The Death of Lumaluma
Lumaluma was a whale who rose from the sea in the form of a man at Cape Stewart, near Milingimbi, in the central coastal region of Arnhem Land (Australia). Once ashore, he acquired two wives and headed westward, carrying with him important religious rituals called mareiin, ubar and lorgun as gifts for humanity.
But Lumaluma was greedy and abused his sacred role: whenever he saw delicious food, such as sweet wild honey or tasty yams, he would declare it mareniin (sacred) so that only he could eat it.
All the while, he went about teaching the rites, striking his sticks together: “It is all good!”
One day he came to a place where a camp had been set up, and he could hear the people as they felled trees. Seeing fires burning and food prepared, he ran toward it and declared the food sacred. He ate everything himself, leaving only scraps for the campers. This happened many times until he began to eat even the dead children... then the patience of the people of Arnhem Land was exhausted, and taking up their spears they put him and his wives to death.