Questions for William Berak

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Transcription - Page 1

Are there any legends about
X J Dick Richards waa - or Bunjil
(1) What is the Gean Gean or grey crow?
(2) Were there any superstitions about the Soldier Bird = [Bil-bil-man - crossed out] Bil-bil- maneri
(3) Marnang-eik-[cabm- crossed out] porkwading
(4) Tug-gan-Kow-an waterbird - a bird that makes a howling noise
(5) Ko-Kurn Ko-Kōn - who was shut up in a tree by Bunjil - because he
pegged two boys inside a Kangaroo skin - what bird - mopoke - or owl - ?Būbūk
(6) What about a mans shadow - what is it - can anyone hurt a man by injuring
his shadow
(7) Is [the - crossed out] Binbeal the same as Tundun?
(8) Did he hear of Binbial living in a cave near Cape Schank
(9) What is the legend about Karween the crane? - Karwin
was the second man and Bunjil stole his two wives?
Wang made a corroboree + Bunjil speared Karwin in the leg so that
became [??] and miserable + became a crane + Bunjil kept his
two wives.
(10) [Who he - crossed out] Did Bunjil have a wife? - what was she? (two wives + αγ crucis)
(11) Who was Mindi? RBS says a large serpent that lived partly
under ground - it lived in a mountain called Bu-Ker-bun-nel
near Pitfield beyond Wedderburn. Bunjil could order Mindi to come and affect people with sickness
He speaks about [blacks - crossed out] a Wirrarap having been arrested by the Police
and put in Melbourne gaol
and the blacks saying if [they - he - crossed out] were not let go Mindi would come
This wirrarap [was - crossed out] belonged to tribe of Murrni-brum-brum
who lived in Mindi country - at Buckra-banyule.

Parker a dance or ceremony called Yepene Amydeet
- dancing holding boughs in each hand - then all sinking down in a mass
reputing death - then revive + come to life

Mindi
Rude images cut in bark and painted one large figure + two small
figures - men + [??] women drew in bough danced in single file
each with a small hand with tuft of feathers - touched the figures
[revelentally - crossed out] reverential with hand - the purpose of getting
mindi to kill their enemies.

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Document Details

Date —

Letter From —

Letter To —

Author Howitt, Alfred William

Country Australia

Colony/State —

Holding Institution State Library of Victoria

Collection Name Alfred W. Howitt Collection

Registration Number MS9356/429

Medium Notes

Region —

Locality —

Summary MS 9356 [Series] Correspondence and notes concerning aboriginal tribes - Aboriginal tribes of Victoria. [Sub Series] Wurunjerri (See also Kulin nation and Port Phillip) [Item Title] Questions from A. W. Howitt for William Berak, Shaw's tribal informant and notes. [Summary note] 16 pages. Box 1054 [Folder] 1(a) [State Library Victoria record 2018]

Physical Description Handwritten in ink. Undated and unsigned. Possibly a draft? First 10 pages contains a list of questions. Some subheadings throughout. Last 6 pages are notes. Includes 2 sketch maps.