AMus_E032199

Title: A message stick from Goodooga to Angledool in the Australian Museum

Description: Sketch of a message stick on p. 293 of "Message-sticks used by the Aborigines of Australia" by Robert Hamilton Mathews

Message: This message-stick was sent [...] by a black fellow named Kubbi Iguana to his friend Yarri, Murri Iguana [...] inviting the latter to bring his tribe to Goodooga to a corroboree which was shortly to take place. (p. 293) "The front side, figure 3, has a rude drawing of a man, about four inches long, apparently decorated for the dance. At each side of and below the human figure are a number of crosses, 34 in all, and below these are some straight and curved lines. There are ten notches, five on each side, nearly opposite to each other. The native stated that the stripes on the human figure mean that it is "got up" or painted for the corroboree. On the other side of the stick, figure 4, there are two groups of crosses, one containing four, the other six, or ten in all, similar to those on the front side. The remainder of the carving on this side consists of a number of devices of the yammunyamun pattern, made up of straight lines and curves. The notches[fn:1] and crosses on the stick are merely added for ornament." (p. 294) [fn:1: 1 Having heard white men say that these notches indicate a certain number of blacks. I asked Mr J. E. Miller, the police officer at Goodooga, New South Wales, to make the fullest inquiries he could from the various tribes in his district. He writes: ”As requested by you, I hare made strict and careful inquiries in reference to the ‘nicks’ on the edges of the message-sticks, and as far as I can learn, they do not mean anything. All the blacks in this district say the ‘nicks ’ have no meaning, but are merely put on the sticks to ornament them, or, to use their own words. ’to make them look pretty.’” (p. 294)

Creator of Object: Sender: "a black fellow named Kubbi Iguana" (p. 293) Recipient: "his friend Yarri, Murri Iguana" (p.294)

Date Created: 1897

Notes on date created: terminus ante quem

Item type: message stick in a collection

Subtype: traditional

State/Territory: NSW

Linguistic area 1: Chirila: Muruwari Austlang: D32 - MURUWARI / MURRAWARRI Glottolog: muru1266

Linguistic area 2: Chirila: Yuwaalaraay Austlang: D27 - Yuwaalaraay Glottolog: yuwa1242

Notes on linguistic areas: The message stick is associated with the "Goodooga, on the Bokhara river", sent to "Angledool, on the Narran river" (p.294) Goodooga is within the Muruwari area and Angledool is in the Yuwaalaraay area. Thus it is possible that the sender is Muruwari and recipient is Yuwaalaraay.

Semantic domains: sd_ceremony, sd_request_invitation_ceremony

Sources:

American Anthropologist 10 (9):288-298.

Mathews, Robert Hamilton. 1897. “Message-sticks used by the Aborigines of Australia “

Source types: museum collection

Date collected: Registration Date: 25-01-1929

Institution/Holder file: The Australian Museum object identifier: E032199

Collector: I obtained the message-sticks and all the details respecting them from Mr James E. Miller, a police trooper stationed at Goodooga township. He has been traveling through that district in the discharge of his official duties for some years past and is well acquainted with the numerous aboriginal population, who still preserve their ancient customs. (p.292)

Coordinates: 28°56'52.332000"S,146°37'9.804000"E  (-28.94787, 146.61939)

Media copyright: The Australian Museum

Notes on coordinates: Chirila coordinates for Muruwari

URL institution: http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-52785381

Notes: Previous ID: RHM1897P292F3

Media Files:

Data Entry: Olena Tykhostup