Mimi (folklore)

Aboriginal rock painting of Mimi spirits in the Anbangbang gallery at Nourlangie Rock

Mimis are fairy-like beings of Arnhem Land in the folklore of the Indigenous Australians of northern Australia. They are described as having extremely thin and elongated bodies, so thin as to be in danger of breaking in case of a high wind. To avoid this, they usually spend most of their time living in rock crevices. They are said to have taught the Aborigines of Australia how to hunt, prepare kangaroo meat and use fire. They are like humans but they live in a different dimension. They were depicted during the freshwater period (1200 kya).

The Australian Museum (Sydney, N.S.W.) in its web article "Indigenous Australia Spirituality" describes them thus:

"The Mimi are tall, thin beings that live in the rocky escarpment of northern Australia as spirits. Before the coming of Aboriginal people they had human forms. The Mimi are dangerous if approached the wrong way, it may kick, knee, slap, smash with a racket like object or sit on someone; which causes sometimes fatal injuries.

"When Aboriginal people first came to northern Australia, the Mimi taught them how to hunt and cook kangaroos and other animals. They also did the first rock paintings and taught Aboriginal people how to paint."

See also

• Fairy