Field notebook
Transcription - Page 36
and took him.
The people wanted
him back. She refused
and put him in
a big rock (Cathedral
at theGoulburn River).
The people were very angry
Bunjil collected all
the people then &
the people said how
shall we get him
out. Bunjil said
by that tree - the
porcupine who has
the thunder
smashed up the
tree. Then Bunjil
said to the
Porcupine
[next page]
you go down under
the rock and put
thunder there.
He did this and
smashed the rock.
They took the little boy
out of the split rock.
The old woman
was smashed
up. Then Bunjil
said now you
people learn that
you must not
take little children
that belong to other
people. -------------
Bunjil said they must
never take any child
belonging to any one.
But each must
Document Details
Date
—
Letter From
—
Letter To
—
Author
Howitt, Mr Alfred William
Country
Australia
Colony/State
—
Holding Institution
Museums Victoria
Collection Name
Alfred W. Howitt Collection
Registration Number
XM 759
Medium
Notebook
Region
—
Locality
—
Summary
Belonging to A.W. Howitt. Anthropological notes, from front and back of notebook varied content including notes on language, social organisation and customs and legends. Discusses the Yarra Tribe and groups across eastern Victoria. Includes language notes and diagrams, kin terms, names of people along coast and Victorian group associations with localities. Notes on 'eaglehawk and bunjil'. Possibly information from Barak ''My name is Bairuk - grub of gum tree'. Illustrations of weapons and burial practices. Notes from Paterson's 'The History of New South Wales, from Its First Discovery to the Present Time.'
Physical Description
Notebook, black, hard-covered, entries in pencil. Condition: fragile; first section of pages weakly attached. No clasp.