"Tuesday, April 10, 1906. [underlined] In the past few days, some ethnographic objects came into my possession: Maasai ear ornaments. These are made of clay and coated with red clay. The latter contains cattle tallow and the items emit a terrible smell. Some blue and white glass beads were embedded in the clay. Hair serves as a tassel. 1 piece = 25 heller [drawing] Bells like those worn at the Goma \[dance]. Over 50 pieces strung on a strip of fur. All handmade and hammered from round iron sheets. For 50 bells, I paid 3 rupia 75. [Two detail drawings]" [translation]

source: Museum der Kulturen Basel, VI 56197, 46 (115)
author: Karl Braun

"70. bells with leather straps as made in pieces of 20 & more & looped around the body at dances: 50 bells each = 3 Rp. 75 all handmade. / TB [diary] 46,115 [drawing] gap" [translation]

source: Museen Stade. r 2018 / 18566
author: Karl Braun

In 1934, the former director of the Biological Imperial Institute for Agriculture and Forestry (Biologische Reichsanstalt für Land- und Forstwirtschaft) Karl Braun (1870–1935) gave the so-called “Kolonialsammlung Braun” (Colonial Collection Braun) to the Hanseatic City of Stade, or rather its representative, the then mayor Hans Arthur Meyer (1884–1961). See the file „Transfer of a colonial collection from the senior government councillor Professor Dr. Karl Braun in Stade to the City of Stade” („Überlassung einer Kolonialsammlung vom Oberregierungsrat Professor Dr. Karl Braun in Stade an die Stadt Stade") at the Lower Saxony State Archives Stade (Niedersächsischen Landesarchiv Standort Stade).

source: Niedersächsisches Landesarchiv Standort Stade, Dep. 10 Nr. 03025

In 1997, the then city archivist Jürgen Bohmbach concludes a permanent loan agreement with the Museum Society Stade (Museumsverein Stade e.V.), for which the then director Gerd Mettjes signs. Thereafter, the collection from Karl Braun is transferred to the care of the Museum Society Stade (Museumsverein Stade e.V.).

source: Museen Stade, Vereinbarung Leihgabe "Brauns'sche Kolonialsammlung"

I: Fine, I have another photo registered with the number 2018_18204_1, Mr. […] you recognized this well, tell what is it called in Maasai? R1: This is called ‘ondwala engerei’. I: Mr. […], what was its function? R1: As I told you initially, it was used to be tied on small children such that when they walk far from people they could be heard where they are, this is because people used to live in forests and you could not see a neighbouring boma, bomas were scarce that you could find a boma here another one at Lunguza and another one at Kisima, so people were living in forests and they were using this, for a young man who killed a lion there was a pride to the Maasai boy in the community, so he was dancing using these bells that were worn here or here on the leg, and you could not find anyone without this unless he was not in the ceremony of the lion killing, no, that was its function. I: Mr. […], can you tell us those who were killing a lion were of what age? R1: They are only the morans, even if a ‘laiyoni’ or an old man killed a lion he was not worn with this, it was only worn to the morans. I: Can you tell us how old were the children worn with this? R1: When he starts to walk from the age of 1 year and above, it was until he was matured and understanding himself that he is needed to go back home, that was when it was taken and given another to a younger one. I: So, it was worn to the girls and the boys? R1: Yes, to both. I: Currently are these bells still in use? R1: No. I: ‘Odwala engerei’? R1: Yes,’ondwala engerei’ is a baby bell. I: But currently they are not in use? R1: They are currently not available. R2: Previously I had one, but I don't know where it went. I: Did you dress a baby? R1: Actually, right now if you dress a child, it is very proudly, this is because many people don't wear it nowadays and they will be surprised. I: Mr. [anonymous], did you also wear that in those years? R2: Yes, we all must have worn it, in my memory I remember I suffered from polio, and I was walking with it, so was also worn this. I: What gender were making those bells? R2: Actually, they were men. I: They were exactly of what age? R2: At any age starting from 18 years and above, a craftsman can have younger age and still he can make it. I: What were they using to make it? R1: They were using only steel metal for making that. I: What were they putting in it to produce sound? R1: They were putting metal marbles. I: And the belt? R1: The belt is made of cowhide which is used for binding. I: It was used for binding? R1: Yes. I: Okay fine, were you buying them, or they were made? R1: They were bought. I: Like that one, how much can it cost at this moment? R1: It can be cost at 10,000/=, but according to your need he can even sell it at more than ten thousand and even 20,000/-, because people will buy them in large quantity.

source: Amani-Stade Project / Massai Field Research 2023 / Interview No. 04
author: I: Mohamed Seif, R1: Anonymous

I: It is true, I held it and found it very heavy, okay fine, I have another photo registered with the number 2018_18204_1, one of you recognized this, can you let us how you saw it and understood it? R2: You know ancient people used to eat wild meat. I: Before you continue, what is it called in Maasai language? R2: This is called ‘olitwala’ and this is a belt used to be kept all over the mountain, in the past they used to put on the mountains, for instance a cow was stolen from a certain place, they were holding this rope like this and people will come to save, people from Luzilwa would also hear that a cow is stolen and they would wake up to go and save the stolen cow, they were hanging bells on their legs and there were types of horns they used as bells, they were sounding ‘vuu vuuu vuuu’, also they were so happy even when they went to kill a lion in the forest, hence they are traditional and customs old things as they are still existing in our Maasai society. I: They tied it on their thigh? R2: Yes, on their thigh. I: So, its main work was like a sign? R2: Yes, it was like a sign. I: For giving information? R2: Yes. I: So, it was for killing lions and tracking for livestock, and what other work was it used? R2: Even for stealing cows. I: Those who went to steal were the ones wearing it? R2: No, those who were stealing were not putting them on, but for instance a person coming from Ngorongoro to come and steal a cow in Longido, so people in Longido will be alerting each other by using this bell by tying them on their legs when looking for the stolen cow, and people will understand these are their people taking back their cow, also when looking for a lion they were putting on this bell and giving them a sign that they have killed a lion, hence this was their kind of phone used during that period. I: So, for those who did not kill lions were not needed? R2: They will come to see it but silently because he won’t be happy thus that was a sign of happiness. R1: This was a sign of happiness, you know in the theft there were two kinds of bells, the first one was used in the mouth by blowing ‘puuu’, it had a certain special sound when blowing, but this could also be used in two different ways, for example in the happiness after killing a lion when getting back home, the young men would become happy but they knew they won’t put them on their thighs hence it was done silently because some people were eaten or attacked by a lion, so this was not worn but worn by small children from the start of his standing, they are similar to the shoes bought to your children when they want to start walking, they make a sound ‘tii, tii’ to make the child getting up and walk, there were kind of containers tied to the child used to make walk easily, they were like belts used to tie the opening of the bell. I: Can you tell us what material was used to make the bell? R1: This bell was made of skin, but the Maasai people were buying them from the blacksmith, they put a marble in to produce sound. I: Which children were worn with this thing in the society, were they girls or boys? R1: If a small child who refusing to walk, he was dressed in this to help him get up and start walking, hence that how it was. I: It is called ‘olitwala’, that was the bell? R2: Yes.

source: Amani-Stade Project / Massai Field Research 2023 / Interview No. 06
author: I: Mohamed Seif, R1, 2: Anonymous