Summary

This figure was registered into the collections in 1891 and predates the important ceremonial masks and other material collected by Alfred Cort Haddon during the Cambridge Anthropological Expedition to the Torres Straits in 1898. The Australian Museum and Queensland Museum like Museums Victoria have small yet highly significant holdings of cultural objects from Torres Strait Islands dating from the mid to late nineteenth century.

Physical Description

A three dimensional female figure made of a framework of bamboo covered in tobacco and coconut fibre. It consists of the two parts: the upper section is the head and torso and the lower section is the hips and crossed legs. The face is made with overmodelled clay painted with natural pigments to which human hair is attached.

Significance

This nineteenth century figure is of great significance as it is thought to be the only extant example from the Torres Straits. The only similar example was a 'mosquito charm' collected in 1900 by Walter E. Roth at Mapoon in the far north of Cape York Peninsula. It is described as a figure of a man and includes facial features and has all fingers represented on the hands and toes on the feet. No documentation has been located for this figure, and discussions in recent years with Torres Strait Islanders at the museum has not revealed any insights into its purpose.

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