DU1925P11
Title: A sketch of a message stick provided by David Unaipon in a 1925 article in The Register
Description: Sketch of message stick in 1925 article "Aboriginal Marching Orders. A Message Stick Interpreted" from "The Register" newspaper. "Considerable interest has been aroused in Adelaide over the ability of David Unaipon, a full-blooded aboriginal, to explain in scientific terms the folklore of his people. An interview with Unaipon appeared in. The Register of 1 October 3. By way of expressing his appreciation, Mr. Unaipon presented to The Register the translation of a message stick, made for him by the native doctor who was to accompany him on his northern trip as interpreter. This is the first time that a message stick has ever been translated for the white man's understanding. The message in question, of which a diagram is shown, contains; a war order from Warta Yunna, chief of all the surrounding minor chiefs. As the key indicated it gives all the surrounding tribes their marching orders, directing the routes by which they are to gather together at one central spot and prepare for battle. The angles show the points at which they are to. make smoke signals."
Message: The message in question, of which diagram is shown, contains a war order from Warta Yunna, chief of all the surrounding minor chiefs. As the key indicated it gives all the surrounding tribes their marching orders, directing the routes by which they are to gather together at one central spot and prepare for battle. The angles show the points at which they are to make smoke signals. [...] "Key: 1, Chief Thumgara (Dew); 2, Kow Wona (Thunder Cloud); 3, Chief Mulgarra; 4, Chief Quenra; 5, Mlndala; 6, Bungala; 7, Chief Matharoo; 8, Chief Oora, wild grass bark; 9, Chief Warta Yunna, chief of all the surrounding minor chiefs. Garrison to which go to drill. There they are to await the coming together of two stars in the West, then march out to do battle with the enemy. 10, Chief Kow Dull (wild potato); 11, Chief War Tura, manufacturer of wommenna (boomerangs); 12, Chief Kun-Yarra; 13, Chief Banguli (manufacturer of spears). Tree from which spears are made. Distance of 40 miles between 9 and 11, sunrise to 4 o'clock in the afternoon. Distance of 56 miles, between 11 and 12." (p. 11)
Creator of Object: Sender: "a native doctor" Recipient: "Mr. Unaipon"
Date Created: 1925
Notes on date created: terminus ante quem
Item type: image of a message stick (artefact missing)
Subtype: traditional
State/Territory: SA_unlocalisable
Notes on linguistic areas: This is most likely in South Australia, since it was given to David Unaipon who provided the interpretation. It was made for him by "the native doctor who was to accompany [Unaipon] on his northern trip as interpreter". There are at least three avenues of inquiry: 1) It would be worth finding out about Unaipon's northern trip, presumably this means north in relation to Adelaide where The Register was published. If the identity of the interpreter could be discovered this would help isolate the linguistic area associated with the message stick (Unaipon's own affiliation is Ngarrindjeri). The preceding article in the Register is here: http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article64244883 PK contacted Tim Rowse on 27 August 2019, who suggested contacting Philip Jones. Other ways to narrow the search would be to find these names of people "Warta Yunna", "Thumgara", "Kow Wona", "Mulgarra", "Quenra", "Mindala", "Bungala", "Matharoo", "Oora", "Kow Dull", "War Tura". 2) Identify the language used in the interpretation. Special clues for the language are thumgara=dew kow wona= thunder cloud oora = wild grass bark kow dull= wild potato wommena= boomerangs In Chirila lexical dataset: dew = cannot find equivalent to thumgara thunder = koːɹanna or koːɹunna in Parnkala, koːɹoːna in Wirangu, koːnoː in Yalarrnga (too far away) wild potato = cannot find equivalent to kow dull wongela= boomerang on Barcoo river (Queensland or SA?) wungela = boomerang in Yambina (too far away) waŋala = boomerang in Yuwi wunggela = boomerang in Blackall-Barcoo River (probably QLD) woomera= boomerang according to 'Aboriginal Names of Places with their Meanings, etc' (this could just be a mistake since woomera is Eora word for spear-thrower, after which the place derives its name) According to Curr boomerang is panketyi in Ngarrindjeri. So far the best lead is Parnkala and the adjacent Wirungu language. However in the Barngala dictionary based on Clamor Wilhelm Schurmann returns: dew = yarlda; boorgoo thunder = goorrana cloud=mabinya; malgoo; baloowara boomerang = wadna [used in Port Lincoln only for killing fish] 3) Continuing from the above, of the 13 individuals mentioned in the interpretation, four have names that are glossed as nouns. This suggests that these might be totem names: Thumgara (Dew) Kow Wona (Thunder Cloud) Chief Oora (wild grass bark) Kow Dull (wild potato) On this line of inquiry it might be worth looking at AustKin for totem systems north of Adelaide that include these names. The name Matharoo could be a moiety name, per Arabana moiety matthurie (the other moiety is kirawara)
Semantic domains: sd_activity_war, sd_direction_west, sd_person_man_elder, sd_place, sd_plant_tree, sd_time_star
Source types: newspaper article
URL source 1: http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article64236234
Notes: Compare this with the Unaipon message stick in South Australian Museum (?)
Media Files:
Data Entry: Olena Tykhostup, Piers Kelly