174 Proceeding>< of the Royal Society of Victoria. 



" Irkao-artha " man, holding his shield before his face, and is 

 placed squatting upon a lire which has been smothered with 

 green leaves which the lubras have prepared, and behind which 

 they stand, shouting " tirra, tirra, tirra," and making with their 

 hands the movement of invitation already referred to. The 

 Ertwa-kurka is then pressed down gently on the tire by the 

 women, and after remaining in this position for a few minutes 

 is taken off by the " Irkoa-artha " man, and handed over to a 

 few young boys who have not yet been initiated, and who are 

 told to camp with him but on no account to speak to him. 

 After three days during which he speaks to no one, men who 

 are his Okilia come out from the Ungunja and invite him 

 to come and join them after which he becomes a permanent 

 member of the Ungunja or men's camp. Before, however, he 

 may speak to any of the officals who took part in the ceremony 

 he has to go out into tlie bush and procure game as an offering 

 to each one of them — this gift being called " Chauarilya." 



At the presentation of " Chauarilya " the man to whom it is 

 presented always performs some sacred ceremony, after which 

 the mouth of the Arakurta and of all those who are present is 

 touched with some sacred oViject which has been used in the 

 ceremony, such as a Nurtunja, and in this way the ban of silence 

 is removed. When these ceremonies have been passed through 

 the native is regarded as an initiated member of the tribe and 

 may take part in all the sacred ceremonies of his group, though 

 it is not until he has passed through the Engwurra that he 

 becomes what is called Urliara or a fully developed man. 



The following names indicating the different grades of initia- 

 tion are applied to the boy, youth and man at the times indicated : 



(1). A/nl'iiguerka, up to the time of throwing up. 



(2). Ulpmerka^ after throwing up and until circumcision 

 is performed. 



(3). Arakurta, after circumcision and before subincision is 

 performed. 



(4). Ertwa-kurka, after subincision and until he has passed 

 through the Engwurra. 



(5). Urliara, after the Engwurra has been passed through. 



