AWH1904P694

Title: A message stick reference in A.W. Howitt (1904), and M. Frank (1940)

Description: Interpretation of a message stick on p. 338 in Maria Frank's "Botenstäbe in Australien"

Message: Howitt 1904, p.694: "In the case of a message sent by the Turrbal tribe to call another tribe to come to an expiatory combat, a message-stick sent would be marked with certain notches, which the messenger in delivering it would explain in the following manner. Pointing to a certain set of notches, he would say, for instance, "There are the men of a big division of the Wide Bay Tribe, who are coming to see us, to have this fight about one of their peopip whose death they blame you for." Pointing to another set of notches, he would say, "These other people are coming to help them. This stick is sent you by the great man who sent me, and who says that you are to meet him, at such and such a place. You are to send word on, and tell your friends or the other tribes to come and help you." Frank, p.338: "Bei den Turrbal (45, S. 694) bestehen besondere Zeichen für eine Kriegsankündigung. Deren Erklärung geschiet auf folgende Weise. Auf eine bestimmte Gruppe von Kerben zeigend sagt der Bote z. B.: "Da sind die Manner einer großen Abteilung des Stammes aus der Wide Bay, die zu uns kommen wollen um mit uns zu kampfen. Sie wollen den Tod von einem ihrer Stammesmitglieder rachen." Auf eine andere Gruppe von Kerben zeigend würde er sagen: "Dieser andere Stamm kommt uns zu helfen. Diesen Stock schickt euch der große Mann, der euch durch mich sagen läßt, wo ihr ihn treffen sollt. Ihr sollt auch die Botschaft zu anderen befreundeten Stämmen weiterschicken, damit auch sie kommen und uns helfen." Translation OT: "Turrbal (45, p. 694) tribe has special signs for declaring war. They are explained as follows: pointing towards a group of symbols, a messanger says: "These are the men of a big branch of a clan from Wide Bay, who want to come and fight us. They want a revenge for the death of one of their people." Talking about another group of notches, he would say: This other tribe comes to help us. This stick was sent by a big man who asked me to tell you where you should meet him. You should also send this message to other friendly tribes, so that they come and help us".

Date Created: 1940

Notes on date created: terminus ante quem

Item type: positive text reference

State/Territory: QLD

Notes on linguistic areas: The message stick is associated with the Turrbal tribe

Sources:

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

Howitt, A. W. 1904. The native tribes of southeast Australia. London: Macmillan and Co., Limited.

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

Coordinates: 27°28'13.598400"S,153°01'34.500000"E  (-27.470444, 153.02625)

Notes on coordinates: Coordinates for Brisbane, Queensland, per Google maps. Wikipedia: The Turrbal are an Aboriginal Australian people from the area now known as Brisbane.

Notes: Maria Frank refers to Howitt, A. W.: The Native Tribes of South-East-Australia, London 1906;

Media Files:

Data Entry: Olena Tykhostup, Julia Bespamyatnykh, Nitzan Rotman