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

CPM1956P472F67_CE

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

Description: A message stick made by Mungaraui at Yirrkala sent to a white man

Message: A request for goods from a white man "The central dot, a, is the white man, the recipient of the message stick. The triangle b is a request for a towel, c, c, c ,for loin cloths, d a new belt, e a knife, f a mirror, g razor blades, h two fishing lines, j trousers, k shirt, l hair comb, and m hair oil. On the reverse side, Fig. 67C, the upper cross-hatched carving is pure decoration. The line n is the sender, Mungaraui. The triangles, o, refer to the money owing to him for seed pearls and tortoise shell; p is a request for a bag of flour, q for sugar, r for sticks of tobacco. Mungaraui referred to s as the 'asking' line." p. 467.

Creator of Object: Mungaraui

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 PK: Dhangu is the probable Yolngu variety associated with Yirrkala

Cultural region: TopEnd_arnhem_east

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: 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. (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." See SAM message sticks by "Mungarui". Note the different spellings – but likely to be the same person. Figure designed by Jean Truran

    Media Files:

    Data Entry: Alexandra Roginski, Piers Kelly

    Related Entries: CPM1956P468F65_AB, CPM1956P468F65_EF, CPM1956P470F66_AB, CPM1956P470F66_C, CPM1956P470F66_C, CPM1956P470F66_D, CPM1956P470F66_EF, CPM1956P470F66_GH, CPM1956P472F67_AF, CPM1956P472F67_B, CPM1956P472F67_DG, CPM1956P474F68_AB, CPM1956P474F68_CD, CPM1956P474F68_E, CPM1956P474F68_F, SAM_A_47670, SAM_A_47671