All the people from Dingadee side crossed over it when the river was up, for groceries, mail, etc. It was manifestly a mere mockery to call upon the prisoner to make his defence before persons by whom he could not be understood, Mr. Nichols then submitted that the prisoner was entitled to his acquittal in point of law. The Melanesian cultural area is the nearest neighbour of Australian and the museum holds a significant collection of cultural material from Melanesian nations. They ranged in length from three-feet to three-feet six-inches, being shaped like a club and having a slightly tapering end . We have over a billion unique profiles in our tree, and growing. In Australian Aboriginal mythology, Baiame (or Biame, Baayami, Baayama or Byamee) was the creator god and sky father[1] in the Dreaming of several Aboriginal Australian peoples of south-eastern Australia, such as the Wonnarua, Kamilaroi, Guringay, Eora, Darkinjung, and Wiradjuri peoples. The fishing line was called ylrra- warn, and the hook pirrewuy. Some of the hooks were fashioned of bone after the primitive style, but they usually preferred the hooks that my father was able to supply. Baime awoke and created everything, the mountains, plains, rivers and every living thing. The perpetrators were the Barrington River natives. These blacks were in the habit of going to the huts for tucker, and probably the hutkeeper thought that they were too much of a nuisance so he poisoned the flour and gave it to them, causing them to die in terrible agony. provided seeds suitable for grinding and baking into seed cakes (McBryde 1976:65), as may the kind of oat-grass seen by Cunningham (Joumal 7/5/1823 ) in the upper Goulburn Valley. . After performing Divine service in the forenoon, I left Mr. White to do so in the afternoon, and set off at 2, accompanied by Captain Moffatt for Tellighary, where we arrived at little past five, and slept , there there that night. The stripping operation was carried out with an exact judgment, lines being cut cross- wise with a tomahawk around and across the tree so that the section removed would be of the required size and shape. The district blacks were collected in a cluster of saplings on the opposite ridge in full view of the execution. The Earliest Inhabitants - Aboriginal Tribes of the District. The shout then set up by all was deafening. A curious practice obtained among these tribes, that of flattening the childrens nose by the mother to improve its appearance. Barrallier (1802:81-82) observed at Newcastle that the Aborigines ate the roots of Fern [which he surprised a youth in the act of collecting] and a sort of root or yam. There are indications that yams (Dioscorea transversa) were eaten elsewhere on the coast (Scott l929:4l) and Backhouse (1843:399) noted that in the Raymond Terrace area, in the more fertile spots by the sides of brooks, there was a species of Yam, the root of which was eaten by the Aborigines. The women twisted this fibre to the required thickness and length by rolling it on the front part of the thigh with the hands. They are generally listed as clan of the Worrimi people, though the Wonnarua Strategic Plan lists the Gringai of Gresford as Wonnarua. Below Dungog, and extending to Lake Macquarie, the Awabakal tribe was the most important and their language is recorded in interesting treatises writ- ten by the Rev. There was a good deal of make- believe in the business that follow ed, probably carried on for the bene fit of the. | The women were not allowed to go up this path nor approach the top of the hill at all. [8], Media related to Hunter Valley at Wikimedia Commons. About Mr Gordon Bennetts interesting articles on our Earliest Inhabitants just concluded. Check out the What's On calendar of events, workshops and school holiday programs. The womerah, also common M most aboriginal tribes, was used to give further Impetus to the flight of a spear. Around the Manning River basin, there were reports of waterholes and gifts of food being laced with arsenic known as The Harmony so the jungle of the Barrington became a refuge for Aboriginal people. . The main camp of the natives who were present at the ceremonies was pitched in an open forest, on some gently sloping ground a few chains easterly from the left bank of a small watercourse, a tributary of the Allyn River, within Portion No. There was, I knew, another and more pregnant reason that no one would disclose. Since those times the flying-fox has changed his habits considerably much to the loss of orchardists and those that cultivate fruit. The bush provided the secular climax of the ceremony. These fibre strings were also used to make dilly-bags in which [young children] were carried as well as articles of food, and