Tribal Australian
Description: Aboriginal Music and Ceremonies on 78's

Item: G74
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This is a collection of 9 records (78 rpm) of Australian Aboriginal music and ceremony. These were recorded in the Northern Territory in 1948, probably as part of The American-Australian Scientific Expedition to Arnhem Land (1948). Charles P. Mountford writes in the Records of the American-Australian Scientific Expedition to Arnhem Land Volume 1, that he recorded "electrically", songs associated with bark paintings (p.20). The label on each record is marked: "Australian Broadcasting Commission, Dubbed at Sydney 5/1/50, Not to be used for broadcasting or other public performance". According to numbers on the records, they appear to have been made in sets of 12 (thus 3 are missing from this set). Some of the record covers have hand-written notes i.e. "3. Mother song first time balnooknook recorded". According to the original vendor who acquired these records through The Sydney Museum in 1950, they were produced in very low numbers. Possibly less than 10 sets exist. The records appear to be in mostly good condition with some light scratches. The cardboard covers are a bit tatty and some of the cloth tape is coming unstuck.

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Description: Bark Painting

Item: G87
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This bark painting measures 7 x 22 inches. It was painted by famous Aboriginal artist and author Dick Roughsey (Goobalathaldin) in the 1960's. Dick was a member of the Lardil tribe, owners of Mornington Island in the Gulf of Carpentaria. Dick Roughsey had a very distinctive pictorial style and was arguably responsible for starting the Mornington Island art movement.

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Description: Arnhem Land Bark Painting

Item: G88
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This bark painting measures 8 x 22 inches. It was painted by famous Aboriginal artist Mick Magani in the 1960's. There is a label on the back which reads: "Artist: Magani, Tribe: Jinang. Little birds feeding on a tree which in the Dreamtime Era was a Tree being".

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Description: Aboriginal Hairball

Item: G148
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This hairball measures 7 x 4 inches. This is a ball of human hair string made by the Arunta people of Central Australia. Hair string had many uses, but balls such as this were used in the men's' ceremonies and were considered to be sacred objects. This piece was collected in the mid-1950's by the proprietor of the General Store at Halls Creek in Western Australia.

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Description: Australian Watercolour

Item: G110
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This Central Australian or Hermannsburg style watercolour is by Walter Ebatarinja (1915 -1968). The frame measures 19 x 26 inches. It is signed lower right in pencil. Walter was the son of Joshua and Ruth Ebatarinja and was from the Western Aranda (Arrernte) language group. Walter was arguably the most famous Aboriginal watercolourist after Albert Namatjira. Albert taught Walter to paint. When Albert won an exemption to consume alcohol, he was required by tribal law to supply Walter (who was an elder) with alcohol. Albert was caught and spent 2 months in jail for this offence. Walter was one of very few watercolourists to paint from memory. This set his works apart from the other artists. His works are less static and more subtle and free flowing than other Hermannsburg style watercolours. As is commonly found with these works there are some spots of foxing, but apart from that it is in good condition (the lines in the sky are reflections off the glass).

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