C.M.G., M.A., F.R.S., Hon. D.Sc. (Man.);
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TO THE MEMORY
OF MY FRIEND
FRANK J. GILLEN
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IN 1911 the Commonwealth Government sent a small scientific commission to the Northern Territory to make a preliminary survey of the country. The party consisted of Dr. J. A. Gilruth, Dr. Anton Breiul, Dr. W. G. Woolnough, and myself. The time at our disposal was short and the work that we did was naturally, more or less, of an introductory nature, indicating lines of research that might be followed up, with advantage, in the future.
Towards the end of the same year I was asked by the late Mr. Batchelor, then Minister for External Affairs, to return to the Territory for a period of twelve months as Special Commissioner for Aboriginals and Chief Protector in charge of the Department that the Government had instituted to safeguard the interests of the aboriginal population.
The Council of the University granted me the necessary leave of absence, and accordingly I left Melbourne on December 25th, 1911, and Darwin, again, on December 25th, 1912.
A very considerable part of my time was occupied in routine work, and, unfortunately, owing to an accident which, temporarily, rendered me unable to walk, I lost two months of valuable time during the dry season. I was, however, able to do some work amongst tribes, with regard
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to the customs, organisation, and beliefs of which little has been known hitherto. The present volume contains the scientific results of my work, expanding and, in some points, correcting my preliminary report, which it supersedes.[1]
In 1911, in company with Dr. Gilruth, now Administrator of the Territory, I had visited Melville Island, where, thanks to the assistance of Mr. R. J. Cooper, who has lived amongst the natives for long, knows them, and is entirely trusted by them, we were able to see and learn something of their customs. These were so interesting that I was very anxious to be able to spend more time amongst them and gladly availed myself of the offer of Mr. Cooper to assist me in gaining some further knowledge of these interesting people. I went across to Melville and Bathurst Islands in March, 1912, and spent six weeks there, during which time I was fortunate enough to see one of their most important ceremonies, connected with the initiation of the young men. It was the monsoonal period and we had a decidedly wet time, but it was intensely interesting, and I am deeply indebted to Mr. Cooper for his help, without which I could have done but little amongst these natives. It is not too much to say that it is due to him that white men can now land, with impunity, on Melville and Bathurst Islands.
At a later period, in December, 1912, I revisited Bathurst Island, in company with Mr. P. Cahill, and had the opportunity of again witnessing the weird, wild burial and
[1. A short preliminary account was published in the "Bulletin of the Northern Territory," No. 2, April, 1912. In May, 1913, I presented to the Commonwealth Government a further "Preliminary Report on the Aboriginals of the Northern Territory," containing recommendations concerning the general policy to be pursued in regard to them. This was also published in the "Report of the Administrator for the year 1912," issued in October, 1913.]
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mourning ceremonies of the natives and of obtaining both cinematograph and phonograph records of them.
A motor trip during the months of August and September, in company with Dr. Gilruth, who had meanwhile been appointed Administrator of the Territory, enabled me to see something of the conditions under which the natives were living in a wide area of the country, extending as far southwards from Darwin as Newcastle Waters, and as far east as the Gulf of Carpentaria. Our trip was, of necessity, too hurried to enable me to do any serious work amongst the natives, but, as we were in contact with tribes, either identical with, or very closely similar in regard to their customs, organisation, and beliefs, to others, such as the Mara, Mungarai, Binbinga, and Anula, which had previously been investigated by Mr. Gillen and myself, this was not a matter of great importance and I was glad of the opportunity that the trip afforded me of taking a general survey of the country and aboriginals.
It is only possible to study the latter seriously when camped amongst them quietly for some time. I was, fortunately, able to do this in the case of the Kakadu Tribe, in connection with which my most interesting results were obtained. I secured these only in consequence of the whole-hearted co-operation of Mr. P. Cahill in my work, during the time that I spent as the guest of himself and Mrs. Cahill in their delightful home at Oenpelli, far out in the wilds on the East Alligator River. Mr. Cahill has had long experience of the Kakadu and other tribes, talks their language, and has won their complete confidence. He most generously placed his time and knowledge at my disposal and, thanks to him, I was able to gain considerable insight into the sacred beliefs of the Kakadu people. I am also much indebted to him for most valuable assistance at
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a subsequent time, when we travelled together to the Flora River and came into contact with natives of the Mudburra and Waduman tribes, for the opportunity of meeting whom I am largely indebted to my friends Mr. and Mrs. Pearce, of Willeroo Station.
Amongst all the tribes, I have found it of very great advantage to be able to show them that I am well acquainted with the customs and secret matters of other tribes. As soon as they understand this, it is wonderful how they open up, and it is, also, equally remarkable how completely they close in the presence of anyone who is uncongenial to them.
