MusV_X_81227

Title: A message stick from Milingimbi in Museums Victoria

Description: Message stick, Milingimbi, Eastern Arnhem Land, Northern Territory, Australia, 1900-1959, Registered Rev and Mrs E.A. Wells (Purchase, Feb 1976) Edgar A. Wells Collection Milingimbi Northern Territory Original register: "81227. Message stick for Nara ceremony, originally with tassle (actually used). Locality: Milingimbi, Arnhem Land 1955?"

Message: «summons to Nara ceremony»

Date Created: 1955

Notes on date created: terminus ante quem; 1955?

Item type: message stick in a collection

State/Territory: NT

Notes on linguistic areas: The origin of the message stick is Milingimbi, Eastern Arnhem Land, Northern Territory, Australia

Cultural region: TopEnd_arnhem_east

Semantic domains: sd_ceremony_nara

Institution/Holder file: Museums Victoria object identifier: X 81227

Coordinates: 12°05'42.000000"S,134°53'34.800000"E  (-12.095, 134.893)

Media copyright: Museums Victoria

Notes on coordinates: Absolute coordinates for Milingimbi Island, Northern Territory, per Google maps. Wikipedia: Milingimbi Island, also Yurruwi, is the largest island of the Crocodile Islands group off the coast of Arnhem Land, Northern Territory, Australia.

Notes: MusV data: "X 81227, Message stick, Milingimbi, Eastern Arnhem Land, Northern Territory, Australia, 1900-1959, Registered Rev and Mrs E.A. Wells (Purchase, Feb 1976) Edgar A. Wells Collection Milingimbi Northern Territory " ComSecondaryComments: "Was this carried by a messenger? Is it restricted or open? J. Morton, Senior Curator, believes that the object is not a message stick and should be known as a ceremonial object until a more definite identification can be made, 10/07/1998. Lindy Allen believes it was carried by a messenger, May 2014. Joe Gumbula indentified this as a restricted object (Dhuni category - restrictions apply. Dhuni means able to be seen and used publicaly but cultural protocols do apply toas to who would own and use the item. It is from the Gartjirrk and Marthakal regions. Message stick 'used by everyone' - Dhuwa and Yirritja clans. (Josepth Neparrnga Gumbula at Meblourne Museum 18/11/2014). The collection and production date ranges attributed by curator (LAllen 2014")

Media Files:

Data Entry: Piers Kelly, Nitzan Rotman