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1 THESES SIS/LIBRARY TELEPHONE: R.G. MENZIES LIBRARY BUILDING NO:2 FACSIMILE: THE AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL UNIVERSITY library.theses@anu.edu.au CANBERRA ACT 0200 AUSTRALIA USE OF THESES This copy is supplied for purposes of private study and research only. Passages from the thesis may not be copied or closely paraphrased without the written consent of the author.

2 Cautionary Note This thesis contains names of actual people who may have subsequently died. Care must be taken not to mention these names to Marrangu people because this would cause distress. Similar care must be taken with photograghs of people. Details of Marrangu ceremonies contained in this thesis could cause concern to Marrangu people if revealed in public contexts.

3 'MEWAL IS MERRI'S NAME' FORM AND AMBIGUITY IN MARRANGU COSMOLOGY, NORTH CENTRAL ARNHEM LAND. Craig Elliott A thesis submitted for the degree of Master of Arts of the Australian National University in June 1991.

4 All work presented in this thesis derives from my own research unless otherwise credited in the text. C. A! ~ Craig Elliott

5 iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Over a two year period while writing this thesis I was financially supported by a scholarship from the Australian National University. The Faculty of Arts, Australian National University, also provided fieldwork funds. In Darwin the North Australia Research Unit assisted with accomodation and provided invaluable research support. At N.A.R.U I especially thank Jann King and Colleen Pine. Consultations with the Donald Thomson and Northern Australian Collections at the Museum of Victoria, Melbourne, were highly rewarding thanks to Lindy Allen. While researching this thesis I benefitted greatly from correspondence with other fieldworkers Ad Borsboom, Greg Anderson and Margaret Clunies Ross all of whom I thank sincerely. Indeed, this thesis is indebted to Borsboom's careful study of Marrangu people, especially in Maradjiri (1978). At A.N.U my supervisor, I an Keen, tirelessly ploughed through earlier drafts and offered precise and penetrating comments. His correspondence while in the field provided immeasureable encouragement. I am grateful for his interest and supervision. I thank Ingrid Slotte and Fiona Magowan who read and commented on earlier drafts. Doreen Bowdrey and Margaret Burns, my roommates, were always supportive and a joy to work with. Debbie Mcgrath and Helen Nicoll showed enormous tolerance of my unceasing demands. Lynn Lobo spent many hours typing my manuscript and her encouragement and patient labour has in large measure made this work possible. At Ramingining Ron and Cynthia Lawler offered me warm hospitality and day to day assistance, which I greatly appreciated. Djon and Belinda Scott Mundine were always ready to stop for a cuppa and a chat and responded to my inexperienced questions with a wealth of

6 v information and acumen. I am grateful to Djon also for information regarding the Djareware Dreaming Story. My Djinang hosts at Galawdjapin and Gattji tolerated my intrusiveness with patience and good humour for six months in Heartfelt thanks go to everyone, children and adults at Galawdjapin and Gattji who allowed me to share their home. I hope this thesis contributes in a small way to an understanding of their culture. I especially thank Ray Munyal, Dick Miwirri, Bridgette Gorrupudu and Freddie Yuwalarra. This work is dedicated to Robert Gurral and Margaret Mayal, who under incredibly difficult circumstances did everything and more to teach me their culture.

7 vi CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS....iv LIST OF FIGURES vii LIST OF TABLES... viii LIST OF MAPS...ix LIST OF STORIES AND SONG TEXTS... x LIST OF PLATES xi CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION... 1 CHAPTER 2 MARRANGU LAND AND SOCIALITY CHAPTER 3 MEWAL, MERRI, DJAREWARE DREAMING AND LUMA LUMA DREAMING CHAPTER 4 MEWAL, MERRI AND MANIKAY CHAPTER 5 MARRANGU DEATH AND MOURNING CHAPTER 6 MERRI, CONCEPTION, THE BODY AND AFFUCTION CHAPTER 7 COSMOLOGY, AMBIGUITY AND FORM APPENDIX 'IS WULAKI DJINANG?' GLOSSARY REFERENCES