puppies. These logs were generally supposed to have been left by floods, but I never felt satisfied, for they were mostly about the same distance apart. . One woman of each small tribe was usually dedicated this way, and to her was entrusted the task ct fashioning the fishing lines, the virtues accruing from her innate powers over fish being of course communicated to the lines she made. The principal piece would be about two feet In length and about half-an-inch In diameter, from the front of which would be removed a narrow strip of the outer shell exposing the hardened pith. The women then assemble at the kweealbang fire, and assist the men to cut bark and bushes, which are laid in a ring round the fire ready for use by and bye. About the Wonnarua, by James Miller contains more information about the Wonnarua. The branch of the tribe inhabiting the Cape Hawke district and those located along the Barrington River valley early evinced decided hostility towards the incom- ing settlers, with whom the Cape Hawke [Forster] natives came into open conflict at Waterloo [just north of Bunyah] on the Upper Wallamba resulting in a bloodless victory for the natives. The A. The language spoken around Newcastle and Lake Macquarie called by the aborigines Awaaba was much the same, and the whole language was named Kurring-gai by some, and Awaabakal by others. The root of the problem lies in what the first settlers brought with them their assumption that the Aborigines would all speak the same language, their belief the Aborigines lacked any cultural complexity and a failure to come to grips with the people they encountered. Such a camp would be formed on some tolerably level ground near a running stream or water-hole. The Gringai had a great dread of thunder and believed it to be the demonstration of the anger of some supernatural being rebuking them for some impropriety. Dungog Chronicle : Durham and Gloucester Advertiser (NSW : 1894 - 1954) Sat 20 Aug 1949 Page 2 NATIVE WAYS AND NAMES. Discover more about our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander collection objects and information available in our Library. the men and women march round. It stems from the work of a West Maitland schoolteacher in the 1880s in which, he used the word Gringai to describe a group of Aborigines living near Dungog . Oysters were to be had for the gathering, and the blacks appreciated the succulent shell-fish mightily. They liked noise. The howling continued all the time. A man standing at the butt of the tree commences to cut steps as if going to climb it, and a few of the men run about and throw sticks at the [possums] tail. The juvenile males of this (the Dungog) tribe were, from the age of about twelve to eighteen, allowed to accompany their parents and friends in hunting excursions, and assisted in the incidental fagging necessary about the camps. Mr Franks declined the ABC's requests for an interview but spoke about the matter in a webinar hosted by NSW Greens MLC David Shoebridge. If a wanton slayer of the [womens] sacred bird were detected in his crime, the women would give way to outbursts of furious passion. In response to the PCWP's application for Aboriginal heritage protection, she appointed an independent anthropologist to prepare a wide-ranging report. My great-great-great grandmother belonged to the Gringai group of the Won- narua people. First, the mothers of the boys are set free - then the sisters - and lastly, the other women and children are uncovered. Within the cleared space, and on one side of it was a crude wooden effigy, colored vividly with some red pigment, having a cross-piece for arms, and a striking head-dress of grass and bark similar to the pattern used by the blacks when stalking kangaroos. The Wonnarua people are traditional landowners in the . A few would be detailed as beaters, driving the mob towards the armed hunters hidden in the bushes. He is a Koori Discover the diversity of boomerangs in the Museum's collection, and learn about these distinctive cultural objects. Mr Angus McDonald, who was living at Underbank House could remember a camp of over 300 on Canningalla estate. The marsupials ran in large mobs, easily driven by the nimble natives to a point where waiting groups could spear them with ease. The shield (cooreel), was an important article of warlike equipment to the warriors. When the camp became go noisome that even the accustomed noses of the inhabitants revolted, the tribe would move in a body to another site, distant beyond [the] smell of the old homes. But very seldom did they eat them raw. All you need to do is follow the two simple processes give above. By ROBERT MILLER, ESQ. Groups living near the Wonnarua include the Darkinjung and the