AMSD - Message Stick AMus

Coordinates WGS84

20°56'S, 139°22'E
-20.93, 139.36

AMus_E013383

Title: A message stick summons to an initiation ceremony

Description: Message or letter stick [ref reg]; Message stick [ref LC]; Oblong, both ends rounded. Both sides incised diamonds, triangles and rectangular shapes [ref LC]; Condition: Complete [ref LC]. AMus spreadsheet Oct 2022: "E013383 23 Mar 1905 message stick COMMUNICATION & MEDIA Australia Queensland Mount Isa Cloncurry Cloncurry [ref reg]; Cloncurry, Queensland [ref LC] Purchase Roth, Dr Walter Edmund" EMU: "MAKER MAITAKUDI TRIBE (REF REG). MITAKOODI (ETNO STUD. SECT 236. P. 138) " EMu record printed by MvO Sketch of message stick (fig. 338) on plate XVIII of “Ethnological studies” by W. E. Roth. Sketch of message stick wrapped in a piece of fur (fig. 20) on p. 345 in Maria Frank's "Botenstäbe in Australien".

Message: AMus pdf from 24.01.2023: "Function: Sender wants his spears, boomerangs and shields forwarded, as initiation ceremony to be held at Cloncurry River, and addressee is to come and join (Ethno. Sect. 236, p.138) [ref LC];" Roth 1897: "The message intended to be conveyed is to the effect that the sender wants his spears, boomerangs, and shields forwarded, as an initiation ceremony is about to be held at the river (Cloncurry), and the addressee is to come and join." (p. 138) Frank, p.339: "[...] a Boinji-man in the Boulia district once sent a message stick (79, p. 138) to another man to tell him where to obtain pitcheri branches (Fig. 20).

Creator of Object: Sender: Mitakoodi AMus pdf from 24.01.2023: "Maker: Maitakudi tribe (ref reg). Mitakoodi (Ethno. Stud. Sect. 236, p.138) [ref LC];"

Date Created: 1896

Notes on date created: terminus ante quem; Australian Museum date from spreadhseert

Item type: message stick in a collection

Subtype: traditional

State/Territory: QLD

Linguistic area 1: Chirila: Kalkatungu Austlang: G13 - Kalkatungu / Kalkadoon Glottolog: kalk1246

Notes on linguistic areas: The origin of the message stick is Cloncurry, Mount Isa, Queensland. AMus pdf from 24.01.2023: "REGION: Mount Isa; Cloncurry [ref reg]; Cloncurry, Queensland [ref LC]" Language inferred from geography (PK)

Semantic domains: sd_ceremony_law, sd_place_river, sd_request_invitation, sd_request_item, sd_weapon_boomerang, sd_weapon_spear

Dimension 1: 68mm Dimension 2: 16mm Dimension 3: 6mm

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

Date collected: Acquisition date: 1896 Accession date: 23 March 1905

Institution/Holder file: The Australian Museum object identifier: E013383

Collector: Purchased by: Roth, Dr Walter Edmund

Coordinates: 20°55'55.909200"S,139°21'53.089200"E (-20.932197, 139.364747)

Media copyright: The Australian Museum