AMSD - Message Stick CPM1956P474F68

Coordinates WGS84

12°20'S, 133°03'E
-12.33, 133.06

CPM1956P474F68_E

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

Description: A message stick from Kainaraui at Oenpelli to his son, Pultadi, in Darwin

Message: Kainaraui requests that his son returns to his father and mother "Figure 68E is the message stick I carried from an aboriginal, Kainaraui, at Oenpelli to his son, Pultadi, in Darwin. The sender was distressed because his son had been drinking heavily, and was urging him to return to his father and [p. 473] mother." p. 475

Creator of Object: Sender: Kainaraui Recipient: Pultadi

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

Linguistic area 1: Chirila: Mengerr Austlang: N53 - Mengerrdji Glottolog: mang1382

Notes on linguistic areas: The origin of the message stick is Oenpelli

Motif transcription: The two marks, a, referred to the somewhat tragic message I was asked to deliver, and the two marks, b, to the sorrowing mother and father. The son was also asked to send, or bring, other supplies, c being a request for tobacco, the crossed diagonal lines, d, for two blankets, the triangle e for sugar, and g for a mosquito net. p. 475

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: Oenpelli

Coordinates: 12°19'31.800000"S,133°03'18.000000"E (-12.3255, 133.055)

Notes on coordinates: Absolute coordinates for Gunbalanya (Oenpelli0

Notes: Figure designed by Jean Truran

Media Files:

Data Entry: Alexandra Roginski