Page:The Native Tribes of South Australia (1879).djvu/113

 belong. They are also proofs of the precision and nicety of expression to be found in their language. The general scheme of relationship being the same as the Tamil and Telugu races in Southern India would go far to make us believe that the Australian Aborigines originally came from India. There seems a probability that their original seats were the East India Islands and the Malayan peninsula, and that they were dispossessed and driven southwards by the Malays; even as the Aboriginal races of India were dispossessed by the invasion of the Aryan tribes. The subject of relationship is nearly allied to that of names of persons. The Aboriginal method of naming possesses some peculiarities. A child receives a name as soon as it can walk, to name it earlier is considered unlucky. The name is generally significant of the place of birth, as Rilgewal, one born at a place called Rilge. A name is by no means permanent. A new name will be given on some particular occasion, such as arriving at manhood. Names are dropped and new ones taken if a person bearing the name happens to die. It is also very common for a mother or father to bear the name of a child. This is effected by adding the termination arni for father, or anikke for mother, to the name of the child. For instance, Koolmatinye arni is the father of Koolmatinyeri; and Koolmatinye anikke is the mother of Koolmatinyeri. The following are significant names of men and women:  PutteriThe end. NgiampinyeriBelonging to the back or loins. MaratinyeriBelonging to emptiness. WaldaninyeriBelonging to summer. There are also dual names borne by single persons, all females; Pombinga, Nautaringa, Meteringa. Property always descends from father to son. A brother’s property always is transmitted to the brother’s children, in cases where he dies without children of his own.