AMus_E013370

Title: Message stick requesting pituri at the Australian Museum

Description: Sketch of one message stick (pXVIII, Fig.331) on plate XVIII of “Ethnological studies” by W. E. Roth. Sketch of message stick (fig. 29) on p. 345 in Maria Frank's "Botenstäbe in Australien" AMus spreadsheet Oct 2022: "E013370 23 Mar 1905 message stick COMMUNICATION & MEDIA Australia Queensland Channel Country Boulia Boulia [ref reg]; Boulia, Queensland [ref LC]; North Gregory District, W. Queensland [ref SC] Purchase Roth, Dr Walter Edmund"

Message: «Bring pituri» From: A Karanya man To: Unknown "Forwarded when pituri was required. A= Pilliou Creek, B = Carlo, C = Glenormiston, D = Herbert Downs, E = Boulia." (Roth, p. 137) "So ist vom Karanya-Stamm in Queensland ein Reiseweg fur die Pituri-Expedition nach Boulia angegeben (77, PI. XVIII). A. Bedeutet den Pillion-Creek, B. Carlo. C. Glenormiston. D. Herbert Downs und E. den Ort Boulia (Fig. 29)." (Frank, p.342)

Creator of Object: Sender: Karanya

Date Created: 1895

Notes on date created: Absolute date of collection. Accessioned in 1905.

Item type: message stick in a collection

Subtype: traditional

State/Territory: QLD

Linguistic area 1: Chirila: Karanya Austlang: L32 - Karanya

Notes on linguistic areas: Made by a Karanya. The origin of the message stick is Boulia, Channel Country, Queensland

Cultural region: Channel Country

Semantic domains: sd_item_pituri, sd_journey, sd_place, sd_request, sd_request_item_pituri

Sources:

Frank, Maria. 1940. "Botenstäbe in Australien."

Roth, Walter Edmund. 1897. Ethnological studies among the north-west-central Queensland Aborigines. Brisbane: Edmund Gregory.

Zeitschrift für Ethnologie 72 (4/6): 328-352.

Source types: museum collection

Institution/Holder file: The Australian Museum object identifier: E013370

Collector: Walter Edmund Roth

Coordinates: 23°52'13.177200"S,139°40'30.680400"E  (-23.870327, 139.675189)

Media copyright: The Australian Museum

Notes on coordinates: Chirila centroid coordinates for Karanya, but could replace with absolute coordinates for Boulia: 22°54'38.5"S, 139°54'38.4"E

URL source 1: https://archive.org/stream/cu31924029890328#page/n257

URL source 2: https://archive.org/stream/cu31924029890328#page/n159

Notes: REGISTER

Date: March 23, 1905

Name or Description: Message or letter stick, Karanya tribe

Locality: Boulia 1895

How Acquired: Purch.

Name of Donor or Seller: Dr. W. E. Roth

Estimated or Market Value: S.3

Destination:Figs. "Eth. studies" Fig. 331, Pl.XVIII: Text sections 235-6

Remarks:

OTHER NOTES

17.11.2025 PK: Previous AMSD ID: WER1897PXVIIIF331 Roth Bulletin 8 (1905):

Fig. 3—Paddle-shaped, thin, plano-convex, sharp-edged on the blade, handle rounded, apex obtusely pointed; light-coloured wood. Obverse—At the proximal and distal ends of the blade are a few transverse scratches. Reverse—Is chequered with similar delicate incisions. Length, 11 in.; blade 6 ¾ in. long: breadth, 5/8-in.

Karenya Tribe, Boulia (See “Ethnological Studies,” 1897,pl. 18, f. 331)

Media Files:

Data Entry: Julia Bespamyatnykh, Piers Kelly, Nitzan Rotman