Book

Ubena of the Rivers

G. Allen & Unwin, Ltd.LondonPublished In 1935 • Pages:

By: Culwick, A. T. (Arthur Theodore), Culwick, G. M., Mrs., Kiwanga, Towegale.

AbstractBrief abstract written by HRAF anthropologists who have done the subject indexing for the document
This is a rich ethnography and history of the Ulanga Valley Bena, covering a variety of subjects, including religion, customary law, property, agricultural production, mutual aid, bride wealth, family and kin relationships, clan system, and medicine men. Most of the material was gathered by indigenous researchers and is written in a clear matter-of-fact style. The Bena first migrated into the highlands of southern Iringa Region (Njombe District) in early 1800s. In the 1860s some groups migrated down into the river lands of southwestern Morogoro Region. The ethnographic study focuses exclusively on the 'Ubena of the Rivers' in Ulanga and Kilombero Districts, Morogoro Region (see map facing page 152.) Although the oral history refers to royal clans and houses, according to Swartz, the Bena had political entities no larger than a few villages and therefore had a tribal organization. The British appointed a paramount chief in the 1926.
SubjectsDocument-level OCM identifiers given by the anthropology subject indexers at HRAF
Traditional history
Art
Marriage
Family
Kinship
Informal in-group justice
Territorial hierarchy
War
Sickness
Reproduction
cultureCulture name from the Outline of World Cultures (OWC)
Bena
HRAF PubDateThe date HRAF published the document
2003
RegionThe area the document pertains to
Africa
Sub RegionThe more specific area the document pertains to, which is located within the Region
Eastern Africa
Document TypeMay include journal articles, essays, collections of essays, monographs, or chapters/parts of monographs
Book
Evaluation
Creator TypeThe type of person writing the document, e.g. Ethnographer, Missionary, Archaeologist, Folklorist, Linguist, Indigenous Person, and so on.
Ethnologist
Document Rating A ranking done by HRAF anthropologists based on the strength of the source material on a scale of 1 to 5, as follows: 1 - poor; 2 - fair; 3 - good, useful data, but not uniformly excellent; 4 - excellent secondary data; 5 - excellent primary data.
4: Excellent Secondary Data
5: Excellent Primary Data
AnalystThe HRAF anthropologist who subject indexed the document and prepared other materials for the eHRAF culture/tradition collection
Ian Skoggard ; 2002
Field DateThe date the researcher conducted the fieldwork or archival research that produced the document
1931-1933
Coverage DateThe date or dates that the information in the document pertains to
1928-1933
Coverage PlaceLocation of the research culture or tradition (often a smaller unit such as a band, community, or archaeological site)
Ulanga and Kilombero Districts, Morogoro Region, Tanzania
NotesAdditional notes
by A. T. and G. M. Culwick; with a chapter by Mtema Towegale Kiwanga, and an introduction by Dr. L. H. Dudley Buxton
LCCNLibrary of Congress Control Number
36019581
LCSHLibrary of Congress Subject Headings
Bena (African people)