Baiame

How to recognise Baiame

1. Ancestral man at the riverA tall, dignified adult man stands at the Barwon River at Brewarrina, the place where the Ngemba and neighbouring nations publicly share his story.
2. The great netA wide, loosely knotted net arcs over shallow water, recalling how he revealed the design of the fish traps by throwing it across the river.
3. Two sonsBooma-ooma-nowi and Ghinda-inda-mui, smaller than their father, build low stone walls to the shape of the net.
4. Stone weirs and pensLow dry-stone walls of river stones lie across a shallow, fast stretch of water, the Ngunnhu as it stands today.
5. PelicanOral history says the trap design was inspired by the pelican, so one may stand on the stones.
6. FootprintsTwo large footprints made by Baiame are said to remain at the Ngunnhu, and lines of footsteps are drawn near him in rock art.
7. Stars of OrionIn Wiradjuri star-lore, Baiami is seen in Orion chasing the Celestial Emu. This is a different account from the Gamilaraay Berriberri, who chases the Pleiades.

Names and titles

• Maker of the RiversIn recorded accounts he came down from the sky and made rivers, mountains and forests
• Caster of the NetHe revealed the design of the Ngunnhu fish traps by throwing his net over the river
• Builder with His Two SonsHe and his sons Booma-ooma-nowi and Ghinda-inda-mui built the fish traps at Brewarrina
• Sharer of the Fish TrapsAlthough the Ngemba are the custodians, it is said Baiame commanded the traps be shared with neighbouring nations
• Orion in the Wiradjuri SkyWiradjuri custodians see Baiami in the stars of Orion, in the story of his chase of the Celestial Emu