Fig. 14.—This drawing shows the gheewarra or ngaranya, the small bull-roarer used at the initiation ceremonies of the tribes occupying the Macleay and Bellinger Rivers, on the north-east coast of New South Wales. The length is 4⅛ inches, the breadth 15/16 of an inch, and its thickness ⅛ of an inch. It is attached to a handle and has a short string, and is used in precisely the same manner as the moonibear,[1] These tribes also use a larger instrument, called yeemboomul, which is similar in all respects to Fig. 9, already described.
It is unnecessary to ad that there is no fixed size for either the large or small kinds of bull-roarers among any of the tribes. The larger the instrument the louder the sound, provided it be properly made, but at the same time it is harder to swing it, and the wear upon the string is increased by the greater weight. Generally speaking, a bull-roarer from 1 foot to 18 inches in length is found sufficiently large for all purposes. Bull-roarers of the moonibear type are made just heavy enough to give them the necessary impetus through the air.
9. Aboriginal Songs at Initiation Ceremonies.
In an article contributed to the Anthropological Society of Washington, in 1896, I described the Bunana[2] ceremony of initiation in force among the native tribes occupying the south-east coast of New South Wales from the Victorian boundary to Bulli, and extending inland from 80 to 100 miles. Since then I have also described a preparatory inaugural rite, called the Kudcha[3], which is practised by the same people.
In the papers referred to, I have given the words of certain sacred songs used in the celebration of these ceremonies, but am now in a position to incorporate the music of some of them in this article. The words of one of the songs chanted by the old men in the presence of the boys are:—
Dhurramooloon, Dhurramooloon
Binggilbee moondanuna
Gummerawarawa
These words are droned monotonously ad libitum to the following music:—
Another song has the following words and music:—
Dharramooloonga gale wirrabroo ganga
Ngoorungga wirraleema.
