IDNO

P.99917.VH

Description

Studio portrait of Ratu Timoce Vakaruru, the Qaranivalu of Naitasiri, and his and Yadi Arieta Kuila’s son, Timoce.
Ratu Timoce died in 1874, so the photograph dates to the early 1870s. [Fergus Clunie, 14/7/2003]

Full-length studio portrait of Ratu Timoci Vakaruru, (the husband of Yadi Arieta Koila who was the eldest daughter of Ratu Seru Cakobau), and their oldest son of Ratu Peni Tanoa. Vakaruru wears a barkcloth, i-sala (chiefly smoked headscarf) and a i-sulu (loose skirt), and holds a chief's iri masei (fan). Ratu Peni wears a white barkcloth i-oro (cummerbund) and wabale (sash).
The studio is decorated with palm and banana leaves, and extra fernery and foliage has been added to the backdrop through montaging. See P.87360.VH and P.99981.VH for the same added backdrop. [JD 26/3/2008, from record P.103569.VH, updtaed JD 9/3/2012]

Physical Condition: Print mounted onto card.

Place

Oceania Polynesia; Fiji; Ovalau Island; Levuka; Naitasiri

Cultural Affliation

Named Person

Ratu Timothi (Timoci, Timoce) Vakaruru (b.1832 - d.1972); Ratu Peni Tanoa

Photographer

Dufty, Francis Herbert (Dufty Brothers, Levuka)

Collector / Expedition

von Hügel, Anatole (Baron)

Date

circa 1870 - 1874

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.

Publication: Same image is published on ‘The Fiji Photographs of F.H. & A.W.B. Dufty’ with the following caption:
“Unidentified chief with child. Elder wears barkcloth, chiefly smoked headscarf (i-sala) and loose skirt i-sulu, and holds a chief's iri masei fan.” [Source: www.justpacific.com/ fiji/fijiphotos/dufpics/, JD 28/3/2008]

Photographer: Dufty’s Levuka studio is recognisable through the backdrop of foliage, including banana leaves, to the right and the pineapple? plant to the left. The painted backdrop of an idealised vies out a window with wooden shutters is just visible through the foliage. 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 photographs when the studio is decorated with the above mentioned foliage. This configuration of studio props appears to be used by Dufty between circa 1870 - 1875. [JD 30/3/2012]