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'Japarra (the moonman)'
$253
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In the Tiwi creation story describes an immortal original family consisting of Purukuparli, his wife Wai-ai and their son Jinani. Japarra is Purukaparli’s deceitful brother. He and his sister-in-law Wai-yai (Bima) become lovers, and during one of their bush rendezvous WaI-yai and Purukaparli’s baby son dies of heatstroke. Japarra offers to take the baby for three days and bring him back to life, but Purukuparli refuses and proclaims that now all Tiwi people will now follow his son into death. He holds the first Pukumani (mourning ceremony) and dances with his son’s body into the ocean at a spot near Yimpanari on the remote eastern side of Melville Island.
Following the tragic discovery of his son’s death, Purukaparli fights his brother with the rage of grief, striking him with spears and throwing sticks. Japarra is critically injured, and ascends to become the moon, always reminding Tiwi of the life and death cycle (full moon, no moon, new moon). The marks on the moons surface are the scars from Purukuparli’s spears and fighting sticks.
Cat: 549-24