Daramulum
Encyclopedia
In several of the Aboriginal
cultures of South-East Australia
such as Wiradyuri, Kamilaroi
, Eora
, Darkinjung, and Guringai, Daramulum (“one legged”) is a son of Baiame
and his emu
-wife Birrahgnooloo
.
He is often depicted in Sydney Rock Engravings
in semi-profile, with one arm, an emu-back (i.e. pointed buttocks), and a club foot. He is often shown close to an emu, which may be his totem, or may be related to his emu
ancestry. He has the ability to change his appearance from that of a huge giant to that of a small animal or bird.
His voice can be heard through the medium of the bullroarer
which is whirled through the air during initiation
ceremonies. He now lives in the trees of the bush, particularly in the burl
s or growths which are found on the trunks of trees, and only leaves them for initiation ceremonies. The bullroarer must be cut from a tree which contains his spirit for it to work.
The name is better rendered Dharramaalan (dharra 'leg, thigh' + maal 'one' + -an suffix). The "dh" is a dental consonant, pronounced like the 'd-th' in English "hid them". In the Sydney region it is often spelt Daramulan. It is also spelt Dhurramoolun.
Indigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Aboriginal Indigenous Australians migrated from the Indian continent around 75,000 to 100,000 years ago....
cultures of South-East Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
such as Wiradyuri, Kamilaroi
Kamilaroi
The Kamilaroi or Gamilaraay are an Indigenous Australian people who are from the area between Tamworth and Goondiwindi, and west to Narrabri, Walgett and Lightning Ridge, in northern New South Wales...
, Eora
Eora
The Eora are the Aboriginal people of the Sydney area, south to the Georges River, north to the Hawkesbury River, and west to Parramatta. The indigenous people used this word to describe where they came from to the British. "Eora" was then used by the British to refer to those Aboriginal people...
, Darkinjung, and Guringai, Daramulum (“one legged”) is a son of Baiame
Baiame
In Australian Aboriginal mythology Baiame was the Creator God and Sky Father in the dreaming of several language groups , of Indigenous Australians of South-East Australia....
and his emu
Emu
The Emu Dromaius novaehollandiae) is the largest bird native to Australia and the only extant member of the genus Dromaius. It is the second-largest extant bird in the world by height, after its ratite relative, the ostrich. There are three subspecies of Emus in Australia...
-wife Birrahgnooloo
Birrahgnooloo
In Australian Aboriginal mythology , Birrahgnooloo is a goddess of fertility who would send floods if properly asked. Ash et al. spell her name as 'Birra-ngulu', i.e...
.
He is often depicted in Sydney Rock Engravings
Sydney rock engravings
Sydney rock engravings are a form of Australian Aboriginal Rock Art consisting of carefully drawn images of people, animals, or symbols, in the sandstone around Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
in semi-profile, with one arm, an emu-back (i.e. pointed buttocks), and a club foot. He is often shown close to an emu, which may be his totem, or may be related to his emu
Emu
The Emu Dromaius novaehollandiae) is the largest bird native to Australia and the only extant member of the genus Dromaius. It is the second-largest extant bird in the world by height, after its ratite relative, the ostrich. There are three subspecies of Emus in Australia...
ancestry. He has the ability to change his appearance from that of a huge giant to that of a small animal or bird.
His voice can be heard through the medium of the bullroarer
Bullroarer
Bullroarer may refer to the following:*Bullroarer , a ritual sound instrument and an ancient communication device used for communicating over greatly-extended distances*"Bullroarer" , a song on Midnight Oil's Diesel and Dust CD...
which is whirled through the air during initiation
Initiation
Initiation is a rite of passage ceremony marking entrance or acceptance into a group or society. It could also be a formal admission to adulthood in a community or one of its formal components...
ceremonies. He now lives in the trees of the bush, particularly in the burl
Burl
A burl or bur or burr is a tree growth in which the grain has grown in a deformed manner. It is commonly found in the form of a rounded outgrowth on a tree trunk or branch that is filled with small knots from dormant buds.A burl results from a tree undergoing some form of stress. It may be caused...
s or growths which are found on the trunks of trees, and only leaves them for initiation ceremonies. The bullroarer must be cut from a tree which contains his spirit for it to work.
The name is better rendered Dharramaalan (dharra 'leg, thigh' + maal 'one' + -an suffix). The "dh" is a dental consonant, pronounced like the 'd-th' in English "hid them". In the Sydney region it is often spelt Daramulan. It is also spelt Dhurramoolun.