| Coordinates WGS84 | 38°17'S, 142°42'E -38.29, 142.70 |
AB1881P192
Title: Sketch of a message stick from A. Bastian's "Australische Schriftsubstitute" (1881, p.192), also described in Dawson (1881)
Description: This message stick was sketched by Adolf Bastian (1881) but described more fully (without a sketch) in Dawson (1881, p73). The same object was reproduced imaginatively by Amelie Frank in a sketch based Dawson's description (presumably she did not have access to the Bastian sketch). Her sketch can be found on p. 345 of "Botenstäbe in Australien"
Message: Dawson (1881):
"The spear-thrower is also used as a message-stick ; but, when so employed, it is specially marked to indicate its purpose. The writer has in his possession a specimen which was made by Kaawirn Kuunawarn, the chief of the Kirræ Wuurong tribe, and which is a facsimile of a summons issued by him long ago to three tribes, to meet his own tribe at a favourite swamp and camping-place called Kuunawarn, on the east side of the River Hopkins, and represents their approach to his camp. In the centre of the flat side of the spear-thrower is a carved circle of about an inch and a quarter in diameter, which represents the camp of Kaawirn Kuunawarn. Near it are three notches on the edge of the stick, and two lines and two dots on the flat side, pointing to the camp, which form his signature ; and, at the hooked end of the stick, three lines in shape of the letter Z indicate his presence. Four rows of notches, extending from each end of the stick to the camp, indicate the numbers of individuals of the two tribes approaching from opposite directions. On the other side of the spear-thrower, in the centre, there are two circles of a smaller size, and pointing to them is a small, rudely carved figure of a hand—the word for ‘hand,’ munya, also means a ‘ meeting.’ From each end of the stick six lines of notches represent the numbers of individuals of other two tribes approaching from opposite directions. As each notch indicates an individual, there must have been a thousand at this meeting. Kaawirn Kuunawarn was then a very young chief ; and as he is now a man considerably over sixty years of age, the meeting must have been held immediately previous to the occupation of the country by the white man. Of those who attended it there are only four individuals now alive, viz., Kaawirn Kuunawarn, Jamie Ware, Jim Crow, and Helen Crow." (p73)
Adolf Bastian: "Die Zeichnung ist ein Facsimile eines Originals, durch Ihren [Hr. J. Dawsons] alten Freund King Davie gebracht, um drei Stämme, unter seinen Befehl, nach seinem Lager (Kuunaru am Hopkins) zu rufen. Der Kreis auf der flachen Seite zeigt dies Lager, und die Reihen von Einkerbungen bedeuten die auf jeder Seite herannahenden Männer. Die andere Seite ähnlich. Die Figur der Hand bedeutet eine Zusammenkunft, und die Zickzack Linien am einen Ende die Gegenwart des Häuptlings." (p. 193)
Translation: "The drawing is a reproduction of an original, brought by his [Mr. J. Dawson's] old friend King Davie in order to invite three clans he to his camp (Kuunaru on Hopkins). A circle on the flat side represents this camp, and the rows of notches stand for the men coming from each side. This applies to the other sides of the stick as well. The silhouette of the hand represents the gathering and the zigzag lines at one end signal the attendance of the head." (Transl. Olena Tykhostup)
Frank writes: "So ist folgender Botenstab in drei Stammen in Gebrauch. Dawson übersetzt die Zeichen wie folgt: "... auf einer Seite sind Einschnitte, welche die Zahl der Stämme bezeichnen, die man erwartet, auf der anderen die Zahl der Männer, die er (der Sender) fordert" ... "Ein Speerwerfer als Botenstab von drei Stammen verstanden. Ein Häuptling zeigt seine Ankunft auf dem von seinem Stamm bevorzugten Sumpf und Versammlungsplatz, genannt Kuunawaru an der Ostküste des Hopkin-Flusses, an.
a) Das Feld von Kaawiru Kuunawaru.
b) Zeichen fur ein Lager.
c) Anwesenheit des Hauptlings an den angegebenen Platz.
d) Zahl der Individuen der beiden Stamme von entgegengesetzter Richtung kommend.
e) Zahl der Leute der zwei anderen Stamme. Es mussen an Tausend sich versammelt haben" (26, S. 72) (Fig. 28)." (p. 342)
Translation: "The following stick is used in three tribes. Dawson translates the symbols as follows: "[...] on the one side there are the notches that represent the number of tribes, that are expected. On the other side there is the amount of men that he (the sender) asks for." [...] "The stick is recognized by three tribes. The chief announced his arrival to the swamps that belonged to his tribe, and to the gathering area called Kuunawaru on the East coast of the Hopkin River.
a) The field of Kaawiru Kuunawaru.
b) The drawing of the camp.
c) The presence of the chief in the mentioned area.
d) Number of people from both tribes coming from the opposite directions.
e) Number of people from two other tribes. There must have been almost a thousend." (transl. Olena Tykhostup)
Creator of Object: Sender: "King Davie" (Bastian, p. 193)
Sender: "Kaawirn Kuunawarn, the chief of the Kirræ Wuurong tribe" (Dawson, p.73)
Date Created: 1881
Notes on date created: terminus ante quem
Item type: image of a message stick (artefact missing)
Subtype: traditional
State/Territory: VIC
Linguistic area 1: Chirila: Giraiwurung Austlang: S25 - Keerray Woorroong / Kirrae Whurrong Glottolog: warr1257
Linguistic area 2: Chirila: Wathawurrung Austlang: S29 - Wathawurrung / Wadawurrung / Wathaurong Glottolog: wath1238
Notes on linguistic areas: The message stick is associated with Hopkins River.
