User:Berrpa/Dwert

The Chitty-Chitty and the Red Spirit Dog

Noongar Bibbulmun maam , Aboriginal leader, story teller and playwright Eddie Bennell records this account of the dwert in his book titled ‘Aboriginal Legends from the Bibulmun tribe’.

The legend states how the Chitty-Chitty is regarded as an ‘omen of evil’ and can ‘transform itself into an animal, plant, or spirit-like human creature at will.’ On this occasion on a hot day while the men were away from camp hunting, a young boy wandered away from the camp to wade in the creek. While the boy was drying off on the banks of the creek a Chitty-Chitty began ‘hopping around in front of him’ to gain the boys attention.

The young boy unwittingly followed the creature until he was far away from the campsite and just on sundown the creature transformed itself into ‘a big red dog with a flaming tongue’. The dog tried to lure the boy farther away but the boy was busy screaming and yelling and ‘was almost paralysed with fear’. Luckily for the boy the returning hunters heard the screams and located the boy, and with the Kaartdijin (Knowledge) (make link) of the boys grandfather, a powerful Mubarrn man who was a great healer with magic powers, was able to confront the spirit dog who then vanished into thin air. Once back at the campsite the boy was reminded to never leave alone again.

The Executioner

Noongar Bibbulmun maam , Aboriginal leader, story teller and playwright Eddie Bennell records this account of the dwert in his book titled ‘Aboriginal Legends from the Bibulmun tribe’.

Legend has it that there ‘once roamed a cruel, vicious, and evil man who could appear at will, anywhere, at any time, in the form of a large red dog with a flaming red tongue. He would travel by day in the form of a man however once the evil man had selected his victim he would then transform into the red dog.

One time in the ‘Great Southern’ area a ‘good and beautiful’ young girl called Quorbart was unknowingly selected as the executioner’s next victim. The adults of the group became aware of the executioner’s presence when the younger children reported seeing a beautiful big red dog chasing other animals on the bank of the creek. The adults tried to hide their fear from the children and for three days and nights the ‘men kept the women and children guarded in the largest camp’ and did not allow anyone to venture away from the camp alone or even in groups.

Toort/ Yaka/ Dwert Mia - Dog Rock

Lady Spencer showed Mrs. Hassell this remarkable rock and told her the natives called it "Yacka" and the tall rock nearby, opposite the Roman Catholic Church, "Yacka Nint". She also told her the natives would never camp, or even shelter from rain under the Dog Head Rock. "Yacka Nint" means dog's tail.

Dog rock has become an icon to the community who have petitioned for its preservation and fought to save the rock from urban development. This is an example of how tangible heritage can embed itself into the local identity of new comers to a region of the country and enable a connection to the past and the intangible indigenous heritage that we want to relate to. (work in progress)

Dog Swamp

Dog Swamp (Yokine)

The name Yokine was derived from a Nyungar language word meaning dingo (which early settlers referred to as the "native dog"). The hill situated on Williams Road was named by N.S. Bartlett in 1922 because it is so close to Native Dog Swamp. The hill was an important Trig Station and the land was referred to before this as part of Osborne Park.