Tradition / Region: Australian Mythology
Alternative names: Darhumulan; Daramulan; Dhurramoolun; Dharramaalan
Category: Bird
The Myth
Daramulum is a great sky hero of Aboriginal tradition, closely associated with Baiame. A powerful shapeshifter, he is linked with an emu-wife and is often portrayed as a part-human, part-emu being. Rock engravings depict him with a human body, one arm, a single large leg and foot, and the hindquarters of an emu.
After leaving the sky, Daramulum came to dwell within the great trees of the bush, his spirit residing in the burls that grow upon their trunks. During initiation ceremonies, his voice is heard through the bullroarer, which must be carved from a tree containing his spirit. As the sacred instrument spins through the air, it is believed that Daramulum himself is speaking to those taking part in the ceremony.
Among the Guringai people, Daramulum is also connected to the night sky. He is identified with Alpha Crucis, the brightest star of the Southern Cross, while the remaining stars of the constellation represent the head of his emu-wife, linking the sacred hero forever with the heavens.
Sources
Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). Daramulum. In Wikipedia. Retrieved June 29, 2026, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daramulum