Kibu facts for kids

Kibukuth (also called Kibu) is a special mythical land in the beliefs of the Torres Strait Islanders. They live on islands between Australia and Papua New Guinea. Kibukuth means "Horizon's End." It's believed to be where the spirits of ancestors and powerful totemic gods live. This land is thought to be beyond the sky that surrounds the world, with its main entry point far to the west, over the horizon.

What Does Kibu Mean?

The word kibu usually means the middle part of something tall and wide. Think of the middle of your back, or the middle of a hill's slope. It also means the horizon. The Torres Strait Islanders imagined the world like a half-coconut shell turned upside down. The bottom part is the Earth, and the sky covers it like a big dome.

The Land of Spirits

Kibukuth is mainly known as the home of the markai. These are the spirits of people who have passed away and traveled to Kibukuth. In traditional Torres Strait beliefs, people honored their ancestors. So, the markai are respected ancestors.

Totem Territories in Kibukuth

Kibukuth is divided into different areas. Each area belongs to a specific totem or animal spirit. For example, there are territories for the kœdal (crocodile), thabu (snake), baidham (shark), and many others.

After someone passes away, their mari (soul) begins a journey. It travels to an island called Boigu. Just past Boigu, the mari becomes a markai. Other markai relatives then meet the new spirit. They guide it to its special augadh territory in Kibukuth. An augadh is like a powerful spirit that creates a buwai, which is a totemic clan or group.

How Spirits Travel

In the old stories, the world is like a pit at the bottom of a half-sphere. The sky-dome (called dapar) is above and around it. The markai live in Kibukuth, and its main gate is in the west.

However, the markai often come back to visit the world. Kibukuth actually surrounds the world. So, markai can be seen traveling from east to west, or west to east. They can come down from the sky. Sometimes, they even come up from under the ground! They use a mythical path called Apangab (Netherway/Underway). This path is used by markai and other special beings to travel under the Earth and the sea.

Before a spirit becomes a markai, it is called a mari. A mari is the soul of a person while they are still alive or just after they pass away. The journey to the other side happens on sand banks west of Boigu.

Kibukuth and Visitors

When a mari crosses to the other side, it changes. While alive, the mari is seen as black (kubikub). But after crossing, it becomes white (gamulnga). This belief is common in many Pacific and Australian cultures.

Because of this, when Europeans and Asians first visited the Torres Strait, some people thought they were markai returning! Today, the word markai is sometimes still used for Europeans, but not for Asians. However, it's considered rude. The correct terms are Yurupau Mœbaig (European) or Gamulmœbaig (Light-Colored Person).

Spirit Wind

One favorite way for markai to travel is using the markaigub, which means "spirit wind." This refers to waterspouts, which are swirling columns of water that appear in the sea. Waterspouts are common during the North-West Monsoon season. This is the favorite time for markai to visit the world.

This was also the season when Indonesian fishermen, like the Makkasarese, came to Northern Australia. Because of this, they were sometimes linked to the markai. Waterspouts are also called markaibaywa or markaibaw, which means "markai spear." The markai are believed to use these "spears" to hunt turtles and dugongs.