Book contents
- Frontmatter
- PREFACE
- Contents
- ILLUSTRATIONS
- CHAPTER I ON THE ORIGIN OF THE ABORIGINES OF TASMANIA AND AUSTRALIA
- CHAPTER II TRIBAL ORGANISATION
- CHAPTER III SOCIAL ORGANISATION
- CHAPTER IV RELATIONSHIP TERMS
- CHAPTER V MARRIAGE RULES
- CHAPTER VI TRIBAL GOVERNMENT
- CHAPTER VII MEDICINE-MEN AND MAGIC
- CHAPTER VIII BELIEFS AND BURIAL PRACTICES
- CHAPTER IX INITIATION CEREMONIES, EASTERN TYPE
- CHAPTER X INITIATION CEREMONIES, WESTERN TYPE
- CHAPTER XI MESSENGERS AND MESSAGE-STICKS—BARTER AND TRADE CENTRES—GESTURE LANGUAGE
- CHAPTER XII VARIOUS CUSTOMS
- APPENDIX
- INDEX
- Plate section
CHAPTER X - INITIATION CEREMONIES, WESTERN TYPE
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 07 September 2011
- Frontmatter
- PREFACE
- Contents
- ILLUSTRATIONS
- CHAPTER I ON THE ORIGIN OF THE ABORIGINES OF TASMANIA AND AUSTRALIA
- CHAPTER II TRIBAL ORGANISATION
- CHAPTER III SOCIAL ORGANISATION
- CHAPTER IV RELATIONSHIP TERMS
- CHAPTER V MARRIAGE RULES
- CHAPTER VI TRIBAL GOVERNMENT
- CHAPTER VII MEDICINE-MEN AND MAGIC
- CHAPTER VIII BELIEFS AND BURIAL PRACTICES
- CHAPTER IX INITIATION CEREMONIES, EASTERN TYPE
- CHAPTER X INITIATION CEREMONIES, WESTERN TYPE
- CHAPTER XI MESSENGERS AND MESSAGE-STICKS—BARTER AND TRADE CENTRES—GESTURE LANGUAGE
- CHAPTER XII VARIOUS CUSTOMS
- APPENDIX
- INDEX
- Plate section
Summary
LOCATION OF THE TWO TYPES
For convenience I have taken a line, drawn from the mouth of the Murray River to the most southern part of the Gulf of Carpentaria, as defining the common boundary of the eastern and western types of initiation ceremonies. There are, however, between those of the Bora and those of the Dieri ceremonies which have a resemblance to both, but are more like those of the western type, and are therefore taken with them.
THE BANAPA AND BIDA TRIBES
A line drawn about east and west, some three hundred miles from Adelaide to the north, will separate the tribes who are circumcised from those who are both circumcised and subincised. The former are called Banapa, that is, circumcised, and the latter Bida, being both circumcised and subincised. The Bida are to the north of the said line. There also a marked change takes place in the language.
South of it the words Kadla, “fire”; Kaui, “water”; Kadna, “stone”; and Kukanaui, “watercourse,” are pronounced as written, but from the above line northwards, the initial K before the vowel is dropped, and the words change to Adla, Aui, Adna, and Ukana.
The tribes on each side of this line are friendly, and when any mischief is in contemplation, they join in carrying it out.
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- The Native Tribes of South-East Australia , pp. 643 - 677Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2010