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believe that the noise of the bull…roarer at initiation is made by a spirit named Katajalina； who lives in an ant…hill and comes out and eats up the boy； afterwards restoring him to life。 Similarly among their neighbours the Anula the women imagine that the droning sound of the bull…roarer is produced by a spirit called Gnabaia； who swallows the lads at initiation and afterwards disgorges them in the form of initiated men。
Among the tribes settled on the southern coast of New South Wales； of which the Coast Murring tribe may be regarded as typical； the drama of resurrection from the dead was exhibited in a graphic form to the novices at initiation。 The ceremony has been described for us by an eye…witness。 A man； disguised with stringy bark fibre； lay down in a grave and was lightly covered up with sticks and earth。 In his hand he held a small bush； which appeared to be growing in the soil； and other bushes were stuck in the ground to heighten the effect。 Then the novices were brought and placed beside the grave。 Next； a procession of men； disguised in stringy bark fibre； drew near。 They represented a party of medicine…men； guided by two reverend seniors； who had come on pilgrimage to the grave of a brother medicine…man； who lay buried there。 When the little procession； chanting an invocation to Daramulun； had defiled from among the rocks and trees into the open； it drew up on the side of the grave opposite to the novices； the two old men taking up a position in the rear of the dancers。 For some time the dance and song went on till the tree that seemed to grow from the grave began to quiver。 Look there！ cried the men to the novices； pointing to the trembling leaves。 As they looked； the tree quivered more and more； then was violently agitated and fell to the ground； while amid the excited dancing of the dancers and the chanting of the choir the supposed dead man spurned from him the superincumbent mass of sticks and leaves； and springing to his feet danced his magic dance in the grave itself； and exhibited in his mouth the magic substances which he was supposed to have received from Daramulun in person。
Some tribes of Northern New Guineathe Yabim； Bukaua； Kai； and Tamilike many Australian tribes； require every male member of the tribe to be circumcised before he ranks as a full…grown man； and the tribal initiation； of which circumcision is the central feature； is conceived by them； as by some Australian tribes； as a process of being swallowed and disgorged by a mythical monster； whose voice is heard in the humming sound of the bull…roarer。 Indeed the New Guinea tribes not only impress this belief on the minds of women and children； but enact it in a dramatic form at the actual rites of initiation； at which no woman or uninitiated person may be present。 For this purpose a hut about a hundred feet long is erected either in the village or in a lonely part of the forest。 It is modelled in the shape of the mythical monster； at the end which represents his head it is high； and it tapers away at the other end。 A betel…palm； grubbed up with the roots； stands for the backbone of the great being and its clustering fibres for his hair； and to complete the resemblance the butt end of the building is adorned by a native artist with a pair of goggle eyes and a gaping mouth。 When after a tearful parting from their mothers and women folk； who believe or pretend to believe in the monster that swallows their dear ones； the awe…struck novices are brought face to face with this imposing structure； the huge creature emits a sullen growl； which is in fact no other than the humming note of bull…roarers swung by men concealed in the monster's belly。 The actual process of deglutition is variously enacted。 Among the Tami it is represented by causing the candidates to defile past a row of men who hold bull…roarers over their heads； among the Kai it is more graphically set forth by making them pass under a scaffold on which stands a man； who makes a gesture of swallowing and takes in fact a gulp of water as each trembling novice passes beneath him。 But the present of a pig； opportunely offered for the redemption of the youth； induces the monster to relent and disgorge his victim； the man who represents the monster accepts the gift vicariously； a gurgling sound is heard； and the water which had just been swallowed descends in a jet on the novice。 This signifies that the young man has been released from the monster's belly。 However； he has now to undergo the more painful and dangerous operation of circumcision。 It follows immediately； and the cut made by the knife of the operator is explained to be a bite or scratch which the monster inflicted on the novice in spewing him out of his capacious maw。 While the operation is proceeding； a prodigious noise is made by the swinging of bull…roarers to represent the roar of the dreadful being who is in the act of swallowing the young man。
When； as sometimes happens； a lad dies from the effect of the operation； he is buried secretly in the forest； and his sorrowing mother is told that the monster has a pig's stomach as well as a human stomach； and that unfortunately her son slipped into the wrong stomach； from which it was impossible to extricate him。 After they have been circumcised the lads must remain for some months in seclusion； shunning all contact with women and even the sight of them。 They live in the long hut which represents the monster's belly。 When at last the lads； now ranking as initiated men； are brought back with great pomp and ceremony to the village； they are received with sobs and tears of joy by the women； as if the grave had given up its dead。 At first the young men keep their eyes rigidly closed or even sealed with a plaster of chalk； and they appear not to understand the words of command which are given them by an elder。 Gradually； however； they come to themselves as if awakening from a stupor； and next day they bathe and wash off the crust of white chalk with which their bodies had been coated。
It is highly significant that all these tribes of New Guinea apply the same word to the bull…roarer and to the monster； who is supposed to swallow the novices at circumcision； and whose fearful roar is represented by the hum of the harmless wooden instruments。 Further； it deserves to be noted that in three languages out of the four the same word which is applied to the bull…roarer and to the monster means also a ghost or spirit of the dead； while in the fourth language （the Kai） it signifies grandfather。 From this it seems to follow that the being who swallows and disgorges the novices at initiation is believed to be a powerful ghost or ancestral spirit； and that the bull…roarer； which bears his name； is his material representative。 That would explain the jealous secrecy with which the sacred implement is kept from the sight of women。 While they are not in use； the bull…roarers are stowed away in the men's club…houses； which no woman may enter； indeed no woman or uninitiated person may set eyes on a bull…roarer under pain of death。 Similarly among the Tugeri or Kaya…Kaya； a large Papuan tribe on the south coast of Dutch New Guinea； the name of the bull…roarer； which they call sosom； is given to a