THE RASH MAKER

Evening Star, Issue 20055, 21 December 1928, Page 6

THE RASH MAKER

“AUSSIE" WITCH PSCTRR Tho rainmaker takes that place among the Australian aboriginals usually occu I'iiocl by tho witch doctor or medicine man oi ollmr dark races (says a writer in the Melbourne 1 Am; AHe, it would seem, succeeds to olm> more uu account ol ago and “bora” standing in Lbe tribe rather than by occult knowledge, although bo is supposed to be well versed in the black art and the folk lure ut tbu tribe. Jio is, according to bis own showing, the maker of charms both good and evil, tho associate ot evil spirits amt the .Alcooringa (tho totemie ancestors). His chiet otiico is that- ot rainmaker, however, and if be proves uusneeesslul for a longer period than is compatible with tho well-being ot bis tribe be is often deposed in favour ot another aspirant, for many covet the oltice. It is noticeable that he randy commences his incantations belore the storm season is duo to break. That lie keenly watches every change of weather is evident, for by deduction and experience be can forecast rain some hours belore the event; but, like his white brother tho meteorologist, ho makes mistakes, although such blunders weigh as lightly upon Lis conscience as they do upon that of the white scientist. There arc certain ceremonies to be gone through in tho aboriginal ritual at the beginning of the wet season, and to omit these would, it is believed, bring upon the tribe tbu wrath of the totemie ancestor. Tho rainmaker must visit every gully, creek, and river, in the Latin, and wherever he finds a pool of waiter (they are nut numerous at that time of the year in Capo York J.’eninsula), spring or running stream, lie must enter tho water lacing down stream, and with his hand beat the water through his extended legs up against the natural flow of the water course. At the same time ho mutters incantations which to the uninitiated seem weird and unholy. At times the rainmaker will impress Libras into his service, more especially when the heat is the greatest. To (hose ho will delegate the .strenuous task of beating the water, while lie promenades the bank of the watercourse, invoking the tit bal ancestor Jimmy (bis real name was Koom-Bndgec-Koori, but we called him Jimmy for short) was a great rainmaker. He stood' high in the estimation of his tribe, who considered he could draw moisture from a cloudless sky. For some reason he attached himself to me, and was delighted when I desired his services as a. moisture purveyor. If tho weather was propitious ho would start in at once, and it must bo admitted that on several occasions ho brought off tho deal, but there were times when, with all ilie accessories to hand for a deluge—great clouds banking up the right quarter, vivid lightnings, and crescendo peals of thunder, which seemed to shake the very foundations of tho universe—these, coupled with Jimmy’s most awful incantations and gesticulations, proved of no avail. A gust of wind altered the course of tho storm, and the whole thing blow over. On Iheso occasions Jimmy showed the metal of which he was made; far from being disconcerted, ha would smile, accept the stick of trade tobacco, and with the sago remark, “ Birae-by ho come up,” ho would betako himself to his camp, there to feast and corroborcc and live up to bis reputation.