Page:Native Tribes of South-East Australia.djvu/609

IX way out of sight, that is, to become medicine-men, and go up to the sky like the Bujerum.

This it seems was the only part of the ceremonies which approached to the magical practices of the more southern tribes, nor was there a tooth knocked out by the Chepara. The Kipper, after the ceremonies, was prohibited from eating female opossums, and indeed the only food that he might eat during the period of his probation was kangaroo, male opossum, native bear, and honey. If he disregards any of these restrictions, and is found to have eaten forbidden food, he is first warned by his kindred, and if he still continues to do it, is killed by others not related to him.

After a young man has been to three of these ceremonies, he may eat of the forbidden food, and then takes part in the tribal combats which follow the ceremonies; is in fact a full man and may take his promised wife.

Before speaking of some other Queensland tribes, which have four sub-classes and descent in the male line, it will be convenient to consider the Burbung of the Wiradjuri and others, who have ceremonies which are intimately related to the Kuringal.

My account of the Wiradjuri ceremonies is derived mainly from the statements of the man Murri-kangaroo before mentioned.

When a Headman of one of the great local divisions of the tribe finds that there are a number of boys ready for the Burbung, he consults with the other old men, and if they are all agreed, he sends out a messenger (Duran-duran) to gather the people together. The messenger is of the same sub-class and totem as the sender, as must be also the person to whom he is sent. Thus, supposing that the Headman were a Kubbi-butharung (flying-squirrel), the messenger and the old man to whom he was sent would both be the same. The messenger carries a bull-roarer (Mudjigang or Bobu), a man's belt (Gulir), a kilt (Buran or Tala-bulg) made of