IDNO

P.99787.VH

Description

F.H. Dufty photograph of A.J.L. Gordons sketch of the “Heathen Bure & Christian Church at Na Drau”, 1875.
See P.100302.VH. [Fergus Clunie, 14/7/2003]

“Heathen Temple & Wesleyan Church, Nadrau, Vitilevu.” [von Hügel’s caption]
P.100302.VH - P.100304.VH: Three photographs of sketches by Arthur J.L. Gordon, made during his foray into the interior of Vitilevu with Walter Carew, the Commissioner for Colo, in 1875.
“Heathen temple and Wesleyan Church, Nadrau Vitilevu”. Gordon’s own caption reads “Heathen Bure & Xtian Church at Na Drau, Viti Levu, 1875”. Nadrau is in the central highlands of Vitilevu, on the headwaters of the Sigatoka River, and close to the source of the Ba. Both buildings are of the centre-poled, conical or beehive roofed type characteristic of western Vitilevu. THe old burekalou or spirithouse at left, with its very low traditional doorway is built on a high, stone-faced yavu mound indicative of its high status, and has basalt columns set up in front of it. Instead of a cleated ramp of the type used in eastern Vitilevu and on Vanualevu, the doorway to the burekalou is reached by way of a ladder of flat stones that project from the face of the yavu. (See P.10069.VH for a similar instance of this from the highlands of western Vitilevu.) The Wesleyan church is on a similar but lower stone-faced yavu. The stone cairn or commemorative bulubulu in the foreground may or may not be a register of bokola, or cannibal sacrifices. [Fergus Clunie, 17/10/2003, from record P.100302.VH, JD 11/1/2012]

Physical Condition: Print mounted onto card.

Place

Oceania Polynesia; Fiji; Viti Levu; Nadrau

Cultural Affliation

Named Person

Photographer

Gordon, Arthur J.L. [Original Artist]; Dufty, Francis Herbert (Dufty Brothers, Levuka)

Collector / Expedition

von Hügel, Anatole (Baron)

Date

1875

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.

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