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Smoking the Baby: Muluru
Title:
Smoking the Baby: Muluru
Year
2001
Warnings
WARNING: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewers are advised that the following program may contain images and/or audio of deceased persons
Women at Five Mile show us plants using the Indigenous names like muluru, or warrumungu, called wintatu. They tell us that smoking is for mothers and small children. Jungarrayi jungarrayi is used to make the bedding over the fire for the small children. Lemon grass is collected because it smells nice. The footage of the collection of plants used in the smoking ceremony is intercut with footage of a small child being smoked. We are shown a bush called mungkarta in Warrumungu. The site for smoking is selected because it is where the muluru tree and the nuku grow. Summary by Romaine Moreton.
The different plants that are collected offer fascinating insight into the ritual of smoking for small children and their mothers. The ritual of smoking is one common to many Indigenous cultures in Australia, and in this clip, we are shown the detailed preparation for the ritual that helps children and mothers fend off illness.
Smoking the Baby synopsis
An observational documentary about the cultural ritual of smoking the baby to ensure their health and well-being.
Smoking the Baby is part of the Nganampa Anwernekenhe series produced by Central Australian Aboriginal Media Association (CAAMA) Productions. Nganampa Anwernekenhe means 'ours’ in the Pitjantjatjara and Arrernte lanuages, and the series aims to contribute to the preservation of Indigenous languages and cultures.
Smoking the Baby curator's notes
Elders sitting at Five Mile, south-east of Seven Mile, tell us how the old people used to smoke the babies. The ritual of smoking the baby is one of purification.
Notes by Romaine Moreton
Production company
CAAMA Productions
Executive Producer
Priscilla Collins (AKA Cilla Collins)
Director
Dena Curtis
Acknowledgements
Papula Apparr-kari Aboriginal Corporation
The National Film and Sound Archive of Australia acknowledges Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we work and live and gives respect to their Elders both past and present.