IDNO

P.99982.VH

Description

Studio portrait of Nacagiuluvatu, brother to Romatanitobua, Tui Namosi, with attendant.
Circa 1869 - 1871.
See P.87317.VH and P.9986.VH. [Fergus Clunie, 14/7/2003]

Studio photograph of a pair of “Kai Colo” from Namosi in the southern highlands of Vitilevu. The chief at right has long tobe plaitlets cascading down over his left shoulder and chest, and wears a decorative comb and other ornaments in his hair. At his throat is a batinivuaka boar tusk pendant with beaded strings. He wears a white barkcloth iwabale shoulder sash, and above the elbow of his left arm, a barkcloth armband, both being indicative of rank. Apart from that he is wearing what looks like a light and fringed plaid travel rug or throw as an isulu or wrap-around skirt. He is holding an iulatavatava throwing club and a waka rootstock war club. His cross-legged attendant has the front part of his hair dyed dark and the rest bleached to a blond or tow colour, a popular hairdressing fashion in Fiji prior to the Wesleyan triumph. He appears to be wearing a dark cloth loincloth with white spots and has what may be a titoko stave across his knees.
Circa 1869-1871. [Fergus Clunie, 26/7/2003, from record P.87317.VH, JD 3/2/2012]

Physical Condition: Print mounted onto card.

Place

Oceania Polynesia; Fiji; Ovalau Island; Levuka; Viti Levu; Namosi

Cultural Affliation

Kai Colo

Named Person

Nacagiuluvatu, son of Ro Kuruduadua, Tui Namosi, and brother to his successor, Ro Matanitobua

Photographer

Dufty Brothers, Levuka

Collector / Expedition

von Hügel, Anatole (Baron)

Date

circa 1869 - 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.

Photographer: This print was provisionally attributed to “?Dufty Brothers, Levuka”, but Dufty’s Levuka studio is recognisable through the backdrop of foliage of banana? leaves to the right. The same chair also appears in a number of Dufty’s portraits. This configuration of studio props appears to be used by Dufty between circa 1869 - 1875. The Photographer and Place fields have been amended accordingly. [JD 12/3/2012]

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