The Emir of Katsina, Sir Alhaji Usman Nagogo, holding a morning greeting ceremony, Katsina, Nigeria 1959 By Eliot Elisofon

"The Emir sits in a chair against the wall, with the dark blue turbaned members of his bodyguard at his right, and council and staff members at his left. One of the emir's son, Alhaji Mohamed Kabir, sits at his father's right. The senior member of the Emir's council is at his immediate left, then a secretary, then a scribe." [Eliot Elisofon's personal field note]. 


These photographs were taken when Eliot Elisofon was on assignment for Life magazine and traveled to Africa from August 18, 1959 to December 20, 1959. (More)

The Emir of Katsina's elite bodyguard at the morning greeting ceremony (more)

 "Particular styles of turbans or particular textiles or colors may be reserved for specific occasions or for different segments of the aristocracy or their retainers. In the northern emirates, the turban is a central symbol of political authority. For secular political events, emirs and other elites prefer dark indigo-blue turbans; for example, when receiving official visitors, attending installation ceremonies and for equestrian displays." [Arnoldi M., 1995: Wrapping the Head, Crowning Achievements, UCLA Fowler Museum of Cultural History].

Their quilted armour was known as Yan Lifida

Hausa armed horsemen in quilted armour during 10th anniversary of independence celebration, Niamey, Niger, [colour slide by Eliot Elisofon, 1971].

more | Source (Smithsonian Archives)

"Heavy garments of quilted cotton cloth stuffed with capok were widely used as armour for horse and man in central and eastern Sudanic Africa. In the Sokoto caliphate of northern Nigeria, heavily armed horsemen in quilted armour were known as Yan Lifida. They often acted as the bodyguards of an Emir on the field. The various components which formed the armour are: the bantan lifidi covered the loins and abdomen; the safa the upper torso; the kumakumi was worn as a corselet; Such quilted armour was used either alone or in combination with chain mail (sulke). The war-horses themselves were sometimes outfitted with breastplates (dan gaba) as well. The helmet (kwalkwali) was a padded headpiece made of bound rags, sometimes covered by a tin or brass receptacle or chain mail, and decorated with the feathers of an ostrich or other brightly colored bird."

[Ch. Spring, 1993: African Arms and Armour. British Museum press]. This photograph was taken when Eliot Elisofon was on assignment for Westinghouse Film and traveled to Africa from October 26, 1970 to end of March 1971.

Gold (pronounced /ˈɡoʊld/) is a chemical element with the symbol Au (from Latin: aurum, "shining dawn", hence adjective, aureate)

A selection of slides by Photographer Eliot Elisofon. This series of photographs were taken when Eliot Elisofon traveled to Africa from March 17, 1970 to July 17, 1970. (Photos taken from the Smithsonian Archive. For more information on each photo: I, II, III, IV.


Paramount Chief Nana Akyanfuo Akowuah Dateh II and regional chiefs, Kumasi, Ghana, 1970. This photograph depicts Asante Paramount Chief Nana Akyanfuo Akowuah Dateh II, regional chief Kwaku Addai (R) and the heir to Asafo stool (L). He was both Akwamuhene (chief of Akwamu, one of the early Akan kingdoms) and Asafohene (captain of an Asafo company, or a ceremonial head of a group of kinsmen).









Kyaman chiefs and notables, Anna village, Ivory Coast, 1972
The photograph depicts Ebrie (now Kyaman) dignitaries wearing prestige clothes and regalias. From left to right, seated: Alphonse Akre, sub-chief, Anna village. Blaise Ake Djoble, Anna village notable and party member. Jean-Baptiste Mobio, Adiopodoume village notable and party member. Standing: Maxime Ake Akossi, Anna village notable. Michel Afram, party representative, Anna. Marc Akouman, party delegate, Akouedo village. Barthelemy Akre, Chief of the Catholics, Anna. Katherine Ake Agouabe, daughter of notable, Anna. Francoise Dao Alouette, niece of Michel Afram. Alphonse Adja, Akouedo notable. Nicolas Tchapa Gouedan, Abatta village chief. "During the colonial period the French sought to consolidate their authority over the peoples of the south-eastern region by creating district and cantonal chiefs. Though untraditional, these offices have survived, and their occupants have increasingly sought to gain status by adopting Akan-style regalia (as have the few traditional paramount chiefs in the region)." [Timothy F. Garrard, 1989: Gold of Africa, Prestel]. This photograph was taken when Eliot Elisofon was on assignment for National Geographic and traveled to Africa from January 19, 1972 to mid April 1972.


Ornaments of a royal attendant at the Asantehene's court, Kumasi, Ghana. 1971