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The Flinders
Ranges are said to be the oldest ranges in the world and they
have been home to the Adnyamathanha people for thousands of
years. Their Dreaming stories tell of the creation of the
Flinders ranges and here is one of them.
"Akurra is a giant water snake who has a beard, mane
creator
and keeper of all permanent water holes and springs (awi).
Akurra lived in the Gammon Ranges. One day he travelled to
the
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plains
looking for water. When he came across Lake Frome and Lake Callabonna,
he drank them dry. Because the water was salty Akurra became
bloated and his trip back to the ranges was very slow. The heat
from the sun warmed his trip back to the ranges and made rumbling
sounds that can still be heard over a great distance. As he
went Akurra carved out the gorges in which creeks run and made
water holes and springs and finally Ikara (Wilpena Pound) and
Ngarri." (Browne,
1998: 244) |
