How the Kangaroos got their Tails

Rainbow serpent & the blue bird

10 Aug 202005:54

Summary

TLDRIn the Aboriginal tale 'How the Kangaroos Got Their Tails,' two kangaroos, one from the hills and one from the plains, share a rivalry over sugar bag, or wild bush honey. The short-armed hill kangaroo outsmarts the long-armed plains kangaroo, leading to a fierce fight with sticks. The battle ends with both kangaroos throwing their sticks, which stick to each other's tails, creating their distinctive features. The story concludes with each kangaroo retreating to their respective habitats, symbolizing the origins of their tails and their current habitats.

Takeaways

🌿 In Aboriginal mythology, kangaroos are said to have acquired their tails during the Dreamtime.
🐾 The story features two kangaroos, one from the hills and one from the plains, each with distinct physical characteristics.
🍯 The hill kangaroo, with short arms, searches for and enjoys sugar bag, a form of wild bush honey.
🐜 The plains kangaroo, with long arms, unsuccessfully tries to get sugar bag, instead pulling out spiders.
🤝 The two kangaroos engage in a conversation about the sugar bag, leading to a misunderstanding.
⚔️ A conflict arises between the two kangaroos, resulting in a fight using sticks.
💢 The plains kangaroo becomes enraged after being tricked and fights back, leading to both kangaroos throwing sticks at each other.
🏃‍♂️ The fight ends with both kangaroos retreating to their respective habitats, the plains and the hills.
🌱 The plains kangaroo declares its intention to live among the sugar grass, while the hill kangaroo chooses the boulders and spinifex.
🔍 The story concludes by explaining that the distinctive tails of kangaroos are a result of the sticks that stuck to them during the fight.

Q & A

What is the setting of the Aboriginal story about kangaroos?
-The story is set in the early days of the 'Dream Time', which refers to the Aboriginal concept of the time of creation and the world's beginning.
How many kangaroos are mentioned in the story?
-Two kangaroos are mentioned in the story: one from the hills and the other from the plains.
What physical characteristics distinguish the two kangaroos?
-The plains kangaroo is described as a big kangaroo with long arms and long legs, while the hill kangaroo is a small kangaroo with short arms and short legs.
What was the short-armed kangaroo searching for in the story?
-The short-armed kangaroo was searching for 'sugar bag', which refers to wild bush honey found in the Australian outback.
How did the short-armed kangaroo find the sugar bag?
-The short-armed kangaroo found the sugar bag by following bees to their hive in a hole in a rock.
Why was the big kangaroo unable to find the sugar bag?
-The big kangaroo was unable to find the sugar bag because he only reached just inside the hole and pulled out spiders instead of honey.
What did the big kangaroo do when he realized he was tricked?
-The big kangaroo, feeling tricked, broke off a big stick from a white gum tree to confront the short-armed kangaroo.
How did the conflict between the two kangaroos escalate?
-The conflict escalated when both kangaroos started fighting by hitting each other over the head with sticks they had broken off from trees.
What happened to the kangaroos after the fight?
-After the fight, both kangaroos hopped away back to their respective countries, with the big kangaroo going to the low country and the short-armed kangaroo to the hills.
What is the significance of the kangaroos' tails in the story?
-The story implies that the kangaroos' tails were formed as a result of the sticks that got stuck into them during their fight, which is a symbolic way of explaining their physical appearance.
How does the story end and what is its moral?
-The story ends with the kangaroos living in their respective habitats and the moral being that the kangaroos' tails are a result of their actions and the consequences of their conflict.

Outlines

00:00

🦘 The Tale of Two Kangaroos

This Aboriginal story narrated by George Mangman and compiled by Pamela Lofts, tells of how kangaroos acquired their tails. Set in the Dreamtime, the story introduces two kangaroos, one from the hills and one from the plains, each with distinct physical characteristics. The hill kangaroo, being small with short arms, enjoys hunting for sugar bag, a wild bush honey, by following bees to their hive. The plains kangaroo, larger with long limbs, is also eager for sugar bag but is tricked by the hill kangaroo into reaching into a hole and pulling out spiders instead of honey. This leads to a conflict where both kangaroos use sticks as weapons, resulting in both getting sticks stuck to them, which later become their tails. The story ends with the two kangaroos retreating to their respective habitats, the plains and the hills, with the transformation of the sticks into their distinctive tails.

