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Maori Messenger : Te Karere Maori, Volume 1, Issue 18, 30 August 1849, Page 3

In one of the early numbers of tbo "Maori Messenger," we devoted some space to a notice to the .Aboriginal inhabitants of Australia. The habits and peculiarities, even of the rudest people, arc matter of interest and instruction to the most polished ; —whilst to those on tbe highway of civilization the contrast opposed by their own enlightenment to the barbarism of others is ono of the most powerful incentives to prosecute their social and humanizing career. We now present you with one or two anecdotes illustrative of the manners of the Australian Blacks, Prom one of these it will he seen that the men of almost all savage tribes are exceedingly brutal to their females —those of Australia probably more so than any other. Their mode of courtship is to fell the object of their choice viith a club to the earth, and, whilst insensible, to carry her to their gunyali or hut. The following love adventure occurred, not mmiy years siuce, in the vicinity of Port Macquarie. *' A poor girl, of the King River tribe, was wooed in the eu9tomnry Australian fashionthat is to say, having being felled to the earth by a blow from her lover, which would have fractured any European skull, she whs flung, like a sack across his shoulder, and borne in a state ofinscnsibility to bis lire. Here she was unceremoniously cast upon the ground. Recovering slowly, she observed her adorer deeply absorbed in star-gazing. A largo sheet of bark lay near. Seizing her opportunity she crawled and lay prostrate beneath it. Ilcr sable lover souglit'Nb* everywhere but the right place. When lie was sufficiently remote, she crept from her friendly shelter—started to her feet—fled—and escaped. "Thi* girl was one of the very few who preferred service with the whites to tbo savage life of the open bush; and for several yeara she occupied a happy and contented station in the establishment of a kind and humane gentlewoman. But eventually, despite her own and the family's entreaties, her tribe compelled her to rejoin them; and, alas I in one of their capricious and ruthless moods, she became their victim !" A ScEVE IN THE DISTRICT OiT PORT iIACQUARIE.

" Among the numerous ceremonies peculiar to tlie Aborigines of this vast Island, perhaps there ate none more really imposing than that of the Kibbarali; and, as it rarely falls to the lot of the white man o witness its orgies in detail, the following attempt at describing them, (the writer having been an eye-witness on more than one occasion,) may not prove uninteresting. It must be premised that the Kibbarah is art initiatory rite, taking place at the age of puberty, and is entirely confined to the masculine portion of the tribes ; in short, it is a trial by which the courage and forbearance «f the youths are exquisitely wrought upon—■>hd on its results their place in society is determined, whether by admission into the tribe a 8 entitled to wear the toga virilis, and join in the hunting and other predatory excursions of their brethren, or by consignment to the inglorious occupation of women, their pretensions to the privileges and employments of the warrior be for ever annihilated. It was on a beautiful summer morning when the annual convocation of the tribes, belonging to the surrounding country, assembled on the distant hills in the district above mentioned, to celebrate the mysterious rites of the •'Kibbarah." Hostile tribes meet on those solemn occasions in peace—all animosity cx-

