The Bora, or Initiation Ceremonies of the Kamilaroi Tribe

Dados Bibliográficos

ID7469723
AutoresR H Mathews (0000-0002-1771-4419, Plateau State University, autor correspondente)
Ano1895
Volume24
Páginas411-411
Data de publicação1895-01-01
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessNão
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoThe Journal of the Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 0959-5295 • E-ISSN: 2397-2564
EditoraJSTOR (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.2307/2842188
OpenAlexW2797434935
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas15

WITH the view of assisting in collecting and preserving, authentic records of the manners and customs of a race who are now rapidly passing away, I have prepared the following account of a Bora which was held during the months of January, Febrtuary, and March of the presenlt year, 1894, near the small town of Gundabloui, in the parish of the same name, County of Finch, New South Wales.Gundabloui is on the Moonie River about 12 rniles below where it is crossed by the Queensland boundary, and also about 12 miles above its confluence with the Barwan River.All the tribes who took part in these initiation ceremonies belonged to the Kamilaroi community, who occupy a large extent of territory in that part of the country.Mustering the Tribes.-During the last three months of the year 1891, a Bora was held on the Gnoura Giloura Creek, about 3 miles north-westerly from Kunopia, a small township on the Boo0lni River, County of Benarba.Not long after the conclusion of this Bora, two of tlle head-men of the aboriginal tribes of that part of the coulitry, who are known amongst the Europeans as "Billy Whiteman" and "Morgan Billy," arrang,ed with the head-man of the tribes about Gundabloui, who is known as "Jack Bagot," that a Bora should be held in the last named district, for the purpose of initiating a number of youno-men who could not attend the Kunopia Bora, and also to finlally admit some of those who had been there initiated.The Kuniopia head-men gave Jack Bagot three boomerangs, according to custom, as tokens of their concurrence, and in due course he visited all the neig,hbouring tribes for the purpose of consulting the several head-men about making the niecessary arrangements in regard to the best time and place for holdinga the Bora.Trhese preliminary duties occupied him for a conlsiderable time alnd on his return to Gundabloui a few months before last Christmas (1893), he despatched messenigersl to all the places he had receuitly visited, to iniform the blacks that a Bora would be held at Gundabloui, and l These messengers were not required to be of the same class and totem as "Ja(k IBagot," the principal head-man who summoned tlle tribes to attenid the ceremonies, but were selected according to their fitness to perform the work entru-ted to them; and they were sent to the head-man of the different tribes, irrespective of class distinctions

Ancient history · Ethnology · Geography · Sociology · Tribe · African history and culture analysis · Ancient Egypt and Archaeology · Anthropology · Archaeology and Historical Studies · History