The Aborigines of Victoria/Volume 2/Appendix G
APPENDIX G.
NOTES ON THE LANGUAGE AND CUSTOMS OF THE TRIBE INHABITING THE COUNTRY KNOWN AS KOTOOPNA.
(By William Locke.)
Dear Sir,—The following is a corrected copy of a letter of mine which appeared in the Argus some years ago on the above subject. If it is of any use to you in the compilation of your book, I shall be pleased.
R. Brough Smyth, Esq.William Locke.
When a very young man, I held a large tract of country, called in the native language Kotoopna (now wrongly spelled Kotupna), extending nearly across the angle formed by the Goulburn and Murray. This portion of country belonged to a small tribe of blacks called Pangorang, or Waning-otbun. The men were very fine specimens of the Aboriginal, many of them being considerably upwards of six feet in stature, and exceedingly active and warlike in appearance. At that time they subsisted principally upon fish and wild-fowl, which they procured in great abundance on the Lower Moira. The ducks were caught wholesale in the following manner:—A large net was stretched across a narrow neck of a lagoon, when a blackfellow would go some distance up or down the creek, and drive or frighten the ducks towards the net, when numbers in their flight would be caught in the meshes. I have also seen them catch ducks by diving underneath them, and suddenly laying hold of them by the legs.
In consequence of my being located, as it were, in the midst of these darkies, I, of necessity, became intimately acquainted with their manners and customs, and became a great favorite. I always treated them with great kindness, and they were only too glad to prove their gratitude at every opportunity. The fact of my being able to converse with them in their own tongue gave me considerable influence. They used to say—"No stupid, Mr. Locke; always yabba the same as blackfellow." On one occasion a gentleman made his appearance on the back portion of the run, intending to "sit down" there with a flock of sheep; but my sable friends would not have it at any price. They said to him—" What for you comballee along-a this one country? This one country all about belong-a to Mr. Locke." Eventually he had to depart, the blacks, at my request, cutting bark canoes, to enable him to cross his sheep. Although at that time these blacks were perfectly wild, I never had the slightest apprehension of suffering any personal injury from them. I have often gone out with them in the bush, perfectly unarmed; although as to this I once got a piece of advice from one of the tribe. He said—" When you walk in bush along-a blackfellow, you make him black-fellow walk first time" (in front). I said—"What for?" He replied—"I den know; I believe debil debil jump up, want him blackfellow spear white-fellow." It is hardly necessary to add that upon this hint I acted in future.
Several strange superstitions existed amongst them. I once went to the Moira, accompanied by a blackfellow, and on our return I expressed to him my opinion that it would be dark before we reached home, whereupon he alighted from his horse, and, without saying a word, proceeded to cut a small sod of grass, which he placed in a fork of a tree, exactly facing the setting sun, remarking—"Plenty quambee (stop) sun now. No pull away." As it happened, we got home before it was dark, when Sambo exultingly exclaimed—"No gammon ground" (meaning the sod of earth). If a young baby died, the mother had to carry the body on her back till her husband procured the kidney-fat of a strange blackfellow. This is a very horrible custom. I have seen a lubra so carry about her dead child. The kidney-fat is wrapped up in several bits of rag, and worn round the neck as a charm. They told me that a blackfellow would linger from six to eight days before death ensued after the removal of the kidney-fat. The victim is first stunned by a "waddy," a small incision made in his side, and a portion of the kidney-fat carefully removed, when he is left to his fate.
The language of this tribe is very euphonious, and, strange to say, at a distance of only about fifty miles from Kotoopna, the idiom, indeed the language itself, is quite different. Most of the names of places end in "pna," as "Kotoopna," "Tarigoroopna," "Jillinupna," "Ulupna," &c. Kangaroo—Koyeemar. Emu—Bigorumja. Young emu—Woola. Opossum—Bunna. Kangaroo-rat—Arenewtha. Dog—Bocka. Horse—Corkitaniook (this name for horse is the same in Gippsland and other parts of Victoria). Sheep—Jumbaga. Supposed bun-yip—Tanutbun. Little—Ingarnaka. Least—Inga. Great—Turneja (as great heat, Turneja daideja). Extensive—Boymee (as extensive plain, Boymee natcha). Nice—Kalnia. Beautiful—Kalimna (this word I think has a very sweet sound; I have named several of my friends' estates after it). No, or none—Uta (same nearly all over Victoria), Lightning—Kernyawa. Thunder—Manena. Come here—Cockiaroo. Go away—Berriaroo. Very hot, me too much lazy—Turneja daideja, marrilatchimut neynee. What is it?—Min-the-lay? Where—Woonul. Knapsack—Belshula. Fishing-net—Jegoga. Gum-tree—Bela. Box-tree—Tharmia. Bark—Yalmin. Tomahawk—Aanu. Reed-spear—Gaumur. Jagged spear—Jikola. Spear with glass—Coico. Woomera—Ulewar. Boomerang—Wadeenia. Creek—Bormea. Plain—Natcha. Mountain—Uleela. Sandhill—Maloga. Goulburn River—Koyeela. Murray River—Fingola. Campaspe—Yalook. Hut—Mano. Father—Baapoo. Mother—Cana. Sister—Thajuba. My dear brother—Thoma nien boynupa. My dear sister—Thoma nien thajuba. Little brother—Kidjika. Acquaintance—Jueada. White woman—Malawa uniar. Blackfellow—Ainbootha. Teeth—Derrara. Very hungry, stomach empty—Turneja malunwick, eetumut boolie. Give me some bread—Mitther eeyanook. Be off to your camp, all of you—Berumja beriarroo, mano noothiga. Go and cut some bark for me—Beriarroo wabuja yalmin neenee.
The three following: were favorite corrobborees :—
1.
Berri berri ma jildomba,
Berri berri ma jildomba,
Berri berri ma jildomba naga.
Athen jindema, no goi-eela;
Jindema, jindema, 0-en-dethen-o.
Warrim bang-e, berri berri ma jildomba-a,
Berri berri ma jildomba, berri berri ma jildomba.
2.
Aree muthe-e, aree mutho-o,
Aree mutha, comang-a thalitanga magoonba;
Malang-oree, malang-oree.
Mullin mullin jing-a magoonbang-a jilitang-a,
Jing-a jing-a, gothanga, magoontanga thalato.
3.
Thuuda irra tha, thunda roroo,
Gra imalang-a imee-e;
Tlmnda irra tha, thunda re-e,
Gra imalang-a, imme-e-e.
Some years ago I revisited the scenes of my youth. The once powerful tribe of Pangorangs had dwindled down to eight or ten men and four women. They did not recollect me at first; but when I mentioned my name, the old men were delighted. As a proof of the march of civilization, the women were engaged at the camp playing with cards—the intellectual game of "All Fours." O tempora, mores!