Paul Julien, when he recently momentarily rested from his long journeys in the comfortable home of mr. Klein Wassink, director of an oil company in Angola. The scholar and writer, a.o. of “Campfires Along the Equator” is well beyond sixty years of age, and recently returned from his 23rd expedition through the very dry desert land in southern Angola.
Dr. Julien, being the sole white person tracking with a dozen of porters, speaks about such a journey where is, as if he explains the routes of the four day marches.
Blood types
I try, through blood types, to establish mutual relationship, between negro tribes or the lack thereof. I have on this journey discovered a tribe, of which I know a missionary to be trying to contact them for forty years. They are the Ovan Kwankala Bushmen, a very primitive Pygmy-like race. In the dry desert in which these people live water is hardly present. And it is as if nature sense that life is not easy. The birthrate is here the lowest of the whole of Africa.
“Dialect”
The people here still live in a stage in which they are discovering the potential of communicating through sound. They do not yet produce spoken language, but clicking sounds with the tongue. Dr. Julien utters a few clicking sounds which demand great virtuosity of the tongue muscle. “Despite all their poverty, rough life and primitivity, these little people were the friendliest I ever met in Africa”. What the next plan is of the enterprising Dutch man?
“Too bad”
This week even he travels to Nigeria for a blood research among the Palaeonegride Negro tribes of the Baucho [sic] plateau. “Too bad that, to work out my research data I have to travel to the Netherlands from time to time” sighs the greying scientist, who is registered as a citizen of Wassenaar.”
It is unclear what exactly Julien considered to be “nonsense” in this article.
The headline of the report, published by "De Telegraaf", translates into "a people not yet able to talk". Julien wrote next to it "Nonsense from De Telegraaf."
The caption of the photograph states "Dr. Paul Julien comforts one of the children before taking blood".
The rest of the article translates into:
“Since 1926 I move from one tribe to the next, from the Pygmies to the Bantoe-negroes and from the Watutsi to the Hottentots. I have learned to love these people and it is hard to say goodbye to that.” Said the Dutch anthropologist of world fame dr. Paul Julien, when he recently momentarily rested from his long journeys in the comfortable home of mr. Klein Wassink, director of an oil company in Angola. The scholar and writer, a.o. of “Campfires Along the Equator” is well beyond sixty years of age, and recently returned from his 23rd expedition through the very dry desert land in southern Angola.
Dr. Julien, being the sole white person tracking with a dozen of porters, speaks about such a journey where is, as if he explains the routes of the four day marches.
Blood types
I try, through blood types, to establish mutual relationship, between negro tribes or the lack thereof. I have on this journey discovered a tribe, of which I know a missionary to be trying to contact them for forty years. They are the Ovan Kwankala Bushmen, a very primitive Pygmy-like race. In the dry desert in which these people live water is hardly present. And it is as if nature sense that life is not easy. The birthrate is here the lowest of the whole of Africa.
“Dialect”
The people here still live in a stage in which they are discovering the potential of communicating through sound. They do not yet produce spoken language, but clicking sounds with the tongue. Dr. Julien utters a few clicking sounds which demand great virtuosity of the tongue muscle. “Despite all their poverty, rough life and primitivity, these little people were the friendliest I ever met in Africa”. What the next plan is of the enterprising Dutch man?
“Too bad”
This week even he travels to Nigeria for a blood research among the Palaeonegride Negro tribes of the Baucho [sic] plateau. “Too bad that, to work out my research data I have to travel to the Netherlands from time to time” sighs the greying scientist, who is registered as a citizen of Wassenaar.”
It is unclear what exactly Julien considered to be “nonsense” in this article.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a spread from The Sierra Leonee section of the Dictionary of African Biography, published in 1979, and 9x12 sheet film PJU-2343 [chief of Moyamba], produced in 1934.
I was led to this book by the late Prof. Arthur Abraham, who also wrote half of the entries of this part of the Dictionary. He referred me to it in relation to another chief who lived in the late 19th century and was mentioned by Paul Julien in a spectacular story about the Leopard Society.
The 'chief of Moyamba' is named Julius Gulama. I already knew this before visiting Sierra Leone in 2020. What I learned from mentioning him among Sierra Leoneans is that his legacy is overshadowed in the present by the fame of his daughter Ella Koblo Gulama.
From the dictionary we learn that Gulama was born in 1893 and died on March 8th, 1951. He was "paramount chief of Kayimba in Moyamba district" and "played a prominent part in developing educational and political awareness among the people of the Protectorate, in the last decade before independence." And these are only the first few lines of the text.
There is a striking similarity between Chief Gulama as he appears in the photograph produced by Paul Julien and in the picture printed in the book. The Chief's hat is positioned slightly differently as are his hands.
In Moyamba I was told that there were photographs of Gulama with the present day Paramount Chief, who was out for a general meeting with his colleagues in Freetown. I hope that it will be possible to see these photographs when it is possible to return to Sierra Leone and, maybe, find out whether the similarity is more than coincidental.
I was led to this book by the late Prof. Arthur Abraham, who also wrote half of the entries of this part of the Dictionary. He referred me to it in relation to another chief who lived in the late 19th century and was mentioned by Paul Julien in a spectacular story about the Leopard Society.
The 'chief of Moyamba' is named Julius Gulama. I already knew this before visiting Sierra Leone in 2020. What I learned from mentioning him among Sierra Leoneans is that his legacy is overshadowed in the present by the fame of his daughter Ella Koblo Gulama.
From the dictionary we learn that Gulama was born in 1893 and died on March 8th, 1951. He was "paramount chief of Kayimba in Moyamba district" and "played a prominent part in developing educational and political awareness among the people of the Protectorate, in the last decade before independence." And these are only the first few lines of the text.
There is a striking similarity between Chief Gulama as he appears in the photograph produced by Paul Julien and in the picture printed in the book. The Chief's hat is positioned slightly differently as are his hands.
In Moyamba I was told that there were photographs of Gulama with the present day Paramount Chief, who was out for a general meeting with his colleagues in Freetown. I hope that it will be possible to see these photographs when it is possible to return to Sierra Leone and, maybe, find out whether the similarity is more than coincidental.
This Breathing photograph consists of a picture encountered online that was attributed to Denis Cordell and dated in 1966, and the first exposure on roll film PJU-418 [Kano Mosque, Zawan near Jos], produced in 1950.
Unfortunately the link to the Cordell photograph is for the time being missing and the collection to which it currently belongs is therefore not mentioned. This will be updated once the information is available. I assume this Cordell is Dennis D. who is a professor of history and adjunct professor of anthropology who edited several books on 'Africa', rather than record producer Dennis, aka Denny Cordell, or the photographer whose work mainly deals with the depiction of the spiritual.
Unfortunately the link to the Cordell photograph is for the time being missing and the collection to which it currently belongs is therefore not mentioned. This will be updated once the information is available. I assume this Cordell is Dennis D. who is a professor of history and adjunct professor of anthropology who edited several books on 'Africa', rather than record producer Dennis, aka Denny Cordell, or the photographer whose work mainly deals with the depiction of the spiritual.
This Breathing Photograph consists of lantern slide PJU-11479, and an exposure on roll film PJU-131_9 [Youk. Mpoulé, swamps of the Koulounton].
Written on the celluloid next to this particular negative: "Drinking porter -Youkounkoun - Tamba Counda". It was produced in 1939.
Written on the celluloid next to this particular negative: "Drinking porter -Youkounkoun - Tamba Counda". It was produced in 1939.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a spread from Campfires Along the Equator with a photograph captioned as "Dead girl of the Dzjem tribe, Southern Cameroon", and 9x12 sheet film PJU-2746 [Maria + Jean Djodom at Kongolo]
In the notebook of his 1936 expedition Julien wrote: "Dead woman Abem Maria, fiancée of Jean Dodon, village Congo chez le père Guilbard Lomié.
Last night Maria was baptised. Sick in the evening: the catechist was pessimistic and baptised her. In the morning she died. Touching posture of fiancée". Old women lamenting. Burial 4pm. 9x12 photograph by me of the corpse. Lies on a bed, hands crossed, eyes closed. through the doors of the hut the faces of the neighbours."
In the notebook of his 1936 expedition Julien wrote: "Dead woman Abem Maria, fiancée of Jean Dodon, village Congo chez le père Guilbard Lomié.
Last night Maria was baptised. Sick in the evening: the catechist was pessimistic and baptised her. In the morning she died. Touching posture of fiancée". Old women lamenting. Burial 4pm. 9x12 photograph by me of the corpse. Lies on a bed, hands crossed, eyes closed. through the doors of the hut the faces of the neighbours."
This Breathing Photograph consists of sheet film PJU-2069 [Mamadou Samba Boussoura] and PJU-2114 [Mamadou Samba], produced in 1939.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a lantern slide stored behind the tab Ngorongoro, and an exposure on a six by nine negative, PJU-797-2-3, filed as [Tribes Nile 1933, Sea captures, at Ella's] it is based on, which was produced at Lubaga Cathedral in Kampala, Uganda in 1947.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a spread in the book Campfires Along the Equator featuring a picture captioned as "Porters in the bush of Sierra Leone", and the 9x12 sheet film of the picture PJU-2253 [Near Laoma Sierra], which was produced in 1934.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a lantern slide stored behind the tab Watutsi, and an exposure on roll film PJU-300, produced in 1947.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a picture that appears in several of the editions of the book Campfires Along the Equator with the caption "Man of the Birifor tribe with hunting amulet", and that same photograph used on the cover of the non-fiction book El Negro and I, by Dutch author Frank Westerman.
A staff member at the Nederlands Fotomuseum told me that Westerman chose the photograph from Julien's book.
Westerman's book appeared in ten languages, but just like Julien's book English is not one of them. The book elaborates on the encounter with 'El Negro', when Westerman, "a 19-year-old student of tropical agriculture, visited a museum in a small Spanish village and found himself eye to eye with a stuffed black man in a glass display case". 'El Negro', it turns out, lived in South Africa, not anywhere near the man on the photograph produced by Paul Julien in 1935, of which the negative is no longer available.
Newer editions of the book (this is the first one from 2009), have different cover designs.
A staff member at the Nederlands Fotomuseum told me that Westerman chose the photograph from Julien's book.
Westerman's book appeared in ten languages, but just like Julien's book English is not one of them. The book elaborates on the encounter with 'El Negro', when Westerman, "a 19-year-old student of tropical agriculture, visited a museum in a small Spanish village and found himself eye to eye with a stuffed black man in a glass display case". 'El Negro', it turns out, lived in South Africa, not anywhere near the man on the photograph produced by Paul Julien in 1935, of which the negative is no longer available.
Newer editions of the book (this is the first one from 2009), have different cover designs.
This Breathing Photograph consists of 9x12 sheet film PJU-1648 [View onto Nyambagira] and a 35mm color slides produced in 1947.
What is mentioned here as "Nyambugira" is probably part of the Virunga mountain range. It is currently unclear which 'view' it exactly is. insights are welcome.
What is mentioned here as "Nyambugira" is probably part of the Virunga mountain range. It is currently unclear which 'view' it exactly is. insights are welcome.
This Breathing Photograph consists of two 35mm color slides, 9x12 sheet film PJU-1728 [I with pygmies] and PJU-1745 [Shabani pygm], and four exposures on roll film PJU-306 [Ituri Forest, Sabani], produced in 1947.
In one of the note books of the 1947 journey Paul Julien writes that some call Sabani Shabani, that the village is only half a year old and that the 'pygmies' were "as it were" given to the chief and therefore arrived at the village with him. They carry rice and live in a small village ca. 1km outside of S(h)abani.
In one of the note books of the 1947 journey Paul Julien writes that some call Sabani Shabani, that the village is only half a year old and that the 'pygmies' were "as it were" given to the chief and therefore arrived at the village with him. They carry rice and live in a small village ca. 1km outside of S(h)abani.
In 2019 Mr. Adolfse decided to hand over the remaining materials related to his work with Paul Julien during the 1990s that were still with him to the Nederlands Fotomuseum in Rotterdam. Together with his wife he was given a tour through the climatised depots to see how the collection is currently kept.
During this tour some of the lantern slides were taken out of their acid free boxes. The ones held up in this Breathing Photograph were made from two exposures on roll film PJU-908, in Angola in 1960.
Mr. Adolfse remembered that the lanterns slides were stored in wooden boxes with tabs in them that made it easy for Paul Julien to pull together the pictures he needed for a particular illustrated lecture.
During this tour some of the lantern slides were taken out of their acid free boxes. The ones held up in this Breathing Photograph were made from two exposures on roll film PJU-908, in Angola in 1960.
Mr. Adolfse remembered that the lanterns slides were stored in wooden boxes with tabs in them that made it easy for Paul Julien to pull together the pictures he needed for a particular illustrated lecture.
This Breathing Photograph consists of two dust jackets of the 1950s edition of Pygmies , and a lantern slide of the picture that was used for the design. Its negative is no longer part of the PJU collection.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a lantern slidee stored behind the tab Senegal and an exposure on sheet film PJU-2201 [Gorée] that it was made of. This negative was produced in 1932.
This Breathing Photograph consists of an announcement of an illustrated lecture in a local news paper in The Hague, Tuesday December 23rd 1952, and an exposure on roll film PJU-431 .
The lecture is titled "Among the savages of the Bauchi Plateau".
The caption of the photograph translates into: "In the interior of Central- and Eastern-Nigeria the spirit, that is so eagerly attributed to the black continent, is still alive. Men walk around with nails through their lips as decoration. And the medicine man, who smiles at you friendly from the photograph, still runs a busy practice."
The text states that "With almost a thousand photographs, numerous films and a vast amount of scientific materials he returned to the Netherlands this year."
Julien's brief visit to Northern Nigeria took place in 1952.
The lecture is titled "Among the savages of the Bauchi Plateau".
The caption of the photograph translates into: "In the interior of Central- and Eastern-Nigeria the spirit, that is so eagerly attributed to the black continent, is still alive. Men walk around with nails through their lips as decoration. And the medicine man, who smiles at you friendly from the photograph, still runs a busy practice."
The text states that "With almost a thousand photographs, numerous films and a vast amount of scientific materials he returned to the Netherlands this year."
Julien's brief visit to Northern Nigeria took place in 1952.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a lantern slidee stored behind the tab Bassari Coniagui and an exposure on roll film PJU-117 that it was made of. This negative was produced in Guinée Conakry in 1939.
This Breathing Photograph consists of two exposures on roll film PJU-120, produced in Guinée Conakry in 1939, and vintage prints thereof.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a lantern slidee stored behind the tab Nilots and an exposure on sheet film PJU-1561 [Omdurman Mahdia] that it was made of. This negative was produced in 1933.
This Breathing photograph consists of a spread in the book Eternal Wilderness and sheet film PJU-2014 [Tree, Mission Sanniquellie, Liberia], produced in 1932.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a lantern slidee stored behind the tab Uganda and the exposure on sheet film PJU-2055 [Kampalaa] that it was made of. This negative was produced in 1933.
