IDNO

P.99824.VH

Description

F.H. Dufty photograph taken at Draiba, just south of Nasova and Levuka, Ovalau, on the same occasion and featuring the same people as P.99823.VH, but outside a different house, next to a planked bridge as opposed to the usual single coconut log affair, Draiba being on the very outskirts of civilisation at Levuka. Charles Eyre is standing, holding his silly little hat, behind his boss, Charles Mitchell, the Commissioner of Lands, who is seated on the stone facing of the low yavu or house mound. The old chief sits off to the left, holding a walking stick. The men and youths of P.99823.VH pose with guns or clubs, where they have them, proudly in evidence. One of the men, who is probably a member of the Armed Native Constabulary, is wearing the favoured fighting garb of that force - a malo loincloth girded high up under his ribs, but with the groin discretely screened by a black likusausauwai overskirt, and with beaded vesasausauwai wrappings bracing his leg muscles below the knee. An A.N.C. issue snake-buckled belt is slung round his neck and over one shoulder, but he is holding a sporting gun rather than an issue Enfield rifle. The vale, a more humble one than P.99823.VH, has the usual balabala cones capping the end of its ridge-pole, and makita leaf wall thatching. It too has a window, filled by a matting curtain. A gasau cane panel serves as a half-door to keep out wandering animals.
Circa 1876. [Fergus Clunie, 14/7/2003]

Physical Condition: Print mounted onto card.

Place

Oceania Polynesia; Fiji; East Ovalau Island; Draiba

Cultural Affliation

Named Person

Charles Eyre (Charlie); Charles Mitchell

Photographer

Dufty, Francis Herbert (Dufty Brothers, Levuka)

Collector / Expedition

von Hügel, Anatole (Baron)

Date

circa 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 12/1/2012]

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