Drawings collected on 1954 expedition to Melville Island

Ngadlu tampinthi ngadlu Kaurna Miyurna yartangka. Munaintya puru purruna ngadlu-itya. Munaintyanangku yalaka tarrkarriana tuntarri.

We acknowledge we are on Kaurna Miyurna land. The Dreaming is still living. From the past, in the present, into the future, forever.

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It is a condition of use of the cultural components of the Museum Archives that users ensure that any disclosure of information contained in this collection is consistent with the views and sensitivities of Indigenous people. Users are warned that there may be words and descriptions that may be culturally sensitive and which might not normally be used in certain public or community contexts. Users should also be aware that some records document research into people and cultures using a scientific research model dating from the first half of the twentieth century, and depicts people as research subjects in ways which may today be considered offensive. Some records contain terms and annotations that reflect the author's attitude or that of the period in which the item was written, and may be considered inappropriate today in some circumstances. Users should be aware that in some Indigenous communities, hearing names of deceased persons might cause sadness or distress, particularly to the relatives of these people. Furthermore, certain totemic symbols may also have prohibitions relating to the age, initiation and ceremonial status or clan of the person who may see them. Records included may be subject to access conditions imposed by Indigenous communities and/or depositors. Users are advised that access to some materials may be subject to these terms and conditions that the Museum is required to maintain.

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Drawings collected on 1954 expedition to Melville Island

Archive Collections / Charles Pearcy Mountford / Drawings collected on 1954 expedition to Melville Island

Collection: Charles Pearcy Mountford

Quantity: 59 Drawings

Series Identifier: AA228/3

All titles have been extracted from Mountfords notebooks and recorded in the Anthropology Register (Vol 8)

Charles Pearcy Mountford 1890-1976

Following a successful joint National Geographic Society, Smithsonian Institution and Australian Government expedition to arnhem Land in 1948, a further National Geographic Society sponsored expedition to Melville Island again led by Charles Mountford occurred in 1954.
The study was premised on the principle .."before these Stone age hunters and gatherers customs and unparralled ceremonies are lost forever, we must record them..."
Membership was much sparser than in 1948.

Charles Mountford leader photographer, anthropologist
David Parsons ethnologist University of Pennsylvania
Jane Goodale ethnologist University of Pennsylvania
Brian Daily geologist University of Adelaide
William Harney guide and mentor
George Joy cook

The expedition lasted 5 months
Carleton Coon anthropologist University of Pennsylvania and his wife
Assoc Justice William Douglas U.S.A.Supreme Court made a 10 day visit. During Coon's visit, he made extensive body measurementsand took temperature to determine how natives adapted so well to hot days and cold nights, on behalf of the U.S.Army to help study protection for fighting men in extremes of temperature under combat.
The group has studied and reported on ceremony, dance and especially as this related to funeral rites.
This collection consists of 59 chalk on paper drawings.
Sheets of brown paper and materials available locally were provided.
Registration number of artist, expedition number and details of painting were recorded.

Included Items

AA 228/3/1 - Representing pelicans and geese; the swamp at Goose Creek

AA 228/3/2 - Facial design Plum designs

AA 228/3/3 - Facial designs. Totem of Kudja-tumpi; the March Fly

AA 228/3/4 - Facial designs; Tudawali, the Shark Wuriuprili (Fire)

AA 228/3/5 - Facial design. Pukamuni design. Represents immediate male relative of a dead man

AA 228/3/6 - Facial and Body design. Pukamuni design associated with Bumerah (Lightning) and Maratji (Rainbow)

AA 228/3/7 - Facial design. Pukamuni design Mungumini worn by a small fish

AA 228/3/8 - Facial and Body design Kulama initiation design

AA 228/3/9 - Facial design. Represents Tunamuni the Salmon Blood Puturi

AA 228/3/10 - Facial design. Representing Tulama a poisonous snake

AA 228/3/11 - Face and Body design. Representing a Marakumuni initiation ceremony.