Wijingarra

Wijingarra (also written Widjingara) is a named ancestral being of the Worrorra people whose story explains the origin of death. When Wandjina broke the Wurnan law of promised marriage by abducting a woman, Wijingarra fought them and was killed, becoming the first being to die; his widow, the Black-headed Python, instituted the mourning customs of widows. He returned in the form of the northern quoll, the white spots on its coat being the drops of sea water he shook from his body. His story is localised at Wijingarra Butt Butt (Freshwater Cove) on the Worrorra coast, a site still cared for by Worrorra custodians of the Mowanjum community.

Domains

• death and mourning

Powers

• to return from death in the form of the northern quoll

Relations

• slayer of: WandjinaMowanjum tradition relates that Wijingarra fought against the Wandjina who had broken the Wurnan marriage law by abducting a woman, killing among them before he was himself slain, becoming the first being to die.Mowanjum Community, Visions of Mowanjum: Aboriginal Writings from the Kimberley, Rigby, Adelaide, 1980 (secondary)

Sources

• Wijingarra (Widjingara) is the Worrorra ancestral being who fought the Wandjina in defence of the marriage law, became the first to die, and was transformed into the northern quoll, instituting death and mourning practices.: Mowanjum Community, Visions of Mowanjum: Aboriginal Writings from the Kimberley, Rigby, Adelaide, 1980 (secondary); Valda Blundell & Donny Woolagoodja, Keeping the Wanjinas Fresh: Sam Woolagoodja and the Enduring Power of Lalai, Fremantle Arts Centre Press, 2005 (secondary)