IDNO

P.85603.ACH2

Description

On Catalogue Card for duplicate print P.276.ACH1: “Single combat in S.E. [southeast] Australia.”

Two Aboriginal men engaged in single hand to hand combat using clubs and shields. The battle between two warriors is usually the forerunner of bigger battles. Both men are adorned with feathers, and the man crouched in the foreground has a boomerang tucked into his belt at the back. The challenger kneels and waits for the attacker to approach as close as two or three steps away. In the background is a group of spectators watching on. [JD 23/8/2007, updated WV 6/4/2009]

Place

Oceania Australasia; Australia; ?New South Wales; ?Victoria; Darling River; Murray River

Cultural Affliation

Named Person

Photographer

Muetzel, Gustav [Artist]

Collector / Expedition

von Blandowski, William [Blandowski Expedition to the Lower Murray River, 1857]

Date

1862

Collection Name

Haddon Collection

Source

?Haddon, Alfred Cort (Dr)

Format

Print Black & White

Primary Documentation

Other Information

P.84200. to P.84255. and P.85603. to P.85634. were tied together in a bundle.

Bibliographical Reference: Blandowski, William von, 1862. Australien in 142 Photographischen (Unpublished), with the caption “Aborigines of Australia, Plate 171. William v. Blandowski, Australia. ?The ?Bak. Single combat in South East Australia”. The image is signed “G.M.61”. [JD 23/8/2007]

CUMAA Exhibition: P.84112.ACH2 to P.85713.ACH2 were on display in the SSL as part of the Brook Andrew ‘The Island’ Exhibition, 24th June - 27th September 2008. [JD 25/6/2008]

Bibliographical Reference: For discussion of authorship see: Allen, H. 2006. Authorship and ownership in Blandowski's Australien in 142 Photographischen Abbildungen. Australasian Historical Archaeology 24:31-37. [Jane Lydon, Monash University, 8/7/2009]

Publication: Blandowski, W. 1862. Australien in 142 Photographischen Ahbildungen. Gustav Neumann, Gleiwicz. Edited by Harry Alien. Translated from the German by Lillian Barton. Translation Copyright: Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies, 2007. with the caption:
“109. The combat between two warriors is usually the forerunner of bigger battles. The best men fight against each for reasons of revenge, of naked aggression, and sometimes for the fun of making trouble. They battle it out in front of the whole group. The challenger kneels and waits for the attacker to approach as close as two or three steps away, then he opposes him with such courage and power that every European who has witnessed such fights expresses admiration for his prowess. However, the Aborigines don't meet firearms in this manner as they say that they cannot protect themselves from the invisible bullets. Drawing by G. Mützel.” [WV 6/4/2009]

This catalogue record has been updated with the support of the Getty Grant Program Two. [Jocelyne Dudding 23/8/2007]

This catalogue record has been updated with the support of the Aboriginal Visual Histories Project, Monash University. [Wonu Veys 6/4/2009]