Wirad. These men in their old days never forgot how to fish, and were never satisfied unless they brought home two or three monster perch. The whites, themselves, being oppressed with scarcity and dearth of provisions, were forced to withdraw that countenance and support they had formerly afforded to the blacks, and that was indeed the cause of all the mischief that occurred some little time since. When these two men get close to the goonambang they gently hit the boomerangs which they carry in their hands against those in their belts, and the hosts answer, huk! We arrived at 4 p.m. and found Messrs. Jenkin and Swayne had returned from Lawlers and had found the whole flock of sheep, missing and all the people much scared. He was a passenger in the steamer by which the prisoner had been forwarded from Newcastle, and the latter was then not only in a complete state of nudity, but the irons with which he was fettered had, from neglect, cut his ankles to the bone, and rendered his situation both painful and distressing. Gordon Bennett (reprinted 1964) p11-12. Sometimes the animal imitated is the kangaroo - the men hopping along one after the other. One in particular was situated near the Allyn River not far from the town the white man now calls Gresford. Before finally quitting the main camp, a small sapling is cut down, and one end of it inserted firmly in the ground at the kackaroo, in a slanting position, the elevated end pointing in the direction of the new camp. he and his tribe seem perfectly quiet I think it may be as well to take no notice of him, unless he or his friends show a I disposition to disturb the settlers on the Williams. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we live, learn, and work. The usual rule of each tribe camping round the local mob, each in the direction of their respective districts, is observed in the erection of this new camp. They could throw their little spears with deadly accuracy; they could use a shield with the skill of their fathers. The men make a guttural noise as the novices are shown each tree, and also in going from one tree to another. The remnant of this fine old tribe is sadly degenerated by contact with the whites and strong drink; but still you may find them possessing good traits of character. to retire to the river he did not notice that a badly wounded man was left on the field, until he saw a Wallamba man rush out of the scrub and kill him with a nullah. When asked by the manager why he did such a thing the Wallamba man said, I finis him, and ran off again and thus ended the battle of Gloucester, which after all appears to have been a battle of words and much abuse, and not much else. The Wonnarua Strategic Plan 2009-2012 (WSP). One author [anonymous] used a crossed d to denote a td sound. [citation needed], In rock paintings Baiame is often depicted as a human figure with a large head-dress or hairstyle, with lines of footsteps nearby. Company despatched their small body of veterans time-expired soldiers from Carrington to supplement the civilians, but the soldiers never reached the scene of operations, having halted and retired when within 6 miles of the station, fearing an ambush, leaving the decision to the two civilian bodies, who enacted a terrible vengeance. This cleared space was connected with the top of a hill and another cleared space by a narrow path. 1. English Encyclopedia is licensed by Wikipedia (GNU). It is said that the youths mother is custodian of the tooth and takes great care of it. If it chanced the long white worms commonly found in bush animals, these would be swallowed with with rare gusto as the greatest delicacy of all. The fear that this race inspired in the natives of localities adjoining their boundaries reached as far as Dungog, and twenty years ago when Brandy was the last of his tribe in the district he would often mention with apparently genuine fear, the possibility of a raid by the wild blacks from the west. Some sheets of bark are now laid on the ground just inside the boundary of the back part of the ring, or, in other words, on that side of it which is farthest from the pathway leading to the goonambang. The sparks would be gently blown upon until a flame appeared, when thereafter it was no trouble to build up a roaring fire. The children, even from the tenderest years, appeared to have appetites as voracious as their elders. He said the absence of a recognised native title holder, as was the case in the Hunter Valley, couldfurther complicate claims. Find out more, an offensive content(racist, pornographic, injurious, etc. They have also attacked Mr Nowlands station, a few miles lower down, and the enclosed from Mr Cook, which I have just received, will disclose to you the tenor of