IDNO

P.99803.VH

Description

P.99803.VH to P.99805.VH; Three photographs by F.H. Dufty of Navukinivanua - “The turner of the land” - one of the last of the great drua or hulled-outrigger voyaging canoes of the nineteenth century, and the last to be owned by Ratu Seru Cakobau, anchored just off Nasova on the eastern shore of Ovalau. Given the prestige and the ceremonial dress of the many high chiefs visible in this picture, the occasion is probably that of 20 November 1877, when Navukinivanua was sailed from Bau to Nasova and symbolically presented by Cakobau, together with a big rootstock of yaqona, to Lady Gordon.
In this picture the kata or hull of the canoe is towards the camera, with the smaller outrigger hull or cama masked by it. The mualevu, or “big prow” is to the right, the mualailai or “little prow” to the left. The coconut leaf matting sunshades which were usually rolled down in port are still rolled up, giving a fine view into the deckhouse, which is open to the kata side, the kata allways being kept to leeward in sailing. The mast or vana has been hauled upright from the raking position it is held in when sailing, and the sail and yards rolled and laid along the deck platform, forming a comfortable seat for Ratu Epeli Nailatikau, eldest son of Ratu Cakobau, who is wearing a white iwabale shoulder sash and has his right leg cocked over a coil of heavy vau bark rope towards the left hand duruduru or pilaster of the deckhouse, with lesser chiefs left of him. A group of chiefs wearing white barkcloth ivauvau hair-wrappers are seated on deck before the deckhouse, the bearded old man to the right of the mast being one of Cakobau’s brothers, Cakobau himself is the old man with the resplendent side whiskers (such as he favoured in 1876-77) wearing a shirt and a smoked masikuvui hair-wrapper, who is sitting just to the right of the lali slit drum that is positioned across the right hand outside end of the deckhouse. Several men stand posing on the prow, pretending to pole the canoe along. [Fergus Clunie, 14/7/2003]

Place

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

Cultural Affliation

Named Person

Ratu Seru Cakobau, Vuniivalu of Bau, Tui Viti (formerly spelt as Thakombau); Ratu Epeli Nailatikau

Photographer

Dufty, Francis Herbert (Dufty Brothers, Levuka)

Collector / Expedition

von Hügel, Anatole (Baron)

Date

?20 November 1877

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.

CUMAA Exhibition: This print was displayed in Collected Sights in the section, The Pacific with the descriptive label: “A large double canoe owned by Cakobau, the Vunivalu of Bau and leading chief of the most powerful tribal confederacy in Fiji. The vessel, named Vukinavanua (the earth turns), possibly in reference to the cession of Fiji to Queen Victoria from 10 October 1874, was one of the last of a great fleet of drau canoes. The people on board are probably members of Cakobau’s family with their crew and retainers. Although the boat is moored, the men are pretending to pole the boat through the shallow water close to shore.”

Named Person: Ratu Epeli Nailatikau, Rokotui Tailevu (Roko = local officers in charge of a district, Tui = king or sovereign) is the eldest son of Ratu Seru Cakobau, Vuniivalu of Bau, Tui Viti (also known as Thakombau). [JD 28/3/2008]

Related Image: This commercial photograph appears more than once in the MAA Collections. There is no original negative. [JD 12/11/2011]

Related Image: Same image held at the Royal Collection Trust, reference Albumen print | RCIN 2580919, and captioned as: "Catamaran, Fiji  1881.
Photograph of catamaran or raft with masts and sails rolled, casting off from shore near Government House; numerous men sit and stand all over the raft; trees on promontory behind.
Provenance - The Album 'Cruise of H.M.S. Bacchante 1879-1882. Volume IV, Australia, Fiji' was compiled by the Reverend J N Dalton (1839-1931) and presented to King George V." [Source: https://www.royalcollection.org.uk/collection/search#/22/collection/2580908/fijian-police-nasova, JD 04/04/2017]

Biographical Information: Reverend (later Canon) John Neale Dalton KCVO CMG (24 September 1839 Margate, Kent – 28 July 1931) was a Church of England clergyman and author. He was a chaplain to Queen Victoria, a Canon of Windsor, and tutor and chaperone / companion to the future King George V and his brother Prince Albert Victor from c.1869 until 1882. [Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Neale_Dalton, JD 4/5/2017]

This catalogue record has been updated with the support of the Getty Grant Program One. [Alex Nadin, 21/10/2003]