IDNO

P.85664.ACH2

Description

On catalogue card: “Native doctor.”

Composite plate of an Aboriginal doctor sitting in a shelter made from vegetation; and drawings of nine objects, which usually hang around the neck of the doctor. The objects drawn include a bundle of bones and crows feet. The bones are used to cure the incurable sick. The stick (number 20) above the sitting figure has gashes and it is a so-called letter on which greetings to others are written from families the traveller has met on the way. Stick number 19 is used to knock out teeth. [See Blandowski 1862, pl. 81]

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 Australien in 142 Photographischen (Unpublished, Gleiwitz), with the caption “Aborigines of Australia, Plate ? [illegible]. William v. Blandowski?. Engraved by F. Babrisch. Native Doctor”. [JD 23/8/2007]

Bibliographical Reference: Blandowski, William, 1855. Australia Terra Cognita (Unpublished, Melbourne). [JD 23/8/2007] Published as Plate 121 with the caption “Native Doctor”. [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]

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:
“81. During the great meetings one can see smaller groups of older people sitting together, not making a sound other than to whisper to one another. Their eyes look cunning, their expressions and wrinkles indicate experience, and their grey and white hair are signs of their old age. These are the wise people; doctors and ceremonial masters whose emblems hang around their necks in bundles of bones and crows feet. The bones are used to kill the incurable sick. A sling made from the hair of slain enemies is carried with them and used to strangle their enemies at night and take their kidney fat. The stick visible over the sitting figure has gashes in it and is a so-called letter on which greetings to others are written from families the traveller has met on the way. The bone over the stick is used to knock out teeth. This operation and its ceremonies are described in the next few sketches. Drawing by W.v. Blandowski.” [WV 2/4/2009]

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 2/4/2009]