Observations placeholder
A P Elkin - Aboriginal men of high degree - Webb and Warner 2
Identifier
003500
Type of Spiritual Experience
Background
A description of the experience
Aboriginal men of high degree – A P Elkin
Both Webb and Warner describe the making of another doctor, Munyiryir (Moinyerenyer). The latter thinks that two spirit-marrngit (one a male and the other a female) were attracted by some bandicoot that he caught. At any rate, just as he was waking from an after-dinner sleep, one of the spirits half-stunned him, and the other jumped on his chest.
He attempted unsuccessfully to call his relations, but the spirit-doctors "thrust all manner of pointed objects into his body."
After this, with the help of two younger spirit-doctors, they threw him into a waterhole, and when he began to drown, they pulled him out. The two elder ones then extracted all the pointed objects, so that he felt well again, and told him that he would be able to extract such things from sick people. According to Warner's account, the spirit-doctors opened Munyiryir's eyes, nose, and mouth and blew in his mouth, making him well, after which he hit them on the nose and then, blowing on them, made them well again.