IDNO

P.99763.VH

Description

Burton Brothers of Dunedin photograph by Alfred Burton taken at Naikorokoro, a bit over a mile south of Levuka, Ovalau. The man in the foreground is sitting on a takia or velovelo outrigger poling and paddling canoe, used on lagoons and rivers. A larger canoe is drawn up on the other side of the creek, behind the bridge revetment, which is built up with stones. The deckhouse and koli or belaying "dog" of a drua voyaging canoe with an outrigger hull can just be seen at centre. The bridge or ikawakawa itself is a typical Fijian one of the type much feared by the uninitiated vavalagi or foreigner, who is apt to hesitate partway rather than scamper handily across, and so topple humiliatingly off into the water or mire below, depending on the tide. It consists of the usual coconut log, casually propped at centre to take some of the sag and - to a vavalagi anyway - disconcerting spring out of it. This one though seems to have been considerately doubled, being made up of two logs, placed side by side.
1884. [Fergus Clunie, 14/7/2003]

Physical Condition: Print mounted onto card.

Place

Oceania Polynesia; Fiji; Ovalau Island; Near Levuka; Naikorokoro

Cultural Affliation

Named Person

Photographer

Burton, Alfred (Burton Bros., Dunedin)

Collector / Expedition

von Hügel, Anatole (Baron)

Date

June - July 1884

Collection Name

von Hügel Collection

Source

von Hügel, Anatole (Baron)

Format

Print Black & White Mounted

Primary Documentation

Other Information

P.99759.VH to P.99825.VH were in the belted folder now numbered C539/2/. This was formerly kept in paper archive Large Box G; VH1/4/5. It has now been transferred to the photo archive. The lists describing the contents of this box have been returned to the Paper Archive.

Related Image: This print or negative appears to be a unique image within the MAA Photograph Collections. [JD 9/1/2012]

This print has been catalogued with the support of the Getty Grant Fund. [A. Nadin, 4/9/2003]