Motif
Body mark as recognition by a spirit
body_mark_as_recognition_by_a_spirit
A motif of the Recognition Tokens and Identity Proofs family. Every row below is a tagged passage; each rests on a quote in its source text.
1 occurrences
1 traditions
australian aboriginal
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The Euahlayi Tribe: A Study of Aboriginal Life in Australia CHAPTER VIII / THE TRAINING OF A BOY UP TO BOORAH PRELIMINARIES / CHAPTER IX / THE BOORAH AND OTHER MEETINGS; lines 3341-3460 confidence: high
Where customary, a front tooth is knocked off; a wirreenun chants that the missing tooth is the Boorah spirit's sign and protects the boy; teeth may be buried by the Boorah fire, kept as charms, or sent to other tribes.
The chant says the missing front tooth is the Boorah spirit's sign and that the spirit will know the boy by it and not harm him.
read in the book →