IDNO

P.943.ACH1

Description

On Catalogue Card: "Belt and pendant, Bomai-Malu. VI, XVII, 5, 6."

Documentary photograph of a Wada (pendant), MAA Object Z.9446 (on left), consisting of:
"Breast ornament, comprising three large red beans held in woven rings of bamboo rind and strung on very thin string necklace. Single coix seeds strung between beans. Worn by the "kesi" (initiates) of the "Beizam boai", during the Malu-Bomai initiation ceremonies.
Moore's book is based upon research involving an examination of all Haddon material in British and Australian Museums; Collected by: Haddon, Dr. A.C in 1898; Ref. Plate: Pl. XVII, fig. 6." [from MAA Object record Z.9446, JD 13/4/2011]

Documentary photograph of a Kus wak (belt), MAA Object Z.9447 (on right), consisting of:
"Belt comprising four strands of thin coconut string threaded with Job's tears (coix seeds) and portions of antennae ("kaier pis") of crayfish (Palinurus), with a tassle of five red mucuna or "wada" beans and three loops of seeds. Tassel was worn on left side. Worn by "kesi" (initiates) of the "Beizam boiai" during the Malu-Bomai initiation ceremonies
Moore's book is based upon research involving an examination of all Haddon material in British and Australian Museums; Collected by: Haddon, Dr. A.C in 1898; Ref. Plate: Fig. 65. Pl. XVII, fig. 5. Pl. XXX." [from MAA Object record Z.9447, JD 13/4/2011]

Place

Oceania Australasia; Australia; Torres Strait; Mer

Cultural Affliation

Torres Strait Islander

Named Person

Photographer

Hingston-Quiggin, Alison

Collector / Expedition

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

Date

circa 1899 - 1908

Collection Name

Mounted Haddon CollectionTorres Strait Island Expedition

Source

Haddon, Alfred Cort (Dr)

Format

Print Black & White Mounted

Primary Documentation

Other Information

Place: The Place field was previously recorded as being “Torres Strait”, bbut matching the image to the Reports and the related Objects, it shows that the two items were made in Mer. The Place field has been amended accordingly. [JD 13/4/2011]

Publication: Image, retouched and in reverse order, is published in Report VI, Plate XVII, figs. 5 - 6, with the following caption:
“Fig. 5. Belt worn by the kesi of the Beizan boai (p.292).
Fig. 6. Chest pendant worn by the kesi of the Beizan boai (p.292).” [JD 13/4/2011]

Bibliographical Reference: Haddon writes in Report VI, pp. 292-293:
“Ritual Decoration and Ritual Objects ...
On the chest (pl. XXX) each wore a pendant, of which the following is a description of one made for us (pl. XVII. fig. 6). A piece of delicate twisted string about 1.5 m long is doubled on itself; 27 cm. from the loop is a ring of twisted cane surrounding a red wada bean (Mucuna), 6 cm. below this is another, and 5 cm. below that is a third; half a coix seed is strung on the lateral cord above each bean. Tound the waist was worn a kus wak. The specimen made for us (pl. XVII. fig.5) consists of a belt of four strands composed of kus seed (Coix lachrymae) with portions of the antennae of a crayfish, kaier (Palinurus), there are about a dozen seeds between eeach portion of antenna, kaier pis (fig. 65). A tassel, worn at the left side, is composed of five wada beans and three loops of seeds and antennae.” [JD 13/4/2011]