IDNO

P.87336.VH

Description

Studio portrait of Ra Kilio, a young Ba or northern Vitilevu chief with an enthusiastically Wesleyan hairstyle. See P.87310.VH for his identity. He is wearing both a shell pendant and a huge wasekaseka or waseisei collar of curved spikes split and shaped from sperm whale teeth or walrus tusks about his neck, and holding a gadi war club. His flowery isulu wrap-around skirt is secured by a leather belt, complete with wallet pouch and sheathed knife. Circa 1875/6. [Fergus Clunie, 14/7/2003]

Physical Condition: The original backdrop of trees, as seen in the duplicate image (P.87310.VH), has been removed in favour of a plain white background in this copy. The signs of this editing are particularly clear on the lower half of the print. For example, the chair back that can be seen through the sitter’s arm, disappears below his arm. [Alex Nadin, 30/9/2003]

Place

Oceania Polynesia; Fiji; Ovalau Island; Levuka; northern Vitilevu; Ba

Cultural Affliation

Named Person

Ra Kilio

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/.

Related Image: This print or negative appears to be the original image at MAA from which the associated photographs have been derived from. [JD 26/12/2011]

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