Notes by Howitt on Kulin from Barak

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Transcription - Page 37

24
Signals

On leaving a camp where it was desired to leave
behind a signal to some friend following
a piece of stick was stuck in the ground
pointing in the direction taken. It was
much exact as made by the Kurnai – e.g.
a stick having something tied round the
end to attract attention – fur, feather,
strips of stringy bark anything handy.
It was called Woi-a-ram.

If the camp fire was found to have hot
ashes – regarded as having been only left
the same day – if just warm underneath
yesterday – if cold – then older .

Where it was desired to call the
blacks to some one spot – the grass
would be set fire to “round about”.

White men were called by us “Ngamajet” – this
word is also used to mean the bright red colors
at sunset.

Gesture language

[written in left side margin]
see what Dawson
says

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Document Details

Date
Letter From
Letter To
Author Howitt, Alfred William
Country Australia
Colony/State Victoria
Holding Institution State Library of Victoria
Collection Name Alfred W. Howitt Collection
Registration Number MS9356/391
Medium Notes
Region
Locality
Summary MS 9356 [Series] Correspondence and notes concerning aboriginal tribes - Aboriginal tribes of Victoria. [Sub Series] Kulin Nation [Item Title] Notes by Howitt titled 'The Kulin tribe. Informant 'Ber-uk' otherwise King William of the Yarra tribe'. [Summary note] 103 pages. Box 1053 [Folder] 2(b) & (c) [State Library Victoria record 2018]
Physical Description Handwritten notes, undated and numbered pages. Additional notations and annotations in the left hand margins; includes a newspaper article.