hop grounds at Coranderrk, is known to the blacks as 'Bungil Hop.' Toolabar named him, and he has no other name with the Aborigines. Other names are:—
| Windi-gaerwut | A creek. | |
| Wórk-wúckanby | Wonga pigeon. | |
| Woorail by | Lyrebird | Borne by one person. |
| Broo-urn by | Pelican | |
| Torngatty (a woman) | Heavy body. (I have softened the translation of this name.) | |
Many of the names have now no meaning, having been handed down perhaps for centuries; though I have little doubt they all originally referred to some person's peculiarities, or some circumstance attending the birth of the child or its after-life. Of women's names I may add—Bé-al-mar-ung, Ból-gan, of which I do not know the meaning. Toolabar would not tell me his first wife's name, he said 'Annie' (his daughter) 'would not like it;' nor would he tell me his present wife's name. They seem to have no scruple about their European names; and I now notice that I only know the above native female names. The male names I have given, and others I cannot at the moment recall."
Coming of Age of Young Men and Young Women.
Special enquiries have been made with much care respecting the ceremonies practised by the natives of Victoria when a young man or a young woman, having arrived at maturity, is admitted to the privileges enjoyed by those of mature age. The subject is beset with difficulties. The rites are always performed in secret; and in their savage state any native who would venture to relate the occurrences attendant on the initiation of a young man to these solemn mysteries would probably forfeit his life. Some amongst the Aborigines, however, well acquainted with all such practices, have separated from their tribes and are living with the whites; and some tribes that have not yet relinquished any of their customs are so far tamed as to admit a white friend occasionally to the secret meetings at which their more awful ceremonies are performed; and therefore, as will be seen from the statements here given, much has been gathered relative to these strange practices.
From my correspondents a great deal of valuable information has been received.
Mr. Thomas has described the rites known as Tib-but and Mur-rum Tur-uk-ur-uk. From Mr. Howitt I have received an account of the ceremony known as Jerryale, "the making of young men;" the Rev. George Taplin and Mr. Wilhelmi relate, in their published papers, what has been ascertained respecting similar ceremonies in South Australia; and I have also gathered from several works what I could in reference to initiation.[1]
- ↑ Some of the tribes in Africa practise customs, on the coming of age of young persons, which very much resemble those observed in various parts of Australia.
Mr. W. Winwood Reade says:—"Before they are permitted to wear clothes, marry, and rank in society as men and women, the young have to be initiated into certain mysteries. I received some information upon this head from Mongilomba, after he had made me promise that I would not put it into my book: a promise which I am compelled to break by the stern duties of my vocation. He told me that he was taken into a fetich-house, stripped, severely flogged, and plastered with