This Breathing Photograph consists of two undated Sierra Leone made of sheet film PJU-1493, produced in Sierra Leone in 1934.
On one of the prints appear two ghostly figures. They seem to have been based on photographs made in 1950 in Northern Nigeria that include so-called Kabidos.
It is unknown who drew the figures on the print. As far as currently known, without having gone through all the vintage prints, this appears to be a unique intervention with the PJU collection.
On one of the prints appear two ghostly figures. They seem to have been based on photographs made in 1950 in Northern Nigeria that include so-called Kabidos.
It is unknown who drew the figures on the print. As far as currently known, without having gone through all the vintage prints, this appears to be a unique intervention with the PJU collection.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a lantern slidee stored behind the tab "Nigeria general continued", and sheet film PJU-1788 [Angas at Manok] that it was made of. This negative was produced in 1950.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a spread in the magazine of Dutch national broadcaster VPRO, and sheet films produced in (from left to right) 1935, 1933 and 1947.
PJU-1364 is captioned as "Sleeping sickness patients of the Lobi tribe with painted recipe".
PJU-1822 is captioned as "Masai man, Kilimanjaro region".
PJU-1726 is captioned as "Dr. Paul Julien with several Basua pygmies. Dr. Julien is 1.64m tall."
The article is an announcement of a television portrait broadcasted in 1997. It mentions the new editions of the books Campfires Along the Equator and Eternal Wilderness, and announces that Pygmies will also be reprinted.
PJU-1364 is captioned as "Sleeping sickness patients of the Lobi tribe with painted recipe".
PJU-1822 is captioned as "Masai man, Kilimanjaro region".
PJU-1726 is captioned as "Dr. Paul Julien with several Basua pygmies. Dr. Julien is 1.64m tall."
The article is an announcement of a television portrait broadcasted in 1997. It mentions the new editions of the books Campfires Along the Equator and Eternal Wilderness, and announces that Pygmies will also be reprinted.
This Breathing Photograph consists of two lantern slideae stored behind the tab Sanga Negroes and sheet film PJU-1431 [Boma F] that it was made of. This negative was produced in 1938.
This Breathing Photograph consists of the photograph next to page 48 in Eternal Wilderness, published in 1949 and captioned "The Kibo-summit from the edge of the forest", and 9x12 sheet film PJU-1831 [Kilim. from Johannes], produced in 1933.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a lantern slidee stored behind the tab Senegal and the exposure on sheet film PJU-2594 [Koranschool Dakar] that it was made of. This negative was produced in 1932.
This Breathing Photograph consists of the announcements of Paul Julien's talks in the magazine magazine of the KRO, a national broadcaster with a Catholic denomination, relating to his journey through Liberia in 1932m .
The following sheet films (and one lantern slide where the negative is no longer available) illustrate the texts. In order of appearance, per page, clockwise, with the translated caption in this publication:
PJU-1894, "Dutch delegation in Monrovia . In the background, with Liberian flag, the Ministry of foreign affairs."
PJU-1977, "Home on Broadstreet in Monrovia, capital city of the Negro Repoblic Liberia."
PJU-1965, "Streetscene in Monrovia."
PJU-10991, "Floating Bridge over the Diani River."
PJU-1359, "In de swamps of Central Liberia"
PJU-1957, "Women of the Kpelle tribe, Central Liberia."
PJU-2605, "Some of Drs. Julien's porters."
PJU-1929, "The research crosses the Wiala river on an improvised raft. (Central Liberia)."
PJU-1960, "Mandingo children from Northern Liberia while reciting prayers."
PJU-1964, "Guerze French Guineah native, Southern French Guinea."
PJU-1923, "Kpelle LLoom (Central Liberia)."
PJU-1872, "Dr. Julien at work in Kpelle land."
PJU-1998, "Mandingo children dancing to the tune of the balafon"
PJU-1868, "The population of Gbarnga receives orders to come to Dr. Julien for serological research the following morning."
PJU-2002, "Swamp in Central Liberia."
PJU-2015, "Leopard trap in Central Liberia."
PJU-1879, "Native from Northern Liberia."
The following sheet films (and one lantern slide where the negative is no longer available) illustrate the texts. In order of appearance, per page, clockwise, with the translated caption in this publication:
PJU-1894, "Dutch delegation in Monrovia . In the background, with Liberian flag, the Ministry of foreign affairs."
PJU-1977, "Home on Broadstreet in Monrovia, capital city of the Negro Repoblic Liberia."
PJU-1965, "Streetscene in Monrovia."
PJU-10991, "Floating Bridge over the Diani River."
PJU-1359, "In de swamps of Central Liberia"
PJU-1957, "Women of the Kpelle tribe, Central Liberia."
PJU-2605, "Some of Drs. Julien's porters."
PJU-1929, "The research crosses the Wiala river on an improvised raft. (Central Liberia)."
PJU-1960, "Mandingo children from Northern Liberia while reciting prayers."
PJU-1964, "Guerze French Guineah native, Southern French Guinea."
PJU-1923, "Kpelle LLoom (Central Liberia)."
PJU-1872, "Dr. Julien at work in Kpelle land."
PJU-1998, "Mandingo children dancing to the tune of the balafon"
PJU-1868, "The population of Gbarnga receives orders to come to Dr. Julien for serological research the following morning."
PJU-2002, "Swamp in Central Liberia."
PJU-2015, "Leopard trap in Central Liberia."
PJU-1879, "Native from Northern Liberia."
This Breathing Photograph consists of a flyer announcing "The availability of the long awaited book of Dr. Paul Julien, the well known Dutch Africa-traveller" in 1940, and 9x12 sheet film PJU-2347 [Court of Moyamba].
The text inside the flyer states that the book:
"contains 40 masterly, rare photographs of the writer himself [sic]. It speaks to us of dwarf peoples and leopard men, of the secrets of the Poroh, of the unseen horrors of the Kunkubé, of the devils of Mount Kunon, of the elephant hunt and the mysterious sect of the Tongo players and much more."
The text continues with giving some rather impressive numbers, specially taken into account that the German invasion, marking the impact of WWII in the Netherlands took place several months earlier:
"The first edition of 13.000 copies was already sold out in three days. The second edition is now ready. Order immediately to prevent disappointment. It will be on the top of the list with each book seller."
The text inside the flyer states that the book:
"contains 40 masterly, rare photographs of the writer himself [sic]. It speaks to us of dwarf peoples and leopard men, of the secrets of the Poroh, of the unseen horrors of the Kunkubé, of the devils of Mount Kunon, of the elephant hunt and the mysterious sect of the Tongo players and much more."
The text continues with giving some rather impressive numbers, specially taken into account that the German invasion, marking the impact of WWII in the Netherlands took place several months earlier:
"The first edition of 13.000 copies was already sold out in three days. The second edition is now ready. Order immediately to prevent disappointment. It will be on the top of the list with each book seller."
This Breathing Photograph consists of a book review of the 1997 edition of the book Pygmies, originally published in 1955, and the 9x12 sheet film PJU-2948, PJU-2968 and PJU-2882 on which the photograph and illustration that accompany the text are based.
The illustration is captioned with: "Wooden clock, which the Efé-pygmies bind dogs around their neck, to determine their location during the hunt."
The photograph is captioned with: Julien with a group of pygmies in Zoadiba, Southern Cameroon, 1936.
The title of the review translates as "Small friends in the big forest". Reviewer Henk Lagerwaard appraises not only the literary qualities of the book, but also states that "contrary to many other anthropologists from the 1950s, Julien transcends all the colonial bias in the unmistakable care and attention with which he approaches his 'small friends,' combined with a sense of shared fate."
The illustration is captioned with: "Wooden clock, which the Efé-pygmies bind dogs around their neck, to determine their location during the hunt."
The photograph is captioned with: Julien with a group of pygmies in Zoadiba, Southern Cameroon, 1936.
The title of the review translates as "Small friends in the big forest". Reviewer Henk Lagerwaard appraises not only the literary qualities of the book, but also states that "contrary to many other anthropologists from the 1950s, Julien transcends all the colonial bias in the unmistakable care and attention with which he approaches his 'small friends,' combined with a sense of shared fate."
This Breathing Photograph consists of a lantern slide stored behind the tab Sierra Leone, and 9x12 sheet film PJU-2375, produced in Dambarra in 1934.
Next to Page 84 in the 1946 Dutch edition of Julien's first book '
Campfires Along the Equator' is a cropped version of PJU-1431.
The caption for the photograph in the book translate's into "Boma, Dr. Julien's translator."
The caption for the photograph in the book translate's into "Boma, Dr. Julien's translator."
This Breathing Photograph consists of a lantern slide stored behind the tab Liberia, and 9x12 sheet film PJU-2604 [Kankan], produced in 1932.
Kankan is a city in Guinée Conakry.
Kankan is a city in Guinée Conakry.
This Breathing Photograph shows an interview with Paul Julien in Dutch illustrated magazine 'Katholieke Illustratie of May 24th 1961, and links to other iterations of the photographs used with it.
In the colour portrait on the top right of the first spread Julien holds a musical instrument which also appears on film PJU-465. These exposures were produced in Northern Nigeria in 1950.
The caption of this colour photograph translates as follows: "Dr. Paul Julien with a five snare West-African harp. It is curious that musical instruments of a similar shape has also been found in Egyptian graves." A comment confirming the orientalist focus on all things Egyptian as a way to be able to identify with elements of choice in inter-cultural encounters.
The captions with the black and white photographs with the article are equally revealing.
The picture on the upper right is based on 9x12 sheet film PJU-1761. The caption is "Such anthropological measurements were done by dr. Julien bij the thousands. The Hadzapi, to which this African belongs, has by now all but disappeared."
To its left is a picture from roll film PJU-660. The caption reads "Africa changes ever so quickly. Even this Southern Ethiopian shepherd tries to recognise letters. For the time being, however, he still holds the Norwegian newspaper, sent over by a Norwegian protestant mission post, upside down."
The third picture on the right page of the first spread comes from another roll film PJU-657: "More substantial are the data gathered through serological research. Natives of the Dume tribe (South-Western Ethiopia stare intensely at the vagarious proceedings of the man who "has come to look at their diseases"."
The second spread includes a photograph that is part of the plates all the editions of Julien's first book Kampvuren Langs De Evenaar, and was used for the dust jacket of the Scheltens & Giltay edition as well as for the soft cover of the 1993 edition. It is captioned: "Dr. Julien with two children of the Motaba river, French Equatorial Africa". The negative is missing.
The two colour portraits were made in Paul Julien's home in Wassenaar.
In the colour portrait on the top right of the first spread Julien holds a musical instrument which also appears on film PJU-465. These exposures were produced in Northern Nigeria in 1950.
The caption of this colour photograph translates as follows: "Dr. Paul Julien with a five snare West-African harp. It is curious that musical instruments of a similar shape has also been found in Egyptian graves." A comment confirming the orientalist focus on all things Egyptian as a way to be able to identify with elements of choice in inter-cultural encounters.
The captions with the black and white photographs with the article are equally revealing.
The picture on the upper right is based on 9x12 sheet film PJU-1761. The caption is "Such anthropological measurements were done by dr. Julien bij the thousands. The Hadzapi, to which this African belongs, has by now all but disappeared."
To its left is a picture from roll film PJU-660. The caption reads "Africa changes ever so quickly. Even this Southern Ethiopian shepherd tries to recognise letters. For the time being, however, he still holds the Norwegian newspaper, sent over by a Norwegian protestant mission post, upside down."
The third picture on the right page of the first spread comes from another roll film PJU-657: "More substantial are the data gathered through serological research. Natives of the Dume tribe (South-Western Ethiopia stare intensely at the vagarious proceedings of the man who "has come to look at their diseases"."
The second spread includes a photograph that is part of the plates all the editions of Julien's first book Kampvuren Langs De Evenaar, and was used for the dust jacket of the Scheltens & Giltay edition as well as for the soft cover of the 1993 edition. It is captioned: "Dr. Julien with two children of the Motaba river, French Equatorial Africa". The negative is missing.
The two colour portraits were made in Paul Julien's home in Wassenaar.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a lantern slide stored behind the tab Bassari Coniagui, and sheet film PJU-2133 [LoKoutahs, at Guingan], produced in Guinée Conakry</a in 1939.
This Breathing Photograph consists of the dust jacket of Sons of Cham and PJU-1825, stored as a singel six by six negative.
The same "Masai Moraan" appears on roll film PJU-282 , which dates this picture to 1947.
This Breathing Photograph consists of three 9x12 sheet films (PJU-1748 PJU-1749, PJU-1750) and their lantern slide pendants of the skeleton of 'Efe skeleton', unearthed, literally, by Paul Julien in the Ituri Forest in 1933.
This Breathing Photograph consists of the vignette produced by Paul Julien's brother Charles at the start of chapter IV in Eternal Wilderness, which was published in 1949, and 9x12 sheet film PJU-1831 [Kilim. from Johannes], produced in 1933.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a picture made in one of the rooms in the house of a lady introduced to me as Samira in 2015, two exposures on roll film PJU-314 (produced in 1947), and sheet film PJU-1597 (dated in the register in 1947 as well, but I suspect it may have been produced fourteen years earlier, when Julien passed through Sudan for the first time.)
Samira, who unfortunately and unexpectedly died shortly after the photograph in her sitting room was made, was the daughter of Mohamed Ahmed Mahjoub, a prominent politician and author.
I was deeply impressed by the hospitality, the lunch that was served, as well as the history the house breathed.
Samira, who unfortunately and unexpectedly died shortly after the photograph in her sitting room was made, was the daughter of Mohamed Ahmed Mahjoub, a prominent politician and author.
I was deeply impressed by the hospitality, the lunch that was served, as well as the history the house breathed.
This Breathing photograph consists of several panoramic photographs made along the river Nile at Ed Dueim, and 9x12 sheet film PJU-1571, produced in Sudan in 1933
The woman sighed and said "My boy, El-Sheik is known as 'The Sheikh who took the bottle off'. When we followed up and asked her what she was referring to she told this story: "There was a woman who worked in the sewing craft. Every day on her way to the market to sell he products she passed by the Sheikh's tomb and asked him to help her, promising to put a piastre in his shrine if she would make a good profit. She used to keep her promise, but one day she did not although she sold all her products. While she was passing in front of the tomb, she was carrying a bottle of oil on her head. She did not offer the piastre. The bottle flew away from her head and landed on the top of the tomb. That is the day the Sheikh received his nickname."
“This is Wad Awdna Tree, it has to be Wad Awdna Tree. The tree of the Sheikh who took the bottle off” a woman, who we met in Ed Dueim, exclaimed.
The tree was named after the pious Sheikh Sulimani Wad Awdna, who was considered to be a man of goodness, and had a guba in Shendi. There were many stories and legends about him. One of these legends is about a young girl who had a vision in her dream about three of the prophet Mohammed’s Modah (this who chant his praise), standing under that tree and drumming on tambours praising the prophet in a sweet voice. Then one of them stepped towards her and introduced himself as Sheikh Wad Awdna, and asked her for Tabieeen (a place to visualise him), at that spot.
