Page:Native Tribes of South-East Australia.djvu/645

IX unable to take an active part in the ceremonies, and had therefore been assigned specially to watch and instruct the Tutnurring.

On reaching the ground, the Tutnurring and the Krauun were seated in two rows, as at the rehearsal, the pairs being allotted to each other in accordance with their group-relationship. The mothers of the boys stood in a row behind them, each bearing a staff surmounted by a tuft of eucalyptus twigs. The Gweraeil-Rukut acted as mistress of the ceremonies. When the arrangements had been completed, and the boys were sitting silently with their eyes cast down on the ground, a distant noise was heard of rhythmical shouts, accompanied by dull, muffled-sounding blows. These coming nearer, a procession of men came in sight led by the Headman. The performers were smeared over with charcoal powder, and bound round with strip sof white bark across their bodies like shoulder-belts, round their waists, legs, and arms, and in coronets round their heads, from which rose tall waving tufts of grass. Similar bunches of grass were thrust from each side through the nose-perforations. Each man held a strip of bark, about three feet in