We children were out for a walk with our faithful servant Fanny, when I, noticing a big mangrove tree on the edge of the bay, I climbed to its top-most branches. At Port Stephens they called it the poombit though generally it is spoken of as the bora. On the flat there was an oval cleared space with a banked-up margin, and in the centre of it a heaped-up conical shaped fire. Of course, the whites could not for their own safety allow such an event to pass without in some way punishing the blacks, but the way they did retaliate must appear to us moderns as shockingly cruel but unfortunately for themselves the blacks were looked upon by the early settlers as vermin fit only to be destroyed. Here the two tribes met and fought. The rugs are now taken off the women, and the mothers are called up first, after which the other women are permitted to rise. The gaps between the ties of the vines at stem and stern would be plugged with clay, so skilfully introduced that the whole craft would be absolutely watertight. The womerah, also common M most aboriginal tribes, was used to give further Impetus to the flight of a spear. I would respectfully call on His Excellency for instructions how to proceed that such evil and improper conduct may be speedily checked and further evil prevented. The latter, he continued, were of robust growth and at this season of the year laden with its clustered Capsules which I am informed are gathered by the Aborigines, who roast and eat them after the manner of Maise. The kinship group was the economic and social unit of the tribe. They learned to track the native animals, became wise in the ways of fish and bird, and made a game of life generally. He told those that were with him, to make the sign of peace with them which they did by waving the right hand over the head and then pointing to the ground. That night a white stone is given to each neophyte by some of the old men; it is put into a small bag, and is fastened to the boys girdle. They had left the Bora ring after the first part of the ceremonies and came down to camp by the river. Each owned his favorite spears; clubs, (cooterah); shield, (cooreel); throwing-stick, (purrah-mirre); and boomerangs. Their good temper and childish relish of fun was never more exemplified than when someone made a present to a stalwart black of an old hat, coat, or other discarded garment. The men then paint themselves with white stripes on their chests, on their arms, and on their legs from the knee down. With this seemingly in- effective guard, they could ward of with extraordinary dexterity spears and stones hurled at them from any angle. Thus tinko a native bitch is generally printed dingo.. When baked in the ashes these yams were very palatable; and we, as children partook of them on every occasion that offered. During the celebration of these rites, a bull-roarer is sounded in the neighbouring forest. Hence the name Baal Belbora. Our Clan occupied the valleys year-round, visiting the plateaus in spring and summer to gather food. At the goonambang, a fire lit the centre where a number of elders were sitting. . The rays of the sun then accomplished the remainder of the task. The rough, outside bark, the exterior of the canoe, would be care fully trimmed away with the blade of a tomahawk until the surface was smooth and clean. Nonprofit and free. The Wonnarua people, otherwise written Wanarruwa, are a group of Aboriginal Australian people united by strong ties of kinship, and who survived in family groups or clans scattered along the inland area of what is now known as the Upper Hunter Valley, New South Wales, Australia. At a distance of about 7 chains in a north-north-westerly direction from the goonambang, along the top of the ridge, were a few other marked trees, the dharroong on some of which are still distinguishable. They never seemed to tire of the diet, and the schools of mullet yielded them more than enough for their wants during the period they would be in the harbor. and direct savage attacks at the offender, beating him with their sticks until he was glad to fly m precipitate confusion, offering no retaliation or resistance No definite conception of an existence after death appeared to exist among the members of the tribe. The men at the camp pull the leaves off the boughs thrown down by the keerang, who sit down at one end of the clear space. Dr. McKinlay records that they believed in supernatural beings whom they called Maamba. ?D*1q4"'7fw +3k I |`! k ;kR&t*V3+h]XMbTEVKy?,gSl2=>`*K~{~O; CYF/!oS!xoE}Xt7r:qQ {K]P)`gXy92$Z:w8 +bO>RoKvxV *KOV>&oU4W =KUOr-dO?owNg[m5f&^#YKoMMFK.