The girl told her mother about this vision, and decided to take up the mission assigned to them. They went to the tree, cleaned the place and arranged the stones to form a grave. From that moment the tree became a shrine people visit to receive blessings, offer alms and charities.
For the Tertiary Breathing photographs in Sudan photographer and filmmaker Elsadig Mohammed, who joined me in Reframing PJU produced in Sudan in 2015 and I. The information we were given was written down by Elsadig, translated for an exhibition in the National Museum of Sudan from Arabic by Razaz Basheir. The versions shared here were slightly edited by me.
The woman sighed and said "My boy, El-Sheik is known as 'The Sheikh who took the bottle off'. When we followed up and asked her what she was referring to she told this story: "There was a woman who worked in the sewing craft. Every day on her way to the market to sell he products she passed by the Sheikh's tomb and asked him to help her, promising to put a piastre in his shrine if she would make a good profit. She used to keep her promise, but one day she did not although she sold all her products. While she was passing in front of the tomb, she was carrying a bottle of oil on her head. She did not offer the piastre. The bottle flew away from her head and landed on the top of the tomb. That is the day the Sheikh received his nickname."
“This is Wad Awdna Tree, it has to be Wad Awdna Tree. The tree of the Sheikh who took the bottle off” a woman, who we met in Ed Dueim, exclaimed.
The tree was named after the pious Sheikh Sulimani Wad Awdna, who was considered to be a man of goodness, and had a guba in Shendi. There were many stories and legends about him. One of these legends is about a young girl who had a vision in her dream about three of the prophet Mohammed’s Modah (this who chant his praise), standing under that tree and drumming on tambours praising the prophet in a sweet voice. Then one of them stepped towards her and introduced himself as Sheikh Wad Awdna, and asked her for Tabieeen (a place to visualise him), at that spot.
The girl told her mother about this vision, and decided to take up the mission assigned to them. They went to the tree, cleaned the place and arranged the stones to form a grave. From that moment the tree became a shrine people visit to receive blessings, offer alms and charities.
For the Tertiary Breathing photographs in Sudan photographer and filmmaker Elsadig Mohammed, who joined me in Reframing PJU produced in Sudan in 2015 and I. The information we were given was written down by Elsadig, translated for an exhibition in the National Museum of Sudan from Arabic by Razaz Basheir. The versions shared here were slightly edited by me.
This Breathing Photograph consists of 9x12 sheet film PJU-1943 [hair dresser Doekie Sanequelleh] and lantern slide PJU-11006, that is placed behind the tab Liberia .
This Breathing Photograph consists of a book advertisement and an exposure on roll film PJU-22 produced in Cameroon in 1936.
The advertisement was published in the last week of the year 1940. It states that "A tremendous ovation has been given to Dr. Paul Julien through 13.000 K.R.O. Magazine readers who ordered his book "Campfires Along the Equator" (with 40 masterful photographs) in three days time. A second edition will be available after Christmas".
The caption of the picture is "One of the masterful photographs by Dr. Paul Julien".
The advertisement was published in the last week of the year 1940. It states that "A tremendous ovation has been given to Dr. Paul Julien through 13.000 K.R.O. Magazine readers who ordered his book "Campfires Along the Equator" (with 40 masterful photographs) in three days time. A second edition will be available after Christmas".
The caption of the picture is "One of the masterful photographs by Dr. Paul Julien".
This Breathing photograph consists of a lantern slide from behind the tab Masai, and an exposure on roll film PJU-291.
This Breathing Photograph consists of several photographs made by Isaac Ghunney and a recording of the song performed by music group Small Town Intl to invite people in for the opening of the opening of the exhibition "Liberia in 1932, photographed by Paul Julien", which took place in 2014.
Isaac Ghunney ran, at the time, a photo studio more or less opposite the National Museum. During the opening of the show I asked him to make photographs of people who attended the event with their favourite photograph.
The people pictured here are Siafa Ballah (with a print of the lantern slide version of PJU-2004), Serena, who worked at the National museum (ibid. PJU-2014), the actor director of the museum Albert Markeh (ibid. PJU-2611), and Louise McMillan (ibid. PJU-1996) who was assistant minister of Culture and delivered the official opening speech of the show.
Siafa Ballah was the director of the Flomo Theater and son of Peter Y. Ballah, a famous writer in Liberia. When I met Siafa he instantly had ideas on how to make this mutually beneficial. He invited me to his father's village of birth, which he was trying to transform into a cultural village that would serve the tourist industry in Liberia and the village economy. I hoped that we would be able to build on this connection, but unfortunately Siafa unexpectedly died in 2017, 45 years old.
Isaac Ghunney ran, at the time, a photo studio more or less opposite the National Museum. During the opening of the show I asked him to make photographs of people who attended the event with their favourite photograph.
The people pictured here are Siafa Ballah (with a print of the lantern slide version of PJU-2004), Serena, who worked at the National museum (ibid. PJU-2014), the actor director of the museum Albert Markeh (ibid. PJU-2611), and Louise McMillan (ibid. PJU-1996) who was assistant minister of Culture and delivered the official opening speech of the show.
Siafa Ballah was the director of the Flomo Theater and son of Peter Y. Ballah, a famous writer in Liberia. When I met Siafa he instantly had ideas on how to make this mutually beneficial. He invited me to his father's village of birth, which he was trying to transform into a cultural village that would serve the tourist industry in Liberia and the village economy. I hoped that we would be able to build on this connection, but unfortunately Siafa unexpectedly died in 2017, 45 years old.
This Breathing Photograph consists of two exposures on roll film PJU-633 [Addis Ababa S. Ghiorgis, Camels], produced in 1955.
This Breathing Photograph consists of 9x12 sheet films PJU-2126 [Loukoutas at Guingan], PJU-2133 [Camp Guingan] and PJU-2126 [Loukoutas at Guingan], produced in Guinée Conakry in 1939.
This Breathing Photograph consists of sheet film PJU-2122 [Camp, Labé] and PJU-2145 [Camp Labé 1 = Ibrahima 2 = Barry 3 = Mamadou], produced in Guinée Conakry in 1939.
This Breathing Photograph consists of two exposures on roll film PJU-127
[Camp Youkounkoun], produced in Guinée Conakry in 1939.
From Julien's notebook we know that Mamadou (the cook), Ibrahima (a boy) and Barry were part of his 'servants'.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a composite panoramic picture produced in 2013 and sheet film PJU-1897.
While Julien, in 1932, stood at the Light House, I looked over Monrovia from the infamous Ducor Hotel, which was a near ruin at the time.
While Julien, in 1932, stood at the Light House, I looked over Monrovia from the infamous Ducor Hotel, which was a near ruin at the time.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a view produced by researchers from Harvard University who travelled through Liberia in 1926, and sheet film PJU-1897 [Monrovia from Lighthouse].
This Breathing Photograph consists of 9x12 sheet film PJU-3319 [Near Bassari] and PJU-3130 and two 35mm color slides, all produced in Guinée Conakryin 1939.
This Breathing Photograph consists of two exposures on roll film PJU-127
[Camp Youkounkoun], produced in Guinée Conakry in 1939.
The Breathing Photograph consists of two exposures on roll film
PJU-117 [Labé [Market] - Bac Tominé], produced in Guinée Conakry in 1939.
This Breathing Photograph consists of 9x12 sheet films PJU-2147 and PJU-2151 [Coniagui initiates at Youkounkoun] and two exposures on roll film PJU-130; [Youk. initiates, cattle pest], produced in Guinée Conakry in 1939.
This Breathing Photograph consists of two exposures on roll film PJU-128 [Youk. Portr Coniagui, Charles, Dakka's] and two 35mm color slides produced in Guinée Conakry in 1939.
This Breathing Photograph consists of three six by nine exposures registered as PJU-797-1 [Tribes Nile 1933].
This Breathing Photograph consists of 6×9 negatives, PJU-1887 [Road construction French Guinea] and PJU-2598 [Road construction Zerekore - Macenta], produced in 1932.
This Breathing Photograph consists of prints of the skeleton that Paul Julien dug up in the Ituri Forest in 1933 and the lantern slides that were made of them.
The prints were, as indicated on the enveloppe, produced in 1938 by Prof. v.d. Broek (1866-1961) who was a Dutch anatomist and physical anthropologist.
The prints were, as indicated on the enveloppe, produced in 1938 by Prof. v.d. Broek (1866-1961) who was a Dutch anatomist and physical anthropologist.
This Breathing Photograph consists of photographs made during the installation of the exhibition "Liberia in 1932, photographed by Paul Julien", which took place in the National Museum of Liberia in 2014, and a recording of the advertisement that announced the show on national radio.
The prints, made in Uganda, of digitised lantern slides, are hung by Lamie Taweh, educational officer at the museum, a colleague of his, and Tony Kerdoe.
Tony Kerdoe is a storyteller who I had met months earlier in Gbarnga and who I, impressed by his performance and energy, invited to work with me. This led to him performing the story of chief Kwei Dokie of Sanequellie during the opening of the exhibition that we put together thanks to contributions of Dokie's descendants.
The prints, made in Uganda, of digitised lantern slides, are hung by Lamie Taweh, educational officer at the museum, a colleague of his, and Tony Kerdoe.
Tony Kerdoe is a storyteller who I had met months earlier in Gbarnga and who I, impressed by his performance and energy, invited to work with me. This led to him performing the story of chief Kwei Dokie of Sanequellie during the opening of the exhibition that we put together thanks to contributions of Dokie's descendants.
This Breathing Photograph consists of two consecutive exposures on roll film PJU-517 [Bab near Sibiti. Finger printing, Father Olsthoorn], produced in Congo Brazzaville in 1952.
This Breathing Photograph consists of three successive exposures on roll film PJU-958 [Information on film: information on film: 1-9 around Luanda, 10-12 Serpa Pinto. Information in register: Angola, 1962, coast at Luanda - Serpa Pinto (Mulatto girl)]
This Breathing Photograph consists of a digitised negative produced by the Matson Photo Service that has been made available by the Library of Congres in Washington, and 9x12 sheet film PJU-1578 [Omdurman].
The Matson Photo Service negative gave Sadig M. Ahmed and me the clue to locate the Guba depicted on the picture made by Paul Julien in 1933, because it appears in the distance on the left side of the picture.
The Matson Photo Service negative gave Sadig M. Ahmed and me the clue to locate the Guba depicted on the picture made by Paul Julien in 1933, because it appears in the distance on the left side of the picture.
This Breathing Photograph consists of all the photographs from the 1946 special edition of Campfires Along the Equator, covers and title pages of several other editions and audio recorded during a preparation meeting for a podcast series in which the relation between some of these photographs and wider imaginations of Africa are discussed.
After the Second World War publisher “De Pelgrim” produced this special edition of Paul Julien's first best-seller that must, while it first appeared five years earlier, still or again have been in high demand and somehow in line with the post-war optimism.
Special about this edition is its fake leather cover and the inclusion of sixty-four, in stead of thirty-two or forty, “original photographs by the author”.
These 64 photographs formed the pool of pictures from which a selection was made for a small private exhibition at the Shain Foundation studio in Amsterdam Zuid-Oost. The selection was made by podcast maker Kadija Kabba, Shain Foundation owner and social entrepreneur Annemarie Tiebosch, and author and researcher Esther Kamara. The exhibition formed the environment for the podcast recordings, which will be made available once edited.
After the Second World War publisher “De Pelgrim” produced this special edition of Paul Julien's first best-seller that must, while it first appeared five years earlier, still or again have been in high demand and somehow in line with the post-war optimism.
Special about this edition is its fake leather cover and the inclusion of sixty-four, in stead of thirty-two or forty, “original photographs by the author”.
These 64 photographs formed the pool of pictures from which a selection was made for a small private exhibition at the Shain Foundation studio in Amsterdam Zuid-Oost. The selection was made by podcast maker Kadija Kabba, Shain Foundation owner and social entrepreneur Annemarie Tiebosch, and author and researcher Esther Kamara. The exhibition formed the environment for the podcast recordings, which will be made available once edited.
This Breathing Photograph consists of three screenshots of a vintage print that was first shared by me in a Facebook group in 2013.
The picture then made its way to Twitter and back to Facebook. Along the way it became clear who the man on this portrait is: The Emir of Muri, photographed in 1950.
The print is made of an exposure on roll film PJU-458
The picture then made its way to Twitter and back to Facebook. Along the way it became clear who the man on this portrait is: The Emir of Muri, photographed in 1950.
The print is made of an exposure on roll film PJU-458
This Breathing Photograph consists of three exposures on roll film PJU-438 [Kernel - Mpanyam] and two 35mm color slides, produced in 1950.
This Breathing Photograph consists of four 35mm color slide and twelve 9x12 sheet films, all produced on the same spot of "Angas" in "Manok" in 1950.
The sheet films include PJU-1788, that also exists in another form.
The sheet films include PJU-1788, that also exists in another form.
This Breathing Photograph consists of sheet film PJU-2346 [1934 in Freetown], produced in 1934 in Sierra Leone, and a restricted version of the digital file, that was made by Tigi Becko in response to a share of the picture on Facebook.
This Breathing Photograph consists of two 6x6 roll film exposures that have been cut out of the film and are filed as PJU-1456 [Boma's daughter]. The pictures are currently registered as produced in Liganga-Congo.
Based on the notebook of the 1938 expedition it seems most likely that the photographs were produced on the Central African Republic side the border area with Cameroon .
Based on the notebook of the 1938 expedition it seems most likely that the photographs were produced on the Central African Republic side the border area with Cameroon .
This Breathing Photograph consists of a set up with a stereo viewer and two exposures on roll film PJU-16.
The set up is part of several experiments working towards three dimensional and highly individual viewing experiences with materials from the PJU collection. Successful outcomes of these experiments will eventually be shown in exhibitions in order to address 20th century 'ways of seeing' at play while Julien developed 'his' image of 'Africa'.
When seen in 'stereo' the two anonymous men in the photographs merge into one three dimensional figure who may appear to have an extra hand. But that depends on the smallest angle of the direction inn which the onlooker gazes.
The set up is part of several experiments working towards three dimensional and highly individual viewing experiences with materials from the PJU collection. Successful outcomes of these experiments will eventually be shown in exhibitions in order to address 20th century 'ways of seeing' at play while Julien developed 'his' image of 'Africa'.
When seen in 'stereo' the two anonymous men in the photographs merge into one three dimensional figure who may appear to have an extra hand. But that depends on the smallest angle of the direction inn which the onlooker gazes.
This Breathing Photograph consists of two exposures of roll film PJU-549 [Ikelemba landscape. Two exposures Bab. Sanga], produced in Congo Brazzaville in 1952.
This Breathing Photograph contains 48 lantern slides that prominently feature Paul Julien, who seems to take on different roles: the explorer, the researcher, the well-doer.
