MM0_5284

Title: A message stick held in the Manchester Museum

Description: Message stick made of wood and cloth. A thin, elliptical section piece of wood pointed at one end and with a strip of red cloth tied at each end. The stick has a pattern of straight lines on ones side, and criss-cross ones on the other. A note originally accompanied the stick which reads. 'A Queensland aborigine's letter. From a father to his son. The old man thinks he is dying and wishes his son to come to him'. Addressed to, 'Mrs Barr-Smith with Mrs Pegler's compliments'. Dated - Milo, Queensland 5.5.1896. Original note card states this letter is now in documentation file. Has another card which states, 'message stick wrapped at each end by red cloth. Given to Prof. Wood-Jones by Mrs Barr-Smith, 1925'. Signed 'Prof. F. Wood-Jones, May 1938'.

Message: A note originally accompanied the stick which reads. 'A Queensland aborigine's letter. From a father to his son. The old man thinks he is dying and wishes his son to come to him'. Addressed to, 'Mrs Barr-Smith with Mrs Pegler's compliments'. Dated - Milo, Queensland 5.5.1896. Original note card states this letter is now in documentation file. Has another card which states, 'message stick wrapped at each end by red cloth. Given to Prof. Wood-Jones by Mrs Barr-Smith, 1925'. Signed 'Prof. F. Wood-Jones, May 1938'.

Date Created: 1896

Notes on date created: 5.5.1896

Item type: message stick in a collection

State/Territory: QLD

Notes on linguistic areas: The message stick is associated with Australia, Queensland, Milo.

Materials: wood

Source types: museum collection

Date collected: Acquisition date: 31/05/1938

Institution/Holder file: The Manchester Museum object identifier: 0.5284

Collector: Jones, Prof Frederic Wood F.R.S.

Coordinates: 25°43'15.499200"S,144°30'1.299600"E  (-25.720972, 144.500361)

Media copyright: The Manchester Museum

Notes on coordinates: Absolute coordiantion for Milo Station, Queensland, per Google maps. Bonzle: Milo is a homestead just off the Bulloo River in south Queensland, Australia situated about 870km west of Brisbane

Notes: 30.5.24 NR: information was collected from three very mixed up documents, provided by the Manchester Museum while their online search tool is offline.

Data Entry: Nitzan Rotman