Notes by Howitt on Kulin from Barak

Transcription - Page 46

33

The Headmen
The greatest man of all the country was
the Ngurungeit of the Kūrnŭng willum tribe at Gisborne called by
the whites Capt. Turnbull. He was a
great singer and maker of songs which
made people very glad and happy when they
heard them. His grandfather before him and His father before him was
also a great singer. Both were equally
great. It was this that made these
men such great Ngurungeits.

[Besides Capt Turnbull there were- crossed out]
There were three [two other - crossed out] Headmen of the Ūrŭndjeri
tribe. My father Bebejern in the
country about the Plenty River and the Yarra Rv
[and - crossed out] Billbillary at Mt Macedon & Melbourne (? the stone place)
Bingerim – Mt Macedon. These were the Headmen
of the Ūrŭnjeri. The other tribes had also headmen.
For instance Benbow was the Ngurungeit of the
Yallūkit- willŭm at Sandridge and St Kilda.
Mr De Villiers of the Ngarū willum Būlūk willum [about the
South and west side of the Dandenong Mt round
by Berwick and - crossed out] about Cranbourne and
Westernport Bay +c +c (fill in this)

Of all these Capt. Turnbull was the greatest.
He could [tell - crossed out] say to my father “You go up into the mountains
and make 'possum rugs and by and bye come back
with them”. Some of the men would go with
my father and others would stay behind.
Captain Turnbull made my father and
Billbillary Ngurungaets. [My fa- crossed out] Bill Billary
made Bungarim ngurungeitā and I am
Ngurungeitā from my father. When I go
I shall leave the word that my sister's son
shall be Ngurungaet with with him two others

[written in left side margin]

look up their
localities