KW1960S

Title: Message stick collected by Katrina Wright in Borroloola in the 1960s

Message: kill them finish

Date Created: 1960

Notes on date created: Date collected;1960s

Item type: message stick in a private collection

Subtype: traditional

State/Territory: NT

Linguistic area 1: Chirila: Yanyuwa Austlang: N153 - Yanyuwa Glottolog: yany1243

Notes on linguistic areas: The origin of the message stick is Borroloola

Coordinates: 16°04'13.000800"S,136°18'25.999200"E  (-16.070278, 136.307222)

Notes on coordinates: These are the exact coordinates for Borroloola

Notes: Friday 3 May 2019, Katrina Wright wrote to Piers Kelly: "Dr. Piers Kelly, My name is Katrina Wright I come from the remote outback town of Borroloola Northern Territory Australia. I am a traditional dot painter and at present in America I have an art exhibition in Boston 15th may read my bio here https://conceptionarts.com/artist/jeWbNGC I have a lot of very old aboriginal artifacts that have been given down to me or traded one in particular is a message stick from the Yanyuwa people it was already very old when I got it in the 1960's I know ever aboriginal symbol and can read any dot painting but this symbol on the message stick I have NEVER see before, I started to doubt it, but couldn't because it came from the tribe, until I was looking at a vintage art book here in America I was given as a gift '' Australian aboriginal paintings of Arnhem land E.J.Brabdle [Brandl] 1973'' the symbols on my stick are the same symbols on the cave painting ..I took photos so you can look for yourself ..Tell me your thoughts on what you see?" "Yes put it in the message bank, because I come from that area I have alot of old stuff, nulla nulla, digerdoos, clapping sticks, boomerang, etc but very rare are message sticks here .. Mine is the only old one I know off and I don't think it has a very nice message on it .. 'kill them finish' those carved branches mean. I just finished a dot painting of the seven sisters star constalation , it's on my art sight I sent you the link to ..it has two turtles on it also..cheers" [...] "Rita I can't say her bush name because she's dead she was a dot painter too that spoke English from that area she told me that's what it meant because I asked if it was some type of medicine leaves."

Media Files:

Data Entry: Piers Kelly