Dreamtime Story
In a place called Nurrurrumba, there lived Gandji and his children, along with his brother-in-law, Wurrpan, and his family. One day, Gandji and his children went to fish for stingrays in the clear saltwater, where they could easily spot various types. After a successful catch, they cooked the stingrays, separating the meat from the fat, and wrapped them in bark to take back to their camp.
Upon returning, Gandji offered a portion to Wurrpan's family but kept the fresher pieces for his own. When Wurrpan realized this, he confronted Gandji, leading to a heated argument. In a fit of anger, Gandji threw hot coals at Wurrpan, who retaliated by throwing a smooth grinding stone, hitting Gandji in the chest.
Fearing further retaliation, Gandji began to jump around, eventually taking flight and transforming into a Jabiru without a beak. Wurrpan, seeking justice, prepared his spear and threw it at the flying Gandji, piercing him from behind to his face, creating a beak. Gandji fell to the ground at Ngurruyurrdjurr.
Wurrpan then urged his children to flee with him towards Milindji Dhawarri. As they ran, they transformed into emus, their feathers turning grey from the ashes and bearing a bump from the stone's impact.
To this day, the Yolngu people remember this story when cooking emu meat, always half-cooking it and wiping off the ash before eating. The emu's eggs also resemble the shape of the stone that struck Gandji, serving as a reminder of the tale of the Emu and the Jabiru.