FAIRLEY1943

Title: A message stick collected by Neil Hamilton Fairley, possibly from near Cairns

Description: Kirsten Palmer wrote on 18.01.2025: "Dear Dr Piers Kelly My name is Kirsten Palmer and I have been advised to contact you with regards this map stick. I have have always understood that this was used to guide Aboriginal tribes from one encampment to another, left there for the return journeys. I inherited this from my father, we used to have quite a large collection of Aboriginal artefacts at home. The reason for this is that my maiden name is Hamilton Fairley. My grandfather (who was an Australian ) Sir Neil Hamilton Fairley, was a Professor of Tropical Diseases. He did all the work on Malaria in the Second World War, coming up with a cure thus saving thousand of soldiers lives in the Middle East. He worked from Cains , in the military museum in Canberra there is a whole section devoted to the work he did. Sir William Dargie, was a close personal friend of my grand parents, William, was the official Artist and accompanied my grandfather to Papua New Guinea. During the war years my father went to Geelong and staying in Corowa with an uncle. My Grand mother bought a house in Melbourne. My father told me how to read the stick and as I’m dyslexic I totally equate with visual representation for navigation. I also know that my grand father had a close colleague, who , in the 1920’s lived with a tribe, who allowed him to document and photograph the everyday life and rituals of the people. There was a small typed book , illustrated with black and white photos, unfortunately after my father died I could not find it anywhere, hopefully my father did the right thing and sent it to the right place in Australia. The impression that I got was that this stick comes from that research. I am well aware that this is a precious artefact and should be some where it will be valued. I have always looked after it well ,keeping it at a reasonable temperature. Could you advise me the right way to get this to the right place. I look forward to hearing from you. Best regards Kirsten"

Date Created: 1943

Notes on date created: This is a terminus ante quem: it is the date that Fairley established the malaria research unit in Cairns but note that if it had been acquired from his colleague in the 1920s it could be earlier.

Item type: message stick in a private collection

Media Files:

Data Entry: Piers Kelly