These slides were used to illustrate lectures for various audiences. Mr. Adolfse, who was Julien's literary agent during the 1990s and did a first round of digitisation of the collection, recalls Julien telling him how he would pull slides from the largely geographically organised boxes based on the topic of the lecture and the audience he would be addressing.
Lantern slides that were derived from negatives produced in 1932 and 1934 were used up until the 1970s (and on a rare occasion in the 1990s) to speak about particular peoples, regions, or cultural phenomena such as the secret societies.
While the research project Reframing PJU de-centres Paul Julien to make room for other readings of the photographs he produced, these slides are organised in such a way that they literally centre Julien, while his gaze moves from let to right.
Should you be interested in more photograph in which Paul Julien appears beyond the lantern slides, take a look at the growing category of Breathing Photographs with 'self-portraits '.
These slides were used to illustrate lectures for various audiences. Mr. Adolfse, who was Julien's literary agent during the 1990s and did a first round of digitisation of the collection, recalls Julien telling him how he would pull slides from the largely geographically organised boxes based on the topic of the lecture and the audience he would be addressing.
Lantern slides that were derived from negatives produced in 1932 and 1934 were used up until the 1970s (and on a rare occasion in the 1990s) to speak about particular peoples, regions, or cultural phenomena such as the secret societies.
While the research project Reframing PJU de-centres Paul Julien to make room for other readings of the photographs he produced, these slides are organised in such a way that they literally centre Julien, while his gaze moves from let to right.
Should you be interested in more photograph in which Paul Julien appears beyond the lantern slides, take a look at the growing category of Breathing Photographs with 'self-portraits '.
This Breathing Photograph consists of three exposures from roll film PJU-890 [Road near Anhanca, termite hill, baobabs, granary, and a 35mm color slide.
This Breathing Photograph consists of two 6x6 exposures, produced in Angola, 1962 on a roll film filed as PJU-960 [Chivinda (Cassequel) (near Serpa Pinto)].
This Breathing Photograph consists of three 6x6 exposures and one 35mm color slide, produced in Angola, 1962 on a roll film filed as PJU-960 [Chivinda (Cassequel) (near Serpa Pinto)].
This Breathing Photograph consists of two successive exposures on roll film PJU-961 [Types in missionary village Serpa Pinto] produced in Angola in 1962.
This Breathing Photograph consists of two successive exposures on roll film PJU-529 [Camp Loyo II, flash exposures. Salt distribution. Chapel of the Salutistes], produced in Congo Brazzaville in 1952.
This Breathing Photograph consists of five exposures on roll film PJU-531 [Loekiboe and I, landscapes road Zanaga] produced in Congo Brazzaville in 1952.
This Breathing Photograph consists of an exposure on roll film PJU-248
[Dar es Sal. en route to Dodoma] and a 35mm color slides produced in Tanganyika
in 1947.
This Breathing Photograph consists of two 9x12 sheet films PJU-1511 [Mangasita], PJU-1512, and a 35mm color slide, produced in Tanganyika in 1947.
This Breathing Photograph consists of two exposures that were cut from a roll film and are filed as PJU-2058 [Babendzere te Bayanga Yayomba]. In the register the negatives are dated in 1936.
However, in that year Julien was on the South-Western side of Cameroon, rather than in the Central African Republic;, which was the destination of his 1938 journey. See PJU-93.
However, in that year Julien was on the South-Western side of Cameroon, rather than in the Central African Republic;, which was the destination of his 1938 journey. See PJU-93.
This Breathing Photograph consists of six exposures on roll film PJU-82 [Liganga, salt distribution], produced in the Central African Republic in 1938.
This Breathing photograph consists of one exposure on roll film
PJU-308 [Ruwenzori] and a 35mm color slide, produced in September 1947.
This Breathing photograph was produced during a residency, early 2021, in De Bijlmer, a suburban neighbourhood of Amsterdam. Here I connected with people with a first or second generation migration background, that connect them to imaginations of 'Africa'. From their respective positions they joined me in 'Reframe PJU'.
The residency was made possible by the local Centre for Visual Arts. One of their staff members introduced me to Abu Kanu, a designer and artist from Sierra Leone who has been living in the Netherlands for several decades. In his work he connects his current conditions to his background. He makes, for example, drums as well as sculptures from recycled, locally sourced materials.
Abu Kanu particularly connected to some of the pictures of masks that appear in the book Campfires Along the Equator, and took up the challenge to make an interpretation of the Njaye mask photographed by Paul Julien in 1934.
When I visited Abu Kanu while he was working on his version of the mask, we spoke about the cowrie shells and the feathers. How to locally sources them? When I walked towards my temporary home I saw North Sea shells on the ground and picked them up. Could these be useful? Abu Kanu found other solutions to this challenge. But asking the question made me look at a more or less familiar surrounding afresh.
The residency was made possible by the local Centre for Visual Arts. One of their staff members introduced me to Abu Kanu, a designer and artist from Sierra Leone who has been living in the Netherlands for several decades. In his work he connects his current conditions to his background. He makes, for example, drums as well as sculptures from recycled, locally sourced materials.
Abu Kanu particularly connected to some of the pictures of masks that appear in the book Campfires Along the Equator, and took up the challenge to make an interpretation of the Njaye mask photographed by Paul Julien in 1934.
When I visited Abu Kanu while he was working on his version of the mask, we spoke about the cowrie shells and the feathers. How to locally sources them? When I walked towards my temporary home I saw North Sea shells on the ground and picked them up. Could these be useful? Abu Kanu found other solutions to this challenge. But asking the question made me look at a more or less familiar surrounding afresh.
This Breathing Photograph consists of of seven black and white negatives, and one filmcolor positive sheet films produced in 1936.
PJU-2861 [Bibayak Yokad], PJU-2782 [Old Baya Long ], PJU-2842 [Jokadouma, dwarves], PJU-2881, [Baya at Jokadouma], PJU-3159, PJU-2872 [Yokadouma], PJU-3158, PJU-2817 [Yokadouma].
PJU-2861 [Bibayak Yokad], PJU-2782 [Old Baya Long ], PJU-2842 [Jokadouma, dwarves], PJU-2881, [Baya at Jokadouma], PJU-3159, PJU-2872 [Yokadouma], PJU-3158, PJU-2817 [Yokadouma].
This Breathing Photograph consists of nine successive exposures on roll film PJU-519 [Bab. near Sibiti, Father Olsthoorn], produced in Congo Brazzaville in 1952.
This roll film consists of two consecutive exposures on roll film PJU-512 [Poto Poto Brazzav. Fibre market. Summer 1952], produced in Congo Brazzaville.
This Breathing Photograph consists fo eleven exposures on roll film PJU-553 [arrow poison, Babendz.], produced in Congo Brazzaville in 1952.
This Breathing Photograph consists of six 9x12 sheet films of Mende that were photographed in Moyamba in 1934, and a conversation with Saffa Kalai, who I met in Liberia in 2014. Saffa named his daughter after me and clarified what the responsibilities are that come with this gesture, and result from me having walked into his life.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a photograph produced in 2019 , and sheet film PJU-2186 [Station Dakar], produced in 1932.
In 2019 Dutch photographer Judith Quax lived on the island of Gorée with her son. I asked them whether they were up for a re-photography mission with the photographs made by Paul Julien in Senegal.
They were. This led to several Breathing Photographs.
In addition, Judith Quax told me, the searching for the right locations resulted in valuable engagements and conversations with people that otherwise would never have taken place.
In 2019 Dutch photographer Judith Quax lived on the island of Gorée with her son. I asked them whether they were up for a re-photography mission with the photographs made by Paul Julien in Senegal.
They were. This led to several Breathing Photographs.
In addition, Judith Quax told me, the searching for the right locations resulted in valuable engagements and conversations with people that otherwise would never have taken place.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a photograph made while en route through Liberia in 2013, and a lantern slide of 9x12 sheet film PJU-2014.
I remember how the rain was pouring down, how I asked the Alvin, the driver who turned out to be a sociologist, a valuable fixer, and became a dear friend, to stop. How my companion thought I was crazy, stepping out with my digital camera. How I didn't care, because it felt, there and then, looking at the giant tree, as if I I looked through time, while I knew the road was designed for the kind of vehicle we were using and not yet there in 1932.
I remember how the rain was pouring down, how I asked the Alvin, the driver who turned out to be a sociologist, a valuable fixer, and became a dear friend, to stop. How my companion thought I was crazy, stepping out with my digital camera. How I didn't care, because it felt, there and then, looking at the giant tree, as if I I looked through time, while I knew the road was designed for the kind of vehicle we were using and not yet there in 1932.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a photograph produced at a monkey bridge north of Sanniquellie in 2013, and llantern slide PJU-11020, stored behind the tab Liberia.
While people had been telling me this bridge was still 'there' for a while, it was quite a journey to arrive at it. I returned in 2014 and, this time, cross it to walk to the river that forms the border between Liberia and Guinée.
While people had been telling me this bridge was still 'there' for a while, it was quite a journey to arrive at it. I returned in 2014 and, this time, cross it to walk to the river that forms the border between Liberia and Guinée.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a photograph of a plate from which I ate at a restaurant in Sanniquellie in 2013, and lantern slide PJU-10989, which is filed behind the tab Liberia and indicates the route Paul Julien travelled through the country in 1932.
This Breathing Photograph consists of six by nine exposures PJU-1848
[Liberia] and PJU-1874
[Central Liberia], produced in 1932 in [Central Liberia]
This Breathing Photograph consists of 9x12 sheet films PJU-2247 [Snake charmer Moyamba], PJU-2250 [Snake dancer Sierra Leone], PJU-2251, PJU-2252, PJU-2362, PJU-2394 [Moyamba], PJU-3699 and PJU-3703, produced in 1934.
In Julien's first book a chapter is devoted to the snake charmer. He is here named Fili. In the story Julien tracked Fili down, based on a wall painting in the compound of Paramount Chief Julius Gulama, to a place called Ngagboma, which supposedly was a five hour track from Moyamba.
Mr. James Vincent, who worked with me in Sierra Leone in 2020, and I could not find this village, but guessed that Julien could have been referring to Gbangbama, which is situated ca. 16km north east of Moyamba towards the present day Freetown - Bo highway. This road did not exist in 1934 while Moyamba was on the railway line.
In Gbangbama we were told several stories about snake charmers in relation to farming, while there was no direct memory of Fili or someone like him, performing with snakes.
With a share of one these photographs in a Facebook group dedicated to old photographs of Sierra Leone a connection was made to an elderly lady who is a descendant of Fili. She did personally remember having seen photographs of him and having heard stories. Her family moved to Freetown during the civil war. I hope to be meeting her in good health when I am able to return to Sierra Leone.
In Julien's first book a chapter is devoted to the snake charmer. He is here named Fili. In the story Julien tracked Fili down, based on a wall painting in the compound of Paramount Chief Julius Gulama, to a place called Ngagboma, which supposedly was a five hour track from Moyamba.
Mr. James Vincent, who worked with me in Sierra Leone in 2020, and I could not find this village, but guessed that Julien could have been referring to Gbangbama, which is situated ca. 16km north east of Moyamba towards the present day Freetown - Bo highway. This road did not exist in 1934 while Moyamba was on the railway line.
In Gbangbama we were told several stories about snake charmers in relation to farming, while there was no direct memory of Fili or someone like him, performing with snakes.
With a share of one these photographs in a Facebook group dedicated to old photographs of Sierra Leone a connection was made to an elderly lady who is a descendant of Fili. She did personally remember having seen photographs of him and having heard stories. Her family moved to Freetown during the civil war. I hope to be meeting her in good health when I am able to return to Sierra Leone.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a photograph of a museum display in the National Museum in Lubumbashi, and an exposure on roll film PJU-985, produced in Angola in 1962.
One of the masks in the show case looked awfully familiar from the some of the lantern slide I brought with me to discuss during a workshop with artists and aspiring photographers at arts foundation Picha, in Congo in 2013.
One of the masks in the show case looked awfully familiar from the some of the lantern slide I brought with me to discuss during a workshop with artists and aspiring photographers at arts foundation Picha, in Congo in 2013.
This Breathing Photograph consists of two 9x12 sheet films produced in 1933.
PJU-1841 [edge of ancient forest above Johannes cabin] is a black and white negative, PJU-4755 [no info in the register] a filmcolor positive.
PJU-1841 [edge of ancient forest above Johannes cabin] is a black and white negative, PJU-4755 [no info in the register] a filmcolor positive.
This Breathing Photograph consists of seven successive exposures on roll film PJU-961 [Types in missionary village Serpa Pinto] produced in Angola in 1962.
1, 2 and 3 Ganguela
1 Tchokwe
2 Kunbundu
1 On the Ganguela
Exposures village
1, 2 and 3 Ganguela
1 Tchokwe
2 Kunbundu
1 On the Ganguela
Exposures village
This Breathing Photograph consists of two successive exposures on roll film PJU-958 [Information on film: information on film: 1-9 around Luanda, 10-12 Serpa Pinto. Information in register: Angola, 1962, coast at Luanda - Serpa Pinto (Mulatto girl)]
This Breathing Photograph consists of four exposures on roll film PJU-296 [Sinda - Rugari], produced in the Kivu region of Congo in 1947.
This Breathing Photograph consists of four 35mm color slides produced in 1947 in the Kivu region in Congo around a salt distribution for Batwa who were part of Julien's serological research.
This Breathing Photograph consists of 9x12 sheet films PJU-1656, PJU-1657, PJU-1659, PJU-1660 [Batwa Sake], produced in the Kivu Region of Congo in 1947.
This Breathing Photograph consists of 9x12 sheet films PJU-15122 and PJU-2024 [Ngorongoro], produced in 1947.
This Breathing Photograph consists of four exposures on sheet film PJU-1725, PJU-1727, PJU-1734, PJU-1735
[Pygmies of Musitapa, Ituri Forest], produced in Eastern Congo in 1947.
This Breathing Photograph consists of two 35mm color slides, produced in the Congolese Kivu
region 1947.
This Breathing Photograph consists of three consecutive exposures on roll film PJU-301 [Monigi - Kinyamahura], produced in the Kivu region of Congo in 1947.
This Breathing photograph consists of four exposures on 9x12 sheet films: PJU-1458 , PJU-1681, PJU-1347, PJU-1730 [Monigi Batwa
], produced in the Kivu region of Congo in 1947.
This Breathing Photograph consists of three successive exposures on roll film PJU-1006 [From Kwarra to Mangar] produced in Northern Nigeria in
1962.
This Breathing Photograph consists of sheet films PJU-2519 [House fetish Arkaté Arkaté] and PJU-2538 [Binnenplaats Soukkala Arkaté Gaoua], produced in Upper Volta in 1935.
This Breathing Photograph consists of sheet films PJU-2496 , PJU-2511, PJU-2813.
For neither of the exposures there is mention of the source in the register.
All three portraits were produced in Gaoua, Upper Volta in 1934.
For neither of the exposures there is mention of the source in the register.
All three portraits were produced in Gaoua, Upper Volta in 1934.