It is perhaps advisable to say once more that both the late Mr. Gillen and myself were regarded as fully initiated members of the Arunta tribe, which is now, unfortunately, decimated in numbers and hopelessly degenerate in customs.
In conclusion, I have to express my thanks to the many other friends who have helped me in various ways. To the Administrator of the Northern Territory and Mrs. Gilruth I am deeply indebted for their most generous assistance and personal help in ways too numerous to mention. To the Hon. J. Thomas, Minister for External Affairs, during the period that I spent in the Territory, I am indebted for cordial interest and assistance in my work, as also to Atlee Hunt, Esq., Secretary for External Affairs. In travelling over the Territory I met, as everyone always does, with the greatest kindness and courtesy at the hands of the few scattered station holders and the officials on the Telegraph line.
Lastly, I wish to thank my publishers for the very,, courteous and generous way in which they have acceded to what, I fear, must have appeared my rather extravagant desires in regard to the publication, and more especially the illustration of this and previous works. These
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illustrations, however, better than many pages of description, will serve to give an idea of the stage of culture and manner of life of a primitive and fast-disappearing race.
It is with deep regret that I am unable to associate with my own, as co-author of this work, the name of F. J. Gillen, to whom, because of his untiring, enthusiastic, and sympathetic study of the natives, whom he knew and understood, every student of Australian anthropology, and myself most of all, owes a great debt of gratitude and admiration.
MELBOURNE,
February, 1914.
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I AM indebted to the courtesy of the Hon. the Minister for External Affairs for permission to use Figs. 4, 7, 11, and 12, and to Dr. Anton Breiul for Fig. 18A. The remaining Figures of scenery and ceremonies are all reproduced from my own negatives. I am very much indebted to Mr. R. H. Walcott, curator of the Ethnological Museum, Melbourne, for the great amount of trouble that he has taken in the preparation of the photographs illustrating the chapters dealing with Weapons, Implements, and Decorative Art. All the specimens figured in this work are in the National Museum, Melbourne.
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CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION 1
CHAPTER II
SOCIAL ORGANISATION AND MARRIAGE REGULATIONS 42
CHAPTER III
INITIATION CEREMONIES 88
CHAPTER IV
TOTEMIC SYSTEMS AND TOTEM GROUPS 177
CHAPTER V
SACRED STICKS, BULL-ROARERS, AND CEREMONIAL OBJECTS 210
CHAPTER VI
BURIAL AND MOURNING CEREMONIES 228
CHAPTER VII
MAGIC AND MEDICINE 257
CHAPTER VIII
BELIEFS IN REGARD TO THE ORIGIN OF CHILDREN 263
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CHAPTER IX
TRADITIONS CONCERNING IMBEROMBERA, THE GREAT ANCESTOR, AND ALSO OTHER ANCESTORS OF THE KAKADU NATION 275
CHAPTER X
VARIOUS TRADITIONS, CUSTOMS, AND BELIEFS 313
CHAPTER XI
FOOD RESTRICTIONS 342
CHAPTER XII
WEAPONS AND IMPLEMENTS 352
CHAPTER XIII
CLOTHING AND ORNAMENT 401
CHAPTER XIV
DECORATIVE ART 407
APPENDIX 441
GLOSSARY OF NATIVE TERMS 485
INDEX 503
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FIGURES
1.--Open Forest Land near Daly Waters. Typical Central Australian Country 3
2.--Ant Hill Country, near Pine Creek 3
3.--Downs Country Between pp. 4-5
4.--Daly River 4-5
5.--Rocky Bar and Reach on the Flora River 4-5
6.--A Lily Water Pool 4-5
7.--Swamp jungle, Melville Island 4-5
8.--Two Kakadu Men 6-7
9.--Geimbio Family, Man with Six Wives 6-7
10.--Two Kakadu Women 6-7
11.--Group of Women of Mulluk Mulluk Tribe 6-7
12.--Group of Port Essington Natives on Board Cooper's Lugger, in Apsley Straits 6-7
13.--Group of Older Men in Characteristic Attitudes. Melville Island 6-7
14.--Two Melville Island Men. Back View, showing Cicatrices 8