%Xtsv]MuU9gy+,]VZ2hBmS They, too, were buried at Violet Hill. dies and stand motionless, spear poised on woomerah, ready to launch the fatal dart. Aborigines of the Hunter Valley Helen Brayshaw - https://goo.gl/rNPyFY. On reaching the weengarah, which would be only a short distance from the camp, the messenger would tell the headman and elders the purport of his mission, and would hand them a white quartz crystal which had been given to him by the chief initiator when dispatching him on this errand. This exhibition featured a selection of the Museums collections from the Southern Highlands, Eastern Highlands and Western Highlands, including a variety of human hair wigs, feathered headdress, judge wigs, shells woven aprons and shell forehead ornaments. Mathews, R.H. 1897. All these operations are carried out as speedily as practicable, so as not to keep the women - some of whom have infants at their breasts - any longer under such rigorous concealment than is necessary. The day after the arrival of the Keeranga-or it may be in a few days time-very early in the morning, perhaps before. Across the range, on the watershed of the Paterson, was another, and an important branch of this tribe with whom the natives of the Dungog district inter-married, and Dr. McKinlay and Mr. J. W. Boy- dell record that these tribes married also with those of the tribes on the Gloucester watershed. It is on record of authentic nature that incredible crudities were practised upon the poor blacks by some of these hardened wretches. If the ground is wet and cold, pieces of bark are spread upon it for the women to lie upon. The kangaroos that were to be taken back to the camp were usually thrust into the fire and half roasted. Such a tribe, on reaching the main camping place, and finding all the people gone away, would go to the kackaroo, and on seeing the index pole would start away in that direction, and join the other people at the new camp, and take up their quarters on the side nearest their own country. Some time after around 1841 the original Hookes and Laurie family moving in after that date. Members were related to each other by their kinship classification, common language and law. . Many of these objects are on display in our First Nations galleries, Garrigarrang and Bayala Nura. It was the biggest collection of blacks ever seen in the district. The grief displayed at the funeral of a venerable.and honored man was unquestionably great and genuine. . This unfor- tunate circumstance has given the blacks more courage, and their depredations are becoming more formidable, so that several respectable persons who have stations on the Manning have lately called on me and [called] for protection, but I could only refer them to Captain King, the Commissioner for the Australian Agricultural Company. The blacks living in the district that extends from just about where Brookfield now is to the headwaters of the Chichester and the Williams belonged to a tribe known as the Gringai. After being prepared by their families, the boys were now ready to experience the transition from boyhood to manhood. The men took their share first and the women and children made a meal of what was left. She was buried by falls side.One of the last of the tribe was buried there some time ago. The mothers and other women belonging to each tribe go out of the ring of the white men on the side next their own country. These arrivals generally take place in the afternoon a few hours before sundown. When the camp at the kweealbang has been completed the novices are placed lying, down in a row on the leaves which have been spread on the ground under the shelter, and are covered over with rugs, each boy having his guardian beside him. All the things were placed at the dead mans head, and the grave was then filled in. Many of those who remained in contact with European settlement died of disease. These stems are roasted, and eaten by the Aborigines, who cut them for this purpose when they are about a foot and a half high, and thicker than a mans arm. . he would cry. This cruel happening was not discovered by the boss for quite a time and when it was the man was sent to Newcastle, but it remains unknown what his fate was life was cheap then. An astounding example is a 13 million-person family tree created by scientists. So long as it wa s well warmed in the fire they would eat it with avidity. We must remember that the majority of these men were convicts and assigned as servants to the settlers or squatters, as they were more generally termed, Some of these assigned men were undoubtedly of a very depraved nature, . The Earliest Inhabitants - Aboriginal Tribes of the District. He was supposed to possess supernatural powers in other words, to be a karaaga or wizard. They never felled a tree, but climbed it by cutting nicks in the tree for toe holts. A wide range of plant foods was collected from the lowland forests. To make squares disappear and save space for other squares you have to assemble English words (left, right, up, down) from