The Goromani incident: seeking spoils from opportunistic theft in the Official collection from early colonial British New Guinea

Abstract

Material confiscated in 1898 by William MacGregor and his officers from abandoned houses after a punitive raid on the cluster of villages at Goromani, Upper Vanapa River in early colonial British New Guinea offers insights into the kinds of objects that might have been obtained for the Official ethnographic collection through negative reciprocity. In addition to ceremonial finery and valuable items stowed away in bags, drums dressed for ceremonies prior to raiding, stone artefacts, and arrows were confiscated after the raid by the British party. An analysis of handwriting on the labels written for the objects at the time of their collection identifies the personal choices for plunder of MacGregor and the officers who assisted him. This small collection also highlights classes of ethnographic objects that were highly favoured by British colonisers during the late nineteenth century. By comparing the Marind-Anim and Goromani assemblages with the entire Official collection, attributes of material acquired within the context of opportunistic theft are highlighted. Based on these cases, it might be possible to identify additional material within the Official collection, and potentially others from colonial British New Guinea, that were scavenged expediently following violent confrontations. The findings could also assist indigenous groups and museum curators in recognising material from early ethnographic collections from British New Guinea that might be considered for repatriation.