The Muldjewangk is a water-creature in
Ngarrindjeri
The Ngarrindjeri people are the traditional Aboriginal Australian people of the lower Murray River, eastern Fleurieu Peninsula, and the Coorong of the southern-central area of the state of South Australia. The term ''Ngarrindjeri'' means "belo ...
mythology
Myth is a folklore genre consisting of narratives that play a fundamental role in a society, such as foundational tales or origin myths. Since "myth" is widely used to imply that a story is not objectively true, the identification of a narra ...
that inhabited the
Murray River
The Murray River (in South Australia: River Murray) (Ngarrindjeri: ''Millewa'', Yorta Yorta: ''Tongala'') is a river in Southeastern Australia. It is Australia's longest river at extent. Its tributaries include five of the next six longest ...
, particularly
Lake Alexandrina. It was used as a deterrent for
Aboriginal children who wished to play near the riverside after dark. Sometimes they are portrayed as evil
merfolk
Merfolk or merpeople are legendary water-dwelling human-like beings. They are attested in folklore and mythology throughout the ages in various parts of the world.
Female merfolk may be referred to as mermaids, although in a strict sense mermaid ...
, and other times as a gargantuan monster. Accounts are inconsistent as to whether there are many of the creatures, or a single "The Muldjewangk".
A legend tells of a Muldjewangk who once attacked a
steamboat owned by European settlers. The captain saw two great hands grasping the hull of the boat so he grabbed his gun. Aboriginal
elders on board warned the captain not to shoot, but their pleas fell on deaf ears. The elders warned the captain that he would suffer as a result of his actions. Soon after, the captain broke out in weeping red
blisters over his body, and took six months to die.
The Muldjewangk pesters
Ngurunderi (see
Murray River
The Murray River (in South Australia: River Murray) (Ngarrindjeri: ''Millewa'', Yorta Yorta: ''Tongala'') is a river in Southeastern Australia. It is Australia's longest river at extent. Its tributaries include five of the next six longest ...
) and his wives when they settle on the banks of Lake Alexandrina by wrecking their fishing nets.
Large clumps of floating
seaweed are said to hide Muldjewangks and are to be avoided. Large footprints have also been seen. Some elders now say the Muldjewangks no longer inhabit the river system.
See also
*
Bunyip
The bunyip is a creature from the aboriginal mythology of southeastern Australia, said to lurk in swamps, billabongs, creeks, riverbeds, and waterholes.
Name
The origin of the word ''bunyip'' has been traced to the Wemba-Wemba or Wergaia ...
- another aquatic monster from Indigenous Australian mythology
References
*Isaacs J (1980) ''Australian Dreaming: 40,000 Years of Aboriginal History'', Lansdowne Press, Sydney, New South Wales,
{{Aboriginal South Australians
Australian Aboriginal legendary creatures
Ngarrindjeri
Murray River
Mythological aquatic creatures
Merfolk