IDNO

P.954.ACH1

Description

On Catalogue Card: “Enau zogo, Dauar.” [typed text]
“Magical (zogo) to make the fruit enau ripen.” [manuscript in pencil]

On Catalogue Card for duplicate image LS.109398.TC1: “E. Torres Sts. (plant magic).
“Enau Zogo” - Shrine of the Enau plum. Mirnusope Browniana.” [manuscript in ink]

In thick scrub is a group of stones and shells from which leaves and debris have been removed. The shells are mostly giant clam shells which have stones inside them. [Jude Philp 27/5/1999, description from record N.23213.ACH2, JD 15/09/2021]

Place

Oceania Australasia; Australia; Torres Strait; Dauar [Murray Islands]

Cultural Affliation

Torres Strait Islander

Named Person

Billy

Photographer

Wilkin, Anthony

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

Publication: Printed in Reports VI: III, fig. 4 with the caption: “Enau zogo or Shrine of the wild plum (cf. Pl. XIII fig. 10; p. 203)”.
The reference is to P.955.ACH1 (Z.9580). Enau or wongai are a wild plum, the plums are represented as stones inside each shell. This place was built to help the plum ripen at Waperered on Billy’s (23) land (p.203). [Jude Philp 27/5/1999]

MAA Exhibition: Image of the same scene included in 1920s Exhibition Case Binders "Cases 5-10. Torres Strait." (OA2/16/4) with the following information: "54. Enau zogo on Dauar.
This zogo consists of a number of giant-clam shells in which are numerous pebbles (Case 8). A rite was performed here at which the stones were painted red, this was to cause the fruit of the enau or wangai ('wild plum') to ripen. The interesting point about this zogo is that it is of recent and local origin. It is the only zogo that lacks something supernormal in its inception, and the formula employed is in the Miriam language and not as in other zogo in the Western language.
Vol. VI, pp. 202, 203.
Photo. taken in 1898 by A. Wilkin." [JD 15/09/2021]