Wurren

HR 338

5348

ζ Phe

2017/11/17

Wurren is the Wardaman name of ζ Phe, from the Northern Territory, Australia. Wurren means “child” and refers to the “Little Fish”, a child of Dungdung – the life-creating Frog Lady. Wurren gives water to Gawalyan, the echidna (Achernar), which they direct Earthly initiates to carry in small bowls. The water came from a great waterfall used to cool the people during the ceremony. Just as the water at the base of the waterfall keeps people cool and rises to the sky as mist, the water in the initiates’ bowls keeps them cool and symbolically transforms into clouds that bring the wet rains of the monsoon season. These ceremonies occur in late December when the weather is hot and these stars are high in the evening sky, signalling the start of the monsoon.