The Australian Aboriginal counting system was used together with message sticks sent to neighbouring clans to alert them of, or invite them to, corroborees, set-fights, and ball games. Numbers could clarify the day the meeting was to be held (in a number of "moons") and where (the number of camps' distance away). The messenger would have a message "in his mouth" to go along with the message stick.
A common misconception among non-Aboriginals is that Aboriginals did not have a way to count beyond two or three. However, Alfred Howitt, who studied the peoples of southeastern Australia, disproved this in the late nineteenth century, although the myth continues in circulation today.
The system in the table below is that used by the Wotjobaluk of the Wimmera (Howitt used this tribal name for the language called Wergaia in the AIATSIS language map). Howitt wrote that it was common among nearly all peoples he encountered in the southeast: "Its occurrence in these tribes suggests that it must have been general over a considerable part of Victoria". As can be seen in the following tables, names for numbers were based on body parts, which were counted starting from the little finger. In his manuscripts, Howitt suggests counting commenced on the left hand.
Wotjobaluk counting system
Aboriginal nameliteral TranslationTranslationNumberGiti mŭnyalittle handlittle finger1Gaiŭp mŭnyafrom gaiŭp = one, mŭnya = handthe Ring finger2Marŭng mŭnyafrom marung = the desert pine (Callitris verrucosa). (i.e., the middle finger being longer than the others, as the desert pine is taller than other trees in Wotjo country.)the middle finger3Yolop-yolop mŭnyafrom yolop = to point or aimindex finger4Bap mŭnyafrom Bap = motherthe thumb5Dart gŭrfrom dart = a hollow, and gur = the forearmthe inside of the wrist6Boibŭna small swelling (i.e., the swelling of the flexor muscles of the forearm)the forearm7Bun-dartia hollow, referring to the hollow of the inside of the elbow jointinside of elbow8Gengen dartchŭkfrom gengen = to tie, and dartchuk = the upper arm. This name is given also to the armlet of possum pelt which is worn around the upper arm.the biceps9Borporŭngthe point of the shoulder10Jarak-gournfrom jarak = reed, and gourn = neck, (i.e. is, the place where the reed necklace is worn.)throat11Nerŭp wrembŭlfrom nerŭp = the butt or base of anything, and wrembŭl= earearlobe12Wŭrt wrembŭl'''' |from wŭrt = above and also behind, and wrembŭl = ear |that part of the head just above and behind the ear |13 |- |Doke doke|from doka = to move | |14 |- |Det det''hardcrown of the head15
A similar system but with one more place was described by Howitt for the Wurundjeri, speakers of the Woiwurrung language, in information given to Howitt by the elder William Barak. He makes it clear that once counting has reached "the top of the head. From this place the count follows the equivalents on the other side."
Other languages Language 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Anindilyakwa awilyaba ambilyuma abiyakarbiya abiyarbuwa amangbala ememberrkwa GumulgalJohn Harris, Australian Aboriginal and Islander mathematics , Australian Aboriginal Studies, 1987. urapon ukasar ukasar-urapon ukasar-ukasar ukasar-ukasar-urapon ukasar-ukasar-ukasar GurindjiWilliam B. McGregor, (2013). Languages of the Kimberley, Western Australia, Routledge. yoowarni garndiwirri nga-rloo-doo Kokata kuma kutthara kabu wima ngeria Kunwinjku na-kudji boken danjbik kunkarrngbakmeng kunbidkudji kunbidboken NgaanyatjarraStephanie Fryer-Smith, (2002). Aboriginal Benchbook for Western Australian courts , Australian Institute of Judicial Administration Incorporated. kutja kutjarra marnkurra kutjarra-kutjarra kutjarra-marnkurra Nunggubuyu anyjabugij wulawa wulanybaj wulalwulal marang-anyjabugij marang-anyjabugij wula marang-anyjabugij marang-anyjabugij Tiwi natinga jirara jiraterima jatapinta punginingita wamutirara Wangka kuja kujarra kujarra kuju kujarrakujarra marakuju marakujarra Yorta Yorta'Yorta Yorta Language Heritage Dictionary', Heather Bowe, Lois Peeler, Sharon Atkinson, copyright 1997, Hawker Brownlow Education, 2005. iyung bultjubul bultjubul iyung bultjubul bultjubul bultjubul bultjubul iyung bultjubul biyin-n Yolngu wanggany marrma' lurrkun marrma' marrma' gong wangany gong marrma'
See also Wurundjeri Alfred Howitt
References
Bibliography Howitt, A.W. 1904. The native tribes of south-east Australia. London: MacMillan and Co. Reprinted. 1996. Canberra: Aboriginal Studies Press. pp. 696–699 describe the system in Wotjobaluk, while p700-703 describe the Wurundjeri system.