QM_QE897

Title: A message stick from Townsville in the Queensland Museum Kurilpa

Notes on date created: 1916-05-10

Item type: message stick in a collection

Notes on linguistic areas: Townsville

Institution/Holder file: Queensland Museum Kurilpa object identifier: QE897

Notes: QM REGISTER

Date: May 10, 1916

Registration no: 16/897

Name or Description: Message sticks

No. of specimens: 2

Locality: Larger from T'ville 16/897. Smaller from Cooktown 16/898

From Whom Acquired: E. Banfield

References to Papers: Ack. no. 16/089

Destination:

Remarks:

OTHER NOTES:

28.01.2026 PK: Inwards correspondence 1916_005.jpg: Progressive=216 Previous=171 Subsequent=515 Date of registration=January 19 Of Letter=April 11 From Whom= E. J. Banfield Dunk Is. Subject of Letter=Message sticks – giving information re.

Banfield, E. J. 1916. "Letter from E. Banfield to R. Hamlyn Harris." Queensland Museum Archives. Historic correspondence: 1916, 11 April.

Brammo Bay, Dunk Island.

[216] April 11/16.

Dear Doctor,

four blacks have, individually, promised to make message sticks, but so far—you know the foibles of the race—none is forthcoming. I note that you agree with views as to the illiteracy of the interesting folk, and that your investigation aims at producing evidence for and against. No doubt you have seen what Mrs. Aenas Gunn tells in her book "The Litte Black Princess" (p.57, for illustration) and may think that she makes out a good case: but when one listens to any black expounding such things there is little room for doubt that he is exercising his inventiveness to suit his audience, for if the sticks be taken from his and presented the next day it will be found to have quite a different version.

I am posting a couple of sticks which I have had for many years—one originating at Townsville and the smaller, with the spiral grooves, at Cooktown. This latter was brought to this Island for a boy named Micky, who was thought to be living here, as explained in "The Confessions".

With the sticks you will find the thigh bone of a cassowary, said by the blacks to have been killed by the ferocious and smellful beast which I have referred to in the "Homily" entitled "IT". I got this bone myself on the site of the alleged tragedy, which is now in a banana clearing at the foot of Clump Point mountain. When the scrub was felled, quite recently, and burnt off the bones were calcined, save this, which I thought might interest you. The quests...

E. Banfield.

05.02.2026 PK: This is clearly the top object in the image from Banfield's book (based on comparison with Anne Best sketch)

Media Files:

Data Entry: Piers Kelly