The cluster of seven bright stars known to the Greeks as the Pleaides, have many similar tales told around the world about them. As the earth rotates, the constellation appears to move from east to west followed by the other stars. The bright stars following them such as Aldebaran were often included in a story that illustrated this movement and produced a memorable epic. For the Aborigines of central Australia the celestial dreaming has an earthly geographic counterpart that covers a trail from Northern Territory to the Great Australian Bight. (see video below)
There were once seven beautiful sisters called the Maya-Mayi, these are the stars we now call the Pleiades (see picture below). Any man who even set eyes on one, wished that he could marry one or even two of them.
One of the sisters was stolen by the warrior Karambal to be his bride. Having escaped, she is still pursued by Karambal, he is now the star called Aldebaran.
It is a belief of the Aboriginals of Cape York that the Seven Sisters were placed in the sky to warn girls who were lazy and wouldn't help their mothers.
It is a belief of Aboriginals of South Eastern Australia that the Pleiades were seven brave and courageous young women placed in the sky as role models. While on Earth, in order to become better mothers, they insisted on undertaking initiation rites.
It is the belief of other Aboriginal kinship groups that the stars of Orion's Belt and sword are the Barai-Barai. These young men deeply loved the seven sisters, or the Meamoi.

The seven sisters sat down and enjoyed their feast of wood ant larvae. They had used their digging sticks to open the nest and were unaware all along their were being watched by the warrior, Warrumma.

After creeping close to the sisters Warrumma reached out with his hand, gathered in two of the digging sticks and crept back to hide. The two sisters who couldn't then find their sticks stayed to search while the others went off to continue their food gathering. This gave Warrumma his chance and he grabbed the two sisters. Nobody else heard their loud screaming and Warrumma used all his strength to hold them firmly.

As the struggling and screaming finally grew less Warrumma was able to explain he wanted to actually take great care of his captives. He was lonely and to marry and protect them was his desire.
The two sisters could see no alternative so they travelled with Warrumma while always on the lookout for a means of escape. At last their chance came, while gathering pine bark to light a fire they decided to escape up a pine tree. The pine tree when up and up seeming to grow as they climbed until into the sky they went. There waiting for them were their other five sisters who welcomed them back into the group.
 
 

© PY Media 1985
(made by ‘Ernabella Video Television’ now Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjajtara Media)
"This re enactment of the Seven Sisters at MT.
Connor near Uluru (Ayre’s Rock), NT. was filmed by
Aboriginal elders from the Pitjantjatjara
lands of South Australia and made available by
Aboriginal Australia PL  "
 

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