Page:Native Tribes of South-East Australia.djvu/264

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238
NATIVE TRIBES OF SOUTH-EAST AUSTRALIA
CH.

Gillen. I have to thank Professor Spencer for the further details as to the marriage regulations of both the four and the eight sub-classes.

The following table gives the Arunta marriages and descents:—

Male Marries Children are
Panunga Purula Bulthara
Bulthara Kumara Panunga
Purula Bulthara Kumara
Kumara Panunga Purula

This gives a rule similar to that of the Kaiabara sub-classes, in which descent is in the male line. In this case also the child is of that sub-class which is the fellow of that of its father.

But Messrs. Spencer and Gillen point out that to a Panunga man, for instance, the Purula women are divided into two groups, the members of one of which stand to him in the relationship of Unawa, whom he may marry, while the members of the other stand in the relationship of Unkulla whom he may not marry.[1] Each of the four sub-classes is thus divided into two other sub-classes, with one of which marriage is forbidden. Thus a Panunga man is only permitted to marry a woman of one of the two divisions of Purula. In the northern part of the tribe matters are simplified by the existence of distinct names for the two groups. In the following table the eight divisions thus arising are laid down, and it will be noted that the old name is used for one half and a new name adopted for the other.[2]

Diagram XVIII.—THE ARUNTA TRIBE
A I. 1. Panunga 5. Purula III. B
2. Ukuarra 6. Ungalla
II. 3. Bulthara 7. Kumura IV.
4. Apungata 8. Umbitchana

Although the existence of classes is not known, it may be said that since the eight sub-classes are derived from the

  1. Op. cit. p. 71.
  2. Op. cit. p. 72.