AMSD - Message Stick CPM1958P103F5B

Coordinates WGS84

11°41'S, 130°58'E
-11.69, 130.96

CPM1958P103F5B

Title: A message stick from Puntubu, reproduced by Mountford (1958)

Description: Fig. 5B illustrates a purunkita which was sent to Puntubu, on the upper reaches of the Tjipripu River, central Melville Island, one of the totem places of the eucalyptus-tree woman, Aragoutourina. The central line, c, is the Tjipripu River, which flows into Curtis Haven. On the banks of that river grow many tulini palms (symbols b, b, b,) from which the aborigines make their palm-leaf baskets. The roots of the palms, a, a, are indicated at either end of the message stick, and reefs of black and yellow rocks on the banks of the Tjipripu River at d, d, and e, e, e, respectively. The junctions of those rocks are indicated by the transverse lines, f, f, f. (103-104)

Message: The central line, c, is the Tjipripu River, which flows into Curtis Haven. On the banks of that river grow many tulini palms (symbols b, b, b,) from which the aborigines make their palm-leaf baskets. The roots of the palms, a, a, are indicated at either end of the message stick, and reefs of black and yellow rocks on the banks of the Tjipripu River at d, d, and e, e, e, respectively. The junctions of those rocks are indicated by the transverse lines, f, f, f. (103-104)

Date Created: 1954

Notes on date created: Year of the National Geographic Expedition to Melville Island

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

Subtype: traditional

State/Territory: NT

Linguistic area 1: Chirila: Tiwi Austlang: N20 - Tiwi Glottolog: tiwi1244

Notes on linguistic areas: The message stick is associated with Puntubu, on the upper reaches of the Tjipripu River, central Melville Island

Cultural region: TopEnd_tiwi

Term for 'message stick' (or related) in language: purunkita

Sources:

Charles P. Mountford (1958). The Tiwi: their Art Myth and Ceremony. London Phoenix Melbourne: Georgian House.

Source types: book article