Images of settlements, people (including Negritos), artifacts, agriculture (especially sugarcane), headdresses, tattooing and body marking, members of the expedition, and the expedition's plane. This collection contains photographs by every member of the expedition. Other images are from Frank Hurley's documentary, "Pearls and Savages", or were made by the Department of Agriculture at installations where sugarcane was grown. Finally, many photographs of specimens and people working with specimens were taken by National Geographic after the expedition had returned to the United States.
Biographical/Historical note:
Most of the photographs were made during the 1928 Sugar Expedition to the Territories of Papua and New Guinea organized by the United States Department of Agriculture. The expedition traveled to places in the eastern half of New Guinea. Its primary purpose was to collect living samples of various sugarcane plants to be used for developing disease-resistant strains for the American grower. The expedition was led by E. W. Brandes and included R. K. Peck, Jacob Jeswiet, and, at times, a priest named Kirschbam. The expedition visited native settlements in the vicintiy of Port Moresby, along the upper Fly River and Lake Marray, on the Sepik River, and in northeastern New Guinea. During the expedition, photographs were made for the National Geographic Society and specimens were collected for the Smithsonian Institution.
Local Call Number(s):
NAA Photo Lot 91-8
Location of Other Archival Materials:
The Human Studies Film Archives holds Frank Hurley's "Pearls and Savages" (HSFA 89.1.1) and the Department of Agriculture's "Sugar Plant Hunting by Airplane in New Guinea" (HSFA 82.7.1).
Photographs of New Guinea artifacts collected by Brandes also held in National Anthropological Archives Photo Lot 97.
New Guinea artifacts collected by Brandes held in the Department of Anthropology in USNM ACC 106509.
Additional photographs by Edwin L. Wisherd held in the National Anthropological Archives in the Neil Merton Judd Papers.
Restrictions:
The collection is open for research.
Access to the collection requires an appointment.
Rights:
National Geographic photographs cannot be copied without permission of the National Geographic Society.
Photo lot 91-8, United States Department of Agriculture photographs relating to sugar expedition to Papua New Guinea, National Anthropological Archives, Smithsonian Institution
