AGWA1988_0554

Title: Message Board by ABADJERA

Description: AGWA description: "Message boards and sticks are used primarily as memory aids. A person who wants to send a message to another will make the board or stick, explain what it means to the messenger, so when he arrives he will use it as a guide to his memory. Message sticks are also used to identify the tribesmen that a ceremony is to be held, or to invite them to other types of gatherings. According to Father Worms, this message board, called "Tambul" was given to a boy for his initiation. The trip was to alert and invite members of the clan and blood relatives that the ceremony was to be held. The board is ornamented with parrot feathers. The totemic symbol of the boy is painted with ochres; in this case, the Barramundi and the Portugese man-of-war fish. Before he makes his trip, the meaning of the rangga emblem and designs are explained to the boy. These totemic emblems will also be a feature of the initiation ceremonies. Exhibited: Lowie: R.H. Lowie Museum, Univ. of California at Berkley. 1969. Cat. Field: Field Museum, Chicago. 1972. Cat."

Message: «summons to initiation ceremony for one boy»

Creator of Object: Abadjera (Australian, b.1904)

Item type: message stick in a collection

Subtype: traditional

Linguistic area 1: Chirila: Anindilyakwa Austlang: N151 - Anindilyakwa Glottolog: anin1240

Notes on linguistic areas: Abadjera is from Groote Eylandt according to AGWA

Term for 'message stick' (or related) in language: tambul

Semantic domains: sd_ceremony_law

Dimension 1: 364mm Dimension 2: 150mm

Materials: feathers, fibre cords, ochres on wood, plant fibre string, resin

Institution/Holder file: The Art Gallery of Western Australia object identifier: 1988/0554

Media copyright: The Art Gallery of Western Australia Purchased through the Western Australian Government, 1988, The State Art Collection, The Art Gallery of Western Australia

URL institution: https://collection.artgallery.wa.gov.au/objects/9902/message-board

Data Entry: Nitzan Rotman