IDNO

P.930.ACH1

Description

On Catalogue Card: “Fire-making, cinematograph, Mer.”

Strip of film negative showing the positive image of three sections of film. In each section are three men, with bare chests and small ?ornaments on their heads, sitting cross-legged in a semicircle holding a stick. In the background is a palm tree trunk. Above and below these stills is a blank piece of film, the one at the top is partially torn. [Jude Philp 25/5/1999, from record N.23189.ACH1, JD 5/5/2011]

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: The still comes from the short cinematograph film made at Mer by the Expedition. The original is held at the National Sound and Film Archive, a copy is held at UCMAA. The fire-making is not mentioned specifically in the Journal, the only reference to the cinematoraph is Haddon 1898: 210 in relation to filming Aboriginal Australians dancing at Mer, and the filming of the cardboard-masked Malo-Bomai dancers. [Jude Philp 25/5/1999]

Bibliographical Reference: The technique of the performers shown here is mentioned in Reports IV: 121. [Jude Philp 25/5/1999]