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John William Lindt
Koiari
1880
Photograph
Museums Victoria Collections
John W. Lindt Collection, XP 22991
LL/103567
Curatorial description (Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence, Accessed: 18 August 2020)
Summary
In 1885, photographer John William Lindt (1845-1926) accompanied Sir Peter Scratchley's expedition to the newly proclaimed Protectorate of British New Guinea. In 1887 he published fifty photographs from the expedition in Picturesque New Guinea. With an historical introduction and supplementary chapters on the manners and customs of the Papuans; accompanied with fifty full-page autotype illustrations from negatives of portraits from life and groups and landscaped from nature.
The expedition, led by Scratchley, then High Commissioner for the Protectorate, set out in 1885, one year after Britain annexed the territory. Lindt described his excitement at joining the crew of the Governor Blackall moored in Sydney on July 15 in the opening pages of this book. He had wanted to visit the island of New Guinea since first sighting it on the horizon during a visit to the Torres Strait in 1868. On arrival in Port Moresby, Lindt immediately sought opportunities to take photographs. His photographic work was facilitated for him by the Commissioner and the resident missionaries. (William George Lawes (1839-1907) had established the London Missionary Society in New Guinea since 1874). An excursion inland was undertaken, guided by a government officer and utilising the horses belonging to the mission. On this expedition Lindt bumped into several Koiari hunters, who, having made camp to cook and eat kangaroo, invited Lindt to eat with them. 'We were introduced to several chiefs, who gave us a hearty welcome and a hospitable invitation to join their feast.After a friendly smoke and chat with the hunters, who urged upon our leader that we must not omit visiting their villages on our return journey.'
Lindt took up the invitation, and visited the village of Sadara Makara, which included twenty houses, which he commented looked newly constructed. Four of these were set up high in the tree tops. On the next day, the villagers posed for him. 'They stood in groups, took the proper attitudes, and even posed picturesquely, as conscious that they were being immortalized in picture' (Picturesque New Guinea).
Physical Description
Orignal sepia toned print. Oversized and mounted and framed behind glass, in its original frame. Group portrait, outdoor setting. Annotation in red along bottom edge of image: "Lindt. Melbourne. Copyright." Typed annotation on a plaque attached to frame at bottom centre: "New Guinea Koiari Chiefs. Sadara Makara". Glass is cracked at top left corner.
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