During an emu hunt the birds are surrounded. Cf. emu-hunting. If an emu is compelled by way of fire or encirclement to run fast in fear of its life, it emits a peculiar [drumming] sound of which the concealed ambushman will take note. The [making of this] sound is described as bunnga tutungana. In the case of humans and of other animals it is referred to as ngara tutungana. bunnga patai the lung is out of order or diseased
The emus are driven towards the water which has been surrounded [by hunters at a secluded distance], and when they attempt to wade into the water, they are struck down.
Emus, of course, are waylaid and killed at waterholes.
to surround it with men and then chase the wallabies uphill. ngaiani ninaia marda kapikapinanto, nganti mara nauja we him stone (hill) must surround, animals with he our plan must be to encircle the range and chase uphill, for it is covered with game. Meant are mostly wallabies that have their habitat in the ranges.
When fish are being caught, bundles of grass are laid in the water. These are [then] pushed along by several men, in order to drive the fish forward [into the nets]. ngaiani kanta piriri ngankai paru jukala we grass bundles 'Bundles, tufts or bunches of grass' does not really cover the native term J.G. Reuther. make fish to come up we drive the fish forward, in order to lift them out of the water with a [hand-]net? cf. dundru.
[Such a man] was Tjupulina
This [net] is not attached to posts and left in the water, but is dragged by men through the water, so that fish can be caught up in it. The net is also called a billi-nindri. Among the Jauraworka [tribe] this is the 'mother' of nets. At the same time it is described as kana jerto satisfier of men, because lots of fish are caught by [or in] it.
This net is woven in such a way that in appearance it resembles a liver hanging inside the stomach. It is placed in the small channels of an oncoming flood. When the water runs through it, the fish have to stay behind. Naturally, these [fish] are then eaten.
when fish change their position according to the depth of the channel, the net is lowered at the deepest spots. ninkida ngaiana jama worai, paru ninkindrupara karitjinanto jamani wirila here we net cast, fish from those here should change position into the net to enter we are casting the net in here, so that fish from around here may enter the net
When hunting for snakes, nobody will take along a person who is not familiar with [or at home in] the local sandhills, for it is believed that no snakes will be caught [if he does], for the reason that snakes creep into their holes at [the sound of] a stranger. wata kana ko wiralkamai dakuni, nau woma kadiwiribaiati not person ignorant lead about on sandhills, he snakes otherwise scares away do not lead a person around [with you] who is not at home in your sandhills, otherwise he will [only] scare the snakes away
During an emu drive, the men have set up a mile-wide circular perimeter on the previous night. It is known that there are emus inside this circle, which are to be caught. The circle gets progressively narrower in the direction of a waterhole, to which these emus are to be driven and on whose banks men remain in hiding who are to kill the emus as they enter the water. On the following morning, as the sun begins to get hot, the drive begins. A man in the centre, on either side of whom the men have fanned out to right and left, has already enchanted the emus and now gives the signal to decamp. He kindles a huge fire, [whereupon] all the others follow his example. An emu will not run between these various fires. It prefers to strike in the direction where it usually goes to water, [but] in this direction, of course, there is no fire to be seen. Kindling new fires [along the way], those who are posted on the wings now keep on moving further forward, constantly narrowing down the circle. warukati milkitandra ngamalkani nulu wonina warai turu japila, ngaiana pratjaterinali woninanto turu janila witta kulnuni emu eye-owner he has started fire to kindle, we all I too must start fire to kindle line in one the emu-eye-owner (sorcerer) has started to kindle a fire, as the signal that we all are to [follow his example and] kindle a [whole] line of fires
When searching for water, several parties go out. The one that finds water [first] makes a fire [to notify the others].
When someone has caught one, two, or three animals and wants to convey this [information] to somebody a [considerable] distance away, he lifts up one, two or three fingers and with these strikes the other hand once, twice, or three times [as the case may be].
This is done with a stick, in seclusion behind a bush, then emus are in the vicinity. The emus come forward out of curiosity, and are then [speared] to death by other men in hiding.