BMA1946_0003_3_C

Title: A message stick requesting tobacco, sent by Binydjarrpuma at Arnhem Bay to R.M. Berndt in Yirrkala (three 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: «Send eleven plugs of tobacco to me at Marabi»</p> From: Binydjarrpuma</p> Sent: 1946</p> To: Ronald M Berndt</p> Subject: tobacco</p> Berndt object file: "(c) Sent by Bindjalbuma (Slippery) camped at Arnhem Bay to the collector, R. M. Berndt, who was at Yirrkalla at the time. The stick represents a request for plugs of tobacco, the strokes on the reverse (back) side representing the number wanted, and the curved shape (on the front side) representing the billabong at Marabi where Bindjalbuma was camped, the notches along its sides being the number of men he has around him there."

Creator of Object: Sender: Binydjarrpuma</p> Recipient: Ronald M Berndt Berndt object file: "[PK: illegible but presumably c] was sent to the collector. (see below)", "ORIGINATOR(S) [...] (c) – Bindjalbuma – ‘Slippery’"

Date Created: 1946

Notes on date created: Object file: "late 1946". 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: Djapu Austlang: N145 - Djapu Glottolog: djap1238

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

Notes on linguistic areas: The origin of the message stick is Arnhem Bay Marabi billabong in Arnhem Bay, where Bindjalbuma was camped cannot be located. Best guess for the whole bay area is the Djapu linguistic area. It is possible that the representation of the billabong on the message stick could be superimposed on a map of Arnhem Bay to indicate where the billabong is relative to other landmarks 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_arnhem_east

Motifs: purpose_request sd_item_tobacco sd_person_group

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

Collector: Ronald Berndt. Berndt object file: "[PK: illegible but presumably c] was sent to the collector. (see below)"

Place collected: Yirrkala

Coordinates: 12°37'3.428400"S,136°15'23.677200"E  (-12.617619, 136.256577)

Media copyright: Berndt Museum

Notes on coordinates: Chirila centroid coordinates for Djapu

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_3_C

Media Files:

Data Entry: Piers Kelly