BERNDT1964_0031

Title: Message stick depicted within a 1964 bark painting by Gwadbad No. 2, from Warruwi, Goulburn Island

Description: From catalogue: "Secular The painting depicts the following myth-story which forms part of a song-cycle:- The white mound to the left represents the mainland just opposite Goulburn Island. A man came from Ilimar to the mainland as a messenger holding a 'gadgad' or message stick. He showed it to Gawidji, a lizard, inviting him and his friends to a ceremony. (rt.) All the gawidji men in human form went over to South Goulburn Island - 'Wiela', for the ceremony in their canoes (centre). As they stepped out on the island they changed back to animal forms (left bottom) [PK: should be 'right bottom']. The more central two lizards with black spots are 'gawidji'. The third lizard more to the right is a slightly different type of lizard called 'Marwagala' and to the extreme right is the goose 'Manimunag'. During the ceremony a fight developed between the 'gawidji' and 'marwagala' lizard and the 'gawidji' is knocked down (top right level). He dies and is put on a burial platform (to left of this level)." ... "Natural earth pigment on bark. Red-pink ochre background on brown bark. White ochred figures and features, several with black dot infill. 160 x 435mm" [Card file: "6" x 16"] ... Berndt catalogue file, under 'Function/Use': "Traditionally used in secular camp singing for entertainment not ritual purposes to illustrate and add veracity to the story, however they are no longer used for this purpose" ... Under 'Distribution' on Berndt card file: "This 'simple' painting style is unique to G.I. [Goulburn Islands] but is not considered 'good' by Arnhem Land standards. It is simply a sketch'.

Creator of Object: Gwadbad No. 2 (John)

Date Created: 1964

Notes on date created: From Berndt catalogue; 1964-02

Item type: fictional message stick

Linguistic area 1: Chirila: Maung Austlang: N64 - Mawng Glottolog: maun1240

Notes on linguistic areas: The origin of the message stick is Warruwi, Goulburn Island

Term for 'message stick' (or related) in language: gadgad

Materials: bark, paint

Techniques: berndt card file under 'condition/preservation': "sprayed 1971"

Collector: Berndt, RM

Coordinates: 11°39'28.400400"S,133°22'41.901600"E  (-11.657889, 133.378306)

Notes on coordinates: Absolute coordinates for Warruwi, Goulburn Islands. Berndt card file: "Aust.; N.T.; Goulburn Islands, western Arnhem Land"

Notes: Under 'References' in catalogue file: "1. Song cycle R. M. Berndt Note Book No. 3.; 2. Tape no. song sycle 3. Berndt's R.M. & C.H. 'Time for Relaxation' offprint from Pacific Linguistic Studies in Honour of Arthur Capell, Series c-no. 13. ed. by Wawurm & D.C. Laycock. Specifically pp. 557-563 – Introduction & 583-589 – Conclusions. 4. Berndt's R. M. & C.H. 1951 'Sexual Behaviour in Western Arnhem Land.' Viking Fund Pub; N. Y. 1951 No. 16, p. 31-47; 5. Berndt. R.M. & C.H. 1970 'Land Man & Myth in North Australia – The Gunwinggu People', Ure Smith, Sydney.; 6. Berndt, R. M. 1985 'Other creatures in human guise and vice versa: a dilemma in understanding. Ms. p.12"

Media Files:

Data Entry: Piers Kelly