IDNO

P.99857.VH

Description

Labelled “Gangi, Chief of Kandavu”, but actually Ratu Nacagilevu, of Kadavu. See P.87306.VH, P.87311.VH. [Fergus Clunie, 14/7/2003]

Studio portrait of an elderly Christian chief, Ratu Nacagilevu of Kadavu, wearing a pinstripe shirt of a type by chiefs in the 1870s. He has a leather belt wallet showing beneath his waist sash, worn over a patterned cotton isulu wrap-around kilt. The lobe of his left ear has been pierced and expanded to accept a saunidaliga ear lobe ornament of the type demanded by the Fijian religion, but spurned and denigrated by the Wesleyans. See P.87306.VH.
Circa 1875-1876. [Fergus Clunie, 14/7/2003, from record P.4107.ACH1, JD 8/11/2011]

Physical Condition: Print mounted onto card.

Place

Oceania Polynesia; Fiji; Ovalau Island; Levuka

Cultural Affliation

Named Person

Ratu Nacagilevu (Na Cagi Levu)

Photographer

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.99726.VH to P.100050.VH were in the belted folder now numbered C539/3/. 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.

Photographer: Dufty’s Levuka studio is recognisable in the uncropped duplicate print, P.87306.VH, through his use of a wooden chair with turned legs in front of a brocade curtain patterned with a floral design framed by a diamond-shaped outline is also distinct to Dufty’s Levuka studio. This configuration of studio props appears to be used by Dufty between circa 1874 - 1876. The Photographer, Date, and Place fields have been amended accordingly. [JD 13/3/2012]

This print has been catalogued with the support of the Getty Grant Fund. [A. Nadin, 10/9/2003]