Editing Baiame

{{Short description|Creator god and sky father in Australian Aboriginal mythology}}
{{Use Australian English|date=July 2018}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2018}}
[[Image:Biamie's Cave.jpg|thumb|upright=1.3|[[Wonnarua]] painting of Baiame, near [[Milbrodale, New South Wales|Milbrodale]], (south of [[Singleton, New South Wales]]). Note that his arms extend to the two trees either side.]]

In [[Australian Aboriginal religion and mythology|Australian Aboriginal mythology]], '''Baiame''' (or '''Biame''', '''Baayami''', 
'''Baayama''' or '''Byamee''') is the [[Creator deity|creator god]] and [[sky father]]<ref>{{cite book |title=Aboriginal Art of Australia |first1=Douglass |last1=Baglin |first2=Barbara |last2=Mullins |publisher=Mulavon |location=Marleston, S.A. |year=1986 |page=11}}</ref>  in [[the Dreaming]] of several [[Aboriginal Australian]] peoples of south-eastern Australia, such as the [[Wonnarua]], [[Kamilaroi]], [[Kuringgai|Guringay]], [[Eora]], [[Darkinjung language|Darkinjung]], and [[Wiradjuri]] peoples.

==Description and history==
[[Image:BaiameCaveBulga0004.jpg|thumb|Baiame Cave, details]]
[[Image:Mt Yengo.jpg|thumb|Mount Yengo]]

The Baiame story tells how Baiame came down from the sky to the land and created rivers, mountains, and forests in all the lands. He then gave the people their laws of life, traditions, songs, and culture. He also created the first [[initiation]] site. This is known as a [[Bora (Australian)|bora]]; a place where boys were initiated into manhood. When he had finished, he returned to the sky and people called him the ''Sky Hero'' or ''All Father'' or ''Sky Father''.<ref>{{cite book |title=Footprints on Rock |year=1997 |location=Redfern, N.S.W. |publisher=Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council |isbn=0-7313-1002-0 |first1=T & N |last1=Popp |first2=Bill |last2=Walker}}</ref>

He is said to have two wives, [[Ganhanbili]] and [[Birrangulu]],<ref>Robert S Fuller et al, The Astronomy of the Kamilaroi People and their Neighbours, 12.</ref> the latter often being identified as an [[emu]], and with whom he has a son [[Daramulum|Dharramalan]]. In other stories Dharramalan is said to be brother to Baiame.{{citation needed|date=March 2022}}

It was forbidden to mention or talk about the name of Baiame publicly. Women were not allowed to see drawings of Baiame nor approach Baiame sites, which are often male initiation sites (boras).{{citation needed|date=March 2022}}

In rock paintings Baiame is often depicted as a human figure with a large head-dress or hairstyle, with lines of footsteps nearby. He is always painted in front view; Dharramalan is drawn in profile. Baiame is often shown with internal decorations such as waistbands, vertical lines running down the body, bands and dots.{{citation needed|date=March 2022}}

==Attempted link with the Christian God==
The missionary [[William Ridley (Presbyterian missionary)|William Ridley]] adopted the name of Baiame for the [[God in Christianity|Christian God]] when translating into [[Gamilaraay language|Gamilaraay]] (the language of the [[Kamilaroi]]). It is sometimes suggested that Baiame was a construct of early Christian missionaries, but [[K Langloh Parker]] dated belief in Baiame to (at latest) 1830, prior to missionary activity in the region.<ref>{{cite book |last=Parker |first=K. Langloh |authorlink=K. Langloh Parker |title=[[s:The Euahlayi Tribe|The Euahlayi Tribe]]: A Study of Aboriginal Life in Australia |edition=1st |year=1905 |publisher=Archibald Constable and Company |location=London |pages=4–10 |chapter=[[s:The Euahlayi Tribe/Chapter 2|The All Father, Byamee]]}}</ref>

==Portrayal in the ''Awaba'' (Lake Macquarie) area==
In the area surrounding [[Lake Macquarie (New South Wales)|''Awaba'' (Lake Macquarie)]] in [[New South Wales]], Australia,<ref>Wright.T- Belongs the [[Kamilaroi]] people {{clarification needed|date=December 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/visit-a-park/parks/yengo-national-park/learn-more |title=Yengo National Park: Learn more |author=NSW National Parks |website=NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service |publisher=NSW Government |access-date=2019-12-18}}</ref> he was believed to have created all of the mountains, lakes, rivers and caves in the area. After he  finished creating, he jumped back up to the spirit world from [[Mount Yengo]], which he flattened. Its flat top can still be seen to this day, near Wollombi Valley.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wollombivalley.com/OurHeritage/AboriginalHistory/tabid/380/Default.aspx |title=Aboriginal History |website=Wollombi Valley |year=2007 |publisher=Wollombi Valley Chamber of Commerce |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110718074627/http://www.wollombivalley.com/OurHeritage/AboriginalHistory/tabid/380/Default.aspx |archive-date=2011-07-18 }}</ref> A cave near Milbrodale contains many Wonnarua Aboriginal paintings, including a large figure of a man who may be Baiame. It is popularly known as the Baiame Cave and is part of a series of rock shelters on an area of 80 hectares. The site is listed on the [[Register of the National Estate]] and is considered a [[Australian Aboriginal sacred site|sacred site]].<ref>{{cite book |title=The Heritage of Australia |author1=Australian Heritage Commission |last2=Bilney |first2=Elizabeth |location=South Melbourne, Vic. |publisher=Macmillan |year=1981 |page=2/211}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Australian Aboriginal mythology|Aboriginal mythology]]
*[[Aboriginal sites of New South Wales]]

==References==
<references/>

==External links==
{{commonsinline|Hunter Valley}}

[[Category:Australian Aboriginal gods]]
[[Category:Creator gods]]
[[Category:Sky and weather gods]]