IDNO

P.99968.VH

Description

F.H. Dufty studio photograph of a man in Christian warrior cum ceremonial dress holding a totokia club - evidently a studio prop, as it appears in other photographs. [The pencilled “Ra coast” note probably refers to him.] He has a small white cowry at his throat, and a fringed white barkcloth iwabale sash over his right shoulder, looped to the waistband of his old style malo loincloth, which is worn girded high up under his ribs in the challenging malowala manner. From the hips down he is Christian, however, masking his buttocks, thighs and groin with a liku overskirt. His calf muscles are braced with vesasausauwai wrappings fringed with trade beads. Comparatively elaborate cicatrice decoration on his upper left arm, with a cicatrice visible on right bicep.
Circa 1875-76. [Fergus Clunie, 14/7/2003]

Physical Condition: Print mounted onto card.

Place

Oceania Polynesia; Fiji; Ovalau Island; Levuka

Cultural Affliation

Named Person

Photographer

Dufty, Francis Herbert (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.

Related Image: This print or negative appears to be a unique image within the MAA Photograph Collections. [JD 26/1/2012]

This print has been catalogued with the support of the Getty Grant Fund. [A. Nadin, 13/10/2003]