Field notebook

Transcription - Page 27

Marriage
Taking Bebejern as an instance
and his Brother Jack Wotherly then
a son Berak of former + daughter of latter are
brother and sister. Berak and the
daughter of his father's sister are not
brother + sister but are so "near to
each other" that they cannot marry-
nor could their children marry as far
as the relationship could be [placed - crossed out] traced.

If William wanted a wife he would know
to get one from some distant place and
not being related to him.

If Bebejern had a daughter about
the age of puberty he would look round
for a suitable husband for her. Some
young man say of the Goulburn tribe
being of the opposite class name.
Having found one he must make it known
to his friends i.e. the other old men

And in this arrangement - the girl's
brother had no part - [fr - crossed out] but the
son of her father's elder brother would

[next page]

exchange her for the sister of the chosen
husband with the bride's elder tribal
brother - i.e. the [elder brother - crossed out] son of her
father's elder brother.

If she eloped say with a Geelong
man before marriage her father
would not go after himself but would
send some young men i.e. her brothers
- especially that one who had exchanged
her in present. If caught the
[??] fought with the "[??]"
of the girl - both armed with boomerangs
clubs + shields. When both had
been wounded i.e. blood drawn the
old people would intervene saying
"now you both lost blood" - making
friends. Each would take some of his
own blood + rub it over the other.

(this was all William said about
elopement + also what he said about
marriage ceremony what he here
repeated)