Tokwampini, the bird.

Tokwampini was the messenger in the pukumani mythology, as he told Purukaparli that his wife Wai-ai had committed adultery with her brother-in-law, Japarra. This event lead to the mortality of the Tiwi people, the first death and the first funeral (pukumani).Tokwampini became a Black-necked Stork (Jabiru/Native Crane). Tokwampini is also the common Tiwi name for bird. Birds were humans long ago. When Purukuparli said `I will have a big ceremony for my son’ the birds heard. There were Pelicans, Owls and all sorts of birds. One of the birds spoke to Purukuparli and said `If you are having ceremony, we will give you feathers for your headband, armbands and Goose featherball to decorate yourself so you won’t be recognised by the spirit of the dead.’