8 vii LIST OF FIGURES FIG 2.1 Marrangu Nongere genealogy FIG 2.2 Marrangu Guraknere genealogy FIG 2.3 Clan, baparru and language groups in North Central Arnhem Land FIG 3.1 Djareware, Mewal and Merri Dreaming tracks FIG 4.1 Mewal bunggul - body positions FIG 4.2 Merri bunggul - body designs FIG 5.1 Burarra Marrangu Djareware ground sculpture FIG 5.2 Djinang Marrangu Djareware ground sculpture FIG 5.3 Shape of paperbark container, djarra, carrying bones in Bogabod ceremony FIG 5.4 Bardurru ceremony, dupun and bordjirrai FIG 5.5 Mullitdji fish trap, Gapi (Water} bunggul, Bardurru ceremony FIG 6.1 Marrangu conception process FIG 6.2 Marrangu kin classification and body parts

9 viii LIST OF TABLES TABLE 2.1 Galawdjapin population profile TABLE 2.2 Gattji population profile TABLE 2.3 Marrangu links with other clans by five criteria TABLE 3.1 Mewal and Merri in Marrangu cosmology TABLE 3.2 Borsboom's summary of Merri and Mewal in Maradjiri (1978b) TABLE 4.1 Profile of typical Marrangu manikay verse TABLE 4.2 Djinang, Djambarrpuyngu and Burarra Marrangu manikay cycles TABLE 4.3 Djinang Marrangu manikay order TABLE Reported Marrangu manikay order, TABLE 4.4 Djinang Marrangu manikay groupings TABLE 4.5 Borsboom's Marrangu manikay 'sub-clusters TABLE 5.1 Marrangu mortuary sequence

10 ix LIST OF MAPS MAP 1.1 Gattji and Galawdjapin in relation to Arnhem Land... 2 MAP 2.1 Vegetation and drainage in Marrangu territory and surrounds MAP 2.2 Settlement pattern, north central Arnhem Land MAP 2.3 Clan territories adjoining Marrangu country, north central Amhem Land MAP 2.4 Nongere and Guraknere Marrangu country MAP 2.5 Marrangu baparru clan countries on Honey Dreaming track MAP 5.1 Plan of 'Tank' funeral, Dec,

11 X LIST OF STORIES AND SONG TEXTS MEWAL AND DJAREWARE STORY LUMA LUMA- GOMIRRINGGU STORY MEWAL MANIKAY SONG TEXT MERRI MANIKA Y SONG TEXT RUNGO YUL STORY

12 xi LIST OF PLATES PLATE 2.1 Stringybark forest, near Galawdjapin PLATE 2.2 Burning grass time, near Bumbaldjarri, Oct PLATE 2.3 Collecting honey, near Ojarwumarrpa PLATE 2.4 Gattji lagoon, near Barrmendelnorray PLATE 2.5 Galawdjapin (Gattji) Creek, near Galawdjapin PLATE 2.6 Children at play, Gattji lagoon, Barrmendelnorray PLATE 2.7 Two barramundi caught in Gattji Creek PLATE 2.8 Mungirdi plain, Yalungirri country PLATE 2.9 Djarrapapuldjirri swamp, Wulaki country PLATE 2.10 Gorbrambi fresh water swamp, Wulaki country PLATE 2.11 Ojimbi Creek at Djambi jungle, Marrangu country PLATE 2.12 Extracting edible core of cabbage palm PLATE 2.13 Ragi (edible corm) at a swamp north of Garnadjarri, Balmbi country PLATE 2.14 Procuring long-neck turtle at Ojarrpapuldjirri swamp, Wulaki country PLATE 2.15 Nungi, salt water cockles PLATE 2.16 Gattji outstation, north central Arnhem Land PLATE Galawdjapin outstation, north central Arnhem Land PLATE 2.18 Galawdjapin outstation, north central Arnhem Land PLATE 3.1 Painting showing the two women, 'Miwal' and 'Wanu-wanu PLATE 3.2 The 'nose of Ojareware PLATE 4.1 Bumbaldjarri jungle, Marrangu country PLATE 4.2 Merri mother and daughter carving PLATE 4.3 Merri 'dead body' spirit carving PLATE 5.1 Djareware bunggul at 'Tank' funeral #2, PLATE 5.2 Preparing cycad nuts for roasting PLATE 5.3 Roasting cycad palm nuts