This Breathing Photograph consists of sheet films PJU-2492 [Père Guérin Gr. Bassam], PJU-2570, and PJU-3076 [Père Chauvet Agboville], produced in 1935.
This Breathing Photograph consists of three sheet films PJU-2231 [Dr Cauvin, Mr Delate etc, M Bernier, Bouroun 2], PJU-2237 [double exposure, me at work at Bouroun 2], PJU-2522 produced in 1935.
Could Dr. Cauvin be Belgian filmer André Cauvin?
Could Dr. Cauvin be Belgian filmer André Cauvin?
This Breathing Photograph consists of 9x12 sheet films PJU-2230 [on board A. Woermann 1935] and PJU-2234 [Children D.ZW. Africa o/b A. Woermann].
This Breathing Photograph consists of filmcolor positive 9x12 sheets PJU-3110 [Lobi] and PJU-3111 [Lobi Gaoua], produced in Upper Volta in 1935.
The same man in appears in a picture published some of the editions of Campfires Along the Equator of which the negative is no longer available.
The same man in appears in a picture published some of the editions of Campfires Along the Equator of which the negative is no longer available.
This Breathing Photograph consists of seven 9x12 sheet films produced in 1935, when Paul Julien traveled on board of the German ocean liner SS Adolph Woermann.
The pictures depict the burial of a seaman named, according to the register, Wadai with the swastika and nazi salute as honours that were part of the time and related to the regime in power in Germany.
The pictures depict the burial of a seaman named, according to the register, Wadai with the swastika and nazi salute as honours that were part of the time and related to the regime in power in Germany.
This Breathing Photograph consists of two exposures from roll film PJU-890 [termite hill, Baobabs, grain storage]
This Breathing Photograph consists of 9x12 sheet film PJU-2425 [graveyard Freetown ], and both sides of a snippet of paper.
This snippet is among documents related to the 1934 Sierra Leone expedition kept at the Nederlands Fotomuseum. It contains a note related to the photograph and a shopping list.
This snippet is among documents related to the 1934 Sierra Leone expedition kept at the Nederlands Fotomuseum. It contains a note related to the photograph and a shopping list.
This Breathing Photograph consists of two 9x12 sheet films produced in 1932 in Liberia.
PJU-1932 stays steady, while the animation zooms into PJU-1938.
The street shown is Broad Street, the central axis through the Monrovia downtown area.
PJU-1932 stays steady, while the animation zooms into PJU-1938.
The street shown is Broad Street, the central axis through the Monrovia downtown area.
This Breathing Photograph consists of six by nine PJU-1852 is on record as [market Gbarnga, Liberia, mr. Ross], and PJU-1868 as [call population Gbarnga], produced in 1932.
Julien speaks about this 'call', in his radio lecture of January 22nd 1933 as follows:
Gbarnga is a big economic hub, where for the first time the influence of the Mandingo’s from the Niger basin can be clearly noticed. It covers a vast area between low hills and with a developing activity one wouldn’t expect in central Liberia. Gbarnga is the seat of a District Commissioner from the government in Monrovia, Mr. Ross for whom I carried a letter from the president giving him the assignment to assist my expedition. Because it had been difficult along the way to get access to the materials needed for my blood research that any assistance was more than welcome. It was a nice coincidence that it happened to be a market day and Ross, de D.C. went to the market with me asked the people to squat and addressed the population, helped by an interpreter. ‘A powerful witch man came to the village, a sorcerer, a big medicine man. Tomorrow 8am all those suffering from pest, all the lepers, all those with Yaws should come to the courthouse to be examined and give blood. I hurried to whisper in the commissioner’s ear that I would prefer healthy people. The man had obviously misunderstood and took me to be a medical doctor. The messenger screamed ‘The healthy should also come, women children all should come. The whole village should come. Understood? A loud applause was the result. Early the next morning I was busy preparing. Eight am there was nobody there, nine, nobody, quarter past nine the D.C., growing nervous, send out a group of messengers to force the people, with violence if need be, to the courthouse. It was all in vain. The village was completely deserted. De whole community fled into the forest, and I may add that they didn’t return before I left. A couple of days later I travelled onward from Gbarnga." (my translation)
Julien speaks about this 'call', in his radio lecture of January 22nd 1933 as follows:
Gbarnga is a big economic hub, where for the first time the influence of the Mandingo’s from the Niger basin can be clearly noticed. It covers a vast area between low hills and with a developing activity one wouldn’t expect in central Liberia. Gbarnga is the seat of a District Commissioner from the government in Monrovia, Mr. Ross for whom I carried a letter from the president giving him the assignment to assist my expedition. Because it had been difficult along the way to get access to the materials needed for my blood research that any assistance was more than welcome. It was a nice coincidence that it happened to be a market day and Ross, de D.C. went to the market with me asked the people to squat and addressed the population, helped by an interpreter. ‘A powerful witch man came to the village, a sorcerer, a big medicine man. Tomorrow 8am all those suffering from pest, all the lepers, all those with Yaws should come to the courthouse to be examined and give blood. I hurried to whisper in the commissioner’s ear that I would prefer healthy people. The man had obviously misunderstood and took me to be a medical doctor. The messenger screamed ‘The healthy should also come, women children all should come. The whole village should come. Understood? A loud applause was the result. Early the next morning I was busy preparing. Eight am there was nobody there, nine, nobody, quarter past nine the D.C., growing nervous, send out a group of messengers to force the people, with violence if need be, to the courthouse. It was all in vain. The village was completely deserted. De whole community fled into the forest, and I may add that they didn’t return before I left. A couple of days later I travelled onward from Gbarnga." (my translation)
This Breathing photograph consists of three exposures all including Boma, who was the guide and translator on Paul Julien's 1938 journey through south eastern Cameroon, extending into the Central African Republic.
The square photograph comes from an exposure from roll film PJU-90 [landscapes and portraits Bayanga] that in the register is placed in 1936, in stead of two years later. Taking into account that Boma is repeatedly mentioned only in the notebook of the 1938 expedition, I assume that this is a mistake.
The other two exposures are 9x12 sheet negatives. The group portrait is PJU-1421 [chiefs at Nola]. The other portraits, PJU-1431, is simply in the register as [Boma].
The square photograph comes from an exposure from roll film PJU-90 [landscapes and portraits Bayanga] that in the register is placed in 1936, in stead of two years later. Taking into account that Boma is repeatedly mentioned only in the notebook of the 1938 expedition, I assume that this is a mistake.
The other two exposures are 9x12 sheet negatives. The group portrait is PJU-1421 [chiefs at Nola]. The other portraits, PJU-1431, is simply in the register as [Boma].
This Breathing Photograph consists of four successive exposures on roll film PJU-1006 [From Kwarra to Mangar] produced in Northern Nigeria in
1962.
This breathing photograph consists of two 35mm color slides that do not come with any information. The context suggests that they were produced in Northern Nigeria in 1950.
Hopefully working through the collection will eventually make it possible to put a more precise location to the pictures. .
Hopefully working through the collection will eventually make it possible to put a more precise location to the pictures. .
This Breathing photograph consists of 9x12 sheet film PJU-1923 [Kpelle weaver Liberia], and six by nine exposures PJU-1886 and PJU-1849
[Kpelle Weaver], produced in 1932.
This Breathing photograph consists of a framed picture of 'Mother Matilda and her children', produced in Liberia in 2013 in the home of one of Mother Matilda's grandchildren in the presence of her son Joe who passed on in 2015 and was six years old by the time of Julien's visit, and two pages from a 1932 local paper in which Matilda Richards advertised her businesses.
Paul Julien slept one night in Mrs. Richard's guesthouse, before moving to the Catholic Mission in Monrovia.
Paul Julien slept one night in Mrs. Richard's guesthouse, before moving to the Catholic Mission in Monrovia.
This Breathing Photograph consists of photographs made at the office of Liberian newspaper The Daily Observerr in 2013, and spreads of the newspaper from 2014 that include texts devoted to photographs made by Paul Julien in 1932.
The texts were provided by me on invitation by Kenneth Best, the editor in chief and publisher of the newspaper who got particularly excited by the text about Prof. Logemoh (link and more information to be included later), a fellow pioneer who he had not heard off before.
The series was published in the section "Lib. Life" as part of the "History & Us" series. Unfortunately the sequence was cut short by the 2014 outbreak of the Ebola epidemic.
The texts were provided by me on invitation by Kenneth Best, the editor in chief and publisher of the newspaper who got particularly excited by the text about Prof. Logemoh (link and more information to be included later), a fellow pioneer who he had not heard off before.
The series was published in the section "Lib. Life" as part of the "History & Us" series. Unfortunately the sequence was cut short by the 2014 outbreak of the Ebola epidemic.
This Breathing Photograph consists of the rare dust jacket of Campfires Along the Equator 's first (1940) edition, the map that is, with only the slightest design adjustments, present in all editions of the book, and PJU-3067 [Loron, Galgouli], from which the cut out portrait on the cover was derived. This 9x12 sheet film was produced in 1935 in present day Burkina Faso.
This Breathing Photograph consists a picture produced during the first visit to Mr. Moore's house in Sanniquellie, northern Liberia in 2013. Mr. Moore is, as a descendant to the important chief Kwei Dokie, tasked within the family to pass on its history. He was very much aware of his illustrious ancestor, but had never seen his face.
During this visit I could only show him two pictures of his ancestor that were produced during the height of the rainy season of 1932 and, towards the end of the same year, published in the Flemish magazine 'Ons Land'. One of these pictures is 'posing' for this photograph on screen.
Both the page of the magazine and negative PJU-1941 breath along.
On a follow up visit in 2014, when I also was able to bring digitised film footage in which Kwei Dokie features on a hard drive, we organised a screening with more members of the family present.
During this visit I could only show him two pictures of his ancestor that were produced during the height of the rainy season of 1932 and, towards the end of the same year, published in the Flemish magazine 'Ons Land'. One of these pictures is 'posing' for this photograph on screen.
Both the page of the magazine and negative PJU-1941 breath along.
On a follow up visit in 2014, when I also was able to bring digitised film footage in which Kwei Dokie features on a hard drive, we organised a screening with more members of the family present.
The Breathing Photograph consists of the cover of a 1971 Penguin edition of collected stories by Ernest Hemingway, and 9x12 sheet film PJU-1831 [Kilim. from Johannes], produced in 1933.
This Breathing Photograph consists of six by nine negatives PJU-1812 [Guides Mount Kilimanjaro] and PJU-1813 [porters Kilimanjaro], and 9x12 sheet film PJU-1831 [Kilimanjaro from Johannes], produced as part of the 1933 expedition.
Negative PJU-1831 also appears in Julien's second book De Eeuwige Wildernis
Negative PJU-1831 also appears in Julien's second book De Eeuwige Wildernis
This Breathing Photograph consists of two exposures on roll film PJU-997 [Research Kwarra Tree], and two exposures on film PJU-1002 [Research and groups Mama, PJU-1002] all of the same event, which took place in 1962.
Shown is the production of fingerprints, which was done in an effort to collect data for Dutch anatomist Prof. J. Dankmeijer.
Present in the scene is Adamu Maicibi, who appears to have been Kwarra's primary school teacher at the time. Adamu Maicibi assisted Julien and corresponded with him for some time after his visit.
Shown is the production of fingerprints, which was done in an effort to collect data for Dutch anatomist Prof. J. Dankmeijer.
Present in the scene is Adamu Maicibi, who appears to have been Kwarra's primary school teacher at the time. Adamu Maicibi assisted Julien and corresponded with him for some time after his visit.
This Breathing Photograph consists of six exposures on roll film PJU-539 [Ngoubou 2, communion of the Bab. Dance of the negro children, raindrops], produced in 1952 in Congo Brazzaville]
The missionary in the pictures is identified elsewhere as Father Grall in his "dark chapel".
A closely related scene appears on PJU-538
The missionary in the pictures is identified elsewhere as Father Grall in his "dark chapel".
A closely related scene appears on PJU-538
This Breathing Photograph consists of five exposures on film PJU-538 [flash"] produced in Congo Brazzaville in 1959.
The missionary in the pictures is identified elsewhere as Father Grall in his "dark chapel".
A closely related scene appears on PJU-539.
The missionary in the pictures is identified elsewhere as Father Grall in his "dark chapel".
A closely related scene appears on PJU-539.
This Breathing Photograph consists of an installation shot of the section of group exhibition "The Mix" at the Nederlands Fotomuseum, with a print of 9x12 sheet film PJU-1986 [Water street, Monrovia], produced in Liberia in 1932 in a central position.
This Breathing Photograph consists of seven 35mm color slides, five exposures on roll film PJU-309 [Ruwenzori], and five 9×12 sheet films
. Among the latter the register includes the information that we see [Summit from Wusu Wamese].
All photographs produced September 1947.
All photographs produced September 1947.
This Breathing Photograph consists of three exposures on PJU-420 [Ner near Pnkshin, departure Wokkos, Kabidos] that were produced in 1950 in Northern Nigeria.
This Breathing Photograph consists of two exposures on roll film PJU-465 [Vere] produced in 1950 in Northern Nigeria.
This Breathing Photograph consists of two exposures on roll film PJU-431 [Market in Manok] and sheet film PJU-1790 [Dance Angas Manok] produced in Northern Nigeria in 1950.
This Breathing Photograph consists of one exposure on roll film PJU-636 [Road to Neghelli, mud, phallic stones, Borana well] and two 35mm color slide, produced in Ethiopiaa in 1955.
This Breathing Photograph consists of three photographs made from the balcony of a shopping centre across the street from St. Giorgio Cathedral in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
This was, according to the local specialists the closest we would be able to approach the vantage point Paul Julien had when making a medium distance photograph on 35mm color slide of the church in 1955.
This was, according to the local specialists the closest we would be able to approach the vantage point Paul Julien had when making a medium distance photograph on 35mm color slide of the church in 1955.
This Breathing photograph consists of two pictures of a street artist's business, photographed in Addis Ababa in 2019 and 35mm color slides
produced in 1955.
The slides were produced on the same location as two exposures on roll film PJU-636.
The slides were produced on the same location as two exposures on roll film PJU-636.
This Breathing photograph consists of two photographs produced near Merkato in Addis Ababa</a in 2019, and a 35mm color slide of Anwar Mosque produced during Paul Julien's visit to Ethiopia in 1955.
The recent views have disappeared again, since they were made from a construction site and of a billboard projecting the expected outcomes of the the ongoing works. The mosque is still part of the plans.
The recent views have disappeared again, since they were made from a construction site and of a billboard projecting the expected outcomes of the the ongoing works. The mosque is still part of the plans.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a photograph made in 2019 from the tower on what is now the Cathedral Museum, and an exposure on roll film PJU-633 [Addis Ababa S. Ghiorgis, Camels], produced in 1955.
This Breathing Photograph consists of three consecutive exposures on roll film PJU-663 [Goedji, Hospital Adola, Flight Adola], produced in Ethiopia in
1955.
It is unclear what is happening here. Most likely seems a treatment with pesticides, which was not unusual at the time. Any additional thought and inside is welcome!
