Initiation Ceremonies, Arunta Tribe. 107 



to the women. To this the boy listens in silence. When the 

 bleeding has diminished he is led to the eastern end of the Apulia 

 where he stands, between two Okilia, looking towards the west 

 while two other Okilia, taking each an Arachitta pole, mount 

 the bank and holding their poles over the middle of the path 

 shout loudly, moving them up and down as they do so, " Arara, 

 arara, arara," which is the signal for the officials to return, which 

 they do, coming up one at a time. As each man comes up the 

 Okilia shouts, " this is Wulya (and so on through the list), do not 

 mention his name," and then each of them embraces the boy in 

 turn, pressing their bodies closely togetlier. As each man comes 

 up, and the presentation is made, the same ceremony is gone 

 through and in turn every one of those who have taken any 

 special part is named by the Okilia whose cry, " Arara. ai'ara, 

 arara," rings out sharply in the darkness, for the tire is now burnt 

 down. When the presentations are over the Okilia produces a 

 bundle of Cliuringa saying, "here is Twanyirika of which you 

 have heard .so much, they are Churinga and will help to heal you 

 quickly, guard them well and do not loose them or you and your 

 mothers and .sisters will be killed, do not let them out of your 

 sight or you and your mothers and sisters will be killed, do not 

 let your mothers and sisters see you, obey your Okilia who will 

 go with you, do not eat forbidden meat."' 



The newly made Arakurta then remains for some time standing 

 by a tire, the smoke of which passes over his wound. Finally he 

 is taken away by a special man in whose charge he has to 

 remain until his wound is healed, when the ceremony of Ariltlia 

 will be performed. This man is, if one be available, an unmarried 

 umbirna to whom the boy's sister has been promised. Failing- 

 such an one he may be an Oknia, Okilia or a Mura man. 



There are certain restrictions and customs which must be 

 strictly observed by the more immediate blood relations of the 



1 In the particular ceremony now described, .is soon as these instructions hart been 

 given to him a man brought on to the ground two young Arakurta who had been operated 

 upon six or seven weeks before. Tliey at once knelt down with their backs to the newly 

 made Arakurta and he, acting on instructions from an Okilia, took a Churinga from his 

 bundle and holding it in both hands, scrai)ed their backs. This is called, " Untungalirrinia" 

 and places all three of the Arakurta upon the same footing and makes them friends. The 

 two kneeling Arakurta were then told to go away quickly to their camp. This, of course, 

 does not take place always, but only when two operations have followed closely upon one 

 aiiolher. 



