[1]To Understand better the paradigmatic creativity of these Primordial Beings [that Eliade has been describing ... ], we shall discuss a few examples. [2]In general the myths represent the Ancestors as powerful and creative. [3]They can fly above and walk beneath the earth. [4]They travel everywhere, performing sacred ceremonies and depositing "spirit children" in the ground or in various natural features. [5]But their myths are seldom exuberant or dramatic.

[6]For example, Spencer and Gillen tell the following story of Numbakulla, whose name means "always

existing" or "out of nothing." [7](This is one of the Supernatural Beings discussed by Strehlow [Acknowledgment of C. Strehlow's Die Aranda- und Loritja-Stämme Zentral Australien (1907), though Eliade did not profide citation.] ..., called altjirana nambakala, "born out of their own eternity"). [8]According to the traditions of the Achilpa, one of the Aranda groups, Numbakulla arose"out of nothing" and traveled to the north, making

mountains, rivers, and all sorts of animals and plants.[9]He also created the "spirit children" (kuruna), a very large number of whom were concealed inside his body.

[10]Eventually he made a cave or storehouse, to hide the tjurungas that he was producing.

[11]At that time men did not yet exist.

[12]He inserted a kuruna into a tjurunga, and thus

there arose the first Achilpa (mythical) Ancestor.

[13]Numbakulla then implanted a large number ofkuruna in different tjurunga, producing other mythical Ancestors.

[14]He taught the first Achilpa how to perform the many ceremonies connected with the various totems.

[15]Now, Numbakulla had planted a pole called kauwa-auwa in the middle of a sacred ground.

[16](A representation of this pole, made from the trunk of a young gum tree, is erected on the ceremonial ground during the long series of initiation rites known as the Engwura).

[17]After anointing it with blood, he began to climb it.

[18]He told the first Achilpa Ancestor to follow him; but the blood made the pole too slippery, and the man slid down. [19]"Numbakulla went on alone, drew up the pole after him and was never seen again." (Footnote: [20]Spencer and Gillen, The Arunta, I, 355 ff., esp. p. 360. Strehlow, Aranda Traditions, p. 78, quotes the west and south Aranda myth of the Ntjikantja Ancestors: the two brothers ascended into the sky by climbing up a tall spear. . . . [21]Spencer and Gillen, op.cit., pp. 307ff., relate another myth: the two Numbakulla made men from a living embryonic substance (inapatna). [22]Such a "Creation" of man by the metamorphosis of a prehuman element is indicated in the symbolic designs of the tjurungas; cf. L. Adam, "Anthromorphe Darstellungen auf australischen Ritualageräten," Anthropos, LIII (1958), 1-50: see pp. 36ff.)

[23]This pole is charged with important symbolism and plays a central role in ritual. [24]The fact that Numbakulla disappeared into the sky after climbing it suggests that the kauwa-auwa is somehow an axis mundi which unites heaven and earth. [25]Elsewhere, and particularly in the Oriental cultures and the areas under their influence, the axis mundi (conceived as a pillar, a tree, a mountain, etc.) actually constitutes a "center of the world." [26]This implies, among other things, that it is a consecrated place from which all orientation takes place. [27]In other words, the "center" imparts structure to the surrounding amorphous space. [28]Both the Achilpa myth and the actual ceremonial use of the pole illustrate very well this double function of communication with heaven and means of orientation. [29]The myth relates in seemingly endless detail the wanderings of the first Achilpa Ancestors after the disappearance of Numbakulla. [30]They traveled continuously, in small groups, carrying out ceremonies, circumcising the young men, occasionally leaving one of them behind. [31]When the mythical groups performed the Engwura rituals, the kauwa-auwa "was always erected and made to lean in the direction in which they intended to travel." ([Footnote:] [32]Spencer and Gillen, The Arunta, p. 382. [33]On the ceremonial pole, cf. Strehlow, Aranda Traditions, pp. 77ff.) [34]In other words, the sacred pole helped them to chart the unknown space into which they were preparing to adventure. [35]One day an incident befell one of these mythical groups: while pulling up the kauwa-auwa, which was very deeply implanted, the old chief broke it just above the ground.

[36]They carried the broken pole until they met another group.

