DMA2019_01

Title: A contemporary Jarowair message stick associated with the Gummingurru ceremonial site

Description: S Q-W wrote: "It is a contemporary made version from Wattle timber that references the means of transmitting ‘invitations’ to neighbouring tribes as far away as northern NSW to join the trienniale (approx. every 3-4 years) harvest of bunya pine nuts (ancient Aracauria bidwillii trees) at Boobarran Ngummin (Bunya Mountains) [...] The Bunya Nut is becoming a symbol of peace and reconciliation in the 21st century as it once was back in the past before the frontier wars of the 1850s" (email to PK on 13 October 2021) Damon Miri Anderson commented that this particular object was made for Oakey State High school in 2019. There was a ceremonial exchange of message sticks for permission to be on country. This is the one that the school principle gave to Shannon Bauwens and Shannon gave another one to the school principle.

Creator of Object: Damon Miri Anderson, a Bunya Mountains ranger, artist, musician and dancer

Item type: message stick in a private collection

Subtype: replicative

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

Materials: wattle

Coordinates: 27°26'34.000800"S,151°42'59.500800"E  (-27.442778, 151.716528)

Media copyright: Damon Miri Anderson

Notes on coordinates: Absolute coordinates for Oakey State High School

Media Files:

Data Entry: Piers Kelly