Marker
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Coordinates WGS8412°15'S, 136°54'E
-12.25, 136.89

CPM1956P470F66_D

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

Description: A message stick from Mauwulan to a white man, requesting items for him and his wife

Message: Figure 66D is a message stick which Mauwulan, one of my informants, asked a member of the expedition to deliver to a white man who had visited Yirrkalla previously. The message stick was a reminder to the recipient about a number of articles he had promised to send to Mauwulan and his wife. The upper part of the message stick dealt largely with the requirements of Mauwulan's wife. The lines a are a request for two skirts, b for two singlets, c a hair comb, d a mirror, and e a bottle of hair oil; f is Mauwulan's request for a turtle rope, and p for many fish-hooks. On the lower panel, Mauwulan is asking at g for much tobacco, at h for a mirror, o a hair comb, r a knife, j a pair of trousers, m two short trousers, and n a belt. The four crescent shapes indicate the many moons since the articles were promised. p. 469.

Creator of Object: Mauwulan

Date Created: 1948

Notes on date created: American-Australian Scientific Expedition to Arnhem Land

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

Cultural region: TopEnd_arnhem_east

Motif transcription: The upper part of the message stick dealt largely with the requirements of Mauwulan's wife. The lines a are a request for two skirts, b for two singlets, c a hair comb, d a mirror, and e a bottle of hair oil; f is Mauwulan's request for a turtle rope, and p for many fish-hooks.

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 the 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: 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, Piers Kelly

    Related Entries: CPM1956P468F65_AB, CPM1956P468F65_EF, CPM1956P470F66_AB, CPM1956P470F66_C, CPM1956P470F66_EF, CPM1956P470F66_GH, CPM1956P472F67_AF, CPM1956P472F67_B, CPM1956P472F67_CE, CPM1956P472F67_DG, CPM1956P474F68_AB, CPM1956P474F68_CD, CPM1956P474F68_E, CPM1956P474F68_F