- Attributes: Goddesses of fertility, motherhood, tenderness and love
- Symbols: Laces and knots
- Place: Australia
Many of the Australian natives believe that the world was created when the ancient Gods and Goddesses woke from their sleep under the earth and decided to walk on the plane above. These beings were so powerful that they created the world as they walked, treading and distorting the ground beneath their feet. This is a time referenced as “The Time of Dreams“.
The imagination of the creator Gods brought into existence all kinds of life present on the planet, but since they did not feel that it was complete, they created smaller Gods who would, in the future, would be responsible for the creation of humanity.
One of the most powerful minor Goddesses of this myth was the great rainbow serpent, the Goddess Yurlungur. She is credited for being the one who most created diversity in the life of the Earth and filled the rivers and lakes with water.
Twin Goddesses, called The Wawalak, were among the deities created during this period. They traveled the world with their babies and were very happy with each other’s company and their children until they made a mistake.
One day, on their travels, they set up camp near one of the Yurlungur lakes, where she was sleeping. As the Goddesses did not understand that the lake was sacred to the Serpent Goddess, they accidentally polluted it, and this caused a great riot.
The great serpent felt the pollution in the water and got so furious that, when waking up, she flooded the whole area with rain. The twin Goddesses desperately clung to what they could to save themselves and the children as they prayed and sang in a cry to Yurlungur, but nothing seemed to calm her. The serpent became more and more furious until she swallowed the Goddesses and their daughters in full.
Almost immediately, however, the Serpent Goddess felt ashamed to have taken such drastic measures, then she opened her mouth and freed the sisters from her stomach. She could not help but notice that the Goddesses were still holding their children, and the fact that they tried to protect the babies at all costs touched her deeply.
The Wawalak, like every mother, are willing to give their own lives to protect their children, it is a difficult connection to explain or even to understand, it simply exists in such a powerful way that it continues to fascinate everyone even today.
Envy
Some believers in this story believe that women were born with all the knowledge and secrets of the world, but men thought it unfair for them to have this unbreakable bond with their children and knowledge at the same time.
Thus, throughout our history, we see that men have planned to separate these qualities to “steal” the knowledge of women, leaving them without the ability to lead or to make decisions. This is finally coming to an end with more and more women assuming important roles in the society.
Summoning The Wawalak
The ritual for these Goddesses is to take time for yourself to meditate. Reconnect with the Earth, reminisce and reaffirm how sacred you are on this plane. How important your are for yourself and for others.
Your strength and ability to care for your children will grow and become stronger, whether they are children from your womb or from your heart.
Goddess Tarot
The Wawalak are Goddesses present in the Goddess Tarot. The card number XVI, Wawalak, represents Oppression.
The Aboriginal Australian Goddesses Wawalak were totally swallowed by Yurlungur, the great rainbow serpent. Oppressed by the darkness inside the serpent’s belly, the Wawalak wept until they were reborn from Yurlungur, returning to the light.
