SMITHSONIAN178294_I

Title: A message stick from Raiwala requesting food from Mr Tom Hanna, missionary on Milingimbi Island, NT

Description: Smithsonian register: "FROM CARD: 'THIS SMALL STICK 4 IN. IN LENGTH AND .38 IN. IN DIAMETER HAS VARIOUS NOTCHES CUT ON IT. THERE ARE 8 DEEP NOTCHES ON ONE SIDE, EACH NOTCH REPRESENTS 10 LOGS CUT. THIS TOTALS 80 LOGS CUT AND ON THE LANDING. 2 SMALLER NOTCHES ON SAME SIDE EQUAL 20 LOGS CUT BUT NOT ON LANDING. ON OPPOSITE SIDE OF STICK ARE TWO X'S AND BETWEEN THEM A Y-LIKE CUTTING. THE X TO RIGHT INDICATES HE (RAIWALA) HAS RECEIVED RATIONS FROM ELCHO ISLAND BUT IT'S ALL GONE. X TO LEFT REPRESENTS MILINGIMBI ISLAND AND HE'S REQUESTING FOOD FROM MR. TOM HANNA, THE MISSIONARY ON MILINGIMBI, WHO GAVE ME THIS INTERPRETATION. RAIWALA IS CUTTING LOGS ON MAINLAND HALF WAY BETWEEN MILINGIMBI AND ELCHO ISLAND. (SEE NOTE BOOK).' NOTE: Smithsonian transcription converts the original '3/8" ' from the index card to '.38 IN', which is an approximate conversion.

Message: «Raiwala is cutting logs on the mainland, halfway between Milingimbi and Elcho Islahd. He has cut 80 logs, a further 20 are on the landing. Raiwala has received rations from Elcho Island but they are now gone. Raiwala requires food»

Date Created: 1949

Notes on date created: terminus ante quem;1949-5-2

Item type: message stick in a collection

Subtype: traditional

State/Territory: NT

Linguistic area 1: Chirila: Yolngu Austlang: N230 - YOLNGU MATHA Glottolog: yuul1239

Linguistic area 2: Chirila: Yan-nhangu Austlang: N72 - Yan-nhangu Glottolog: yann1237

Notes on linguistic areas: The origin of the message stick is Milingimbi, NT (collected). PK: Message stick has travelled between Elcho Island and Milingimbi. First linguistic area

Cultural region: TopEnd_arnhem_east

Dimension 1: 101.6mm Dimension 3: 9.525mm

Materials: wood

Institution/Holder file: Smithsonian Institution object identifier: 178294

Collector: Frank M Setzler, American-Australian Scientific Expedition to Arnhem Land

Place collected: Milingimbi Island, NT

Coordinates: 11°58'35.500800"S,135°41'43.101600"E  (-11.976528, 135.695306)

Media copyright: Smithsonian Institution

Notes on coordinates: Approximate coordinates for Elcho Island

URL institution: http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/31abd6cfa-14f5-4a7a-807e-821b06295604

IRN: E387531-0

Notes: Smithsonian register: "FROM CARD: 'THIS SMALL STICK 4 IN. IN LENGTH AND .38 IN. IN DIAMETER HAS VARIOUS NOTCHES CUT ON IT. THERE ARE 8 DEEP NOTCHES ON ONE SIDE, EACH NOTCH REPRESENTS 10 LOGS CUT. THIS TOTALS 80 LOGS CUT AND ON THE LANDING. 2 SMALLER NOTCHES ON SAME SIDE EQUAL 20 LOGS CUT BUT NOT ON LANDING. ON OPPOSITE SIDE OF STICK ARE TWO X'S AND BETWEEN THEM A Y-LIKE CUTTING. THE X TO RIGHT INDICATES HE (RAIWALA) HAS RECEIVED RATIONS FROM ELCHO ISLAND BUT IT'S ALL GONE. X TO LEFT REPRESENTS MILINGIMBI ISLAND AND HE'S REQUESTING FOOD FROM MR. TOM HANNA, THE MISSIONARY ON MILINGIMBI, WHO GAVE ME THIS INTERPRETATION. RAIWALA IS CUTTING LOGS ON MAINLAND HALF WAY BETWEEN MILINGIMBI AND ELCHO ISLAND. (SEE NOTE BOOK).' NOTE: Smithsonian transcription converts the original '3/8" ' from the index card to '.38 IN', which is an approximate conversion.

Media Files:

Data Entry: Alexandra Roginski, Nitzan Rotman