Spencer & Gillen

A journey through Aboriginal Australia

Tree platform storing sacred objects during Arrernte ceremony, Alice Springs, Central Australia, 1896.

Physical Description

Glass plate. Silver gelatin emulsion. Full plate.

Primary Comments

Original glass plate sleeve (handwritten annotation): "Store of Panunga and Bulthara churinga during Engwura. Arunta." Original print (handwritten annotation): "(1) Store house of the Churinga of the Bulthara & Panunga during the Engwura. The man standing up in the foreground is the Alatunja of the Udnirringita totem of A.S. He is my okilia or elder brother & the itia or younger brother of Gillen - the latter being what they call an Oknirabata or very wise old man, you can see a few of the Churinga on the sticks in the fork of the mulga tree. (2) Stage on hillside on which Churinga belonging to the Panunga Bulthara moiety were stored during the Engwura. Head man (alatunja) standing up in middle. Alice springs 1896 1. Bulthara - Udnimijita Emily Gap 2. Pungerta Udnimijita Jessie Gap 3. Pungerta Udnimijita Jessie Gap (3) Platforms of boughs in a tree on a hill side on which the churinga of the Panunga and Bulthara moiety were stored during the Engwura. They were stored on a small platform on a hillside overlooking Engwura ground. Alice Springs 1896

Rights: Museum Victoria

Photograph Details

Restriction
Ceremonial
Date Made
Between /11/1896 and /12/1896
Creator

Subjects

Language Groups
Places

Institution

Institution
Museum Victoria
Registration
XP8928

Classification

Primary Subject
Ceremony