May 2024

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Jarruka (Scrubfowl)

The scrubfowl is a culturally significant Totem to our people. We still dance it in public ceremonies. The scrubfowl dance starts off with two male dancers as scrubfowl characters guarding the nest and eggs.  Then the women dancers come in. They are on the lookout for scrubfowl nests and carry dillybags for the eggs. The women chase the scrubfowl guards away, fill up their dillybags with the precious eggs. At the end, the male scrubfowl dancers join the women again and celebrate the harvest to say thanks for the eggs.

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Kurranji (Cassowary)

The cassowary is one of the major totems (Ancestral Spirit Beings) for our Kuku Yalanji people. He is a big, dangerous bird that rules the rainforest. The cassowwary can attack people but at the same time he helps growing many of the plants we used to collect for food, medicine and tool making.

I inherited the Cassowary Totem and all the cultural stories relating to it from my mother’s side. When I was four years old, my mum taught me how to dance the story of the female cassowary, who is protecting the chicks and the eggs from the carpet snake and goanna.

As a young women, I took on the role of my mum and began teaching our cultural dances to the younger generation at the Mossman Gorge community as well as children that live in Mossman town. I still do this today.

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Ngunyin (Dillybag)

Dillybags played a vital part in Kuku Yalanji culture. Women used them to carry food when out hunting and gathering or soak bitter yams in creeks before cooking them. Dillybags were also used to hold personal and sacred items.

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Birmba (White Cockatoo)

Birmba (White Cockatoo) is my family totem. It has been passed down from generation to generation. 

White Cockatoos always remind me of my grandfather, my sisters and other family who have passed on. Th eyare like protective spirits for me, my family and my loved ones that have passed.They will give you signs: Good signs and signs of danger. They let you know when to move on.

When I’m out with my grandchildren, I say “Look, do you see that white cockatoo there? That’s your grandmother there, overlooking us”. I let them know that it is family watching over them , keeping them connected to each other and our country. When I’m alone, I know they’re around. I speak to their spirit and they give me strength.

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Kurriyala (Carpet Snake)

The carpet snake is an important animal for us. We call it Kurriyala in our Kuku Yalanji language. Our ancestors wrapped the meat in native ginger leaves and cooked it on the hot coals of the ground oven. They also used the skin to make head bands or skillfully sown blankets that keep the families warm and dry at night.

 

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Kakan (Black Palm) Basket Weaving

This design shows how the bottom part of a black palm basket is woven. My grandmothers and aunties used to make them. They cut off the young palm leaves in the centre, stripped and scrapped them. Then they would put the strips in freshwater to make them soft and keep them straight for weaving.