Mimis are fairy-like beings of Arnhem Land in the folklore of the Indigenous Australians of northern Australia.
Etymology
Their name might come from the song of a Zebra Finch.
Description
Mimis are like humans but they live in a different dimension. 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.
Believed to be trickster spirits, the Mimi disappear into the rock walls of caves and shelters and sometimes leave their shadows behind, which appear as paintings. Paintings of the Mimi are characterized by their graceful, elongated shape.
Behavior
They are said to have taught the Aborigines of Australia how to hunt, prepare kangaroo meat and use fire. They were depicted during the freshwater period (1200 kya). Robert Lawlor (1991: p.223) states that: "Gusty, raunchy, vivacious spirits of nature, known as the Mimi Spirits, taught sexuality to the Aborigines in all its diverse forms."
Source
- Lawlor, Robert (1991). Voices Of The First Day: Awakening in the Aboriginal Dreamtime. Rochester, Vermont: Inner Traditions International, Ltd. ISBN 0-89281-355-5