Notes about Camping and Food Division
Transcription - Page 17
[This page is a second photograph of the page numbered 16]
If a Woeworung man when out hunting killed a Kangaroo
it was divided in accordance with tribal rules as with
[food obtained - crossed out] assuming that the man had a comrade with
him, they would take out the Entrails and unless the skin were
required for some purpose, roast the kangaroo whole. The division would be one forequarter
was kept by the man for himself, his wife and children. A leg
or [a fore- crossed out] the other forequarter to his comrade. The head and an
arm sent to the man's father and mother. And a leg and
the loins [were - crossed out] went to his wife’s father + mother care of
his wife. The tail went to someone else.
In these tribes as in [the - crossed out] those of Gippsland
a [the - crossed out] man was obliged to [provide - crossed out] give a certain amount of
the game presented by him to his wife’s father. In instance if he
caught five opossums, he kept one, two went to his wife's father.
and two to her brothers. This appears like
a perpetual purchase of the [woman - crossed out] wife.
The woman also divided the food which she collected
which was mainly vegetables.
But if a man only killed enough game or procured enough of
other food for himself his wife & children then he need not
divide it with others. But if he found that his father had no -
food, he must give him what he had procured and go out and
look for more. Similarly, if his wife’s father had no food -
and no son to provide [some - crossed out] for him, he would give him food if he had
it and seek more for himself. On the other hand if he had none
and his wife’s father had a supply he would send some by his
daughter to her husband.
The old people used to say to the younger that people should
divide their food with others and particularly with the old people and children.
They said that Bunjil was pleased where he saw the old people
and children provided for.
This provision of food for the old people is one of the instances of care for
them. When a man becomes so old that he could not travel, his son
carried him from camp to camp, or failing him his brother's or son's
or his wife's brother or his daughter's husband, as it must be remembered that
these were not mere individuals but each was a group.
(quote the account of the Head man who was carried to attack Collins' party at
Sorrento)
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