108 Records of the S.A. Museum 



demigods there were ver}' many, at least eighty being known, hence a common 

 belief that the tribes were Polytheists. which may here be taken to mean the 

 practice of invoking the help of many gods. 



Kach Mnramura had a distinguishing name used in apposition; thus Mura- 

 mm-a Darana (the demigod of tlie drought, who lived at the period of a great 

 drought) by appealing to the Mura. had his request for rain granted; Jelkabalu- 

 baluna (the deiuigod of Jelka) formed of Jelka, an edible bulb, much esteemed Ijy 

 the natives, and balu. meaning peeled. 



The Mura is known by his attributes, the chief of which is his greatness, the 

 word for which is pinia. also implying power or strength as exeiuplified in the 

 saying: Mura nanja iiiorla piriia wanif^otiini (god is greater than all). Mis 

 greatness is also often expressed in ordinary conversation in simile, as kaiia 

 nanja inurajcyi (this man is like godj, which means that the man is the greatest, 

 tallest and strongest man that he has ever seen. The same simile is used to 

 express the highest mountain, the tallest tree, the largest lake, etc., and is 

 employed in the sentence: Mura inorla pirna. lu/aiani japali uunkangu (god is 

 greater than all, we fear him). Another of his altrihutes is beauty (nyumu) in 

 its fullest sense, as: Maukara iiania nijuinit inurajcri (that girl is as beautiful as 

 god), or Kanaiiuaja Zi.'irina-wori marajcri (this man has made himself — by 

 decoration — as beautiful as god), which explains wh)- the Muramura painted 

 himself with the most glaring colours when he appealed to the Mura. The songs 

 of invocation still persist in the native corroljorees. The native says the noble 

 beatitiful god desires to see noble looking and beautiful people, thus: Mura 

 nanja ngiiinn pirna n;/aiana iiunkani/u nintali (the Mura is very beautiful, we 

 are ashamed liefore him), and this is the reason why no mourner, no one who 

 has lately committed murder, no woman who has recently gi\en liirth to a child, 

 can take part in the ceremonies or corroborees. ( )ther attributes of the Mura 

 are omnii)resence, righteousness and omniscience. Me is everywhere, he sees all 

 that men do and chastises them if they nffcnd him. It is. however, possible 

 to conceal oneself from him and deceive him. ."^hduld a man be travelling 

 during a thunderstorm he covers his head with a bush so that the Mura cannot 

 see him, and is then protected from the pnwer nf the lightning flash. The 

 natives believe that the Mura does not approve of men travelling during a 

 thunderstorm. 



The Muramuras were created by the Mura from clods of earth {daka). 

 and. whereas some were imperfectly formed, attaining full devehjpment on 

 th.e surface, others were perfect even to their decorations, and with them 

 arose one or more wi\'es or subjects, called Mill, .'-iome of these subjects 

 were likewise unformed, being dupudupu. the word meaning contracted. The 



