| Purukupali
Tiwi
An ancestor of the Tiwi of Melville Island. Purukupali brought death to all humans as punsihment for his wife's adultery. Tjapara or Moon Man, seduced Purukupali's wife. He arranged an assignation with her in the forest. She brought along her infant son, who she left in the shade of a tree. While the two lovers enjoyed their splendor in the grass, the sun moved in the sky, the shade moved with it, and the boy died of sunstroke. Purukupali was, understandbly, angry. Though Tjapara tried to appease him by offering to resurrect the boy, Purukupali announced that from that time onwards, everyone would die. The two men fought over the body. Purukupali drove Tjapara into the sky where he became the moon, which still bears of the scars of that mythic battle.
|