UNKNOWN AUSTRALIA.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 11 January 1926, Page 8

UNKNOWN AUSTRALIA.

THE TERRY' EXPEDITION

CUSTOMS OP THE BLACKS

The Terry expedition, which has been exploring the inland areas of almost unknown Australia, has had many intercsting experiences among the blacks. Writing from Billiluna Station, Western Australia, the leader of the expedition, Lionel Terry, says: — Our (lavs at. this station were full or interest. " The blacks, with their weird customs and curious habits, weic a never-ending source of amusement and novelty. We saw them at their dances, they made hair ropes for us, they chipped spear-heads, a doctor performed some disappearing tricks with a stone which his confreres considered, very special, they showed how to hunt with boomerangs and a host of other items well worth recording.

While the preparations for the corroborec were going on a black was persuaded to demonstrate the art of iircmaking. Having collected a small heap of twigs and a handful of tinder grass, he squatted on the ground. He used two sticks for the job, one of which was laid on the tinder and held in place by his feet at either end, the other being supported vertically between his hands. With a swift rubbing movement of the hands the vertical stick was made to rotate in alternate directions, so that its point bored into the wood on which it was resting. This soon grinds out a tiny stream of black, smoking powder, which trickles down among the tinder. Directly the smallest amount lias been obtained the sticks are dropped on one side, and the powder is carefully buried in the dry grass. With little delay it is held up to the breeze, which the black supplements with gentle puffs of his own according to his fancy.

Watching him at this part of the business reminded one strongly of some collector viewing a choice piece of china or glass. As his head moved this way or that, directing the puffs, the memory came of a connoisseur searching for a flaw in a crystal held high to the light iri a dingy curio shop. Thoughts were quickly brought to the present, for the “curio” immediately began to emit trickles of flame as Ihe whole caught fire. The burning grass was dropped on the ground, and, with the twigs piled upon it, it soon became a merry little fire. We got the boy to repeat the whole operation several times, but it never took longer .than three or four minutes to complete the process from start to finish. As we stood watching the Jiremaker other blacks collected around, among whom were one or two with markedly Semitic features. In fact, one was photographed, but let it not be thought that I am an aspirant to the honour of finding the Lost Tribe in still another curious locality. A STRANGE ASSEMBLY.

Meanwhile the audience had collected. A heterogenous assembly of lubras, pieariinnies, and non-performers were seated in the usual fashion, but as closely packed as possible. The men were complacently squatting in the front, while the women were severely relegated to the back stalls, children being allowed a free run of the house and the choice of anybody’s knee. This audience is the orchestra as well, for their task is to carry on the suitable chant and supply the time for the dancers. This latter is done by clapping boomerangs together with monotonous regularity, and by the lubras slapping their thighs with hollowed hands. The dancers were fourteen in number, and were partly hidden behind some bushes, whence they issued on to the stage—a clear piece of ground directly in front of the audience. The signal for the performance to commence was given by the audience (would that civilisation’s conventions were the same!) They set up a chaaat which seemed as good as an order to get a move on.

Stamping hard and stepping high, the dancers came hard out from the shelter ot' the bushes. With set faces they kept in a. regular formation, doing a series of figures not unlike a movement of the “Lancers.” This was continued for two or three minutes. Then the orchestra ceased and the stage emptied. After a short, spell the singing was again begun, the new chant apparently differing from the previous one only in the words. There was more variation in the dancing, as a new series of formations were gone through. Also other symbols were carried by the performers. LEARNED FROM ANOTHER TRIBE.

Previously cacti one had held length of hair string, about 3ft long, with an end in each hand. As they danced one end was held high, and the other about the level of the hip. Every few steps the high end was lowered to the hip, tin- lower end being at the same time raised to about the height of the forehead. I was unable to learn the significance of this feature of the eorroborce; all I could gather was that it had been learnt from a tribe far away to the east.

During the second dance each boy carried two boomerangs held crossed in front of him, and during the subsequent ones other symbols were used. I! was soon sundown, so the day’s corroborec drew to a close. Hot. and perspiring, the dancers seemed only too glad that the exacting audience had allowed them a respite till the morrow. To recompense them for the display the fourteen performers were told to come to the cars, where each received some token. A selection of tobacco, beads, cloth, mouth organs, and other articles of “trade’’ brought smiles. One of the most, successful of the novelties were some pairs of coloured spectacles, after the pattern worn by the popular screen comedian Harold Lloyd.