ANON1934
Title: A photo of a message stick in an article (1934)
Description: Photograph of Robert Turner, secretary of the Native Arts and Crafts exhibition "examining a rare message stick", 27 January 1934
Message: This stick had been sent round the tribe to notify them of the death of the old man who had been the head
Creator of Object: Unknown
Date Created: 1934
Notes on date created: terminus ante quem
Item type: image of a message stick (artefact missing)
Subtype: traditional
State/Territory: NT
Notes on linguistic areas: The origin of the message stick is given simply as "Southern Central Australia". It therefore cannot be a associated with a linguistic area.
Cultural region: NT_CA_unlocalisable
Semantic domains: sd_death, sd_news, sd_person_dead, sd_person_man
Source types: newspaper article
URL institution: http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article230516978
Notes: It is not clear whether Robert Turner is holding two objects or one U-shaped stick. This exhibition was organised by the Anthropological Society of New South Wales (see Oceania Vol. 5, No. 2 (Dec., 1934), pp. 246-248): "For the first time the Society held an exhibition of native arts and crafts on the 12th floor of the " Sun " Building, Castlereagh Street, Sydney. This venture proved successful in all ways, and twenty-four new members were acquired. The Society is indebted to Associated Newspapers Ltd. for its courtesy in placing its exhibition floor at our disposal, and especially for the assistance given in the arranging of exhibits. Mr. R. Turner was appointed Hon. Secretary for this exhibition. The following short talks were given : - January 22. K. Kennedy : Primitive Musical Instruments. 23. Dr. C. Anderson : Ancient Man. 24. F. D. McCarthy : Daily Life of the Aborigines. 25. R. Turner : Maori of New Zealand. 29. W. H. P. Kinsela : The Aborigine as an Artist. 30. Miss E. Bramell : Natives of New Guinea February 1. Mrs. C. Tennant-Kelly : What Anthropology is Doing for the Aborigines. 2. Don Raphael Medina Mattel: Ancient Culture of Central America. 5. K. Kennedy : Primitive Musical Instruments. 6. H. J. Wright : The Stone Tool-box of the Aborigines. 7. R. Turner : Maori of New Zealand. 8. Don Raphael Medina Mattei : The Aztec. 9. W. J. Enright : Aborigines of Port Stephens. R. Turner: Aboriginal Mythology (to Boy Scouts). 10. F. D. McCarthy : Primitive Currency" Presumably the artefact was in position of one of these individuals: F.D McCarthy, W.H.P Kinsela, C. Tennant-Kelly, W.J. Enright.
Media Files:
Data Entry: Piers Kelly