What is the Binna Binna Man saying and how does
this give strength to his people?
The Binna binna Man is an Aboriginal spirit or eunjee who
appears to the people of Yarrie to tell them to believe in
themselves, listen to the voice inside them and to look out for
each other.
The boy in this story knows about the Binna Binna Man as he
has heard many stories about him since he was a small child.
Aboriginal stories are important to Aboriginal people as they
preserve their way of life, pass down the stories of the dream
time and pass on Aboriginal beliefs. Important lessons of life,
such as respecting your elders and how to behave, are taught
to the children of the next generation as well as fostering an
interest in their culture.
This story by Boori Pryor and Meme Mcdonald is a
contemporary Aboriginal story about an Aboriginal family
who tragically lost a member. The story describes the boy’s
travelling with his family back to their land, Yarrie, for his
cousin’s funeral. The journey, his family’s sadness at the death
of Sister girl, and his belief in his gundgi and his fear of the
Binna Binna man are described in detail. However after the
funeral the adults start drinking a large amount of alcohol to
wash away the pain of losing one of their own. The teenagers
go down to the beach and start drinking stolen grog and
smoking ‘durries’. The boy joins in with their drinking and
smoking under the influence of Shandell, his other cousin who
tells him, “We got to find our own way now. Things are
different for us. Them old ways’ve gon .”
The Binna Binna man appears in this story to warn them about
the dangers of not believing in their beliefs and their culture.
He warns the boy, when he has been drinking on the beach to
“Be who you are”. This advises the boy to be proud of his
beliefs as drinking is something he promised himself he’d
never do. The Binna Binna Man also appears to Shandell as
she has rejected the old ways and stories. She scorns her
cousin when he tells her not to steal the beer. “What they
gonna do, anyway? Try and scare us with them stories of the
big bad Binna Binna Man”
Popeye Bobby, an elder, is the only one who can save
Shandell. When he listens to her ravings he realises that ‘the
old people were talking through her”. Popeye Bobby then
gathers all the people together to pass on the message to them.
“They’re telling the adults to look out for the young ones. And
the young ones to look out for the old ways.”
So the Binna Binna Man shows us the advantages of
Aboriginal people believing in their own culture. By listening
to their elders, the stories, and in believing in the spirits, they
develop a sense of belonging and identity. This makes them
strong. As Popeye Bobby says, ‘You get weak, you die”.
Therefore the Binna Binna Man is saying to us ‘believe in
your family and your culture. This gives strength to Aboriginal
people and helps them resist the influence of others so they
can become one with their family and the world.
