KARLGARIN

FRIDAY 29.11.2013: Mulka's Cave at Hyden was the first stop of the day. The legend of Mulka has major regional importance for the Noongar Culture. The following story contains key elements of the myth.

"Mulka was the illegitimate son of a woman who fell in love with a man to whom marriage was forbidden. As a result, Mulka was born with crossed eyes. Even though he grew up to be an outstandingly strong man of colossal height, his crossed eyes prevented him from aiming a spear accurately and becoming a successful hunter.

Out of frustration Mulka turned to catching and eating human children, and he became the terror of the district. He lived in Mulka's Cave, where the impressions of his hands can still be seen much higher than those of an ordinary man.

His mother became increasingly concerned with Mulka, and when she scolded him for his anti-social behaviour, he turned on his own mother and killed her. This disgraced him even more and he fled the cave, heading south.

Aboriginal people were outraged by Mulka's behaviour and set out to track down the man who had flouted the rules. They finally caught him near Dumbleyung, 156km south west of Hyden. Because he did not deserve a proper ritual burial, they left his body for the ants - a grim warning to those who break the law."

Mulka's Cave contains the largest collection of Aboriginal paintings in the south west of Western Australia.

GNAMMA (WATER HOLE)
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Onward to the Humps and the Gnamma Trail - "a flat easy walk of 1220 metres" with words and illustrations of local elders and artists describing the landscape, its features and the birds, animals and plants. Gnamma (water hole) was used by the local Noongar people when camping in the area. "Crack Gnamma" - having formed a split in the rock.

PAN GNAMMA - DRY OUT QUICKER THAN CRACK GNAMMAS

LIZARD TRAP - CERTAINLY NO NEED FOR A MEAT TENDERISER!

Having conquered the heat and flies we bravely set off on the Kalari Trail. "Kalari" is the Noongar name for the small lizards that live on the rock - and you are likely to see many as this walk climbs steadily (but not steeply), to the summit of the outcrop." HAAAA!




 

TEA BREAK ON THE
STEADY CLIMB!