IDNO

P.87334.VH

Description

Studio portrait of an ovisa of the Armed Native Constabulary in war dress. See P.4108.ACH1 for details.
Levuka, circa 1875 - 1876. [Fergus Clunie, 14/7/2003]

Studio portrait of a sotia (“soldier”) of the Armed Native Constabulary in full battle array, armed with an Enfield or Snider-Enfield rifle complete with bayonet, and wearing an A.N.C. issue snake-buckled cartridge belt, but otherwise dressed as a Christian warrior, with patterned barkcloth iwabale sash and malo loincloth, the latter worn with a high waistband in the defiant malowala style, and with its chiefly train tucked through the waistband so as not to impose movement, but with a liku kilt tied discretely round his waist over the malo. His left arm is braced above the elbow with vesa wrappings of masikuvui, or oiled and smoked barkcloth, tied in an ornamental knot. At his throat is a beaded neck ornament, and he wears tufted ornaments thrust into the hair at the back of his head.
1875-1876. [Fergus Clunie, 14/7/2003, from P.4108.ACH1 JD 14/10/2011]

Place

Oceania Polynesia; Fiji; Ovalau Island; Levuka

Cultural Affliation

Named Person

Photographer

Dufty Brothers, Levuka

Collector / Expedition

von Hügel, Anatole (Baron)

Date

circa 1875 - 1876

Collection Name

Von Hugel Collection

Source

Format

Carte-de-visite; Print Black & White Mounted

Primary Documentation

Other Information

P.87321.VH to P.87342.VH were in the envelope now numbered C512/4/. This envelope came from the Museum’s paper archive envelope VH1/4/7, which has now been re-numbered C512/.

Photographer: Dufty’s Levuka studio is recognisable through the use of the sideboard with darker decorative scroll work and leaves? added to the plainer and paler base (see P.4920.ACH1 for same? sideboard undecorated). The sideboard is normally positioned to the left, and often appears with an ornate wooden box? on top. This configuration of studio props appears to be used by Dufty between circa 1875 - 1876. The Photographer, Date, and Place fields have been amended accordingly. [JD 13/3/2012]

Related Image: This print or negative appears to be a unique image within the MAA Photograph Collections. [JD 27/12/2011]

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