IDNO

DG.167262.RPT

Description

Portrait of a Tiwi man wearing face and body paint, a chin ornament made from feathers and a feathered ball around his neck for a Pukamani ceremony to honour a deceased person at Snake Bay on Melville Island. [KK 04/08/2023]

Place

Oceania Australasia; Australia; Northern Territory; Tiwi Islands; Melville Island; Snake Bay

Cultural Affliation

First Nations Australian; Tiwi [historically Aboriginal]

Named Person

Photographer

Poignant, Axel

Collector / Expedition

Date

October 1948

Collection Name

Poignant Collection

Source

Poignant, Roslyn

Format

Digital File

Primary Documentation

Other Information

DG.167113.RPT - DG.167351.RPT were located on a blue 'Seagate backup plus' hard drive in a box now numbered C1035/.

DG.167255.RPT - DG.167274.RPT were located in a digital folder named "Melville Island Scans."


Related image: A similar image is in the care of the National Library of Australia with the number 5080182 and the following information: "Tiwi's body decorated with paint, wearing false beard and spirit ball for Pukamuni ceremony, Snake Bay, Melville Island, Northern Territory, October 1948 [picture] / Axel Poignant.
Negative no.: 1086.5"--Label on verso of print.
Inscriptions: "Snake Bay, Melville Island, Oct. 1948. Body decoration for the Pukamuni; false beard and spirit ball with down woven into the string fibres. When worn it makes for good hunting and held between teeth in battle it lends magical aid and makes a man brave."--Label on verso; "Copyright Axel Poignant"--Stamped on verso." [source: https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/catalog/5080182 KK 04/08/2023]