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A S T O R Y O F T H EM A G I C A L C R O W M A NO F C O T T E S L O E ’ SM U D U R U P R O C K SWritten by Dr Barb Dobson and Ken MacintyreIllustrated by year 4 students, North Cottesloe Primary School

We acknowledge the Whadjukpeople of the Noongar nationas the traditional custodians ofthe land on which NorthCottesloe Primary School stands. We pay our respects to elderspast and present and we thankthem for caring for the Boodja(land) and Wardan (ocean) onwhich we learn and play. We are grateful for the sandand the breeze, the birds andthe trees and promise to carefor this country.

Dedicated to Dr MargaretGidjup and family, as well asNoongar elderswho contributed to this story ofKadjil, theCrowman.

Special thanksto Dr Barb Dobson and Ken Macintyre, for allowing usto illustrate thisstory of Kadjil.

To traditional Noongar people,Kadjil the Crowman was believedto possess the powerful magic ofa sorcerer, or bulyagaduk, and issaid to have had the ability totransform himself from a maninto a crow.

Indigenous oral history statesthat Mudurup, or coastalCottesloe, was one of thetraditional haunts, or in Noongarterms, the run of the crow orwardong.

Mudurup means, place of the whiting.

In traditional belief, crows were the messengersof the rain beings, thunder beings and the wind.

Only a powerful sorcerer, such as the Crowman, could divine the subtle unpredictabi lity of these natural elements.

When stormsapproached, theCrowman wouldannounce its comingto his kinsmen, the loud screeching ngool ark,white-tailed black cockatoo and excitethe busy movements of the biddit, orants.

These would indicate toAboriginal peoplethe coming ofstormy weather.**Bodney, C. Senior Ballaruk (Noongar) elder.

visited the coast at Mudurup, they would herald the arrival of the mullet and salmon.*Bodney, C. Senior Ballaruk (Noongar) elder. It was said* by the old people, thatwhen the wardong, who had theircamp on Waje mup, (Rottnest Island)

This was a sign of a time of plenty.And this is the story of Kadjil.

NOONGAR WORDS TO LEARNWhadjuk - are the people of theSwan River plains, whose countryis now occupied by the greatermetropolitan area of Perth.Noongar -a person of the south-west of Western Australia,or the name for the originalinhabitants of the south-west of Western Australia.Boodja - land/country

Kadjil - Crowman biddit - antMu durup - placeof the whitingwar dong - crow/ravenWajemup - Rottnest Islandmu da/r - whitingbulyagaduk - sorcerer ngoolark - white tailed blackcockatooWardan - ocean

Noongar names and terms, such as Kadjil,wardong, ngoolark, and even the termNoongar itself, can be spelt in manydifferent ways. There is no single correct spelling as theNoongar language is traditionally an oralone. Choice of spelling usually depends on an individual or group’s preferred spelling, and/or regional or dialectical linguistic differences.More than one way

Caring for CountryTogether Mudurup Rocks is one of the last known andsurviving Indigenous mythological andceremonial sites on the Western Australianmetropolitan coast.We all have the responsibility forrespecting this boodja by caring for andprotecting it. Some ways you and your family can do this,may be to join Cottesloe Coast Care, whowork to protect the native plants andanimals of the area. You can look after thewardong and other animals by keeping ourcoastline clean.On your next visit to Mudurup Rocks, be still,feel the breeze and see if you can spotKadjil, the guardian of this special site!

To artist, Josephine Johnson, who workedwith the children to produce thesebeautiful illustrations as a part of the2023 Curtin University Artist in ResidenceProgram.Cottesloe Coast Care, for inspiringstudents to appreciate and look after their beautiful coastline. Lead teacher, Stephanie Matthews andall of the amazing year 4 students ofNorth Cottesloe Primary School. Littlescribe for their inspiration andassistance in creating this book via theNAIDOC Book Creation Challenge.Acknowledgements

Daisy Leona Elizabeth Olivia MaggieFreya WallyLouis Jade Jemima Harry Nicholas EdrikKate Scarlett Zachary Matilda Clover Lewis HarryTyler IndiArlo Elsie Ellie OllieClive Emerald ChloeArtists

THIS IS THE STORY OF KADJIL THE CROWMAN, AT MUDURUP ROCKS. To traditional Noogar people Kadjil the Crowman was believed topossess the powerful magic of asorcerer and is said to have had theability to transform himself from a maninto a crow.