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Brolga - Aboriginal informationAlternative names: "Native Companion", "Australian Crane" Aboriginal names: "brolga", "burralga" [gamilaraay, yuwaalaraay], "burraalga" [yuwalayaay], "baralga" ("poralka"); "mulanyin", "muralmim", "murulmany", "gayugul", "gilgil" [bundjalung]; "kutjun"/"kuRun" [yartwatjali, tjapwurrung, djadjawurrung] Size: 80 cm - 1.3 m; wing span 1.7 - 2.4 m Weight: 3.7-8.7 kg |
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Spiritual significance
The Brolga features prominently in Aboriginal creation stories. A few examples are reproduced or listed here.
Stories
Why Brolga has a harsh voice
Brolga was out walking when she saw Emu with her many chicks.
Jealous Brolga hid her only chick and said to Emu, "What a
weary life, feeding so many babies! Take my advice and kill
them before they tire you to death." Foolish Emu listened to
the soft words and destroyed all her children. After her
cruel trick, Brolga twisted her neck so quickly to call her
chick that she strangled her pretty voice and was left with
only a harsh, discordant cry.
Why Emu has short wings
Once upon a time, when Emu had very long wings, she flew from her
home in the sky to join Brolga dancing by a lagoon. "you can't
dance with such long wings," said Brolga. "Let me clip them for
you." After cutting Emu's wings very short, cunning old Brolga
spread her long wings, which she had hidden by folding them along
her back, and flew away. Now unable to fly, Emu never returned to
her home in the sky.
How Brolga got her red cap
Brolga and Emu were grinding grass seeds to eat. Emu became jealous
of Brolga's grinding stone and swallowed it. Brolga whacked Emu on
the back and he coughed up the stone. Emu got so angry that he hit
Brolga on her head with a stick, which is how Brolga got her red cap.
K. L. Parker (J. Lambert ed.) tells the story of "Bralgah, the Dancing Bird" (p. 61; Inner Traditions International, 1993 ed.).
Disclaimer: Not being of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander origin, we make no claim of intellectual ownership of any of the information presented here. We merely collect facts and stories documented by others. Credits/references are listed HERE.
