Gnabaia

The Great Spirit of the Yanyuwa. It is believed by the women that he swallows the novices and later disgorges them as initiates, and that the bullroarer is his voice.

The Anula believe that the spirits whom they call Gnabaia arose in the Alcheringa time at a place called Wuntirri on the Robinson River. They walked around for some time, but finally went up into the sky, where they have lived ever since. These two are very unfriendly, but there is a third Gnabaia (of the woods) who keeps watch that they do no harm. This one arose at a place called Liwurnungaiila. The medicine men can see the Gnabaia and can invoke him in illness.

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