IDNO

P.85658.ACH2

Description

On Catalogue Card for duplicate print P.243.ACH1: “No legend.”

Composite plate of five images, including a full length frontal portrait of an Aboriginal boy. Before the young boys become men they are often sent to tribes living far away; partly to make friendships and partly to act as ambassadors. As in this image, each has his hair decorated with the teeth of kangaroos, around his forehead is a. band made out of human hair dyed red with ochre, around his neck hang cords of pearls made from pieces of reeds, more cords criss-cross his chest like soldiers' bandoliers. Tied around the elbows and wrists are strings made from fur and around the hips and genitals is tied a fine strip of possum fur. There is also a head and shoulders frontal portrait of an Aboriginal woman showing cicatrisation marks or body paint across the cheeks for large festivities. An Aboriginal young boy is disguised with foliage using a snare to catch ground birds, possibly the Malleefowl (Leipoa ocellata)?. There is a dish made out of bark to collect honey. there are kangaroo teeth bound in pairs. [JD 23/8/2007] [WV 1/4/2009]

Place

Oceania Australasia; Australia; Victoria; Darling River; Murray River

Cultural Affliation

Named Person

Photographer

von Blandowski, Wilhelm [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.85635. to P.85723. were tied together in a bundle.

Bibliographical Reference: Blandowski, William von, 1862. Australien in 142 Photographischen (Unpublished, Gleiwitz), with the caption “Aborigines of Australia, Plate 113. William v. Blandowski, Australia. Engraved by J. Bedaway & Sons”. [JD 23/8/2007]

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]

Bibliographical Reference: Blandowski, William, 1855. Australia Terra Cognita (Unpublished, Melbourne). [JD 23/8/2007] Published as Plate 118 with the caption “Aborigines of Australia”. [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]

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:
“73. Before the young boys become men they are often sent to tribes living far away; partly to make friendships and partly to act as ambassadors. Each has his hair decorated with the teeth of kangaroos, around his forehead is a, band made out of human hair dyed red with ochre, around his neck hang cords of pearls made from pieces of reeds, more cords criss-cross his chest like soldiers' bandoliers. Tied around the elbows and wrists are strings made from fur and around the hips and genitals is tied a fine strip of possum fur. The same picture shows a dish made out of bark to collect honey, kangaroo teeth bound in pairs, a woman's head decorated for big festivities and lastly, young boys catching birds. Drawing by W. v. Blandowski.” [WV 27/3/2009]

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 1/4/2009]