Not titled [Kiwain dance]

While stationed in Papua New Guinea, Dargie made the following observation in relation to this drawing: "The Kiwaians are possibly the most virile and hard-working of the Papuan natives. Dancing seems to represent their highest cultural achievement and they have reached a very high standard of expression. The Kiwaians who danced on this occasion were mostly boys who had worked on the carrier line over the Kokoda Trail, and the main feature they presented was supplies and wounded Australians. In this dance they carried sticks about fifteen feet long and topped with a triangular white pennon. The dancers aimed the action of carrying wounded men, (although in a rather abstract manner), crouching to avoid bullets and shrinking away from a threatening enemy, Port Moresby."