SAM_A_60349

Title: A message stick from Northern Territory held in the South Australian Museum

Description: Wooden, incised message stick from the South Australian Museum

Date Created: 1948

Notes on date created: Year of American-Australian Scientific Expedition to Arnhem Land

Item type: message stick in a collection

Subtype: traditional_context

State/Territory: NT

Linguistic area 1: Chirila: Dhangu Austlang: N192 - Dhangu Glottolog: dhan1270

Notes on linguistic areas: The origin of the message stick is Yirrkala, Northern Territory, Australia. Linguistic area is inferred from Yirrkala

Cultural region: TopEnd_arnhem_east

Source types: museum collection

Date collected: 1948; Date registered: 25. Feb 1970

Institution/Holder file: The South Australian Museum object identifier: A-60349

Collector: Purchased from: Mountford, Charles P.

Coordinates: 12°15'10.000800"S,136°53'30.001200"E  (-12.252778, 136.891667)

Media copyright: The South Australian Museum

Notes: AR: SAM register: "'Arnhemland, Art, Myth and Symbolism', p 470AB. Coll. CPM" 11.02.2026 PK: Previously CPM1956P470F66_AB AR: On page 471 of 'Art, Myth and Symbolism', Mountford writes that Fig 66A, B was one of three unidentified sticks from Yirrkala that were "included to indicate additional designs employed on the message stick of that locality." Mountford wrote that "Whilst at Yirrkalla and Oenpelli I had to fly to Darwin several times on expedition matters. Each time I went one or more aborigines have me message sticks to deliver to their friends at Darwin. My procedure (after I had made a record of the message stick either by a sketch or a rubbing) was to write the meanings of the various symbols on a sheet of paper, wrap the paper round the message stick and enclose it in an envelope, on the outside of which I wrote the name of the recipient as a guide to my memory. When I delivered the message stick, which I did on all but two occasions, I was able to explain to the recipient the significance of the marks on the message stick by referring to my notes." p. 467. Figure designed by Jean Truran

Media Files:

Data Entry: Olena Tykhostup, Alexandra Roginski