AMSD - Message Stick CPM1956P468F65

Coordinates WGS84

12°15'S, 136°54'E
-12.25, 136.89

CPM1956P468F65_AB

Title: A message stick from Yirrkala reproduced in Mountford's "Art, myth and symbolism" (1956)

Description: Ceremonial message sticks from Yirrkala related to Karawak, the night-bird, and Murungo, the opossum

Message: A stick presented as "an invitation to attend the ceremonies at a specified time and place". p. 473.

Date Created: 1948

Notes on date created: terminus ante quem. American-Australian Scientific Expedition to Arnhem Land

Item type: image of a message stick (artefact missing)

Subtype: traditional

Linguistic area 1: Chirila: Dhangu Austlang: N192 - Dhangu Glottolog: dhan1270

Notes on linguistic areas: The origin of the message stick is Yirrkala PK: Dhangu is the probable Yolngu variety associated with Yirrkala

Motif transcription: Figure 65A, B represents the hollow tree at Cape Shield on the top of which, every night, the night-bird and the opossum talk to each other. The day-time camp of the opossum is represented at e, e, and the night camp at f, f. On Fig. 65A, the opossum on the left is ascending the tree at nightfall to keep his companion company, and on the right he is descending to sleep through the hours of daylight. The designs at a, b, c and d symbolize water-lilies which grow in the swamps near the totemic tree, and the short lines at the bottom of Fig. 65B, the scratches made by the opossum in the bark of the totemic tree as he climbs up and down." P. 473.

Sources:

Charles P Mountford, 'Records of the American-Australian Scientific Expedition to Arnhem Land, 1, Art, Myth and Symbolism' (Carlton: Melbourne University Press, 1956).

Source types: book

Date collected: 1948

Collector: Charles P Mountford and AASEAL

Place collected: Yirrkala

Coordinates: 12°15'10.000800"S,136°53'30.001200"E (-12.252778, 136.891667)

Notes on coordinates: Absolute coordinates for Yirrkala

Notes: The Night-bird, Karawak, and the Opossum, Marungo During creation times the night-bird, karawak, flew from Milingimbi to a hollow tree at Cape Shield, Blue Mud Bay, so that he could talk to the opossum, marungo, who lived in it. At specified times, the aborigines associated with the night-bird and opossum totems carve a stick, similar to that illustrated on Fig. 65A, B, and send it to the clan and language groups on whose territory karawak rested on his way to Cape Shield. The presentation of this stick is an invitation to attend the ceremonies at a specified time and place. FN 52: For the complete myth, see p. 362. FN 53: Warner (1937), p. 362, mentions that at Milingimbi similar garrawak message sticks are carried to both dua and jiritja groups notifying them that the narra rituals are about to start. FN54: The symbolism employed on teh bark painting of the night-bird and the opossum Pl. 115E, is similar to that used on the message stick. P. 473. Figure designed by Rosemary Dunnett

Media Files:

Data Entry: Alexandra Roginski