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Overview

Yurlungur

Subject: Religion

Oceania The great copper python of the Murngin in northern Australia. Once two young women who had slept with men from a forbidden clan arrived at the auwa, the sacred place ...

Yurlungur

Yurlungur (Oceania)   Quick reference

A Dictionary of World Mythology

Reference type:
Subject Reference
Current Version:
2003
Subject:
Society and culture, Customs and Traditions, Social sciences, Regional and Area Studies
Length:
550 words

...well, and it happened that her menstrual blood fell into the water hole and was carried down to the abode of Yurlungur. The head of ‘great father snake’ was lying quietly on the bottom of the pit, but he opened his nostrils and smelled hard as the polluted blood drifted downwards. Yurlungur then raised his head and slowly crawled upwards. As he rose up from the bottom of the pool the well water rose too, and flooded the land. Yurlungur saw the two young women, his descendants. Although the young women chanted in order to prevent the flood from...

Yurlungur

Yurlungur  

Reference type:
Overview Page
Subject:
Religion
OceaniaThe great copper python of the Murngin in northern Australia. Once two young women who had slept with men from a forbidden clan arrived at the auwa, the sacred place belonging to Yurlungur. It ...
Mokoi

Mokoi  

Reference type:
Overview Page
Subject:
Religion
OceaniaLiteral meaning: ‘evil ghost’. The Murngin in northern Australia believe that death is rarely caused by old age: instead they ascribe a fatal disease or accident to a mokoi, or to ritual ...
Mokoi

Mokoi (Oceania)   Quick reference

A Dictionary of World Mythology

Reference type:
Subject Reference
Current Version:
2003
Subject:
Society and culture, Customs and Traditions, Social sciences, Regional and Area Studies
Length:
120 words

... Oceania Literal meaning: ‘evil ghost’. The Murngin in northern Australia believe that death is rarely caused by old age: instead they ascribe a fatal disease or accident to a mokoi, or to ritual uncleanliness. Thus Yurlungur, the ancestral snake spirit, devoured two women and their offspring because they had broken an incest taboo. An evil ghost, however, is said to strike down a victim because of the black magic of a sorcerer. The Murngin have great fear of these men, and in time of need turn to good magicians for aid. The latter are distinguished by the...

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