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An amphibious being that lurks in the inland waters of Australia, the mysterious, deadly bunyip defies consistent characterization. Also known as the Mulyawonk, some stories say it's a four-legged creature resembling a seal, others claim the monster has shaggy hair and appears to be a combination of other animals. But one thing that is constant in the stories of the bunyip —the role of Aboriginal storytelling and culture.
Originating in the stories and beliefs of the southeastern Indigenous peoples of Australia, accounts of the bunyip are widely varied but were told with such conviction that European colonizers initially believed such a creature really existed. This episode uses Aboriginal stories, historical records, and fossils to explore the bunyip legend, and take a look at how European colonization impacted Australia and its Indigenous peoples. #bunyip #Australia #Aboriginal #MonstrumPBS
Like so many episodes of Monstrum, this episode would not have been possible without the kindness of others. We are in debt to Dr. Philip A. Clarke (Consultant Anthropologist & Adjunct Senior Research Fellow at Griffith & Federation Universities and Research Associate at the South Australian Museum) for the resources and information he provided including a transcription of “The Mulgewongk's Cave” as told by Henry Rankine. Another sincere thank you to the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies, the National Library of Australia, and the National Gallery of Australia for sharing their collections.
Written and Hosted by: Emily Zarka
Director: David Schulte
Executive Producer: Amanda Fox
Producer: Stephanie Noone
Illustrator: Samuel Allen
Editor: Derek Borsheim
Produced by Spotzen for PBS Digital Studios.
The world is full of monsters, myths, and legends and Monstrum isn’t afraid to take a closer look. The show, hosted by Emily Zarka, Ph.D., takes us on a journey to discover a new monster in each new episode. Monstrum looks at humans' unique drive to create and shape monster mythology through oral storytelling, literature, and film and digs deep into the history of those mythologies.
Follow us on Instagram:
www.instagram.com/monstrumpbs/
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BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Cahir, Fred, Ian D. Clark, and Philip A. Clarke. Aboriginal Biocultural Knowledge in South-eastern Australia. Csiro Publishing, 2018.
Clarke, Philip A. “Indigenous Spirit and ghost Folklore of ‘Settled’ Australia. Folklore, Vol. 118, No. 2 (Aug. 2007): pp. 141–161.
Clarke, Philip A. “Spirit Beings and the Aboriginal Landscape of the Lower Murray, South Australia.” Records of the South Australian Museum, 31(2), 1999: pp. 149–163.
Coombe, E.H. History of Gawler, 1837-1908. Vardon & Sons, 1910.
Davey, Gwenda Beed, and Graham Seal. A Guide to Australian Folklore. Kangaroo Press, 2003.
Edmonds, Penny. “The Bunyip as Uncanny Rupture: Fabulous Animals, Innocuous Quadrupeds and the Australian Anthropocene.” Australian Humanities Review, Issue 63 (Nov. 2018): pp. 80–90.
Holden, Robert, and Nicholas Holden. Bunyips: Australia’s Folklore of Fear. Canberra, 2001.
Hill, William Thomson. The magic spear, or Camped with the blacks: a tale of the early days. Illus. R. Wenban. E.A. Vidler, c. 1900.
“Languages of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples–a Uniquely Australian Heritage.” Australian Bureau of Statistics, April, 6, 2010. www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Previousproducts/1301.0Feature%20Article42009%E2%80%9310?opendocument&tabname=Summary&prodno=1301.0&issue=2009%9610&num=&view=.
Martin, Mrs. Patchett, ed. Coo-ee: Tales of Australian Life by Australian Ladies. Griffith Farran, 1891.
Morrice, E.C. “The Bunyip.” The River and other Verses. Australasian Authors’ Agency, 1912: pp. 12-14.
McCann, Andrew. “Unknown Australia: Rosa Praed’s Vanished Race.” Australian Literary Studies, Vol. 22(1) (2005): pp. 37–50.
Nunn, Patrick D., and Luiza Corral Martins de Oliveira Ponciano. “Of bunyips and other beasts: living memories of long-extinct creatures in art and stories.” The Conversation (April 14, 2019). theconversation.com/of-bunyips-and-other-beasts-living-memories-of-long-extinct-creatures-in-art-and-stories-113031.
The Kai Kai nature trail: a resource guide for Aboriginal studies. Education Department of South Australia, 1991.
Worsnop, Thomas. The Prehistoric Arts, Manufactures, Works, Weapons, etc. of the aborigines of Australia. C.E. Bristow, 1897.
