A Western Australian Aboriginal Message Stick

A Western Australian Aboriginal Message Stick . The wood with fine shallow incised decorative lines
19 th Century
Size : 42 cm long – 16½ ins long
Although it may be used occasionally for magical purposes , a message stick was used essentially as an aide-mémoire and as a guarantee of safe conduct through foreign territory . A particular stick does not convey any form of communication between the sender and receiver as the Aborigines had no system of writing , but is a guarantee of the integrity of the messenger and the message . Thus the engraved designs served as a form of personal seal and was often used as a sign of good faith in trading transactions .
'Corroborees' were non-religious celebrations to which members of other tribes could be invited by means of message sticks . The incised pictographic symbols served both as an invitation to the intertribal ceremonies and as protection to the carrier of the stick when in alien territory .

A Western Australian Aboriginal Message Stick

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ENQUIRIES

+44 (0)7768 236921
+44 (0)7836 684133

enquiries@finch-and-co.co.uk