Namarrkon The Lightning Man

“The sacred site of Namarrkon, the Lightning Spirit for the Kunwinjku people…is about fifty-six kilometres (thirty-five miles) away to the east of Nimbuwah rock, which towers into the sky from the surrounding plains. It is here that Namarrkon dwells throughout the dry season. Sometimes he assumes the form of a grasshopper to forage for food among the cabbage tree palms and bush shrubs growing nearby. He is also said to have created ‘aljurr’, (Leichhardt’s grasshopper) who goes looking for Namarrkon during electrical storms……
Suggested learning activities: Create your own Dreaming story using your favourite insect as the main character. How do they represent a natural phenomenon such as the weather? How do they utilise this phenomenon to carry out their story? (a Dreaming story could correspond to another tribal legend of creation from the various indigenous groups from around the world) create a narrative about nature e.g., storms, floods, rain, hail, fire, rivers etc inspired by some of the dreamtime stories. Explain in your own words what the dreamtime perspective of lighting is. How is this different or similar to your understanding of lightning?