The Mimi Spirits of Arnhem Land
In northern Australia, thin spirit people are said to live inside the rocks. They were the first to paint on them, and taught people to hunt.
What was reported
Mimi are spirit beings in the traditions of Aboriginal peoples of western Arnhem Land. They are tall and so thin that a strong wind could snap them, so they live in cracks in the rock escarpments, coming out when the air is still.
In many stories, the Mimi taught the first people how to hunt, cook and paint, and some of the oldest rock paintings in the region, of slender, moving figures, are said to have been made by them. They can be mischievous, and people are careful not to anger them.
Explanations offered
The Mimi are part of living Aboriginal belief and art, still painted on bark and canvas today. The rock art attributed to them is thousands of years old. Their stories are cultural knowledge to be respected.
- When
- Told and painted for thousands of years
- Where
- Western Arnhem Land, Northern Territory, Australia
- Witnesses
- Aboriginal peoples of Arnhem Land
- Status
- Legend
Famous cases are real, widely reported events. Each file sets out what witnesses said and the explanations that have been offered, without taking a side.
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