Howitt to Fison 20/9/1878

Transcription - Page 2

the aggregate of divisions (the clan) the aggregate of
clans (the tribe). I got some of my aboriginal friends
to give me a rehearsal of the ceremonies of intitiation and
I may now say that I am a "Kurni" (name applied to
all Gippsland blacks = man). I think I can shew
this:- 1. exogamy as regards the division
2. endogamy as regards the tribe
3 descent of boys through the father Yeerung
4 [ditto] [ditto] girls [ditto] [ditto] mother Djeetgun
5 All men are Yeerung, all women Djeetgun
6 The initiation to manhood is a ceremony turning
on the Eponymous ancestors Yeerung and
Djeetgun
7 The Divisions are only named from localities
e.g. Brabrolung clan - 3 divisions Bruthen Brabrolung
[?Wyqung?] Brabrolung, [Wuk - crossed out] Bullumwarl Brabrolung
8 There are five clans - four have two divisions
one has three divisions; all these clans
form the tribe Kurni = men
9 The [?Bond?] is common descent of all Kurni from
the two Eponymous ancestors (as above), community
of [food - crossed out] language and communuty of country which is
coextensive with the language.
10 [Yeerung (superb warbler) (male) - crossed out]
[malurus cyaneu- crossed out]
Yeerung (Emu wren) male, Djeetgun (Superb warbler)
(Stipiturus malachurus) (malurua cyabeus)
female are probably the [class - crossed out] totem names of the first group
of men and women who faced the natural barrier
of Gippsland and founded a colony. They are
the [classes - crossed out] totems [??], or are they still existing in N.S.W.?

I have now written the first draft of my contribution
-when completed it will I think amount to 50pp.
flscap of say 250 words each. I hope it will do when
finished. I propose to myself to write what I might