David Livingstone Birthplace

Episode 4: Inside the Birthplace Collection: Kate Simpson Talks About the Manganga (Man'janga) Lip Ring




In this episode Dr Kate Simpson, Lecturer in Digital Media and Information Studies at the University of Glasgow, talks to Sophie Wylie, Museum Studies student at the University of Glasgow, about the Manganga (Man'janga) lip ring David Livingstone took in May 1859. Livingstone subsequently sent the lip ring back as a present to his daughter Agnes and notes in his letter how “sorry” the original owner had been to part with it. Kate discusses the significance of the lip ring and the problems inherent in its acquisition, as it was transformed from a piece of woman’s jewellery to a colonial artefact. The lip ring is on loan to the David Livingstone Birthplace museum collection.

An image of the lip ring can be found here: livingstoneonline.org/in-his-own-wor…43&view_page=0

In this Letter to Agnes David Livingstone talks about getting the lip ring.

More podcasts can be found in our Podcast section.


We are very grateful to our key funders the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Historic Environment Scotland and the Scottish Government for their support in helping us deliver the Birthplace Project.

National Lottery Heritage Fund
Scottish Government
Historic Environment Scotland
Note: Please note that David Livingstone Birthplace (and the David Livingstone Trust) is no longer part of National Trust Scotland (NTS). NTS members will therefore no longer receive discounted/free entry to the Birthplace Museum.

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