Namarrkon

Namarrkon the Aboriginal name for "The Lightning Spirit" and images of him are often found in caves and on rock surfaces in this area of Kakadu and Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory. . The sacred site of Namarrkon, the Lightning Spirit, is about fifty-six kilometers away to the east of the Nimbuwah rock. It is here that Namarrkon dwells throughout the dry season.

When the wet monsoon season starts to build up in November, Namarrkon flies up into the sky and sits on storm clouds made by the Rainbow Serpent. From there he emits deep growls of thunder and sends lightning flashes across the sky, although no rain falls until the Rainbow Serpent releases it. This high vantage point allows Namarrkon to keep a close watch on Aboriginal people living below to see if they are observing codes of good behaviour, conducting sacred ceremonies, and passing on history and religion to the uninitiated in their tribe. If Namarrkon sees anything which displeases him, he plucks one of the stone axes from his knee or elbow joints and hurls it at the offender. Sometimes he misses and cleaves a tree in two.

This is a significant Dreamtime story and many artists from the Northern part of Australia depict Namarrkon in their artworks.

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