QM_QE530

Title: Sketch of a message stick by Hamlyn-Harris (1918)

Description: Sketch of message stick on p.26, Fig.16, of "On messages and "Message Sticks" employed among the Queensland Aborigines" by R. Hamlyn-Harris

Message: This message stick was sent by a native of Aurukun to a native of Weipa, consenting to his sister marrying the latter when when he had built his humpy, and asking for payment in the form of a cloth from the woman and a pair of trousers and a singlet from the man The wood used is possibly a variety of Hibiscus, and is crudely prepared showing haste in the making. There are altogether three rows of notches cut [26] at irregular intervals. Although the natives who used this stick have been under the influence of civilisation, it is nevertheless a concrete instance of a definite message. (p.27)

Creator of Object: Sender: "a native of Aurukun" Recipient: "a native of Weipa" (p. 26)

Date Created: 1914-08-21

Notes on date created: accession, published 1918

Item type: message stick in a collection

Subtype: traditional

State/Territory: QLD

Linguistic area 1: Chirila: Linngithigh Austlang: Y26 - Linngithigh Glottolog: leni1238

Linguistic area 2: Chirila: Alngith Austlang: Y32 - Alngith Glottolog: alng1239

Notes on linguistic areas: The message stick is associated with Cape York Peninsula. Aurukun is ambiguous since many different groups would have been there, however it sits on traditional Linngithigh country. Someone who was a "native of Weipa" in early twentieth century would likely be Alngith

Semantic domains: sd_item_cloth, sd_item_singlet, sd_item_trousers, sd_marriage, sd_request_item

Dimension 1: 109mm Dimension 2: 14mm

Materials: wood

Sources:

Hamlyn Harris, R. 1918. “On messages and ‘message sticks’ employed among the Queensland Aborigines.”

Memoirs of the Queensland Museum 6:13-36.

Coordinates: 13°21'26.301600"S,141°43'41.199600"E  (-13.357306, 141.728111)

Notes on coordinates: Absolute coordinates for Aurukun

URL source 1: https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/47577#page/51/mode/1up

Notes: QM REGISTER

Date: Aug. 21, 1914

Registration no: 14/530

Name or Description: Message stick

Locality: Weipa, Cape York, Q

From Whom Acquired: Weipa Mission Stn.

How Acquired: Donated

References to Papers:

Destination:

Remarks: This message stick was sent by a native of Aurukun to a native of Weipa consenting to his sister marrying the latter when when he had built his house [RHH=humpy] + asking for payment in the form of a patchwork quilt [RHH=cloth] from the woman and a pair of trousers and a singlet from the man

OTHER NOTES:

27.01.2026 PK: Note difference between register and what RHH published in 1918. 28.01.2026 PK: No reference to Weipa Mission Station in Inwards Correspondence 1914_80.jpg 19.01.2026 PK: Previoius ID: RHH1918P25F16

Media Files:

Data Entry: Julia Bespamyatnykh, Piers Kelly