The Emu in the Sky has many different names. Different groups in Australia look to the emu for many different reasons.

The Emu of the KamilaroiThe Kamilaroi nation is one of the largest Indigenous peoples in Australia. This nation can be found in

Northern New South Wales and Southern Queensland. The Kamilario watch the ‘Emu in the Sky’ during the year as a calendar marking natural events.

In April, the emu appears in the sky with legs. This is the female emu running after the male. It’s now breeding season and the Kamilario know this means emu eggs will soon be ready for collection.

In June, the emu changes. The legs are gone and the sky now shows the male emu sitting on the eggs keeping them warm. This is also the time when young boys go through initiation ceremonies. These ceremonies are led by the men of the group, guiding and protecting the boys into manhood, just like the emu protecting his eggs in the sky.

The Emu Constellation

The male emu keeping the eggs warm.

The female emu runs after the males.

From August, the head of the emu disappears and the round body of the emu can be seen. The round shape of the body looks like an emu egg, telling the Kamilario that the time for collecting eggs is over and baby chicks are hatching.

In November, the emu moves with the Milky Way low down in the sky. It looks like the emu is sitting on the horizon (the place where the Earth and sky seem like they meet). The emu is sitting in a waterhole resting. The Kamilario now know that the

waterholes are full.By late February, the emu has disappeared from the sky, telling the Kamilario that the waterholes are dry. The emu’s head will appear in again in March, starting the cycle again.

Resources https://kamilaroianationsidentity.weebly.com/the-dreaming.htmlhttp://www.atnf.csiro.au/people/Ray.Norris/papers/n318.pdf

Chick are now hatching.

The emu sits in the waterhole.

The emu has disappeared.