Koonalda is our hereditary treasury where Jeedara left deposits of djalyi, flint that he created out of his seafoam. This became our currency for trade and barter. We are the descendants of Jeedara and Yargaryilya, the Seven Sisters, and they provided for us and our generations to come by giving us fire from flint.
Our stories have passed through thousands of generations and reach deep into the Creation of our Country. We know that before the sea came in, it first went out, which science now shows happened pre 30,000 years ago. That was the same era when our ancestors decorated the walls of Koonalda with sacred art; offering a sacred connection carried in their stories so that we can still communicate with them today. Our Elders taught us the secret meanings in the art; sharing Jeedara’s stories and songline of his journey in Creation times. When the art was created, our ancestors lived here and on the now submerged plain that connected with Koonalda through underground rivers. Our stories tell how the site for the art was selected so that it would be safe in the changing sea levels to come.
PLEASE NOTE: There are traditional protocols around entering Country and caves, especially areas that are sacred to us. These are not protocols that our Elders have created; they form part of the laws and customs passed down for thousands of generations. Our protocols protect our sacred sites spiritually and also the extremely rare and unique species that have inhabited their isolated garoo womwoum, cave homes for millions of years.
To stay physically and culturally safe, please respect traditional protocols. There are very serious State and Commonwealth laws for damaging Aboriginal sites and for removing items from our Country.
