Identity area
Reference code
AU PMB MS 1434
Title
Date(s)
- 4 March 1940 - 17 July 1972 (Creation)
Level of description
Collection
Extent and medium
2 digitised register books
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Dr Martin Soukup is a Czech cultural anthropologist. Research interests include history and theory of anthropology. He is particularly interested in the cultures of Melanesia. In 2009, he undertook anthropological pre-research field work in Papua New Guinea local communities of Wannang, Kegeslugel, Yawan and returned to Yawan in 2011, 2015, 2016, 2018 and 2019.
Repository
Archival history
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Content and structure area
Scope and content
These Patrol Officer field notebooks are about the Worin village of the Huon Peninsular in the Morobe District of New Guinea. Edwin Ernst Styants primarily kept the first register, but during the period 1944-1946, Patrol Officers L. Williams, Stuart Rylands and A.J. Leyden also recorded their observations and findings. The register includes clear instructions and orders on how to compile or record the names of village men and women and their dates of birth if known. Patrol officers recorded the names of all the village and hamlets inhabitants including those who were absent on indentured labour recruitments. The details recorded provided valuable and useful census data for the colonial authorities. This data formed the basis of the inspecting officer of the Department of District Services to crosscheck all births, deaths, migrations or relocations.
This register also lists the names of village or group, hamlets, native district, Luluai, Tultul, Medical Tultul by the Patrol Officer. There are blank pages for patrolling officers to enter their notes and instructions for the inspecting officers of the Department of District Services. The first register lists Uron as the Luluai of the Dopet hamlet and Dingson of the Nakom hamlet. Tultul MUSU of Mumbok served for 24 years and was presented a signed certificate of his services at Mumeng on 22nd October 1962. The Medical Tutul was SIWI of Dopet hamlet.
Of note in the first register is an entry stating that Tultul Dunjiyong wielded considerable power and was instrumental in giving full assistance to Peter Ryan during the Second World War. Ryan was the author of ‘Fear Drive My Feet’, a classic memoir of his time patrolling isolated regions of New Guinea during World War 2/World War II.
The second Village Register is divided into the following columns:
Males, Females, Estimated or known Year of birth. The entries in these columns have their original native names and often lists husband and wife but also whether the adult member of the village lives on his or her own.
General information on condition of roads, tracks, water supplies, gardens, distances between the villages as well as sanitation and latrines. All are hand written by the visiting Patrol Officers.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
Chronological
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Available for reference
Conditions governing reproduction
Language of material
Script of material
Language and script notes
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
See individual items
Finding aids
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Person: Mr Esse
Address: Worin Village
Country: Papua New Guinea
Existence and location of copies
Access this title at PMB Member Libraries or by purchasing it directly from the Bureau: http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/pambu/accessing.php
Related units of description
Notes area
Note
This digital copy was made by researcher, Dr Martin Soukup, during his field work.
Alternative identifier(s)
Access points
Subject access points
Place access points
Name access points
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
ms1434
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
Dates of creation revision deletion
Language(s)
Script(s)
Sources
Martin Soukup (2023) Nungon, Patrol Officers, and Missionaries: Differing Narratives about Two Key Events in the History of Nungon People of New Guinea, The Journal of Pacific History, 58:2, 176-194, DOI: 10.1080/00223344.2023.2179980
Archivist's note
Uploaded by Kari James 4 September 2023
Digital object metadata
Filename
Digital_reference_image.pdf
Latitude
Longitude
Media type
Text
Mime-type
application/pdf