IDNO

P.99903.VH

Description

Heavily manipulated photograph and composed photograph taken from an early 1870s original or originals showing two untamed or unreformed Kai Colo or Vitilevu highlanders.
Standing at right is Ro Matanitobua, the Tui Namosi, high chief of Namosi in the southern highlands. He retains his ululevu or “big head” of hair, and is wearing a malo loincloth, the badge of circumcised and initiated Fijian manhood in the days of the Fijian religion. His hair ornaments are probably filmy tendrils of macerated, striped and frazzled coconut leaf. He has a qato or lavei bracelet made from a sici or trochus shell above the left elbow. Seated at left is a younger Kai Colo chief, also wearing a malo, and with an itaubebatinivuaka or boar tusk pendant at his throat, strung to a beaded necklace. His lime-bleached ululevu or big head of hair is elaborately and very neatly dressed. He is holding an iirimasei priest’s or chief’s fan cum sunshade made from a leaf of the niumasei fan palm, Pritchardia pacifica. See P.87231.VH for same or similar fan.
Circa 1869 - early 1870s. [Fergus Clunie, 14/7/2003, updated JD 20/1/2012]

Physical Condition: Two separate images have been printed together as if one photograph. The right portrait is a crop of P.99977.VH. Print mounted onto card. [JD 19/1/2012]

Place

Oceania Polynesia; Fiji; Ovalau Island; Levuka; southern Vitilevu; Namosi

Cultural Affliation

Kai Colo

Named Person

Ro Matanitobua

Photographer

Dufty Brothers, Levuka

Collector / Expedition

von Hügel, Anatole (Baron)

Date

circa 1869 - 1875

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: This print was provisionally attributed to “?Dufty Brothers, Levuka”, but the left hand image with the same iirimasei chief’s or priest’s fan, made from a single leaf with regular spacing and spaced fringing, only appears in Dufty’s early photographs where the studio has been decorated with foliage. This configuration of studio props appears to be used by Dufty between circa 1870 - 1875. The right hand image is as yet unconfirmed as a Dufty portrait. The Photographer, Place and Date fields have been amended accordingly. [JD 9/3/2012]

Related Image: This print or negative appears to be a unique image within the MAA Photograph Collections. [JD 20/1/2012]

This print has been catalogued with the support of the Getty Grant Fund. [A. Nadin, 18/9/2003]