IDNO

P.85679.ACH2

Description

On Catalogue Card for duplicate print P.264.ACH1: “... athletic exercises.”

A large group of Aboriginal men clustered together, with two of the men carried on the shoulders of the others, possibly engaged in a form of athletic exercise. They are possibly engaged in the game of catching the emu feather. Groups of spectators are in the foreground and background. [JD 23/8/2007, updated WV 6/4/2009]

Place

Oceania Australasia; Australia; 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

1860; 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 Australien in 142 Photographischen (Unpublished), with the caption “Aborigines of Australia, Plate 189. William v. Blandowski, Australia. ... athletic exercises”. The image is signed “G.M.60”. [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:
“97. and 98. When the Aborigines hold big meetings they often pass the time with athletic games. The catching of the Emu feather is a popular game. One team gets a bundle of these feathers and one of two men from the other team try to take them off them. In the end both teams get help from the other young people and the game develops into a big scuffle. Every young man tries to display his prowess in the game sometimes to the degree that participants faint from their exertions. The women pour water on these player's chests and resort to other reviving techniques. The aim of the game is to find the strongest and most skilled man. Drawn byG. 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]