Nargun facts for kids
A Nargun is a creature from the ancient stories of the Gunai/Kurnai tribe in Australia. It's described as a fierce being, half-human and half-stone. The Nargun was said to live in a special cave called the Den of Nargun. This cave is hidden behind a small waterfall in the Mitchell River National Park in Victoria. According to the legends, the Nargun had a body made of stone, but its hands, arms, and chest were human-like. It would drag people who weren't careful into its den. It was also believed that no weapon could harm the Nargun; instead, the weapon would turn back on the person who threw it.
Discovering the Den of Nargun
The Den of Nargun cave is located along Woolshed Creek. This creek is a small stream that flows into the Mitchell River inside the Mitchell River National Park. The cave is about one kilometer upstream from where the creek joins the river.
The first time this cave was officially written about was by Alfred William Howitt. He was an early explorer and anthropologist. After heavy rain, the entrance to the cave can be hidden by a beautiful waterfall. This waterfall has carved out a pool at the bottom of the cave.
The cave used to have many stalactites hanging from its roof. Sadly, many of these have been broken off by visitors over the years. However, you might still find smaller stalactites deeper inside the cave.
Cultural Importance of the Den
This area is very important to Aboriginal history and culture. It is part of the Batuluk Aboriginal Cultural Trail. The Gunai people told stories around their campfires about the Nargun. They said it would take children who went too close to the rockpool.
These stories also warned that boomerangs or spears could not hurt the Nargun. Any weapon thrown at it would bounce back to the thrower. These tales were more than just scary stories. They were a way to teach children to stay close to the campsite. They also kept them away from the sacred cave.
The Den of Nargun was a very special place for the women of the Gunai tribe. It was used for important women's initiation ceremonies and learning. It was a place of wisdom and tradition, not actually a monster's home.
A similar, but less famous, site is called Deadcock Den. It is also on Woolshed Creek, but downstream from the Den of Nargun. It's only about 200 meters from where the creek meets the Mitchell River. This site was also very culturally important to the Gunai people, especially for women.
Nargun in Books
- In 1974, Australian author Patricia Wrightson wrote a famous children's novel. It was called The Nargun and the Stars. This book was even made into a TV series later. The story is about a boy who moves to a remote Australian valley. There, he discovers many ancient creatures from Aboriginal Dreaming stories. In this book, the Nargun is an unbreakable stone being that slowly moves through the valley, destroying everything. Patricia Wrightson wrote another story, The Ice Is Coming, where she suggested there might be more than one Nargun.
- The Nargun is also mentioned in a short story by Bruce Pascoe. He is an indigenous author from the Wathaurong Aboriginal Co-operative in southern Victoria. His story is called "The Slaughters of the Bulumwaal Butcher." It can be found in the Macquarie PEN Anthology of Aboriginal Literature.
