Editing Wati-kutjara

{{Short description|Mythological characters}}
In Western [[Australian Aboriginal mythology]], the '''Wati kutjara''' (also '''Wati kutjarra''' or '''Wadi Gudjara''') are two young [[lizard]]-men ([[totem]]: [[goanna]]) who, in the [[Dreamtime|Dreaming]], travelled all over the [[Western Desert (Australia)|Western Desert]]. In English, their [[songline]] is often called the ''Two Men Dreaming''.<ref name="Mudrooroo">Mudrooroo (1994) ''Aboriginal Mythology''. Thorsons, London, p.167. {{ISBN|1-85538-306-3}}</ref> The Wati kutjara are ubiquitous in the [[Australian Aboriginal mythology|mythology]] of the [[Western Desert (Australia)|Western Desert]];<ref name="Poirier">Poirier, S. (2005) ''A World of Relationships: Itineraries, Dreams and Events in the Australian Western Desert.'' Univ. Toronto Press, p.71-73.</ref> Their journey extends for thousands of kilometres, stretching from the [[Kimberley (Western Australia)|Kimberley]] to [[South Australia]].<ref name="Mudrooroo"/>

==Narratives==
Wati kutjara is one of the most important [[Dreaming (story)|Dreamings]] around [[Balgo, Western Australia|Balgo]];<ref name="Poirier"/> in [[Gugadja|Kukatja]] narratives, the Wati kutjara are often likened to the wind, whose form they adopt when in danger.<ref name="Poirier"/> The men's first action is to sing about their names in order to establish their own identity.<ref name="Cowan">Cowan, J. (1994) ''Wirrimanu - Aboriginal Art from the Balgo Hills'', Gordon & Breach Arts International, p.32. {{ISBN|976-8097-75-2}}</ref> Then they decide to travel about, and eventually decide to head south-east in order to enlighten the people there who do not possess the [[rituals]] known to the [[Dreamtime|Dreaming]] heroes. As they travel, they sing of the animals, plants and geographic features that they encounter, naming them and calling them into being.<ref name="Cowan"/> Filled with magical power, these two unmarried brothers eventually travelled all over the [[Western Desert (Australia)|Western Desert]] destroying many dangerous evil spirits.<ref name="Myers">Myers, F.R. (1986) ''Pintupi Country, Pintupi Self: Sentiment, Place and Politics among Western Desert Aborigines'', Univ. California Press, p.239</ref> They also created [[tjurunga|sacred objects]].<ref name="Cowan"/>

The Wati kutjara feature in innumerable stories, whose details vary from region to region. In one recension, they are credited with [[castration|castrating]] the Man in the Moon by throwing a magical [[boomerang]], [[Kidili]], because he tried to [[rape]] the first woman.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Berndt|first=R. M.|date=1941|title=Tribal Migrations and Myths Centring on Ooldea, South Australia|jstor=40327930|journal=Oceania|volume=12|issue=1|pages=1–20|doi=10.1002/j.1834-4461.1941.tb00343.x }}</ref> In other versions, the Wati kutjara are the ones attempting to seduce the same group of women.<ref name="Poirier"/>

==Art and literature==
*Locations and events associated with the Wati kutjara are frequently the subject of [[Aboriginal Art]] from [[Balgo, Western Australia|Balgo]] and its outstations.<ref name="Cowan"/>
*[[James Cowan (author)|James Cowan's]] book ''Two men dreaming''<ref name="Cowan2">Cowan, J. (1995) ''Two men dreaming: a memoir, a journey'', Brandl & Schlesinger. {{ISBN|978-0-646-23925-5}}</ref> draws upon Wati kutjara narratives, although the place-names appear to have been disguised. (Note. This was done t protect the region, and the people concerned: author)

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== See also ==
*[[Tingari]], another major song-myth cycle from the [[Western Desert (Australia)|Western Desert]]
*[[Inma board]]

{{Aboriginal South Australians}}

[[Category:Australian Aboriginal mythology]]
[[Category:Heroes in mythology and legend]]
[[Category:Legendary reptiles]]