isting between tliem being buried in oblivion during tlie performance of these ceremonies. When the " Koo-ce,"* or " K.oo-wuck" is sounded, (he women, in haste, make their way to the ravines and gullies. The tribes to which the youths belong, who are to undergo the ordeal of initiation, commence the ceremony by uttering a long-drawn dismal yell, which causes the adjacent forests to ring with its uproar: this is answered by the different tribes present, in rotation. This prelude over, silence is restored for a spaco of ten minutes, during which time not a sound is heard, saving the twitter of the feathered warblers, or the lugubrious howl of the " dingo" or wild dog. The oldest men of the different tribes then retire to hold a pretended council among themselves, when the younger ones grasp their tomahawks, and in a moment the treus are stripped of their bark half-way up the barrel. Another discordant yell is again heard, and a ring is formed by the whole of the tribes then present; the " wakin," with its horrible whirring noise, is heard in the distance —enormous fires blaze around, making the scene wild and sarago in tho extreme. There are generally mustered on such occa--sions from five to six hundred savages, armed in "all the pomp and x>anoply of war," looking more like demons than human beings, their naked bodies being adorned with the most grotesque and fanciful figures, done in artistical style, with a species of pipe-clay found in the mountains, and their heads profusely powdered with tho down of the " benquin" or wild swan. The " Witarpnn," an old man, intended to represent the Deity, is stationed in a tree, making the most furious gestures, and, whirling the wakin, (similar to what children call the '• bull-roar," but on a larger scAle,) a flat piece of wood, about a foot long, notched all over, with a hole in one end, through which passes a piece of currijong bark as a laniard ; this lie takes in his hand, whirling it round with great velocity, the rotary movement causes an awful burr in tho air. The youths who are to undergo the ordeal are now brought forward, and placed in tho ring by their fathers or nearest relatives. Tho kibbarah song then commences, describing to the candidates in the strongest language the tortures they aro about about to uudcrgo. Tho first ordeal is that of knocking out one of the front teeth, which is done in a truly scientific manner, by boring a hole in a tree, and inserting therein a small, hard twig j against this the tooth is brought in contact; one individual holds the candidate's head in a firm position, whilst another, exerting all his strength, pushes < tho head forcibly forward ; by this rude concussion, tho tootli, with frequently a portion of the gum, will fall out. In addition to this dental operation, some actors of this strange drama, made more frightfully hideous, if possible, than their companions, stand ovor the neophyte, brandishing the " marie" or waddy, with which they menace instant death; others have sharp pieces of flint or stone, and with these they cut two longitudinal stiipes on the sufferer's back, and one on each shoulder. While these tortures are being inflicted, if the victim of superstition should happen to let the slightest groan, or indication of suffering escape his lips, or should ho at all shrink from his tormentors —three yells, long, and loud, emanate from the operators—tho event being thus proclaimed to the 11 Maharra" or encampment. The unfortunate is then esteemed not worthy to be enrolled as a warrior, or mix with the men of hi* tribe. The women are summoned with a loud koowuck, and when they make their appearance, the youth is handed over to them with ignominy, being branded as a coward, fit only from thenceforward for the companionship of children: If, on the contrary, lie endures the triul, without wincing, he takes his stand as a warrior, | admitted to participate in the huntingexcursions of his companions, and eligible to fight in the battles of his tribe. After he has | honourably gone through all tlieso trials, another ring is farmed, consisting of the aged men, when he is again placed in the centre, and the " mundie" is given to him.* They then try every persuasive art to induce him to return the precious deposit. If cither threats or entreaties have the effect of making him resign it, he is still considered unfit to be a warrior, as ho can be talked over ; hut, if lie retains it notwithstanding their plausible endeavours, tlie (war song commences, and a shaut fight ensues. In this he is placed in the van, to demonstrate his courage and dexterity in the mode with which he handles bis weapons. This final right duly accomplished, ; a loud koo-ee rings out its warning note for the women to return to the encampment. Sufficient lime having elapsed, the tribes follow singing tho " koorind.i-braia," (tho song of peace,) as they return in procession. ' " Everything finished, they separate to 1

* The Munilie is a kind,°f chryit&l atono believed by the Aborigines to be an excrement issuing from the Deity, and held by thtiu iu great estimation.

