Dumbi
Ngarinyin · numen · Ngarinyin traditional religion; continuing · Recorded classification
Dumbi is the owl of Ngarinyin country, regarded as the wise councillor of the Wandjina. He is central to the flood myth that anchors Ngarinyin law: when two children caught him, mocked him and pulled out his feathers, the wrong done to him reached the Wandjina, who loosed a deluge to punish the people from whom the children came. The story fixes Dumbi as a being whose mistreatment cannot go unanswered, and whose suffering measures the gravity of cruelty against the natural order. He is often depicted together with Ungud, water-serpent and owl standing for the twin powers of law and life.
Domains
- counsel wisdom
- law retribution
Powers
- counsel the Wandjina
- bring about the great flood
Relations
- ally: WanalirriThe owl's grievance moves the Wandjina to send the flood.Mowaljarlai, D. & Malnic, J. (1993) Yorro Yorro. Magabala Books (secondary)
Sources
- Dumbi, the owl, is the wise councillor of the Wandjina; when children tormented and plucked him the Wandjina answered with the great flood that drowned the offenders.: Mowaljarlai, D. & Malnic, J. (1993) Yorro Yorro. Magabala Books (secondary); Art Gallery of Western Australia, 'Dumbi & Ungud' (secondary)