Warnayarra – the Rainbow Snake

Retold by Room 8

This is a true story. It happened in the days when we were made to work for white bosses at Lajamanu.

We worked in a big garden near the creek.

• There were two water tanks and a windmill next to the garden.

We had to work very hard in the hot sun.

One day, in the wet season, the people working in the garden saw a big storm, with a big wind, coming in from the south.

There was something inside that storm! The old men saw it coming across the creek.

It was wild! It was big!

And there was ice, thunder and lightning.

The ground was shaking and trees were breaking on every side.

Inside the storm was Warnayarra… the rainbow snake!

It smashed one tank.

It smashed the windmill and cut its tail

on the blades spinning around.

It broke all the trees and smashed some humpies.

The creek filled up and pretty soon flooded the garden.

The people were frightened and hid in their humpies.

For three days and three nights all the people were hiding from the Rainbow Snake.

Then it took off – north, to Arnhem land and went into the sea.

It stayed there for a long time.

Then it came back again and smashed a house.

Ice was falling and birds were dying. The trees were shaking and iron was flying around. The people hid again.

After two days the Rainbow Snake went west and into Nongra Lake. It is still there, lying under the dry lakebed – sleeping. No one ever fixed the water tank or windmill and they are there today – all smashed up.

We still tell the story of Warnayarra because … one day, when the rain falls again, that Rainbow Snake will come out

and go travelling round to other places.

It might try to kill people, but the old people know how to stop it.

The End