Page:Aboriginesofvictoria01.djvu/173

Rh paper just referred to, and cannot reconcile the system as put forth by Mr. Morgan with the facts as they exist within his knowledge. There is an intelligent native, from a district near Brisbane, now in employment in Mackay, who has been living with the Kamilaroi people and many others; and he informs Mr. Bridgman that both in his own tribe, and every other in the districts he is acquainted with, the system is the same, even where the class names are different. Yet the tribes in all places know which class is referred to when its name is mentioned, though the languages be not the same. Mr. Bridgman adds:—

"As an instance, the man I refer to has a wife from these (the Mackay) blacks. He tells me he got one belonging to the class that corresponds with that from which he would have got a wife in his own country—though here the class is called Woongoan (in the female) and in his tribe by another name. The Kamilaroi system, this black says, is the same as that here; and he gave me the words Murree and Kubbee as two of their terms (as in Mr. Morgan's paper), except that there is a final 'ee' instead of 'i.' The system, as it comes under my notice here, is quite simple, and is as follows:—All blacks are divided into two classes, irrespective of tribe or locality. These are Youngaroo and Wootaroo (end of each word sounded 'rue'). The Youngaroo are subdivided into Gurgela and Bembia, and the Wootaroo into Coobaroo and Woongo. The first divisions have no feminine; the subdivisions have, namely, Coobaroon and Woongoon. Every man, woman, and child necessarily belongs to one first division and one second. Gurgela marries Coobaroon, and Bembia, Woongoon. Children belong to the mothers' primary division, but to the other subdivision. Thus Youngaroo-Gurgela marries Wootaroo-Coobaroon, and their children are Wootaroo-Woongo.

"Although on paper this looks rather complicated, it is, when understood, very simple. … The blacks seem to have an idea that these classes are a universal law of nature, so they divide everything into them. They tell you that alligators are Youngaroo, and kangaroos are Wootaroo—the sun is Youngaroo and the moon is Wootaroo; and so on with the constellations, with the trees, and with the plants. But even when one knows the language, it is hard to get information from this people, because they lack the power of concentrating and collecting their ideas which is natural to educated people. … On the system just described hinges all their ideas of relationship. Their terms for father, mother, brother, sister, uncle, aunt, &c., &c., are by no means synonymous with ours, but convey different ideas. From my long connection with the blacks, they have given me a name and a grade amongst themselves, and there are many here who I do not suppose know my proper name. I have several names, but the one I am usually called is Goonurra, which has no meaning —is only a name. I am Youngaroo and Bembia, carrying out the former idea; and if I had children they would be Wootaroo and Coobaroo. When a strange girl comes here, I do not ask her name—that would be improper, according to the blacks' ideas—nor can I ask what class she belongs to, but I say to another, 'What am I to call her?' The answer maybe (if she is Coobaroon) Woolbrigan uno nulla—'Daughter yours she.' Mollee dunilla indu—'Mollee, say you?' Mollee being the term which all fathers call their daughters—daughter meaning