AUSTRALIA STORY
The first time I saw a swagman, I was a bit frightened. He was very thin, and he had a rope tied around his waist to keep his trousers from falling. His wispy hair hung to his shoulders and was covered by an old felt hat. In the band of this hat was a wattle stem (the national flower of Australia). There were six corks hanging from the hat to keep the flies away from his face.
His name was Gunner Bill. He was always seen with his swag, which is a sausage shape roll that hung on his shoulders to carry food and blankets. He also had a billy—a small pot for making tea. He always seemed to have a smile on his face. As he passed my house, I could hear him singing and greeting our cows and sheep with a friendly, "G'day."
One afternoon, I saw Gunner Bill walking slowly towards the bush (an Australian eucalyptus forest). Running next to him was his cattle dog. I decided I would follow the swagman to find out how he lived. As he walked down the dirt path towards the bush, I made sure that I stayed out of sight because I did not want Gunner or his dog to know that I was following them. Finally they reached a small tent that was leaning on a tree.
Suddenly, without warning, the dog leaped up and bounded towards me. I was very scared because he seemed ready to bite me. I heard Gunner yell, "Kipper—stop and come back." The dog obeyed and retreated. Then the swagman called for me to come out towards him. I walked slowly to the man and stared at the swaggi's gray eyes.
"Listen mate, you're not the first lad to spy on me. I've traveled from one end of Australia to the other, and I have seen things you will never see in a lifetime. I guess that you can call me a professional swagman or hobo. I have no family, and I only own what's on my back. I am willing to work for my keep and I don't like to beg for tucker (food)."
I asked him to tell me more about his adventures. He did not hesitate—he seemed excited to have someone to talk to. His travels had taken him to many large cities of Australia. He started in Sydney, which has one of the world's finest harbors. He worked as a stevedore on the docks, unloading and loading ships from all over the world. After a few months, he decided to leave Sydney and travel further south.
His next job was shearing sheep in Gundagai. He found his dog, Kipper, in Gundagai. Gunner told me about an Australian legend that involved swaggis and their dogs. The legend is that the dogs were extremely obedient—they would stay with the tucker box (sort of like a picnic basket) to protect the food from wild animals while the swaggis were hunting or roving. One day, the swaggis left and never came back (they went off to war). The dogs stayed to protect the tucker box until they died.
Gunner also spoke of the Aborigines who helped the swaggis as trackers or guides. These Aborigines knew the land so well they could find water in a country that seems waterless. They know where to dig in the sand for a soak or water hole. For food they depended on what they found in the bush. They ate roots, berries, seeds, witchiti grubs, snakes, kangaroos, and even Joeys (baby kangaroos). They slept in the open with no covering at all. When they camped, they made rough huts called gunyahs or wurleys out of branches. They were experts in the use of their native weapons such as boomerangs and nulla nullas. Most of them live in areas called the outback. Gunner learned a lot from the Aborigines.
After I listened to Gunner's adventures, he told me that I should go home before my parents got worried. He told me that he and his dog would be gone by the morning. He asked me to wait a moment as he went to grab something out of his tent. He came back and placed a package into my hand.
When I finally got home, I went directly to my room and opened my gift from Gunner. As I was unfolding the paper, a note fell on the floor. There in front of me was the most beautifully carved boomerang that I had ever seen. It felt light and firm in my hand and I was thrilled to be its new owner. I picked up the note and read it. "Lad, I'm giving you this boomerang made by one of my Aborigine friends. He told me that this instrument is a weapon of defense and a symbol of friendship. For though friends might leave for awhile, it does not mean they will not return. Like a boomerang, I will return and see you again some day. No worries."
(Leila Perdiguero)
Maori stories and legends (New Zeland)
In the beginning there was no sky, no sea, no earth and no Gods. There was only darkness, only Te Kore, the Nothingness. The very beginning was made from nothing. From this nothingness, the primal parents of the Māori came, Papatuanuku, the Earth mother, and Ranginui, the Sky father.
Papatuanuku and Ranginui came together, embracing in the darkness, and had 70 male children. These offspring became the gods of the Māori. However, the children of Papatuanuku and Ranginui were locked in their parents embrace, in eternal darkness, and yearned to see some light. They eventually decided that their parents should be separated, and had a meeting to decide what should be done.
They considered for a long time - should Rangi and Papa be killed? Or shall they be forced to separate?
Finally, Tumatauenga, the god of War, said "Let us kill our parents". However, Tane-Mahuta, the god of man and forests, and all which inhabits the forests, thought that Rangi and Papa should be separated. He thought that Ranginui should go up above, to the sky, and that Papatuanuku should should go below, to dwell on earth. All the children, including Tu, the God of War, agreed with Tane.
Tawhiri Matea, the god of winds and storms was the only child who did not wish for his parents to be separated. He feared that his kingdom would be overthrown. One by one the children tried to separate their parents. Rongomatane, the god and father of cultivated foods, tried without success. Haumia Tiketike, god of uncultivated food also tried.
Then it was the turn of Tangaroa, the god of the sea, and Tumatauenga, the god of war, but neither Tangaroa nor Tumatauenga could separate their parents.
Lastly Tane-Mahuta rose. Strong as the kauri tree, he placed his shoulders against his mother Papatuanuku and his feet against his father Ranginui, and he pushed hard, for a very long time, straining and heaving all the while. Rangi and Papa cried in pain, asking their sons" why do you wish to destroy our love?"
After a long time Tane finally managed to separate Rangi and Papa, and for the first time the children saw the light of day (ao Marama) come streaming in. Once this happened, Tawhiri Matea, the god of winds and storms, and who had been against the separation of his parents, left for the sky to join his father.
