Creation Story & Flood
Listen to Yidumduma share the first chapter of the Creation Story relating to the flood in full Wardamanlanguage. This clip is from the archive of CAAMA, Central Australian Aboriginal Media Association, and used with their permission. www.caama.com.au/productions
Related links: Creation Story 1
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Transcript
We have done some editing here of CAAMA subtitles to be consistent with YDP clips.
My name is Bill Harney.
I going to tell you a story from the Creation Time so you know how everything came to be.
I'm going to tell you a story.
In the Creation Time, these two were frozen onto the rock.
Jabiringi and Yagadjagbula (Jabirringi and Yajagbula) are the names of the two you see behind me here.
Later on I'll tell you what these two got up to, but first I'll tell you about their mother.
She had lots of kids in the salt-water country. Later on she came onto the dry country.
She had children on the dry land. She made a lot of Lightning People.
Later on, the old Rainbow Serpent heard all the kids.
"Ah! she's making lots of children inland, she's having children on dry land.
I want her to keep them here in the saltwater arm of the river."
That's what old Rainbow said. So, he went over to where the old lady sat,
he went up to her and he asked, "Why are you having all these kids here?
We want to have kids under water, not on dry land."
That's what old Rainbow said. The old lady replied,
"No, we want to have both, some in the water and some on dry land."
Old Rainbow said, "No, that's not the right way. I'll go back now.
I'm going to bring the big water to you." Then he went back home.
Rainbow sang a big spiritual song. Then he heard a big noise, the water was coming.
Water came right across the country. The salt water had arrived.
It buried the whole country.
All these little Lightning People left the low country and sat on a high mound.
They he threw a spear from Bunnugaya (Barnaangga-ya, Mt. Gregory).
It hit old Rainbow Serpent and cut his neck clean off.
That's where the tail stayed, and the head landed over there.
His two eyes flew out and landed over in the west and became rock pools.
I going to tell you a story from the Creation Time so you know how everything came to be.
I'm going to tell you a story.
In the Creation Time, these two were frozen onto the rock.
Jabiringi and Yagadjagbula (Jabirringi and Yajagbula) are the names of the two you see behind me here.
Later on I'll tell you what these two got up to, but first I'll tell you about their mother.
She had lots of kids in the salt-water country. Later on she came onto the dry country.
She had children on the dry land. She made a lot of Lightning People.
Later on, the old Rainbow Serpent heard all the kids.
"Ah! she's making lots of children inland, she's having children on dry land.
I want her to keep them here in the saltwater arm of the river."
That's what old Rainbow said. So, he went over to where the old lady sat,
he went up to her and he asked, "Why are you having all these kids here?
We want to have kids under water, not on dry land."
That's what old Rainbow said. The old lady replied,
"No, we want to have both, some in the water and some on dry land."
Old Rainbow said, "No, that's not the right way. I'll go back now.
I'm going to bring the big water to you." Then he went back home.
Rainbow sang a big spiritual song. Then he heard a big noise, the water was coming.
Water came right across the country. The salt water had arrived.
It buried the whole country.
All these little Lightning People left the low country and sat on a high mound.
They he threw a spear from Bunnugaya (Barnaangga-ya, Mt. Gregory).
It hit old Rainbow Serpent and cut his neck clean off.
That's where the tail stayed, and the head landed over there.
His two eyes flew out and landed over in the west and became rock pools.
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