Coordinates WGS8416°55'S, 125°04'E
-16.92, 125.06

ILI1948P102F2

Title: A photo of a message stick from Ion L. Idriess' "Over the range" (1948)

Description: Photos of two sides of one message stick fig (2) on p. 102 of "Over the range" by Ion L. Idriess

Message: A message-stick giving detailed instructions to meet for annual initiation rites. Above [fig. 1]: 1. These Mount Hart tribesmen must come down to 2. The Crocodile Hole at the time of the 3. New Moon to 4. Fairfield Station where 5. These Fairfield blacks will meet them for the Big Initiation in the making of young men. Below ( Reverse side) [fig. 2]: The markings on this reverse side of stick represent individual Fitzroy River tribesmen who will meet the Mount Hart and Fairfield blacks. (p. 102) Transcript of document in bottom-right corner of 20210213-Invaluable-H3247-L242175177.jpg: "Come down Crocodile Hole (in Leopolds) small marks are the Mt Hart Blacks + long ones too, they all come down Crocodile Hole, and meet at Fairfield (station) (round Hole) at the new moon. The next long ones are Fairfield blacks who will be there, on opposite side all long grooves are the Fitzroy mob who will be there too. [Lower section of the page:] The Mt Hart blacks are to all come down crocodile hole to Fairfield, at the new moon. These Fairfield blacks will be there to meet them. These Fitzroy natives will be there too. [Line pointing to long horizontal groove:] Mt Hart nig's[?] all come down Crocodile Hole. [Annotation between two sets of tally marks:] N[illegible] natives [?] Fairfield. [Annotation of tally marks on far right of sketch:] Fairfield nigs. [Obverse sketch:] Fitzroy nigs who will be there."

Date Created: 1948

Notes on date created: terminus ante quem

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

Subtype: traditional

State/Territory: WA

Linguistic area 1: Chirila: Unggumi Austlang: K14 - Unggumi Glottolog: ungg1243

Linguistic area 2: Chirila: Yiiji Austlang: K32 - Yiiji Glottolog: wuna1249

Linguistic area 3: Chirila: Bunuba Austlang: K5 - Bunuba Glottolog: buna1275

Notes on linguistic areas: Relevant locations: Mount Hart [Unggumi: ungg1243], Crocodile Hole [Yiji: wuna1249], Fairfield Station [Bunuba: buna1275], Fitzroy River.

Cultural region: WA_kimberley

Semantic domains: sd_activity_meeting, sd_ceremony_law, sd_person_group, sd_place_station, sd_request_invitation_ceremony_law, sd_time_moon

Sources:

  • Idriess, Ion L. 1948. Over the range: Sunshine and shadow in the Kimberleys. Sydney: Angus & Robertson.
  • Coordinates: 16°55'21.000000"S,125°03'54.000000"E  (-16.9225, 125.065)

    Notes on coordinates: Absolute coordinates for Mount Hart

    Media Files:

    Data Entry: Olena Tykhostup