IDNO

P.950.ACH1

Description

On Catalogue Card: “Malu (phonograph) Mer.”

A group of elderly men seated on a mat around a phonograph, one, Gasu, is playing the curved hourglass shaped drum, Wasikor. One man, Ulai, is positioned in front of the machine, a European, Charles Myers, is kneeling behind the phonograph looking at Ulai. Behind this group are a number of women, children and men looking on. [Jude Philp 26/5/1999, from record N.23209.ACH2, JD 5/5/2011]

Place

Oceania Australasia; Australia; Torres Strait; Mer

Cultural Affliation

Torres Strait Islander

Named Person

Ulai; Charles Myers; Gasu

Photographer

Wilkin, Anthony

Collector / Expedition

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

Date

29 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: Image published in 'Recording Kastom: Alfred Haddon’s Journals from his Expeditions to the Torres Strait and New Guinea, 1888–89, 1898–99', Edited by Anita Herle and Jude Philp (Sydney University Press), Fig 7., and captioned: "Myers recording the sacred Malu songs. Ulai sings into the phonograph while Gasu plays the drum ‘Wasikor’. Mer, 29 July 1898. MAA N.23209." [JD 13/03/2020]

MAA Exhibition: A reproduction of this image was displayed in Collected Sights in the section Fieldwork and Scholarship with the descriptive label:
“Charles Myers recording the sacred songs of the Malu ceremonies during the Cambridge Anthropological Expedition to the Torres Strait. Gisu is beating the drum Wasikor, while Ulai sings into the recording phonograph.” [Sudeshna Guha 27/11/02]