PRM1893_32_1

Title: A message stick held in the Pitt Rivers Museum

Description: Message stick with diagonal incisions and a narrow waist with a strip of textile tied round it. The stick and part of the textile are covered in ochre. 'T' and '7' and an upwards arrow are incised on the stick. [NC 19/9/2017]

Message: The bearer was to visit a certain cattle station (indicated by the brand marks) and obtain clothing in exchange for 2 boomerangs) (and a fighting weapon 7).

Date Created: 1893

Notes on date created: terminus ante quem

Item type: message stick in a collection

Subtype: traditional

State/Territory: NT

Linguistic area 1: Chirila: Wakaya Austlang: C16 - Wakaya Glottolog: waga1260

Notes on linguistic areas: The origin of the message stick is Northern Territory 60 miles west of Lake Nash, Australia Wooka tribe

Dimension 1: 132mm

Materials: ochre, textile, wood plant

Techniques: carved

Source types: museum collection

Institution/Holder file: Pitt Rivers Museum object identifier: 1893.32.1

Collector: Field Collector: Archibald Meston?, collected before 1893 Other Owners: Andrew Lang obtained from Archibald Meston via probably Andrew Barton Paterson known as Banjo Paterson of Sydney PRM Source: Andrew Lang. Donated 1893

Coordinates: 20°19'16.100400"S,137°27'39.600000"E  (-20.321139, 137.461)

Media copyright: Pitt Rivers Museum

Notes on coordinates: Chirila centroid coordinates for Wakaya [Wooka]

URL institution: http://objects.prm.ox.ac.uk/pages/PRMUID2191.html

Notes: Accession Book Entry - Andrew Lang Esq Marloes Rd Kensington, W - Message stick from the Wooka tribe 60 miles west of Lake Nash, Northern Territory, S. Australia, obtained by Mr Meston and sent to Mr Lang by A.B. Paterson Esq of 24 Bond Str Sydney v letter from Mr Paterson and enclosed account Related Documents File - Three page typed article entitled: 'The General Subject of the Message Stick.' Attached is a one page typed report on this particular message stick by the same source, including an explanation or translation of this message. [See file for full text.] [MOB 1/10/2001] Old Pitt Rivers Museum label - Message stick from the WOOKA tribe, 60 miles W. Lake Nash, Northern Territory. S. AUSTRALIA. The bearer was to visit a certain cattle station (indicated by the brand marks) and obtain clothing in exchange for 2 boomerangs) (and a fighting weapon 7. ---- etc. Presd. by Andrew Lang Esq. 1893. [DCF Court Team 14/2/2003] Written on object - d.d. A. Lang, Esq. 1883 [Please note that 1883 is written on the object, but the object was given in 1893]. [DCF Court Team 14/2/2003] Research notes: Archibald Meston, (1851-1924) Journalist, civil servant and explorer. In 1894 he was commissioned to prepare plans for improving the lot of the Queensland aborigines. [AP 30/3/2000] It seems possible that AB Paterson is actually Andrew Barton Paterson known as Banjo Paterson, the famous Australian author and poet who wrote 'Waltzing Matilda' and 'The Man from the Snowy River' [AP 15/11/2002] PK: there is more commentary on this stick in Wood-Martin, W. G. 1901. Traces of the elder faiths in Ireland: A folklore sketch: a handbook of Irish pre-Christian traditions. London: Longmans, Green, and Co. 04.12.23 PK: This object is also referred to in Kimber, R. G. (Dick). 2004. "Message-sticks and ‘yabber’ mail." In Making connections : a journey along Central Australian Aboriginal trading routes, edited by Val Donovan and Colleen Wall. Brisbane: Arts Queensland. PK: No new info in PRM print-out (2019)

Media Files:

Data Entry: Julia Bespamyatnykh, Piers Kelly