Neither Duck, nor Beaver, or a Few Remarks on the Platypus in the Symbolism and Beliefs of Aboriginal Inhabitants of Australia
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31261/ZOOPHILOLOGICA.2020.06.07Keywords:
platypus, Australia, aborigines, totemism, DreamtimeAbstract
Since ancient times, people have been fascinated by animals. They are such a close element of the biosphere, that it is not possible for them to go unnoticed. Treating animals as sacred beings is one of the primary elements of totemism – belief in kinship with the class of objects (in this case animals). It is clearly visible in the culture of Australian aborigines. The paper presents, through the scope of mystic relation aborigines-animals, the role of platypus in the culture of indigenous inhabitants of Australia. It is also an attempt to fill the gap in the humanist discourse about animals because to this day platypus haven’t had any monographic study in the field of religious studies, cultural studies or even animal studies. By analyzing the stories from the Dreamtime, the text shows the mythical genesis of this mammal, the origin of its characteristic features, and it functions in the life of a tribe, especially in the light of aquatic symbolism.
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