IDNO

P.87360.VH

Description

Studio portrait of an untamed Kai Colo or Vitilevu highlander. See P.87204. [Fergus Clunie, 26/7/2003]

Cropped studio portrait of an untamed “Kai Colo” or highlander of the “Koro qaqa [Nakoroqaqa?] tribe” in the interior of Vitilevu, seated on a chair. ... The man has a massive and flamboyant pre-Christian hairstyle. At his throat is a doubled trade bead necklace, black beads above white, with a throat pendant with dangling beaded tails. The lanyard worn round his neck has a cord attached to something that is tucked beneath his waistband, possibly an ikalu dwarf coconut-shell whistle, or a set of panpipes. [The latter has been cropped in this print.] ...
Extra fernery and foliage has been added to the backdrop through montaging. See P.99981.VH and P.99917.VH for the same added backdrop.
Early 1870s. [Fergus Clunie, 26/7/2003, from record P.87204., updated JD 27/11/2011]

Physical Condition: It seems that this was originally a portrait of two Kai Colo males (see P.87204). The shadow of the other man’s arm can be seen on the far left of the image. The background has also been altered in this image. However, the plain backdrop of P.87204 also looks like it has been edited. [Alex Nadin, 30/9/2003]

Place

Oceania Polynesia; Fiji; Ovalau Island; Levuka

Cultural Affliation

Kai Colo [historically Big Head Mountaineers]

Named Person

Photographer

Dufty Brothers, Levuka (Dufty, Francis Herbert)

Collector / Expedition

von Hügel, Anatole (Baron)

Date

circa 1870 - 1875

Collection Name

Von Hugel Collection

Source

Format

Photomechanical Print

Primary Documentation

Other Information

P.87352.VH to P.87387.VH were in the envelope now numbered C512/6/. This envelope came from the Museum’s paper archive envelope VH1/4/7, which has now been re-numbered C512/.

Publication: Duplicates of this uncropped photograph are on the websites ‘www.pictureaustralia.org’ and ‘www.nla.gov.au/catalogue/pictures/’
‘www.fijimuseum.org.fj/fm-glassplatenegs.htm’. [AN 2/7/2003]

Publication: A carte-de-visite of the same man (and duplicate of P.87204., P.99981.VH, and P.109436.) is also held at the Fiji Museum, with the following information:
“Fiji Hill Tribe warriors with wigs (ulumate) photographed at the Dufty Studio in Suva. Dufty Collection, circa 1890.”
[Source: www.fijimuseum.org.fj/online_exibitions_glassplate_negatives.html, JD 10/3/2012]

Publication: A carte-de-visite of the same man (and duplicate of P.87204., P.99981.VH, and P.109436.) is also held at the National Library of Australia, reference nla.pic-an10975065-12, with the following information:
Creator: Dufty, Francis H., 1846-1910.
Title: Mountaineers from inland Viti Levu (Kai Colo people) [picture] / F.H. Dufty.
Date: between 1870 and 1879.
Extent: 1 photograph : carte de visite ; 8.6 x 5.5 cm.
Context: Part of Dufty, Francis H., 1846-1910. Panorama of Levuka, Fiji, and portraits [picture]
Series: Panorama of Levuka, Fiji, and portraits.
Summary: The two men are wearing wigs of human hair.--Information provided by Dr. R. Ewins; RO8/102782.
Notes: Mounted with a montage of 5 albumen prints forming a panorama, and 11 other carte-de-visite portraits of Fijian and Tongan Chiefs and people.
[Source: www.nla.gov.au, JD 9/3/2012]

Photographer: This print was provisionally attributed to “?Dufty Brothers, Levuka”, but a duplicate print is published on the Ntaional Library of Australia website with the attribution to Francis Dufty. The Photographer field has been amended accordingly. [JD 9/3/2012]

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