Antakirinya pulpiŋba, iguana ancestors

pulpiŋba

Source term: bullroarer

pulpiŋba: Berndt’s Antakirinya bullroarer term; no literal gloss supplied.

The first bullroarer was made for the first subincision. The two iguana ancestors Kuruka'di and Mumba marked it like an iguana's back and strung it with human-hair or wombat-fur twine. Kuruka'di swung it first, warning the Kunkarunkara women away; then the two men subincised each other, founding the rite. Among the Antakirinya the pulpiŋba sounded before circumcision and subincision. A newly subincised youth received one and hid it; only after both ceremonies could he make his own. In a story the Antakirinya also knew, the same heroes speared a great mother snake whose blood, urine and excreta became the red, yellow and white ochres of Mul'tan'tu.

Particulars

Object

Carved wooden blade with designs representing iguana markings, swung on human-hair or wombat-fur twine.

Function

Sounded before circumcision and subincision; given to the initiate after subincision and kept hidden.