Bena-Hagen Patrol, 1933-34

Component identifier:

Series 4

Content Summary:

In 1933 Taylor, Mick and Dan Leahy, and Ken Spinks explored from Bena Bena west to Kelua

(Mt Hagen), and from Kelua searched the country north, west and south. Their reports were the first to reveal Highlands populations and culture to the world, and the Leahy's found payable gold at Kuta. The journey was the subject of Bob Connolly and Robin Anderson's prize-winning 1986 film First Contact, and the book of the same name (New York : Viking, 1987).

Filed in this series are the Bena-Hagen records Taylor brought to Sydney to assist in writing his Hagen-Sepik Patrol report in 1939-40, together with his January-March 1933 diary. Copies of Taylor's 1933 patrol diaries are housed in the Black Papers (MS 8346/2/14).

Immediate source of acquisition:

The Taylor Papers were donated to the National Library by Bill Gammage, on behalf of Taylor's nephew Russ Robinson, in 1998. The core of the collection is comprised of records Taylor brought to Sydney in 1940 to prepare his report on the Hagen-Sepik Patrol. This material spans the period 1932-40, though Taylor also drew on other records relating to the Patrol in his assessment. On completing the report Taylor passed the records to his nephew, Russ Robinson, who in turn added papers to the collection. In 1986, at Taylor's request the records were lent by Robinson to Bill Gammage for his book about the Hagen-Sepik Patrol, entitled The sky travellers: journeys in New Guinea 1938-1939 (Melbourne University Press, 1998). Gammage added further Taylor records to the original body of papers, principally acquired from John Black and Ian Downs.

Names:

Jim Taylor

Contents

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