RECORD ID

2057

FIGURE

Spirit

NARRATIVE

Retellings and Adaptations

PRINTED LABEL

spirit

PUBLICATION

Notes on the Aborigines of Western Australia; C. G. Nicolay

AUTHOR

Not specified

d draws some milk out of her breast on to the grave. The reason for making the fire is, they believe that the spirit does not leave the neighbour- hood, but comes back to the grave ; and if it finds no fire, goes to the next camp to warm itself, and will probably do some mischief to one of the persons whose business it was to revenge his death. The form the spirit is supposed to take is that of a small brown lizard, that eats into their flesh ; hence the name, * Bilya Backan * (Bilya, to bite, Backan, the belly). As the natives do not believe that any person dies a natural death, but suppose them to have been boulyaed (bewitched).

Terminology belongs to the cited public source. Its presence in the archive is not verification of the reported claim.

1. 01spirit in A Descriptive Vocabulary of the Language in Common Use Amongst the Aborigines of Western Australia1842 · Internet Archive
2. 02spirit in A Descriptive Vocabulary of the Language in Common Use Amongst the Aborigines of Western Australia1842 · Internet Archive
3. 03spirit in A Descriptive Vocabulary of the Language in Common Use Amongst the Aborigines of Western Australia1842 · Internet Archive
4. 04spirit in A Descriptive Vocabulary of the Language in Common Use Amongst the Aborigines of Western Australia1842 · Internet Archive
5. 05spirit in How did the Natives of Australia become Acquainted with the Demigods and Daemonia, and with the Superstitions of the Ancient Races?1854 · Internet Archive
6. 06spirit in How did the Natives of Australia become Acquainted with the Demigods and Daemonia, and with the Superstitions of the Ancient Races?1854 · Internet Archive