It is unclear what is happening here. Most likely seems a treatment with pesticides, which was not unusual at the time. Any additional thought and inside is welcome!
This Breathing Photograph consists of two 35mm color slides
produced in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in 1955 of St. Giorgio Cathedral.
This Breathing Photograph consists of three exposures on film PJU-1005 [Village
Kwarra and surroundings. Adamu Maicibi & fam., old lady], produced in Northern Nigeria in 1962.
Adamu Maicibi was at the time a school teacher based in Kwarra. He assisted Julien in his data gathering and the two men stayed in touch at least for a while. The documents in the collection includes two letters by Adamu Maicibi.
Adamu Maicibi was at the time a school teacher based in Kwarra. He assisted Julien in his data gathering and the two men stayed in touch at least for a while. The documents in the collection includes two letters by Adamu Maicibi.
This Breathing Photograph consists of 9x12 sheet films PJU-2448 [Ivory Coast, Nzema (appollo[nies])], PJU-2467 [Bété of Gagnoa], PJU-2507 [Krobou = Oress Agboville], and PJU-2521 [Abbey Agboville], produced in 1935.
This Breathing Photograph consists of photographs produced in 2019, and sheet film PJU-2206 [Gorée], produced in 1932.
Judith is a Dutch photographer. In 2019 she lived on the island of Goreé with her son. I asked them whether they were up for a re-photography mission with the photographs made by Paul Julien in Senegal.
They were. This led to several Breathing Photographs.
In addition, Judith Quax told me, the searching for the right locations resulted in valuable engagements and conversations with people that otherwise would never have taken place.
Judith is a Dutch photographer. In 2019 she lived on the island of Goreé with her son. I asked them whether they were up for a re-photography mission with the photographs made by Paul Julien in Senegal.
They were. This led to several Breathing Photographs.
In addition, Judith Quax told me, the searching for the right locations resulted in valuable engagements and conversations with people that otherwise would never have taken place.
This photograph consists of a photograph made at the market in Ed Dueim, and 9x12 sheet film PJU-1575, one of the photographs the men were looking at and discussing.
The men were excited about the photographs, looking at them and exchanging them while murmuring phrases like "Only God has power! Is this really from 1933"? "This is from those days of Al-Quaseria market" and so on. These were emotional moments, where the air filled with nostalgia and melancholy while the faces of the men were dazzled and filled with amazement as it History itself was sitting by their sides. Not only some old places and faces but also their father and grandfathers emotions were there in the chair next them drinking coffee and smiling.
While we were drinking coffee the eldest of the men said that the tree in one of the photos was not that of Sheikh Wad Awdna, since it is a Neem tree, while the one in the photograph is a Ban tree which was on the periphery of Al-Quaseria market. When the market was removed it was transformed into a butcher's place and then cut. He did not know why.
After the coffee we went to see the grandson of Mahmod Wad Hasbo, who was said to be the old man in our photo. The young man told us that, although there is a big semblance, this is not his grandfather who, different from our man, had a long beard and scant moustache besides some other tiny differences.
For the Tertiary Breathing photographs produced in Sudan photographer and filmmaker Elsadig Mohammed, who joined me in Reframing PJU in Sudan in 2015 and I. The information we were given was written down by Elsadig, translated for an exhibition in the National Museum of Sudan from Arabic by Razaz Basheir. The versions shared here were slightly edited by me.
The men were excited about the photographs, looking at them and exchanging them while murmuring phrases like "Only God has power! Is this really from 1933"? "This is from those days of Al-Quaseria market" and so on. These were emotional moments, where the air filled with nostalgia and melancholy while the faces of the men were dazzled and filled with amazement as it History itself was sitting by their sides. Not only some old places and faces but also their father and grandfathers emotions were there in the chair next them drinking coffee and smiling.
While we were drinking coffee the eldest of the men said that the tree in one of the photos was not that of Sheikh Wad Awdna, since it is a Neem tree, while the one in the photograph is a Ban tree which was on the periphery of Al-Quaseria market. When the market was removed it was transformed into a butcher's place and then cut. He did not know why.
After the coffee we went to see the grandson of Mahmod Wad Hasbo, who was said to be the old man in our photo. The young man told us that, although there is a big semblance, this is not his grandfather who, different from our man, had a long beard and scant moustache besides some other tiny differences.
For the Tertiary Breathing photographs produced in Sudan photographer and filmmaker Elsadig Mohammed, who joined me in Reframing PJU in Sudan in 2015 and I. The information we were given was written down by Elsadig, translated for an exhibition in the National Museum of Sudan from Arabic by Razaz Basheir. The versions shared here were slightly edited by me.
This Breathing Photograph consists of two photographs made in Ed Dueim in 2015 and prints of 9x12 sheet films PJU-1598 and PJU-1601, produced in the same Sudanese town eighty-two years earlier.
The people in the market could not identify the exact locations in which the pictures were made. They told us that this was probably because the river Nile had moved since 1933, and so had the market.
The people in the market could not identify the exact locations in which the pictures were made. They told us that this was probably because the river Nile had moved since 1933, and so had the market.
This Breathing Photograph consists of an undated digitised lantern slide encountered in the collection of the Visual Studies Workshop in Rochester, USA, and 9x12 sheet film PJU-1977 [Monrovia
], produced in 1932.
The "Street in Monrovia, Liberia" is not just any street, but Broad Street, the central axis through the downtown area.
The "Street in Monrovia, Liberia" is not just any street, but Broad Street, the central axis through the downtown area.
This Breathing Photograph consists of six by nine exposures PJU-1850
[taking measurements, Ngumbe, Liberia] and PJU-1872 [Kpelle], produced in 1932.
This Breathing Photograph consists of two pictures of "The late Chief Kposowa of Bumpe Tabe Chiefdom" produced in Bumpeh in 2020, when searching for the chief who Paul Julien calls the "Bobo of Bumpe".
If Bumpe refers to the Chiefdom in Moyamba district, the man should, following the information available on WIkipedia, be Albert Gbosowah Caulker, but this was not confirmed. If the man was the chief of Bumpe Ngao chiefdom, mentioned in the 2013 survey of the Chiefdoms of Sierra Leone by Tristan Reed James A. Robinson as the "very diverse" and "home to Temnes, Mendes and Sherbros", then the man is probably of the Gbekpa/Barka lineage rather than the currently ruling Kposowa one.
I photographed two pictures in the home of a brother to the current chief.
The mystery as to how the man in the photographs produced by Paul Julien in Sierra Leone in 1934 can be linked to the present has not yet been solved.
If Bumpe refers to the Chiefdom in Moyamba district, the man should, following the information available on WIkipedia, be Albert Gbosowah Caulker, but this was not confirmed. If the man was the chief of Bumpe Ngao chiefdom, mentioned in the 2013 survey of the Chiefdoms of Sierra Leone by Tristan Reed James A. Robinson as the "very diverse" and "home to Temnes, Mendes and Sherbros", then the man is probably of the Gbekpa/Barka lineage rather than the currently ruling Kposowa one.
I photographed two pictures in the home of a brother to the current chief.
The mystery as to how the man in the photographs produced by Paul Julien in Sierra Leone in 1934 can be linked to the present has not yet been solved.
This Breathing Photograph consists of the picture printed in several of 'Campfires Along the Equator' and two photographs made in response to its appropriation on the cover of a non-fiction book by Dutch author Frank Westerman.
The picture in Julien's book was produced in 1935 in what is now Burkina Faso, a region not anywhere near the geographies at play in Westerman's book. The made led to the following responses.
When I attended cultural performances in Nigeria and Uganda in 2013 I was reminded me of this photograph and its appropriation. I then showed the dancers the photograph and asked them whether they were willing to pose for a remake relocating it once again.
The boy with the hat belonged to the Lagos (Nigeria) based student/children dance theatre group 'Footprint of David'.
The shirtless dancer was a member of the 'Kika' Dance Troupe in Uganda.
The picture in Julien's book was produced in 1935 in what is now Burkina Faso, a region not anywhere near the geographies at play in Westerman's book. The made led to the following responses.
When I attended cultural performances in Nigeria and Uganda in 2013 I was reminded me of this photograph and its appropriation. I then showed the dancers the photograph and asked them whether they were willing to pose for a remake relocating it once again.
The boy with the hat belonged to the Lagos (Nigeria) based student/children dance theatre group 'Footprint of David'.
The shirtless dancer was a member of the 'Kika' Dance Troupe in Uganda.
This Breathing Photograph consists of sheet films PJU-2315 [Mende Bo], PJU-2327 [Sierra Leone, Mende], and PJU-2383 [Mende at Bo], produced in 1934.
This Breathing Photograph consists of 9x12 sheet films PJU-2308 [Spinster Moyamba], PJU-2359 [Mende spinster Moyamba], PJU-2361 [Loom, Mende, Sierra Leone], produced in 1934.
This is one of two Breathing Photographs that gives a panoramic impression of Dambarra. The photographs were produced on August 8th or 9th 1934, when Chief Moriba Kargobai organised several dance performances on the occasion of Julien’s brief stay in his Selenga Chiefdom.
Julien consistently calls the mask that makes his appearance in this Breathing Photograph Nawphalie while, as was confirmed time and again when posting the individual photographs on social media and showing them in Sierra Leone, it is known as Yavie.
Included in this Breathing Photograph are: PJU-2248 [Mende], PJU-2267, PJU-2280 [Nawphalie], PJU-2296, PJU-2337, PJU-2354 [Mende dancers], PJU-2364, PJU-2366 & PJU-2367 [Dance Mende Children], PJU-2390
Julien consistently calls the mask that makes his appearance in this Breathing Photograph Nawphalie while, as was confirmed time and again when posting the individual photographs on social media and showing them in Sierra Leone, it is known as Yavie.
Included in this Breathing Photograph are: PJU-2248 [Mende], PJU-2267, PJU-2280 [Nawphalie], PJU-2296, PJU-2337, PJU-2354 [Mende dancers], PJU-2364, PJU-2366 & PJU-2367 [Dance Mende Children], PJU-2390
The six 9x12 sheet films that make up this Breathing Photograph were produced on the same spot in Bo , the town in Sierra Leone in which Julien spent a few days before embarking on a tour to various smaller towns in the region early August 1934.
In the story told by Julien about snake charmer Fili, a leper leads the way. I have been wondering whether the man who modeled for Julien in Bo also helped with these descriptions.
In the story told by Julien about snake charmer Fili, a leper leads the way. I have been wondering whether the man who modeled for Julien in Bo also helped with these descriptions.
This Breathing Photograph consists of two 9x12 sheet films: PJU-2612 [Peuhls] PJU-2613 [Peuhl women near Mamou, French Guinea], produced in 1932.
This Breathing Photograph consists of two exposures that were, obviously, made right after one another but were, at some point, separated.
They are now filed as, respectively, an exposure on roll film PJU-282 [Masai cattle Construction hut Children with milk bottle Warrior] and PJU-1825.
With the latter there is no information in register, but it is in the midst of file numbers referring to exposures dating back to 1933], produced in Tanganyika in 1947.
With the latter there is no information in register, but it is in the midst of file numbers referring to exposures dating back to 1933], produced in Tanganyika in 1947.
This Breathing Photograph consists of an exposure on roll film PJU-314 [Chartoum - Nub Desert], and a 35mm color slide produced in Sudan in 1933.
The statue depicts General Gordon. It was removed shortly after Sudan's independence in 1958.
The statue depicts General Gordon. It was removed shortly after Sudan's independence in 1958.
This Breathing Photograph consists of 9x12 sheet films PJU-1924 [Doewe Kie Sanequeleh] and PJU-1941 [Sanequeleh DuoKie], both produced in Liberia in 1932.
This Breathing Photograph consists of six by nine exposures PJU-2579 [Moor], PJU-2580 [Peuhl] and PJU-2582 [Moor, French Guinea], produced in 1932.
PB 1950 PJU-450_11_12 + Colour slide
This Breathing Photograph consists of 9x12 sheet film PJU-2977 [Alimasi, salt distribution] and PJU-3006 [pygm. Alimasi], produced in the Ituri Forest, Eastern Congo in 1933.
This Breathing Photograph consists of two exposures on roll film PJU-985 [Village Calungungu of the Ganguela Masks] and five six by nine negatives that are not accompanied by any information in the register.
The latter set of pictures is likely to have been produced by someone who accompanied Paul Julien in Angola in 1962.
The latter set of pictures is likely to have been produced by someone who accompanied Paul Julien in Angola in 1962.
This Breathing Photograph consists of two exposures on roll film PJU-458 [Yalingo Emir] and two 35mm color slides, produced in 1950.
Through responses to a share of a digitised vintage print on Facebook it became clear that where Julien speaks of "Emir Yalingo", this is Muhammadu Mafindi dan Muhammadu Nya, Emir ] and two 35mm color slides.
From Julien's 1950 notebook "Then the Emir approaches us, an 84 year old able bodied man. He wears a blue silk gown with yellow embroidery and a white turban. He is fair skinned, has a small beard and is of tall stature. He enters a hall build constructed of mud, with a beautiful roof. The palace is surrounded by a wide and high wall of hundreds of meters of mud. The entrance is one of Haussa houses. He sits down on a sofa with gold brocade and embroidery. He is interested in airplanes, constructed a field for the planes to land, which never happened."
Through responses to a share of a digitised vintage print on Facebook it became clear that where Julien speaks of "Emir Yalingo", this is Muhammadu Mafindi dan Muhammadu Nya, Emir ] and two 35mm color slides.
From Julien's 1950 notebook "Then the Emir approaches us, an 84 year old able bodied man. He wears a blue silk gown with yellow embroidery and a white turban. He is fair skinned, has a small beard and is of tall stature. He enters a hall build constructed of mud, with a beautiful roof. The palace is surrounded by a wide and high wall of hundreds of meters of mud. The entrance is one of Haussa houses. He sits down on a sofa with gold brocade and embroidery. He is interested in airplanes, constructed a field for the planes to land, which never happened."
This Breathing Photograph consists of 6x6 exposures that have been cut loose from the roll film they were shot on and are filed as PJU-2177, PJU-2181 and 35mm color slides, produced in 1939.
This Breathing Photograph consists of one sheet film PJU-1372 [Old man Momboya near Nola] and two exposures on roll film PJU-83 [Bayanga - Potopoto - Chimpansé], produced in 1938.
This Breathing Photograph consists of one exposure on roll film PJU-437
[Ampan - Kereng Kabidos] and two 35mm color slides, produced in 1950.
This Breathing Photograph consists of 9x12 sheet films PJU-1968 and PJU-1978 [Mandingo's in Sanniquellie], produced in Liberia in 1932.
This Breathing Photograph consists of four 9x12 sheet films.
PJU-4757 is a filmcolor direct positive. PJU-1821, PJU-1822, are PJU-1823 black and white negatives.
All are in the register as "Masai, Moshi", and were produced in Tanganyika in 1933.
