AMus_E013385

Title: A message stick summons to an initiation ceremony

Description: Message or letter ltick [ref reg]; Message stick (ref LC) Cylindrical, both ends rounded. Surface decorated with concentric lozenges, short horizontal lines incised both inside lozenge and at either end [ref LC] Cylindrical, rounded ends, diamond shapes markings represent the vulva (ref. old gallery label) [ref LC]; Condition: Complete. Mould [ref LC]. Sketch of message stick (fig. 334) on plate XVIII of “Ethnological studies” by W. E. Roth

Message: Fig. 333. Made by a Kalkadoon (Leichhardt-Selwyn District). A hollow band as it were is cut round the centre. A = the beard (yun-puT), B = the Tulva (Jin-ti). The remaining marks are all ornamental, " flash." [PK: This object->]Fig. 334. Made by a (Grrenada) Kalkadoon. Similar phallic marks as preceding" (Roth 1897, p 138) AMus pdf from 24.01.2023: "Function: Has phalllic marks, beard and vulva (Eth. St. p.138) [ref LC]; 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];" PK: Note that this last part is wrong and refers to a different object.

Creator of Object: Sender: Kalkadoon from Grenada AMus pdf from 24.01.2023: "Maker: Made by a Kalkadoon from Grenada (ref reg and Ethno. Stud. p.138) [ref LC];

Date Created: 1897

Notes on date created: terminus ante quem

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 Grenada, Mount Isa, Queensland. AMus pdf from 24.01.2023: "REGION: Mount Isa; Grenada [ref reg]; Grenada, Queensland [ref LC]; Bull 8 gives loc. as Clump Point,Cardwell, which is Area Y. As is in NWC.Q book. we think more likely Grenada. "Grenada, Dugald Ck, nr. Cloncurry" (old Gallery label) (pencil annotation. K.Khan) [ref LC]"

Semantic domains: sd_body_beard, sd_body_penis, sd_body_vulva

Dimension 1: 136mm Dimension 2: 17mm Dimension 3: 15mm

Source types: museum collection

Date collected: Acquisition date: not mentioned Accession date: 23 March 1905

Institution/Holder file: The Australian Museum object identifier: E013385

Collector: Purchased by: Roth, Dr Walter Edmund

Coordinates: 20°55'55.909200"S,139°21'53.085600"E  (-20.932197, 139.364746)

Media copyright: The Australian Museum

Notes on coordinates: Chirila centroid coordinates for Kalkatungu

URL institution: http://collections.australianmuseum.net.au/amweb/pages/am/Display.php?irn=5594&QueryPage=%2Famweb%2Fpages%2Fam%2FAdvQuery.php&highlight_term=

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

URL source 2: https://archive.org/stream/cu31924029890328#page/n161

Notes: 12.07.2024 PK: Merged with WER1897PXVIIIF334 Compare RHH1918P21F6 described by Hamlyn-Harris. Similar interpretations.

Media Files:

Data Entry: Olena Tykhostup, Julia Bespamyatnykh, Piers Kelly, Nitzan Rotman