Page:Native Tribes of South-East Australia.djvu/519

VIII the sky, but only as Mungan-ngaua, "our father." It is only at the last and the most secret part of the ceremonies that the novices are made aware of the teachings as to Mungan-ngaua, and this is the only name for this being used by the Kurnai. They are told that long ago he lived on the earth, and taught the Kurnai of that time to make implements, nets, canoes, weapons—in fact, everything that they know. He also gave them the names they have from their ancestors. For instance, Tulaba received his when he was made Jeraeil, it being the name which had belonged to his maternal grandmother's brother. Mungan-ngaua had a son named Tundun, who was married, and who is the direct ancestor of the Kurnai, their Weintwin, or father's father. Mungan-ngaua instituted the Jeraeil, which was conducted by Tundun, who made the instruments bearing the names of himself and his wife. When some one impiously revealed the secrets of the Jeraeil to women, and thereby brought the anger of Mungan-ngaua on the Kurnai, he sent his fire, the Aurora Australis, which filled the whole space between the earth and the sky. Men went mad with fear, and speared each other, fathers killing their children, husbands their wives, and brethren each other. Then the sea rushed over the land and nearly all mankind was drowned. Those who survived became the Muk-kurnai. Some turned into animals, birds, reptiles, fishes, and Tundun and his wife became porpoises. Mungan left the earth, and ascended to the sky where he still remains.

All that I can say as to the beliefs of the Theddora is from what an old woman, one of the sole survivors of that tribe, said. When I asked her if she knew who Daramulun was, she answered: "All that I know of Tharamulun is that he comes down with a noise like thunder, to make the boys into men. We call him Papang." The word Papang is "father."

In the tribes down the course of the Murray River, starting from the Wiradjuri, there is, according to Mr. A. L. P. Cameron, a belief "in a deity," or, as he afterwards says, "perhaps a supreme supernatural being." The Wathi-