l!i ir own re ine-live encampments. All lieromvs ;:i:im;:ii.,ri uii'l bustle, the women busy tin ins'jl'vs >» rolling ihe " wnnbun," (kangaroo.) 01 \vh .1.-ver food chanre may have tlnown in t'eir way. The cravings of appetite appeased, thesc children of Nature quietly se.'k repiise. 111 t-'e morning, not n vi-sMye is descernible of the panorama of yesterday, to point out to the passing traveller the loculo of the kibb irali, save the stripped bar re I a of the forest gianls, or tlie yet smouldering ashes, which the winds of Heaven ate rapidly dispersing through the forest!" Native Burials. " Their mode of interment, in some elisricls, assimilates itself more to ours—for, black or white, what is it, at last, but earth to earth, and dust to dust. We witnessed the ceremony but once, yet it always recalled sad reminiscences. " Hilly !"—such was his I'-ng-lisli appellative, was 0110 of our earliest bush acquaintances. Many a weary mile have we ridden together—many an hour has he beguiled us with strange details of his people's customs ; liitle deeming that liti h'uiself was destined to afford 11s tlie most intereating. " Me visited Sydney in company with a friend of ours, and thereupon hud doffed the graceful oppossnm-skin cloak, to don the less picturesque attiie of social life. lie was absent about six weeks; and as maybe readily conceived, he with 110 little joy 011 his return, threw "oft"lhe vile lending" to resume his own natural costume. So rashly, however, was this effected, that n severe cold was the consequence ; mid this settled to inflammation on the lungs. In hot climates the progress of disease is invariably rapid ; and, 8» though to accelerate the approach of death, one evening during the lime he was labouring under the effects of a poweifiil sudorific, his tribe removed him forcibly from our dwelling to the oj)?n camp, asserting that, as he was sure to (lie, his death ought to take place among his friends and relatives. lie did not survivu Ihe removal three hours; and in two d.'.ys thereafter we witnessed his interment. '•Tlie ceremony took place about inid-day. The river i\l:iequarie wound grucefu.ly ari und the green knoll which, tulteel with the waving nccacia, was to serve for liilly's last earthly home. With their small spades uhich are generally used for the purpose of scooping out ll:e grubs from the soil, his friends rapidly du* a grave, the depth of which was about ten feet, with an average diameter of nearly a yard. Green leaves and the fresh gathered flowers ot[the mimosa, were sire" 11 upon the 1 bottom of the pit, the deceased meanwhile 1 having been tied up in his blanket and oppos- : sum-skin cloak, in the smallest possible compass, so that, when sealed, his knee; touched 1 his nose. In this altitude the boly was I gently lowered to its linal re-slim: place, and 1 covered with leaves. A vacant spice of about six feet Mill remained—this was left unfilled ; 1 for the natives will never c.i*t the mould upon 1 tlicirdead. A sheet of bark was next rolled 1 over the top of the grave, above which they ; pikd u huge mound of earth. The bark, in 1 progress of time, decays, and the pit naturally 1 falls iii iroin the weight of the supcrincum- ; bent mole. A fence was plaecd around the ; solitary spot The name, or rather mark, i of 1 lie ilen.'i t'd, (of writing tin y have no idea) v 3 c rvjd on the surrounding trees—the , iw>- d «)• in;: iii.-ried 10 (lie depth of two inches ] «• oast, selling as a living ai:d almost im--1 i;ji ii»b!e memento mnri. t This done, the men ■'.:ini.b;<d together, (lor women are never 1 • ?rniifttd (0 i;e present at such ceremonies,) 1 mid gave ntfeiaiice to a long, mournful ejaculation hi j raise of the deceased, terminating in a ter'ific howl. They then departed, and the women drew near. These poor creatures, their bodies lacerated with the sharp eidge of ihe muscle-shell, and the blood streaming from their wounds, marched weeping and wail.'rg in sad procession about the mound, temiiuating llu ir lamentations in an appalling shriek. This concluded the ceremony. This mode of burial is only practised for •lie m mi. In some districts, when a woman oi?j, a hole is dug, into which llie body is thrust, and :: more is eloue on the occasion ; but, amongst a few of the southern tribes, this duty is tolemnly performed by tlie girls nnd ade,l» feir. e?s of the distriet—songs are composed » iuible to the occasion, and chanted amid th lears of the assembly even twelve months .'tar the occurrence of the s >lctnn eve .! In general, the natives will not men-

tiou ilie nnii-e of any 0110 deceased; nml rarely enn tin_v be brought to make them subject of'co.ivcrßMion or reference. "'llie 'inly su[ier.v'ition they have regarding' ip"-iiriontion • is- cersnir.ly in«st natural—- " Tumble dbwii blark-fej!rnv, jumi> up whitcfelitnv !"■—lueaiiiii!', ill-it flying black they will hereafter "bo white. This idea h:is arisen from tllo Ipctf that the body of n black, ■l* iliufiuii.ibr'inaiiy weeks, will lie fcunj on disinterment t-.i have lost the colouring matter of vir skiii, wiiir.li will have become perfectly Miitc.

We returned from Billy's obsequies pensive and melancholy. At a subsequent date the | accncias nnd mimosas formed a grove of loveliness around his narrow couch, whilst the purling stream poured its wailing music, as it Ijnre on its waters the murmuring ruqdTem of —>lllo white man's friend."