Macumba, South Australia and Alice Springs Northern Territory, 1926-1927. Copy of 'NFSA Title No. 33555.'

Archive Collections / Board for Anthropological Research / Series AA346/09 / Macumba, South Australia and Alice Springs Northern Territory, 1926-1927. Copy of 'NFSA Title No. 33555.'
BAR Expedition Symbol: C THIS FILM IS RESTRICTED.

This is the eleventh of eleven film items documenting the Board for Anthropological Research (BAR) expedition to Macumba, South Australia and Alice Springs, Northern Territory, during 30 December 1926 - 19 January 1927.

The expedition party made base camps at 'Ross Waterhole, on Macumba Station, and about 40 miles north-east of Oodnadatta; [and] Stuart Town, [Alice Springs] Central Australia.' Campbell, TD and Hackett, CJ. 'Adelaide University Field Anthropology: Central Australia.' No. 1. Introduction, descriptive and anthropometric observations.' Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia, 51 (1927), 65-75.

The cinematographer was FA Jeffery (AA 155). In 1979 the South Australian Museum Archive (SAMA) deposited its nitrate film collection with the National Film and Sound Archive (NFSA) for cold storage. The history of the SAMA nitrate film deposit at NFSA in 1979 has been documented in the Series Report (AA 346/9). The original nitrate film is managed as 'NFSA Title No. 33555.'

Note that the original nitrate film has deteriorated and the quality of the footage between time codes 01:30 - 05:45 is affected. 'SAMA Reel K' is a 16mm positive duplicate made in 1937 of the original 35mm nitrate film, managed as 'NFSA Title No. 33555.' This film was shot during the BAR expedition to Ooldea, South Australia, 1926, and unlike the 35mm nitrate the 16mm copy did not deteriorate and was digitally transferred. See: (AA 346/9/1). This footage was according to a film summary (AA 346/9/27/1) inadvertently spliced with films from the BAR expedition to Macumba.

The time coded summary is in minutes and seconds. Following the summary of this film is a list of references. Formats Held: SP Betacam, Digital Betacam, Access DVDs.

Summary (Time Coded): Taken from Access DVD 3 (AA 346/9/2/11/5)

00:00 Start of Macumba, SA, & Alice Springs, NT, 1926-1927, Copy of 'NFSA Title No. 33555.'

00:00 'Cultural Sensitivity Warning.'

00:00 'The Museum Board of South Australia © 1926-1927.'

01:30 Start of film relating to BAR expedition to Ooldea, South Australia. 1926. See (AA 346/9/1/6) Time Code In 01:30 - Time Code Out 04:41.

01:30 Panorama of the Ooldea soak, buildings and shelters can be seen. Ooldea, South Australia. 1926.

02:03 Two large mallee trees. Charlie [B5] of the Jangkundjara people digs up a mallee tree root from the sand with a boomerang. Ooldea, South Australia. 1926.

03:06 Dr AJ Lewis recording vocabulary with Tommy [B13] of the Jangkundjara people and another older Australian Aboriginal man. See: TD Campbell 'Notes 1926 Ooldea Trip' (AA 52/1). Ooldea, South Australia. 1926.

03:34 An old Australian Aboriginal man possibly 'Old Charlie' See: TD Campbell (AA 52/1). Ooldea, South Australia. 1926.

03:34 Charlie [B5] of the Jangkundjara people stands in front of the camera blowing into a section of mallee root to extract the water. Charlie [B5] of the Jangkundjara people shows the camera how much water has collected in the dish from the draining mallee roots. He proceeds to lift the water with his hand from the dish, then pours the water on the ground.
Ooldea, South Australia. 1926.

04:34 Close up of the dried grass and wood with a wedged groove in it, used to make a fire. Ooldea, South Australia. 1926.

04:43 Sequence of shots of the camp, an Australian Aboriginal man approaches the camera with a spear and spear thrower in hand. Many people are sitting on the ground and standing watching the camera. Two old Australian Aboriginal men beside a fire. Ooldea, South Australia. 1926.

05:45 An old man gouges out a pirra with a metal instrument. Ooldea, South Australia. 1926.

05:45 End of film relating to the BAR expedition to BAR expedition to Ooldea, South Australia. 1926.

05:46 Ceremonial Content Starts.

08:17 Ceremonial Content Ends.

08:17 End of footage


Tribal / language groups recorded during this expedition as recorded in the Data Cards (AA 346/4/8)
Tindale Tribes: Aranda; Kaititja; Arabana; Kukatja (NT); Walpiri; Wongkanguru.
AIATSIS Tribal / Language Groups: Arrernte; Kaytej; Luritja; Arabana; Warlpiri.

  1. MACUMBA, SA, & ALICE SPRINGS, NT, 1926-1927, COPY OF 'NFSA Title No. 33555,' MASTER PRESERVATION COPY
    Format: SP Betacam
    Duration: 6 min 47 sec
    Transfer Date: 23/06/2005
    Generation: Copy of original nitrate managed as 'NFSA Title No. 33555.'

  2. MACUMBA, SA, & ALICE SPRINGS, NT, 1926-1927, COPY OF 'NFSA Title No. 33555,' DUBBING / LOAN COPY
    Format: Digital Betacam
    Duration: 6 min 47 sec
    Transfer Date: 01/07/2006
    Generation: Copy of AA 346/9/2/11/1

  3. MACUMBA, SA, & ALICE SPRINGS, NT, 1926-1927, COPY OF 'NFSA Title No. 33555,' PRESERVATION DVD 1 [TIME CODED]
    Format: DVD
    Duration: 6 min 47 sec
    Transfer Date: 01/07/2006
    Generation: Copy of AA 346/9/2/11/2

  4. MACUMBA, SA, & ALICE SPRINGS, NT, 1926-1927, 'COPY OF NFSA Title No. 33555,' PRESERVATION DVD 2
    Format: DVD
    Duration: 6 min 47 sec
    Transfer Date: 01/07/2006
    Generation: Copy of AA 346/9/2/11/2

  5. MACUMBA, SA, & ALICE SPRINGS, NT, 1926-1927, 'COPY OF NFSA Title No. 33555,' ACCESS DVD 3 [TIME CODED]
    Format: DVD
    Duration: 6 min 47 sec
    Transfer Date: 01/07/2006
    Generation: Copy of AA 346/9/2/11/3

  6. MACUMBA, SA, & ALICE SPRINGS, NT, 1926-1927, 'COPY OF NFSA Title No. 33555,' ACCESS DVD 4
    Format: DVD
    Duration: 6 min 47 sec
    Transfer Date: 01/07/2006
    Generation: Copy of AA 346/9/2/11/4

  • Campbell, TD and Hackett CJ 'Adelaide University field anthropology: Central Australia.' No. 1. Introduction, descriptive and anthropometric observations.' Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia, 51 (1927), 65-75.

  • Adelaide University Programmed 'Exhibition of Still and Motion Photography,' 'Pictures taken on the University Expedition to Central Australia January, 1927.' (AA 346/9/3)

  • BAR Photographs (AA 346/6)

  • Film summaries, typed with annotations by NB Tindale (AA 346/9/27/1)

  • BAR Anthropological Data Cards (AA 346/4/8)

  • FA Jeffrey photographs (AA 155)

CreatorBoard for Anthropological Research
ControlAA 346/9/2/11
Date Range30 December, 1926  -  19 January, 1927
Quantity 12.5cm,   6   film items. Formats: Betacams, DVDs
Series AA346/09