IDNO

P.85695.ACH2

Description

On Catalogue Card for duplicate print P.280.ACH1: “To drive away the spirit of the water.”

Three Aboriginal men performing ceremony “to drive away the spirit of the water” from the river in the foreground. When there are epidemics, the three most important men wear body paint and are holding branches? of leaves towards the water, in order to drive the evil spirit back into the water. In the background are ten men crouching down in a semicircle while extending their arms. Jarrah (Eucalyptus marginata) trees are in the 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

1861; 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 Australien in 142 Photographischen (Unpublished), with the caption “Aborigines of Australia, Plate 223. William v. Blandowski, Australia. To drive away the spirit of the water. Eucalyptus marginata Box”. The image is signed “G.M.61”. [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:
“113. When epidemics break out one can see bizarre things. At the Murray River, for example, the three most important men of the tribe are painted dramatically, covered in bundles of leaves, and in order to drive the evil spirit back into the water they dust every bush and every little bit of grass while the tribe stands further away and watch the ceremony. 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]