15.--Two Melville Island Men. Front View, showing Cicatrices 8
16.--Bathurst Island Man with Head Decorated. Side View 9
17.--Bathurst Island Man with Head Decorated. Front View 9
18.--Melville Island Man whose Leg was Bitten off by a Crocodile 10
18A.--Larakia Woman with joint of Index Finger Cut Off 10
19.--Lubras Cooking. Waduman Tribe 27
20.--Man Killing Snake. Kakadu Tribe 28
21.--Native Cooking Oven, showing the Stones that are Heated. They are in the Shade at the right hand side 28
22.--Stringy-Bark Mia Mia, with Man, Woman and Child. Melville Island 29
23.--Young Child Deserted and left in Camp. Melville Island 29
24.--Skeleton of Mosquito Mia Mia. Roper River 31
25.--Mosquito Mia Mia. Roper River 31
26.--Buffalo Corrobboree. Melville Island 33
27.--Buffalo Corrobboree. Melville Island 34
28.--End of Corrobboree. Melville Island 34
Map showing Distribution of Local Groups on Melville and Bathurst Islands Page 44
29.--Procession of Decorated Men through the Forest, during the Yam Ceremony. Melville Island 94
30.--The Ceremonial Ground during the Yam Ceremony 96
31.--The Three Men bending down are holding the Marukumana Boys' Heads in Baskets under the Water 99
32.--Special Fire built on the Ceremonial Ground to roast the Yams. Melville Island 99
33-Taking the Yams out of the Fire. Melville Island 102
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34.--Father painting the Mikinyertinga Girl. Melville Island. 108
35.--Men Pulling their Beards out. The old man on the left-hand side is in the act of pulling. Melville Island 108
36.--Boys carrying the Wands called Uro-Ammi, when summoning Members of Distant Camps to the Initiation Ceremony. Kakadu Tribe 133
37.--Scene in the Ober Ceremony. Kakadu Tribe . Between pp. 136-7
38.--Scene in the Ober Ceremony. Kakadu Tribe 136-7
39.--Scene in the Ober Ceremony. Kakadu Tribe 136-7
40.--Scene in the Ober Ceremony. Kakadu Tribe 136-7
41.--Scene in the Ober Ceremony (Snake). Kakadu Tribe 136-7
42.--Scene in the Ober Ceremony (Snake). Kakadu Tribe 141
43.--Jungoan Ceremony. Kakadu Tribe 145
44.--Swinging the Bull-roarer in the Larakia Tribe 145
45.--Showing the Bull-roarer to the Initiates. Larakia Tribe 155
46.--Placing the Bull-roarer on the Hands of the Initiates. Larakia Tribe 155
47.--Scene from the Muraian Ceremony. Kakadu Tribe 186
48.--Scene from the Muraian Ceremony. Kakadu Tribe 187
49.--Scene from the Muraian Ceremony. Kakadu Tribe 186
50.--Newly-made Grave, before erection of Posts. The Mound is covered with a Sheet of Paper Bark 230
51.--Two Old Graves. Melville Island 230
52.--Women wearing Armlets during Mourning Ceremonies on Melville Island 34
53.--Close of the Mourning Dance. Men leaning on the Grave Posts. Bathurst Island 234
54.--Clearing the Ground around the Grave, and Erection of Posts. Melville Island 235
55.--Men Dancing round the Grave Posts. Bathurst Island 236
56.--Mourning Ceremony, Man jumping in the Air. Bathurst Island 238
57.--Carrying the Body, wrapped in Paper Bark, to the Grave. Kakadu Tribe 240
58.--Placing Stones on the newly-made Grave. Kakadu Tribe 240
59.--Circle of Grass Stalks with Paper Bark in Centre, in which the Body of the Dead Woman had been Wrapped 242
60.--Water-pouring Ceremony. Kakadu Tribe 242
61.--Men Painting themselves and Children with Nack. Kakadu Tribe 244
62.--Women wearing Armlets called Kundama, during Mourning Ceremony. Kakadu Tribe. 244
63.--Child's Bones carried about in Dilly Bag by her Mother. Kakadu Tribe. 248
64.--Ceremony of Korno 258
65.--Placing Sticks over the Buried Spirit at the close of the Korno Ceremony. Kakadu Tribe 260
66,--The Old and the Young Numereji Snake. A Bark Drawing. Kakadu Tribe 313
67.--Bubba Peibi from a Drawing on Bark 313
68.--Medicine Man rubbing his Hand under his Arm-pit to secure Moisture to rub on the Patient. Kakadu Tribe 319
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69.--Medicine Man sucking and massaging Patient to withdraw Girl Magic. Kakadu Tribe 319
