IDNO

P.87342.VH

Description

A group portrait of the Fijian police.

A rather ragtag parade of the Armed Native Constabulary, including drummer boy and white jacketed Fijian officer, with the men wearing mostly plain hemmed white isulu with belts and/or waist sashes and a variety of jackets, with many being bare-chested. Most have their hair cut to a fairly short length. Only two batinivuaka boar tusk pendants are present. Behind them are a couple of thatched vale and then a steep ridge. Waitovu camp, a mile north of Levuka? See also P.87341.VH, P.87384.VH, P.87385.VH, P.87386.VH, taken on the same occasion.
1875-1876? See P.99737.VH. [Fergus Clunie, 14/7/2003]

Men of the Armed Native Constabulary parading under the command of Fijian ovisa, the latter distinguished by their swords, tunics and forward positioning. The men are standing to attention, armed with Enfield rifles with fixed bayonets. They are wearing white issue isulu kilts, very few with vandyked edging, this, their hairstyles and the identities of various individuals in the group indicating that the photograph was taken in 1875 or early 1876. Some wear their blue shirts outside their isulu, but most have them tucked in, with barkcloth sashes about their waists. A few wear itaubebatinivuaka boar tusk pendants. One, present also in the background of P.99733.VH and in this case standing behind the drummer and white coated ovisa, is wearing trousers, but has removed his white headdress, which he has laid at his feet. The midget mascot drummer boy of P.99733.VH has been replaced by a more convincing specimen. Note the two lali slit drums beneath the tree at left. Bearded white man looking on. Waitovu camp, a mile north of Levuka?
1875, less likely 1876. See P.87342.VH. [Fergus Clunie, 14/7/2003, from record P.99737.VH, JD 26/11/2011]

Place

Oceania Polynesia; Fiji; Ovalau Island; Near Levuka; ?Waitovu

Cultural Affliation

Named Person

Photographer

?Dufty, Francis Herbert (Dufty Brothers, Levuka)

Collector / Expedition

von Hügel, Anatole (Baron)

Date

circa 1875 - 1877

Collection Name

Von Hugel Collection

Source

Format

Print Black & White

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 commercial photograph appears more than once in the MAA Collections. There is no original negative. [JD 26/11/2011]

This print has been catalogued with the support of the Getty Grant Program One. [Alex Nadin, 12/02/2003]