↓ More info below ↓
An amphibious being that lurks in the inland waters of Australia, the mysterious, deadly bunyip defies consistent characterization. Also known as the Mulyawonk, some stories say it's a four-legged creature resembling a seal, others claim the monster has shaggy hair and appears to be a combination of other animals. But one thing that is constant in the stories of the bunyip —the role of Aboriginal storytelling and culture.
Originating in the stories and beliefs of the southeastern Indigenous peoples of Australia, accounts of the bunyip are widely varied but were told with such conviction that European colonizers initially believed such a creature really existed. This episode uses Aboriginal stories, historical records, and fossils to explore the bunyip legend, and take a look at how European colonization impacted Australia and its Indigenous peoples. #bunyip #Australia #Aboriginal #MonstrumPBS
Like so many episodes of Monstrum, this episode would not have been possible without the kindness of others. We are in debt to Dr. Philip A. Clarke (Consultant Anthropologist & Adjunct Senior Research Fellow at Griffith & Federation Universities and Research Associate at the South Australian Museum) for the resources and information he provided including a transcription of “The Mulgewongk's Cave” as told by Henry Rankine. Another sincere thank you to the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies, the National Library of Australia, and the National Gallery of Australia for sharing their collections.
Written and Hosted by: Emily Zarka
Director: David Schulte
Executive Producer: Amanda Fox
Producer: Stephanie Noone
Illustrator: Samuel Allen
Editor: Derek Borsheim
Produced by Spotzen for PBS Digital Studios.
The world is full of monsters, myths, and legends and Monstrum isn’t afraid to take a closer look. The show, hosted by Emily Zarka, Ph.D., takes us on a journey to discover a new monster in each new episode. Monstrum looks at humans' unique drive to create and shape monster mythology through oral storytelling, literature, and film and digs deep into the history of those mythologies.
Follow us on Instagram:
www.instagram.com/monstrumpbs/
-----------
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Cahir, Fred, Ian D. Clark, and Philip A. Clarke. Aboriginal Biocultural Knowledge in South-eastern Australia. Csiro Publishing, 2018.
Clarke, Philip A. “Indigenous Spirit and ghost Folklore of ‘Settled’ Australia. Folklore, Vol. 118, No. 2 (Aug. 2007): pp. 141–161.
Clarke, Philip A. “Spirit Beings and the Aboriginal Landscape of the Lower Murray, South Australia.” Records of the South Australian Museum, 31(2), 1999: pp. 149–163.
Coombe, E.H. History of Gawler, 1837-1908. Vardon & Sons, 1910.
Davey, Gwenda Beed, and Graham Seal. A Guide to Australian Folklore. Kangaroo Press, 2003.
Edmonds, Penny. “The Bunyip as Uncanny Rupture: Fabulous Animals, Innocuous Quadrupeds and the Australian Anthropocene.” Australian Humanities Review, Issue 63 (Nov. 2018): pp. 80–90.
Holden, Robert, and Nicholas Holden. Bunyips: Australia’s Folklore of Fear. Canberra, 2001.
Hill, William Thomson. The magic spear, or Camped with the blacks: a tale of the early days. Illus. R. Wenban. E.A. Vidler, c. 1900.
“Languages of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples–a Uniquely Australian Heritage.” Australian Bureau of Statistics, April, 6, 2010. www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Previousproducts/1301.0Feature%20Article42009%E2%80%9310?opendocument&tabname=Summary&prodno=1301.0&issue=2009%9610&num=&view=.
Martin, Mrs. Patchett, ed. Coo-ee: Tales of Australian Life by Australian Ladies. Griffith Farran, 1891.
Morrice, E.C. “The Bunyip.” The River and other Verses. Australasian Authors’ Agency, 1912: pp. 12-14.
McCann, Andrew. “Unknown Australia: Rosa Praed’s Vanished Race.” Australian Literary Studies, Vol. 22(1) (2005): pp. 37–50.
Nunn, Patrick D., and Luiza Corral Martins de Oliveira Ponciano. “Of bunyips and other beasts: living memories of long-extinct creatures in art and stories.” The Conversation (April 14, 2019). theconversation.com/of-bunyips-and-other-beasts-living-memories-of-long-extinct-creatures-in-art-and-stories-113031.
The Kai Kai nature trail: a resource guide for Aboriginal studies. Education Department of South Australia, 1991.
Worsnop, Thomas. The Prehistoric Arts, Manufactures, Works, Weapons, etc. of the aborigines of Australia. C.E. Bristow, 1897.