Page:The Native Tribes of South Australia (1879).djvu/309

 CUSTOMS AND CEREMONIES. 231 Another operation, peculiar to the Aborigines of Port Lincoln, is also performed at this period, though without any particular ceremony. It consists of a cut, with a chip of quartz, from the orifice of the penis, along its lower side down to the scrotum, thus laying the passage open in its whole length. The object of this strange mutilation I have never been able to ascertain. In support of a practice so essentially barbarous, the natives have nothing to say more than that "it was observed by their forefathers, and must therefore be upheld by themselves." The third and most important degree in these superstitious mysteries is taken about the age of eighteen, which allows the youths to take the name of Wilyalkinyis. I have seen this ceremony performed twice, and am therefore enabled to give a more detailed account of it. A day or two previous, Indanyanas, a sort of sponsors, are appointed, whose duty it is to perform the customary rites on the wilyalkinyis. The appointment is made by one person laying the indanyana backwards in his lap, when several others come round and entreat him to assume the office; a distinction that he all the while protests to be very averse to. As the festive ceremonies of the Aborigines always take place in summer, when great numbers of them are collected, and as none have any command over the rest, a great deal of eloquence and mutual urging is required to put the lazy multitude into motion; so that the rites which could be conveniently gone through in one hour, generally occupy the greatest part of the day. The initiation of wilyalkinyis commences with their being taken blindfold and unawares from the camp, to the pretended great sorrow of the women, who immediately set up a feigned lamentation; while the youths are conducted by their sponsors to a short distance. Here the latter station themselves for at least one hour in a circle, shutting the youths’ eyes with both hands, and uttering simultaneously at intervals of about ten minutes a long monotonous wail, which may, perhaps, be represented as near as possible by these characters: Yai-a-ay. The lads are next led still further from and out of sight of the camp, laid flat on the ground and covered up with cloaks; after lying there for another