Initiation Ceremonies, Ai-unta Tri})e. 165 



Mia to the NVurtja conies and sits down behind one of the Oknia 

 and two others sit behind two other Oknia. At the same time 

 the men who have brought in the Arachitta poles and are about 

 to wear these attached to their legs are busily engaged, with the 

 assistance of other men and some of the women, in fastening 

 them on. At the end of the ten minutes the Urinthantima 

 wriggles out from underneath the Wurtja who remains lying, 

 face downwjirds, on the ground. The old Ipnmnna stands close 

 by explaining the design on the back of the Wurtja, and after a 

 time calls up two women who are Ipmunna to the Wurtja to 

 come and rub out the design ; they come forward reluctantly, and 

 one after the other stoop down and with their foreheads efface 

 the drawing. The men with the Arachitta poles are now ready 

 and come on to the Apulia. Dancing and singing begin at 

 once, the men carrying the poles attached to their ankles run up 

 and between the banks of the Apulia, while the women follow 

 them about stripping the poles of their leaves. It is now dark, 

 and the only light is that given out by a big tire which has been 

 made by heaping the two brakes on top of one another and then 

 setting fire to the whole mass. The Wurtja looking on sits 

 between the legs of an Okilia, and the scene is one, as can be 

 imagined, of the weirdest description. Suddenly the old mura 

 man gives out a great roar, whereupon the dancing ceases and 

 the women quickly run oiJ', followed by menacing shouts from 

 the men. At the same time the sound of buUroarers is heard 

 coming from each side of the Apulia, and at this signal the 

 Wurtja is laid down on his back and some of the Oknia and 

 Okilia men taking up a number of the Arachitta poles stack 

 them on top of him, and, lifting them up and down as if beating 

 time with them on his body, they all sing wildly — 



" Ingwa alkirna alkirnie li 

 Urtnathie alkirlie impara." 



Ingwa means night or darkness ; Alkirna, twilight ; Alkirnie li, 

 a great clear light ; Urtnanthie, a lot of trees growing close 

 together; Alkirlie, like the sky ; Impara, rising red like the sun. 

 The fire is now giving out a brilliant light and the two 

 Atwia-twia men take up a position close to it at the spot 

 marked D on the diasram. With their beards thrust into 



