IDNO

P.99805.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 Navukinivanua is seen more or less head on, with the mualevu or “big prow” of the kata, with its vertical cutwater, to the left, and the smaller cama or outrigger hull to the right. Coconut leaf matting sunshades have been rolled out from the cama side of the deckhouse and over the koli or belaying dog to provide shade for chiefs wishing to sit there. Ratu Epeli Nailatikau is sitting at the extreme right of the buturara or deck platform. A man stands poised behind each of the lali slit drums positioned on the foredeck, ready to beat them with their iyavayava or drumsticks. [Fergus Clunie, 14/7/2003]

Place

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

Cultural Affliation

Named Person

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

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.

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, Vunivalu of Bau, Tui Viti (also known as Thakombau). [JD 28/3/2008]

Related Image: This print or negative appears to be a unique image within the MAA Photograph Collections. [JD 12/11/2011]

This print has been catalogued with the support of the Getty Grant Fund.