How were individual totems passed to Wiradjuri medicine men?

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totem fish mask — Totemism Totem fish mask from the Orokolo Bay area of New Guinea. Painted bark cloth over rattan frame with fringe of dried grass. Height 1.63 m.

Among the Wiradjuri people, individual totems—known as bala or jarawaijewa—are passed to medicine men through patrilineal transmission. Specifically, a novice receives the totem from his father or grandfather, who must also be a medicine man.1

The process of transmission involves a ritual where the candidate lies on his back while the relative "sings" the totem into him. During this ceremony, the relative places a small animal on the youngster's chest; as the singing continues, the animal is believed to slowly sink into the candidate's body until it disappears within him. Following this, the initiate receives instruction on how to treat his new spirit companion and learns the rituals required to dispatch the totem from his body to perform tasks, such as gathering information or practicing sorcery.1