IDNO

LS.109173.TC1

Description

On Catalogue Card for duplicate print P.393.ACH1: "Wollonqua. Ground drawing. Warramunga. North T.C.A. fig.79."

Group of Waramanga (Warramunga) men working on a ground drawing connected to the second ceremony of the Wollunqua (mythic snake) totem which is concerned with a spot called Upitingnari. The drawing consists of five series of concentric circles, three of these represent ant-hills, and to one of these two half-circles were attached, which indicate an especially large ant-hill. A big tree is represented by the largest series of these concentric circles. The fifth series has a wavy band attached to it which was supposed to indicate the tail of the Wollunqua. The man standing upright has a white design around the navel. One of the men is wearing a white chilara (head band). All the men have full beards and moustaches and are wearing head bands in their hair.
The landscape in the background consists of shrubbery. [WV 18/2/2009, from record P.393.ACH1, JD 21/8/2012]

Place

Oceania Australasia; Australia; Central Australia

Cultural Affliation

Warramuga [also known as Warumungu]

Named Person

Photographer

Baldwin Spencer, Walter; or Gillen, Francis James

Collector / Expedition

Northern Tribes of Central Australia fieldwork by Baldwin Spencer, Walter and Gillen, Francis James [March 1901 - March 1902]

Date

March 1901 - March 1902

Collection Name

Teaching Slide CollectionHaddon Unmounted Collection

Source

?Haddon, Alfred Cort (Dr)

Format

Lantern Slide Black & White

Primary Documentation

Other Information

Publication: Similar image published in Baldwin Spencer, W. and F. J. Gillen, 1904. The northern tribes of central Australia. (London), p. 243, fig. 79 with the following caption:
"Group of men standing around a ground-drawing in connection with a ceremony of the Wollunqua totem." [WV 18/2/2009]

Expedition: Baldwin Spencer and Gillen spent one year from March 1901 to March 1902 in a traverse from Oodnadatta to Powell Creek and then across, eastwards to Borraloola at the mouth of the Macarthur River, on the Gulf of Carpentaria. (Baldwin Spencer, W., 1928. Wanderings in Wild Australia (Macmillan, London), Vol. 1, p. xvi). [WV 10/2/2009]

Cultural Group: Baldwin Spencer and Gillen describe the Waramanga [Warramunga] nation as including the Warramunga, Worgaia, Tjingilli, Umbaia, Bingongina, Walpari, Wulmala, and Gnanji tribes. (Baldwin Spencer, W. and F. J. Gillen, 1904. The northern tribes of central Australia. (London), p. 75). [WV 10/2/2009]

Photographer: Note in Baldwin Spencer, W. and F. J. Gillen, 1927, p. xiii states all photos were taken by the authors. [WV 23/1/2009]

Context: The ground drawing is connected to the ceremonies of the Wollunqua totem which is described by Baldwin Spencer and Gillen as follows:
"The second ceremony was concerned with a spot called Upitingnari. The drawing of the previous day was obliterated and a new one made, consisting of five series of concentric circles; three of these represented ant-hills, and to one of these two half-circles were attached. This indicated a specially large ant-hill, but all of them were mungai spots, as also was a big tree, represented by the largest series of these concentric circles. The fifth series had a wavy band attached to it which was supposed to indicate the tail of the Wollunqua, who tried to go down at this spot but could not succeed, as the earth was too hard, so he journeyed on to Tikomeri, with which spot the third ceremony was connected (Fig. 79). For this ceremony five men were decorated, two of whom were Tjapeltjeri, one Thapanunga, and one Thapungarti. The new design on the ground consisted of four series of concentric circles. Three of them represented gum-trees, where the Wollunqua left spirit individuals behind him, whilst the central on represented Tikomeri itself, the spot at which he again tried to go down into the earth, but once more could not do so because it was too hard and stony. From this series of circles five wavy bands radiated; three of them supposed to represent the way in which he moved about wondering as to the direction in which he should travel." (Baldwin Spencer, W. and F. J. Gillen, 1904. The northern tribes of central Australia. (London), p. 241-242). [WV 18/2/2009]

Context: "Mungai or mungaii: In the Warramunga the term is applied both to the totemic animal which gives its name to a totemic group, to the latter, and also to spots which are especially associated with the totemic ancestors. In the Tjingilli and Binbinga tribe the term is applied to the far past times in whcih their mythic ancestors are supposed to have lived. (Baldwin Spencer, W. and F. J. Gillen, 1904. The northern tribes of central Australia. (London), p. 754). [WV 18/2/2009]