Producer unknown to us
Wooden vessel (coolamon)
Australia, Northern Territory / Central Australia, Aranda
Prior to 1912
Wood, carved
Oskar Liebler (missionary)
Donation to the museum by Walter Schmidt (merchant and affiliate to the circle of friends of the museum) in 1912
Au 2361
Many Women of the Aranda community used this vessel to carry water.
The missionary Oskar Liebler worked for the German Lutheran Mission in Hermannsburg, northwest of Alice Springs. From 1910 to 1913, he appropriated an extensive collection of so-called objects from the Aranda and Loritja from Central Australia.
The museum purchased almost all of Lieblers collection, including many secret/sacred items that are not meant to be seen publicly by uninitiated people. Now, the museum is considering a possible restitution of these items of the Liebler collection.
Walter Schmidt acted as an intermediary for Oskar Liebler.
Juliane Heinze