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Overview
This photograph is a portrait of a Samoan woman named Tulia, misspelt in the original title as Talea. She was a supporter of King Malietoa Tanumafili I in his struggle for power with Mata'afa Iosefo Laiufi in 1899. Malietoa was backed by the colonial powers of Great Britain and the United States, while Mata’afa was supported by Germany.
The identification of this woman as Tulia is based on other photographs of the time that depict her at the head of a military column and in posed portraits like this one, holding the distinctive coconut water bottle of the vivandiere. See O.001016. For this photograph the cataloguer has noted that the image is inscibed. They write, "pencil, verso, lower edge (twice): 'Talea. Vivandiere of Gaunt's Brigade [new line] Samoa.'
Tulia - a vivandiere
Under the leadership of Lieutenant Gaunt, Tulia accompanied Malietoa’s troops into battle as a vivandiere (a French name for women attached to military regiments as sutlers). She carried food and water and encouraged the men involved in the fighting. According to Anthony Delano, “Tulia placed herself at the head of Lieutenant Gaunt’s famous native brigade, in which he was the leading chief, and nerved them onto victory. In the jungle, when the men could scarcely see each other, much less their enemies, and with bullets flying all around, Tulia would suddenly show herself, and shout out to the dusky warriors, “Fight, fight!’ in tones of earnest encouragement. “She is as plucky as they are made,’ is the testimony of more than one eye-witness of the girl’s bravery (1).
Bravery and devotion
A newspaper account describes Tulia as a “…courageous girl who distinguished herself in most of the actions in which her regiment was concerned. Lieutenant Gaunt speaks very highly of her bravery and devotion. Always at the head of the troops carrying her water bottle with which to refresh the wounded or thirsty warriors, always having a bright smile and gentle word for all, Tulia was an immense favourite with everyone who knew her.
Life and soul of the regiment
The report goes on to say, "Few of the warriors of Gaunt's brigade can boast that they ever preceded her into battle, Or across the flying enemies' entrenchment and, unlike them, this brave girl carried no arms or defence, while equally risking her life. She would march with the troops, untiring and unfearing, over tough ground and under hottest suns — cheerful, gay and indomitable : the life and souI of the regiment. No one ever offered unkindness or disrespect to Tulia, who, in the words of her commander, was ' a girl we all loved and were all proud of."'(2)
Sources
(1) Delano, A. (2016). Guy Gaunt: the Boy From Ballarat Who Talked America into the Great War. Australian Scholarly Publishing; His Opinion On The Situation. Auckland Star, VOLUME XXX, ISSUE 109, 10 MAY 1899, PAGE 3 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AS18990510.2.7.1
(2) The Samoan Rebellion. (1899, July 8). The Sydney Mail and New South Wales Advertiser (NSW : 1871 - 1912), p. 88. Retrieved June 9, 2021, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article163689686; Michael Field (2017) Tulia; frontline taupou https://invinciblestrangers.wordpress.com/2017/07/09/tulia-frontline-taupo/