Transcription

[Page 150]

138

TRADITIONS

"Tohi" is the name for the spirit of man ; "bunna" is that part of him which dies. When the bunna returns to dust the "tohi" may become a wunda. The wunda may enter some other body. Wicked men are punished by the degradations of their soul. Their "tohi" may be condemned to animate a beast. But the good are rewarded by their spirits passing into being of superior condition. And the Aborigines generally acknowledge the superiority of white men by saying that some of the good Murri, after their decease, arise as white-fellows.

Among the Wailwun tribes "Kinīrkinīr" are the spirits of the departed, wandering over the face of the earth. "Yō-wī" is a spirit that roams over the earth at night. "WAWI" is a snake or a monster, as large as a gum-tree (30 to 40 feet high), with a small head and a neck like a snake. It lives in a waterhole 30 miles from the Barwan ; and used to eat blackfellows. They could never slay it. "Murriūla" is a dog-like monster, formerly in the water between the Barwan and the Narran. "Buba" (father) is the name of the first great kangaroo, progenitor of the whole race of kangaroos. His thigh-bone - 4 feet long, 7 or 8 inches in diameter, and tapering in form - is carried about by one of the tribes. It was found in the ridges of Murula. The Murui of the tribe (select men) have charge of it. 

According to Mr. J.M. Allan, (examined before the Select Committee above mantioned) the Aborigines "believe in the existence of evil spirits, whom they seek to propitiate by offerings. Water spirits are called "Turong" ' land spirits "por-koorok" ' another is "tambora," inhabiting caves. These they suppose to be females without head. The sun (yarh) and moon (unnung) they suppose to be spirits. "Why churl" is their name for a star. They are much afraid of thunder and lightning, calling the former - "Murndell." Mr. M'Kellar, on the same occasion, said "They do, according to their manner, worship the host of heaven, and believe particular constellations rule natural causes. for such they have names ; and sing and dance to gain the favour of the Pleiades, "Mormodelllik," the constellation worshipped by one body as the giver of rain ; but if it should be deferred, instead of blessings curses are apt to be bestowed upon it."

Andrew Hume (who stated that he had gone from Queensland across the continent to the north-west coast, and who lost his life early in the summer of 1874, in an attempt to verify his narrative by recovering some relics of Leichhardt, which he said he had seen, - whose statements, though marked by the uncertainty of a man never trained to the habit of accurate report, are certainly entitled to some credit), gave to the writer the following account of the belief held by the natives of the north-western part of Australia. They believe in four deities, - Munnuninuӑlā, the chief god in the highest heaven, Thāliηkiawun, his wife, Mulgīanuη, her sister, Mundūala, also called Thilkuma, the fire-god, who will burn up the earth and destroy the bad. He is also the author of plagues and other penal visitations. 

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