[37]They were so tired and sad that they did not even try to erect their own kauwa-auwa

"but, lying down together, died where they lay. [38] A large hill, covered with big stones, arose to mark the spot." ([Footnote:] [39]Spencer and Gillen, The Arunta, p. 388. [40]For the meaning of this myth and its related ritual, cf. Ernesto de Martino, "Angoscia territoriale e riscatto clturale nel mito Achilpa delle origini," Studi e Materiali di Storia delle Religioni, XXIII (1952), 52-66.) [41]Seldom do we find a more pathetic avowal that man cannot live without a "sacred center" which permits him both to "cosmicize" space and to communicate with the transhuman world of heaven. [42]So long as they had their kauwa-auwa, the Achilpa Ancestors were never lost in the surrounding "chaos." [43]Moreover, the sacred pole was for them the proof par excellence of Numbakulla's existence and activity.

(Footnote: [7]This is the equivalent of Ungambikula. [8]"Native Tribes of Central Australia," p. 389.)

[11]He arose "out of nothing" at a place called Lamburkna, far away to the south, in the country now occupied by the Dieri tribe.

[13]From Lamburkna he started out and travelled far away to the north over country now occupied by the Dieri, Urabunna, Wonkgongaru, Luritcha, Arunta and Ilpirra tribes.[22]While traversing the country he not only created mountains, rivers, flats and sand-hills, but also brought into existence all kinds of animals and plants. [37]He then made a large number of Kurunas, each associated with a Churinga and each of them representing a different Knanja, Achilpa (wild cat), Erlia (emu), Arura (kangaroo), Unjiamba (Hakea), Irriakura (yelka), Udnirringita, etc. [45]Numbakulla thus created all the original Kuruna and Churinga. [46]He himself was full of Kuruna: as the natives say, Kuruna injaira oknirra, kwanala mberka Numbakulla; there were a very large number of Kuruna, inside the body of Numbakulla; and again Kuruna aradukka (or aradugga) kwanala, Numbakulla; the Kuruna came out from inside Numbakulla. [23]After returning to what is called his Tmara maraknirra (a very great camp), at Lamburkna, he first of all made a cave and storehouse in a rock, in which, later on, to secret the Churinga of which, as yet, there were none.

[Inferred from 23 and 50-56]

[33]He then made a Churinga of the Achilpa Knanja, in which he placed the Kuruna or "spirit" of an Achilpa man which he had previously made. . . . [35]The Kuruna came out of it and gave rise to the first Achilpa man, the great original head of the Achilpa Knanja or totem group, called Inkata Achilpa maraknirra (mara, very; oknirra, great).

[40]In addition to this, these original ones, which are called Churinga indulla-irrakura, contained large numbers of the other Churinga and Kuruna placed in them by Numbakulla.

[59]Numbakulla showed everything to the Inkata Achilpa maraknirra. [60]He taught him how to perform ceremonies connected with the various Knanjas, just as they are carried out at the present day.

[30]On the ground outside he made another Ilpintira, and planted the pole called Kauwa-auwa in the middle of it.

[31]A representation of this is now erected on theceremonial ground at the close of the Engwura.

[64]Before he went away he painted his Kauwa-auwa all over with blood to assist him in climbing

[67]Telling the Inkata to follow him, he began to climb up the tall Kauwa-auwa, and reached the crosspiece, but the blood had made it too slippery for the Inkata, who slid down, so Numbakulla went on alone, drew up the pole after him and was never seen again.

[Spencer and Gillen, pp. 361-88.]

[71]Here they remained for a long time and made Engwura; when doing this the Kauaua, or sacred pole, was always erected and made to lean in the direction in which they intended to travel.

[73]At a place called Okinyumpa an accident befell them which made them all feel very sad; as they were pulling up the Kauaua, which was very deeply implanted the old Oknirrabata [Oknirabata in NT], who was leading them, broke it off just above the ground, and to the present day a tall stone standing up above the ground at this spot represents the broken, and still implanted, end of the pole. [74]Carrying on the broken Kauaua they came to Unjiacherta, which means "the place of Unjiamba men" and lies near to the Hanson Creek.

[76]They were too tired and sad to paint themselves, their Kauaua in its broken state was inferior to many of those which the Unjiamba people had, so they did not erect it, but, lying down together, died where they lay. [77] A large hill, covered with big stones, arose to mark the spot.