Page:Native Tribes of South-East Australia.djvu/542

516 This hint is given because the old women take a part in the earlier stages of the ceremonies.

In this manner the message travelled from clan to clan and from group to group, till the whole Kurnai community, that is to say the initiated men, became aware of the intention to hold a Jeraeil. These preliminary proceedings take up a long time, extending over several months. More than one set of messengers would travel to and fro before the final arrangements would be completed, and the time and locality were settled. The latter would in all probability be in the country of the Headman by whom the Jeraeil was called together, for it would be to him, and at his call, that the others came.

The manner of explaining the time at which the meeting would take place, and even the different stages of the route to it, would be described as explained in the chapter on "Messengers."

In the great group of tribes, of which the Wakelbura is my example, it was also the practice to send a message for the initiation ceremonies through a totem; but in this case a message-stick accompanied it, and this was made of the wood of some tree which was of the same class division as the sender, and also of the bearer of the message.

These instances will show the manner in which the meetings for initiating the youth of the several tribes into the privileges and the obligations of manhood are called, together. I will now show what these ceremonies are.

The Kuringal Ceremonies.—In addition to the particulars which I have given as to the manner of assembling the tribes which attended the ceremonies of the Yuin tribe, I may now add some further particulars as to those who were present at that which I attended.

For many years I had known a medicine-man of the Wolgal tribe, the before-mentioned Yibai-malian, and through him became acquainted with one of the principal Gommeras of the Yuin. On several occasions I had spoken with Yibai