Portrait of Rillo, dobashi (Image number N.001, J.P. Mills Photographic Collection)
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Material Information

Title:
Portrait of Rillo, dobashi (Image number N.001, J.P. Mills Photographic Collection)
Series Title:
J.P. Mills Photographic Collection
Creator:
Barnes.
Hobson, Geraldine ( contributor )
Publication Date:
Materials:
B&W photographic print 9.5x7 cm ( medium )

Notes

Abstract:
Rillo, a dobashi (interpreter). A note on the back says "taken by Barnes". A dobashi, or interpreter, not only performed that important task, but was a vital liaison between the British officer and the tribal people whom he was administering. Dobashis were hand picked for the job and, given that there were dozens of often mutually incomprehensible Naga languages, a particular case being heard in a village might involve two or more dobashis translating between the aggrieved parties, and into Naga-Assamese for Mills, who spoke that language fluently. This form of Assamese bore little resemblance to the classical Assamese of the plains, but was used as an essential lingua franca, because villages barely an hour's march away might not be able to speak each other's languages. ( en )
General Note:
Date of photograph: 1919 April
General Note:
Copyright held by the Estate of J.P. Mills. The Estate is currently (2015) represented by Geraldine Hobson.
General Note:
This item may be used under license: Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial (CC BY-NC)
General Note:
This photograph is part of album N. All images of this album have been taken between 1919 and 1923.
General Note:
Originally collected in Album N of the "J.P. Mills Photographic Collection". (Held in the SOAS, University of London, Archives and Special Collections.)
General Note:
Mills, J. P. (James Philip), 1890-1960. The Lhota Nagas. London : Macmillan & Co., Ltd., 1922. (LCCN: 23005149)
General Note:
Mills, J. P. (James Philip), 1890-1960. The Ao Nagas. London : Macmillan & Co., 1926. (LCCN: 27013331)
General Note:
Mills, J. P. (James Philip), 1890-1960. The Rengma Nagas. London : Macmillan & Co., Ltd., 1937. (LCCN: 37039518)
General Note:
Jacobs, Julian. The Nagas : hill peoples of Northeast India : society, culture, and the colonial encounter. London : Thames and Hudson, 1990.
General Note:
Mills, J. P. (James Philip), 1890-1960. [Letters to W. Archer.] Published at: University of Cambridge, Department of Social Anthropiology. Naga Videodisk. [1980s] cf, http://www.digitalhimalaya.com/collections/naga/
General Note:
VIAF ID: 24095368 (name authority) : Hobson, Geraldine
General Note:
Ethnologue reference: http://www.ethnologue.com/search/search_by_page/naga%20rengma

Record Information

Source Institution:
SOAS, University of London
Holding Location:
Archives and Special Collections
Rights Management:
Image: © 1919, The Estate of J.P. Mills. Text: © 1996, Geraldine Hobson.
Resource Identifier:
PP MS 58/02/N/01 ( calm reference )