Garrgiil tells what the spirits look like up close
I have still only seen these strange spirits from a distance, but what those who have seen them much closer say is at times disturbing, amusing, horrifying and intriguing.
One story told of a man holding a square black numbal (rock). They said he would look at the numbal, and then speak loudly to all those about him and with his free hand make signs in the air. Up and down and across.
We did not know what it meant, for our people don’t talk to rocks. We talk to the spirits of the land.
I reckon he’s ngabi warra (mad in the head).
Another story told of these spirits having some covering over their body. When the waan (crab) sheds its shell, it gets a new, soft shell. But when the spirits take these shells off to wash in the water, our people have seen that their other shell hasn’t grown. Their skin is all white like the ceremonial ochre we use. And they don’t want to throw the old shell away. They put it back over their body. I don’t know how they expect to grow if they stay in the same shell.
Other people say that there aren’t any women spirits. So, how are they gunna make babies?
The answer to that question came from my friend Gulgul (Blue-tongue Lizard). He said he saw a spirit huffing and puffing playing with his nganmaar (penis) behind a big rock.
Gulgul said he was going very fast and then groaned like a ngamu ngajaarr (dingo).
So, we now know they make more spirits from the ground. They don’t need a woman spirit.
They are powerful spirits, this mob!
But most of all, Gulgul told me that the spirits look like us, but white. He said the spirit making babies from the ground took off his shell, and everything he had, we have.
I wonder if they are really spirits or people like us?