Notes about Camping and Food Division

Transcription - Page 18

Division of Game
Kurnai
When a man went to hunt, we may for the sake of illustration
assume that he had other men with him. In the event of
game being killed, [there - crossed out] by him, there were entitled to
a share, more or less, according as they had either actually
assisted in killing the game, or had only been present.
For example in the case when a Kangaroo was killed by
one man, and two others were present and assisted, the
following division would be made. The tail and one hind
leg to one assistant: the other hind leg and the haunch
to the other assistant; the remainder to the man who had
been principal in killing it. Such game as a Kangaroo would
probably be cooked in the bush before being taken home.
Lesser game might be cooked, or taken home raw. In every
case however, whether large game or small, the cooked food
was divided by the procurer into certain portions, which were
allotted by custom to various members of his family group.

But while the game, say the Kangaroo above spoken
of would be divided among those present at the kill,
each of them in his turn had to divide with his own
people. For instance if the remainder kept by the the [sic] hunter [kept - crossed out], the head, neck, and
back piece down to the termination of the ribs would
[part of this line is illegible] food which he was obliged by custom to

A man supplied his wife's mother [underlined and question mark above] (gweabun) with
meat called Neborak - it would consist of the best parts
of the meat be got - eg Wombat flesh being considered the
best of meat. Billy the Bull's mother received the whole
of the right side of a wambat [sic] from her Gweabun.

Old Mary says that the husband employs his wife to carry
the meat to [her mother - crossed out] the different camp - where
it is usually thrown down on the fire - they seem to
have an objection to take food from the hand.

Bulmer

[written in left side margin]
see K + K
p. 296 + 207
also p 267

(1) of neborak no translation
can be given. mŭk= large
excellent and pick = flesh

Kurnai
take in
under
at ※