Notes on Kurnai 150 pages

Transcription - Page 148

91
Gesture Language Kulin tribe
1 Behind me place left hand, fingers closed,
palm outwards, behind the back, on loin
2 Big (ballato) extend both arms semicircularly
from the shoulders outwards to right + left, the fingers slightly
crooked and separated and at same
height as shoulders.
3 Brother + sister Younger brother (1) sign for man (2) sign
for behind me
4 Camp (1) Chop twice with right hand palm + fingers extended
at angle of 45ᵒ from right to left in front of self. (2)
place top of fore finger of right hand between
tops of first and second fingers of left hand
= ridge pole of hut supported by fork.
5 Child (man using sign) Bend fingers [together -crossed out] at right angles
to palm at knuckles and touch sternum.
(women using sign) (1) lift up hood of blanket, or rug
to show where the child is carried, or (2) pinch
nipple of right breast between thumb and forefinger
of right hand.
6 Crow touch or point to charcoal
7 Deity, great spirit (1) make exasperated sign for
man (2) then make exaggerated sign for Big. (3) point to sky
8 Distance If near point to ground at 45ᵒ of [les - crossed out]
more from self. If moderately far off point in
direction to horizon. If far off point up in
the air, at 45ᵒ = very far off.
Drink drinking
9 East W. N. S. point in the direction.
10 Enemy wild blackfellow (1) sign for man
(2) sign for very far off. Enemy whitefellow
(1) sign for man (2) sign for taking aim with gun
or (3) rub fingers across cheeks and nose = red face
or (4) touch red ochre and rub face.

[written in left side margin]
Whitefellow was
called
nga-ma-jet
=the bright color
at sunset