Series 02

STORY 2
Budadji
as told by Ashley Coleman – QLD Cairns

Learn how seashells were given to the Djabingantji people by Budadji the carpet snake spirit

Synopsis:
This story tells of how Budadji, the carpet snake spirit, comes from the sea to bring brightly coloured Nautilus shells for the people of the mountains. The men wore the headbands for dance and ceremonies and the women wore the shells as necklaces. The people also wore the shells for their healing powers and they would give Budadji dilly bags and in exchange Budadji would return to the sea looking for more shells for them.

One day, three greedy bird’s, Dabuy, Wubay and Budjibin, saw Budadji carrying the shells up to the people in the mountains. These three birds were greedy for the shells and followed Budadji, wanting to do him over, so that they could steal the shells from him.

Budadji refused to give the shells to the greedy birds because he knew that the mountain mob would track him down if he did not turn up with the shells. So the sneaky birds tricked Budadji by showing him a short-cut to the people of the mountains. Once Budadji was lost they trapped him by blocking his track with a log and stole his shells from him.

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