BMA1946_0003_1_A

Title: A message stick concerning betrothal, sent by Mianggadja at Groote Eylandt to Narritjin at Yirrkala (one of five in a set)

Description: Berndt object file description: "Made from a blonde wood, rectangular with incised meaningful designs. Some have fur or wool attachments. Two have been red ochred before incising.</p> 2” to 3” in length </p> MANUFACTURE: Specific: Made of soft ‘milk-wood’ and engraved with sharp stone chips.</p> Human hair has been used on one (a)</p> General (throughout Australia): Usually made from gidyea, ti-tree, or any other convenient wood; coloured black, yellow or red and ranging from 2-4’ in length. The sticks may be of various shapes from flat to round with a variety of patterns. A twig in the rough may also be used marked in various places, or a bundle of rags tied round with twine or cotton etc. Holes or notches as well as engraved markings may be used on the sticks."

Message: «If your son is initiated I will send my daughter to him for marriage» </p> From:Mianggadja on Groote Eylandt Sent: 1947 To: Narritjin at Yirrkala Subject: marriage preparations Berndt object file: "(a) This Message stick concerns an impending ‘marriage’. It was sent from Groote Island by the girls father who is Mianggadja to Ngaradjin at Yirrkalla, whose son is the girls betrothed. It bears the message that if the son is now a man the girl can be sent to him. The design itself represents a man."

Creator of Object: Sender: Mianggadja (of Groote Eylandt)</p> Recipient: Narritjin (at Yirrkala)</p> Berndt object file: "ORIGINATOR(S): (a) Mianggadja of Groote Island" "ORIGINATOR: (a) – Mianggadja of Groote Island"

Date Created: 1947

Notes on date created: Object file: "January 24th 1947". Note that the Berndts arrived in Yirrkala in September 1946 (Gray 2012) and left again in July 1947 (Gray 2005)

Item type: message stick in a collection

Subtype: traditional

State/Territory: NT

Linguistic area 1: Chirila: Anindilyakwa Austlang: N151 - Anindilyakwa Glottolog: anin1240

Linguistic area 2: Chirila: Dhangu Austlang: N192 - Dhangu Glottolog: dhan1270

Notes on linguistic areas: The origin of the message stick is Groote Eylandt. Sent from Groote Eylandt to Yirrkala. Anindilyakwa is the linguistic area of Groote and Dhangu is the linguistic area of Yirrkala Berndt object file: "Wálamba (or Murngin) people". For the Berndts' understanding of these terms see especially pp50-53 of Schebeck, Bernhard. 2001. Dialect and social groupings in Northeast Arnheim [Arnhem] Land. Munich: Lincom Europa.

Cultural region: TopEnd_groote TopEnd_arnhem_east

Semantic domains: purpose_request, purpose_response, sd_activity_marriage, sd_person_man_father, sd_person_man_son

Institution/Holder file: Berndt Museum object identifier: 1946/0003.1-5

Collector: Ronald Berndt. Berndt object file: "(a) (b) and (d) were obtained by the collector from Ngaradjin"; "INFORMANT: Ngaradin (a, b, d)"

Coordinates: 14°03'11.264400"S,136°36'44.694000"E  (-14.053129, 136.612415)

Media copyright: Berndt Museum

Notes on coordinates: Chirila centroid coordinates for Anindilyakwa, the origin of the message stick. Yirrkala is the destination.

Notes: 10.12.2024 PK: A typed version of the object file is in PK's 'Notes on message sticks' document, under Berndt, Ronald M. 1947. Message sticks key card: 681. Perth: Berndt Archive. BERNDT1946_0003_1_A

Media Files:

Data Entry: Piers Kelly