Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1939-1957 (Creation)
Level of description
Item
Extent and medium
77 leaves ; 34 cm.
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Eseli Peter or Peter Eseli (he was know by both names) was born at Mabuiag in February 1886. His notebook has his name as Esili Peter. He married Baibai Harry (1887-1952) on 10 May 1913; they had eight children, six of which survived childhood: Mauare (aka Maurie) (born in 1917), Peter (1921-1981), Waiu (born in 1924), Dubi (born 1926), James (1929-) and Baibai (1933). The family spells the name as 'Eseli'. Eseli Peter died on 16 September 1958.
Repository
Archival history
Previously titled: Esili's notebook.
Previously titled: Peter Esili's notebook.
According to the notes by Margaret Lawrie on the first page of the photocopied notebook, Esili Peter's daughter, Mauari, lent her father's notebook to Lawrie in 1967; Lawrie approach Patrick James Killoran, then Director of Aboriginal and Island Affairs (Queensland), about preserving the book which was in very poor condition; Killoran obtained it from Mauari, had the notebook bound, took a copy for Lawrie, and returned the notebook to Mauari. It would appear Lawrie wrote in her photocopy the provenance and then provided another photocopy to the Fryer Library. Lawrie later used information from Esili Peter's notebook in one of her stories in her book Myths and legends of Torres Strait.
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Photocopy of a handwritten notebook written by Eseli Peter or Peter Eseli (he was know by both names) of Mabuiag, West Torres Strait. Torres Strait Islander names are spelled in a variety of ways in English, changing with time: this photocopied manuscript has 'Esili'. Peter Eseli wrote his notebook in Kala Lagaw Ya. First page of photocopy has brief notes about provenance from donor, Margaret Lawrie.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Unrestricted access.
Conditions governing reproduction
Copyright applies.
Language of material
- Australian Language
- English
Script of material
Language and script notes
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Very poor photocopy.
Finding aids
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
The publication: Eseli, Peter, Shnukal, Anna, and Mitchell, Rod (1998). Eseli's notebook. Brisbane: University of Queensland, is based on a copy of Eseli's original notebook. This publication can be viewed in UQ eSpace.
Related units of description
Notes area
Alternative identifier(s)
Alma MMS ID
Millennium Local System Number
Libraries Australia ID
OCLC Number
Access points
Place access points
Name access points
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
Status
Revised
Level of detail
Dates of creation revision deletion
Revised, Linda Justo, 9-Jun-2023. Revised, SJB, 23-Nov-2022. Revised, Linda Justo, 1-Feb-2022. Migrated from LMS: April 2019, P.A.
Language(s)
Script(s)
Sources
Eseli, Peter, Shnukal, Anna, and Mitchell, Rod (1998). Eseli's notebook. Brisbane: University of Queensland.