A
History of Bunyips: Australia's Great Mystery Water Beasts by Josie
Flett. Paperback book published by Free Spirit Press 1999, 84 pages
with black and white photographs and a few black and white maps.
“An
authentic history of the terrifying and mysterious creature which
once haunted the creeks and billabongs of Australia. Accounted for in
Aboriginal legend, described by the early settlers and then dismissed
by scientists unable to ascribe a suitable theory, the Bunyip remains
today as a colourful and intriguing character out of Australia’s
past.”
In the
not so distant past (2 days ago) at around dusk one evening, I was
adventuring in a remote area of Victoria's central goldfields (100
metres from where I now sit) when I stumbled across an isolated body
of water (… actually the creek that runs through the middle of
town). Not really a large lake, but more like a big damn and sort of
big enough for a small row boat... but too small for a small sailing
boat... you can't water ski on it. So there I was when out of the
water jumped a massive beast that for want of a better term I would
describe as being a Bunyip... or maybe it was a big dog having a
swim... Now that I think about it, it did look more like a Wallaby...
and it wasn't in the water... but at the time and in the half light
it was Bunyip like... even though I have no idea what a Bunyip should
look like... it was next to the water which is where Bunyips are
supposed to live.
So what
is a Bunyip?
The bunyip,
or kianpraty, is a large mythical creature from Aboriginal
mythology, said to lurk in swamps, billabongs, creeks,riverbeds,
and waterholes. The origin of the word bunyip has been
traced to the Wemba-Wemba or Wergaia language of Aboriginal
people of South-Eastern Australia. However, the bunyip
appears to have formed part of traditional Aboriginal beliefs and
stories throughout Australia, although its name varied according to
tribal nomenclature. Wikipedia
Yes it
is difficult to see a myth and I guess that is why I personally
haven't seen a Bunyip or any another mythical beasts and also why the
Wallaby that I saw was actually a wallaby and not a Bunyip. I do
like the idea that there are those who can comfortably assert that
they have seen myths. It's a brave path to travel and this book is a
collection of those paths regarding the elusive* Australian Bunyip.
The information is mainly historical and I think that what brought
this book to my attention is that it is not that often that I find
stand alone books about Australian Great Mystery Water Beasts /
Myths.
… and
you never know, maybe I'm wrong about that Wallaby.
Children beware.
*Mythical
No comments:
Post a Comment