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General => Armed Forces => Topic started by: bristol on Monday 05 July 10 16:37 BST (UK)

Title: Was this taken in Africa
Post by: bristol on Monday 05 July 10 16:37 BST (UK)

Hi All
Would like info on this picture i.e country it was taken in believed to be c1902.

Many thanks

Bristol

Title: Re: Was this taken in Africa
Post by: km1971 on Monday 05 July 10 18:51 BST (UK)

My guess would be India.

Ken

Title: Re: Was this taken in Africa
Post by: Hackstaple on Monday 05 July 10 20:00 BST (UK)

No. The sign by the rickshaw stand which would have to have been in Durban would say Whites Only.

Also that is normal battledress and kit in South Africa would have been khaki drill, much lighter.

The rickshaw boy is not a Zulu either.

Title: Re: Was this taken in Africa
Post by: bristol on Monday 05 July 10 20:49 BST (UK)

Thank you for your help I'm very grateful.

Thank you
Bristol

Title: Re: Was this taken in Africa
Post by: scrimnet on Tuesday 06 July 10 08:43 BST (UK)

Burma/Singapore ish area perhaps....

Title: Re: Was this taken in Africa
Post by: Hackstaple on Tuesday 06 July 10 10:52 BST (UK)

I have checked further - there were indeed Europeans Only signs in South Africa before the apartheid era. However, I have never seen nor heard of Zulu men wearing any fancy headdress other than a cap of animal skin [leopard preferred] or the typical Zulu feathered headdress which has been around for at least 150 years.

The features are not those of a Zulu either.

In Burma and Dhaka the dress has always been non-traditional, simple clothing like a loin cloth and loose shirt or bare torso.

This really looks as though it was taken in a colder climate than that. In China the headdress was pretty consistent, a cheap straw hat. Those are not Chinese features.

So, a mystery.

Title: Re: Was this taken in Africa
Post by: John Young on Tuesday 06 July 10 11:50 BST (UK)

Personally, I'm going for D'Urban, the ricksaw boys there still wear a fancy-dress, and winter in Natal can be a tad breezy which might account for one of them being in khaki drab, rather than khaki drill.

Take a look at http://www.ezakwantu.com/Gallery%20Zulu%20Ricksha.htm to see some examples of the fancy headdress.

Isandlwana

Title: Re: Was this taken in Africa
Post by: bristol on Tuesday 06 July 10 15:42 BST (UK)

Thank you all very much it looks like the jury's out on this one.

Bristol.

p.s some of the other photo's I've posted is Africa so perhaps it is.