IDNO

LS.109414.TC1

Description

On Catalogue Card: "Mer.
Malu funeral dirge rehearsal." [manuscript in ink]

On Catalogue Card for duplicate print P.945.ACH1: "Singing at Las (Malu)."

Ulai, Wanu, Gasu and Enocha singing as part of a re-enactment of the Malu-Bomai ceremony at Las. [JD 05/08/2019]

Scene showing a group of men and some children grouped around some men seated on the ground. The group standing are wearing shirts, calico, trousers etc. and include (right to left) ?John Bruce, Rivers and Ray. The group seated have bare chests and some are wearing ornaments in their hair. In the foreground, to the right three clubs, decorated with feathers are stuck into the ground. [Jude Philp 26/5/1999, from record N.23204.ACH2]

Place

Oceania Australasia; Oceania Melanesia; Australia; Torres Strait; Mer; Las Village

Cultural Affliation

Named Person

Ulai; Wanu; Gasu; Enoka; John Bruce; William Rivers; Sidney Ray

Photographer

Wilkin, Anthony

Collector / Expedition

Haddon, Alfred Cort

Date

29 July 1898

Collection Name

Teaching Slide CollectionHaddon Unmounted Collection

Source

Haddon, Alfred Cort (Dr)

Format

Lantern Slide Black & White

Primary Documentation

Other Information

Publication: This image is printed in Reports VI: XXVIII fig. 1 with the caption: "Rehersal of the Malu dirge (p. 145)". While the song was said to relate to funeral ceremonies of initiates in the Malu-Bomai ceremonies, this photograph was probably taken during the Malu-Bomai songs and dances witnessed by the Expedition members on 29 July, 1898. (See Haddon1898: 194; Myers 1898: 108-9). The words and music of the song are recorded on VI: 151 and IV: 244. Page 239 Myers records the singers as Ulai, Gasu, Wanu and Enoka. Gasu can be seen seated, facing the camera on the left of the standing figure. [Jude Philp 26/5/1999]

Related images [bold indicates photographs in this sequence]: P.933.ACH1; P.934.ACH1; P.935.ACH1; P.936.ACH1; P.937.ACH1; P.938.ACH1; P.940.ACH1; P.941.ACH1; P.942.ACH1; P.943.ACH1; P.944.ACH1; P.945.ACH1; P.946.ACH1; P.947.ACH1; P.948.ACH1; P.949.ACH1; P.950.ACH1 [Jude Philp 26/5/1999]

Publication: Image published in 'Recording Kastom: Alfred Haddon’s Journals from his Expeditions to the Torres Strait and New Guinea, 1888–89, 1898–99', Edited by Anita Herle and Jude Philp (Sydney University Press), Fig 7.6, and captioned: "Ulai, Wanu, Gasu and Enocha singing at Las as part of a reenactment of the Malu-Bomai ceremony. The European men watching from the background are (l-r), probably Bruce?, Rivers and Ray. Las, Mer, 29 July 1898. MAA N. 23204." [JD 13/03/2020]