Raymond Walters Japanangka

In the Dreamtime more than 300 emus travelled across the Central Australian region from the west to the north, many of them died leaving behind significant sites and stories. While they were travelling one of them decided to search for a particular bush tucker kujuta (bush tomato).

This Emu came across an old turkey in Nulykurrong, my grandfathers country. The emu asked the turkey if he had any Kujuta. The turkey told the emu he had only dry, sweetless Kujuta. The emu was suspicious and stayed around waiting for the turkey to wander off. When the turkey went away the emu searched an area where he had seen the turkey laying about.

As he walked around he came across a big tree and behind the tree was a deep trench filled with kujuta. The emu tasted one of the kujuta and it was sweet and tasty. The turkey returned and found the emu eating his hidden store of Kujuta.

They started to argue and began to fight. The emu tried to hit the turkey with his wing and missed, hitting and splitting a kujuta. The evidence of this story remains in nulykurrong. The trench, the large stones (kujuta) and the split stone (kujuta) caused by the emu.

Raymond Walters Japanangka > Emu Dreaming | Ankerre Jukurrpa (Emu Feathers) | Water Dreaming


The emu is Australia’s largest living flightless bird, being the second largest bird in the world next to the ostrich. Check out our information and images about the Emu.