PJU-4757 is a filmcolor direct positive. PJU-1821, PJU-1822, are PJU-1823 black and white negatives.
All are in the register as "Masai, Moshi", and were produced in Tanganyika in 1933.
This Breathing Photograph consists of eight 9x12 sheet films.
PJU-2975 [excavation skeleton Chamunonge] was produced in Congoo in 1933.
PJU-1748, PJU-1749, PJU-1751 [Nordicus + pygmy], PJU-1750 [femora and tibiae of Nordicus en pygmy], PJU-1752, PJU-1753 [pygmy profile], PJU-1754 [pygmy en face] were produced later, most likely in the Netherlands.
PJU-2975 [excavation skeleton Chamunonge] was produced in Congoo in 1933.
PJU-1748, PJU-1749, PJU-1751 [Nordicus + pygmy], PJU-1750 [femora and tibiae of Nordicus en pygmy], PJU-1752, PJU-1753 [pygmy profile], PJU-1754 [pygmy en face] were produced later, most likely in the Netherlands.
This Breathing Photograph consists of 9x12 sheet film PJU-2374 [Nomori of Moyamba Holland], a lantern slide derived from it, and a set of photographs that in the register of the National Museum of Sierra Leone document a purchase of 20 staetite figures made in 1966.
The "Nomori" in the PJU register is a typo and should be Nomoli, the name of the ancient staetite figurines found in the border area of Sierra Leone and Liberia. Holland is most likely a mis-interpretation or typo too, and should be Helland, the name of the District Commissioner mentions Paul Julien to have met in Moyamba on Page 147 of the book Campfires Along the Equator.
The museum register includes the following information in relation to this set of Nomoli, which is among many more including both 'fake' and 'real' ones:
"At the foot of a hill, forming a flat stretch of swampy land (approx. half a mile radius) near Sengama village, which is four miles away from Fanima town, 51 Nomoli were dug up. This discovery was made by a group of men which was engaged in the cutting and burying of piasava. While digging, one Nomoli was found. In this way the men enearthed 51 pieces altogether.
In another village called Wopo, in the same area, 2 Nomoli were also found by a farmer.
The museum bought 20 of these."
The "Nomori" in the PJU register is a typo and should be Nomoli, the name of the ancient staetite figurines found in the border area of Sierra Leone and Liberia. Holland is most likely a mis-interpretation or typo too, and should be Helland, the name of the District Commissioner mentions Paul Julien to have met in Moyamba on Page 147 of the book Campfires Along the Equator.
The museum register includes the following information in relation to this set of Nomoli, which is among many more including both 'fake' and 'real' ones:
"At the foot of a hill, forming a flat stretch of swampy land (approx. half a mile radius) near Sengama village, which is four miles away from Fanima town, 51 Nomoli were dug up. This discovery was made by a group of men which was engaged in the cutting and burying of piasava. While digging, one Nomoli was found. In this way the men enearthed 51 pieces altogether.
In another village called Wopo, in the same area, 2 Nomoli were also found by a farmer.
The museum bought 20 of these."
This Breathing photograph consists of a photograph by T.J. Alldridge and a crop of roll film exposure PJU-2177 [Mrs. Elly Julien-Roberts in the savanna of the Tenda territory, Guinée (1939)].
The photograph appears to have been published as part of the publicity for Alldridge's book A Transformed Colony and roll Sierra Leone, as it was, and as it is. Its progress, peoples, native customs and undeveloped wealth. It is making rounds on the internet and can be bought through various services.
In Alldridge's book the photograph is captioned as: "A State Procession. Queen Messi of Massa, Sherbro, attending a political meeting. It wil be observed that the top hat, the emblem of supreme authority, is not confined to male rulers."
The photograph appears to have been published as part of the publicity for Alldridge's book A Transformed Colony and roll Sierra Leone, as it was, and as it is. Its progress, peoples, native customs and undeveloped wealth. It is making rounds on the internet and can be bought through various services.
In Alldridge's book the photograph is captioned as: "A State Procession. Queen Messi of Massa, Sherbro, attending a political meeting. It wil be observed that the top hat, the emblem of supreme authority, is not confined to male rulers."
This Breathing Photograph consists of a a picture of two glasses bought in a thrift store in Hoogezand (NL) and exposures from roll films PJU-822 and PJU-849
After photographing the glasses I gave them to Jude Kehla, who lives comes from Bamenda, in South-Western Cameroon and contributed to the pod-casts that were made in relation to the podcast series made about Paul Julien's photographic legacy.
After photographing the glasses I gave them to Jude Kehla, who lives comes from Bamenda, in South-Western Cameroon and contributed to the pod-casts that were made in relation to the podcast series made about Paul Julien's photographic legacy.
This Breathing Photograph consists of the dust jackets of travels books published by Scheltens & Giltay in the 1950s, which included "The Africa Trilogy" by dr. Paul Julien.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a snapshot made at a printer on Nasser Road, Kampala Uganda, and a a detail of the facade of the National Museum of Liberia with the announcement of the exhibition "Liberia in 1932, Photographed by Paul Julien" hung above its entrance.
Based on earlier investigations it seemed that producing the exhibition prints in Uganda, where I am much more familiar with the possibilities, was, both terms of costs and quality, a better option than Liberia. Printing in the Netherlands would have exceeded my budget by far.
The picture used for the banner is PJU-1938 produced, of course, in 1932.
Through a rather random encounter with someone who visited the museum in 2019 I learned that the show was at that time still up.
Based on earlier investigations it seemed that producing the exhibition prints in Uganda, where I am much more familiar with the possibilities, was, both terms of costs and quality, a better option than Liberia. Printing in the Netherlands would have exceeded my budget by far.
The picture used for the banner is PJU-1938 produced, of course, in 1932.
Through a rather random encounter with someone who visited the museum in 2019 I learned that the show was at that time still up.
This Breathing Photograph consists of the view encountered on a Sunday afternoon late March 2020, when I decided to treat myself to a beer on the terrace of the Lagoonda Restaurant at the Mamba Point Hotel, and sheet film PJU-2414 [Freetown], which was produced in 1934.
After I sat down and looked around me the view struck me as familiar. I made a few photographs with my phone. Browsing through the photograph Paul Julien made in Sierra Leone I understood why this was the case.
After I sat down and looked around me the view struck me as familiar. I made a few photographs with my phone. Browsing through the photograph Paul Julien made in Sierra Leone I understood why this was the case.
This Breathing photograph consists of a portrait of the present day chief of Gbo chiefdom, Madam Ruth T. Fawundu Songa IV and some of her people, and 9x12 sheet films PJU-2339 [Evening[school?] Chief Baiima S.L.] and PJU-2301, produced eighty-four years earlier.
When I first showed the 1934 photographs to a few men sitting on a porch, including Speaker Chief Peter J. Kormawy who waves at us in the Breathing Photograph, the instant general consensus was that the chief depicted had to be Momoh Babay Songa, founder of the chiefdom.
Joseph Fefegula, who had returned to his place of birth after a life in the USA and helped the chief by constructing her heritage based on oral history, shared his finding with me. While trying to figure out how different sources added up it became clear that this had to be Paramount Chief Nuyaba who Paul Julien describes in his notebook as follows (my translation):
"When we approach the village I see in the distance a crowd approach us. To the lef of the path rises a large building with corrugated iron roof, a sign of great wealth: Nuyaba's palace. The old ruler comes out himself to greet me. He is transported in a wheelbarrow of sorts, surrounded by all the big men of his village, and his old friendly face welcomes the stranger.
The speaker wears a beautiful gown of stripes of white, blue and brown cotton, exceptional in its teint and cut. Also remarkably dressed is the son of the previous paramount chief, whose pictorial compound is situated on the right hand side of the path.
I hand over my accreditation letter, which his black secretary reads out to him in total silence. 'My dear friend', it then sounds, 'the resthouse has been prepared for you. I will deliver you some water.'
An hour later, when I am installed in the comfortable and beautifully situated rest house a messenger from the chief arrives with two carriers. They bring a large bowl of rice, six chickens, a large calabash, a bunch of bananas and many other gifts, an half an hour later, surrounded by all his big men, dressed in his honorary costume, a dark green gown, and adorned with a rich gold embroidered hat [the chief himself arrives].
They take place on the in haste collected chairs, while I offer Nuyaba one of my camp chairs.
Karimoe, my messenger, translates and Nuyaba requires after my journey and whether there was a lot of rain. From where I came, where I am going. In short, all the courteous questions. Nuyaba is a man of explicitly good manners. [...]"
In the narrative compiled by Joseph Fefegula P.C. Nuyaba is positioned as follows:
"When Momoh Babay Songa passed away after serving his people many years as a successful leader and warrior, a big vacuum opened up. In those days, leadership was given to the first born who happened to be a girl. However, women were then not allowed Chieftaincy. Since her brother Gombla Songa was too young to succeed his father, she proposed for her husband to serve as a caretaker. Kenei Nuyaba was given a shorter staff and took on the position."
When I first showed the 1934 photographs to a few men sitting on a porch, including Speaker Chief Peter J. Kormawy who waves at us in the Breathing Photograph, the instant general consensus was that the chief depicted had to be Momoh Babay Songa, founder of the chiefdom.
Joseph Fefegula, who had returned to his place of birth after a life in the USA and helped the chief by constructing her heritage based on oral history, shared his finding with me. While trying to figure out how different sources added up it became clear that this had to be Paramount Chief Nuyaba who Paul Julien describes in his notebook as follows (my translation):
"When we approach the village I see in the distance a crowd approach us. To the lef of the path rises a large building with corrugated iron roof, a sign of great wealth: Nuyaba's palace. The old ruler comes out himself to greet me. He is transported in a wheelbarrow of sorts, surrounded by all the big men of his village, and his old friendly face welcomes the stranger.
The speaker wears a beautiful gown of stripes of white, blue and brown cotton, exceptional in its teint and cut. Also remarkably dressed is the son of the previous paramount chief, whose pictorial compound is situated on the right hand side of the path.
I hand over my accreditation letter, which his black secretary reads out to him in total silence. 'My dear friend', it then sounds, 'the resthouse has been prepared for you. I will deliver you some water.'
An hour later, when I am installed in the comfortable and beautifully situated rest house a messenger from the chief arrives with two carriers. They bring a large bowl of rice, six chickens, a large calabash, a bunch of bananas and many other gifts, an half an hour later, surrounded by all his big men, dressed in his honorary costume, a dark green gown, and adorned with a rich gold embroidered hat [the chief himself arrives].
They take place on the in haste collected chairs, while I offer Nuyaba one of my camp chairs.
Karimoe, my messenger, translates and Nuyaba requires after my journey and whether there was a lot of rain. From where I came, where I am going. In short, all the courteous questions. Nuyaba is a man of explicitly good manners. [...]"
In the narrative compiled by Joseph Fefegula P.C. Nuyaba is positioned as follows:
"When Momoh Babay Songa passed away after serving his people many years as a successful leader and warrior, a big vacuum opened up. In those days, leadership was given to the first born who happened to be a girl. However, women were then not allowed Chieftaincy. Since her brother Gombla Songa was too young to succeed his father, she proposed for her husband to serve as a caretaker. Kenei Nuyaba was given a shorter staff and took on the position."
This Breathing Photograph consists of 9x12 sheet film PJU-2412 [Cotton Tree Freetown], which was produced in 1934, and a colorised version that was made by one of the people who responded to a share in a Facebook group.
See the presence of this photograph in the Scopic Breathing category for information about,Dr. Reffel the owner of the house here seen on the right side of the photograph.
See the presence of this photograph in the Scopic Breathing category for information about,Dr. Reffel the owner of the house here seen on the right side of the photograph.
This Breathing Photograph consists of PJU-2177 (which was cut from the roll film it was shot on), an exposure on roll film PJU-131 and a response to these pictures by Daniel Iglesias Gonzalez.
Daniel Iglesias Gonzalez was, in 2019, a student at the MA Artistic Research at the Royal Academy of Art in The Hague. He took part in a so-called Research Week programme for which I invited students to join me in engaging with the PJU collection at the Nederlands Fotomuseum.
Students chose a vantage point for the week by going through the photographs from the collection available on the museum website , which consisted mostly of lantern slides digitised by me in the initial stage of the work with the collection. Daniel chose PJU-11479. He was then provided by me with all the photographs made on the 1939 expedition, the year in which the PJU_131 was produced. Daniel also spent, as everyone who participated in the workshop, a day in the archive, browsing through more and less relevant and accessible documents relating to the photographs. On the last day of the workshop he presented the following letter and a cut up of PJU-2177:
September 26, 2019
The Hague,
Letter to a Thirsty Man in Guinea, 1939,
It has been brought to my attention that you were a man of multiple talents. You were a guide, a source of knowledge, an example, a blood sample, a facial feature, a column and – above all – a man who was able to turn away from the camera in an era when all your people had to present themselves in front of it for inspection. I have tried the last few days to find any evidence of more moments when you did manage to escape the other’s gaze, but I have seen nothing. In all the material that I have inspected during this time the camera was blind.
I won’t try to position myself as someone who understands your world, because I don’t. However, as the result of another colonial past, I want to give you a bit of hope. When your world and their world collided, they were both destroyed forever. Your descendants, like it or not, must learn how not to worry, because events that you had to experience make no sense. Lost is a core ingredient of their future. It sounds hapless, but it is possible.
I feel sad to see that much of the actions committed on you still happen today, but sometimes history works as a veil that hinders the present. From my experience, I can say Europeans have a great talent to put themselves in the center of everything. But they are not. Do not believe their guilt is your business. There is no way that you can help them with that. Moreover, the weight of their past cannot block your future. Now that you have become a column, you should focus on building your own structures. Leave the whites in the jungle, the leopards can dispose of them.
Daniel Iglesias Gonzalez
Daniel Iglesias Gonzalez was, in 2019, a student at the MA Artistic Research at the Royal Academy of Art in The Hague. He took part in a so-called Research Week programme for which I invited students to join me in engaging with the PJU collection at the Nederlands Fotomuseum.
Students chose a vantage point for the week by going through the photographs from the collection available on the museum website , which consisted mostly of lantern slides digitised by me in the initial stage of the work with the collection. Daniel chose PJU-11479. He was then provided by me with all the photographs made on the 1939 expedition, the year in which the PJU_131 was produced. Daniel also spent, as everyone who participated in the workshop, a day in the archive, browsing through more and less relevant and accessible documents relating to the photographs. On the last day of the workshop he presented the following letter and a cut up of PJU-2177:
September 26, 2019
The Hague,
Letter to a Thirsty Man in Guinea, 1939,
It has been brought to my attention that you were a man of multiple talents. You were a guide, a source of knowledge, an example, a blood sample, a facial feature, a column and – above all – a man who was able to turn away from the camera in an era when all your people had to present themselves in front of it for inspection. I have tried the last few days to find any evidence of more moments when you did manage to escape the other’s gaze, but I have seen nothing. In all the material that I have inspected during this time the camera was blind.
