These Message Sticks acknowledge the return of Dja Dja Wurrung Cultural material held by the Burke Museum. The Burke Museum is the current custodian of a significant collection of First Peoples’ cultural material from across South-Eastern Australia. These objects were sold to the Museum by Reynold Everly Johns in 1868. We recognise the harm caused by dispossession of cultural material, and by any inappropriate display and interpretation of this collection over the past 150 years. The Burke Museum is continuing to build relationships and collaborate with traditional owners, Aboriginal communities and the museum sector to ensure culturally appropriate outcomes for the collection, including repatriation of objects to communities of origin. Message sticks are a form of communication between Aboriginal nations, clans and language groups even within clans. Traditional message sticks were made and crafted from wood and were generally small and easy to carry (between 10 and 20 cm). They were carved, incised and painted with symbols and decorative designs conveying messages and information. Some were prepared hastily, like you might create a note left on a friend’s desk or a quick text message; others were prepared with more time to make the markings neat and ornate. There were always marks that were distinctive to the particular group or nation sending the message and often marks identifying the relationship of the carrier to their group. This way it could be identified and authenticated by neighboring groups and by translators when the message stick was taken long distances. Two solid cylindrical shaped pieces of wood bound together with black, red and yellow string. Each stick has etchings with angular lines and dots. dja dja wurrung, message sticks, burke museum, beechworth, beechworth museum, repatriation, reynold everly johns

Historical work by the Secretary of the Board for the Protection of the Aborigines. (c.1876) He describes his approach to his work, the collection of language information, culture and heritage, anatomical data, drawings of the traditional lifestyles and encounters with the people. Includes interesting observations on the works of William Thomas, Alfred W, Howitt, Philip Chaney, Albert A.C. La Souef, John Moore Davis and Rev. William Ridley.robert brough smyth, anthropology, aboriginal social life and customs, children, behaviour, death and burial customs, daily life, food, diseases, weapons, shields, boomerang, vessels, baskets, message sticks, stone tool technology, fire, canoes, myths, stories

Contents: p.1-3; Origins, arrival in Australia; p.4-9; How they lived - camp sites, dating (including carbon dating); p.10-27; Physical appearance, skin colour, hair, clothing, body ornaments, cicatrization; exchange system, distribution of food, marriage &? sexual relations; the tribe - structure, relationship to land, territory, gives map showing locations of tribes, New South Wales, Victoria &? eastern South Australia, leadership, government, division of labour, status of women, estimated population at white settlement, density of population (Victoria); p.28-31; Language - names &? naming, reproduces Wembawemba vocabulary, notes use of secret languages, gives 12 rules for pronounciation; p.32-53; Religion, spirit beliefs, totemism, moieties, phratries, marriage rules; mythology, gives eaglehawk &? crow myth from Lake Victoria &? other myths illustrating origins of fire &? natural rock formations, mythical beasts (Bunyip, Mindie), stellar beliefs; magic, medicine men, powers, native remedies for sickness, describes ceremony held in Melbourne, 1847 to avert evil, sorcery, pointing bone, love magic, rain makers; messengers, appearance, etiquette, message sticks; p.54-71; Rock art, motifs, colours, decorative art, engraving of utensils, rock engravings, manufacture &? use of pigments, engraving techniques; trade system, objects bartered, meeting places for trade (Victoria), map shows possible routes (south east Australia); corroborees, purpose, body ornaments &? decorations, musical instruments; p.72-93; Ceremonial life, marriage, punishment for infidelity, birth, childhood, games &? amusements, initiation, etiquette of visiting tribes, details of ceremony, womens role, earth figures &? ground designs, bull roarers, female puberty ceremonies; p.94-133; Shelters, fire making, cooking, construction of canoes, wooden implements, use of reeds, animal skins &? sinews, shells; stone tools, cylindro conical stones, scrapers, knives &? microliths; hunting weapons, spear, other methods pits, nets; fishing methods &? spears, traps; food sharing, womens responsibilities for collecting, digging stick, cooking methods, insect foods, plant foods, water resources; manufacture &? use of spears, spear throwers, shields, clubs, boomerangs; inter- &? intratribal fighting; p.134-147; Death, disposal of body - eating of the dead, burial, cremation, platform exposure, dendroglyphs (N.S.W.), Aboriginal burial grounds (Darling &? Murray Rivers), mourning, widowhood, kopi caps (N.S.W.), causes of death, inquest ceremonies, revenge expedition, after death beliefs; p.148-157; The end of the tribes white settlement &? its impact on Aboriginal life, friction between natives &? settlers, establishment of Protectorates; copiously illustrated throughout.maps, b&w illustrations, b&w photographswemba wemba, murray river, darling river, lake victoria

Glossary, index, p.156.Belief in Supreme Being; male and female descent; relationship terms (with mention of Vic., N.T. tribes); list of totems; totemic food taboos; medicine men; witch woman and native remedies; bonepointing; belief in spirits; conception beliefs; childhood customs; betrothal; firemaking; bullroarers; message sticks; initiation ceremonies & corroborees; mourning & funeral; legends & cosmology; hunting finding food & cooking; clothing & body painting; weapons; recreations; childhood songs & song about Byamee (texts with translations)aboriginal australians - social life and customs, aboriginal australians - religion

Souvenir of Melbourne cable tram closure in Oct. 1940 - made to fit a box of matches to minimize damage to the box while being carried in a pocket. Consists of a printed photo of cable trailer 571 in Nicholson St Fitzroy with the Royal Exhibition buildings in the background. Lists the opening dates of the various lines. The matchbox is by Bryant and May, made in Britain. On the rear of the box is an advert for the Orient Line of Royal Mail steamers in Europe and Australia. Not know who made the matchbox holder. Second matchbox made by Bryant & May of Richmond - has a 2nd world war message on the box label. Demonstrates a souvenir of Melbourne's cable trams.Match box holder from folded metal with a printed plastic covered insert, the matchbox itself is from a wooden box with a cardboard insert, and many matches on wooden sticks. 2nd copy has an empty Bryant & May matchbox, cardboard. tramways, trams, cable trams, opening, souvenirs, matches, bryant and may, orient line