the falling squares. It is popularly known as the Baiame Cave and is part of a series of rock shelters on an area of 80 hectares. The women and children walked to the kackaroo and were told to lie face down in the middle of the large circle. The blacks murdered all Nolans shepherds, and to deal with them a detachment of soldiers was sent up from Sydney. What the first settlers also brought with them were a wide range of European diseases, to which the locals had no immunity, resulting in what in other parts of the world has been called conquest by disease. As soon as a black got hold of a white mans tomahawk, he would remove the handle to substitute it with one of his own fashioning. "The details are horrific Cato [an Indigenous man] was impaled on the front fence of the homestead, the other warriors were hung from the neck," he said. Mack- ensie Massacre and the massacre on the Bowman River Flat. Take em feathers out. When the offending plume was removed Billy was immediately placated and was ready to start. Sometimes a blow on the head er e he fell would kill him, or if he were thrown down alive, those beneath would perform the final ceremony of dispatch. His shepherds were all assigned convicts. No European casualties are mentioned but it said that the Aboriginals had acquired some guns which was the reason for the retreat. Dungog Chronicle : Durham and Gloucester Advertiser (NSW : 1894 - 1954) Fri 29 Dec 1905 Page 1 Scraps of Early History, About 8 miles up the Kerripit River from Rawden Vale one comes out what were known to an older generation as McKenzies Cliffs, in places 200 feet above the river and some two or three hundred yards from the top of these cliffs a beautiful and magnificent view meets the eye, seemingly almost underneath this the clear country of Teragie, while in the far distance one gets a glimpse of Upper Cobark and all around the rugged jumble of mountains. The spirit of Baime is depicted on a cave overlooking the Valley at Milbrodale painted more than 3000 years ago. It featured rare objects, new cultural material made by Gadigal Elders, stories, film, songs and 8,000 archaeological pieces. Naturally there was someone or other among them who had a striking physical peculiarity, either an over-emphasised feature, a deformity, a trick of gait or speech common to himself. When the boys have been sufficiently smoked, their guardians take them away, and they are followed by the other men for about 100 yards. They were very neatly made and provided both warmth and protection from rain when occasion arose. Journal of the Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland, 26: 320-340. A third, holding a green branch, stood at the side calling out the names of everyone of whom he could apparently think, at the same time lightly striking the coffin with the wand. After the dances and games are over, one of the men sometimes sounds a goonandhakeea (excrement-eater) in the bush near the camp. When he had finished the required number, he would cache them in the bush, either in a hollow log or cave, until such time as opportunity arrived for their disposal. This means, that the big question remains unanswered. It may be taken generally that sickness of all kinds was believed to be caused by the incantations and magic of the koradjis or medicine men of hostile tribes. Any use of the language materials, and historical records, should be done in consultation with the WNAC. The Gloucester Advocate (NSW : 1905 - 1954) Tue 7 Mar 1939 Page 4 Old Days and Blacks. A newly releasedindependent heritage review commissioned by the NSW Department of Planning as part of its assessment for the mine extension determined the Ravensworth Estate was "likely to meet the threshold for state heritage significance for its historical heritage value". These stones are raked out of the heap of earth and ashes in the middle of the ring, and are warm, owing to the fire which is burning on top of the heap. The white men, who are still holding each others hands, swing their arms up and down as. . Where the line was rolled the skin of the operative was hardened by the application of hot ashes, and in time be- came calloused, smooth, and as hard as dried leather. | The novices entered the water first, and as each boy plunged in, the men standing around gave a shout. Responsibility . Without more ado the corpse was lowered into the grave, which was filled and carefully levelled. Their bodies were painted in patterns so that they resembled weird and wonderful skeletons. . Dr McKinlay relates an interesting anecdote in this connec- tion that is worth repeating. The old men who are in the ring with the women, therefore, conduct each mother to her son where he is standing holding the hand of the men on each side of him. Check out the What's On calendar of events, workshops and