IDNO

P.87317.VH

Description

Studio photograph of a pair of “Kai Colo” from Namosi in the southern highlands of Vitilevu. The chief at right has long tobe plaitlets cascading down over his left shoulder and chest, and wears a decorative comb and other ornaments in his hair. At his throat is a batinivuaka boar tusk pendant with beaded strings. He wears a white barkcloth iwabale shoulder sash, and above the elbow of his left arm, a barkcloth armband, both being indicative of rank. Apart from that he is wearing what looks like a light and fringed plaid travel rug or throw as an isulu or wrap-around skirt. He is holding an iulatavatava throwing club and a waka rootstock war club. His cross-legged attendant has the front part of his hair dyed dark and the rest bleached to a blond or tow colour, a popular hairdressing fashion in Fiji prior to the Wesleyan triumph. He appears to be wearing a dark cloth loincloth with white spots and has what may be a titoko stave across his knees.
Circa 1869-1871. [Fergus Clunie, 26/7/2003]

Studio portrait of a Kai Colo or Vitilevu highland chief, brother to Ro Matanitobua of Namosi. See P.87317.VH which is a cropped portrait of the man on the right. [Fergus Clunie, 26/7/2003, from record P.87362.VH, updated JD 29/12/2011]

Place

Oceania Polynesia; Fiji; Ovalau Island; Levuka; Namosi

Cultural Affliation

Kai Colo [historically Big Head Mountaineers]

Named Person

Ro Matanitobua

Photographer

Dufty Brothers, Levuka

Collector / Expedition

von Hügel, Anatole (Baron)

Date

circa 1869 - 1871

Collection Name

Von Hugel Collection

Source

Format

Carte-de-visite; Print Black & White Mounted

Primary Documentation

Other Information

P.87297.VH to P.87320.VH were wrapped in the piece of paper now numbered C512/3/. This envelope came from the Museum’s paper archive envelope VH1/4/7, which has now been re-numbered C512/.

Photographer: This print was provisionally attributed to “?Dufty Brothers, Levuka”, but Dufty’s Levuka studio is recognisable through the backdrop of foliage of banana? leaves to the right. The same chair also appears in a number of Dufty’s portraits. This configuration of studio props appears to be used by Dufty between circa 1869 - 1875. The Photographer and Place fields have been amended accordingly. [JD 12/3/2012]

Related Image: This print or negative appears to be the original image at MAA from which the associated photographs have been derived from. [JD 29/12/2011]

This print has been catalogued with the support of the Getty Grant Program One. [A. Nadin, 2/7/2003]