Aborigine Magic Paintings of Australia - “This was a boys’ initiation site,” our guide said, “and the paintings under this rock illustrate some of the Ang-Gnarra’s most sacred, secret ceremonies.” Allan, who was explaining the rock art to us, had to lie down on his back to point with his walking stick at the stylized human images, and we crouched low to see them. There was grotesque monster, a voluptuous female figure, and a man with a missing front tooth. Allan explained that these pictures told the story about circumcision rites. After an adolescent boy was circumcised, he had to live in isolation, not speaking to anyone nor touching anyone else’s possessions, until his scar healed. Afterwards, he would be taken away by an older woman and taught about sexual intercourse. The rock picture of the monster showed the kind of horrible creature the boy would become if he violated sexual taboos.
From
Alter J. Ego
