Aboriginal Mythology. Mudrooroo
See Djanggawul and his two sisters myth.
Bilyarra See Mars.
Bima See Curlews; Mudungkala.
Bimba-towera the finch See Echidna.
Binbeal See Bunjil.
Bindirri, Yirri (Roger Solomon) Yirri Bindirri is the son of Malbaru, or James Solomon, and they are both elders of the Ngarluma people of Western Australia. They are well known for striving to keep alive the traditions of their people. In the film Exile and the Kingdom, the elders explain the mythology which binds them to their country around Roebourne in Western Australia.
Bingingerra the giant freshwater turtle See Yugumbir people.
Birbai See Bundjalung nation.
Birraarks See Shamans.
Birrahgnooloo See All-Mothers.
Birrung See Bundjalung nation.
Black (or charcoal) is an important colour in Aboriginal paintings and also is used as a medicine. It is a sacred colour of the Yiritja moiety of Arnhem Land.
See also Bark paintings; Red, black, yellow and white.
Black flying foxes See Flying foxes.
Black Swans See Altair; Bunjil; Murray river.
Blood Bird See Yugumbir people.
Bloodwood tree See Djamar; First man child; Menstrual blood; Moiya and paka paka; Tnatantja poles; Yagan.
Blue Crane See Narroondarie.
Bodngo See Thunder Man.
Bolung Bolung is another name for the rainbow snake among the people of the Northern Territory. Bolung takes the form of the lightning bolt which heralds the approach of the monsoon rains. He is a creative and life-giving deity and, like many of these serpent deities, inhabits deep pools of water.
Bone pointing The bone pointing ceremony in variations is found all over the continent. It is used to kill a person from a distance. The bone is usually made from the femur of a kangaroo or a human, the most powerful pointer being one from the leg of a former shaman.
The ceremony must be performed by a shaman, usually assisted by a colleague. The bone is pointed in the direction of the intended victim. It is said that a quartz crystal passes from the point and through space into the victim. The connection is made and the soul of the victim is caught and drawn into the bone through the power of the shaman. Then a lump of wax or clay is quickly attached to the point. This lump, energized by a spell, is to stop the soul escaping from the point. When the soul is caught, the bone is buried in emu feathers and native tobacco leaves. It is left in the earth for several months. At the end of this period it is dug up and burnt. As the bone burns, the victim burns along with it, becoming progressively sicker. When the bone is completely consumed, he is dead.
Boomerang The boomerang is more than a bent throwing stick that returns. It was first fashioned from the tree between heaven and earth; it symbolizes the rainbow and thus the rainbow snake; and the bend is the connection between the opposites, between heaven and earth, between Dreamtime and ceremony, the past and the present.
In many communities the boomerang is a musical instrument rather than a weapon. Two boomerangs clapped together provide the rhythmic accompaniment in ceremonies, thus creating the connection between dance and song.
See also Gulibunjay and his magic boomerang.
Boonah See Narroondarie.
Bootes The Bootes constellation, or, rather, a star in Bootes, west of Arcturus, was Weet-kurrk; daughter of Marpean-kurrk (Arcturus) according to the Kooris of Victoria.
Bornumbirr See Morning Star.
Boro circles The boro circles or grounds are the sacred ceremonial grounds of the Australian Aborigines. In the eastern regions they consist of a larger and smaller circular ground connected by a path. The smaller boro ground is said to represent the Sky-World where Biame has his home. It is forbidden to noninitiates. The larger ground represents the earth and is public. The ceremonies performed there are less secret.
Boro circles occur all over Australia and have different names in the different languages. In regard to these circles, Bill Neidjie says, ‘This “outside” story. Anyone can listen, Kid, no matter who, but that “inside” story you can’t say. If you go in a ring-place, middle of a ring-place, you not supposed to tell im anybody ... but, oh, e’s nice.’
Borogegal See Eora tribe.
Borun the pelican See Frog.
Bralgu Bralgu is the Island of the Dead according to the Aboriginal people of Arnhem Land. It is said that after three days the newly deceased is rowed in a canoe by Nganug, an Aboriginal Charon, across the ocean to the Island of the Dead to be greeted by other departed souls.
It is said that every day, shortly before sunset, the souls at Bralgu hold a ceremony in preparation for sending the Morning Star to Arnhem Land. During the day and the greater part of the night, the Morning Star is kept in a dilly bag and guarded by a spirit woman called Malumba. The souls and spirits hold a ceremony during which much dust is kicked up. This brings the twilight and then the night to Arnhem Land. When the time approaches for the Morning Star to begin its journey, Malumba releases it from her bag. On release, the Morning Star rises up and rests on a tall pandanus palm tree, the Dreaming tree of life and death. From there, it looks over the way it is to go, then rises, hovers over the island and ascends high into the sky. Malumba holds a string to which the star is attached, so that it will not run away. When morning comes, Malumba pulls it back and puts it in her bag.
See also Thunder Man.
Bram-Bram-Bult See Centaurus; Southern Cross; Two Brothers.
Bran Nue Dae Bran Nue Dae is a musical put together by Jimmy Chi and the Kuckles Band of Broome. It details the adventures and misadventures of Willie, a young man, and his mentor, Uncle Tadpole, and gives an insight into the modern lifestyles of Aboriginal people in Western Australia. It has been enormously successful throughout Australia.
Brisbane See Dundalli; Grasshouse mountains; Platypus; Rainbow snake.
Brolga See Duwa moiety.
Bropho, Robert Robert Bropho is an important member of the Nyungar people who has led the fight to protect the sacred places in Western Australia. He lives in Lockridge on the outskirts of Perth, close to Bennett’s Brook, an important Dreaming place of the Nyungar. He has made films and written books to highlight the injustices of our people and to protect our sacred places.
Buda-buda See Mopaditis.
Bull-roarer A bull-roarer is a shaped and incised oval of wood, to one end of which is fastened a string. It is rapidly swung in the boro ground ceremonies (see Boro circles). There are many varieties of bull-roarer and the sacredness of the object varies from area to area. When it is incised with sacred designs it becomes a sacred object known as a tjuringa or inma. In some places it may be seen by everyone; in others, especially in the south east, it may only be seen by the elders or initiated men. In some areas, northern Queensland for example, a larger bull-roarer is considered male and a