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Ngurunderi
When Ngurunderi travelled through what is now
Ngarrindjeri country he came down the Murray River in his canoe. At that time
it was just a small stream. Ngurunderi
was looking for his two wives who had run away from him and was following
Pondi, the big Murray Cod who had created the twists and turns of the river
when sweeping his huge tail from side to side.
Ngurunderi was trying to spear Pondi all the way along the journey.
Together they formed the Murray River, lakes and landforms and everything in
Ngarrindjeri Country. Ngurunderi made the rain that feeds the river and the
country. With the rain came the
rainbow, which can be seen in this
painting. Ngurunderi also made the
Ngarrindjeri people, who live along and around the River Murray, lakes, the
Coorong region and across to Cape Jervis and the southern regions of what is
now Adelaide.
Ngurunderi travelled with his family and they also played a part in the
creation of Ngarrindjeri country.
Ngurunderi taught everyone the lore, dance, song, how to hunt and live and everything they
needed to survive in their country.
When they reached Lake Alexandrina Nepele,
Ngurunderi’s brother in law,
helped spear and kill Pondi.
Ngurunderi cut Pondi into many pieces,
each piece creating a new species of fish that now populates the river
system. Ngurunderi never did catch his
wives who drowned when crossing to Kangaroo Island, which was still joined to the mainland at
that time. At this point Ngurunderi
joined the spirit world becoming a star in the Milky Way.