AN ABORIGINAL CORROBOREE.

Dunstan Times, Issue 1091, 27 April 1883, Page 4

AN ABORIGINAL CORROBOREE.

The Logan and A Iberfc correspondent of the Brisbane Courier writes ; “ A very large number of blacks arc at present scattered about in this district, principally engaged in ring barking, pulling and husking maize, etc. The principal cause of their presence, however, is the holding of a grand corroboree. Having got a complimentary ticket I made my way to the camp, attracted by the lights end barking of the dogs, of which there are about 300. On nearing the camp I found it pitched in a circle of about fifty yards circumference, a large and very good likeness of an alligator about 14ft. long, made of bark and painted so as to resemble one in the minutest degree, near to one side of the circle. Having arrived some minutes before the commencement, we could see dark forms flitting about, some with fire sticks and spears, while further in the background in the dark a wild unearthly concentrated scream of about a dozen voices would make your blood curdle, to be answered immediately in an opposite direction by a similar scream or shout. The beating of nullah nullahs and boomerangs, with the accompaniment of a few voices, formed the orchestra, while the lighting of a large fire near the alligator acting as the rising of the curtain. When the fire got bright enough we could see in the distance a row of women and girls, painted in the most grotesque and ridiculous manner, sitting on a long sampling, which was held up by forked sticks. After a lull the lot of females, an old and young one in alternate rows, sidled over to where tire musicians were and sat down, and all raised their voices in the chorus. For the benefit of the envious, I mav here state that the ladies’ dresses—where dresses were worn—were rather short, and red was the winning color. At this time the fire was burning pretty brightly, and, looking away in in the darkness, we saw emerging a procession of painted savages in a single file, each armed with a spear, with a most peculiar step to one side and hack, while about every ten yards they all would give forth a yell similar to that at the commencement. This continued until the whole of them were in view, in a sort of half-circle, but keeping clear of the alligator, the shouting and beating of nullahs, end the gins, young and old, keeping up the chant and beating time on their old blankets. This was the best view we had of the performers in their paint and feathers, as many of them had their hair all stuck with parrot feathers, and one with a cockatoo’s crest. No two ofthem were painted alike, and in some instances they were most artistically done up. In their mouths they had a piece of white or red stuff to resemble flowers. In this manner they all proceeded round to where there was a strong sapling laid across two forked sticks, and against this were laid up two long poles, on which the foremost began to ascend, coming down the nearest side on his back, the whole of the procession fol lowing suit to the most excruciating screams. I think Dante must have seen a corroboree before be wrote his “Inferno," as anything more like the infernal regions and the company that are supposed to reside here it would bo difficult to rind. This ended act the first, and on again 1 coming into the light the performers had an entirely new step, which chiefly consisted in stamping as if to discover how far they could put their feet through the earth but with most excellent time. On nearing the alligator this round, they for the first time appeared to he aware of its presence, as they gammoned to bo aw ally frightened, running backwards and forwards, but growing

bolder each time until at last they touched it, when an unearthly scream from the lot burst on the night air ; then followed feats of agility and somersaults backwards 1 seldom Or never saw equalled. This continued for some time, until at last one more daring than die rest got astride the alligator, and another put his hand in its mouth. The audience for whose delectation this was provided numbered about twenty all males, who sat at the left of the fire with their blankets round their shoulders and a white band round their heads, and who neither seemed vexed nor pleased, some of them havingVime a very long distance to see it, even from the Tweed.