Page:The Native Tribes of South Australia (1879).djvu/99

 GAMES AND AMUSEMENTS. 37 SECTION II. GAMES AND AMUSEMENTS. The Narrinyeri dwell in a country where there has always been a stern necessity to hunt for food. They have not, like the Polynesians, a country which produces almost spontaneously a subsistence for the inhabitants. Hence, the amusements of the Narrinyeri have always consisted in practising those arts which were necessary to get a living. They have practised spear and boomerang throwing in order to gain expertness, so as to get game with more certainty. They showed great dexterity in the use of the reed spear, or kaike; the shaft of which is a stout reed, and the point, about a foot long, of hard and heavy wood. It is thrown with a taralye or throwing stick. I have known a man killed by one of these spears at ninety yards, and the weapon passed through his bark shield too. I have known one pass through a thick shield and take a man’s eye out. The principal amusement of youths formerly consisted in practising spear-throwing. The Narrinyeri have a game at ball. A number of men stand round, and one pitches the ball to another on the other side of the party, and those near try to catch it. The sport gives occasion to a great deal of wrestling and activity. Another game is a sort of wrestling match for the possession of a bunch of feathers. At night, what the whites call a corrobery, but which is called by the Narryinyeri, ringbalin, is the favourite amusement. There are many kinds of corroberies, but the main thing in all of them is the song and dance. Skin rugs are rolled up tightly, and beaten by the fist, as they lie in front of the beater, who squats on the ground. These are called planggi, and the drumming is called plangkumbalin. The men knock two waddies together, these are called tartengk, and this practice is called tartembarrin. By these means they beat time to the song or chant. In most ringbalin only the men dance; the women sit on the ground and sing. The songs are sometimes harmless, and the dances not indecent; but at other times