I won’t try to position myself as someone who understands your world, because I don’t. However, as the result of another colonial past, I want to give you a bit of hope. When your world and their world collided, they were both destroyed forever. Your descendants, like it or not, must learn how not to worry, because events that you had to experience make no sense. Lost is a core ingredient of their future. It sounds hapless, but it is possible.
I feel sad to see that much of the actions committed on you still happen today, but sometimes history works as a veil that hinders the present. From my experience, I can say Europeans have a great talent to put themselves in the center of everything. But they are not. Do not believe their guilt is your business. There is no way that you can help them with that. Moreover, the weight of their past cannot block your future. Now that you have become a column, you should focus on building your own structures. Leave the whites in the jungle, the leopards can dispose of them.
Daniel Iglesias Gonzalez
This Breathing photograph consists of a photograph made in Gbaiima in 2020 in which Paramount Chief Mrs. Ruth T. Fawundu Songa IV holds a print of sheet negative PJU-2353 [home sub-chief Baiima Sierra Leone], and sheet film PJU-2307 [Compound previous chief Baiima], both produced in 1934.
On a visit a few days earlier mr. Joseph Fefegula, who helps the chief to document the history of the chiefdom, had made some quick photographs of the pictures while I showed them on my laptop. In the mean time he had printed them and given them to his chief.
The view behind the picture held up by Mrs. Ruth T. Fawunda Songa IV is the site of the compound of P.C. Kenei Nuyaba shown on PJU-2307.
On a visit a few days earlier mr. Joseph Fefegula, who helps the chief to document the history of the chiefdom, had made some quick photographs of the pictures while I showed them on my laptop. In the mean time he had printed them and given them to his chief.
The view behind the picture held up by Mrs. Ruth T. Fawunda Songa IV is the site of the compound of P.C. Kenei Nuyaba shown on PJU-2307.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a picture made in Gbaiima in 2020, and sheet films PJU-2303 [Mende Sierra Leone,
umbilical hernia] and PJU-2382 [Paramount Chief Baiima] probably both made on August 10th 1934.
The chief has been identified as P.C. Kenei Nuyaba.
Gbaiima Songa is now the last town situated next to the highway when coming from Freetown before reaching Bo. My visit led to a portrait session with Paramount Chief Mrs. Ruth T. Fawundu Songa IV and her speaker Chief Peter J. Kormawy.
The chief has been identified as P.C. Kenei Nuyaba.
Gbaiima Songa is now the last town situated next to the highway when coming from Freetown before reaching Bo. My visit led to a portrait session with Paramount Chief Mrs. Ruth T. Fawundu Songa IV and her speaker Chief Peter J. Kormawy.
The Breathing Photograph consists of details from two sheet films produced in Sierra Leone in 1934, filed as PJU-2272 [Bobo of Bumpe] and PJU-2297 [court of Bumpe], a photograph from the website of the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, and two photograph produced by me in 2020. The two sheet films are portraits of the same man who is, in one of them accompanied by members of his family.
With a share of these photographs from the sheet films in the Sierra Leone Heritage group on Facebook, Curator of African Art at the Yale University Art Gallery Frederick Lamp pointed out that the hat of the man is made of silver. He also provided a link to another silver hat in the collection of the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, which led to the picture included here.
When I showed the photographs produced in 1934 to Nash, who I met in the Big Market in Freetown, he said he recognised the man as the father or grandfather of a school friend of his. Surely, he said, I would be able to get more information about this man when travelling upcountry. Unfortunately he was wrong and the man has not yet been positively identified.
Nash did not only sell souvenirs of Chinese making in his stall, but also jewelry that he made himself of old Sierra Leonean shillings.
I then, rather intuitively, asked him whether he might be able to produce a replica of the hat using his usual material. He said yes and we made a deal.
The outcome was an object made of thin plate material and a chain, painted with silver spray-paint. Nash did not want to produce a miniature replica but a real size one, but the coins he had were not enough for this ambition.
I could not help but being disappointed. Nash posed with his work in the shop of a friend of his at Big Market.
The construction of the hat was not solid enough to survive the journey back to the Netherlands in my suitcase.
The succession of events, in hindsight, shows me that I possibly was a bit too eager to find connections from the historical photographs and Nash has a good insight in potential customers passing by his shop.
With a share of these photographs from the sheet films in the Sierra Leone Heritage group on Facebook, Curator of African Art at the Yale University Art Gallery Frederick Lamp pointed out that the hat of the man is made of silver. He also provided a link to another silver hat in the collection of the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, which led to the picture included here.
When I showed the photographs produced in 1934 to Nash, who I met in the Big Market in Freetown, he said he recognised the man as the father or grandfather of a school friend of his. Surely, he said, I would be able to get more information about this man when travelling upcountry. Unfortunately he was wrong and the man has not yet been positively identified.
Nash did not only sell souvenirs of Chinese making in his stall, but also jewelry that he made himself of old Sierra Leonean shillings.
I then, rather intuitively, asked him whether he might be able to produce a replica of the hat using his usual material. He said yes and we made a deal.
The outcome was an object made of thin plate material and a chain, painted with silver spray-paint. Nash did not want to produce a miniature replica but a real size one, but the coins he had were not enough for this ambition.
I could not help but being disappointed. Nash posed with his work in the shop of a friend of his at Big Market.
The construction of the hat was not solid enough to survive the journey back to the Netherlands in my suitcase.
The succession of events, in hindsight, shows me that I possibly was a bit too eager to find connections from the historical photographs and Nash has a good insight in potential customers passing by his shop.
This Breathing Photograph consists of 9x12 sheet film PJU-2374 [Nomori of Moyamba Holland], and two lantern slides that were derived from it, and photographs of a stone picked up from a street in Moyamba, March 2020.
Sharing the photograph on social media had resulted in several people remarking that this was not a 'real' Nomoli. Looking into the matter further I learned that they meant that it was not an archeological artifact but a carving produced for the tourist market.
Julien mentions staying in Moyamba with colonial officer mr. Hollins, the District Commissioner. I assume that this name became at some point became "Holland" in the register.
Historian J.C. Vanja, whom I met in Moyamba took, as numerous other people I showed the photograph to while in Sierra Leone, the stance that the Nomoli is real. Few materials are more 'real' than stone and the photograph is crisp and clear. Mr. Vanja added a story on how these figurines were of non-human, magical make. When we, after a very pleasant conversation, walked away from his house several of the stones on the path stared at me. When I pointed them out to him, Mr. Vanja saw them too...
The "Nomori" in the PJU register is, obviously, a typo and should be Nomoli, the name of the ancient staetite figurines found in the border area of Sierra Leone and Liberia. Holland is most likely a mis-interpretation or typo too, and should be Helland, the name of the District Commissioner mentions Paul Julien to have met in Moyamba on Page 147 of the book Campfires Along the Equator.
Sharing the photograph on social media had resulted in several people remarking that this was not a 'real' Nomoli. Looking into the matter further I learned that they meant that it was not an archeological artifact but a carving produced for the tourist market.
Julien mentions staying in Moyamba with colonial officer mr. Hollins, the District Commissioner. I assume that this name became at some point became "Holland" in the register.
Historian J.C. Vanja, whom I met in Moyamba took, as numerous other people I showed the photograph to while in Sierra Leone, the stance that the Nomoli is real. Few materials are more 'real' than stone and the photograph is crisp and clear. Mr. Vanja added a story on how these figurines were of non-human, magical make. When we, after a very pleasant conversation, walked away from his house several of the stones on the path stared at me. When I pointed them out to him, Mr. Vanja saw them too...
The "Nomori" in the PJU register is, obviously, a typo and should be Nomoli, the name of the ancient staetite figurines found in the border area of Sierra Leone and Liberia. Holland is most likely a mis-interpretation or typo too, and should be Helland, the name of the District Commissioner mentions Paul Julien to have met in Moyamba on Page 147 of the book Campfires Along the Equator.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a drawing based on sheet film PJU-2268 [snake trap, Sierra Leone, Mende], and the digitised negative, produced in 1934 itself.
When I shared the picture in the 'Old Photos of Sierra Leone' Facebook group Emmanuel Morlai Kamara responded with this drawing and the following comment:
"I remember those days when my uncles back then in the village were teaching us to set traps for animals.
I've made a sketch of the trap to see its features and to explain how it works.
The safety stick, when pulled by the passing animal, ignites the catapult stick to unbend upwards and drawing the string to trap the animal's head or foot depending on what it used to pull the safety stick.
The trapped animal will be hanging there, dead or alive, and if alive the farmer then has to use his cutlass to strike it dead.
That day provides meat for the family, and sometimes in-laws or neighbours have their share or the entire animal is sold and the money used to buy other family needed items or to pay school fees for children."
When I shared the picture in the 'Old Photos of Sierra Leone' Facebook group Emmanuel Morlai Kamara responded with this drawing and the following comment:
"I remember those days when my uncles back then in the village were teaching us to set traps for animals.
I've made a sketch of the trap to see its features and to explain how it works.
The safety stick, when pulled by the passing animal, ignites the catapult stick to unbend upwards and drawing the string to trap the animal's head or foot depending on what it used to pull the safety stick.
The trapped animal will be hanging there, dead or alive, and if alive the farmer then has to use his cutlass to strike it dead.
That day provides meat for the family, and sometimes in-laws or neighbours have their share or the entire animal is sold and the money used to buy other family needed items or to pay school fees for children."
This Breathing Photograph consists of photographs produced by Sudanese photographer and filmmaker Sadig M. Ahmed, 9x12 sheet film PJU-1578 [Omdurman] and a lantern slide based on the negative.
In 2015 Sadig and I tried to find the location of the depicted Guba (tomb). Friends of his reminded us that we should visit the well known Hamed-al Nil burial site. Several of the tombs there indeed resemble the one on the photograph, but none of them was actually the same.
Someone else suggested that the building on the photograph might be the Guba in the street in which Sadig grew up. When we passed by we both thought this to be unlikely. It looked so different!
This latter suggestion, however, turned out to be correct. We had been misguided by the state in which Julien photographed the building. It was still under construction it seems, not yet painted in the bright colours we saw when passing by.
In 2015 Sadig and I tried to find the location of the depicted Guba (tomb). Friends of his reminded us that we should visit the well known Hamed-al Nil burial site. Several of the tombs there indeed resemble the one on the photograph, but none of them was actually the same.
Someone else suggested that the building on the photograph might be the Guba in the street in which Sadig grew up. When we passed by we both thought this to be unlikely. It looked so different!
This latter suggestion, however, turned out to be correct. We had been misguided by the state in which Julien photographed the building. It was still under construction it seems, not yet painted in the bright colours we saw when passing by.
This Breathing photograph consists of 9x12 sheet film PJU-1575 [Ed Dueim] and a photograph made of the exhibition "Walking Between Houses, Paul Julien in Sudan", which took place in the National Museum of Sudan October 2015.
This Breathing Photograph consists of a film clip produced in 2020 by Ugandan artist Canon Griffin, and six by nine negative PJU-797 [Kampala 1933]
Based on the route to which the other photographs produced here by Paul Julien testify, Canon Griffin proposes to consider this view, on Namirembe Road, as an update.
Based on the route to which the other photographs produced here by Paul Julien testify, Canon Griffin proposes to consider this view, on Namirembe Road, as an update.
This Breathing Photograph consists of six by nine negative PJU-797-2 [Tribes Nile 1933, Sea captures, at Ella's] and a photograph of the same building produced by Ugandan artist Canon Griffin in 2020.
The building is Lubaga Cathedral, a Roman Catholic church in Kampala, Uganda.
When Canon produced the recent photograph Kampala was in a Covid-19 related lockdown, which makes the scene less populated than it would otherwise would most likely have been.
The building is Lubaga Cathedral, a Roman Catholic church in Kampala, Uganda.
When Canon produced the recent photograph Kampala was in a Covid-19 related lockdown, which makes the scene less populated than it would otherwise would most likely have been.
A village portrait consists of exposures on seven 9x12 sheet films and three roll film produced in 1936 in South-Western Cameroon.
Some of these photographs feature Nkom, chief of Mpan.
On page 34 of the third chapter of his book Campfires Along the Equator, about "Nguélé" who he met in 1938.
Paul Julien speaks of him as "My good old friend Nkom, the Bakah-dwarf of the "Dzjah-River": "Nkom could could truly be called my friend. Up to two years after my departure he asked after me and sent his regards through negroes who stayed in touch with me through a mission post, shared peculiarities about his children and wives, as well the outcomes of the hunt."
PJU-2698 [dancers in Mpan]
PJU-2708 [dancer Mpan]
PJU-2711 [Nkom]
PJU-2714 [Douma, Ngoya, Kéma]
PJU-2740 [Bayak dancer in Mpan]
PJU-2771 [Mpan]
PJU-2808 [Nkom's family Mpan]
PJU-2815 [Bayak Dancer in Mpan]
PJU-11 [Mpan, dances, Bibayak],
PJU-12 [Mpan, portraits pygm.]
PJU-13 [Mpan, Bib. Portr. Nkom etc.]
Some of these photographs feature Nkom, chief of Mpan.
On page 34 of the third chapter of his book Campfires Along the Equator, about "Nguélé" who he met in 1938.
Paul Julien speaks of him as "My good old friend Nkom, the Bakah-dwarf of the "Dzjah-River": "Nkom could could truly be called my friend. Up to two years after my departure he asked after me and sent his regards through negroes who stayed in touch with me through a mission post, shared peculiarities about his children and wives, as well the outcomes of the hunt."
PJU-2698 [dancers in Mpan]
PJU-2708 [dancer Mpan]
PJU-2711 [Nkom]
PJU-2714 [Douma, Ngoya, Kéma]
PJU-2740 [Bayak dancer in Mpan]
PJU-2771 [Mpan]
PJU-2808 [Nkom's family Mpan]
PJU-2815 [Bayak Dancer in Mpan]
PJU-11 [Mpan, dances, Bibayak],
PJU-12 [Mpan, portraits pygm.]
PJU-13 [Mpan, Bib. Portr. Nkom etc.]
This Breathing Photograph consists of 9x12 sheet films PJU-2258 [Maibe Kargobai + fam], PJU-2385 and PJU-2395 [Mende].
The pictures were produced in Dambarra where Moriba Kargobai organised several cultural performances on the occasion of Paul Julien's brief stay at the Catholic mission in his chiefdom on August 8th and 9th 1934.
According to a letter to his parents, Bo based Catholic missionary Father Scheer negotiated for Julien to see secret society masks while he was otherwise collecting data for his physical anthropological research.
The musical instrument held by the women is, in this part of the country, called a Shegbureh.
The pictures were produced in Dambarra where Moriba Kargobai organised several cultural performances on the occasion of Paul Julien's brief stay at the Catholic mission in his chiefdom on August 8th and 9th 1934.
According to a letter to his parents, Bo based Catholic missionary Father Scheer negotiated for Julien to see secret society masks while he was otherwise collecting data for his physical anthropological research.
The musical instrument held by the women is, in this part of the country, called a Shegbureh.