Page:Native Tribes of South-East Australia.djvu/610

584 kangaroo-rat skin, a head string (Ulungau-ir), and a white head-band (Kambrun).

On arriving at the place he is sent to, he gives the message to the Headman, who then assembles the initiated men at the council-place (Ngulubul). The messenger shows the bull-roarer to the old men, and delivers his message, which is impressed on his memory by markings cut on a message-stick given him by his sender, or by the strands of the man's kilt, which are used for the same purpose.

The recipient of the message then sends the message on by a Duran-duran of his own, to the Headman of the next great local group, together with the articles above enumerated. So the message travels through the whole tribe, and also the adjoining tribes, who attend the Burbung. In the instance given, it would pass through the whole community by means of the Kubbi sub-class and the Butharung totem; and its members make it known to their fellow-tribesmen. It must be remembered that a class, or sub-class, or a totem, cannot initiate its own boys, but calls in those of the intermarrying class, sub-class, and totem to assist in doing it. Having reached the further limit, the messenger returns, bringing with him the emblematic articles, and accompanied by the tribes-people, who join the party on its way back to the chosen Burbung ground, where each contingent camps on the side nearest to its own country.

Meanwhile the originators of the Burbung have prepared the ground, the circular mound, and the path to the Gumbu, which is the same as the lesser Bunan of the Yuin. It is also called by the Wiradjuri, Pataguna, and it is lawful to speak of it at the Burbung, also of the Tarumbul, or track, which leads from the Burbung to the Pataguna, by those names. But it is not lawful to speak of the latter place by its secret name Gumbu, in the public camp or near women and the uninitiated. The ceremonies, as a whole, are spoken of as the Guringal, that is "belonging to the bush," or, in other words, the forest, or open country.

When the whole community has arrived at the Burbung ground, the ceremonies are commenced by the men carrying