IDNO
D.153962.VH
Description
Pen and ink drawing by Constance Frederika Gordon Cumming of "New Court House - Vale ni Veilewai, Mission Station on the hill. Bau."
The “new courthouse” she is referring to dominates this action-packed scene to left of centre, being the high-roofed building standing on the stepped and stone-faced yavu or house the “tall house mound” of Navatanitawake, the burekalou or spirithouse of Ra Cagawalu or Komainayavucerecere, the great war god of Bau, and the courthouse has been built in the form of a spirithouse, with its high-pitched roof and long ridge-pole, the projecting ends of which are bound round with white bulidina cowries, themselves a symbol of spiritual or godly authority. The last surviving post of the spirithouse built atop the grave of Ratu Tanoa, Ratu Cakobau’s father, can be seen standing on top of the hill in the background, to right of centre.
To the right of the scene, and indicated in the annotations, is the the stone Mission House, which was built at that time. [Fergus Clunie, 26/7/2003]
Place
Oceania Polynesia; Fiji; Near Viti Levu; Bau Island
Cultural Affliation
Named Person
Ratu Tanoa; Ratu Cakobau
Photographer
Gordon Cumming, Constance Frederica [Original Artist]
Collector / Expedition
von Hügel, Anatole (Baron)
Date
1 May 1877
Collection Name
von Hügel Collection
Source
Format
Drawing
Primary Documentation
Other Information
P.153893.VH - D.153980.VH were transferred from the Paper Archive VH1/4/9 (envelope 5), in 2021, and located in a paper folder now numbered C1045/.
D.153946.VH - D.153980.VH were wrapped in brown paper, now numbered C1045/2.
D.153946.VH - D.153979.VH were found together in a brown Boots envelope, now numbered C1045/2/1.
FM:293895
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