Mokoi facts for kids

Mokoi is a powerful spirit from the traditional stories of the Murngin people in Australian Aboriginal mythology. The name "Mokoi" means "evil spirit." This spirit was believed to cause harm and trouble.

What Mokoi Does

The Murngin people believed that Mokoi was responsible for many bad things. They thought that if someone got sick or had a serious accident, it might be the work of Mokoi, rather than just old age or bad luck.

Stopping Harmful Magic

One of Mokoi's main roles in the legends was to deal with people who practiced harmful magic. These were sorcerers who used their powers for bad purposes. Mokoi was said to stop these sorcerers from doing evil deeds. The stories suggest that these sorcerers made agreements that led to their downfall, and Mokoi was involved in bringing about their end.

The Mystery of the Children

Some legends about Mokoi are quite scary. It was believed that Mokoi would sometimes take children at night. One idea was that Mokoi needed a special "elixir of life" from them to become stronger, even though the spirit was already considered dead. Another story says that Mokoi would take children to lure their parents into the wilderness, where the spirit could then cause them harm. These parts of the legend show how frightening Mokoi was to the Murngin people.