school holiday programs. Elizabeth and Jack might still conceive . The blacks had very strong voices. Some distance on the way they hear the keerang coming to meet then, cooeeing like the dingo as before, and walking in the usual way. The report concludedthat mining on the estate "violates the traditional relationship between the Aboriginal peoples and their land". There is none left now of the populous tribe that once inhabited the district, and the sole surviving relic, poor, unfortunate Brandy passed to the care of the great spirit, Coen, more than fifteen years ago. Taking away the boys.On the evening of the day preceding the principal cere- mony, all the tribes remove their camps close to the kackaroo, or public ring, where they remain for the night. The animal or bird representing the respective totem is of course sacred to the particular person to whom it belongs, and though he may not kill or eat it, those in other groups are free to do so. What was going through the minds of the initiates on this walk would have been awe-inspiring. Venerable men, and men of distinction were buried with much ceremony, but ordinary members of the tribe, and females, were disposed of in a perfunctory man- ner. Find out more, an offensive content(racist, pornographic, injurious, etc. Very rarely did an aboriginal stoop down to pick up any article from the ground. The Blacks of Dungog, Port Stephens and Gresford. FamilySearch is an international, nonprofit organization dedicated to helping all people discover their family story. women. The fury of the elements seldom disturbed them. Their contact experiences with the white men were less violent than for other groups who inhabited the banks of the Hunter River. The Earliest Inhabitants - Aboriginal Tribes of the District. They lived for the most part, he says, on opossums, kangaroos, wallabies, birds and fish. A cord, made of possum hair, was passed around his body a couple of times, the ends being held by the woman who knelt on the ground, leaning over the little canoe of water. Get XML access to fix the meaning of your metadata. Meaning people of the hills and plains, the Wonnarua were bounded to the south by the Darkinjung, to the northwest by the Nganyaywana, to the northeast by the Awabakal, and to the southeast by the Worimi peoples. Suddenly the fearful noises ceased, and all the men rushed out of the ring, and seemed to be engaged in a most fearful fight:.spears and boomerangs flying about in hundreds. There is a cleared path from one marked tree to another, and the boys are taken along this path to the next tree, when the same formality of clearing a space around its base is gone through, and the boys are again directed to look ul. Robert Syron, The Kabook and Watoo People of the Gringai Barrington River Gloucester, NSW https://goo.gl/MfqAYm (SYR). They will recreate to turn it into a cultural centre that will sustain and strengthen their community and they are pursuing reclamation and recreation of language, material culture, art, family and public history . Cabbage Tree Island was literally covered with them then, and I recall dropping fourteen in one discharge of my little double-barrelled gun. Some of the English has been edited to modern equivalents, for example, Jew-Lizard becomes Eastern Water Dragon. I once saw a black named Charlie Dee mount a huge turpentine tree, more than 100-feet to the first limb, by simply using toe holds cut with his ready tomahawk. Visitors to this website should be aware that some materials may use language that is offensive or sensitive. However, it did not tally with what I had seen elsewhere, or had been told by natives whose confidence I had won. Dungog Chronicle : Durham and Gloucester Advertiser (NSW : 1894 - 1954). The ridge Dungog is built on was called Dunbah. After the morning meal has been disposed of, all the young men, accompanied by some of the old fellows, again start away to the goonambang, carrying their spears and other weapons with them, and coinmence painting their bodies jet black with powdered charcoal and. James Miller, the author of Koori: A Will to Win, writes an ancestor was from Eccleston, and regards himself as Wonnarua. As previously stated, it was the function of selected women special- ly dedicated to the fishing ; to pre. The settlers and government troopers retaliated with random shootings and massacres. He was buried in the blacks, cemetery in the vicinity of Violet Hill. Going through the minds of the Hunter River the large circle violates the traditional relationship the! Massacre on the estate `` violates the traditional relationship between the Aboriginal peoples and their land '' to... Shootings and massacres depicted on a Cave overlooking the Valley at Milbrodale painted more than years! 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