70.--Holes in the Rock supposed to have been made by a Thunder Man at Lurudminni 335
71.--Bark Belts. Kakadu Tribe 335
72.--Natives throwing Spears on Melville Island 365
73.--Corrobboree Wands or Yai-illa. Kakadu Tribe 396
74.--Natives gathering the Lotus Lily. Roper River 396
75.--Natives and Dug-out Canoes. Melville Island 399
76.--Designs drawn on the Bodies of Men during the Performance of a Muraian Ceremony in the Kakadu Tribe 429
77.--Designs drawn on the Bodies of Kakadu, Umoriu, and Geimbio Natives during the Performance of ordinary Corrobborees 431
78.--Body Decorations of Melville and Bathurst Islanders during the Performance of Ceremonies 432
79.--A Bark Drawing of a Mormo called Ingwalin. Kakadu Tribe 433
80.--Bark Drawings of two Mormo or Debil-debils. Kakadu Tribe 434
81.--Bark Drawing of a Mormo. Geimbo Tribe 433
82.--Bark Drawing of a Mormo called Yerobeiri. Kakadu Tribe Between pp. 436-7
83.--Bark Drawing of a Mormo called Warraguk. Kakadu Tribe 436-7
84.--Bark Drawing of Three Snakes. Kakadu Tribe 436-7
85--Bark Drawing of a Crocodile. Kakadu Tribe 436-7
86.--Bark Drawing of a Native Spearing a large Rock Kangaroo. Kakadu Tribe 436-7
87.--Bark Drawing of a Kangaroo Hunt, Kakadu Tribe 436-7
88.--Bark Drawing. Kakadu Tribe 438-9
89.--Bark Drawing of a Barramunda fish (Osteoglossum leichardti). Kakadu Tribe 438-9
90.--Bark Drawing of a Native Spearing a "Native Companion" (Grus australasianus). Kakadu Tribe 438-9
91.--Bark Drawing of a Palmated Goose. Kakadu Tribe 438-9
92.--Bark Drawing of an Echidna. Kakadu Tribe 438-9
PLATES
I.--Ornaments Worn by various Individuals in connection with the Initiation Ceremonies on Melville Island. (Coloured) 112
II.--Sacred Bull-roarers 212
III.--Sacred Objects used during the Muraian Ceremony. Kakadu Tribe. (Coloured) 218
IV.--Sacred Objects of the Muraian Ceremony. Kakadu Tribe 218
V.--Sacred Objects of the Muraian Ceremony. Kakadu Tribe. 220
VII.--Sacred Objects of the Muraian Ceremony. Kakadu Tribe 222
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VII.--Sacred Objects of the Muraian Ceremony. Kakadu Tribe 224
VIII.--Armlets worn by Women during Mourning Ceremonies on Melville and Bathurst Islands. (Coloured) Between pp. 232-3
IX.--Decorated Rings Carried by the Women during Mourning Ceremonies on Melville Island. (Coloured) 232
X.--Grave Posts, Melville Island. (Coloured) 232
XI.--Tjilaiyu Ceremony. Explanatory Diagram 259
XII.--Stone Axes 355
XIII.--Various Forms of Spears 356
XIV.--Spears, Barbed on one Side. Melville and Bathurst Islands 360
XV.--Spears, Barbed on both Sides. Melville and Bathurst Islands 362
XVI.--Various Forms of Clubs. Kakadu Tribe 366
XVII.--Various Forms of Clubs from Melville and Bathurst Islands 368
XVIII.--Various Forms of Clubs. Melville and Bathurst Islands 372
XIX.--Various Forms of Clubs. Melville and Bathurst Islands 374
XX.--Spear Throwers 377
XXI.--Various Forms of Baskets 377
XXII.--Netted Baskets, woven out of Grass, etc. Kakadu and other Tribes 381
XXIII.--Netted Baskets, woven out of Grass, etc. Kakadu and other Tribes 382
XXIV.--Netted Baskets, woven out of Grass, etc. Kakadu and other Tribes 384
XXV.--Baskets made from Stringy-bark. Melville Island 388
XXVI.--Trumpets. Kakadu and other Tribes . 390
XXVII.--Various Articles used by the Kakadu Tribe 397
XXVIII.--Various Forms of Ornament. Kakadu and allied Tribes 403
XXIX.--Bark Armlets worn by Women during Mourning Ceremonies on Melville and Bathurst Islands 408
XXX.--Bark Armlets worn by Women during Mourning Ceremonies on Melville and Bathurst Islands 409
XXXI.--Ring carried by Women during Mourning Ceremonies on Melville Island 415
XXXII.--Rings carried by Women during Mourning Ceremonies on Melville Island 417
XXXIII.--Various Forms of Armlets. Melville Island 411
XXXIV.--Bark Baskets. Melville Island. (Coloured) 422
XXXV.--Bark Baskets. Melville Island. (Coloured) 422
XXXVI.--Decorated Spears. Melville and Bathurst Islands. 426
Map of the Northern Territory 6
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