In common with other tribes, the Wurunjeri engaged in co-operative fishing with the help of the local dol- phins. According to Burnum, the sight of a dolphin or whale alway brought joy to Aboriginal tribes, particularly in times of difficulty or distress, and in hi own tribe, the Wurunjeri of south-eastern Australia, the dolphin was regarded as a sacred symbol or totem.
In the west is Monkey Mia, in the east Byron Bay, in the south is Wilson's Promontory and in the far north Bamaga, though he pointed out that the entire Australian coastline is in fact blessed with the presence of dolphins and whales. AUSTRALIA The late Bumum Burnum, Australian Aboriginal writer and activist, pointed out that the four extreme points of the Aus- tralian mainland have always been significant 'Dolphin Dream- ing' ites for local tribes. The myths and legend recounted below, however, originate from long before the first European settlers arrived in the South Seas, and some even speak of the creation and settlement of Oceania itself. The following year, under the command of the more inquisitive Captain Samuel Wallis, The Dolphin landed in Matavai Bay, Tahiti, to a friendly welcome, three years prior to Captain Cook's arrival in 1769 to observe the transit of Venus. It is interesting to note that one of the first British sh.ips to explore the Pacific was, in fact, called The Dolphin, under the command of Captain John Byron (grandfather of the famous poet) in 1765. The majority of dis- cussions about cetaceans in the past, however, have concen- trated on the dolphin's role in Greek mythology, with scant re- gard for the beliefs of the sea-faring peoples of the Pacific. From Australia and New Zea- land to Hawai'i and Easter Island, dolphins and whales fre- quently appear in Pacific Island folklore.
It comes as little surprise, then, that Oce- ania, 0 dominated by the waters of the vast Pacific, is rich in cetacean legends and mythology.
Whatever the origin of their appeal, cetaceans have featured prominently in mythology from ancient times.
This ex- citement may stem from the impressive size of the large whales, or the playful exertions of the acrobatic dolphins, not to men- tion the many stories of cetaceans coming to the aid of ship- wrecked ailors and stranded fishermen. The POD-People, Oceans, Dolphins (Vancouver, Canada) 75 Dolphins, whales and porpoise collectively known as cetaceans, cau e excitement wherever they are seen. Making a Splash in the Pacific: Dolphin and Whale Myths and Legends of Oceania Jason Cressey, Ph.D.
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