Barnumbirr

Barnumbirr (Morning Star)
Yolngu creator-spirit
Map showing the geographical location of the Yolngu language group (Highlighted in green).
Other namesBanumbirr, Morning Star
AffiliationCreation, Death
PlanetVenus
ArtefactsMorning Star Pole
GenderFemale
RegionArnhem Land, Australia
Ethnic groupYolngu
FestivalsMorning Star Ceremony

Barnumbirr, also known as Banumbirr or Morning Star, is a creator-spirit in the Yolngu culture of Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory of Australia, who is identified as the planet Venus.[1][2] In Yolngu Dreaming mythology, she is believed to have guided the first humans, the Djanggawul sisters, to Australia.[3] After the Djanggawul sisters arrived safely near Yirrkala (at Yalangbara) in North East Arnhem Land, Barnumbirr flew across the land from east to west, creating a songline which named and created the animals, plants, and geographical features.[2][3]

Songlines were an important navigational tool for Aboriginal people.[4] The route that Barnumbirr flew above northern Australia became a songline that spans multiple language groups and was therefore useful for travelling Yolngu and their neighbours.[5][4] There is a growing body of research suggesting that this song-line through the Northern Territory/Western Australia and others tracing paths in NSW and Queensland have formed part of Australia’s network of motorways.[6][4][5]

Barnumbirr has a strong association with death in Yolngu culture.[2] The "Morning Star Ceremony" corresponds with the rising of Barnumbirr and is a time when living Yolngu, with the help of Barnumbirr and the "Morning Star Pole", can communicate with their ancestors on Bralgu (var. Baralku), their final resting place.[3][2]

  1. ^ Norris, Ray P.; Hamacher, Duane W. (2009). "The Astronomy of Aboriginal Australia". Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union. 5 (S260): 39–47. arXiv:0906.0155. doi:10.1017/S1743921311002122. ISSN 1743-9213.
  2. ^ a b c d Norris, Ray P. (2016). "Dawes Review 5: Australian Aboriginal Astronomy and Navigation". Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia. 33: e039. arXiv:1607.02215. Bibcode:2016PASA...33...39N. doi:10.1017/pasa.2016.25. ISSN 1323-3580.
  3. ^ a b c Berndt, Ronald M. (Ronald Murray) (5 February 2015). Djanggawul : an aboriginal religious cult of north-eastern Arnhem Land. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 978-1-138-86198-5. OCLC 941876435.
  4. ^ a b c Fuller, Robert S. (6 April 2016). "How ancient Aboriginal star maps have shaped Australia's highway network". The Conversation. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
  5. ^ a b Harney, Bill; Norris, Ray (2014). "Song-lines and Navigation in Wardaman and Other Aboriginal Cultures". Journal of Astronomical History and Heritage. 17: 141–148.
  6. ^ Fuller, Robert; Trudgett, Michelle; Norris, Ray; Anderson, Michael (2014). "Starmaps and Travelling to Ceremonies: The Euahlayi People and their use of the night sky". Journal of Astronomical History and Heritage. 17 (2): 149–160. arXiv:1406.7456. doi:10.3724/SP.J.1440-2807.2014.02.02. S2CID 53403053.