IDNO

D.153973.VH

Description

Pen and ink drawing of the valeniveilewai or courthouse at Bau, built atop the high stepped yavu or housemound of Nayavucerecere, on which had stood Navatanitawake, the burekalou or spirit house of Ra Cagawalu or Komainayavucerecere, the great war god of Bau.
The building is in the form of a spirithouse of the Fijian religion, high spiritual standing and authority being proclaimed by the tall yavu, the great cleated ramps leading up to the doorways, the high roof, and the white cowry or bulidina shells covering the long projecting ends of the ridge-pole.
See P.87252.VH for comparison with Constance Gordon Cumming’s 1 May 1877 painting of the “New Court House”.
1877. [Fergus Clunie, 14/7/2003, description from P.99783.VH, JD 23/11/2022]

Place

Oceania Polynesia; Fiji; Near Viti Levu; Bau Island

Cultural Affliation

Named Person

Photographer

Gordon, Arthur Lewis [Artist]

Collector / Expedition

von Hügel, Anatole (Baron)

Date

circa 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.