“The operator forces the gum away from the tooth with his finger-nails and endeavours to loosen the root in its socket with a small, pointed piece of wallaby bone he calls ‘marinba’.”
2. Sunday Islander, who has had the two upper medium incisors removed during his initiation.
CHAPTER XXV
TRIBAL ADMINISTRATION
Council of men—Consultations with magicians—Hereditary status of certain men—Strict observance of laws—Dread of supernatural punishment—Europeans apt to ignore primal conventions—Aboriginal sense of justice and humour—Appeal to sentiment—Judge of character—Possibility of erroneous deductions in science and law—Philosophical instincts—Variety of characters composing a tribe.
The affairs of a tribe come under the jurisdiction of a small council of old men who have their discussions in secret conclave, away from the main camp. Seniority and distinction qualify a man for admittance to this council, which is controlled by the strongest personality, much as a prime minister rules over his cabinet. Questions of importance and concern to the community are freely debated at these meetings, and when any decision is arrived at it is placed before a general assemblage of all male members of the tribe who have attained the rank of full manhood. At this meeting questions may be asked, but opposition is immediately squelched and the dissentient ruled out of order. In any case, it is only a senior man who is allowed to raise objection; the juniors are required to maintain a respectful silence, and to listen without interjection. On frequent occasions the medicine-men, though not necessarily members of the supreme council, are invited to attend, especially at such times when the cause of a death is being investigated, or the nature of adverse climatic conditions such as a prolonged drought being probed. These are opportunities at which the sorcerers excel themselves in their wisdom. After an eloquent address they impress their listeners to such a degree by the simplest conjuration that their advice is accepted unreservedly, and is forthwith acted upon.
Such is the executive body of the Australian tribes, who can command, exact punishment, or engage the tribe in warfare. There is no potentate approaching a royal head who ascends by either heredity or self-imposed magnificence, but each tribe has its recognized chief or leader whose position is referred to as “Ingada” by the Arunndta, “Jingardti” by the Aluridja, and “Judja” by the Cambridge Gulf natives. The kobong (or totem) is certainly not without significance, so far as the personnel of the executive is concerned; any heraldic senior, if one may so term the position, has a right to represent his family upon the board of control, and in that capacity his word is respected. But in addition to the orders of these men, the natives obey the laws of the tribe, which have been handed down to them from generation to generation, because they believe in a supernatural power that will punish them for any disobedience. This punishment they maintain would take the form of physical indisposition, disease, or even death, according to the gravity of the breach. They attribute many cases of accidental maiming, blindness, deafness, and paralysis to this cause.
What, perhaps, occupies the attention of the council of old men most frequently is the arranging of corrobborees, sacred performances, and initiation ceremonies. Of these the dates have to be fixed and the programmes discussed and outlined in detail, so that the men who are to take part in the proceedings may be in a position to prepare themselves in advance.
In their dealings with the aboriginals, Europeans are too apt to ignore the authority of the old men, and frequently their defiance of primal law has led to disastrous conflicts. When in the MacDonnell Ranges I was desirous of taking two aboriginal children away with me. The circumstance was mentioned to one of the influential old men, who thereupon called together the elders of the tribe; and my request was considered in all its aspects. After a lengthy meeting, during which it was apparent there were two or three dissentient voices, I was finally informed that the children could accompany me under certain conditions which I had to take upon myself to guarantee. This agreement arrived at, the children were given to understand that they were going by the direction of the old men, and I officially received the spokesman’s word of honour that, firstly, the children would never desert us en route, and, secondly, no attempt would be made on the part of the tribe to interfere with us, or steal the children from the camp at night. Had one attempted this under any other conditions and against the will of the tribe, there would have been serious trouble.