In Australian

Aboriginal mythology Australian Aboriginal religion and mythology is the sacred spirituality represented in the stories performed by Aboriginal Australians within each of the language groups across Australia in their ceremonies. Aboriginal spirituality includes ...

(specifically:

Kunwinjku The Kunwinjku (formerly written Gunwinggu) people are an Australian Aboriginal people, one of several groups within the Bininj people, who live around West Arnhem Land to the east of Darwin, Northern Territory. Kunwinjku people generally refer t ...

), Mamaragan or Namarrkon is a

lightning Lightning is a naturally occurring electrostatic discharge during which two electrically charged regions, both in the atmosphere or with one on the ground, temporarily neutralize themselves, causing the instantaneous release of an avera ...

Ancestral Being who speaks with

thunder Thunder is the sound caused by lightning. Depending upon the distance from and nature of the lightning, it can range from a long, low rumble to a sudden, loud crack. The sudden increase in temperature and hence pressure caused by the lightning pr ...

as his voice. He rides a

storm A storm is any disturbed state of the natural environment or the atmosphere of an astronomical body. It may be marked by significant disruptions to normal conditions such as strong wind, tornadoes, hail, thunder and lightning (a thunderstorm), ...

cloud In meteorology, a cloud is an aerosol consisting of a visible mass of miniature liquid droplets, frozen crystals, or other particles suspended in the atmosphere of a planetary body or similar space. Water or various other chemicals may ...

and throws lightning bolts to

human Humans (''Homo sapiens'') are the most abundant and widespread species of primate, characterized by bipedalism and exceptional cognitive skills due to a large and complex brain. This has enabled the development of advanced tools, cultu ...

s and

tree In botany, a tree is a perennial plant with an elongated stem, or trunk, usually supporting branches and leaves. In some usages, the definition of a tree may be narrower, including only woody plants with secondary growth, plants that are ...

s. He lives in a puddle.

Characteristics and appearance

Namarrkon is the lightning man. Namarrkon soaks up the sun's rays, which form bright arcs of light across each of his shoulders. He is mostly unseen, living high in the sky and riding storm clouds. He makes thunderous sounds by striking the clouds with stone axes fixed to his head, elbows, and knees. He appears each year in Kunumeleng, pre-monsoon season, reminding people of the consequences of invoking the spiritual power. If people disobey the law, Namarrkon hisses, crackles, and even strikes the offender with his fiery spears of lightning.

Actions during ancient climate change

The climate changed nearly 7,000 years ago, causing the ice caps to melt and sea levels to rise. During this period, Namarrkon created violent thunderstorms in preparation for the Wet Season rains brought by the

Rainbow Serpent The Rainbow Serpent or Rainbow Snake is a common deity often seen as the creator God, known by numerous names in different Australian Aboriginal languages by the many different Aboriginal peoples. It is a common motif in the art and religion ...

Dreaming site

During the dry season, he lives in a billabong not far from Numbuwah, a sacred rock in Western Arnhem Land. Namarrkon's dreaming site (djadjan) is a slight projection in the outline of the Arnhem Land escarpment. It consists of three fused pillars, one with a circular hole near the top. This is a few km NE of the Nourlangie Rock tourist site to the east of Koongarra saddle. Namarggon left one eye (the hole) to watch for the monsoon, but also to watch his estranged wife, whose home is a cave in a pillar near Koongarra. Namarrkondjadjan is well-named, as the promontory creates the earliest intense lightning storms.

In Aboriginal art

Namarrkon is depicted in Arnhem land Rock art with the best known depiction being at Nourlangie rock. This spirit was also depicted by numerous aboriginal artists on bark paintings including Lofty Nadjamerrek, Nadjombolmi and Mick Kubarkku. He is depicted with stone axes on his elbows or knees and a lightning surrounding his body. Only certain artists who have the right to this dreaming may paint depictions of this spirit.

In popular culture

In the

DC Comics DC Comics, Inc. (doing business as DC) is an American comic book publisher and the flagship unit of DC Entertainment, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery. DC Comics is one of the largest and oldest American comic book companies, with thei ...

story ''The Darkseid War'' the superhero Shazam is empowered by six new deities; one of them is Mamaragan, revealed to be the true identity of the Wizard who originally empowered the hero. In the Japanese Manga

One Piece ''One Piece'' (stylized in all caps) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Eiichiro Oda. It has been serialized in Shueisha's ''shōnen'' manga magazine '' Weekly Shōnen Jump'' since July 1997, with its individual cha ...

Kami are the deities, divinities, spirits, phenomena or "holy powers", that are venerated in the Shinto religion. They can be elements of the landscape, forces of nature, or beings and the qualities that these beings express; they can also be the sp ...

Eneru uses an attack called Mamaragan to attempt the destruction of Skypiea.

References

Australian Aboriginal gods Thunder gods {{deity-stub