their conduct towards his men. The settlers from the Williams River side came across to the head of the Gloucester driving the blacks before them while the settlers on this side drove all the blacks up the river and at last cornered them on the small flat above McKenzies cliffs where they shot men women and children without mercy or consideration. "There's differing views and that can even be related to heritage.". The end piece, comprising the barb, or pointed tip, was affixed to the main shaft very skilfully, con- sidering that the hole for its recep- tion had to be bored with a piece of hard-wood, twirled between the hands, the best substitute for an auger procurable. The novices are then helped to their feet, and are taken to each of the marked trees in succession. Bail steal em, master they protested vigorously, We only take it. This naive explanation was their manner of discrimi- nating between something taken with malicious intent, and something taken merely to gratify a fancy. If the ground is wet and cold, pieces of bark are spread upon it for the women to lie upon. There (were edible roots In the gullies, wild- fruits in the brushes. Research revealing the rich and complex culture of Aboriginal people in the Port Jackson region. At this camp they are also required, on more than one occasion, to drink the urine of some of the men, collected in a coolamin for the purpose. . Discover our guides that help you research our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural material in the library. The other method of securing fish was by spearing them. The Earliest Inhabitants - Aboriginal Tribes of the District. The men seem to have been attacked singly and in open daylight. The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser (NSW : 1803 - 1842) Tue 12 Aug 1834 Page 2 SUPREME CRIMINAL COURT. I was working at Irwins once and remember the [women] coming down opposite Tillegra house. 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. The Kabook and Watoo people of the Gringai clan of the Worimi Nation (The Cook family) have lived continually in the Barrington for over 189 years recorded by the first white settlers 1826, until the present Cook Family Descendants from the Kabook and Watoo people speak the Kattang (or Gathang) language and it has been recorded that they are the last of the true custodians and Clan within the boundaries of the Allyn and Williams river up stream to Gummi Falls on the Manning River known as Kummi Kummi (Place of many Crystal stones), Barrington Tops (Beann Beann), Rawdon Vale, Barrington, Gloucester up to the Manning river down to Cresford the Karuah River and the Bulliac Tugrabakh Bora Ground area, some 13km from Gloucester. The section of the tree intended to be used for the purpose was first shaped in the rough and then put In the sea water for a lengthy period until the sap had gone and the tissue toughened. Among the tribes in the Williams valley it was not uncommon for the medicine- men of hostile tribes to sneak into a camp at night under cover of the darkness, or a cloud, and with a net of peculiar construction garrotte one of the tribe, drag him a few hundred yards from the camp, cut up his abdomen obliquely, take out the kidney and caul-fat and then stuff a handful of sand and grass into the wound. At other times the soldier bird is imitated; sometimes the flying fox [fruit bat], the native bear [koala], the rock wallaby, the wombat, and other animals. The canoes were greatly prized by them and were so fragile that they would not stand rough usage. 188.-THEHUNTER RIVER. But a Wonnarua Indigenous group believes the project will cause the destruction of centuries of Aboriginal history. In this he reports two cases of the Harmony, one, a substantial one, in the early Thirties and the other, a minor one in 1847. 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. . The tributary mentioned is Dog Trap Creek. The Gloucester Advocate (NSW : 1905 - 1954) Tuesday 6 November 1923 p 1. has publicly denounced the use of the word Guringai. The Dungog blacks spoke practically the same language as all the coastal tribes from the Manning River as far south as Botany Bay. The Wonnarua, Wanaruah people have occupied the Upper Hunter for at least 30,000 years, with traditional knowledge holding that occupation extends back to the early stages of the Dreaming. Then two men proceeded to the camp of the females, two or three hundred yards distant, and marched them and the children with their heads prone to the circle, where they were made to lie down and be covered up with boughs, rugs, bark, and whatever was at hand. Throughout the Gringai country [there] were many [aboriginal cemeteries]. 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