SAM_A_67911

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

Description: Message stick 'The man Buma-Buma' 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

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

Cultural region: TopEnd_arnhem_east

Source types: museum collection

Date collected: Date registered: 05. Dez 1983

Institution/Holder file: The South Australian Museum object identifier: A-67911

Collector: 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 on coordinates: Absolute coordinates for Yirrkala

Notes: PK: The excel sheet provided by the SAM includes the cryptic sentence "The man buma-buma" which may relate to the interpretation of the message stick. In C.P. Mountford's 'Records of the American–Australian scientific expedition to Arnhem Land 1: Art, myth and symbolism', he writes: "The Man, Buma-buma Buma-buma, one of the harmless spirit people, lives by himself in termite mounds. Although he has spears, spear-thrower and a knowledge of fire, his diet consists only of wild honey and the flesh of bandicoots, goannas and echidnas. Plate 51B is a picture of Buma-buma. The artist has indicated the ribs and the backbone. The feet are shown as footprints.". This image might be compared to the message stick. AR: From "remarks" column in SAM register: "Y.50" "6-7-52" label "Art, Myth & Symbolism 66. e. f."

Media Files:

Data Entry: Olena Tykhostup, Piers Kelly, Alexandra Roginski