Outlook Online 2009

Totems, stories and ceremonies of Traditional Owners in the GBRMP

Smyth, 2006:

Totems

Each Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander group is identified or represented by a “totem”, which is specific element of the natural world that has special cultural significance for that group, and represents the identity of that group. A totem may be an animal (including dugongs and marine turtles), a plant, a water current or other natural feature. Gelam, the dugong, for example, is the totem of the people from Moa in Torres Strait.

Increase ceremonies

It is common in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures to undertake ceremonies or rituals to ensure the well-being of culturally important animals. Anthropologists Donald Thompson documented a ceremony performed by Kuuku Ya’u people on eastern Cape York Peninsula for the purpose of increasing the number of dugongs. The ceremony took place at a “dugong totem centre”, which is marked by a special “dugong stone”. Men of the “dugong clan” walk around the stone, striking it with bunches of leaves, while saying “Ampimbo! Ampi’! Amp’! Ampi’! (meaning, “Come plenty! Come plenty! Come plenty!”). The ceremony was undertaken when people noticed that dugong numbers were decreasing.

Citation and/or URL

Smyth, D. (2006), Dugong and marine turtle knowledge handbook: indigenous and scientific knowledge of dugong and marine turtles in northern Australia. North Australian Indigenous Land and Sea Management Alliance (NAILSMA)

Spatial Coverage

Northern Australia

Temporal Coverage

2006

Update Frequency

Not applicable 

Other Information

None 

Bookmark and Share

Have your say