Page:Native Tribes of South-East Australia.djvu/255

This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
V
MARRIAGE RULES
29
Male Marries Children are
Bulkoin Turowain Bunda
Bunda Baring Bulkoin
Baring Bunda Turowain
Turowain Bulkoin Baring

Bulkoin and Bunda are called brothers, so are also Baring and Turowain.

Bulkoin and Bunda are the subdivisions of Kubatine, and Baring and Turowain of Dilebi. The following diagram compares the Kaiabara and Kamilaroi marriages and descents:—

Diagram XVI
Kamilaroi Kaiabara
m. Aa m. Aa
f. Bd f. Bd
       
m. and f. Bc m. and f. Ab
etc. etc.

It is clear that in these tribes, while the class name descends from father to child, the sub-class name of the child is that which, together with that of its father, represents the class of the latter. Therefore descent is in the male line. The sub-classes of this tribe are the equivalents of those of the Kamilaroi, Bulkoin and Bunda of Ipai-Kumbo, and Baring and Turowain of Murri-Kubbi.

But when one comes to the totemic marriages, a peculiar feature shows itself. The following table was carefully taken down from the statements of some of Mr. Brooke's native police, as to themselves, they being Kaiabara:—

Male Marries Children are
Bulkoin carpet-snake Turowain black eagle-hawk Bunda white eagle-hawk
Bunda native cat Baring rock carpet-snake Bulkoin scrub carpet-snake
Baring turtle Bunda white eagle-hawk Turowain black eagle-hawk
Turowain bat Bulkoin female carpet-snake Baring scrub carpet-snake