MIRAGE1974

Title: A message stick sent from Midui on Maragulidban Creek into Maningrida

Description: Our special correspondent up the creek. 1974. “Mechanical humbug strikes again!!” Maningrida Mirage 3 (31):2-3. Mechanical humbug strikes again!! Boat motors gave some people up the Liverpool River last week-end “big mobs of humbug”. The first victim was John Hunter. John was on his way to visit the people at Maragulidban, taking an icebox to help them start a fishing business. He went up Maraguildban Creek first and picked up young Ivan Louie, one of the Peter Maryewongas sons at the top landing. Then they set out for Midui, the landing on the Liverpool River where the fishing boat was waiting. A few hundred yards from the mouth of the creek the propeller stopped turning. John check out the shear pin and as that was ok, decided a broken drive shaft was to blame. John and Ivan Louie spent [2] Saturday night battling the mosquitoes and sandflies on a mud flat behind the mangroves. They expected the Gunwinggu boat Midui to come looking for them on Sunday but it didn’t show up. About 2pm the Pinders and Peter Cooke arrived on the scene in a 10ft boat. They took Ivan Louie back to the Maraguilidban Creek landing and were heading back to pick up John when their motor gave up the ghost. John was waiting expectantly on the bank when they paddled into view about 6pm. With a full moon to light the way and the guide with them they set out for Maningrida, 17 miles distant. They were nearing the junction of the Liverpool and Thompinson Rivers when a search party in the Crocodilus boat took the little boat in tow. On Monday, Micky Nalaulman arrived back from a fishing trip with an icebox full of Maragulidban Creek barra and a message stick from the captain of the Midui, Curly Bagalubu. The Midui didn’t show up, the message stick explained, due to a broken throttle cable – more mechanical humbug!! – by our special correspondent up the creek. p2

Message: On Monday, Micky Nalaulman arrived back from a fishing trip with an icebox full of Maragulidban Creek barra and a message stick from the captain of the Midui, Curly Bagalubu. The Midui didn’t show up, the message stick explained, due to a broken throttle cable – more mechanical humbug!!

Item type: positive text reference

Subtype: traditional

State/Territory: NT

Linguistic area 1: Chirila: Gunwinggu Austlang: N65 - Kunwinjku Glottolog: guma1252

Linguistic area 2: Chirila: Gunibidji Austlang: N74 - Ndjebbana Glottolog: djee1236

Cultural region: TopEnd_arnhem_east

Coordinates: 12°13'58.900800"S,134°03'29.001600"E  (-12.233028, 134.058056)

Notes on coordinates: Approximate coordinates for Maragulidban Creek at the nearest point to Marrkolidjban outstation

Data Entry: Piers Kelly