BMA1946_0003_4_D

Title: A message stick requesting tobacco sent by Woŋgu Mununggurr at Port Bradshaw to Narritjin at Yirrkala (four 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 tobacco to me at Port Bradshaw»</p> From: Woŋgu Munuŋgurr at Port Bradshaw</p> Sent: 24 January, 1947</p> To: Ngarritjin at Yirrkala</p> Subject: tobacco</p> Berndt object file: "(d) Sent by Wonggu (Djabu mada) of Pt. Bradshaw to Ngaridjin (Manggalili mada) at Yirrkalla requesting tobacco from him. The design is a special Djabu mala emblemic one, and the stroke marks down its sides represent the no. of sticks of tobacco needed."

Creator of Object: Sender: Woŋgu Mununggurr</p> Recipient: Narritjin</p> Berndt object file: "ORIGINATOR(S): (d) – Wonggu of Pt. Bradshaw (Djabu mada)"

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: Dhangu Austlang: N192 - Dhangu Glottolog: dhan1270

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

Notes on linguistic areas: Port Bradshaw to Yirrkala, both in Dhangu linguistic area 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

Semantic domains: purpose_request, sd_item_tobacco, sd_skin

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

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

Coordinates: 12°28'48.799200"S,136°42'52.498800"E  (-12.480222, 136.714583)

Media copyright: Berndt Museum

Notes on coordinates: Approximate coordinates for Port Bradshaw

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_4_D

Media Files:

Data Entry: Piers Kelly