72 
HORN EXPEDITION—ANTHROPOLOGY. 
but ,al.so like our own more complicated dances, consisting of a recognised, definite 
and orderly series of figures, each having its proper accompaniment of chant. 
On promise of suitable reward it was arranged that a corrobboree should be 
held at Alice Springs. It was called, as we learned, “Atnimokita” or “Atnumokita,” 
meaning the corrobboree of the forked stick. 
The central feature of the corrobboree, and that from which it takes its name, 
is a forked pole—atnuma—about 14 or 15 feet high (Plate XV., Fig. 19). This 
was decorated with transverse or oblique bars and spots of yellow and wliite on a 
ground colour of red ochre, and erected at the western end of a sjiace about 
20 yards long by 10 yards wide, which had been carefully cleared of grass, sticks 
and stones. Then followed the decoration of the performers, which was rather a 
long proceeding. A considerable quantity of the cottony involucral hairs of 
Portulaca filifoUa had been collected and carefully separated from all twigs. 
Sepai’ate portions of this were either coloured by admixture with dry pul¬ 
verised red or yellow ochre, or kept in its natural white condition. Freshly 
coagulated human blood, drawn in the manner previously described, formed the 
medium for attaching this down to the bodies. The subject of the venesection is 
usually, and was in this case, the local chief, the operator was the chief’s brother 
who performed in the presence of the local medicine-man (“ Railtchewa”). 
As I have elsewhere stated, blood for a similar purpose was, at Tempe Downs, 
obtained by pricking the mucous mendirane of the subincised ui’ethra. During 
the time that the incision in the arm was being made the following is chanted by 
the bystanders :— 
TJnka chaapanie tinka na-a-a- 
TJnka cha— chaajiani aamcn-a-a- 
While the blood is flowing :— 
and 
Unka cha chaan ca cha-a-a- 
Owini amen aa-a- 
t 
Okatain teyn man ca-a-a- 
Tain ma okatain tain ma tain ma-a-a 
With an improvised brush the blood is daubed on to the body and the 
Portulaca down made to adhere. While this is being done the chant is :— 
Ai hnchun cha-la-laa-a-a 
Unchfin cha-la-lai. 
