IDNO

P.99779.VH

Description

F.H. Dufty photograph of the valerausina or Western Vitilevu style house, with its distinctive ‘beehive’, centre-poled roof, that stood alongside the coast road that ran past Government House, Nasova, from Levuka, and was encountered just before you reached Government House from there. (See See P.99799.VH for a bird’s-eye view of its location.) Members of the Armed Native Constabulary seated on the cleated ramp leading up to its doorway, with one standing alongside. The panel to the left of the ramp is apparently a door panel - quite unlike the usual grass curtain. The height of the stone-faced yavu or housemound is symbolic of high spiritual status and authority. 1875/76. [Fergus Clunie, 14/7/2003]

Physical Condition: Print mounted onto card.

Place

Oceania Polynesia; Fiji; Viti Levu; near Nasova

Cultural Affliation

Named Person

Photographer

Dufty, Francis Herbert (Dufty Brothers, Levuka)

Collector / Expedition

von Hügel, Anatole (Baron)

Date

circa 1875 - 1876

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]