AMSD - Message Stick CPM1956P470F66

Coordinates WGS84

12°15'S, 136°54'E
-12.25, 136.89

CPM1956P470F66_C

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

Description: Message stick made by Bununga at Yirrkala requesting "a number of items of clothing and luxuries" (p. 467). Rubbing appears in Mountford's 'Art, myth and symbolism'.

Message: (1) Yirrkalla While the expedition party was at Yirrkalla we received a visit from a white man who, according to the aborigines, had bought their seed pearls and tortoise-shell, but had not paid for them. A number of aborigines carved message sticks, which they delivered to the visitor by hand to remind him of his debt. At the same time, the aborigines added a request for a number of items of clothing and luxuries in the forlorn hope that some day he might send them along. Before the message sticks were delivered, I was able to make rubbings of two, one from Bununga, Fig. 66C, and another from Mungaraui, Fig. 67C, E. 467. (a) Secular message sticks "The upper three lines, a, represent three boxes of matches, b, two blankets, and c, singlets. Triangle e refers to the nineteen shillings debt owing to Bununga for some time; d is a request for shirts, m for two fishing lines, n for calico, and o for tobacco." p. 467

Creator of Object: Bununga

Date Created: 1948

Notes on date created: From the expedition's time in Yirrkala

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

Subtype: traditional

State/Territory: NT

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 probable traditional language of Yirrkala

Cultural region: TopEnd_arnhem_east

Motif transcription: The upper three lines, a, represent three boxes of matches, b, two blankets, and c, singlets. Triangle e refers to the nineteen shillings debt owing to Bununga for some time; d is a request for shirts, m for two fishing lines, n for calico, and o for tobacco. p. 467

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

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: Mountford wrote that "Whilst at Yirrkalla and Oenpelli I had to fly to Darwin several times on expedition matters. Each time I went one or more aborigines have me message sticks to deliver to their friends at Darwin. My procedure (after I had made a record of the message stick either by a sketch or a rubbing) was to write the meanings of the various symbols on a sheet of paper, wrap the paper round the message stick and enclose it in an envelope, on the outside of which I wrote the name of the recipient as a guide to my memory. When I delivered the message stick, which I did on all but two occasions, I was able to explain to the recipient the significance of the marks on the message stick by referring to my notes." p. 467. Figure designed by Jean Truran

Media Files:

Data Entry: Alexandra Roginski