The turbulent winds and storms on earth are caused by Tawhiri Matea, in revenge for this brother's acts.
Now that the separation of Papatuanuku and Ranginui was complete, and there was a sky and an earth. However, there was just one missing element, and Tane decided to create a female. From an area named Kura-waka Tane took some clay, and modeled it into a woman. He then breathed life into it, and created Hine-ahu-one - the earth formed maiden.
Tane and Hine had a beautiful daughter called Hinetitama. When Hinetitama grew, she had daughters to Tane. One day Hinetitama asked Tane who her father was, and on discovering that Tane was the father of her children, she fled with shame into the night, to a place called Rarohenga, the underworld. From then on she became known as Hine-nui-te-po, the goddess of the night.
(Andrea Bardón)
Thukeri ( south australia story)
This is a story about two men who lived on the shores of Lake Alexandrina. They belonged to the Ngarrindjerri people.
The two men set off in their bark canoe to go fishing on the lake. They travelled along on the calm, cool waters until they came to their favourite fishing place, called Loveday Bay, where they always caught the best and most delicious bream fish. In their language, this fish is called Thukeri.
They found a good sheltered spot among some high reeds. They had made their own fishing lines, called nungi, from cords they had made from the reeds. They used very sharp bird bones for hooks.
They knew the women were collecting vegetable plants to eat with the fish.
As the day went on the two men sat there catching more and more fat, juicy Thukeri. They were having such a wonderful day catching so many fish and wanted to keep catching more and more, but the canoe was almost full and looked like it would sink.
As they paddled in closer to shore, they could see a stranger in the distance. He seemed to be walking straight towards them. The two men looked at each other; what if this stranger wanted some of their beautiful, juicy Thukeri?
They were greedy and decided not to share with the stranger. They decided to keep all the fat, lovely Silver Bream for themselves and quickly covered the fish up with their woven mats so that the stranger would not see them. When the stranger came up to the two men he said, 'Hello, brothers. I haven't eaten anything at all today. Could you spare me a couple of fish?'
The two men looked at each other and at the mats hiding the Thukeri. They turned to the stranger and one of them said, 'I'm sorry, friend, but we caught only a few fish today and we have to take them home for our wives and children and the old people, because they are depending on us. So, you see, we can't give you any.'
The stranger stood there for a long while and then started to walk away. He stopped, turned around and stared at them. 'You lied,' he said. 'I know that you have plenty of fish in your canoe. Because you are so greedy, you will never be able to enjoy those Thukeri ever again.'
The two men stood there, puzzled, as the stranger walked away into the sunset. They shrugged their shoulders, then quickly took off the mats and began to gut the fish. But as they did this, they found that these beautiful silver Thukeri were so full of sharp, thin bones that they couldn't eat them.
'What are we going to do? We can't take these home to our families, they'll choke on them.' So the two men had to return home in shame with only the bony fish. When they got home, they told their families what had happened. The old people told them that the stranger was really the Great Spirit called Ngurunderi. Now all the Ngarrindjeri people would be punished for ever, because the two men were so greedy.
And so today, whenever people catch a bony bream, they are reminded of long ago, when Ngurunderi taught them a lesson.
(Marc Prior)
Min-na-wee (Why the crocodile rolls)
As the last rays of the beautiful red-pink sun set on the small camp and the sweeping coastal plain, all the little girls played, enjoying themselves.
All the young boys were with their fathers, learning the ways of manhood. The mothers were preparing for the evening meal. There was fresh fish cooking on the coals, with freshly-caught mud crabs and mussels.
Everyone in the group was contented, the season had been good for them. Plenty of fresh food. Everyone except little Min-na-wee was happy.
Min-na-wee was different. From a little girl, Min-na-wee liked to cause trouble amongst the other little girls. Min-na-wee's face was so hard and scaly-looking, it mostly revealed her hatred.
The old people knew of Min-na-wee's efforts to start trouble, which led to fights. Not only among the little girls, but also their mothers.
The old people warned Min-na-wee's mother that if she did not stop Min-na-wee making humbug, then something terrible would happen to her.
Years passed and Min-na-wee grew into a young woman, but she still liked to cause trouble. One day all the young women, including Min-na-wee, had to prepare to be selected as brides. Min-na-wee stood in a line with all the other girls. The old people pointed out which men were to marry which women. By the end of the ceremony, Min-na-wee was left standing alone. She had not been chosen to become a wife.
Min-na-wee's hatred grew stronger and stronger. She caused more and more trouble in the camp. Fights were breaking out every day amongst the tribe. Min-na-wee sat back in her little humpy and watched. She was pleased with herself.
The Elders of the tribe agreed that Min-na-wee must be punished for what she had done.
Min-na-wee had little knowledge of the tribe's decision. As she approached the women to cause another fight, she was grabbed by the men and rolled around and around in the dirt.
She managed to escape and run in to the edge of the sea where she called on the evil spirits to change her into a vicious animal so she could stage a revenge attack on her tribe. Min-na-wee was changed into a large crocodile and slid into the muddy waters, awaiting her prey.
The tribespeople thought no more of Min-na-wee and carried out their daily events. As they wandered along the banks, hunting for mud crabs, Min-na-wee lay waiting. One of the men who had taken part in Min-na-wee's punishment jumped into the water. Min-na-wee crept up behind and grabbed him. She told him she would roll him around and around, as he had done to her. Over and over, she continued to roll him in the water, until she was satisfied he was punished enough.
To this day, Min-na-wee's spirit still remains with the crocodiles and that is why every time that a crocodile catches its prey, it always will roll around and around in the water.
(Marc Prior)
