Initiation Ceremonies, Arunta Tribe. 161 



by slightly lifting the hands up and down, with the arms bent at 

 the elbow, in a way often adopted (lining various ceremonies. 

 At the Apulia the men sit down and sing the tire song : — 



" Atnylinga etunja ilia althara wuntama," 



over and over again. Atnylinga is the red flower of a species of 

 Eremophila which in the Alcheringa was made red by much 

 burning, Etunja is a twig of Eucalyptus, Althara means blazing 

 up, and Ilia wuntama is the term applied to a fire which is 

 rushing along. This song is always sung on the night preceding 

 the preparation of the Arachitta poles, the twigs used for 

 swathing which are always put through a blazing tire. The 

 singing continues for about half-an-hour, after which the XJrin- 

 thantima man as well as another miira man, and also an Okilia, 

 run to the lubras holding shields before their faces. The first- 

 named seizes the Wurtja, and assisted by the other two takes him 

 back to the Apulia, where he is told to lie down and his face is 

 covered, while the singing of the fire song continues at intervals 

 all night long. As soon as the Wurtja is taken from tliem the 

 women run away to their camp. 



At daybreak the Urinthantiraa man rubs the Wurtja all over 

 with dry red ochre and then winds fur-string round his head so 

 as to completely hide his hair from sight while the other men 

 sing :— 



" Purta purta airpinta airpintima," 



The song sung while preparing the Arachitta poles. Purta purta 

 is to arrange the leaves, to settle them in their places ; Airpinta 

 airpintima means round and round again. While this is being 

 sung the women come up to the Apulia and dance up the lines 

 towards the Wurtja making with their hands the movement of 

 invitation and shouting, "pai! pai ! pai !" Suddenly the Urin- 

 thantima man hoists the Wurtja up on his shoulders and runs off 

 with him followed by a number of the younger men upon which 

 the women at once run back to their camp and the singing ceases. 

 When out of sight of the Apulia the Wurtja is put down and the 

 men proceed to a spot about lialf-a-mile away from the Apulia 

 where they make large fires and cut down a number of slender 

 sapplings which are to be used for Arachitta poles. The 

 branches are scorched in the flames while the men sing the fire 



