SAM_A_3854

Title: Three paperbark wallets from Kakadu used for carrying written letters, known as paper yabbers

Description: Wallet, paperbark, wrappers for carrying white man's letter; 3 specimens

Date Created: 1918

Notes on date created: Date registered; 1911-1918

Item type: message stick accessory

Subtype: traditional_context

State/Territory: NT

Linguistic area 1: Chirila: Gagudju Austlang: N50 - Gaagudju Glottolog: gaga1251

Notes on linguistic areas: The origin of the message stick accessory is Alligator River, Northern Territory, Australia. Typically "Alligator River" by itself means South Alligator River, which would mean Gagudju to the east of it. Konbudj is to the west but they might be more strongly affiliated with the West Alligator River. For this reason the linguistic area is nominally given as Gagudju.

Cultural region: TopEnd_arnhem_west

Source types: museum collection

Institution/Holder file: The South Australian Museum object identifier: A-3854

Collector: Donated by: Maurice, R.T.

Coordinates: 12°14'49.898400"S,132°24'13.298400"E  (-12.247194, 132.403694)

Media copyright: The South Australian Museum

Notes on coordinates: Approximate coordinates for South Alligator River

Notes: OT: Not a message stick PK: See this article: Foster, Robert. 1998. "Paper yabber: The messenger and the message." Aboriginal History 22:105-115. AR: SAM register does not include specimen numbers and only refers to "Paper bark wrappers for carrying whiteman's letter". The number reference to associated papers ("Series No") is semi-legible; possibly pencil used or later erased?

Data Entry: Olena Tykhostup, Piers Kelly, Alexandra Roginski