05:03

🌿 The Legacy of the Kangaroos' Tails

The second paragraph concludes the story by explaining the current state of the kangaroos. The red plains kangaroo, now identified by its tail, declares its intention to live forever in the sugar grass country, while the short-armed hill kangaroo, also marked by its tail, chooses to reside among the boulders and spinifex of the hills. The narrative emphasizes that the distinctive tails of the kangaroos are a direct result of the events in the Dreamtime, and serve as a visual testament to the ancient story. The story ends on a reflective note, inviting the audience to recognize the kangaroos' tails as a symbol of their heritage and the rich cultural narrative that shaped their existence.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Dream Time

Dream Time, also known as the Dreaming or the Dreamtime, is a term used by Aboriginal Australians to describe the concept of the time of creation. It refers to the sacred period when ancestral beings shaped the earth and created all things seen in the natural world. In the context of the video, the Dream Time is the setting for the story, illustrating the ancient origins of the kangaroos' tails.

💡Kangaroos

Kangaroos are marsupials native to Australia and are featured in the video. They are known for their powerful hind legs, large tails, and ability to hop. The video's story revolves around the kangaroos and how they came to have their distinctive tails, which is a key element of the narrative.

💡Sugar Bag

Sugar bag refers to wild bush honey, a traditional Aboriginal food source. In the video, the short-armed kangaroo is searching for sugar bag, which is found by following bees to their hive. The sugar bag is a symbol of the resource that leads to the conflict between the two kangaroos.

💡Hills and Plains

The terms 'hills' and 'plains' describe the different habitats of the two kangaroos in the story. The hill kangaroo is from the hills, while the plains kangaroo is from the plains. These habitats are significant as they set the stage for the characters' behaviors and the eventual outcome of the story.

💡Arms and Legs

The physical characteristics of the kangaroos are highlighted by the terms 'arms' and 'legs'. The hill kangaroo has short arms and legs, while the plains kangaroo has long ones. These differences contribute to the dynamics of the story, particularly in the scene where they attempt to reach sugar bag.

💡Conflict

Conflict is a central theme in the video, as it arises from the competition for sugar bag. The conflict escalates when the big kangaroo, unable to reach the sugar bag, feels tricked by the short-armed kangaroo. This leads to a physical fight, which is a pivotal moment in the story.

💡White Gum Tree and Red Blood Wood Tree

These trees are mentioned in the context of the kangaroos breaking off sticks to fight each other. The white gum tree and red blood wood tree symbolize the resources available in their environments and are used as weapons, highlighting the intensity of the conflict.

💡Hopping Away

Hopping is a characteristic movement of kangaroos and is used in the video to describe how the kangaroos retreat after their fight. The action of hopping away signifies the end of the conflict and the beginning of a new phase for the kangaroos.

💡Sugar Grass Countryman

The term 'sugar grass countryman' is used by the big kangaroo to declare his allegiance to the plains where sugar grass grows. It reflects the kangaroo's decision to stay in a place that is abundant with the food he desires, which is a significant part of the story's resolution.

💡Boulder Country Man

Similarly, the short-armed kangaroo declares himself a 'boulder country man', choosing to live among the boulders and spinifex of the hills. This declaration signifies the kangaroo's acceptance of his environment and his new way of life.

Highlights

Introduction to the Aboriginal story about the origin of kangaroos' tails.

Setting the scene in the Dreamtime with two kangaroos from different habitats.

Description of the physical differences between the hill and plains kangaroos.

The hill kangaroo's quest for sugar bag wild bush honey.

The method of finding sugar bag by following bees to their hive.

The hill kangaroo's success in finding and eating sugar bag.

The plains kangaroo's hunger and attempt to get sugar bag.

The hill kangaroo's trick leading the plains kangaroo to pull out spiders instead of sugar bag.

The conflict arising from the trick and the two kangaroos' decision to fight.

The use of sticks as weapons in the kangaroos' fight.

The hill kangaroo's victory and the plains kangaroo's retreat.

The hill kangaroo throwing his stick, which sticks to the plains kangaroo.

The plains kangaroo's retaliation and the hill kangaroo getting stuck with a stick.

The two kangaroos hopping away to their respective habitats.

The plains kangaroo's declaration of living in the low country forever.

The hill kangaroo's decision to live in the hills among boulders and spinifex.

Conclusion of the story explaining how kangaroos got their tails.