or Coradgee
aboriginal name for a wise man, sorcerer, or doctor. In the south-east ofNew South Wales, it means one of the tribal wizards, usuallycalled «blackfellow – doctors.»
1845. J. O. Balfour, `Sketch of New South Wales,' p. 14:
«The coradgees, who are their wise men, have, they suppose,the power of healing and foretelling. Each tribe possesses oneof these learned pundits, and if their wisdom were in proportionto their age, they would indeed be Solons.»
1865. S. Bennett, `Australian Discovery,' p. 250:
«Kiradjee, a doctor; Grk. cheirourgos. Persian,khoajih. English, surgeon. Old English (obsolete),chirurgeon.»
[Curious and impossible etymology.]
1865. W. Howitt, `Discovery in Australia, vol. i. p. 287:
«One who seemed a coradge, or priest, went through a strangeceremony of singing, and touching his eyebrows, nose, andbreast, crossing himself, and pointing to the sky like an oldDruid.»
1885. R. M. Praed, `Australian Life,' p. 23:
«The korradgees, or medicine men, are the chief repositories(of the secrets of their religion).»
1892. J. Fraser, `Aborigines of New South Wales,' p. 63:
«For some diseases, the kar'aji, or native doctor when he iscalled in, makes passes with his hand over the sick man, muchin the same way as a mesmerist will do . . . Our Australiankaraji is highly esteemed, but not paid.»