IDNO

P.87362.VH

Description

Studio portrait of a Kai Colo or Vitilevu highland chief, brother to Ro Matanitobua of Namosi. See P.87317.VH. [Fergus Clunie, 26/7/2003]

Cropped studio portrait to show only one of two “Kai Colo” men from Namosi in the southern highlands of Vitilevu. The portrayed chief, Nacagiuluvatu, son of Ro Kuruduadua, Tui Namosi, and brother to his successor, Ro Matanitobua, 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.
Circa 1869-1871. [Fergus Clunie, 26/7/2003, from record P.87317.VH., updated JD 29/12/2011]

Place

Oceania Polynesia; Fiji; Ovalau Island; Levuka; Viti Levu; Namosi

Cultural Affliation

Kai Colo [historically Big Head Mountaineers]

Named Person

Nacagiuluvatu, son of Ro Kuruduadua, Tui Namosi, and brother to his successor, Ro Matanitobua

Photographer

?Dufty Brothers, Levuka

Collector / Expedition

von Hügel, Anatole (Baron)

Date

circa 1869 - 1874

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/.

Named Person: The man is named as ‘Nacagiuluvatu, son of Ro Kuruduadua, Tui Namosi, and brother to his successor, Ro Matanitobua’ in the duplicate print, P.100079.VH. [JD 3/2/2012]

Photographer: This print was provisionally attributed to “?Dufty Brothers, Levuka”, but the uncropped and unmanipulated duplicate print, P.87317.VH, has been attributed to Dufty’s Levuka studio through recognition of the backdrop of foliage of banana leaves to the right. The same chair also appears in a number of Dufty’s photographs. This configuration of studio props appears to be used by Dufty between circa 1870 - 1875. [JD 12/3/2012]

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