IDNO

P.911.ACH1

Description

On Catalogue Card: “Kaketut, present of food, Mer.”

On Catalogue Card for duplicate image LS.109357.TC1: “Mer. Torres Sts.
Kaketut = present of food at a wedding.
Embracing ceremony.” [manuscript in ink]

Village scene with a cluster of people beneath a bamboo pole which is held by Toik, a man and Akoko, a woman at either end. In the background is a large crowd who stand behind piles of tubers, coconuts and sugar cane. Behind this are two thatch houses, a stand of coconut palms and a hill. [Jude Philp 20/5/1999, description from record N.23170.ACH1, JD 09/10/2018]

Place

Oceania Australasia; Australia; Torres Strait; Mer; Zomared

Cultural Affliation

Torres Strait Islander

Named Person

Alo; Tanu; Akoko; Toik

Photographer

Myers, Charles Samuel (Dr)

Collector / Expedition

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

Date

July 1898

Collection Name

Mounted Haddon CollectionTorres Strait Island Expedition

Source

Haddon, Alfred Cort (Dr)

Format

Print Black & White Mounted

Primary Documentation

Other Information

Publication: This photograph appears in the Reports VI: XV. fig. 4 with the caption “Kaketut. [meaning] Present of food (p.119)”. He writes that the participants “are standing in position to get the photograph taken” (see VI: 119 for a full description). P.908.ACH1 [related image]. [Jude Philp 20/5/1999]
The individuals are identified as "D. A. B. C" from left to right in the caption. [JD 02/10/2018, note from record N.23170.ACH1, JD 09/10/2018]

Bibliographical Reference: Haddon writes in Reports VI, p.119, "Dr Myers made two photographs of a kaketut he witnessed in July, which was held near Zomared in connection with a death-feast, bud lewer, for Billy’s child, Morris, and Ned of Dauar. As a number of friends of both parties were assembled, Aba (7 D), wife of Dick Tui (13 A), decided to take this opportunity to give kaketut to (1) Nini (27), sister of Pasi and widow of Giza (7), because she was married to a kinsman of Aba’s father, Gris; and (2) to Ulai (4 c) because her mother, Seker, who was an Erub woman, was called berbet by Ulai; she was not Ulai’s sister, only tebud berbet, that is a friendly sister. ...
Fig. 4, pl. XV. represents another kaketut that took place at the same time. SU (21 a), wife of Jimmy Rice (26), gave kaketut to Alo (18 B); she called Alo baba, he was no relation but Alo’s father and Su’s father were great friends.
A is Alo; B is Tanu (18), le to Alo, who is helping Alo; and Akoko [c] (18) the wife of Barsa (20) is also helping Alo as she is Tanu’s sister and Alo’s berbet. Toik [D] (16) is helping Su because he is a negwam (his mother’s brother’s son) of Jimmy Rice. Su is on the far side helping to pile on the food. They are standing in position to get the photograph taken; otherwise there would be no time lost in putting on or taking off the food." [JD 02/10/2018]

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, note from record N.23170.ACH1, JD 09/10/2018]

Online Publication: This image is published on 'True Echoes: Reconnecting indigenous communities with historic audio records of the sung and spoken cultures of Australia and Oceania' website - a British Library Sound Archive project in conjunction with seven institutes, including MAA. This research project focuses on early collections of wax cylinder recordings from the Pacific region, including those from the Cambridge Expedition to Torres Straits. Website launched October 2020. [JD 02/10/2020]