The linguistic area is inferred from Kirræ Wuurong which Claire Bowern renders as Giraiwurung, and Barry Blake as Kiriwurrung, but is probably identical to the Warnambool language (there is no glottolog code for Giraiwurung).
Wathawurrung is inferred from the birthplace of Kaawirn Kuunawarn (Hissing Swan) at Lake Connewarren in Victoria.
Semantic domains: sd_person_group, sd_person_man_elder, sd_place_camp
Sources:
Collector: Mr. J. Dawson
Coordinates: 38°17'16.558800"S,142°42'9.194400"E (-38.287933, 142.702554)
Notes on coordinates: Chirila centroid coordinates for Giraiwurung
URL source 1: https://archive.org/stream/australianaborig81daws#page/n88/mode/1up
Notes: PK: The term 'munya' for hand is attested in a variety of Kulin languages, but the only language in which 'hand' colexifies with 'meeting' is in the Warrnambool language (most likely the language of Kaawirn Kuunawarn) where the term is 'marang', according to the Chirila database. It lexifies 'hand' and 'great meeting, native village'.
This is a highly significant message stick since it makes use of the rebus principle and is therefore representing linguistic sound in addition to semantics, thus satisfying strict definitions of writing.
PK wrote to the Camperdown Heritage Centre on 12 May 2019: "I'm trying to establish the location of an important spearthrower collected by James Dawson some time prior to 1881. I have a feeling it is in your collection since James Dawson founded the Camperdown Museum in the late 19th century. The spearthrower has an oval carved on its widest part and towards the centre there is an image of a tiny hand. Note that it may not be immediately identifiable as a spearthrower because it was repurposed as a message stick! If the spearthrower is in your collection I would love to have: 1. digital photographs of it , 2. photographs of any accompanying documentation or labels, 3. photographs of any other message sticks that James Dawson may have collected.
Evidence for the existence of the message stick, as described by James Dawson, can be viewed here on page 73 of 'Australian Aborigines': https://archive.org/stream/australianaborig81daws#page/n88/mode/1up
... where there is a full description. There is also a sketch of the message stick apparently by James Dawson but published by the German anthropologist Adolf Bastian in 1881. You can see it here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/42261673@N08/47831421901/in/album-72157708391717725/
The Camperdown Heritage Centre replied (14 May 2019):
"Dear Piers,
Thank you for your email and payment for research/photographs.
James Dawson's natural history collection was displayed in a room at the Shire of Hampden offices after being built in 1885/86 until the Mechanics Institute was rebuilt in 1890. The collection was then housed in the "Museum Room" on the second floor. Dawson had requested a second floor be built to ensure his collection would not be kept in damp rooms. His will and probate papers show that he left his natural history and native weapons collections to the Mechanics Institute Museum, all of which had been housed there for the past 7 years on his death in 1900.
Unfortunately the collection was broken up with a section transferred to the State School in 1936 and other items to the Higher Elementary School at some stage. The latter school was destroyed by fire in 1940 and the State School in 1965. All records etc were lost in both fires, and also the museum collections.
The Camperdown Historical Society was formed in 1960, firstly with no premises. A small ground floor room at the Mechanics Institute was then provided, with little display room. In 1984 the Town of Camperdown council provided our current premises which allow for a good amount of display space. We have a small collection of aboriginal artefacts which mostly came from the collection of Dr Hope who looked after the Aboriginals at Buntingdale Mission near Birregurra. He was apparently given items in payment for his services. These were housed for some years at Chocolyn School (near Camperdown) until it closed. They were then stored by a local resident before gifting them to our Society.
We have double checked the items we have but unfortunately none resemble the description of the item you requested.
As you have deposited funds into our account but we are unable to help would you like photos of some of the items we do hold? If you would like a refund please provide your bank account details.
One of our members and a regular volunteer is a GG Grand-daughter of James Dawson and custodian of family information but knows no more than I have written.
Sorry we could not be of more help.
Regards,
Maree Belyea
Secretary"
PK: Note that Bastian (1881), writes: "Hr. J. Dawson, der dieses interessante Stück übersendet, schreibt ..." indicating that he sent the object to Bastian. This suggests that it might still have survived in Europe somewhere.
Media Files:
Data Entry: Olena Tykhostup, Piers Kelly