The Wandjina's and Creation
In the Kimberley region in north-western Australia the Wandjina figures that adorn the caves are responsible for the creation of the universe, the stars, the people, the fauna and flora (Love 1917; Love 1930). The Wandjina figures were discovered in 1838 by George Grey (1841) who had traveled by horseback into the Kimberley with the hope of discovering new pastoral country. After completing their creation activities they lay down in the caves and disappeared into the rock face, leaving their images on the walls. Their most remarkable feature is the halo around the head and no mouth. Elkin, the noted anthropologist and later observers provided the meaning of these figures (Elkin, 1930; Capel, 1972; and Cowan, 1994).
There many are other stories told by the Aboriginal people across Australia.
Sources:
Love, J.
R. B. 1917. Notes on the Wororra Tribe of North-Western Australia. Transactions
of the Royal Society of South Australia. 41, 21
Love, J. R. B. 1930. Rock
paintings of the Wororra and their mythological interpretation. Journal of the
Royal Society of Western Australia. 16, 1
Grey, G. 1841. Journal of two
expeditions in north-west Australia. London
Elkin, A. P. 1930. Rock
paintings of north-west Australia. Oceania. 1, 3
Capell, A. 1972. Cave
painting myths, North Kimberley. Oceania Monograph
Cowan, J. G. 1994. Myths of
the dreaming: Interpreting Aboriginal legends. Prism Press, Bridport.
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