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
1 Film reel (10 minutes, black-and-white sound; 877 feet, 35mm)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Film reels
Sound films
Place:
Oceania
Papua New Guinea
Date:
1921
Scope and Contents:
Incomplete edited film is believed to be a reel from a later version of PEARLS AND SAVAGES shot in New Guinea in 1921. Footage includes: on and over the Fly and Strickland rivers and around Lake Murray, overviews of native settlements, Gogodala people of the Fly River Delta paddling canoes, males in cockatoo and cassowary plumed headdresses, large river houses and big houses thatched with sago palm, and local people around sea plane. Reel concludes with scenes of European adventurers standing next to human skulls on post near riverbank. This version contains a fictional narration of the heart-of-darkness genre not originally associated with the Hurley film.
Dwellings Papua New Guinea ; Villages Fly River New Guinea ; Adornment headwear Papua New Guinea ; Aerial photography Paupa New Guinea ; Canoes Papua New Guinea ; Airplanes for exploration Papua New Guinea ; Cannibalism skulls Papua New Guinea ; Language and culture
Please note that the contents of the collection and the language and terminology used reflect the context and culture of the time of its creation. As an historical document, its contents may be at odds with contemporary views and terminology and considered offensive today. The information within this collection does not reflect the views of the Smithsonian Institution or Anthropology Archives, but is available in its original form to facilitate research.
Local Number:
HSFA 1989.1.1
Provenance:
Received from The American Film Institute (National Center for Film and Video Preservation) in 1989.
Restrictions:
The collection is open for research. Please contact the archives for information on availability of access copies of audiovisual recordings. Original audiovisual material in the Human Studies Film Archives may not be played.
