The legend of Watari: Green Island

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Legan then ran off to the Stirlings, leaving Watari to die.

Her faithful twoort (dog) Whatami, found her body lying in the open and he knew he would have to cover her to prevent the evil spirits from taking her body, so he dug the soil around her to make a burial mound.

When the ocean flowed into the gouged tracks made by the wounded Watari, it created the Kalgan River.

The family, yonga (kangaroo), lived on the upper reaches of what is now called the Kalgan River.

Parchment

When Watari told Legan what she had done he became very angry and started to hit her with a stick until he broke her legs!

 Legan was in a grumpy mood and said "NO!" to everything that Watari offered him.

In great pain, Watari dragged herself towards the sea, gouging out huge tracts of land as she did...however she died before she reached the ocean.

Watari or Green Island is located close to Flinders Park Primary School and is mentioned in our school song. Listen now!

Illustrated by students of Flinders Park Primary, Albany, Western Australia. Class 2.3 in the year 2020

This story is a version from one local family. Other families have different creation stories which may differ from this version.

Trove

The original text for this story was told by Lynette Knapp and sourced from: Goode, Brad &amp; Albany (W.A.) &amp; Western Australia. Department of Indigenous Affairs (2005).&nbsp;Kinjarling, the place of rain : the City of Albany &amp; Department of Indigenous Affairs Aboriginal Heritage Survey : a report prepared for the City of Albany and the Department of Indigenous Affairs.&nbsp;Brad Goode &amp; Associates, Dunsborough, W.A

The mural is a part of the Six Seasons Gardens

at Flinders Park Primary School Albany W.A.

Watari or Green Island is a place of mythological significance because it is part of the Menang Kinjarling Creation Myth.

This part of the myth tells the story of how Mairtich - Oyster Harbour and Watari - Green Island were made by a yonga (kangaroo) woman named Watari and her twoort (dog) Whatami.

A long time ago there was a man named Legan and his wife Watari, their son and their twoort (dog) Whatami.

Every time Watari found some food she would sing out to her husband Legan to come and taste it.

One day Watari decided to go bush to look for food for her family.

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Green Island (Western Australia) - Wikipedia

Watari was so hungry that she hit the marjit (snake) many times until she killed it.

Then Watari made a fire, cooked the marjit (snake) and ate it all herself.

Google Maps

Watari or Green Island is an Aboriginal hunting and fishing place located in Mairtich, Oyster Harbour.

Eventually, Whatami dug through to the ocean which flowed all around the burial mound to create what is known today as Mairtich - Oyster Harbour. The burial mound became Watari - Green Island.

Six Seasons - Flinders Park Primary School - Albany, Western Australia

Illustrated by students of Flinders Park Primary School 

Mokare - Wikipedia

This story was told to Captain Collett Barker in the 1800's by Mokare, a Noongar man.

Watari found a very large marjit (snake) which she knew was the sacred water snake of the Noongar people.

Noongar words used in this story.

Noongar Word List | Kaartdijin Noongar

yonga (kangaroo)

Name

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