IDNO

P.910.ACH1

Description

On Catalogue Card: “Kaikai, Mer.”

Garden scene with piles of food stacked on the ground and within bamboo structures. Several people are standing near the bundles but are out of focus. [Jude Philp 20/5/1999, from record N.23169.ACH1]

Place

Oceania Australasia; Australia; Torres Strait; Mer

Cultural Affliation

Torres Strait Islander

Named Person

Photographer

None

Collector / Expedition

Haddon, Alfred Cort [Cambridge University Anthropological Expedition to the Torres Straits, 1898 - 1899]

Date

1898

Collection Name

Mounted Haddon CollectionTorres Strait Island Expedition

Source

Haddon, Alfred Cort (Dr)

Format

Print Black & White Mounted

Primary Documentation

Other Information

Context: Kaikai means food or eating. The envelope for N.23168.ACH2 (P.909.ACH1) links that image of a group of people standing and sitting in a clearing to this negative. [Jude Philp 20/5/1999]

Related Image: At least five separate feasts took place when the Expedition was at Mer. One is mentioned by Myers (1998: ); two photographed by Myers (P.908.ACH1; P.911.ACH1) referenced in the Reports (VI: 119); and three noted by Haddon: 1. a food present connected with Dick and Aba’s wedding (P.907.ACH1) both of which were photographed (1898: 66); 2. a large feast connected with the funeral of a Darnley Islander, parts of which were photographed (P.919.ACH1; P.920.ACH1) (1898: 191-2); 3. Haddon mentions a smaller funeral feast which took place around 27 July (1898: 192). [Jude Philp 20/5/1999]