KADEITCHA MEN

[Maureen K Clifford]

Kadeitcha Men


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wZKvvRbBaI


On feathered feet they walk at night across the desert sands.
The thought of them will bring great fear to woman, child and man.
They're garbed in hair from kangaroo and daubed in human blood,
emu feathers framing faces, tribal masks that bode no good.

The killing bone – the kundela – the root of the destruction,
will never fail for it contains the tribes spoken instructions.
They seek their victim far and wide, relentless - tracking spore
The kundela is pointed. Tribal justice done once more.

No words on tribal law are found written down in text
a fact that's oft' left modern courtrooms somewhat vexed.
it's a fact of life a simple form of tribal retribution
known to all – feared and respected and with no absolution.


A feared and ancient part of their culture handed down
from father to son – by word of mouth. A justice old but sound.
A law strongly encoded into each groups tradition.
Defy the elders if you dare – that road leads to perdition.

The elders set the punishment, and their word is the law
within their tribal groups - Its been this way since long before
the coming of the white man, with laws they think fit the crime.
Tribal laws come from the Ancient ones – relate to their Dreamtime.

But speak of the Kadeitcha men – this story will impart
great fear in the Aboriginal for they know the tale by heart.
They have knowledge of the singing and those who walk in feathered shoes
It's a story from their Dreaming - believe it if you choose.






Maureen Clifford ©

[Neville Briggs]

G'day Maureen. When I was up at Bourke, an old Aborigine man turned up in town who nobody seemed to know. He had a big white beard and dressed like a cowboy from the Northern Territory. The local Aborigines were scared of him, they were sure he was the gadachi man , as they called it. Who knows. But they certainly go in fear of these people.


Neville